Artist’s concept of how rocky, potentially habitable worlds elsewhere in our galaxy might appear. Data gathered by telescopes in space and on the ground suggest that small, rocky planets are common. (Placing them so close together in a line is for illustrative purposes only.) Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC-Caltech) The planets… Read more“Rocky? Habitable? Sizing up a Galaxy of Planets”
NASA’s InSight Will Study Mars While Standing Still
This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s InSight lander after it has deployed its instruments on the Martian surface. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech You don’t need wheels to explore Mars. After touching down in November, NASA’s InSight spacecraft will spread its solar panels, unfold a robotic arm … and stay put. Unlike the space… Read more“NASA’s InSight Will Study Mars While Standing Still”
All in the Family: Kin of Gravitational-Wave Source Discovered
A distant cosmic relative to the first source that astronomers detected in both gravitational waves and light may have been discovered. This object, called GRB150101B, was first detected by identified as a gamma ray burst (GRB) by the NASA’s Fermi satellite in January 2015. Credits: X-ray: NASA/CXC/GSFC/UMC/E. Troja et al.;… Read more“All in the Family: Kin of Gravitational-Wave Source Discovered”
Chandra X-ray Observatory Returns to Science Operations
Oct. 24 Update: On the evening of October 21, Chandra returned to science observations after the team successfully carried out a procedure to enable a new gyroscope configuration for the spacecraft. The team initiated a set of maneuvers to change the pointing and orientation of the spacecraft to confirm that the… Read more“Chandra X-ray Observatory Returns to Science Operations”
NASA’s NICER Mission Finds an X-ray Pulsar in a Record-fast Orbit
Scientists analyzing the first data from the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission have found two stars that revolve around each other every 38 minutes — about the time it takes to stream a TV drama. One of the stars in the system, called IGR J17062–6143 (J17062 for short), is a… Read more“NASA’s NICER Mission Finds an X-ray Pulsar in a Record-fast Orbit”
NASA’s Juno Mission Provides Infrared Tour of Jupiter’s North Pole
In this animation the viewer is taken low over Jupiter’s north pole to illustrate the 3-D aspects of the region’s central cyclone and the eight cyclones that encircle it. The movie utilizes imagery derived from data collected by the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument aboard NASA’s Juno mission… Read more“NASA’s Juno Mission Provides Infrared Tour of Jupiter’s North Pole”
Mount Sharp ‘Photobombs’ Mars Curiosity Rover
This self-portrait of NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle on Vera Rubin Ridge, which it’s been investigating for the past several months. Poking up just behind Curiosity’s mast is Mount Sharp, photobombing the robot’s selfie. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS Full image and caption A new self-portrait of NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover… Read more“Mount Sharp ‘Photobombs’ Mars Curiosity Rover”