A slice of the El Ali meteorite, now housed in the University of Alberta's Meteorite Collection, contains two minerals never before seen on Earth. (Photo: University of Alberta)

Space is full of rocks. This “celestial debris” known as meteoroids hurtles through space, occasionally entering Earth's atmosphere where the materials begin to burn up. These “shooting stars” are meteors. Most are obliterated before they come close to the surface of Earth, but a few survive the fall. These rocks which hit Earth are known as meteorites, and they are a scientist's dream. Meteorites provide hints to the chemical composition of the universe. Excitingly, a meteorite which fell to Earth and landed in Somalia in 2020 has been revealed to contain two new minerals not found on our planet.

The meteorite in question is the ninth largest ever discovered at a whopping 15 tonne (16.5 U.S. ton). It was found near El Ali, a town in the Hiiraan region of Somalia. A 2.5-ounce piece of the space rock was taken as a scientific sample and sent to the University of Alberta. There it was analyzed by Chris Herd, a professor in the Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences and curator of the University of Alberta’s Meteorite Collection. Herd began to decipher the meteorites composition. “Whenever you find a new mineral, it means that the actual geological conditions, the chemistry of the rock, was different than what’s been found before,” he says. “That’s what makes this exciting: In this particular meteorite you have two officially described minerals that are new to science.”

Herd's results classified the meteorite as an “Iron, IAB complex” example, of which 350 have been discovered. Despite other similar meteorites being studied, this small slice of rock contained two previously unknown minerals. Minerals are elements or compounds which form the building blocks of rocks. Think of quartz or feldspar, which are both common minerals. Yet the two new minerals discovered are not naturally occurring on our planet. It usually takes a while to confirm whether a mineral in a meteorite is in fact new; however, these were easy to match given the fact that scientists have artificially synthesized them before. A third mineral is also possibly a new type, but more investigation is needed to confirm this.

Andrew Locock, head of the University’s Electron Microprobe Laboratory, aided Herd in identifying the new minerals. The compounds have been named elaliite and elkinstantonite. The former is named in honor of the town nearby the meteorite crash site, and the latter is in honor of Lindy Elkins-Tanton, vice president of the ASU Interplanetary Initiative, professor at Arizona State University’s School of Earth, and Space Exploration, and principal investigator of NASA’s upcoming Psyche mission. “Lindy has done a lot of work on how the cores of planets form, how these iron nickel cores form, and the closest analogue we have are iron meteorites. So it made sense to name a mineral after her and recognize her contributions to science,” Herd explains.

The meteorite may contain even more secrets of space; however, studying it in the future could be logistically tricky. The large rock has already been transported to China in search of a private sale, and a future owner may not want to take further samples. However, investigations will continue into this small piece and other meteorite materials held by the university. Herd says, “Whenever there’s a new material that’s known, material scientists are interested too because of the potential uses in a wide range of things in society.”

A meteorite which fell to Earth and landed in Somalia in 2020 has been revealed to contain two new minerals not found on our planet.

The Hoba meteorite in Namibia, the largest intact meteorite known. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Want to learn more about meteorites?

h/t: [Interesting Engineering]

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READ: Meteorite Contains Two New Minerals Not Found on Earth

The 4.6-billion-year-old meteorite. (Photo: Natural History Museum)

Water is a scientific enigma. How did Earth develop its oceans? Do other planets have water? Space exploration may help answer these questions, but others come crashing to Earth in strokes of celestial inspiration. The Whinchcombe meteorite—a meteor that made it through Earth's atmosphere to land in Gloucestershire, England in 2021—is already providing answers. It contains extra-terrestrial water and organic compounds that shed light on the origin of Earth’s oceans.

The meteorite is a chunk of 4.6 billion-year-old space rock. It likely dislodged from an asteroid near Jupiter and traveled to Earth within the last million years. The crash landing on a Gloucestershire driveway was fiery, captured on camera by 16 cameras coordinated by the UK Fireball Alliance (UKFAll). Scientists were able to quickly recover and preserve the meteorite for study. Their findings have been published in Science Advances. The meteorite is, surprisingly, a rare CM carbonaceous chondrite. It contains approximately two percent carbon by weight and is the first of this type to fall in the UK.

Chemical analysis demonstrated the meteorite has a composition of 11% extra-terrestrial water. The hydrogen isotope ratio is similar to our Earth's water. There is no liquid in the rock, rather the water is bound in compounds formed near the origin of the solar system. The meteorite also contains extra-terrestrial amino acids. These prebiotic molecules are essential to life. These findings further reinforce the scientific belief that carbonaceous asteroids delivered some of the ingredients of life to Earth.

Dr. Luke Daly, of the Planetary Geoscience at the University of Glasgow and author of the paper, says in a statement, “One of the biggest questions asked of the scientific community is how did we get here? This analysis on the Winchcombe meteorite gives insight into how the Earth came to have water–the source of so much life. Researchers will continue to work on this specimen for years to come, unlocking more secrets into the origins of our solar system.”

Dr. Ashley King of the Natural History Museum and another author, adds, “The rapid retrieval and curation of Winchcombe make it one of the most pristine meteorites available for analysis, offering scientists a tantalizing glimpse back through time to the original composition of the solar system 4.6 billion-years-ago.”

The Winchcombe meteorite has revealed secrets to how the “starter” materials for Earth's oceans arrived on this planet.

A fragment of meteorite. (Photo: King et al./Science Advances)

While the celestial rock is 4.6 billion years old, it crashed into Earth in 2021 and was quickly recovered and preserved.

A fragment of the Winchcome meteorite. (Photo: Trustees of the Natural History Museum)

h/t: [Interesting Engineering]

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An image of the Pillars of Creation created by combining the James Webb Space Telescope NIRCam and MIRI image. (Photo: SCIENCE: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI
IMAGE PROCESSING: Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI))

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) has revolutionized the science of astronomy in the year since its launch on Christmas Day 2021. From stunning hi-res images of Jupiter to detailed, sparkling shots of the Tarantula Nebula and the Cartwheel Galaxy, every image returned to Earth has pushed boundaries of beauty and knowledge. Webb's latest image of the Pillars of Creation—gas and dust pillars within the Eagle Nebula—combines Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) footage to spectacular effect.

The Pillars of Creation were first photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 in 1995. Webb released an updated image in October of 2022, but the latest shot combines near and mid-infrared light. The columns are made of cool gas and dust centered in a field of star creation.” When knots of gas and dust with sufficient mass form in the pillars, they begin to collapse under their own gravitational attraction, slowly heat up, and eventually form new stars,” says the Webb team. “Newly formed stars are especially apparent at the edges of the top two pillars – they are practically bursting onto the scene.”

The red spots visible on the tip of the second pillar indicate young, actively forming stars which send out supersonic jets that interact with the gas and dust. While the mid-infrared image captures the layers of dust that make up this formation, the near-infrared highlights these stars. Combined, the image is the best view yet of this celestial marvel.

Like the October Webb image, this new image will, according to the European Space Agency, “help researchers revamp their models of star formation by identifying far more precise star populations, along with the quantities of gas and dust in the region. Over time, they will begin to build a clearer understanding of how stars form and burst out of these dusty clouds over millions of years.”

The James Webb Space Telescope has released another image of the magnificent Pillars of Creation, combining Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) footage.

The Pillars of Creation as photographed in October 2022 by the JWST. (Photo: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; J. DePasquale, A. Koekemoer, A. Pagan (STScI))

The gorgeous image shows celestial dust and sparkling stars.

The Pillars as captured in 1995 by Hubble. (Photo: NASA, ESA, STScI, J. Hester and P. Scowen (Arizona State University))

h/t: [Peta Pixel]

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Photo: NASA/James M. Blair

NASA's Artemis I mission has come to an end, putting mankind one step closer to a historic return to the Moon—and the eventual exploration of Mars. After a successful launch back in November, this crew-less mission had a duration of 25.5 days in which the Orion spaceship ran a series of in-orbit tests to help ensure its safety. On December 11, Artemis came home after the Orion capsule safely splashed down off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.

Before its recovery by the team aboard the USS Portland, NASA engineers have to perform additional tests before pulling it out of the water and powering it down. Once it's aboard, it will be taken to the U.S. Naval Base San Diego. From there, it will be returned to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where it originally took off from, for post-flight analysis.

The end of Artemis I couldn't have happened on a better day, as it marked the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 17 Moon landing, the most recent time humans have set foot on our satellite. “From Tranquility Base to Taurus-Littrow to the tranquil waters of the Pacific, the latest chapter of NASA's journey to the Moon comes to a close. Orion, back on Earth,” said Rob Navias, NASA Johnson Space Center's Public Affairs Office (PAO) mission commentator.

“I'm overwhelmed. This is an extraordinary day,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, during a live broadcast. “It's historic, because we are now going back into deep space with a new generation.” Although it's marked the final milestone of Artemis I, the splashdown is one of the most important and dangerous steps of any mission.

Photo: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA is aiming to put astronauts aboard the upcoming Artemis II mission in 2024, so it was key to make sure the astronauts could withstand the radiation from their time in space, and the dangerous re-entry—a complicated feat, given the ship travels at 32 times the speed of sound and has to endure heat up to 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit. To do so, the ship was helmed by a mannequin called Commander Moonikin Campos—named after an electrical engineer credited with helping the Apollo 13 astronauts return safely to Earth—along with two mannequin torsos called Helga and Zohar.

The return and splashdown have proved to the engineers that both the spacecraft's 16.5-foot-wide Apollo-derived Avcoat heat shield and parachutes will deploy correctly and work smoothly during the upcoming manned missions. According to mission manager Mike Sarafin, putting the heat shield to test was the top priority of Artemis I. “There is no arc jet or aerothermal facility here on Earth capable of replicating hypersonic reentry with a heat shield of this size,” he said.

As for the next steps, an announcement for the crew of Artemis II is expected in early 2023. This mission will fly astronauts around the Moon, and is slated for a May 2024 take-off. Artemis III, the mission that hopes to put humanity back on the lunar surface, will launch in 2025, and its crew will include the first woman and first person of color to walk the Moon.

NASA's Artemis I mission has come to an end. On December 11, Artemis came home after the Orion capsule safely splashed down off the coast of Baja California, Mexico.

 

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Una publicación compartida por NASA Artemis (@nasaartemis)

One of the main goals of Artemis I was to make sure the heat shield and parachutes would deploy correctly and work smoothly during the upcoming manned missions.

 

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Una publicación compartida por NASA Artemis (@nasaartemis)

NASA is aiming to put astronauts aboard the upcoming Artemis II mission in 2024, so it was key to make sure the astronauts could withstand the radiation from their time in space, and the dangerous re-entry.

 

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Una publicación compartida por NASA (@nasa)

NASA Artemis Mission: Website | Instagram | Facebook
h/t: [Mashable]

All images via NASA.

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Photo: Olegkalina/Depositphotos

Since the beginning of recorded history, our universe has provoked questions and sparked curiosity. Nebulae, planets, galaxies, asteroids, black holes—the list of fascinating celestial objects goes on and on. And while there are still many mysteries of our universe that remain unexplained, thanks to the work of famous astronomers throughout history we've discovered many answers about the stars.

Using math, physics, chemistry, and observation, astronomers have been trying to explain the origins of our universe since ancient times. Though theories have changed and developed, a look back at the history of astronomy shows the incredible amount these scientists learned even without advanced technology. And as that technology has developed, contemporary astronomers have continued to build on what was learned in the past.

So who are the most famous astronomers in history? Our list starts with Greek astronomer Ptolemy, whose incorrect theory of the universe remained undebunked for over a thousand years. We then move on to some of the big names any lover of outer space will know—Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, and Newton. These giants of the scientific revolution transformed what we know about the universe and laid the groundwork for some of the modern astronomy giants to come.

Of course, no list of famous astronomers would be complete without Albert Einstein. As one of the best scientific minds in history, his work on relativity changed astronomy. Along the way, we'll also discover more about famous astronomers who are less familiar to non-experts but who have, nonetheless contributed greatly to our knowledge of space. Whether cataloging deep-sky objects, studying the rings of Saturn, predicting comets, or explaining gravity, every astronomer on our list has helped shape our vision of the universe.

Interested in the people who help us understand the cosmos? Here is our list of 14 famous astronomers everyone needs to know.

Claudius Ptolemy

A depiction of the Ptolemaic Universe as described in the “Planetary Hypotheses” by Bartolomeu Velho (1568). (Photo: Bartolomeu Velho, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Though we now know that the model of the universe described by Greek astronomer and mathematician Claudius Ptolemy is incorrect, he still warrants a place on this list. This Ptolemaic view of the universe stated that the Earth was at its center. The Sun, Moon, stars, and planets all revolved around it in circular paths at constant speeds. Of course, this is not true, but it would take over a thousand years before other astronomers were able to convince the world that Ptolemy was wrong. His writings are the culmination of ancient astronomy before the Middle Ages and without him, we wouldn't have knowledge of other important works, like Hipparchus’ star catalog.

Nicolaus Copernicus

Copernicus' diagram of his heliocentric universe. (Photo: De Revolutionibus, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

The Polish astronomer revolutionized the field by challenging what had been common thought since ancient times. Copernicus proposed a new model of the universe, one where the planets revolved around the Sun rather than everything revolving around Earth. While his heliocentric model of the universe wasn't completely correct—his planets had circular orbits—and was slow to catch on, it later became accepted thought. This was, in part, due to later work and observations by Tycho Brahe, Galileo, and Johannes Kepler.

Galileo Galilei

“Portrait of Galileo” by Justus Sustermans, via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

While Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei is often incorrectly named the inventor of the telescope, he did greatly improve the design of the telescope. This would have major consequences, as it allowed Galileo to discover Saturn's rings and Jupiter's four largest moons. In addition, he recorded the phases of Venus and was the first person to see the craters on the Moon. Though Copernicus has already bucked tradition and promoted a heliocentric model of the universe, Galileo was an important supporter of the concept. This support would, unfortunately for him, eventually cause him to be put under house arrest.

Johannes Kepler

Portrait of Johannes Kepler by Unknown Artist. (Photo: Kepler-Museum in Weil der Stadt, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

With his laws of planetary motion, Johannes Kepler laid out clear rules for how planets orbited around the Sun. These three laws, known as Kepler's laws, would be important for Newton's later work on universal gravitation. And, they are still used by astronomers today. While Kepler agreed with the heliocentric model that Copernicus and Galileo also championed, his work tweaked what was accepted at the time. Instead of having circular orbits, as Copernicus stated, Kepler was the first to suggest that planets had elliptical trajectories. In addition, Kepler was also the first astronomer to explain how the Moon influenced tides.

Christiaan Huygens

Portrait of Christiaan Huygens by Bernard Vaillant. 1686. (Photo: Huygensmuseum Hofwijck, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

A leading figure in the scientific revolution, Christiaan Huygens made breakthrough discoveries in astronomy, optics, and mechanics. In relation to astronomy, he improved the design of the telescope, which allowed him to discover Saturn's largest moon, Titan. He also made a sketch of the Orion nebula and introduced the concept of the micrometer, which allowed telescopes to be used as tools to measure astronomical objects. In his book Cosmotheoros, which was posthumously published in 1695, he speculated about the possibility of life on other planets, stating that liquid water was necessary to support life.

Sir Isaac Newton

Engraving of Sir Isaac Newton (Photo: John Vanderbank via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

One of the most influential scientists in history, Sir Isaac Newton‘s 1687 Principia laid out the law of motion and universal gravitation that would dominate the field until Einstein's theory of relativity. He used his description of gravity to confirm the heliocentric model of the universe and demonstrated that the motion of objects on Earth and celestial bodies could be accounted for using the same means. He also built the first reflecting telescope and is known for his important studies of light.

Edmond Halley

Edmond Halley by Godfrey Kneller (Photo: Royal Museums Greenwich, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Edmond Halley was a champion of Newton, both encouraging and funding Principia. But beyond that, Halley made incredible discoveries of his own from the observatory he constructed in Saint Helena, a British Territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. Not only did he catalog the southern celestial hemisphere, but he observed the transit of Mercury across the Sun. He then realized that a similar event by Venus could be used to measure the distance between Venus, the Earth, and the Sun. But, perhaps most memorably, he used Newton's laws of motion to predict when Halley's Comet would return. Though he did not live to see it, the comet was then named after him when it reappeared in 1758—exactly as predicted.

William Herschel

William Herschel and Caroline Herschel by A. Diethe. c. 1896. (Photo: Wellcome Library, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

William Herschel was a man of discovery. This German-born astronomer built his first telescope in the late 18th century and spent nine years carrying out extensive observations of the sky along with his sister Caroline Herschel. Along the way, he published two catalogs of nebulae with 7,500 objects and discovered the planet Uranus, making him the first astronomer since antiquity to find a planet. He also realized that the solar system moved through space and even discovered infrared radiation while using filters to observe sunspots.

Annie Jump Cannon

Annie Jump Cannon in 1922 (Photo: Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

At a time when it was unusual for women to work in astronomy, Annie Jump Cannon helped develop the Harvard Classification Scheme. This system for organizing and classifying stars according to temperature and spectral types is still used today. In addition, she manually classified around 350,000 stars and discovered 300 variable stars, five novas, and one spectroscopic binary. In 1925, she became the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate of science from Oxford University and is credited with helping women become an accepted part of the scientific community.

Henrietta Swan Leavitt

Henrietta Swan Leavitt at her desk at the Harvard College Observatory. (Photo:American Institute of Physics, Emilio Segrè Visual Archive, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

While working as a human computer at the Harvard College Observatory along with Annie Jump Cannon, Henrietta Swan Leavitt made a discovery that would change astronomy. As she was examining photographic plates in order to catalog the brightness of stars, she noticed that there was a direct correlation between the luminosity of pulsating stars known as Cepheid variables, and how often they pulsated. This knowledge allowed astronomers to use these stars as a distance marker, and therefore, measure the distance from Earth to faraway galaxies.

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein during a lecture in Vienna in 1921 (Photo: F. Schmutzer via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

No list would be complete without Albert Einstein, whose Theory of Relativity revolutionized science. His theory replaced much of Isaac Newton's theory of mechanics. Einstein's theory of general relativity become central to astronomy, helping describe the attributes of black holes, neutron stars, and gravitational waves. And, of course, he confirmed that the universe is expanding, with parts of it moving faster than the speed of light.

Edwin Hubble

Edwin Hubble ins 1931. (Photo: Johan Hagemeyer, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

At a time when it was believed that the Milky Way was the only galaxy in existence, Edwin Hubble proved otherwise. When working at the Mount Wilson Observatory in California, he discovered the Andromeda and Triangulum Galaxies. He also organized galaxies into three classes still used today—spiral, elliptical, and lenticular. Hubble fundamentally changed the way astronomers viewed the universe by also establishing Hubble's Law. This principle states that galaxies are moving away from Earth at a speed proportional to their distance and is the cornerstone of the Big Bang model.

William K. Hartmann

William Kenneth Hartmann being interviewed in 1998. (Photo: WGBH and the Library of Congress, via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Co-founder of the Planetary Science Institute, American astronomer William K. Hartmann is most well-known for his widely-accepted theory on how the Moon was formed. Hartmann, who is also an accomplished space artist, co-published this theory, known as the giant-impact hypothesis, in 1975. Hartmann's theory stated that the Moon was formed after a collision between Earth and a proto-planet called Theia. This impact, according to the theory, is also responsible for the Earth's tilt. This countered the previously accepted notion by George Darwin that the Moon and Earth were once joined and only separated due to centrifugal forces.

Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking enjoying zero gravity during a flight aboard a modified Boeing 727 aircraft in 2007. (Photo: Jim Campbell/Aero-News Network via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain)

Considered one of the greatest scientific minds since Einstein, Stephen Hawking revolutionized cosmology and theoretical physics. His most important discovery was in stating that if the universe had a beginning (Big Bang), then it must also come to an end (a black hole). He also predicted that black holes emit radiation, which is now called Hawking radiation. In addition, he brought these theories to a broad audience with his book A Brief History of Time, which has sold over 25 million copies.

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READ: 14 Famous Astronomers That Any Lover of the Cosmos Needs To Know

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Fifty years after humans last stepped on the Moon, imaging specialist Andy Saunders is celebrating the Apollo missions by enhancing original photos from the beloved NASA program. In his book, Apollo Remastered: The Ultimate Photographic Record, Saunders shares hundreds of newly restored and never before seen images from the NASA archive.

Apollo astronauts diligently documented their missions on Hasselblad flight film, but for many years, those images were kept in a vault at the Johnson Space Center. Luckily, in the past few years, NASA has been making high-resolution scans of these images and releasing them to the public. This is where Saunders comes in.

After scouring the archives, Saunders works to restore the images. This process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days depending on the state of the original scan. At times, that can mean reducing the noise in the photo, at others it means lifting the veil of darkness on an underexposed photo to show what lies beneath. Saunders is careful to point out that there is no AI used in the process and he takes pride in the work that goes into remastering these important images.

“As these are historically significant images, it's vital to sympathetically remaster them and maintain authenticity, and to represent what the astronauts who were there witnessed,” he tells My Modern Met. “A huge amount of research went into this, particularly with regard to color, and several of the Apollo astronauts have contributed to ensure that what I've produced is an accurate representation of what it's actually like to make the incredible journey from the Earth to the Moon.”

It took Saunders about three years to work his way through the images. Apollo Remastered is a culmination of that work and an opportunity for Saunders to share these important pieces of space history with a wider audience. “I hope people will view them and be inspired to learn more about early spaceflight as well as to look forward to our return to the Moon and beyond in the not-too-distant future.”

Image specialist Andy Saunders spent years working on photos from NASA's Apollo missions.

His work can take hours or days depending on the adjustments he needs to make to the photos.

Saunders has consulted with several Apollo astronauts to ensure his work is accurate.

The results are all included in his new book, Apollo Remastered: The Ultimate Photographic Record.

“I hope people will view them and be inspired to learn more about early spaceflight as well as to look forward to our return to the Moon and beyond in the not-too-distant future.”

Andy Saunders: Website | Facebook | Instagram

All images via NASA / JSC / ASU / Andy Saunders. My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Andy Saunders.

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Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky

A new era in space exploration has begun thanks to the successful launch of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). The rocket, which is the most powerful in the world, took off from the Kennedy Space Center on November 16, 2022, as part of the Artemis I mission. The rocket is carrying the Orion spacecraft 40,000 miles beyond the Moon before it returns back to Earth on December 11. To celebrate the event, NASA has released photos from its official photographers on Flickr.

The images show the palpable excitement as crowds wait for the launch and the jubilation when SLS finally takes to the sky. As the launch had been called off several other times due to weather or technical failures, NASA officials were ecstatic to see the rocket take off.

“What an incredible sight to see NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft launch together for the first time. This uncrewed flight test will push Orion to the limits in the rigors of deep space, helping us prepare for human exploration on the Moon and, ultimately, Mars,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Artemis I is part of NASA's mission to explore the Moon and Mars. The goal of this crewless mission is to pave the way for humans to return to the Moon during the Artemis II mission. Orion is the partially reusable spacecraft that will be able to take humans farther into space than ever before. Traveling at speeds of up to 25,000 miles per hour, Orion will perform a series of tests during its time in orbit. These tests will help ensure the safety of astronauts during future crewed missions.

Thus far, Orion has deployed its solar arrays and has been performing system tests. After a series of burns to propel it forward, it should pass the Moon on November 21. Along the way, NASA mission controllers will be monitoring its progress and making any necessary course corrections.

“The Space Launch System rocket delivered the power and performance to send Orion on its way to the Moon,” says Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager. “With the accomplishment of the first major milestone of the mission, Orion will now embark on the next phase to test its systems and prepare for future missions with astronauts.”

On November 16, the Artemis I rocket to the Moon successfully launched from the Kennedy Space Center.

Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Photo: NASA/Keegan Barber

Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky

The Space Launch System carried the Orion spacecraft to the Moon and beyond as thrilled crowds watched the historic event.

Photo: NASA/Keegan Barber

Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Photo: NASA/Keegan Barber

After several attempts were called off due to bad weather and technical issues, NASA officially moved into a new era of space exploration thanks to the successful launch.

Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Orion will travel 40,000 miles beyond the Moon before returning to Earth in mid-December.

Photo: NASA/Bill Ingalls

Photo: NASA/Keegan Barber

Along the way, it will perform a series of tests to ensure safety for future crewed missions to the Moon.

Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Photo: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Photo: NASA/Keegan Barber

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The chromosphere of the sun photographed by the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on June 3, 2022. (Photo: NSO/AURA/NSF)

Looking directly at the Sun is bad for your eyes. Looking with a telescope could seriously damage your health and vision. Therefore, to truly and safely appreciate the center of our solar system, one must turn to the United States National Science Foundation's (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope. Perched on a mountaintop in Hawaii, the telescope is the most powerful solar telescope in the world, as evidenced by its two recently released inaugural images of the Sun's fiery chromosphere.

The Inouye Solar Telescope is funded by the NSF, operated by the National Solar Observatory (NSO), and managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA). On August 31, 2022, NSF leaders, congressional dignitaries, and members of Native Hawaiian communities gathered to commemorate the telescope's almost one year in operation. Known as the Operations Commissioning Phase (OCP), this trial run has already revolutionized how scientists see the Sun. “NSF’s Inouye Solar Telescope is the world’s most powerful solar telescope that will forever change the way we explore and understand our Sun,” Sethuraman Panchanathan, the NSF Director, says. “Its insights will transform how our nation, and the planet, predict and prepare for events like solar storms.”

The first two images released depict the fiery chromosphere of the Sun. This is the Sun's atmosphere above its surface. Each image depicts 31,853 square miles. Earth looks like a marble when inserted into the frame of reference. These images are groundbreaking for the insight they provide into the well-known star. The telescope which produced them has been a scientific dream for decades. Perched on Haleakalā on the island of Maui in Hawaii, it is also on the land of Native Hawaiian communities. Indigenous leaders were present for the inauguration and are members of a working group promoting cultural awareness and respect. Hawaii has ideal astronomy sites for telescopes, but the government has not always respected the Indigenous residents.

These two images are, according to the NSF, “an ambitious, multi-decade project to provide the world with its greatest solar observatory. The celebration honored the collaborative effort between the many entities and individuals needed to bring the telescope to operations. Yesterday marked the beginning of the Inouye Solar Telescope’s 50-year journey to revolutionize our understanding of the Sun, its magnetic behavior, and its influence on Earth.” Imagine the images to come.

The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) inaugurated its exceptional Inouye Solar Telescope by releasing stunning images of the Sun's surface.

The gorgeous surface of our star. (Photo: NSO/AURA/NSF)

These images capture vast swaths of the chromosphere of the star.

Earth overlaid to show a size comparison with the area of sun surface depicted. (Photo: NSO/AURA/NSF)

Operated by the National Solar Observatory (NSO),the telescope is managed by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA).

NSF leaders, congressional dignitaries, and members of both the scientific and Native Hawaiian communities pictured at the NSF’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope on August 31st, 2022. (Photo: NSO)

h/t: [PetaPixel]

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James Webb Space Telescope’s image of the Pillars of Creation, 2022 (Photo: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; J. DePasquale, A. Koekemoer, A. Pagan (STScI))

In 1995, the Hubble Telescope captured the first image of a region of space called the Pillars of Creation, where new stars are born. As part of the Eagle Nebula, it lies 6,500 light-years away from the Earth, making the photograph all the more incredible to look at when considering the distance. And while the Hubble's images from 1995 and later, in 2014, are impressive, a new photograph from the more-advanced James Webb Space Telescope showcases this astronomical sight in never-before-seen detail.

Taken with the Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), this 122-megapixel photo reveals intricacies in the composition of the Pillars of Creation, as well as the illumination of dozens of more stars scattered across space. “The three-dimensional pillars look like majestic rock formations, but are far more permeable. These columns are made up of cool interstellar gas and dust that appear—at times—semi-transparent in near-infrared light,” the ESA explains.

The stunning image captures protostars that are in the making—one just has to look for the glowing red orbs framed by the yellow clouds. “Webb’s new view of the Pillars of Creation will help researchers revamp their models of star formation by identifying far more precise star populations, along with the quantities of gas and dust in the region. Over time, they will begin to build a clearer understanding of how stars form and burst out of these dusty clouds over millions of years,” ESA continues. The clarity of the new photo is due to the NIRCam's three filters, which map different wavelengths of infrared light. As a result, the JWST produces far more detailed photographs, even in the deep pockets of space.

This is yet another remarkable image of space thanks to JWST. It will be exciting to see what it captures next.

The James Webb Space Telescope has released a highly detailed 122-megapixel photo of the Pillars of Creation, a region of space where new stars are born.

Left: Hubble Space Telescope’s image of the Pillars of Creation, 2014 (Photo: NASA, ESA/Hubble and the Hubble Heritage Team) Right: James Webb Space Telescope’s image of the Pillars of Creation, 2022 (Photo: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; J. DePasquale, A. Koekemoer, A. Pagan (STScI))

h/t: [PetaPixel, IFLScience]

All images via NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; J. DePasquale, A. Koekemoer, A. Pagan (STScI).

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READ: James Webb Space Telescope Captures Unbelievably Detailed 122-Megapixel Image of the Pillars of Creation

Photo by the SOAR Telescope in Chile showing a side view of the streams of material from the surface of Dimorphos two days after the asteroid was impacted by NASA’s DART spacecraft. (Photo: CTIO/NOIRLab/SOAR/NSF/AURA/T. Kareta (Lowell Observatory), M. Knight (US Naval Academy))

Someday an asteroid might threaten Earth. In preparation for that day, NASA has been strategizing how to deflect incoming celestial bodies. This plan for planetary defense was recently tested for the first time when the DART mission's spacecraft collided intentionally with a small asteroid named Dimorphos which currently poses no danger to us. The results are now in: the collision shortened the period of Dimorphos' orbit.

On September 26, 2022, NASA's 1,300-pound spacecraft smashed into the small asteroid, which is about the size of a stadium. The $330 million mission was off to a successful start. However scientists had to wait to analyze data to see if the impact shifted the orbit of the asteroid around its larger counterpart Didymos. Even a small difference of 73 seconds would be a successful mission. The team was hoping for a 10-mute drop in the period of the orbit. Instead, they have since registered a shocking 32-minute drop indicating the asteroid was substantially knocked off its old path. It dropped from 11 hours and 55 minutes to 11 hours and 23 minutes.

“When I saw Dimorphos coming into view, and when I saw there was not a single crater on it, and there were a lot of what appeared to be loose rocks…I looked at it and I said, ‘This is not going to be 73 seconds,'” Tom Statler, a NASA program scientist, explained. “And it wasn't.” This is a huge step for planetary defense. Shifting an oncoming asteroid's path may be critical to human survival one day.

“One of the key pieces to being successful with implementing a technique like this is early detection: The more time we have for that little nudge and the change in that orbital period, the better off we are,” said Lori Glaze, NASA's planetary science division director. “Give that little nudge, such that the asteroid crosses over Earth's path, either just before we get there or just after we've gone by, so that we don't actually end up in the same place at the same time.”

NASA's DART mission to collide a spacecraft with an asteroid in the hopes of changing its orbit has proved successful.

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope on Oct. 8, 2022, captured the debris blasted from the surface of Dimorphos 285 hours after the asteroid impacted. (Photo: NASA/ESA/STScI/Hubble)

The length of Dimorphos's orbit dropped from 11 hours and 55 minutes to 11 hours and 23 minutes, a large change of 32 minutes.

An image from ASI’s LICIACube show the plumes of ejecta streaming from Dimorphos after impact. (Photo: ASI/NASA/APL)

h/t: [Mashable]

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