NASA
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NASA
NASA Webb Finds Early-Universe Analog’s Unexpected Talent for Making Dust
Using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have spotted two rare kinds of dust in the dwarf galaxy Sextans A, one of the most chemically primitive galaxies near the Milky Way. The finding of metallic iron dust and silicon carbide (SiC) produced by aging stars, along with tiny clumps of carbon-based molecules, shows that even when the universe had only…
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NASA
NASA Marshall Prepares for Demolition of Historic Test, Simulation Facilities
NASA is preparing for the demolition of three iconic structures at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Crews began demolition in mid-December at the Neutral Buoyancy Simulator, a facility built in the late 1960s that once enabled NASA astronauts and researchers to experience near-weightlessness. The facility was also used to conduct underwater testing of space hardware and…
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NASA
Scientists Identify ‘Astronomy’s Platypus’ with NASA’s Webb Telescope
After combing through NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s archive of sweeping extragalactic cosmic fields, a small team of astronomers at the University of Missouri says they have identified a sample of galaxies that have a previously unseen combination of features. Principal investigator Haojing Yan compares the discovery to an infamous oddball in another branch of science: biology’s taxonomy-defying platypus. “It seems…
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NASA
First Sky Map from NASA’s SPHEREx Observatory
NASA’s SPHEREx Observatory has mapped the entire sky in 102 infrared colors, as seen here in this image released on Dec. 18, 2025. This image features a selection of colors emitted primarily by stars (blue, green, and white), hot hydrogen gas (blue), and cosmic dust (red). While not visible to the human eye, these 102 infrared wavelengths of light are prevalent…
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NASA
Diving Into Human Spaceflight Safety with NASA Johnson’s Craig Shannon
Growing up in Houston, Craig Shannon was always inspired by NASA and the spirit of exploration the agency represents. Yet it was a passion for scuba diving that unexpectedly led to his more than 23-year career at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Shannon became a certified diver and scuba instructor while earning his bachelor’s degree in communications from Stephen F. Austin…
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NASA
Reaching the Precipice in Angola
In southwestern Angola, an expanse of coastal plains comes to an abrupt end at a natural barrier. The Huíla plateau soars above the lowlands to elevations of around 2,300 meters (7,500 feet). The sharp transition results in dramatic landscapes and a sudden change from an arid environment to more-temperate climes. The serrated edge of the Huíla plateau zigzags through this image, which is a…
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NASA
What’s Up: January 2026 Skywatching Tips from NASA
Jupiter beams bright, Saturn and the Moon cozy up, and the Beehive Cluster appears Jupiter is at its biggest and brightest all year, the Moon and Saturn pair up, and the Beehive Cluster buzzes into view. Skywatching Highlights Jan. 10: Jupiter at opposition Jan. 23: Saturn and Moon conjunction Jan. (throughout): Beehive Cluster Transcript Jupiter is at its biggest and brightest The Moon…
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NASA
NASA Hubble Helps Detect ‘Wake’ of Betelgeuse’s Elusive Companion Star
Using new observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories, astronomers tracked the influence of a recently discovered companion star, Siwarha, on the gas around Betelgeuse. The research, from scientists at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA), reveals a trail of dense gas swirling through Betelgeuse’s vast, extended atmosphere, shedding light on why the giant star’s brightness and…
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NASA
NASA Selects Tech Proposals to Advance Search-for-Life Mission
NASA announced Monday the selection of industry proposals to advance technologies for the agency’s Habitable Worlds Observatory concept – the first mission that would directly image Earth-like planets around stars like our Sun and study the chemical composition of their atmospheres for signs of life. This flagship space telescope also would enable wide-ranging studies of our universe and support future…
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NASA
I Am Artemis: Jacki Mahaffey
When the Artemis II crew travels around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, they will have spent countless hours training for their lunar mission, and Jacki Mahaffey will have played a role in preparing them for their journey. As the Artemis II chief training officer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Mahaffey manages the planning, development, and implementation of…
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