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Latest by G. Torbet

Space Debris

Researchers come up with method for cleaning up space debris using magnets

Researchers have found a way to maneuver metallic, non-magnetic pieces of debris by using spinning magnets.
NASA Astronaut Megan McArthur dons a Microsoft HoloLens, a mixed reality (or augmented reality) headset, which allows her to see both the spacearound her as well as digital displays in her field of view.

Space Station astronauts use AR headset to upgrade particle physics hardware

ISS Astronaut Megan McArthur used a HoloLens headset to perform a hardware replacement on a highly complex piece of equipment: The station's Cold Atom Lab.
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope celebrates Halloween this year with a striking observation of the carbon star CW Leonis, which resembles a baleful orange eye glaring from behind a shroud of smoke.

Hubble captures creepy carbon star CW Leonis peering out from a screen of smoke

To celebrate Halloween, this week's image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows the star CW Leonis, a creepy eye gazing out from a screen of smoke.
Jupiter's banded appearance is created by the cloud-forming weather layer. This composite image shows views of Jupiter in infrared and visible light taken by the Gemini North telescope and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA’s Juno spacecraft peers deep into the atmosphere of Jupiter

Researchers using NASA's Juno probe have peered beneath Jupiter's cloud tops to create the most detailed 3D understanding of its atmosphere to date.
NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope imaged this cloud of gas and dust. The colors represent different wavelengths of infrared light and can reveal such features as places where radiation from stars had heated the surrounding material. Any resemblance to Godzilla is purely imaginary.

Spitzer Space Telescope spots ‘rampaging space monster’

Just in time for Halloween, NASA astronomers have spotted an outline in the shape of Godzilla, seen in an image from the Spitzer Space Telescope.
A composite image of M51 with X-rays from Chandra and optical light from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope contains a box that marks the location of the possible planet candidate.

Evidence of a possible exoplanet in another galaxy found for the first time

Evidence has been uncovered for the potential identification of a planet in another galaxy for the first time.
The robotic arm of NASA’s Perseverance rover is visible in this image used by the AI4Mars project. Users outline and identify different rock and landscape features to help train an artificial intelligence algorithm that will help improve the capabilities of Mars rovers.

You can help teach NASA rovers to explore Mars with the AI4Mars project

A NASA project invites the public to identify features of the Martian landscape, to train an algorithm that rovers could use to navigate around the red planet.
An X1.0 class solar flare flashes in center of the Sun on Oct. 28, 2021. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 171 and 304 angstrom wavelengths.

Sun throws a Halloween tantrum, with a solar flare impacting Earth this weekend

A large solar flare will strike the Earth this weekend, but don't worry - it won't harm you, though it could cause issue for satellite communications.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts participate in a countdown dress rehearsal at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 28, 2021, to prepare for the upcoming Crew-3 launch. The astronauts are at Launch Pad 39A with the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon behind them during the rehearsal.

SpaceX Crew-3 launch delayed until Wednesday due to incoming storm

NASA has announced that the launch of four astronauts to the International Space Station will be delayed until Wednesday, November 3.
illustration of an ear bud in a persons ear

Does listening to languages in your sleep help you learn them faster?

Can you learn a language by listening to it in your sleep? The science isn't clear-cut, but recent research suggests sleep-listening might indeed be beneficial
Tree scene photo taken with the OnePlus 9 Pro

Next-generation batteries could use material derived from trees

Researchers have developed a tree-derived material for use in solid state batteries, which are safer and less environmentally damaging than current batteries.
This observation from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope showcases Arp 86, a peculiar pair of interacting galaxies which lies roughly 220 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Pegasus. Arp 86 is composed of the two galaxies NGC 7752 and NGC 7753 – NGC 7753 is the large spiral galaxy dominating this image, and NGC 7752 is its smaller companion.

Hubble Space Telescope captures a peculiar pair of galaxies

This week's image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows an odd couple: One large spiral galaxy and its diminutive companion.
NASA astronaut Megan McArthur enjoys fresh food on the International Space Station.

Crunchy algae, anyone? NASA shares ideas for food in space

From bugs to algae, and from 3D printing to artificial photosynthesis, NASA has announced a plethora of ideas about the future of food in space.
The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to be flown on Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is seen in the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 12, 2021. Part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, OFT-2 is a critical developmental milestone on the company’s path to fly crew missions for NASA.

Boeing Starliner valve issue may have been caused by humid Florida weather

Boeing's Starliner capsule won't be carrying astronauts to the International Space Station soon, but officials say they are zeroing in on fixing of the issue.
The summit of Maunakea, Hawai'i at night, showing the two Keck telescope domes in the front right.

Hawaiian telescope snaps an image of a recently formed baby planet

Recently, astronomers had the rare treat of observing an exoplanet directly -- and it's one of the youngest planets ever found.
Astronomers recently witnessed supernova SN 2020fqv explode inside the interacting Butterfly galaxies, located about 60 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. Researchers quickly trained NASA's Hubble Space Telescope on the aftermath.

Hubble had a ringside seat to observe a star going supernova

Recently the Hubble Space Telescope observed something very rare: A star in the process of going supernova.
At 24 feet (7.3 meters) across each, Lucy’s two solar panels underwent initial deployment tests in January 2021. In this photo, a technician at Lockheed Martin Space in Denver, Colorado, inspects one of Lucy’s arrays during its first deployment. These massive solar arrays will power the Lucy spacecraft throughout its entire 4-billion-mile, 12-year journey through space as it heads out to explore Jupiter’s elusive Trojan asteroids

NASA’s Lucy spacecraft is in cruise mode, but solar array issue persists

NASA is investigating what is wrong with the solar array of its Lucy spacecraft, but says the craft is healthy and is traveling along the correct trajectory.
NASA's Orion spacecraft is fully stacked on the Space Launch System rocket at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA will send its uncrewed Artemis mission to the moon in February 2022

NASA has confirmed that it will be heading back to the moon early next year, announcing that the uncrewed Artemis I mission will launch in February 2022.
NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter acquired this image using its navigation camera during its 13th flight on Sep. 5, 2021 (Sol 193 of the Perseverance rover mission) at the local mean solar time of 12:06:30.

Mars helicopter is back in action and will attempt high rotor speed flight today

Mars helicopter Ingenuity will attempt another test flight this weekend, spinning its rotors faster than before to compensate for changing weather on Mars.
An image of the LG UltraGear monitor.

This 32-inch 4K monitor is so cheap at Walmart today it could be a mistake

If you've been wanting to get your hands on a new gaming monitor, then we have a deal you won't want to miss out on: A 32-inch LG UltraGear monitor for $250.
Forty-two of the largest objects in the asteroid belt, located between Mars and Jupiter (orbits not to scale).

See the 42 biggest asteroids in our solar system in stunning detail

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has released images of 42 of the largest asteroids in the asteroid belt, showing their variety of sizes and shapes.
The Webb telescope's journey to space began with engineers packing the telescope into its protective transport container. The container was then moved from Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, California, to Seal Beach, California. Waiting at Seal Beach was the ship that would carry Webb to French Guiana.

James Webb Space Telescope arrives in French Guiana ahead of launch

The James Webb Space Telescope, which will allow astronomers to hunt for habitable exoplanets, has arrived at its launch destination in French Guiana.
Chinese astronauts Zhai Zhigang (C), Wang Yaping (R) and Ye Guangfu will carry out the Shenzhou-13 spaceflight mission, and Zhai will be the commander, announced the China Manned Space Agency at a press conference on Oct. 14, 2021.

Chinese crew launches to new space station — including station’s first woman

Three astronauts blasted off for China's longest-ever stay in space this week, including Wang Yaping who is the first woman to stay on the new space station.
The Soyuz MS-18 crew ship is pictured docked to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module.

Russian cosmonaut and film crew returned safely to Earth from space station

A trio of Russian crew members including an actress and film producer have landed safely after departing the International Space Station (ISS).
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Hubble spots persistent water vapor on Europa — but only in one hemisphere

Evidence from the Hubble Space Telescope shows persistent water vapor on Jupiter's moon Europa -- but only in one hemisphere.
The ten station inhabitants are gathered together in the Unity module for a meal and a portrait. In the front row (from left) are, Mark Vande Hei, Klim Shipenko, Pyotr Dubrov, and Megan McArthur. In the back row (from left) are, Akihiko Hoshide, Anton Shkaplerov, Thomas Pesquet, Yulia Peresild, Oleg Novitskiy, and Shane Kimbrough.

Watch a Russian film crew depart from the ISS tonight

Having spent 11 days on the International Space Station (ISS), a Russian film crew will be heading back to Earth this evening, Saturday, October 16.
Cropped version of a mosaic composed of 84 pictures taken by the Mastcam-Z imager aboard NASA's Perseverance rover.

Perseverance rover captures stunning panoramic image of Mars’s South Séítah

NASA has released a stunning panoramic view of the surface of Mars, composed of pictures taken by the Perseverance rover.
The International Space Station.

Errant thruster firing causes scare on International Space Station

A worrying issue caused the International Space Station to temporarily tilt out of its orbit on the morning of Friday, October 15.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with the Lucy spacecraft aboard is seen in this 2 minute and 30 second exposure photograph as it launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Lucy will be the first spacecraft to study Jupiter's Trojan Asteroids. Like the mission's namesake – the fossilized human ancestor, "Lucy," whose skeleton provided unique insight into humanity's evolution – Lucy will revolutionize our knowledge of planetary origins and the formation of the solar system.

‘Like diamonds in the sky’: NASA’s Lucy mission launches to study asteroids

NASA's Lucy spacecraft has blasted off from Earth and is on its way to study the Trojan asteroids in our solar system.
New Shepard lifts off from Launch Site One in West Texas for the NS-16 mission on July 20, 2021.

How to watch Blue Origin launch William Shatner into space

This week, space tourism company Blue Origin will launch a flight to space and back featuring a very special crew member: Star Trek actor William Shatner.
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Mystery of a strange, mirrored double galaxy solved using Hubble data

A strange object discovered in 2013 seemed to show two perfectly mirrored galaxies. Now astronomers have figured out why.
Artist’s illustration of the Lucy concept.

How to watch NASA’s asteroid explorer Lucy launch this week

This week, NASA is launching its newest explorer: Lucy, a spacecraft that will travel to the asteroids near Jupiter. Here's how to watch the launch live.
A symbol marks the spot where the Chang'e-5 spacecraft landed and collected samples on the moon.

New Chang’e-5 lunar sample includes youngest volcanic moon rocks to date

A team has analyzed a lunar sample from China's Chang'e-5 spacecraft and found it contains some of the youngest volcanic lunar material discovered to date.
This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features two interacting galaxies that are so intertwined, they have a collective name – Arp 91. Their delicate galactic dance takes place more than 100 million light-years from Earth. The two galaxies comprising Arp 91 have their own names: the lower galaxy, which looks like a bright spot, is NGC 5953, and the oval-shaped galaxy to the upper right is NGC 5954. In reality, both of them are spiral galaxies, but their shapes appear very different because of their orientation with respect to Earth.

Hubble snaps image of two galaxies that are merging to become one

The image from the Hubble Space Telescope this week shows two galaxies which are merging into one as the force of their gravities pulls them together.