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NASA’s EXCITE Mission Prepared for Scientific Balloon Flight

5 min read

Editor’s note: EXCITE successfully launched at 9:22 a.m. EDT (7:22 a.m. MDT) Saturday, Aug. 31. The balloon and payload reached a float altitude of 130,000 feet. The flight was safely terminated after a total flight time of 10 hours, 13…

Article2 weeks ago

The image depicts a celestial scene, with a bright, luminous star dominating the background. In the center of the image, a small, dark, rocky planet is seen transiting in front of the star, creating a stark contrast between the bright light of the star and the silhouette of the planet. Surrounding the star and planet, the background is filled with countless tiny stars scattered across the vast expanse of space. The star appears to radiate a soft glow, with a bright halo of light around it, emphasizing the planet's position as it passes in front of the star. The overall scene evokes a sense of the vastness and beauty of the cosmos.

Talented Teams Tackle Toasty Planet

4 min read

Exoplanets, look out! Two NASA-funded teams of amateur astronomers are tracking you with their backyard telescopes. These two teams, called UNITE (UNISTELLAR Network Investigating TESS Exoplanets) and Exoplanet Watch, have combined forces to confirm a new planetary discovery—a toasty “warm Jupiter”. “I pinch myself…

Article2 weeks ago

A spiral galaxy with three prominent arms wrapping around it. The galaxy holds plenty of extra gas and dark dust between the arms. There are shining blue points throughout the arms and some patches of gas out beyond the galaxy’s edge, where stars are forming. The center of the galaxy also shines brightly. It is on a dark background where some small orange dots mark distant galaxies.

NASA Selects 5 New Roman Technology Fellows in Astrophysics

9 min read

NASA has awarded Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowships (RTF) to five early-career researchers in astrophysics for the class of 2023. The program will support the advancement of their ideas for new technologies to further the exploration of the universe. This…

Article3 weeks ago