Nasa Science

• NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured a new image of the globular cluster NGC 6426, featuring red, white, and blue stars that resemble a sparkler. • The image highlights Hubble's ongoing capability to provide detailed cosmic observations after more than three decades in orbit. • This data complements findings from other NASA missions, including the infrared-detecting James Webb Space Telescope.

• NASA has issued Amendment 60 to extend the final 2025 due date for the C.2 Solar System Science proposal solicitation. • The program seeks research, data analysis, and tool development to support investigations into the solar system, including data from missions like the Juno spacecraft. • This extension allows scientists and researchers more time to submit proposals for critical data preservation and analysis of planetary bodies.

• NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is studying planets orbiting the remnants of dead Sun-like stars to understand the long-term evolution of solar systems. • By analyzing these distant systems, researchers like MacDonald are treating the observations as a "time machine" to predict the eventual fate of our own outer planets. • This research is significant because it provides the first direct look at how planetary bodies survive the death of their host stars.

• NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope observed the edge-on starburst galaxy Messier 82, also known as the Cigar Galaxy or NGC 3034. • By peering through cosmic dust, the telescope pinpointed 16.5 million stars and revealed the galaxy's distended disk structure. • The intense star formation in M82 is believed to be the result of a galaxy merger, creating a unique, short-lived environment for astronomical study.

• NASA is utilizing the Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem (PACE) mission to study smoke and aerosols during a record-breaking North American fire season. • The mission employs three specialized instruments, including the Hyper-Angle Rainbow Polarimeter 2 and the Spectro-polarimeter for Planetary Exploration, to analyze atmospheric composition. • According to project science lead Andrew Sayer, these tools provide critical data on aerosols from diverse regions to better understand their environmental impact.

• NASA is conducting a formal review of the progress made toward the "Pathways to Discovery in Astronomy and Astrophysics for the 2020s" Decadal Survey. • The review focuses on evaluating significant scientific discoveries and technological advancements that have emerged since the publication of the Astro2020 report. • This process is critical for assessing how changes in the facilities landscape and programmatic shifts may impact the implementation of planned missions.

• NASA has extended the deadline for submitting abstracts and mission concepts for the Ad ASTRA Workshop. • The new submission deadline is now set for July 1, 2026. • This extension provides researchers and innovators more time to develop proposals for the agency's science-driven initiatives.