This collage compares images of the Flame Nebula: the left shows a near-infrared view from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, while the right features near-infrared images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, revealing a more translucent cloud and highlighting young stars and brown dwarfs. Webb’s images offer a deeper look into this star-forming region. The Flame Nebula, located approximately 1,400 light-years from Earth, is a vibrant and dynamic region where stars are still in the process of being born. Within this cosmic nursery, astronomers have discovered objects that are too small to ignite hydrogen fusion—the defining characteristic of stars—called brown dwarfs. These so-called “failed stars” are cooler and dimmer than full-fledged stars, which makes them notoriously hard to detect, especially from vast distances. However, when these brown dwarfs are young, they are still relatively bright and warm, making them easier to observe, even through the dense dust and gas that ...

  Shimmering ejections from two forming stars shape Lynds 483 (L483), with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope revealing stunning new details, including asymmetrical lines that intersect, located 650 light-years away in the constellation Serpens. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured extraordinary new images of Lynds 483 (L483), a star-forming region located within a vast molecular cloud. These high-resolution near-infrared images offer unprecedented views of two actively forming stars at the heart of the nebula. Their luminous ejections of gas and dust, visible in a stunning blend of orange, blue, and purple hues, have been intricately revealed by Webb’s powerful instruments. Over tens of thousands of years, these central protostars have periodically expelled dense gas and dust in the form of tight, fast jets and slightly slower outflows. When more recent ejections collide with older material, the interaction creates intricate patterns of crumpling and twisting. This proces...

  The image concept showcases one of NASA's iconic Voyager probes, which were launched in 1977 to explore the outer reaches of our solar system and beyond. These twin spacecraft, Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, were designed to gather scientific data about the planets, moons, and other celestial bodies in our solar system. As they venture further into interstellar space, they continue to provide valuable insights, making them some of the most significant missions in space exploration history. NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2, the ultimate space pioneers, are still out there exploring the cosmos—but they’re starting to feel their age. Launched in 1977, these twin spacecraft have been cruising through space for over 45 years, and they’re now the farthest human-made objects from Earth. But with their power supply dwindling, NASA has had to make some tough decisions to keep them going.   What’s the Plan?  To save energy, engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have started tu...

This image depicts a planet (left) being torn apart by tidal forces from a white dwarf (right) at the center of a planetary nebula, with other planets in the system (upper left and lower right) influencing its inward migration. Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery, observing the first-ever planet being destroyed by a white dwarf at the heart of a planetary nebula. This finding, detailed in a recent press release, could explain a mysterious X-ray signal that has been detected from the Helix Nebula for over four decades. The Helix Nebula is a planetary nebula, the remnant of a star like our Sun that has shed its outer layers, leaving behind a small, dim star known as a white dwarf. The white dwarf at the center of the Helix Nebula, identified as WD 2226-210, has been emitting an unusual X-ray signal, puzzling astronomers for years. This signal is now believed to be the result of a planet's destruction by the white dwarf's intense tidal forces. The X-ray data, captured...

  This image’s concept of the isolated planetary-mass object SIMP 0136 is based on observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, Hubble, Spitzer, and ground-based telescopes, revealing atmospheric and chemical variations. Meet SIMP 0136, the free-floating, rapidly spinning, weather-obsessed object that’s giving scientists a run for their money. Located just 20 light-years from Earth, this planetary-mass object (13 times the mass of Jupiter) is like the ultimate exo-meteorology lab. Thanks to NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, researchers have discovered that its brightness variations aren’t just due to clouds—oh no, it’s way more complicated than that.   What’s So Special About SIMP 0136? SIMP 0136 is a bit of a cosmic oddball. It’s not a planet, and it’s not quite a star (it might be a brown dwarf). But what it is is a perfect target for studying alien weather. It’s the brightest object of its kind in the northern sky, it rotates every 2.4 hours (talk about a fast...

  This image shows NASA’s Europa Clipper flying by Mars, using its gravitational force to adjust the spacecraft’s trajectory toward the Jupiter system. NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft is one step closer to its long journey to Jupiter's moon Europa, with the first of several gravity assists designed to propel it to deep space. On March 1, Europa Clipper made a flyby just 550 miles above Mars' surface, utilizing the Red Planet’s gravitational pull to adjust its trajectory toward the outer solar system. This gravity assist maneuver, which took place at 12:57 p.m. EST, was an essential step in setting the spacecraft on its course for Jupiter’s moon Europa. By harnessing Mars' gravity, the spacecraft was able to adjust its speed and trajectory, preparing it for a later slingshot maneuver past Earth in 2026, before heading toward Jupiter’s orbit. Europa Clipper, launched from Kennedy Space Center on October 14, 2024, embarked on a 1.8-billion-mile (2.9-billi...

  The first image captured by Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar lander shortly after its successful landing at Mare Crisium, marking NASA's second lunar delivery under the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. Move over, Apollo missions—there’s a new player on the Moon! On March 2, at 3:34 a.m. EST, Firefly Aerospace’s *Blue Ghost* lander touched down near Mons Latreille, a volcanic formation in the Moon’s Mare Crisium basin. This isn’t just any landing; it’s a major milestone for NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative and the Artemis program. And let’s be honest, it’s also a flex for Firefly Aerospace, marking their first-ever lunar landing.   What’s Blue Ghost Carrying?  This isn’t your average lunar delivery. The Blue Ghost is packed with 10 NASA science and tech instruments, ready to study everything from lunar dust to space weather. The mission will last about 14 Earth days (one lunar day), during which the lander will:    Dri...

  If the Veil Nebula had an Instagram account, it’d be blowing up right now. NASA and ESA’s Hubble Space Telescope just dropped another jaw-dropping image of this iconic supernova remnant, and let’s just say, it’s still got it. Located about 2,400 light-years away in the constellation Cygnus, the Veil Nebula is what’s left of a star that went out with a bang—literally—about 10,000 years ago.   What’s So Special About This Picture? Hubble’s latest snapshot uses three different filters to highlight the emissions from hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen atoms. The result? A vibrant, colorful display of the nebula’s intricate structure. But here’s the kicker: this image only shows a tiny slice of the Veil Nebula. If you could see the whole thing with your naked eye, it’d be as wide as six full Moons lined up side by side. Talk about a cosmic show-off!   Why Keep Coming Back to the Veil? Hubble first photographed the Veil Nebula in 1994, then again in 1997, and once more in...