Latest news with #AstrophysicsDivision
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Webb space telescope makes stunning discovery on 3-year anniversary
The James Webb Space Telescope has made yet another stunning discovery to round out three years of space exploration. This time, the most powerful telescope ever launched into space uncovered a cluster of forming stars within the "toe beans" of the Cat's Paw Nebula. MORE: NASA detects new planet with temperatures that suggest habitable conditions The Cat's Paw Nebula, also known as NGC 6334, is located in the constellation Scorpius about 4,000 light-years away. It is a "massive" emission nebula and star-forming region, according to NASA. It is named for its large, round features that create the impression of a feline footprint. Within one of the "toe beans" of the feline footprint exists a subset of "mini toe bean-reminiscent" structures composed of gas, dust and young stars, according to NASA. The Webb telescope's NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) was able to capture a clear image of the forming stars. "Three years into its mission, Webb continues to deliver on its design – revealing previously hidden aspects of the universe, from the star formation process to some of the earliest galaxies," said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington, in a statement. The progression from a large molecular cloud to massive stars entails multiple steps, which are not yet well understood by astronomers, according to NASA. The Cat's Paw Nebula enables astronomers to study the turbulent cloud-to-star process in great detail. The process of star formation is somewhat fleeting, according to NASA. As massive young stars carve away at nearby gas and dust, their bright starlight produces a bright nebulous glow, represented in the image in blue. The "disruptive" young stars have a brief but important role in the region's larger story, according to NASA. MORE: NASA catches a glimpse of 'city-killer' asteroid before it disappears until 2028 In the photo, the orange-brown tiers represent stardust, while small patches represent seemingly vacant zones that indicate the presence of dense foreground filaments of dust that are home to still-forming stars, astronomers said. The small, fiery red clumps seen scattered amongst the brown dust toward the center of the photo mark regions where massive star formation is underway, according to NASA. Some massive blue-white stars, such as the one seen in the lower left toe bean, appear more sharply solved than others because any intervening material between the star and the telescope was dissipated by stellar radiation, the space agency said. An "eye-catching" aspect is the bright, red-orange oval at the top right of the photo, which is likely dense area just beginning its star-formation process, implied by the low count of background stars, according to NASA. The Webb telescope launched in December 2021 and began scientific operations in July 2022, according to NASA. With its sharp resolution, it has the capability to peer farther into space than ever before and continues to reveal parts of the universe that were previously unknown by using infrared light observations. MORE: Astronomers discover repeating radio bursts from distant 'dead' galaxy The telescope "repeatedly" breaks its own records while also uncovering the unknowns of the universe, Domagal-Goldman said. "Whether it's following up on the mysteries of dark matter with NASA's nearly complete Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, or narrowing our search for life to Earth-like planets with the Habitable Worlds Observatory, the questions Webb has raised are just as exciting as the answers it's giving us," Domagal-Goldman said.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA 'claws back' thick dust layer in Cat's Claw Nebula
July 10 (UPI) -- NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has revealed thick, dusty layers of the Cat's Claw Nebula, a region of star formation about 5,500 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius, the agency has announced. "It's the cat's meow," NASA said in a release. NASA focused the James Webb Space Telescope's Near-Infrared Camera on a single "toe bean" within a subset of toe beans in the nebula, which appear to contain young stars shaping the surrounding gas and dust in the star-forming region. The discovery is the result of years of research in this part of space. "Three years into its mission, Webb continues to deliver on its design -- revealing previously hidden aspects of the universe, from the star formation process to some of the earliest galaxies," said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Domagal-Goldman added that the discovery will inform future research in this largely unexplored nebular region and create more research opportunities for scientists as they pursue an understanding of dark matter, search for life in other parts of the solar system or seek to find Earth-like planets. "The questions Webb has raised are just as exciting as the answers it's giving us," he continued. The toe bean discovery will also give researchers an opportunity to study the turbulent cloud-to-star formation process.
UPI
11-07-2025
- Science
- UPI
NASA 'claws back' thick dust layer in Cat's Claw Nebula
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope's near-infrared view of the Cat's Paw Nebula reveals mini 'toe beans.' Massive young stars are carving the gas and dust while their bright starlight is producing a bright nebulous glow. Eventually this turbulent region will quench star formation. Photo courtesy of NASA July 10 (UPI) -- NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has revealed thick, dusty layers of the Cat's Claw Nebula, a region of star formation about 5,500 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius, the agency has announced. "It's the cat's meow," NASA said in a release. NASA focused the James Webb Space Telescope's Near-Infrared Camera on a single "toe bean" within a subset of toe beans in the nebula, which appear to contain young stars shaping the surrounding gas and dust in the star-forming region. The discovery is the result of years of research in this part of space. "Three years into its mission, Webb continues to deliver on its design -- revealing previously hidden aspects of the universe, from the star formation process to some of the earliest galaxies," said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Domagal-Goldman added that the discovery will inform future research in this largely unexplored nebular region and create more research opportunities for scientists as they pursue an understanding of dark matter, search for life in other parts of the solar system or seek to find Earth-like planets. "The questions Webb has raised are just as exciting as the answers it's giving us," he continued. The toe bean discovery will also give researchers an opportunity to study the turbulent cloud-to-star formation process.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA picks Rocket Lab to launch shoebox-sized Aspera space telescope in 2026
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. NASA has selected Rocket Lab to launch its Aspera smallsat mission, which will study gases in the vast regions of space between galaxies. Rocket Lab's Electron will launch Aspera, a cubesat being developed by the University of Arizona and NASA. The shoebox-sized satellite will use an onboard telescope to study the ultraviolet light emitted from gases adrift between galaxies. The launch is targeted for the first quarter of 2026, from Rocket Lab's Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand. The selection of Rocket Lab is part of NASA's $300 million Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract, and adds to a growing list of science missions which with agency has entrusted the launch company, including PREFIRE, TROPICS and CAPSTONE. 'As a long-trusted launch partner for NASA's most pioneering small satellites, it's great to be able to continue that support for another innovative science mission like Aspera," Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck said in a statement. Aspera will measure the inflow and outflow of gases between galaxies, called the circumgalactic medium, which scientists believe may contribute to star formation and galaxy evolution. The mission is part of NASA's Pioneers Program, in the space agency's Astrophysics Division, which provides funding to lower-cost astrophysics missions. "We have a good understanding of how much gas there must be in galaxies to explain how many stars we see, but we've searched far and wide and still cannot find most of it," Aspera Principal Investigator Carlos Vargas said in a February update from the University of Arizona about the mission's manufacturing process. Related Stories: — Rocket Lab launches 2 NASA satellites to study tropical storms and hurricanes like never before — Rocket Lab launches 1st Electron booster from US soil in twilight liftoff — US military taps Rocket Lab's new Neutron launcher for 'point to point' cargo test flight in 2026 Rocket Lab has also been contracted to launch a mission with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) using Neutron, the partially reusable new rocket the company is developing. Neutron is slated for its first launch sometime later this year, with its AFRL mission set for 2026. The next liftoff of the 59-foot-tall (18 meters) Electron is scheduled for Saturday (May 17). That mission will loft a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging satellite for the company iQPS called QPS-SAR-10 (nicknamed 'WADATSUMI-I' for the Japanese god of the sea). The spacecraft will join iQPS' growing constellation of high resolution Earth-imaging satellites.
United News of India
02-05-2025
- Science
- United News of India
NASA's SPHEREx space telescope begins mapping entire sky
Los Angeles, May 2 (UNI) NASA announced Thursday that its SPHEREx space observatory has officially begun science operations, marking a major step toward uncovering new insights into the origins of the universe, the evolution of galaxies, and the building blocks of life in the Milky Way. SPHEREx will take approximately 3,600 images per day over the next two years as it systematically surveys the entire sky. Launched on March 11, SPHEREx has spent the last six weeks undergoing checkouts, calibrations, and other activities to ensure it is working as it should, according to NASA. With science operations now underway, SPHEREx will chart the positions of hundreds of millions of galaxies in three dimensions. Its goal is to address some of the most profound questions in cosmology, such as how the universe began and how its large-scale structure evolved. "This new observatory is adding to the suite of space-based astrophysics survey missions leading up to the launch of NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Together with these other missions, SPHEREx will play a key role in answering the big questions about the universe we tackle at NASA every day," said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington. The observatory will complete more than 11,000 orbits over its 25 months of planned survey operations, circling Earth about 14-and-a-half times a day, according to NASA. UNI XINHUA GNK
