Wonders of Space

NASA finally opened the space capsule containing the largest asteroid sample ever collected by a space mission. The sample came from Bennu, a potentially hazardous asteroid that's like a time capsule from the early solar system. On 26 September 2023, scientists at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston opened the lid on the sample return canister from the OSIRIS-REx mission, which had returned to Earth two days earlier with a sample from the asteroid. As the lid was lifted, scientists gasped at what they saw: a layer of black dust and debris on the avionics deck of the canister. Also, the sample weighed 100 grams more than what was collected at Bennu. This was unexpected, as the sample was safely stored in a sealed container all along the way. So, how did this happen in the first place? What's the source of the unexpected black dust on the avionics deck of the canister? Finally, and most importantly, what do scientists expect to find in the detailed analysis of the largest asteroid sample that has ever returned to Earth?

Tracking a mission’s historic return to Earth, a year of science onboard the space station, and the safe arrival of the station’s newest resident astronaut … a few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA!

Our first asteroid sample return mission is back on Earth, a record ride in space for a NASA astronaut, and our Artemis II mission is making prelaunch progress. A few of the stories to tell you about – This Week at NASA!

29,002 views Aug 31, 2023 Astronomy Calendar September 2023: Must watch events this month September 1: Aurigid Meteor Shower September 4: Jupiter enters retrograde motion September 6: Moon meets the Pleiades cluster September 1-8: Comet C/2023 P1 Nishimura September 12: Moon at Apogee September 15: New Moon September 17-18: Last chance to see the comet September 18: Venus at greatest brightness September 19: Neptune at Opposition September 22: Mercury at the highest altitude in the morning sky September 23: The Fall Equinox September 27: Conjunction of Moon and Saturn September 29: Super Corn Moon

The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite has been scanning Earth for 20 years and now has a long enough record to help support climate change research. AIRS data on Earth’s atmosphere are improving weather forecasts and advancing our understanding of Earth’s climate. AIRS' infrared technology creates 3D maps of air and surface temperature, water vapor, and cloud properties. The infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum is rich in information about gases, especially greenhouse gases such as ozone and carbon dioxide. The advantage of having such an instrument in orbit is the availability of rapid global coverage. AIRS data form a 'fingerprint' of the state of the atmosphere for a given time and place, contributing to climate data for future generations NASA's Aqua satellite, with AIRS onboard, launched into Earth orbit on May 4, 2002.

January 1: Comet Leonard January 2: 2022's First New Moon January 3: Comet Leonard at perihelion January 3-4: Quadrantid meteor shower January 4-5: Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn January 7: Mercury at greatest elongation east January 9: Mercury at dichotomy January 14: Moon at apogee January 17: Wolf Moon January 18: Uranus ends retrograde motion January 29: Moon at perigee

Here are the top astronomy events in 2022 Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Astronomy Calendar 2022: https://bit.ly/astro_2022 February 4: Saturn at Solar Conjunction February 5: Conjunction of Mars and M22 February 7: Lunar Occultation of Uranus February 8: Mercury at Highest Altitude in the Morning Sky February 9: Venus at its Peak Brightness February 9: Moon at Apogee February 10: Mercury at Dichotomy February 11: Mercury, Pluto, Mars, and Venus February 16: Snow Moon February 23: Venus at Its Highest Altitude In the Morning Sky February 26: Moon at Perigee Feb 27-28: Moon, Venus, and Mars

Here are the top astronomical events in March 2022: Best astronomy apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 March 2: Conjunction of Mercury and Saturn March 2: New Moon March 5: Jupiter at solar conjunction March 6: Lunar occultation of Uranus March 10: Moon at apogee March 13: Neptune at solar conjunction March 14: γ-Normid meteor shower 2022 March 15: Venus-Mars conjunction March 18: Worm Moon March 20: The Spring Equinox March 20: Venus at dichotomy March 23: The Moon at perigee March 28: Moon, Mars, Saturn, and Venus March 29: Conjunction of Saturn and Venus March 31: New Moon

Here are all the important astronomical events in April 2022 you should not miss: April 1: The Planetary Belt April 4-5: Saturn-Mars Conjunction April 7: Moon at Apogee April 12: Jupiter-Neptune Conjunction April 14: Whirlpool Galaxy is Well Placed April 16: Pink Moon April 16: Planet Parade Begins April 19: Moon at Perigee April 22: Lyrid Meteor Shower April 24: Moon Joins the Planet Parade April 27: Conjunction of Venus and Neptune April 28: Mercury at Highest Altitude in the Evening Sky April 30: Partial Solar Eclipse

Five planets - Jupiter, Neptune, Venus, Saturn, and Mars are going to align with an asteroid and a comet in the pre-dawn skies of April and May 2022. This alignment of planets will lead to some spectacular shown and close planetary conjunctions. In this video, all the important dates and planetary configurations have been discussed in detail.

The Lyrid meteor shower is an annual shower that occurs when the Earth passes through the stream of dust created by the comet Thatcher. The April 2022 Lyrid meteor shower will be active from April 14 to April 30, reaching its peak activity on April 22. This video explains how to watch the April 2022 Lyrid meteor shower. Sky Illustrations: Stellarium Web, EarthSky

Here are the top astronomical events in May 2022: Top Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M May 2: Close approach of Moon and Mercury May 5: Moon at apogee May 6: η-Aquariid meteor shower May 8: η-Lyrids meteor shower May 15: Total Lunar Eclipse May 17: Moon at perigee May 17: Mars-Neptune conjunction May 25: Clustering of Moon, Jupiter, and Mars May 26: Lunar occultation of Venus May 29: Jupiter-Mars conjunction

Here are the top astronomical events in June 2022: Top Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M June 2: Moon at apogee June 5: Saturn enters retrograde motion June 11: Conjunction of Venus and Uranus June 14: Super Strawberry Moon June 17: Mercury at greatest elongation west June 20: Ptolemy cluster is well-placed June 21: Summer Solstice June 21: Close approach of Moon and Jupiter June 22: Mercury at dichotomy June 22: Conjunction of Moon and Mars June 24: The grand celestial alignment June 25: Lunar occultation of Uranus June 26: Close approach of Moon and Venus June 27: June Bootid meteor shower June 28: Neptune enters retrograde motion June 29: New Moon

While astronomy enthusiasts await the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope, we've got a spectacular celestial event to relish: the grand planetary alignment of June 2022. The planets have been putting up great shows in the predawn sky since March last week. As a result, we have had several planetary conjunctions and two planet parades. Unfortunately, Mercury and Uranus were missing in the April and May planetary alignments. But the two planets have joined the parade in June, and we have an alignment of all the seven planets as seen from the Earth. The last time such an event took place was way back in December 2004, almost 18 years ago. Top Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M

Here are the top astronomical events in July 2022. Top Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M July 4: Earth at aphelion July 12: James Webb Space Telescope First Images July 13: Super Buck Moon July 16: Close approach of Moon and Saturn July 19: Close approach of Moon and Jupiter July 20: Pluto at opposition July 21: Double Occultation July 26: Moon at apogee July 28: New Moon July 29: Jupiter enters retrograde motion

Astronomy Calendar August 2022: Must watch events this month Top Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M August 1: Conjunction of Mars and Uranus August 2: Comet PANSTARRS reaches its brightest August 10: The Moon at Perigee August 11-12: Full Moon August 12-13: Perseid Meteor Shower August 14: Saturn at Opposition August 15: Close approach of Moon and Jupiter August 18: κ-Cygnid Meteor Shower August 18: Mercury at its highest altitude August 19: Close approach of Moon and Mars August 23: The Moon at Apogee August 24: Uranus Enters Retrograde Motion August 27: New Moon August 29: Mercury at Dichotomy

The Perseid meteor shower is an annual shower that occurs when the Earth passes through the stream of dust created by the comet Swift Tuttle. The August 2022 Perseid meteor shower will be active from July 14 to August 27, reaching its peak activity on August 11-12. This video explains how to watch the August 2022 Perseid meteor shower.

Astronomy Calendar September 2022: Must watch events this month Top Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M September 1: Aurigid Meteor Shower September 7: Moon at perigee September 9: Conjunction of Moon and Saturn September 10: Full Moon September 12: Conjunction of Moon and Jupiter September 15: Lunar occultation of Uranus September 17: Neptune at Opposition September 17: Close approach of Moon and Mars September 19: Moon at Apogee September 23: Autumn Equinox September 27: Jupiter at opposition

Astronomy Calendar October 2022: Must watch events this month Top Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M October 2: Andromeda at Culmination October 4: Moon at perigee October 8: Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter October 9: Draconid meteor shower October 9: Mercury at its highest altitude in the morning sky October 10: Full Moon October 10: Southern Taurid Meteor Shower October 12: Lunar occultation of Uranus October 15: Close approach of Moon and Mars October 17: Moon at Apogee October 21: Orionid Meteor Shower October 23: Saturn Ends Retrograde Motion October 25: Partial Solar Eclipse October 30: Mars enters Retrograde Motion

Astronomy Calendar November 2022: Must watch events this month Top Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M November 5: Conjunction of Jupiter and Moon November 8: Total Lunar Eclipse November 11: Close Approach of Moon and Mars November 12: Taurid Meteor Shower November 14: The Moon at apogee November 17: Leonid Meteor Shower November 24: New Moon November 24: Jupiter ends retrograde motion November 26: The Moon at perigee

The fourth and final eclipse of 2022 will take place on November 8. It will be a total lunar eclipse, and the Moon will turn blood red, as seen from some parts of the world. The total lunar eclipse of November 2022 will be the last total lunar eclipse until March 2025. Besides the eclipse, the Leonid meteor shower is another exciting event this month. It's the best meteor shower of the month and can produce up to 15 meteors per hour. The shower will peak shortly before dawn when its radiant, in Leo, is well up in the sky.

The Orionid meteor shower is an annual shower that occurs when the Earth passes through the stream of dust created by Halley's comet. The October 2022 Orionid meteor shower will be active from October 2 to November 10, reaching its peak activity on October 20-21. This video explains how to watch the October 2022 Orionid meteor shower. Sky Illustrations: Stellarium Web, EarthSky

Astronomy Calendar December 2022: Must watch events this month Top Space Apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M December 1: Mars at perigee December 2: Conjunction of Moon and Jupiter December 4: Neptune ends its retrograde motion December 5: Lunar Occultation of Uranus December 8: Mars at Opposition December 8: Lunar Occultation of Mars December 12: The Moon at apogee December 14: Geminid meteor shower December 22: The Winter Solstice December 22: Ursid Meteor Shower December 23: New Moon December 24-25: Moon, Mercury, and Venus December 29: Conjunction of Venus and Mercury

If you love astronomy and sky gazing, the upcoming week is going to be an exciting one. Jupiter will be at its closest to Earth in the last 59 years as it reaches its opposition. From the viewpoint of Earth's surface, an opposition happens when an astronomical object rises in the east as the Sun sets in the west, placing the object and the Sun on opposite sides of Earth. According to NASA, Jupiter's opposition occurs every 13 months, making the planet appear larger and brighter than any other time of the year. But that's not all. Jupiter will also make its closest approach to Earth in the last 59 years. This happens because Earth and Jupiter do not orbit the Sun in perfect circles – meaning the planets will pass each other at different distances throughout the year. Jupiter's closest approach to Earth rarely coincides with opposition, which means this year's views will be extraordinary. At its closest approach, Jupiter will be approximately 367 million miles or 590 million kilometers from Earth, about the same distance it was in 1963. The massive planet is about 600 million miles or 965 million km away from Earth at its farthest point. This video explains how to see Jupiter as it reaches its opposition.

Astronomy Calendar 2022: In this video, you will find all the important astronomical events taking place in 2022; meteor showers, eclipses, comets, and planetary conjunctions. As it turns out, 2022 is going to be a great year for astronomy enthusiasts. It has four eclipses, three supermoons, and several planetary conjunctions. Best space apps: https://bit.ly/space_apps_2022 Basics of Astrophysics series: https://bit.ly/3xII54M