Infrared

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  NASA’s SPHEREx Mission Sends First Space Images Before Full Sky Survey

  NASA’s SPHEREx telescope has captured its first images from space, marking a critical milestone before its full-sky infrared survey begins. The observatory, launched on March 11, recorded thousands of light sources, including distant galaxies and stars. Unlike other space telescopes, SPHEREx is designed for large-scale cosmic mapping, scanning th...

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  Rocket Lab Deploys Eight Satellites to Boost Global Wildfire Monitoring

  Rocket Lab successfully launched eight satellites into orbit for OroraTech on March 26. The mission, "Finding Hot Wildfires Near You," aims to improve real-time wildfire detection through thermal infrared imaging. The satellites will join OroraTech’s existing network, operating at a 97-degree inclination, 550 km above Earth. CEO Martin Langer hig...

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  James Webb Telescope Captures Neptune’s Auroras in Stunning Detail

  The James Webb Space Telescope has provided the first-ever direct images of Neptune’s auroras, revealing surprising details about the ice giant’s atmosphere. Unlike auroras on Earth, Jupiter, or Saturn, Neptune’s auroras appear across unexpected locations due to its tilted and offset magnetic field. Scientists also detected the presence of H...

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  James Webb Space Telescope Captures Hourglass Nebula LBN 483 in Stunning Detail

  The James Webb Space Telescope has captured unprecedented details of LBN 483, a nebula located 650 light-years away. The striking hourglass-shaped structure results from outflows driven by a forming binary star system. JWST’s infrared imaging and ALMA’s radio observations reveal how stellar winds, jets, and magnetic fields sculpt the nebula ove...

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  SpaceX Falcon 9 Successfully Deploys NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope and PUNCH Probes

  NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions have successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. SPHEREx will map the entire celestial sky in 102 infrared colours, while PUNCH will study the transition of the sun’s corona into the solar wind. The two-year missions aim to deepen our understanding of th...

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  Hubble Captures Stunning Infrared Image of Sh2-284, a Massive Stellar Nursery

  Hubble’s latest image of the massive Sh2-284 nebula reveals young stars concealed within thick clouds of gas and dust. Using infrared imaging, astronomers have captured details previously obscured in optical wavelengths. The nebula’s low-metallicity composition provides a glimpse into the conditions of the early universe, shedding light on how ...

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  NASA Delays SPHEREx and PUNCH Missions Due to SpaceX Vehicle Checks

  NASA’s planned launch of the SPHEREx and PUNCH missions aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has been postponed. Originally set for March 8 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, the launch was delayed as SpaceX conducts additional vehicle checkouts. SPHEREx will focus on mapping the universe using infrared light, while PUNCH will examine solar wind and coro...

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  NASA Reschedules SPHEREx and PUNCH Missions, Now Set for March 7 Launch

  NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions, originally set for February 27, have faced another delay. The launch, previously rescheduled for March 4, is now expected to take place on March 7 at 10:09 p.m. EST from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. NASA cited scheduling constraints at the Western Range as the reason for the latest postponement. The ...

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  NASA Tests Advanced Infrared Technology to Improve Wildfire Monitoring

  NASA tested its Compact Fire Infrared Radiance Spectral Tracker (c-FIRST) over California wildfires to improve real-time fire tracking. Managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the instrument captures high-resolution thermal infrared data, identifying temperature variations across wildfire-affected areas. Experts believe this could help firef...

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  James Webb Space Telescope Observes Mysterious Rogue Planet-Like Object

  The James Webb Space Telescope has captured new insights into SIMP 0136, a planetary-mass object floating freely around 20 light-years away. This celestial body, possibly a rogue planet or a brown dwarf, has puzzled astronomers for years. JWST’s infrared observations have revealed intricate cloud layers, temperature shifts, and potential chemical...

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  NASA’s New Missions Will Map the Sun and the Cosmos

  NASA is set to launch two major missions, PUNCH and SPHEREx, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base on March 2. PUNCH, a four-satellite system, will study the sun’s corona and space weather, while SPHEREx will create infrared maps of the cosmos to study galaxy evolution and cosmic history. These missions will contribute to a de...

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  NASA’s SPHEREx Telescope Launching Aboard SpaceX Falcon 9 to Explore Cosmic Evolution

  NASA’s SPHEREx telescope, launching on Feb 28 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, will map the entire sky in infrared, observing 450 million galaxies and 100 million Milky Way stars. The mission aims to uncover the large-scale structure of the universe, track icy molecules in interstellar space, and study cosmic inflation. Equipped with a spectrophotometer...

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  NASA Partners With SpaceX To Launch NEO Surveyor, a Mission To Detect Asteroid Threats

  NASA has selected SpaceX for the launch of its NEO Surveyor spacecraft in 2027. The mission, valued at $100 million, will use a Falcon 9 rocket to deploy the spacecraft to the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1. The infrared telescope will help detect and track hazardous near-Earth objects, including difficult-to-spot dark asteroids. This mission builds on...

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  James Webb Telescope to Study Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2024 YR4

  Asteroid 2024 YR4, identified in December 2024, has a 2.3% chance of Earth impact in December 2032. Due to uncertainties in ground-based size estimates, JWST will conduct infrared observations in March and May to determine its true dimensions. The European Space Agency estimates its width at 55 metres, but it could be as large as 90 metres. The fin...

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  Hubble Spots Distant Supernova in Gemini, Enhancing Cosmic Distance Studies

  The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of SN 2022aajn, a Type Ia supernova in the constellation Gemini. Located 600 million light-years away, the explosion was first detected in November 2022. Type Ia supernovae serve as essential cosmic distance markers due to their predictable brightness. Hubble’s observations, part o...