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This image by NASA?s James Webb Space Telescope?s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) features the central region of the Chamaeleon I dark molecular cloud, which resides 630 light years away. The cold, wispy cloud material (blue, center) is illuminated in the infrared by the glow of the young, outflowing protostar Ced 110 IRS 4 (orange, upper left). The light from numerous background stars, seen as orange dots behind the cloud, can be used to detect ices in the cloud, which absorb the starlight passing through them.

Space

JWST has seen building blocks of life in a dark, cold cloud in space

The James Webb Space Telescope has observed a frigid cloud of dust and gas where stars are forming, and it found frozen elements that are crucial for the development of life

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The Southern Ring Nebula. The left image highlights the very hot gas and the right image the stars

Space

Amazing JWST images show a nebula shaped by a multi-star system

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Majestic photographs of the world's major telescopes

Technology

Majestic photographs of the world's major telescopes

Regulars

AU Mic

Space

JWST has taken astonishing images of debris orbiting a nearby star

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Virgin Orbit

Space

First satellite launch from the UK failed due to an ‘anomaly’

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LARGE REGIONS OF ROCK AND METAL: PSYCHE ASTEROID ILLUSTRATION This illustration depicts the 140-mile-wide (226-kilometer-wide) asteroid Psyche, which lies in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Psyche is the focal point of NASA?s mission of the same name. The Psyche spacecraft is set to launch in August 2022 and arrive at the asteroid in 2026, where it will orbit for 21 months and investigate its composition. Based on data obtained from Earth, scientists believe Psyche is a mixture of metal and rock. The rock and metal may be in large provinces, or areas, on the asteroid, as illustrated in this rendering. Observing and measuring how the metal and rock are mixed will help scientists determine how Psyche formed. Exploring the asteroid could also give valuable insight into how our own planet and others formed. The Psyche team will use a magnetometer to measure the asteroid?s magnetic field. A multispectral imager will capture images of the surface, as well as data about Psyche?s composition and topography. Spectrometers will analyze the neutrons and gamma rays coming from the surface to reveal the elements that make up the asteroid itself. The illustration was created by Peter Rubin. View or download the full resolution versions from NASA?s Photojournal Date Added: 03-29-2021 Credit: Peter Rubin

Space

Spacecraft are heading to a metal asteroid and Jupiter's moons in 2023

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Dark dunes surrounding Mars's northern polar cap

Space

Mars has enough wind to power bases near the poles all year round

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Nuclear power plant

Technology

Biggest science news stories of 2022 as chosen by 91av

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https://webbtelescope.org/contents/media/images/2022/053/01GFRYSFM89AFADVAA0W625BSB NASA?s James Webb Space Telescope?s mid-infrared view of the Pillars of Creation strikes a chilling tone. Thousands of stars that exist in this region disappear ? and seemingly endless layers of gas and dust become the centerpiece. The detection of dust by Webb?s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) is extremely important ? dust is a major ingredient for star formation. Many stars are actively forming in these dense blue-gray pillars. When knots of gas and dust with sufficient mass form in these regions, they begin to collapse under their own gravitational attraction, slowly heat up ? and eventually form new stars. Although the stars appear missing, they aren?t. Stars typically do not emit much mid-infrared light. Instead, they are easiest to detect in ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. In this MIRI view, two types of stars can be identified. The stars at the end of the thick, dusty pillars have recently eroded the material surrounding them. They show up in red because their atmospheres are still enshrouded in cloaks of dust. In contrast, blue tones indicate stars that are older and have shed most of their gas and dust.

Space

JWST captured the most thrilling and inspiring space images of 2022

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What our attempts to communicate with alien civilisations say about us

Space

What our attempts to communicate with alien civilisations say about us

From serious efforts to declare our presence to extraterrestrial civilisations to daft publicity stunts, we have been sending messages to space for decades. What should a new postcard to the stars say?

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Video

Watch Orion capsule splash down as NASA’s Artemis I mission ends

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Space

NASA’s Artemis I mission has ended as Orion splashed down on Earth

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Space

JWST has broken the record for most distant galaxy ever confirmed

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Space

Amazing image of crescent Earth rising over the moon captured by Orion

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