NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Aug 22, 2023

The Pistachio Nebula

This nebula had never been noted before. Newly discovered nebulas are usually angularly small and found by professionals using large telescopes. In contrast, the Pistachio Nebula was discovered by dedicated amateurs and, although faint, is nearly the size of the full Moon. In modern times, amateurs with even small telescopes can create long exposures over sky areas much larger than most professional telescopes can see. They can therefore discover both previously unknown areas of extended emission around known objects, as well as entirely unknown objects, like nebulas. The pictured Pistachio Nebula is shown in oxygen emission (blue) and hydrogen emission (red). The nature of the hot central star is currently unknown, and the nebula might be labeled a planetary nebula if it turns out to be a white dwarf star. The featured image is a composite of over 70 hours of exposure taken in early June under the dark skies of Namibia.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?

Mexico Gears Up for Historic UFO Hearing Led by Top Ufologist

Aug 21, 2023

The truth is out there. And Mexico is ready.

Jaime Maussan, Mexico’s leading ufologist, has unveiled plans for the inaugural UFO hearing at the Mexican Congress. Slated for September 12, this groundbreaking event marks a monumental chapter in Mexico’s history with the unexplained.

International Presence in the Spotlight

The hearing will feature Ryan Graves, a former US Navy pilot known for his testimony before the US Congress regarding his encounters with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs). But the list doesn’t end there. “For the first time in Mexico’s history, we’re hosting such a pivotal event,” proclaimed Maussan in a video shared on his Twitter. He hinted at a diverse panel, including international guests ready to recount their experiences and field questions from Mexican lawmakers and the media.

Unveiling the Unknown

Captain Julio Darwish will lead the charge, representing an association he’s founded, Unknown Vector. This group comprises commercial pilots who’ve crossed paths with mysterious flying entities. Maussan emphasized the significant shift in perceptions, stating, “Times are undeniably changing. This hearing will undoubtedly usher in transformative changes in Mexico.”

This announcement is particularly timely, given the recent cessation of public UAP hearings in the US post the July 26 event in Washington, D.C. US legislator Mike Turner cited concerns over potentially tarnishing the Department of Defense’s reputation as a primary reason for this halt.

https://curiosmos.com/mexico-gears-up-for-historic-ufo-hearing-led-by-top-ufologist/

https://twitter.com/jaimemaussan1/status/1693380045081837945

SpaceX Starlink Mission

On Tuesday, August 22 at 2:37 a.m. PT, Falcon 9 launched 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

This was the 15th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3, and now six Starlink missions.

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-7-1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agYuEAkEljw

Coverage Set for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 Events, Broadcast, Launch

Aug 17, 2023

NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission with astronauts to the International Space Station.

The launch is targeted for 3:49 a.m. EDT Friday, Aug. 25, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, is scheduled to dock to the space station at 2:02 a.m. EDT Saturday, Aug. 26.

Crew arrival, launch, the postlaunch news conference, and mission coverage through docking will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. NASA also will host an audio-only post-Flight Readiness Review news teleconference. Follow all live events at:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

The Crew-7 launch will carry NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov.

As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, Crew-7 marks the eighth human spaceflight mission supported by a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and the seventh crew rotation mission to the space station since 2020 for NASA.

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/coverage-set-for-nasa-s-spacex-crew-7-events-broadcast-launch