NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

August 13, 2025

Trapezium: In the Heart of Orion

What lies in the heart of Orion? Trapezium: four bright stars, that can be found near the center of this sharp cosmic portrait. Gathered within a region about 1.5 light-years in radius, these stars dominate the core of the dense Orion Nebula Star Cluster. Ultraviolet ionizing radiation from the Trapezium stars, mostly from the brightest star Theta-1 Orionis C powers the complex star forming region's entire visible glow. About three million years old, the Orion Nebula Cluster was even more compact in its younger years and a dynamical study indicates that runaway stellar collisions at an earlier age may have formed a black hole with more than 100 times the mass of the Sun. The presence of a black hole within the cluster could explain the observed high velocities of the Trapezium stars. The Orion Nebula's distance of some 1,500 light-years make it one of the closest candidate black holes to Earth.

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

Congressman says he’s secured funding to keep East Texas NASA facility open

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

An East Texas congressman says he has secured almost $50 million to continue operations of NASA’s facility in Palestine.

U.S. Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Waxahachie, said $49.3 million allocated in the 2026 fiscal year’s Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill will help continue operations of the NASA balloon facility.

Officials with national defense contractor Peraton, which operates the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility, notified the 81 workers there in July that they could be laid off because of federal cost-cutting measures.

“The Balloon Facility in Palestine is a unique and critical part of NASA’s mission, and it’s right here in East Texas,” Ellzey said in a statement reported by the Palestine Herald-Press.

“I’ve seen firsthand the incredible work being done there — not just for science, but for the community. This proposed funding will help ensure the facility remains strong, supports good jobs for Texas families, and continues advancing American innovation.”

The bill hasn’t been passed out of committee yet, but it is expected to be considered in early September, the Herald-Press reported. The facility launches numerous high-altitude scientific balloons each year.

Balloons launched there carry telescopes, cosmic ray detectors and equipment used to measure stratospheric winds.

The facility was constructed in the early 1960s, and it serves as the backup command center to the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Read more at: https://tylerpaper.com/2025/08/13/congressman-says-hes-secured-funding-to-keep-east-texas-nasa-facility-open/

https://www.palestineherald.com/news/congressman-ellzey-secures-proposed-49-3-million-for-balloon-base/article_30a94cc2-079e-4842-9c99-9fb5fc5d89f9.html

>>23461761

Intergalactic discoteque

Scientists find out, why NASA rovers keep getting stuck on other planets

08-13-2025 at 11:59

American engineers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have discovered a flaw in the method of testing NASA’s rovers on Earth.

For decades, developers have been adjusting the weight of the rovers to simulate the low-gravity conditions on the Moon or Mars, but they have not taken into account, how Earth’s gravity affects the soil itself.

In fact, lunar soil is much looser and less elastic than the Earth’s. This will cause bikes to get stuck in it.

When a spacecraft worth millions of dollars if a rover gets stuck in soft alien soil, as happened with NASA’s Spirit rover in 2009, engineers on Earth have to pull it out.

They act as a remote the towing team sends, carefully planned orders to the bike to move the wheels or change the path. This is a slow and very delicate process.

In particular, engineers failed to rescue Spirit in 2009, but perhaps in the future bikes will be able to avoid such a fate.

Mechanical engineers from the University of Wisconsin, based on the results of modeling, found lack of modern ground testing methods alien all-terrain vehicles.

The drawback, as the researchers note, often leads to overly optimistic predictions about the behavior of rovers in real conditions on the Moon or Mars.

The key to mission planning is to understand how the rover will move on extraterrestrial surfaces, in low gravity, and avoid obstacles, including soft soil and rocky areas.

Lunar gravity is only one-sixth of Earth’s. For decades, engineers have been taking this into account by creating test models that weigh 6 times less than the weight of a real rover.

These vehicles were then tested in desert sands on Earth. However, this did not take into account how the Earth’s gravity affects the sand.

Using advanced modeling techniques, professor Dan Negrut and his colleagues found that Earth’s gravity compresses sand more strongly compared to the weaker lunar or Martian gravity.

This makes Earth’s sand or soil harder and more stable, reducing the likelihood of it displacement under the wheels of the rover.

However, on the Moon, the soil is more loose and prone to displacement, which means, that the rovers less grip and higher risk of getting stuck.

The results of the study by the University of Wisconsin researchers are part of a NASA-funded project to model the VIPER rover for the lunar mission.

The researchers used Project Chrono, an open-source physics simulation engine developed by researchers from the University of Wisconsin in collaboration with colleagues from Italy.

This software allows researchers to quickly and accurately model complex mechanical systems, such as full-size rovers operating on soft sand or soil surfaces.

During the VIPER simulation, the researchers noticed a discrepancy between the results of ground tests and the results of the rover’s mobility simulation on the Moon. A more detailed study of the simulation with Chrono helped to identify the shortcoming.

Chrono is used by hundreds of organizations around the world to better understand the operation of complex mechanical systems — from precision mechanical watches to off-road trucks and tanks of the US Army.

Chrono is free and freely available for use worldwide. The UW-Madison team continually puts significant effort into developing and maintaining the software and providing support to users.

https://itc.ua/en/news/scientists-find-out-why-nasa-rovers-keep-getting-stuck-on-other-planets/

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/rob.22597

NASA studies potential orbit boost for Swift Observatory to extend mission life

Aug. 13, 2025

NASA is exploring ways to boost the orbit of its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which is facing accelerated orbital decay from heightened solar activity.

Two companies will study propulsion and docking concepts to extend the spacecraft’s life, advancing U.S. on-orbit servicing technology with potential benefits for science, commercial, and national security satellites.

What broader impact could this have? Success could demonstrate on-orbit servicing capabilities that extend the lifespan of other government and commercial satellites.

What is NASA studying for the Swift Observatory? NASA is funding studies to explore raising the orbit of the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory to counteract atmospheric drag and extend its mission.

Which companies are involved? Cambrian Works in Reston, Va., and Katalyst Space Technologies in Flagstaff, Ariz., are developing concept studies for the mission.

WASHINGTON - The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is funding industry studies on a potential mission to raise the orbit of its Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a nearly 21-year-old spacecraft facing accelerated orbital decay due to heightened solar activity.

The agency has awarded $150,000 Phase III Small Business Innovation Research contracts to Cambrian Works in Reston, Va., and Katalyst Space Technologies in Flagstaff, Ariz..

Both companies will develop concept studies for an in-space demonstration that could boost Swift’s altitude, helping extend its science mission and advancing on-orbit servicing capabilities for U.S. satellites.

Swift, launched in 2004, is a key tool for detecting gamma-ray bursts and relaying rapid follow-up data to ground-based and space observatories worldwide.

It operates in low-Earth orbit, which has been affected by increased atmospheric drag caused by higher solar activity in the current solar cycle. Without intervention, Swift’s orbit could continue to decay at a rate that shortens its expected mission life.

Evaluation goals

The concept studies will evaluate the technical, operational, and economic feasibility of a boost maneuver, including propulsion options, rendezvous and docking techniques, and potential integration with other on-orbit servicing missions.

NASA is also working with Starfish Space in Seattle to assess the use of its Small Spacecraft Propulsion and Inspection Capability technology demonstration as a candidate for executing the orbit-raising operation.

While no boost mission has been approved, NASA officials say the findings will inform decisions on whether orbit servicing is more cost-effective than replacing the spacecraft.

The effort also aligns with broader goals to develop technologies for extending the operational life of satellites, which could have significant applications for commercial, civil, and national security space systems.

NASA expects the studies to provide key insights into performance requirements, servicing safety protocols, and risk management strategies for operating with aging spacecraft.

Officials say preserving Swift’s capabilities would not only continue valuable gamma-ray research but also demonstrate the viability of extending satellite lifespans through targeted orbital servicing missions.

https://www.militaryaerospace.com/communications/news/55309280/nasa-studies-potential-orbit-boost-for-swift-observatory-to-extend-mission-life

Curiosity Blog, Sols 4624-4626: A Busy Weekend at the Boxwork

Aug 12, 2025

Earth planning date: Friday, Aug. 8, 2025

We continue to progress through the boxwork structures, arriving today at the “peace sign” ridges we were aiming for in our last drive.

We’re spending the first two sols of the weekend at this location, learning everything we can about the boxwork ridges all around us.

Then we’re driving further along and spending our third sol at our next location doing a bit more untargeted science.

Our first sol includes three contact science targets, “Palmira,” “Casicasi,” and “Bococo,” which both MAHLI and APXS will be checking out nice and close.

ChemCam is also using its LIBS laser to check out Bococo, and taking a mosaic of some more distant boxwork ridges.

Not to be left out, Mastcam is taking a mosaic of the intersecting peace-sign-shaped ridges, which have been given the name “Ayopaya,” as well as another mosaic of the edge of one of the nearby ridges.

The environmental science group (ENV) is also taking a dust-devil movie and a surpahorizon cloud movie.

On our second sol, ChemCam has another LIBS observation of “Britania.” Mastcam has some more mosaics, today looking back at our wheel tracks to see what we might have turned up on our drive, as well as out to the more distant ridges.

We also have another cloud movie coinciding with imaging from above by the CaSSIS camera on board the Trace Gas Orbiter, trying to spot the same clouds from above and below.

After our drive Curiosity gets to take a nice long snooze before waking up early for our typical weekend morning ENV block, which includes three different cloud observations (it’s still the cloudy season, after all!) and two observations to look at dust in the crater and in the sky above.

Later on this sol ChemCam will use AEGIS to autonomously pick a LIBS target, we’ll have a 360-degree survey to try to catch dust devils. Finally, we’re setting our sights back on the clouds, using cloud shadows on Mount Sharp to estimate cloud altitudes.

https://science.nasa.gov/blog/curiosity-blog-sols-4624-4626-a-busy-weekend-at-the-boxwork/

NASA Adopts Starlink for In-Flight Connectivity

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

NASA has become the first government agency to adopt Starlink’s in-flight internet connectivity system into one of its executive transport aircraft.

On Thursday, aircraft modification specialist Prostar Aviation announced it completed installation of the satellite-based internet system on NASA’s Gulfstream G5 jet.

While this marks the first time Starlink has been integrated into a U.S. government-operated aircraft, Prostar stated that a number of transport fleets across various government agencies are looking into similar modifications.

The company said they expect an increased demand from government operators going forward.

Prostar did not specify which government agencies could potentially go forward with similar implementations next, or if any further agreements with NASA were in the works.

“It’s a strong example of how collaboration with a capable commercial team can meet complex technical and regulatory requirements to enhance mission effectiveness through the rapid integration of advanced technologies,” Prostar’s director of sales and marketing, Jeff Shaw said.

In addition to the NASA project, Prostar has completed Starlink installations for over 25 business jet platforms.

The retrofitted Gulfstream is based at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas where it supports Johnson Space Center operations.

Starlink is operated by the privately held space technology firm SpaceX, founded by billionaire Elon Musk.

Along with growing interest from government agencies in Starlink’s capabilities, commercial airlines have increasingly been making the switch, hoping to provide passengers with a high-performing, low-latency internet connection during flights.

Most notably, United Airlines has said they hope to have Starklink capabilities installed on all regional jets by the end of 2025, with plans for installation across its entire fleet over the next couple of years

https://avweb.com/aviation-news/nasa-adopts-starlink-for-in-flight-connectivity/

>>23461930

Can we rename it to Trumpezium?

NASA IXPE’s ‘Heartbeat Black Hole’ Measurements Challenge Current Theories

Aug 12, 2025

An international team of astronomers using NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer), has challenged our understanding of what happens to matter in the direct vicinity of a black hole.

With IXPE, astronomers can study incoming X-rays and measure the polarization, a property of light that describes the direction of its electric field. The polarization degree is a measurement of how aligned those vibrations are to each other.

Scientists can use a black hole’s polarization degree to determine the location of the corona – a region of extremely hot, magnetized plasma that surrounds a black hole – and how it generates X-rays.

In April, astronomers used IXPE to measure a 9.1% polarization degree for black hole IGR J17091-3624, much higher than they expected based on theoretical models.

“The black hole IGR J17091-3624 is an extraordinary source which dims and brightens with the likeness of a heartbeat, and NASA’s IXPE allowed us to measure this unique source in a brand-new way.” said Melissa Ewing, the lead of the study based at Newcastle University in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

In X-ray binary systems, an extremely dense object, like a black hole, pulls matter from a nearby source, most often a neighboring star. This matter can begin to swirl around, flattening into a rotating structure known as an accretion disc.

The corona, which lies in the inner region of this accretion disc, can reach extreme temperatures up to 1.8 billion degrees Fahrenheit and radiate very luminous X-rays. These ultra-hot coronas are responsible for some of the brightest X-ray sources in the sky.

Despite how bright the corona is in IGRJ17091-364, at some 28,000 light-years from Earth, it remains far too small and distant for astronomers to capture an image of it.

“Typically, a high polarization degree corresponds with a very edge-on view of the corona. The corona would have to be perfectly shaped and viewed at just the right angle to achieve such a measurement,” said Giorgio Matt, professor at the University of Roma Tre in Italy and a co-author on this paper.

“The dimming pattern has yet to be explained by scientists and could hold the keys to understanding this category of black holes.”

The stellar companion of this black hole isn’t bright enough for astronomers to directly estimate the system’s viewing angle, but the unusual changes in brightness observed by IXPE suggest that the edge of the accretion disk was directly facing Earth.

The researchers explored different avenues to explain the high polarization degree.

In one model, astronomers included a “wind” of matter lifted from the accretion disc and launched away from the system, a rarely seen phenomenon.

If X-rays from the corona were to meet this matter on their way to IXPE, Compton scattering would occur, leading to these measurements.

Fast Facts

• Polarization measurements from IXPE carry information about the orientation and alignment of emitted X-ray light waves. The high the degree of polarization, the more the X-ray waves are traveling in sync.

• Most polarization in the corona come from a process known as Compton scattering, where light from the accretion disc bounces off the hot plasma of the corona, gaining energy and aligning to vibrate in the same direction.

“These winds are one of the most critical missing pieces to understand the growth of all types of black holes,” said Maxime Parra, who led the observation and works on this topic at Ehime University in Matsuyama, Japan.

“Astronomers could expect future observations to yield even more surprising polarization degree measurements.”

Another model assumed the plasma in the corona could exhibit a very fast outflow. If the plasma were to be streaming outwards at speeds as high as 20% the speed of light, or roughly 124 million miles per hour, relativistic effects could boost the observed polarization.

In both cases, the simulations could recreate the observed polarization without a very specific edge-on view. Researchers will continue to model and test their predictions to better understand the high polarization degree for future research efforts.

https://www.nasa.gov/missions/ixpe/nasa-ixpes-heartbeat-black-hole-measurements-challenge-current-theories/

A Gigantic Jet Caught on Camera: A Spritacular Moment for NASA Astronaut Nicole Ayers!

Aug 12, 2025

Did you see that gorgeous photo NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers took on July 3, 2025? Originally thought to be a sprite, Ayers confirmed catching an even rarer form of a Transient Luminous Events (TLEs) — a gigantic jet.

“Nichole Ayers caught a rare and spectacular form of a TLE from the International Space Station — a gigantic jet,” said Dr. Burcu Kosar, Principal Investigator of the Spritacular project. 

Gigantic jets are a powerful type of electrical discharge that extends from the top of a thunderstorm into the upper atmosphere.

They are typically observed by chance — often spotted by airline passengers or captured unintentionally by ground-based cameras aimed at other phenomena.

Gigantic jets appear when the turbulent conditions at towering thunderstorm tops allow for lightning to escape the thunderstorm, propagating upwards toward space.

They create an electrical bridge between the tops of the clouds (~20 km) and the upper atmosphere (~100 km), depositing a significant amount of electrical charge.

Sprites, on the other hand, are one of the most commonly observed types of TLEs — brief, colorful flashes of light that occur high above thunderstorms in the mesosphere, around 50 miles (80 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.

Unlike gigantic jets, which burst upward directly from thundercloud tops, sprites form independently, much higher in the atmosphere, following powerful lightning strikes.

They usually appear as a reddish glow with intricate shapes resembling jellyfish, columns, or carrots and can span tens of kilometers across.

Sprites may also be accompanied or preceded by other TLEs, such as Halos and ELVEs (Emissions of Light and Very Low Frequency perturbations due to Electromagnetic Pulse Sources), making them part of a larger and visually spectacular suite of high-altitude electrical activity.

The world of Transient Luminous Events is a hidden zoo of atmospheric activity playing out above the storms. Have you captured an image of a jet, sprite, or other type of TLE?

Submit your photos to Spritacular.org to help scientists study these fascinating night sky phenomena! 

https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/a-gigantic-jet-caught-on-camera-a-spritacular-moment-for-nasa-astronaut-nicole-ayers/

>>23461974

Station Crew Tracks Changes to Eyes, Brain, and Blood in Space

August 12, 2025

More human research was underway aboard the International Space Station on Tuesday as the Expedition 73 crew explored how working in space affects the eyes, brain, circulatory system, and more.

Quantum physics hardware and spacesuit maintenance rounded out the schedule for the seven orbital residents.

NASA Flight Engineers Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman joined each other in the Columbus laboratory module for an eye exam helping doctors identify potential space-caused changes to eye anatomy and function.

Fincke, with assistance from specialists on the ground, operated medical gear that sent signals to electrodes attached to Cardman’s forehead and around her eyes.

The test, one part of the CIPHER suite of 14 human research investigations, measures how the retina responds to light providing insights into an astronaut’s visual adaptation to microgravity.

NASA Flight Engineer Jonny Kim participated in a secondary portion of the CIPHER investigation taking a test to monitor how his sense of balance, direction, and memory is adjusting to weightlessness.

He first collected and processed his blood and urine samples for analysis as is standard procedure for the CIPHER study.

Afterward, Kim opened up spatial cognition software on a laptop computer and took a series of tests helping doctors track changes to brain function in space.

Results may help researchers design advanced tools such as brain scans, thinking tests, and task simulations to monitor and protect cognition during long-duration space missions.

Kim and Cardman also worked together inside the Quest airlock and swapped components on a pair of spacesuits preparing for potential spacewalks planned for later this year.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Kimiya Yui, who is on his second space station mission, opened up the Cold Atom Lab in the Destiny laboratory module and replaced computer components inside the physics device.

The research facility chills atoms below the average temperature of the universe allowing scientists to observe atomic wave functions and quantum characteristics unachievable on Earth.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky continued studying the microcirculatory system wearing sensors measuring how blood flows to the tiny vessels in a crew member’s hands, fingers, feet, and toes.

The data will help doctors refine methods and develop tools to understand how weightlessness affects blood circulation and keep crews healthy during long-duration space missions.

Ryzhikov earlier joined new Flight Engineer Oleg Platonov and swabbed surfaces throughout the station’s Roscosmos segment collecting microbe samples for analysis.

The samples were placed in petri dishes for incubation and later analysis to characterize the microbial environment of the orbital outpost for the protection of the crew and its hardware.

Platonov also partnered with Zubritsky taking turns wearing an acoustic sensor on their necks measuring the volume as they rapidly exhaled for an ongoing respiratory study.

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/08/12/station-crew-tracks-changes-to-eyes-brain-and-blood-in-space/

Hubble Captures a Tarantula

Aug 12, 2025

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image captures incredible details in the dusty clouds of a star-forming factory called the Tarantula Nebula.

Most of the nebulae Hubble images are in our galaxy, but this nebula is in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy located about 160,000 light-years away in the constellations Dorado and Mensa.

The Large Magellanic Cloud is the largest of the dozens of small satellite galaxies that orbit the Milky Way.

The Tarantula Nebula is the largest and brightest star-forming region, not just in the Large Magellanic Cloud, but in the entire group of nearby galaxies to which the Milky Way belongs.

The Tarantula Nebula is home to the most massive stars known, some roughly 200 times as massive as our Sun.

This image is very close to a rare type of star called a Wolf–Rayet star. Wolf–Rayet stars are massive stars that have lost their outer shell of hydrogen and are extremely hot and luminous, powering dense and furious stellar winds.

This nebula is a frequent target for Hubble, whose multiwavelength capabilities are critical for capturing sculptural details in the nebula’s dusty clouds.

The data used to create this image come from an observing program called Scylla, named for a multi-headed sea monster from Greek mythology.

The Scylla program was designed to complement another Hubble observing program called ULLYSES (Ultraviolet Legacy Library of Young Stars as Essential Standards).

ULLYSES targets massive young stars in the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds, while Scylla investigates the structures of gas and dust that surround these stars.

https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/hubble-captures-a-tarantula/

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/webb-narrows-atmospheric-possibilities-for-earth-sized-exoplanet-trappist-1-d/

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/adf207

https://sos.noaa.gov/catalog/datasets/exoplanet-trappist-1d/

Webb Narrows Atmospheric Possibilities for Earth-sized Exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 d

Aug 13, 2025

The exoplanet TRAPPIST-1 d intrigues astronomers looking for possibly habitable worlds beyond our solar system because it is similar in size to Earth, rocky, and resides in an area around its star where liquid water on its surface is theoretically possible.

But according to a new study using data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, it does not have an Earth-like atmosphere.

“Ultimately, we want to know if something like the environment we enjoy on Earth can exist elsewhere, and under what conditions.

While NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is giving us the ability to explore this question in Earth-sized planets for the first time, at this point we can rule out TRAPPIST-1 d from a list of potential Earth twins or cousins,” said Caroline Piaulet-Ghorayeb of the University of Chicago and Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (IREx) at Université de Montréal, lead author of the study published in The Astrophysical Journal.

Planet TRAPPIST-1 d

The TRAPPIST-1 system is located 40 light-years away and was revealed as the record-holder for most Earth-sized rocky planets around a single star in 2017, thanks to data from NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope and other observatories.

Due to that star being a dim, relatively cold red dwarf, the “habitable zone” or “Goldilocks zone” – where the planet’s temperature may be just right, such that liquid surface water is possible – lies much closer to the star than in our solar system.

TRAPPIST-1 d, the third planet from the red dwarf star, lies on the cusp of that temperate zone, yet its distance to its star is only 2 percent of Earth’s distance from the Sun. TRAPPIST-1 d completes an entire orbit around its star, its year, in only four Earth days.

Webb’s NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) instrument did not detect molecules from TRAPPIST-1 d that are common in Earth’s atmosphere, like water, methane, or carbon dioxide.

However, Piaulet-Ghorayeb outlined several possibilities for the exoplanet that remain open for follow-up study.

“There are a few potential reasons why we don’t detect an atmosphere around TRAPPIST-1 d. It could have an extremely thin atmosphere that is difficult to detect, somewhat like Mars.

Alternatively, it could have very thick, high-altitude clouds that are blocking our detection of specific atmospheric signatures — something more like Venus. Or, it could be a barren rock, with no atmosphere at all,” Piaulet-Ghorayeb said.

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>>23462049

The Star TRAPPIST-1

No matter what the case may be for TRAPPIST-1 d, it’s tough being a planet in orbit around a red dwarf star.

TRAPPIST-1, the host star of the system, is known to be volatile, often releasing flares of high-energy radiation with the potential to strip off the atmospheres of its small planets, especially those orbiting most closely.

Nevertheless, scientists are motivated to seek signs of atmospheres on the TRAPPIST-1 planets because red dwarf stars are the most common stars in our galaxy.

If planets can hold on to an atmosphere here, under waves of harsh stellar radiation, they could, as the saying goes, make it anywhere.

“Webb’s sensitive infrared instruments are allowing us to delve into the atmospheres of these smaller, colder planets for the first time,” said Björn Benneke of IREx at Université de Montréal, a co-author of the study.

“We’re really just getting started using Webb to look for atmospheres on Earth-sized planets, and to define the line between planets that can hold onto an atmosphere, and those that cannot.”

The Outer TRAPPIST-1 Planets

Webb observations of the outer TRAPPIST-1 planets are ongoing, which hold both potential and peril.

On the one hand, Benneke said, planets e, f, g, and h may have better chances of having atmospheres because they are further away from the energetic eruptions of their host star.

However, their distance and colder environment will make atmospheric signatures more difficult to detect, even with Webb’s infrared instruments.

“All hope is not lost for atmospheres around the TRAPPIST-1 planets,” Piaulet-Ghorayeb said.

“While we didn’t find a big, bold atmospheric signature at planet d, there is still potential for the outer planets to be holding onto a lot of water and other atmospheric components.”

“As NASA leads the way in searching for life outside our solar system, one of the most important avenues we can pursue is understanding which planets retain their atmospheres, and why,” said Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

“NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has pushed our capabilities for studying exoplanet atmospheres further than ever before, beyond extreme worlds to some rocky planets – allowing us to begin confirming theories about the kind of planets that may be potentially habitable.

This important groundwork will position our next missions, like NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory, to answer a universal question: Are we alone?”

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https://news.mongabay.com/2025/08/nasa-satellites-show-surge-in-indonesia-hotspots-as-2025-fires-send-smoke-to-malaysia/

NASA satellites show surge in Indonesia hotspots as 2025 fires send smoke to Malaysia

13 Aug 2025

JAKARTA — Indonesia’s 2025 fire season is spiraling into one of the worst in recent memory, with a sharp spike in hotspots and toxic haze already choking parts of Malaysia.

Forest and peat fires, mostly caused by deliberate land clearing for agriculture, are an annual problem in Indonesia that strain relations with neighboring countries.

July 2025 has seen a dramatic escalation in fire activity across Indonesia with official data from NASA satellites showing a surge in fire hotspots compared with previous months.

NASA’s VIIRS (S-NPP) satellite detected 794 hotspots in July — up nearly tenfold from June and more than thirtyfold from May.

The hotspots in July also represent a more than tenfold increase from the same period last year (68 in July 2024) and are significantly higher than the 532 hotspots recorded in July 2023.

Data from NASA’s Terra and Aqua MODIS satellites paint a similar picture, showing 879 hotspots in July, a more than tenfold increase from May, and are higher than the same period last year (463 in July 2024 and 776 in July 2023).

While VIIRS has finer resolution and detects smaller fires, MODIS captures a wider range of fire activity multiple times per day.

These are all high-confidence hotspots, meaning satellite algorithms consider them very likely to be actual vegetation fires, not false alarms.

The sharp spike in fire activity highlights how the dry season has intensified in recent weeks, following early signs of trouble in May and June.

With most fires detected in peatlands and fire-prone agricultural zones, the July surge raises concerns over worsening air quality, public health and environmental damage.

Peatlands in peril

Many hotspots have also been detected in peatlands, a carbon-rich ecosystem that is often drained in Indonesia for agriculture, leaving them dry, flammable and highly vulnerable to underground fires.

Peatland watchdog Pantau Gambut recorded a staggering 13,608 hotspots across 303 peatland hydrological units in July 2025 alone — nearly sixfold increase from the previous month.

Unlike the government’s fire monitoring system, which only tracks high-confidence hotspots (to reduce false alarms), Pantau Gambut analyzes low- and medium-confidence data as well.

“Peat fires often start small and burn underground,” the group said. “Limiting detection to high-confidence signals risks missing early-stage fires.”

The July 2025 figure is more than double the number of peat hotspots in July 2024 and more than four times the July 2023 total.

This, despite the 2023 dry season being far more extreme, driven by one of the strongest El Niño events on record, while 2025 is expected to see a milder and shorter dry season.

The sharp increase in hotspots during a time when the dry season is milder shows that the government has failed in addressing the root cause of the annual fire episode, which is unbridled land-clearing activities, said Pantau Gambut advocacy and campaign manager Wahyu Perdana.

The issue of fires, particularly in peatlands, is still largely addressed through reactive measures. Instead of proactively monitoring land-clearing activities and sanctioning companies that violate the law, the government focuses only on fire suppression and emergency operations, Wahyu said.

“As long as peat ecosystems continue to be sacrificed for economic gain, as long as environmental policies remain symbolic and as long as oversight and law enforcement fail to hold corporations accountable, the peat fire crisis will remain an open ecological wound for this nation,” he said.

Transboundary haze returns

The current fire episode is unfolding a decade after Indonesia’s 2015 fire disaster, which burned more than 2.6 million hectares (6.4 million acres) and caused an estimated 100,000 premature deaths, according to independent estimates.

The 2015 fire disaster also caused diplomatic uproar as toxic haze from Indonesia blew across the Malacca Strait to Singapore and Malaysia.

Although 2025’s dry season is expected to be milder, the transboundary haze problem has returned this year.

On July 20, haze from fires in some parts of Indonesia’s Sumatra Island was detected in Malaysia, with five locations recording unhealthy air quality.

The main source of the haze in Malaysia was suspected to be from Riau province, which the government has identified as one of the worst-affected provinces in this year’s fire season.

In late July, fires were spreading rapidly and the burned area in Riau doubled within 24 hours, reaching 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres), according to an official report.

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Thick haze has also disrupted daily life in at least two major Indonesian cities: Pontianak in Borneo and Jambi in Sumatra. In both cities, PM2.5 levels have reached “unhealthy” thresholds, and respiratory infections are on the rise.

In Pontianak, air quality monitoring data indicate the air has entered the “unhealthy” category due to high concentrations of PM2.5 fine particles, especially at night, as particulate matter settles closer to the ground, and in the early morning.

Several health care facilities have begun reporting a rise in cases of acute respiratory infections, particularly among toddlers and people with asthma.

The worsening air quality has prompted the mayor of Pontianak, Edi Rusdi Kamtono, to urge residents to limit outdoor activities, especially at night.

Haze has also been detected in the neighboring district of Kubu Raya, 17 kilometers (10.5 miles) away from Pontianak, forcing the local government to close schools to protect children.

In Sumatra, the city of Jambi was reportedly blanketed by haze on July 24. Jambi Governor Al Haris said the smoke is coming not only from burning areas in the province, but also from fires in neighboring Riau province.

A local resident named Diah said she can clearly smell the smoke in the mornings.

“You can really smell the burning when you breathe in through your nose. But it usually clears up by midday,” she said, as quoted by local news Detik.com.

The country’s meteorological agency, BMKG, warned that the worst is yet to come, as most regions in Indonesia, particularly Sumatra and Kalimantan, will only face the peak of the dry season in August, and the dry season is expected to continue until September.

Under these conditions, the risk of forest and land fires is expected to rise sharply, BMKG said.

Government downplays scope

In light of the ongoing fires and warning from BMKG, President Prabowo Subianto chaired a cabinet meeting over the first weekend of August.

The main agenda of the meeting was to monitor recent developments in the prevention and handling of forest and land fires.

During the meeting, the president highlighted the significant decline in the area affected by forest and land fires over the past two years, according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.

President Prabowo cited data claiming only 8,955 hectares (22,128 acres) had burned as of August.

Yet the Ministry of Forestry had already reported 8,594.5 hectares (21,237 acres) burned between January and May alone — implying that just 360 hectares (about 890 acres) burned in June and July, despite a surge in satellite-detected fires during that period.

Nevertheless, this year’s fire episode is shaping up be the worst in recent years, according to Uli Arta Siagian, the forest and plantation campaign manager at Indonesia’s largest environmental NGO, Walhi.

“Fires in company concessions are worse this year. As of July, the number and intensity of hotspots are already higher than in 2024 — and maybe even 2023,” she said during a recent press conference.

Boy Jerry Even Sembiring, the director of Walhi’s Riau chapter, said the fire episode in the province is looking to be worse this year than in previous years.

“In 2024, Riau had around 370 hotspots for the entire year. By mid-2025, it’s already around 380,” he said.

The meteorological agency warned that August and September would be the most critical period, as dry conditions deepen across fire-prone provinces.

The risk of transboundary haze is rising this year due to growing deforestation, uncertain policy shifts in Indonesia and volatile commodity markets, according to researchers at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), which monitors transboundary haze risk using a green-yellow-red alert system.

“Early in the year, many weather assessments projected a relatively benign haze season,” SIIA chairman Simon Tay said.

“However, as the situation evolved, it has become clear that regional fire and haze risks are rising — not just from weather, but from global economic and policy changes.

If this had been assessed a month ago, we might have issued a green rating. But the fires and market conditions warrant caution. There is a change in circumstances, and there should be concern.”

With haze thickening and hotspots surging, the coming weeks will test Indonesia’s ability to prevent a full-blown regional crisis — one with echoes of the deadly 2015 disaster.

“If no swift action is taken, 2025 could be worse than previous years,” Boy Jerry said.

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Chris Hansen will catch him at the door with a camera crew to take us to the underbelly of the Standard Hotel

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