NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

January 8, 2026

IC 342: Hidden Galaxy in Camelopardalis

Similar in size to large, bright spiral galaxies in our neighborhood, IC 342 is a mere 10 million light-years distant toward the long-necked, northern constellation Camelopardalis. A sprawling island universe, IC 342 would otherwise be a prominent galaxy in our night sky, but it is hidden from clear view and only glimpsed through the veil of stars, gas and dust clouds along the plane of our own Milky Way galaxy. Even though IC 342's light is dimmed and reddened by intervening cosmic clouds, this sharp telescopic image traces the galaxy's own obscuring dust, young star clusters, and glowing star forming regions along spiral arms that wind far from the galaxy's core. IC 342 has undergone a recent burst of star formation activity and is close enough to have influenced the evolution of the local group of galaxies and the Milky Way.

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

Space Weather, Ice, Poison Arrow, BioEM | S0 News and frens

Jan.8.2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDoQy9tGMrM

https://dailygalaxy.com/2026/01/sun-flares-hidden-new-source-of-gamma-rays/

https://weatherboy.com/geomagnetic-storm-watch-in-effect-for-friday-starting-thursday-night/

https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/when-a-solar-storm-pushes-auroras-far-south/ar-AA1TOa8c

https://www.space.com/live/aurora-forecast-northern-lights-possible-tonight-jan-8

https://x.com/StefanBurnsGeo/status/2009049279709753568

https://x.com/SchumannBotDE/status/2009279189921259886

https://x.com/SolarObserverX/status/2009150284610580656

https://x.com/SolarHam/status/2009089322964979870

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g1-minor-watch-thursday-eveningnight-est

https://spaceweather.com/

https://usaherald.com/a-mysterious-image-raises-new-questions-about-3i-atlas-and-what-can-be-verified/

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/comet-3i-atlas-interstellar-cosmic-trojan-horse-secret-cia-wont-share-1769318

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/what-astronomers-are-spotting-about-3i-atlas-right-now/ar-AA1TH229

https://medium.com/@avi-loeb

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-QgX6f-tTM (Stefan Burns: 3I/ATLAS is Leaving a Debris Stream in Our Solar System, and Earth's about to Go Through It ☄️)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LY2P5R_iO9o (David Sereda: 3I/Atlas - THE BIG ONE - WOW!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2jK1PYpf8A (Ray's Astrophotography: Comet 3I ATLAS — PLASMA Jets and Unexpected MOTION — I Took a PICTURE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZDQH91-wok (John Lenard Walson: Star wars project, which no doubt involves some of your objects)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFfSmIJ0dks (Dobsonian Power: CONFIRMED DESTINATION OF 3I/ATLAS NEAR JUPITER!)

https://x.com/drew4worldruler/status/2009044694848643130

https://x.com/SwRI/status/2008917850782568745

https://x.com/forallcurious/status/2009038757517730240

https://x.com/tonycorp45/status/2007534160404197812

https://x.com/Ammar1176708/status/2008737468284113053

https://x.com/WIAstronomy/status/2008972490215936039

https://x.com/UFORadioX/status/2008789546323050917

A Mysterious Image Raises New Questions About 3I/ATLAS And What Can Be Verified

January 7, 2026

KEY FINDINGS

Roughly two weeks ago, a striking grayscale image began circulating online, quietly shared among niche research communities and private channels rather than mainstream platforms.

The image, labeled with references to “C/2025 N UMBRA-3I” and a so-called “Cassandra” program, was quickly framed by anonymous sources as evidence that 3I/ATLAS may have been observed long before its public discovery.

USA Herald conducted an independent forensic and contextual analysis to determine what the image actually shows—and, just as importantly, what it does not.

In recent weeks, a small but persistent wave of online speculation has centered on a single image alleged to depict 3I/ATLAS years—possibly decades—before its confirmed discovery on July 1, 2025.

The image, now widely shared across social media and messaging platforms, is commonly accompanied by claims that it originated from a clandestine effort referred to as “The Cassandra Program.”

The claims are provocative. But journalism demands that images be treated as evidence only when their provenance, context, and supporting documentation can withstand scrutiny.

USA Herald’s forensic review of the image reveals no clear indicators that it was fabricated using modern AI tools.

The background star field contains pronounced vertical streaking consistent with long-exposure tracking artifacts or early-generation sensor readout noise—features that differ from the repeating textures typically produced by AI-generated imagery.

Compression artifacts and tonal gradients also align more closely with analog-to-digital conversion or early CCD imaging than with contemporary astrophotography workflows.

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>>24091446

At the center of the frame is a compact, luminous object with asymmetric, jet-like protrusions. Unlike conventional comet imagery, the structure lacks a broad, diffuse coma and instead shows a sharply defined core with uneven brightness falloff.

A small inset image, often presented as an enhancement or zoom, appears to be a contrast-amplified crop of the same data rather than a separate observation.

These features make the image visually unusual—but unusual does not mean revelatory.

Critically, the image is not accompanied by any verifiable metadata, sensor logs, timestamps, orbital solutions, or institutional documentation.

The labels embedded in the frame—including references to “UMBRA,” “Cassandra,” and “ARGUS-VIS”—cannot be independently authenticated and must be treated as descriptive claims rather than evidence of origin or classification.

Publicly available records, including telescope survey logs and peer-reviewed literature, show no confirmed detections of 3I/ATLAS prior to its 2025 identification by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey.

No space agency or scientific institution has acknowledged earlier observations, nor has any documentation emerged supporting the existence of a program dedicated to monitoring the object decades in advance.

If the image were conclusively shown to predate July 2025, the implications would be significant.

It would raise questions about undisclosed detection capabilities, retrospective data reclassification, or misattributed observations. However, at present, those possibilities remain hypothetical.

The image alone does not establish prior knowledge of 3I/ATLAS, nor does it demonstrate concealment or suppression of data.

Alternative explanations remain far more grounded. The image could depict an unrelated astronomical object, an experimental capture from a surveillance or test platform, or a misidentified exposure later reframed through speculation.

Without corroborating records, even a technically authentic image cannot rewrite an established discovery timeline.

The rapid circulation of this image underscores a broader issue facing modern science reporting: imagery can acquire narratives faster than facts can verify them.

In an era where images travel instantly and context lags behind, the responsibility falls on journalists to slow the story down—not speed it up.

Images do not establish truth on their own—documentation does. In scientific and investigative contexts alike, provenance is as important as appearance.

Without timestamps, sensor identification, or corroborating records, even a compelling image remains an artifact of curiosity rather than proof of hidden history.

For USA Herald, the significance of this image lies not in what it claims to show, but in how quickly speculation can outrun verification.

That tension—between intrigue and evidence—is where responsible journalism must draw a firm line.

The so-called “leaked” image attributed to 3I/ATLAS raises interesting technical questions but resolves none of the central factual ones.

Until primary documentation emerges, the image stands as an unverified anomaly—worthy of analysis, but not of conclusions.

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Red Collie (Dr. Horace Drew) scientist/inventor

@RedCollie1

Do you understand yet, who was talking to you over the Internet in 2017 to 2020 as "Q"?

What is his full name?

Look at slide 1 (the "Q" clock).

Look at slide 2 (drawn in crops 2002).

"Wait until you find out who has been talking with you here." 17

4:10 PM · Jan 7, 2026

https://x.com/RedCollie1/status/2009055155518623929

NASA Postpones Jan. 8 Spacewalk

January 7, 2026

NASA is postponing the Thursday, Jan. 8, spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

The agency is monitoring a medical concern with a crew member that arose Wednesday afternoon aboard the orbital complex.

Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member.

The situation is stable. NASA will share additional details, including a new date for the upcoming spacewalk, later.

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/07/nasa-postpones-jan-8-spacewalk/

International Space Station Update

January 8, 2026

As an update to our earlier communication regarding a medical situation aboard the International Space Station, the matter involved a single crew member who is stable.

Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission.

These are the situations NASA and our partners train for and prepare to execute safely. We will provide further updates within the next 24 hours.

https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/08/international-space-station-update-2/

>>24091499

Medical emergency in space forces NASA to consider evacuation for astronauts aboard ISS

Updated: 09:21 EST, 8 January 2026

NASA is considering a rare evacuation of its crew from the International Space Station (ISS) over an unspecified ​medical issue involving one of the astronauts.

A spokeswoman for the agency said the ‌astronaut with the medical concern, whom she did not identify, was in a stable condition on the orbiting laboratory.

'Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier ⁠end to Crew-11's mission,' the ‌spokeswoman said in a statement on Wednesday night.

'These are the situations NASA and our partners train for and prepare to execute safely. We will provide further updates within the next 24 hours.'

Crew-11 includes four astronauts: Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.

NASA has never had to pull an astronaut home for medical reasons, but evacuation capability is built into every ISS mission, with crew return vehicles kept on standby.

The announcement came as the space agency canceled Thursday's scheduled spacewalk due to the issue.

Station commander Fincke and flight engineer Cardman were slated to carry out a 6.5-hour spacewalk Thursday to install external hardware on the ISS.

'Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member,' NASA shared in a statement.

'The situation is stable. NASA will share additional details, including a new date for the upcoming spacewalk, later.'

While it is rare for a spacewalk to be postponed, it is not unprecedented. A mission was canceled in 2021 when Mark Vande Hei experienced a pinched nerve and was unable to travel outside the ISS.

Another spacewalk in 2024 was called off at the last minute because an astronaut experienced 'spacesuit discomfort.'

Earlier on Wednesday, NASA reported that final preparations for the planned spacewalk were underway, with Cardman and Fincke organizing tools and equipment.

Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata and NASA astronaut Chris Williams, who arrived at the station aboard a Soyuz spacecraft in November, assisted in reviewing spacewalk procedures with the pair, SpaceNews reported.

Later that day, Wakata was heard on open communications requesting a private medical conference with a flight surgeon.

These confidential consultations are a routine part of ISS operations, allowing astronauts to discuss health matters privately.

It is not known whether this request was connected to the medical issue cited by NASA or if Wakata was the crew member affected.

NASA has also not revealed whether the medical issue involved one of the two astronauts scheduled for the now-postponed spacewalk.

Astronauts typically live in six to eight-month rotations on the ISS, with access to basic medical equipment and medications for some types of emergencies.

If an evacuation occurs, astronauts would likely board their docked commercial crew capsule that took them to the ISS.

Crew-11 arrived at the ISS on August 1, 2025, meaning their return date is scheduled in late February.

The four astronauts would leave after Crew-12 arrived, no earlier than February 15, to take their places.

The ISS is required to have astronauts aboard at all times, as they are essential to carry out maintenance, repairs, operate complex experiments, manage life support and perform spacewalks, tasks that automation cannot fully handle, ensuring constant human oversight for safety and scientific output.

Even when two astronauts were stranded in space, NASA did not pull the plug to bring them home.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore made headlines in June 2024 when they took off to the ISS aboard a Boeing capsule, which malfunctioned before docking with the space station.

The Boeing craft, named Starliner, returned to Earth without the crew, leaving them in space until March 18, 2025.

There were calls for NASA to bring Williams and Wilmore home early, but the agency said that, due to no medical issues, the crew could stay until the next rotation.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15445615/Medical-emergency-space-NASA-evacuation-astronauts-ISS.html

https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/meltwater-turns-iceberg-a-23a-blue/

Meltwater Turns Iceberg A-23A Blue

Jan 08, 2026

The year that iceberg A-23A first broke away from Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf, Ronald Reagan was president of the United States, and the movie Top Gun was setting box office records.

Forty years later, the massive tabular berg—one of the largest and longest-lived bergs ever tracked by scientists—is sopping with blue meltwater and on the verge of complete disintegration as it drifts in the South Atlantic between the eastern tip of South America and South Georgia island.

When it first detached from Antarctica in 1986, the berg was nearly twice the size of Rhode Island—about 4,000 square kilometers.

Estimates from the U.S. National Ice Center put the berg's area at 1,182 square kilometers (456 square miles) in early January 2026, following the breakup of several sizable pieces in July, August, and September of 2025 as it moved into relatively warm summer conditions by December.

When the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of what remained of the waterlogged berg on December 26, 2025, extensive pools of blue meltwater were visible on its surface.

Though much smaller than it once was, what remains is still among the largest icebergs in the ocean, covering an area larger than New York City.

An astronaut aboard the International Space Station captured a photograph showing a closer view (below) of the iceberg a day later, with an even more extensive melt pool.

The "blue-mush" areas are likely the result of ongoing disintegration events, explained Ted Scambos, a senior research scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder.

"You have the weight of the water sitting inside cracks in the ice and forcing them open," he said. Note also the thin white line around the outer edge of the iceberg seemingly holding in blue meltwater—a "rampart-moat" pattern caused by an upward bending of the iceberg plate as its edges melt at the waterline.

The striking linear patterns of blue and white across the berg are likely related to striations that were scoured hundreds of years ago when the ice was part of a glacier dragging across Antarctic bedrock.

"The striations formed parallel to the direction of flow, which ultimately created subtle ridges and valleys on the top of the iceberg that now direct the flow of meltwater," explained Walt Meier, a senior research scientist at the National Snow & Ice Data Center.

"It's impressive that these striations still show up after so much time has passed, massive amounts of snow have fallen, and a great deal of melting has occurred from below," added retired University of Maryland Baltimore County scientist Chris Shuman.

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>>24091625

The MODIS image suggests that the ailing iceberg has also sprung a leak. The white area to its left may be the result of what Shuman described as a "blowout."

The weight of the water pooling at the top of the towering iceberg would have created enough pressure at the edges to punch through.

The blowout may have allowed meltwater to spill tens of meters down to the ocean surface in what researchers call a "freshwater discharge plume," where it mixed with the mélange of ice bits floating next to the iceberg.

Scientists say these signs indicate the iceberg could be just days or weeks from disintegrating completely.

"I certainly don't expect A-23A to last through the austral summer," said Shuman, noting that the season typically brings clearer skies and warmer air and water temperatures—factors that accelerate the disintegration process in an area known among ice experts as a "graveyard" for icebergs.

It's already in water that's about 3 degrees Celsius and riding currents that are pushing it toward even warmer waters that will eat away at it quickly, added Meier.

Even by Antarctic standards, A-23A has had a long, winding journey full of unexpected chapters that have improved scientists' understanding of the "megabergs" occasionally released into the Southern Ocean.

After grounding in the shallow waters of the Weddell Sea for more than 30 years, A-23A broke free in 2020, then spent several months in a twirling ocean vortex called a Taylor column.

It eventually spun away and headed north, nearly colliding with South Georgia island and lodging in shallow waters for several months before escaping into the open ocean, where it has been rapidly breaking apart throughout 2025.

Scientists who have been tracking the berg for their entire careers see its imminent demise as a bittersweet moment. "I'm incredibly grateful that we've had the satellite resources in place that have allowed us to track it and document its evolution so closely," said Shuman.

"A-23A faces the same fate as other Antarctic bergs, but its path has been remarkably long and eventful. It's hard to believe it won't be with us much longer."

Even as A-23A fades, other massive bergs are parked or drifting along the Antarctic shoreline.

Several, including A-81, B22A, and D15A, are each larger than 1,500 square kilometers and sit waiting for their moment to break free and begin their journey north.

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>>24091619

mostly peaceful riots on the ISS

NASA Celebrates Artemis II During Houston Texans Space City Day

Jan 07, 2026

NASA’s Johnson Space Center was front and center Jan. 4, 2026, as the Houston Texans faced the Indianapolis Colts during Space City Day at NRG Stadium.

Fans watched the Texans win while getting a close look at NASA’s Artemis II mission, the first crewed flight of the Artemis campaign.

The Artemis II mission will send four astronauts—NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen—around the Moon and back to Earth to test Orion spacecraft systems in deep space and help lay the groundwork for future lunar missions.

NASA connected fans with the agency’s next giant leap, reinforcing Space City’s role in shaping the future of human exploration.

Before kickoff, 27 Johnson employees helped unfurl the U.S. flag for the national anthem, marking the start of an evening that blended football, exploration, and Houston pride.

On the BULLevard, Johnson employees engaged with fans at a NASA activation area, where visitors explored the agency’s Mobile Exhibit Trailer and learned more about Artemis II.

Team members answered questions and shared how NASA is preparing to send humans back to the Moon.

Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche and NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins visited the exhibit and the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program booth, where they greeted team members and thanked volunteers supporting the event.

The International Space Station Program joined the celebration with a prerecorded message from the Expedition 74 crew, marking over 25 years of continuous human presence in low Earth orbit.

“Even from 250 miles above the Earth, we’re proud to represent Houston and celebrate the mission of this incredible city on and off the field,” said NASA astronaut Mike Fincke.

“Today’s game reminds us how connected Houston, NASA, and the Texans truly are,” said NASA astronaut Zena Cardman.

Cardman highlighted how research aboard the International Space Station has led to innovations that benefit life on Earth, including applications now used in sports and athletic safety.

Advances in materials developed for spacesuits and astronaut protection have influenced the design of modern helmets and padding, while cooling technologies originally created for extreme environments are used in training gear and protective equipment.

“Space innovation doesn’t remain in orbit, sometimes it ends up on the 50-yard line.”

Jessica Watkins took the field for the Texans’ “Reppin’ H-Town” appearance, joined by Johnson employees Tessa Rundle and Daniel Kolodziejcyk wearing NASA’s Orion Crew Survival System spacesuits.

The bright orange pressure suits are designed to protect astronauts during launch, flight, and reentry aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft.

The pregame continued with Center Director Vanessa Wyche joining the festivities on the field and participating in the ceremonial coin toss, where she called heads.

About 30 seconds into halftime, the Artemis Fueling the Fire video played on the stadium jumbotron, sharing NASA’s plans to return humans to the Moon and marking a major step in the agency’s Moon to Mars campaign.

The video led into a live interview with Vanessa Wyche and Jessica Watkins, where Wyche discussed the Artemis II mission and Watkins highlighted similarities between astronaut training and football training.

At the conclusion of the interview, the host invited fans to take part in NASA’s “Send Your Name with Artemis II” initiative, which allows the public to have their names stored on a small chip aboard the Orion spacecraft during the mission.

Participants receive a digital boarding pass and virtual guest access to select NASA launches. While the names remain stored electronically inside the spacecraft, the effort symbolically gives participants a place on Orion’s journey around the Moon.

https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/johnson/nasa-celebrates-artemis-ii-during-houston-texans-space-city-day/

https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/nasa-artemis-video-interview.mp4