TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
May 15, 2026
R3 PanSTARRS: An Orion Comet
Comet R3 PanSTARRS might be best remembered as an Orion comet. A key reason is because Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) was near its most spectacular in terms of tail visibility when passing in front of the iconic constellation. Although rare, other bright comets, too, have ventured across Orion, including Lovejoy in 2015, Hale-Bopp in 1997, and the Great Comet of 1264. Best visible in long duration exposures, the featured image was captured last week from the Craigieburn Mountain Range in New Zealand. Visible in the deep background image are the Orion Nebula, Barnard's Loop, and through R3's tail, the bright star Saiph, the sixth brightest star in the constellation of Orion. Comet R3 PanSTARRS continues to fade as it moves further south, passing into the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros) in the next few days.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANtzc_Kl4rw
Mainstream: Pole Shift Extinctions | S0 News and frens
May.15.2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-mQe8tZPgU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFLikkzuADs (S0: Dr. Anthony Peratt - Top Classified)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXOrlXuxvds (MrMBB333: People that saw it were at a loss for words!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvVjEdjq_wQ (Ray's Astro: Sleeping Volcanoes Are Waking Up - Scientists Don't Know Why)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKbyo2LZvc8 (EarthMaster: Cascadia Tremor counts way up today. Kilauea Volcano eruption. 6.2 Earthquake Indonesia area)
https://sundayguardianlive.com/world/earthquake-today-in-japan-67-magnitude-powerful-quake-jolts-honshu-coast-triggers-emergency-alerts-disrupts-bullet-train-services-192617/
https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/multiday-severe-weather-risk-across-the-central-us-with-the-biggest-threat-sunday-monday/1891238
https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/severe-storms-develop-damaging-hail-winds-plains-midwest
https://meteoagent.com/schumann-resonance-forecast
https://www.tornadohq.com/
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes-volcanoes/news/302413/Volcano-earthquake-report-for-Friday-15-May-2026.html
https://www.space.com/stargazing/auroras/geomagnetic-storm-could-spark-northern-lights-as-far-south-as-michigan-and-maine-tonight-and-over-the-weekend-may-15-17
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/
https://spaceweather.com/
https://x.com/StefanBurnsGeo/status/2055102905485791562
Strange Streak Across Missouri Sky Wasn’t a Comet or UFO
May 14, 2026
If you saw a strange large streak across the sky over Missouri late Wednesday night, you weren't imagining it. However, you also weren't witnessing a UFO, meteor or comet tail either as there's an explanation for what happened.
Great catch by one of my favorite YouTube channels, Missouri Skies. Dan Bush captured video near Albany, Missouri which showed what appeared to be a large streak resembling a comet's tail just after 11pm Wednesday night.
As you can see, Dan's explanation is spot on correct. It was nothing more than a satellite fuel dump. There's no confirmation if this was a SpaceX satellite or something else entirely.
This happens more often than you think. An orbiting satellite will dump fuel approximately once per week and I've heard it's even more frequent for Starlink satellites.
The good news is you weren't having a hallucination if you saw the streak over Missouri Wednesday night. It was just creations of man dumping their gas over our heads. Nothing more to see here.
https://101theeagle.com/mysterious-sky-streak-missouri/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI5GYi6FnBE
other space objects
https://www.amsmeteors.org/2026/05/meteor-activity-outlook-for-may-16-22-2026/
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/05/A_Lyrid_meteor_from_orbit
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/leadership-lessons-from-professor-avi-loeb-388b096be732
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAlCB3fB6W4 (DW: Oumuamua - A mysterious object from another star | DW Documentary)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoweVPdvW8I (Angry Astronaut: Forget Apophis! In FIVE DAYS, a new asteroid will fly dangerously close to Earth! Could it hit?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnFxxWIOWXk (Dobsonian Power: INCOMING ASTEROID CLOSER THAN THE MOON! 2026 JH2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXUcdpnljSA (Moar Dobsonian: ASTRONAUT DESCRIBING SEEING THOUSANDS OF UFO'S!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUa3x1NG54w (Even Moar Dobsonian: ANALYZING STRANGE ANOMALY IN THE MOON)
>>24607927
>a shill just flew over my house
discombobulate it in mid flight
>The source was China's Zhuque-2E Y5 rocket, which lifted off about an hour earlier carrying a 2.8-ton payload to a 900-km polar orbit. What sets this rocket apart is its fuel: liquid methane and liquid oxygen, or "methalox." When a methalox upper stage vents its fuel, the cryogenic propellants flash-freeze into a distinctive comet-like cloud of tiny ice crystals.
Methalox wut?
Pretty weird.
https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=14&month=05&year=2026
Dragon Targets Friday Launch as Crew Keeps Up Science and Spacewalk Preps
May 14, 2026 2:55PM
SpaceX CRS-34, the next mission to resupply the International Space Station, is now targeting its launch for no earlier than 6:05 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 15.
A Falcon 9 rocket is slated to lift off from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida carrying a cargo-packed Dragon spacecraft to Earth orbit.
Dragon will deliver about 6,500 pounds of science experiments, crew supplies, and lab hardware for the Expedition 74 crew when it docks to the Harmony module’s forward port at approximately 7 a.m. Sunday, May 17.
Meanwhile, the seven-member crew aboard the orbital outpost stayed focused on microgravity research and lab maintenance throughout Thursday. The orbital residents are also gearing up for a spacewalk later this month.
NASA flight engineer Jessica Meir was on space botany duty watering and photographing alfalfa plants growing inside the Columbus laboratory module’s Veggie facility for the Veg-06 study.
The space agriculture study is exploring plant-microbe interactions to help plants thrive in microgravity and promote food production off the Earth.
Flight engineer Sophie Adenot from ESA (European Space Agency) spent her day setting up an incubator for installation inside the KERMIT fluorescent microscope.
Adenot tested the functionality of the scientific hardware ahead of future imaging sessions. KERMIT enables astronauts and ground scientists to conduct manual and remote imaging of biological, physical, and material research samples.
NASA flight engineers Chris Williams and Jack Hathaway worked throughout Thursday on a variety of maintenance and cargo tasks.
Williams checked out and activated batteries on portable gas detection devices then tested the performance of pistol grip tools spacewalkers use during external assembly tasks.
Hathaway replaced an oxygen sensor in the Quest airlock, continued unpacking supplies from the Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft, and swapped out drinking water filters inside the Unity module.
Station commander Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and flight engineer Sergey Mikaev, both from Roscosmos, spent their shift gathering and inspecting tools to be used on a spacewalk planned for later this month.
Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev worked inside the Nauka science module replacing laptop computer batteries that support the operation of the European robotic arm.
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/05/14/dragon-targets-friday-launch-as-crew-keeps-up-science-and-spacewalk-preps/
extra NASA Artemis
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/nasa-reveals-new-details-about-artemis-3-astronaut-mission
https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/i-heard-gasps-and-oh-my-god-artemis-ii-astronauts-reveal-inside-story-of-their-mind-bending-solar-eclipse
https://twistedsifter.com/2026/05/nasas-artemis-iii-mission-slips-to-late-2027-delaying-the-next-crewed-moon-landing/
https://celebrityinsider.org/oprah-winfrey-celebrates-nasa-artemis-ii-crew-593340/
https://x.com/NASAArtemis/status/2055038640305136018
NASA, Industry Prepare Cryogenic Fuel Technology Demo
May 14, 2026
NASA is collaborating with Eta Space of Rockledge, Florida, on an in‑orbit technology demonstration to advance a key capability for future deep space missions.
The Liquid Oxygen Flight Demonstration, or LOXSAT, will test cryogenic fluid management technologies necessary for creating in-space propellant depots, essentially gas stations in space, that could support long-term exploration.
During a nine-month mission, LOXSAT will demonstrate 11 cryogenic fluid management technologies. Eta Space built LOXSAT as part of a NASA Tipping Point opportunity, and Rocket Lab is providing spacecraft and launch services to deliver it to low Earth orbit.
The LOXSAT payload has been integrated with a Rocket Lab Photon satellite bus and will launch aboard the company’s Electron rocket from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand’s Mahia Peninsula no earlier than July 17.
The technologies that LOXSAT will demonstrate were selected to address the core challenges of using cryogenic, or super-cold, propellants in microgravity, including reducing boiloff, transferring propellant, maintaining tank pressure, and gauging propellant levels.
Data collected from these tests will support development of future in-space propellant depots that could refuel spacecraft as they journey to the Moon, Mars, or other deep space destinations.
NASA’s LOXSAT team is composed of members of the Cryogenic Fluid Management Portfolio Project from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The cryogenic portfolio’s work is part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and includes more than 20 individual technology development activities.
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/stmd/tech-demo-missions-program/cryogenic-fluid-management-cfm/nasa-industry-prepare-cryogenic-fuel-technology-demo/
https://www.gasworld.com/story/nasa-and-eta-space-test-cryogenic-lox-technologies-in-orbit/2249602.article/
extra extra NASA
https://www.edtechinnovationhub.com/news/nasa-and-codeorg-bring-ai-space-examples-to-students-as-lunabotics-teams-prepare-for-kennedy
https://spacedaily.com/sd-a-nasas-inspector-general-called-the-space-launch-system-unsustainable-at-4-1-billion-per-flight-house-appropriators-just-added-another-billion-above-what-nasa-itself-asked-for-and-forbade-realloca/
https://www.al.com/news/2026/05/6-billion-slated-for-nasa-projects-managed-by-marshall-space-flight-center-rep-strong-announces.html
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/quesst/2026/05/14/nasas-x-59-team-testing-aircraft-performance-at-all-speeds/
Hubble Sights Galaxy in Transition
May 15, 2026
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image reveals an enigmatic galaxy with a bright center and a face that hints at spiral structure, yet it holds no obvious spiral arms.
Reddish-brown clumps and filaments of dust partially obscure the galaxy’s full face, while red, blue, and orange light from distant galaxies shines through its diffuse outer regions and dots the inky-black background.
NGC 1266 is a lenticular galaxy located some 100 million light-years away in the constellation Eridanus (the Celestial River).
Astronomers classify lenticulars as transitional galaxies that represent an evolutionary bridge between spirals and ellipticals.
Lenticulars are “lens-shaped” and have a bright central bulge and flattened disk like spirals, but they have no spiral arms and little to no star formation like ellipticals.
As interesting as this galaxy’s structure and lenticular classification are, those traits aren’t its most intriguing features. NGC 1266 is a rare post-starburst galaxy that is in transition between a galaxy that experienced a major burst of star formation and a quieter elliptical galaxy.
Post-starburst galaxies have a young population of stars but few star-forming regions. Roughly one percent of the local galaxy population is a post-starburst galaxy.
Astronomers think that NGC 1266 had a minor merger with another galaxy some 500 million years ago. The merger spurred the formation of new stars and increased the mass of the galaxy's central bulge while funneling gas into its supermassive black hole.
The additional matter made the black hole much more active, creating an active galactic nucleus or AGN. The black hole’s increased activity would have generated powerful winds and jets of gas along its axis of rotation.
Over time, the burst of new stars and the black hole’s powerful jets would deplete the galaxy’s reservoir of star-forming gas, while the turbulence generated in these processes suppressed new stars from forming in the gas that remained.
Observations by Hubble and other observatories reveal a strong outflow of gas from the galaxy and that the space between its stars is shocked or highly disturbed.
Researchers found that any remaining stellar nurseries are in the core of the galaxy, and that very little to no star formation happens beyond that core.
These observations suggest the supermassive black hole in the galaxy’s heart may be suppressing star birth by stripping or ejecting star-forming gas from the galaxy.
The shockwaves from this process would create turbulence that disturbs the gas and dust between stars enough to stop any remaining matter from gravitationally condensing into infant stars.
Post-starburst galaxies like NGC 1266 are ideal subjects for astronomers to study the complex physical processes that suppress star formation.
They help us better understand the evolution of galaxies and how supermassive black holes interact with their hosts.
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubble-sights-galaxy-in-transition/
extra extra extra NASA
https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/news/worldview-image-archive/fall-colors-chile
https://www.space.com/astronomy/james-webb-space-telescope/james-webb-space-telescope-maps-our-universes-largest-structure-in-unprecedented-detail
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/picturing-earth-in-a-new-light/
https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/news/satellites-models-can-fill-gaps-watershed-data
SpaceX / NASA CRS-34 Mission
May 15, 2026
SpaceX is targeting Friday, May 15, for Falcon 9’s launch of Dragon’s 34th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-34) mission for NASA to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Liftoff is targeted for 6:05 p.m. ET.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 20 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX. You can also watch the webcast on the X TV app.
CRS-34 is the sixth flight of the Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission, which previously flew CRS-22, CRS-24, CRS-27, CRS-30, and CRS-32 to and from the space station.
After an approximate 36-hour flight, Dragon will autonomously dock with the orbiting laboratory on Sunday, May 17, at around 7:00 a.m. ET.
This will be the sixth flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched KF-01, IMAP, NROL-77, GPS III-9, and one Starlink mission.
Following stage separation, the first stage will land on Landing Zone 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/crs-34
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgsg7NAxAvk
extra SpaceX
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacexs-starship-v3-megarocket-will-do-something-completely-new-on-flight-12-take-a-good-look-at-itself
Behind the Beret
May 14, 2026
In a proclamation describing law enforcement’s essential role in the United States of America, President John F. Kennedy wrote:
“Whereas it is important that people throughout our country know and understand the problems, duties and responsibilities of their police departments and that members of our law enforcement agencies recognize their duty to serve the people by safeguarding life and property, by protecting them against violence or disorder, and by protecting the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression or intimidation.”
The U.S. Air Force Security Forces members of Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado, stand guard every day, ready to the defend the U.S. Space Force installation, its assets and its people.
Like many other law enforcement officers, these defenders remain ready and are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, to lay down their lives in the line of duty. Because of their dedication, these defenders are celebrated during National Police Week.
Originating in 1962, Peace Officers Memorial Day was created by congress and signed as Public Law 87-726 by President Kennedy, designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week it falls on as National Police Week.
However, it wouldn’t be until 20 years later, in 1982, that the first Peace Officers’ Memorial Service would be held. This small gathering at Senate Park in Washington D.C, was hosted by the Fraternal Order of Police, sparking the emergence of events that would celebrate law enforcement officers for years to come.
“Police Week is important because it recognizes the dedication and sacrifices of Security Forces members,” said Senior Airmen Giana Couch, 50th Security Forces Squadron member.
“Our career field often requires long hours, heavy gear and the ability to handle difficult situations professionally. Being acknowledged for that commitment helps reinforce morale and reminds us that our efforts are valued.”
National Police Week serves as a chance to highlight the sacrifices made by defenders, celebrate their service and honor those who have fallen in line of duty.
While scanning common access cards at the gate and pulling over traffic offenders on base are their most outward facing jobs, Security Forces members also play a critical role in protecting mission assets.
“I’m responsible for ensuring personnel and mission critical resources are safeguarded,” said Tech. Sgt. Korey Evans, 50th SFS, noncommissioned officer in charge of installation security.
“I must do my job efficiently to reduce vulnerabilities before adversaries could potentially exploit them. The oversight of my job ensures the installation is meeting major command requirements while ensuring a no fail mission.”
Being a member of Security Forces, Airmen must make hard decisions, stay calm in stressful situations and have the courage to defend others. National Police Week is celebrated to display the important role these defenders play in the service of others.
“In the future, I hope to see greater participation from members of other career fields during Police Week events,” said Couch.
“Increased involvement would give them a better understanding of how Security Forces trains, operates and supports the broader mission, while also strengthening camaraderie across the installation.”
National Police Week allows for a brief understanding of what Security Forces members do to defend Air Force and Space Force installations and appreciation for their critical role in safeguarding the mission.
https://www.petersonschriever.spaceforce.mil/Newsroom/News/Display/Article/4487678/behind-the-beret/
https://www.petersonschriever.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/2815741/50th-security-forces-squadron/
extra Space Force
https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/u-s-space-force-reorganizes-pauses-commercial-accelerator-program/
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bae-systems-delivers-next-generation-flight-hardware-for-us-space-force-missile-warning-program-302773612.html
Earth from Space: Quito’s volcanic landscape
15/05/2026
This image, captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission, gives us a glimpse of Ecuador’s capital, Quito, sprawling for 40 km along this high-altitude valley in the Andes.
Zoom in or click on the circles to explore this image at its full resolution.
At an elevation of 2850 m above sea level, Quito is the only capital city in the world built so close to an active volcano. It is dominated by Pichincha to the west but there are several other volcanoes near the city.
Cotopaxi, Antisana and Cayambe, with their snow-covered peaks, are clearly visible in this image. Cotopaxi is the second highest summit in the country at about 5900 m, and one of Ecuador’s most active volcanoes.
Quito itself, which has developed within the Guayllabamba river basin, is visible at the centre of the image. The city’s southern districts are divided by the Machángara River, a tributary of the Guayllabamba.
The Machángara flows through Quito, from south to north, meandering past one of the city’s famous landmarks, the Panecillo park. This hill provides some of the best views over Quito’s historical centre to its north.
The old town, distinguishable in the image due to the rosier colour of its roofs, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its well-preserved architecture.
Quito is surrounded by rich biodiversity, from cloud forests to ecological reserves, such as the Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve, visible in the image as a darker green area just north of the city.
To the east of Quito and the Guayllabamba valley, there are three national parks, covered by patches of white cloud in this image. And to the west, white clouds cover much of the view of the city of Santo Domingo in the western foothills of the Andes mountains.
Several regions around Quito were badly affected by drought-driven wildfire during late 2025, when this image was captured. A large plume of smoke can be seen to the east of Quito and there is a smaller plume to the north, near the Sincholagua volcano.
A burnt area can be seen in the hills east of the city, where nearly 200 hectares (about 300 football pitches) of high-altitude grassland were burned near the remote Andean community of Oyacachi, within the Cayambe Coca National Park.
https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/05/Earth_from_Space_Quito_s_volcanic_landscape
extra ESA
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Week_in_images/Week_in_images_11-15_May_2026
https://www.space.com/astronomy/auroras-over-australia-look-like-sci-fi-from-space-space-photo-of-the-day-for-may-15-2026