TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
May 25, 2026
Thackeray's Globules
What are these strange space globs? Situated in rich star fields and glowing hydrogen gas, these opaque clouds of interstellar dust and gas are so large they might be able to form stars. Their home is known as IC 2944, a bright stellar nursery located about 7,600 light years away toward the constellation of the Centaur (Centaurus). The largest of these dark globules, first spotted by A. D. Thackeray in 1950 using a telescope in South Africa, is likely two separate but overlapping clouds, each more than one light-year wide. Along with other data, the featured Hubble palette image from the El Sauce Observatory in Chile, indicates that Thackeray's globules are fractured and churning as a result of intense ultraviolet radiation from young, hot stars already energizing and heating the bright emission nebula. These and similar dark globules known to be associated with other star forming regions may ultimately be dissipated by their hostile environment – like cosmic lumps of butter in a hot frying pan.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbUtA-eGSmY
Magnetic Field Reversal Event, Solar Storm Headaches | S0 News and honoring the fallen frens
May.25.2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eYE4AaJTWM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhrmae7wGKI (Ray's Astro: A Volcano Is Breaking the Rules | Titan Ridge, Papua New Guinea)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKaF6yQkeTY (Max Velocity: A Highly Unusual Storm Is Coming…)
https://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/nature_and_travel/2026/05/24/200_earthquakes_recorded_since_last_night/
https://x.com/MrMBB333/status/2058655999184216376
https://x.com/StefanBurnsGeo/status/2058790985266852276
https://meteoagent.com/schumann-resonance-forecast
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes-volcanoes/news/303335/Volcano-earthquake-report-for-Monday-25-May-2026.html
https://www.tornadohq.com/
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/
https://spaceweather.com/
I am Anon. Nothing more or less.
There is kind of a cool story behind how it all came to be, soon as we get an all clear to talk about, I will.
kek
It isnt my life story, its a board story. Only we would really understand it.
Until then, carry on.
Youll just figure out another way to keep it going in circles, so.
Forgive me if the responses end here.
https://avi-loeb.medium.com/did-3i-atlas-deliver-extrasolar-life-to-our-backyard-3f0d3c5ec643
Did 3I/ATLAS Deliver Extrasolar Life to Our Backyard?
May 25, 2026
The interstellar object 3I/ATLAS grazed the habitable zone of the Solar System on a path that was aligned to within 4.88 degrees with the orbital plane of Earth around the Sun.
3I/ATLAS also exhibited a prominent sunward jet, likely made of large fragments of water ice or rock that were able to penetrate through the Solar wind and radiation (as I discussed in a paper with Eric Keto, published here).
The SPHEREx space observatory detected organic molecules, such as CH3OH, H2CO, CH4, and C2H6 with a production rate of 5x10^{26} molecules per second, of order a tenth of the simultaneous production of water molecules (as reported here).
The robust spectroscopic detection of methane (CH4) was confirmed by the Webb telescope here. Interestingly, methane was only detected after the passage of 3I/ATLAS near the Sun.
Its delayed production is puzzling because methane ice is hyper-volatile, with a significantly lower sublimation temperature than carbon dioxide (CO2), having a value of -220 compared to -97 degrees Celsius, respectively.
This implies that methane ice near the surface of 3I/ATLAS would have been vigorously sublimating at the time of the first reports of outgassing from 3I/ATLAS before perihelion.
However, neither the Webb spectroscopy nor the SPHEREx spectrophotometry from August 2025, detected methane. This suggests that methane was depleted in the outermost layers of 3I/ATLAS and was released as a result of the warming by sunlight only close to the Sun.
Within this scenario, the early detection of carbon-monoxide (CO) outgassing on 3I/ATLAS is surprising, as carbon monoxide is more volatile than methane and should therefore be even more depleted from the surface, yet it was detected prior to methane.
Why did methane appear only close to the Sun?
In the atmospheres of exoplanets, methane is considered a prominent biosignature.
A recent publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) here, argued that methane could be the first detectable indication of life beyond Earth (as highlighted here).
This raises an important question: Was the methane outgassing of 3I/ATLAS near the Sun produced by life?
The sunward jet (anti-tail) material shed by 3I/ATLAS could have carried extrasolar life on dust or ice fragments towards habitable planets within the Solar System.
Such a phenomenon, called panspermia, would be analogous to the dandelion flower shedding its seeds to be carried by wind towards a fertile ground (as described here).
I discussed Galactic panspermia in a 2018 paper published here, with my former postdocs Idan Ginsburg and Manasvi Lingam.
1/2
For interstellar icebergs, panspermia can be triggered by sunlight and is most effective if the iceberg arrives on a path that coincides with the orbital plane of habitable planets, as is the case for 3I/ATLAS.
The large fragments of ice and rocks in its sunward jet are suitable as delivery vehicles of the seeds of extrasolar life.
I discussed the possibility of panspermia by the fragments shed from 3I/ATLAS in a research note posted here on February 3, 2026.
Could extrasolar life survive a long interstellar journey at freezing conditions inside an interstellar iceberg like 3I/ATLAS?
On Earth, microbes are known to survive in ice for millions of years, as discussed here and here. In a 2005 study here, microbes were found to survive inside ice crystals under 3 kilometers of snow for more than 30,000 years.
The physicist Buford Price and graduate student Robert Rohde at the University of California in Berkeley, explained in a PNAS publication here that microbes could survive extreme conditions by creating a tiny film of liquid water around them, allowing oxygen, hydrogen, methane and other gases to diffuse to this film from air bubbles nearby, providing the microbes with sufficient food to survive. A 2020 study published in Nature Communications here demonstrated that microbes, 75 meters below the South Pacific Ocean seafloor (5,700 meters below sea level), are able to survive in rock sediments for over 100 million years in extremely low-energy conditions with very little nutrients. After being revived in the laboratory, these ancient microbes recovered from their hibernation state, metabolized and multiplied once again.
These are examples for the survival of terrestrial life-as-we-know-it. However, extrasolar life could be even more resilient to extreme conditions. Call it `survival of the fittest’ in interstellar space.
In addition to natural origins, there is the possibility of directed panspermia, whereby an interstellar gardener seeded 3I/ATLAS on a fertilization mission targeting the habitable planets in the Solar System.
This would explain the rare alignment between the trajectory of 3I/ATLAS and the orbital plane of the habitable planets around the Sun, as well as the sunward jet with large fragments that plowed through the solar radiation and wind.
Whether the seeds of extrasolar life reach a fertile ground in the Solar System remains to be seen.
If the NSF-DOE Rubin observatory will discover additional interstellar icebergs with clear statistical preference to the ecliptic plane, then the directed panspermia hypothesis will gain a higher likelihood.
In such a case, our space agencies should plan a space mission to intercept the path of these icebergs. By directing a probe on a crash course towards the surface of these icebergs, we can diagnose the composition of the material they shed and infer whether it carries extrasolar life.
In case it does, the most pressing question is whether extrasolar life resembles life-as-we-know-it. If so, perhaps life on Earth was seeded by an interstellar gardener.
This could be a fundamental discovery about our cosmic roots. Not only that life exists elsewhere, but interstellar gardeners may have seeded our existence.
2/2
What is the blue-white star next to the moon tonight?
May 25, 2026
Look to the southern sky at sunset on May 26 to see the waxing gibbous moon shining close to the sparkling blue-white light of the bright star Spica in the constellation Virgo, ahead of this week's rare "Blue Moon".
The 83%-lit moon will sit a little under 40 degrees above the southern horizon — roughly the width of four clenched fists stacked at arm's length — with Spica close to its left.
Spica's light represents not one, but two colossal stars, which orbit each other once every four days. Together, they shine with a combined luminosity of more than 12,000 suns, according to the astronomy website EarthSky.
Turn a pair of binoculars or a small telescope on the moon to see an arc of light shining close to the line separating night from day on the lunar surface, created as sunlight glances off the peaks of the Montes Jura mountain range on the northwestern edge of Mare Imbrium.
Then sweep your gaze towards the equator to spot the 58-mile-wide (93-kilometer) Copernicus Crater, surrounded by bright streaks of material blasted out during the violent impact that formed it.
Finally, follow the shadowy night-day divide downward to find the approximate location of the south lunar pole, which could serve as a landing zone for the planned 2028 Artemis 4 moon mission.
You may notice the moon drifting slowly towards Spica throughout the night, before both objects set in the west in the early hours of May 27.
By sunset on the following evening, the moon will have jumped to Spica's lower left as it continues on an orbital path that will see it meet the red supergiant Antares in the constellation Scorpio on May 31, as the second full moon of the month, known as a "Blue Moon", takes to the night sky.
Want to capture gorgeous photos of Earth's natural satellite? Then be sure to read our guide to photographing the moon, along with our roundups of the best cameras and lenses for astrophotography.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/what-is-the-blue-white-star-next-to-the-moon-tonight
extra space
https://www.space.com/astronomy/earth/nothing-beats-a-beautiful-sunset-from-space-space-photo-of-the-day-for-may-26-2026
https://www.space.com/astronomy/mars/scientists-want-to-send-a-roly-poly-robot-filled-with-dandelion-drones-to-investigate-hidden-tunnels-on-mars
https://thedebrief.org/scientists-reveal-a-bizarre-space-time-structural-phenomenon-that-could-be-creating-baby-black-holes/
https://losalamosreporter.com/2026/05/25/los-alamos-national-laboratory-sends-mass-spectrometer-to-international-space-station/
Nice, thanks.
The eagle is atop a sundial.
And there's a cool mural in the chapel.
https://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials/about-st-mihiel-american-cemetery/
https://www.abmc.gov/news-events/news/5-things-you-may-not-know-about-st-mihiel-american-cemetery/
SpaceX Starlink Mission
May 25, 2026
On Monday, May 25 at 7:48 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 launched 29 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This was the 28th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-6, SES O3b mPOWER-B, USSF-124, BlueBird 1-5, Nusantara Lima (PSN N5), and now 23 Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the first stage landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-10-47
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKP8sQ3k-SI
Starlink Mission
May 26, 2026
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is targeting the launch of 24 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
A live webcast of this mission will begin about 10 minutes prior to liftoff, which you can watch here and on X @SpaceX.
This will be the sixth flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-105 and four Starlink missions.
Following stage separation, the first stage will land on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship, which will be stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
There is the possibility that residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura counties may hear one or more sonic booms during the launch, but what residents experience will depend on weather and other conditions.
https://www.spacex.com/launches/sl-17-37
General Chance Saltzman
@SpaceForceCSO
Today, we pause to honor those who gave everything for our nation. We carry their legacy forward in service to something greater than ourselves. 🇺🇸
Department of War 🇺🇸
@DeptofWar
3h
This Memorial Day, we honor the service and sacrifice of the brave Americans who gave their lives for this great nation.
We will never forget their courage, their devotion, and the freedoms they fought to defend.
6:10 AM · May 25, 2026
https://x.com/SpaceForceCSO/status/2058898556145095064
extra Space Force
https://x.com/USSpaceForce/status/2058932407806431267
https://x.com/USSpaceForce/status/2058639290087641401
https://x.com/USSpaceForce/status/2058193833444229621
Atlas on the World Cup trophy
kek
Oreshnik strike a retaliation for Kiev’s terrorist attacks – Moscow
24 May, 2026 08:54 | Updated 24 May, 2026 21:03
Russian forces launched a “massive strike” overnight against military targets in Ukraine, using intermediate-range hypersonic Oreshnik system and Iskander ballistic missiles, Kinzhal and Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles, air-, sea- and ground-launched cruise missiles, as well as attack drones.
The strike came after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Defense Ministry to “submit proposals” for a response to a Ukrainian drone attack on a teacher training college dormitory in the Lugansk People’s Republic, which left 21 people dead and 42 injured, mostly teenage girls.
The bombardment targeted the Ukrainian military’s command and control facilities, air bases, and the country’s defense industry enterprises, the ministry said. No strikes had been planned or carried out against civilian infrastructure, it added.
“The objectives of the strike have been achieved. All designated targets were hit,” it stressed.
Earlier on Sunday, Ukrainian media and Telegram channels circulated videos showing clusters of bright objects rapidly descending from the sky, claiming that Russia had deployed an Oreshnik against an unspecified target in the town of Belaya Tserkov near Ukraine’s capital, Kiev.
The dormitory of Starobelsk College, a facility of Lugansk Pedagogical University located in the town of Starobelsk, was struck by multiple waves of Ukrainian drones on Friday while students were asleep inside, in what Putin described as a deliberate “terrorist act.”
Governor Leonid Pasechnik declared May 24-25 days of mourning, describing the attack as “pure evil” and saying those responsible would face “deserved and inevitable punishment.”
Earlier, the US Embassy in Kiev warned American citizens of a “potentially significant air attack” that could take place within 24 hours and urged them to be ready to seek shelter immediately if an air alert was issued.
Moscow first publicly confirmed firing an Oreshnik in November 2024 when the missile was used in a strike on the Yuzhmash military-industrial facility in Dnepropetrovsk.
It was deployed for the second time this January, obliterating an aircraft repair plant in Lviv, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
https://www.rt.com/russia/640509-oreshnik-strike-retaliation-for-kievs/
https://www.rt.com/russia/640543-russia-prepares-to-launch-systematic/
extra RT
https://www.rt.com/news/640521-eu-leaders-silent-deadly-ukrainian-attack-college-dorm/
https://www.rt.com/news/640530-lugansk-eu-macron-galloway/
https://www.rt.com/russia/640532-ukraine-russian-civilians-killed/
Ukrainian drones lit up a propane train in Russia’s Kursk Oblast
25/05/2026
Ukrainian drones struck a Russian propane train in Kursk Oblast on 24 May, according to Militarnyi. The blast and fire forced an evacuation from nearby streets. That same day, a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter struck a Russian drone control point at a Kursk sugar factory.
Ukrainian drone units have pushed their medium-range strikes deeper and deeper into Russia's rear logistics in the occupied territories and in Russia's adjacent oblasts over the past year. Trains, depots, fuel routes, and command nodes have become open targets.
Lgov is about 50 kilometers from Ukraine's border—well inside the range of Ukrainian medium-range strike drones. The same campaign is grinding down Russian logistics in the occupied southern territories.
Strikes on Russian trucks and supply routes there more than doubled between February and March.
The propane train hit in Lgov District
In Kursk Oblast's Lgov District, two Ukrainian drones hit a freight train of propane tank cars, Russian Telegram channel Pepel reported.
The strike reportedly set off a gas explosion and a fire at the impact site. Local authorities began moving residents off nearby streets because other tankers could still blow.
Russia's Kursk governor Aleksandr Khinshtein later confirmed the drone attack on the fuel wagon. He said 76 people were temporarily moved from the closest settlement. The fire's extent is still being measured.
A MiG-29 strike on Tyotkino's drone control hub
A Ukrainian MiG-29MU1 fighter dropped French AASM Hammer guided bombs on a Russian drone control point. The target sat on the grounds of a former sugar factory in Tyotkino, Kursk Oblast.
Ukrainian Land Forces scouts identified the Russian build-up at the site. State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (DPSU) operators helped to adjust the air strike. Ukraine has struck the Tyotkino drone hub before. A 2025 Ukrainian AASM Hammer strike there killed up to 20 Russian operators.
https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/05/25/ukrainian-drones-lit-up-a-propane-train-in-russias-kursk-oblast/
other Russia and Ukraine
https://united24media.com/world/russia-plans-major-civil-aviation-restrictions-over-moscow-region-following-drone-attacks-19154
https://kyivindependent.com/pro-ukrainian-partisans-blinded-russian-air-defenses-on-night-of-drone-attack-atesh-claims/
https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2939080/von-der-leyen-to-visit-lithuania-after-drone-incursions-media
https://www.euronews.com/video/2026/05/25/zelenskyy-visits-damaged-kyiv-sites-after-russian-missile-and-drone-assault
https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-ato/4127004-drone-strike-on-pavlohrad-number-of-casualties-rises-to-10.html
https://united24media.com/war-in-ukraine/ukraines-fpv-drones-catch-russian-2s3-akatsiya-artillery-system-before-it-can-open-fire-video-19138