TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
September 30, 2026
Arp 78: Peculiar Galaxy in Aries
Explanation: Peculiar spiral galaxy Arp 78 is found within the boundaries of the head strong constellation Aries. Some 100 million light-years beyond the stars and nebulae of our Milky Way galaxy, the island universe is an enormous 200,000 light-years across. Also known as NGC 772, it sports a prominent, outer spiral arm in this detailed cosmic portrait. Tracking along sweeping dust lanes and lined with young blue star clusters, Arp 78's overdeveloped spiral arm is pumped-up by galactic-scale gravitational tides. Interactions with its brightest companion galaxy, the more compact NGC 770 seen directly below the larger spiral, are likely responsible. Embedded in faint star streams revealed in the deep telescopic exposure, NGC 770's fuzzy, elliptical appearance contrasts nicely with spiky foreground Milky Way stars.
https://science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2026-september-30-arp-78-peculiar-galaxy-in-aries/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbEnwSpln0s
Reminder that the APOD has moved to a different site today
Heart on the Sun, Solar Forcing Wind/Lightning | S0 News and frens
Sep.30.2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr8MpgwbJ7w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpPcn__PPvE (Max Velocity: This Storm Is Getting Worse And Nobody Is Ready…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfjHkEfypTw (On the Pulse with Silki: EVACUATE NOW — HIGHEST ALERT ISSUED — CATASTROPHIC THREAT TO LIFE & PROPERTY)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCbjFFP6_6M (Asianet News: THAILAND FLOOD BANGKOK UNDERWATER SNAKES & FISH ON STREETS WORLD NEWS ENGLISH)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egpYTfhyfdg (Ray's Astro: NEPAL FLOOD - Nepal Got Hit Again, 1 Month Later | What I Found)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmvNRNSJ1Cs (Mr Weatherman: Polo, Rachel, Hanna, and the Tropical Rain in the Caribbean…)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snKHoyF1nbk (EarthMaster: Pressure increasing across the West Coast! Numerous Earthquakes felt today. Tuesday Night update)
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solar
https://watchers.news/2026/09/30/september-28-cme-expected-to-deliver-glancing-blow-to-earth-on-october-2-geomagnetic-storm-forecast/
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wildfires
https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/us-wildfire-smoke
https://www.cantwell.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cantwell-joins-wa-delegation-in-supporting-governors-request-for-major-disaster-declaration-for-individual-assistance-for-devastating-wildfires-in-washington-state
https://www.curtis.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senate-unanimously-passes-wildfire-emissions-prevention-act/
https://www.edhat.com/california/news/senate-passes-padilla-wildfire-emissions-prevention-act-prescribed-burns/
https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/video/2026/09/30/alaska-recorded-its-quietest-wildfire-season-31-years-even-record-fire-consumed-canadas-northwest-territories/
https://abc3340.com/news/local/alabama-shelby-county-oak-mountain-state-park-wildfire-september-2026-pelham-fire-department-alabama-forestry-commission-shelby-county-emergency-management-agency
https://www.thenationalnews.com/sport/f1/2026/09/30/wildfire-smoke-and-extreme-weather-in-malaysia-for-bahrain-gp-weekend/
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storms and floods
https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-observatory/powerful-storms-continue-to-prowl-the-pacific/
https://midutahradio.com/news/local-news/utah-sets-records-for-severe-weather-warnings/
https://www.nola.com/news/fried-chicken-festival-postponed-due-to-severe-weather-concerns/article_f781bb52-8ffd-443d-a1b2-ba920db5a5a3.html
https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-weather-radar-mesonet-tornado-storm-risk-wednesday-flooding/73956358
https://www.fox10phoenix.com/news/extreme-monsoon-flooding-hits-greenlee-county-rising-river-threatens-roadways
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/evacuations-underway-as-southwest-flooding-threatens-dam-failure/1940430
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/09/developing-flash-flood-emergency-issued-new-mexico-imminent/
https://www.koat.com/article/chaco-canyon-closed-tuesday-and-wednesday-after-severe-weather-causes-road-collapse/73949598
https://weather.com/2026/09/30/forecast/regional/hurricane-polo-southwest-plains-flash-flooding
https://unb.com.bd/category/World/thailand-floods-kill-24-as-water-recedes-in-bangkok/196691
https://www.thestar.com.my/business/business-news/2026/09/30/thai-floods-disrupt-factories-capital-still-at-risk-pm-says
https://www.nst.com.my/world/world/2026/09/1544952/floods-leave-8000-bags-stranded-bangkok-airport
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2026/09/30/flash-floods-nine-workers-trapped-by-floodwaters-at-cyberjaya-project-site
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tornadoes
https://abc7amarillo.com/news/local/tornado-spotted-southwest-of-amarillo-fm-2219-rockwell-road-national-weather-service-severe-weather-storm-spotter-chime-in
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hurricanes and frens
https://www.krgv.com/news/channel-5-news-photojournalist-rode-along-as-hurricane-hunters-fly-into-category-3-storm/
https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/a-121-year-old-atlantic-hurricane-record-could-be-broken-in-october/1940402
https://www.yahoo.com/news/weather-news/articles/hurricane-polo-impact-u-slamming-144604067.html
https://sundayguardianlive.com/world/us-flood-watch-today-nearly-100-million-under-flood-alerts-as-hurricane-polo-remnants-bring-4-to-9-inches-of-rain-across-new-mexico-texas-oklahoma-colorado-and-other-states-forecast-295947/
https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/tropical-storm-hanna-wanders-over-atlantic-ocean/1939874
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2026/09/29/breaking-news/more-rain-expected-for-kauai-county-as-hurricane-nolo-passes-hawaii/
https://dod.hawaii.gov/blog/news-release-hawai%CA%BBi-national-guard-supports-communities-during-hurricane-nolo/
https://news.ssbcrack.com/typhoon-surigae-could-approach-tokyo-on-thursday-public-urged-to-monitor-weather-updates/
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earthquakes
https://nypost.com/2026/09/30/us-news/la-braces-for-the-big-one-with-mega-earthquake-simulator/
https://murciatoday.com/two-earthquakes-recorded-in-murcia-during-the-early-hours_1000274868-a.html
https://ktla.com/news/earthquakes/3-8-magnitude-earthquake-shakes-ventura-los-angeles-counties/
https://dtinews.dantri.com.vn/vietnam-today/38-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-quang-ngai-20260930112942067.htm
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2026/09/magnitude-42-earthquake-rattles-seattle-no-emergency-alerts-sent.html
https://wcyb.com/news/nation-world/magnitude-43-quake-hits-puget-sound-area-centered-west-northwest-of-wauna-gig-harbor-belfair-key-peninula-shake-purdy-washington-pierce-county
https://thepakistanconnect.com/earthquake-jolts-swat-areas/
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes/quake-info/23400589/mag4quake-Sep-30-2026-Greece.html
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes/news/368265/Magnitude-49-earthquake-strikes-near-Kupang-Kota-Kupang-East-Nusa-Tenggara-Indonesia.html
https://breakingthenews.net/Article/5.0-magnitude-earthquake-shakes-Indonesia/67205785
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/magnitude-50-earthquake-strikes-mamburao-occidental-mindoro
https://cedarnews.net/newstasks/1017414/magnitude-5-1-earthquake-strikes-south-of-kokopo-papua-new-guinea/
https://qna.org.qa/en/news/news-details?id=55-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-chinas-taiwan&date=30/09/2026
https://cedarnews.net/newstasks/1017163/magnitude-6-0-earthquake-strikes-near-yonaguni-felt-across-taiwan-as-officials-warn-of-possible-aftershocks/
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/530597/Iran-shakes-with-379-earthquakes-in-a-month
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volcanoes
https://www.earth.com/earth-science/satellite-captures-time-lapse-video-of-a-volcano-erupting-for-the-first-time-in-almost-500-years/
https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/calvo/news/power-geologic-mapping-getting-know-volcanoes-californias-long-valley
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dailys
https://schumannresonance.today/
https://www.weather.gov/
https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/
https://www.tornadohq.com/
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/
https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes-volcanoes/news/367938/Volcano-earthquake-report-2026-09-30.html
https://www.spaceweather.gov/
https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=30&month=09&year=2026
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Draconid meteor shower 2026 — When, where and how to see it
September 30, 2026
Good news! The Draconid meteor shower peaks under almost moonless skies on Oct. 8-9.
The Draconid meteor shower will peak overnight on Oct. 8-9, 2026. Skywatchers can look forward to excellent viewing conditions (weather permitting) this year.
The annual shower is active from Oct. 6 to Oct. 10, with the peak occurring under almost completely moonless skies, a welcome change from 2025 when a bright full moon washed out most of the meteors.
The Draconids are typically a modest meteor shower, with a zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) of around five meteors per hour under ideal conditions.
No enhanced activity is currently predicted for 2026, though the shower is notoriously unpredictable and has produced spectacular meteor storms in the past.
The Draconids occur when Earth travels through a trail of debris left by Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner.
This comet, composed of ice and rocky fragments, orbits the sun every 6.6 years. As Earth encounters this debris, the particles burn up in our atmosphere, creating the meteor shower.
In recent years, the Draconids have been relatively quiet, producing few meteors and no notable outbursts of activity — a far cry from the showers of old, when the Draconids produced some of the most impressive meteor showers of the 20th Century in 1933 and 1946.
During these meteor storms, thousands of meteors were spotted every hour, according to the U.K. meteor network.
Outbursts like those, and lesser ones in 1926, 1952, 1985, 1998 and 2011, seem "to occur only when the Earth passes just inside Comet Giacobini-Zinner's orbit shortly after the comet itself has gone by," wrote Space.com skywatching columnist Joe Rao.
The Draconids are sometimes called the Giacobinids, after French astronomer Michel Giacobini who discovered the comet 21 P/Giacobini-Zinner, according to Royal Museums Greenwich.
Meteor showers are named after the constellation from which the meteors appear to emanate. From Earth's perspective, the Draconids appear to come approximately from the direction of the constellation Draco, the dragon.
Despite its size and designation as the eighth-largest constellation, Draco is not especially conspicuous. The name is derived from the Latin term "draco," meaning "huge serpent," and the constellation snakes its way through the northern sky.
When is the best time to view the Draconid meteor shower?
The Draconids are a little different from many meteor showers, which are often best viewed in the early hours of the morning.
The best time to start looking for the Draconids is in the evening after nightfall, when the shower's radiant — the constellation Draco — is high in the sky.
In 2026, the shower is expected to peak at around 9 p.m. EDT on Oct. 8 (0100 GMT on Oct. 9), according to Earth Sky, with excellent viewing conditions thanks to an almost moonless sky. The new moon arrives on Oct. 10.
Although the peak is typically your best chance of spotting Draconid meteors, you may still be able to catch the occasional shooting star between Oct. 6 and Oct. 10.
What causes the Draconid meteor shower?
his all-or-nothing shower is caused by the comet P/Giacobini-Zinner.
The comet was discovered on Dec. 20, 1900, by Giacobini at the Nice Observatory in France. And later observed by Ernst Zinner on Oct. 23, 1913, according to NASA Science.
The little comet measures just 1.24 miles (2 kilometers) in diameter and takes about 6.6 years to orbit the sun.
Each time the "dirty snowball" returns to the inner solar system its nucleus sheds ice and rock into space into a vast debris stream.
When Earth passes through the debris the "comet crumbs" heat up as they enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up in bright bursts of light, streaking a vivid path across the sky.
https://www.space.com/draconid-meteor-shower-2026-guide-where-when-how-to-see-draconids
other space objects
https://www.travelandleisure.com/october-2026-night-sky-guide-12141126
https://science.nasa.gov/gallery/osiris-rex-full-mission-gallery/
https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/roman/2026/09/30/nasa-checks-roman-guidance-system-takes-first-coronagraph-observation/
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasas-roman-team-snaps-test-coronagraph-image/
https://science.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/roman-commissioning/
moar
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/wallops/2026/09/30/nasa-wallops-to-support-october-sounding-rocket-launch/
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/landsat/news/mission-success-celebrating-landsat-9s-five-year-design-life-milestone/
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esdmd/artemis-campaign-development-division/human-landing-system-program/nasa-opens-2027-human-lander-challenge-for-lunar-communications/
https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/notes-from-the-field/2026/09/29/catching-the-light-taking-the-pulse-of-puerto-ricos-forests/
NASA Checks Roman Guidance System, Takes First Coronagraph Observation
September 30, 2026 11:51AM
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s fine-guidance system, which allows the observatory to lock very steadily onto its targets during observations, passed a spate of tests from Sept. 15 to 21.
Then on Sept. 22, the mission’s Coronagraph Instrument opened its eyes to cosmic light for the very first time.
The team assigned a small part of each of the 18 detectors in Roman’s primary instrument, the Wide Field Instrument, to rapidly observe a separate guide star — stars with well-known positions used as reference points.
When Roman’s attitude control system gets the spacecraft pointed in the right direction, information from the fine-guidance system then helps hold it steady throughout each observation so it doesn’t drift off target.
Using only the attitude control system, Roman’s images wouldn’t be as crisp.
“Every Roman observation relies on its ability to stay precisely pointed at the correct region of space long enough to collect an image, which can take from minutes to hours for a deep exposure,” said Begoña Vila, Roman’s guiding instrument systems lead at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
“The fine-guidance system reports the positions of the guide stars about four times each second to the attitude control system, which can move the observatory a tiny amount to counter any drift as needed.
Our tests confirmed that we are able to keep the observatory very stable for science operations: better than 1/100,000 of a degree for half an hour at a time for Wide Field Instrument observations or for eight hours at a time for Coronagraph Instrument observations, which take much longer. This was a very exciting moment for the team.”
Roman’s current stability is roughly equivalent to focusing a laser beam on a U.S. dime from about 150 miles (about 240 kilometers) away.
The team aims to improve this even further by tuning the guidance system, boosting the distance in the analogy to about 230 miles (370 kilometers).
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Roman also has a new type of guiding that hasn’t been attempted before.
“Roman doesn’t have a separate guider instrument, like other space telescopes do,” Vila said. “Instead of tracking only a star’s point-like appearance, it will guide on detailed wavelength patterns called spectra.
Because Roman is already equipped to measure spectra for science, it can use that same information to precisely position the telescope. We are looking forward to validating this spectral guiding mode in the coming weeks.”
Coronagraph captures first glimmer
Next, on Sept. 22 and 27, the team tested out the fine-guidance system with the Coronagraph Instrument, which will demonstrate cutting-edge technology to block starlight and view planets and dusty disks around nearby stars.
“Roman’s coronagraph also has its own internal stability process, making it much more stable even than the Wide Field Instrument,” Vila said.
That’s critical because even tiny vibrations or pointing errors could let starlight leak through, washing out the faint planets scientists are trying to see.
The coronagraph woke up on Sept. 1 and stretched its digital, electronic, and mechanical “limbs” mid-month.
Once the team confirmed that the fine-guidance system was holding the Coronagraph Instrument steady, scientists adjusted the focus so it could take its first bleary-eyed look at space that will help scientists fine-tune the instrument’s view.
“This observation confirms that the instrument can produce a focused image,” said Vanessa Bailey, a Roman Coronagraph Instrument scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California.
“It’s a very limited test that kicks off a methodical process of increasingly complex tasks that help us prepare for the instrument’s future observations.”
For this step, the Coronagraph Instrument captured a faint star in a neighboring galaxy called the Large Magellanic Cloud, with “noise” seeping through because the detectors have been kept at a warmer temperature than they will ultimately operate.
That helps to ensure contamination does not stick to the detectors.
“We were kicking the tires, making sure light goes through the system,” Bailey said. “The second step, on Sunday, was an observation that confirmed our pointing.
The team cooled the detectors down for better sensitivity, and we observed a new location in the Large Magellanic Cloud where we expected to see many stars in a single image. And we did! We’re breathing a sigh of relief!”
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MSU alumnus Christine Powell promoted to director of NASA’s Stennis Space Center
September 29, 2026
STARKVILLE, Miss.—A Mississippi State alumna is now leading NASA’s Stennis Space Center.
Biloxi native Christine Powell has served at the Gulf Coast center and other NASA locations since 1995 after first beginning as an intern in 1991. She was promoted from deputy director to the director position this June.
Powell is a 1995 MSU electrical engineering graduate. As director, she is responsible for implementing NASA’s mission in rocket propulsion testing and developing and maintaining NASA’s world-class rocket propulsion test facilities.
The Stennis Space Center also is home to more than 50 federal, state, academic and private organizations and numerous technology-based companies.
MSU has had a longtime Stennis Center presence through its Science and Technology Center.
https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2026/09/msu-alumnus-christine-powell-promoted-director-nasas-stennis-space-center
moar
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/general-blog/2026/09/29/station-quartet-preps-for-departure-amidst-air-and-water-quality-checks/
https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/commercialcrew/2026/09/30/weather-55-favorable-for-thursday-crew-13-mission-launch/
https://x.com/NASAhistory/status/2105311710332457046
https://x.com/chandraxray/status/2105317181219078442
International Space Station
@Space_Station
The Expedition 75 crew aboard the space station awaits the arrival of Crew-13 scheduled to launch Thursday, Oct. 1.
Quote
NASA
@NASA
2h
New crew soon!
Crew-13 is scheduled to launch to the @Space_Station tomorrow, Oct. 1. Live coverage begins here at 9:20am ET (1320 UTC)—tune in to watch liftoff at 11:10am ET (1510 UTC).
9:59 AM · Sep 30, 2026
https://x.com/Space_Station/status/2105341702097846446
moar
https://x.com/Cmdr_Hadfield/status/2105313554152952277
https://x.com/Space_Station/status/2105293443614552493
https://x.com/Space_Station/status/2105037487945252881
https://x.com/SpaceX/status/2105325070876807597
International Rocket Launches
@IntRocketLaunch
Through a FOIA request to NASA, I’ve obtained extended onboard camera views from the Artemis II launch.
This clip shows the vehicle going supersonic and passing Max Q.
Full ascent: https://youtu.be/ih616i0dnJg
4:05 AM · Sep 30, 2026
https://x.com/IntRocketLaunch/status/2105252567370391855
moar
https://x.com/blueorigin/status/2105031277321826515
https://x.com/NASAHubble/status/2105024819297218896
https://x.com/NASASolarSystem/status/2105356154368872660
https://x.com/NASAMoonBase/status/2105292472008028537
https://www.dailymail.com/sciencetech/article-16172545/us-spy-satellite-explodes-space.html
moar Space Force
https://www.spacecom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article-Display/Article/4613488/news-us-space-command-headquarters-relocation-advances-with-award-of-owners-adv/
https://x.com/SpaceForceCSO/status/2105323549590536197
https://x.com/USSpaceForce/status/2105348256070844814
https://x.com/SpaceForceCSO/status/2105265157584617489
Mystery erupts as US spy satellite explodes… and Space Force won't rule out an attack
11:56 EDT, 30 September 2026 | Updated: 12:43 EDT, 30 September 2026
An American spy satellite that was recently declassified to the public has mysteriously exploded, sparking concern that more satellites that provide phone and internet service may soon suffer the same fate.
The device, called USA 32, broke apart while in low Earth orbit on September 13, creating a large debris cloud just over 480 miles above the planet, the US Space Force said.
The military added that 'further analysis is ongoing' and did not release any other details or rule out the possibility of an anti-satellite weapon.
USA 32 had been in space since 1988 and was also known by its classified code name 'Farrah III' during the Cold War with the Soviet Union.
The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), which builds and operates America's spy satellites to collect intelligence from space, had just revealed the full details of its mission last year - which was to listen for Soviet radar and other electronic signals and relay that data to the US military.
Although the satellite's mission had allegedly been over for years, its sudden destruction was not planned and the exact cause of the explosion has not been determined.
That mystery, which some have suspected could have been a collision with space debris or a meteor, has sparked concerns that other satellites which operate in this busy lane of space traffic could be next.
A statement by Spaceweather.com, which is run by astronomer Dr Tony Phillips, warned: 'Other satellites may be in danger. USA 32 broke up in a crowded shell of low Earth orbit. The collision threat is real.'
Space Force officials confirmed Farrah III's breakup on September 17, but did not name a probable cause and did not publish any theories of their own as to what caused the explosion.
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One cause put forward by Dr Phillips's website was the possibility that a pressurized tank or battery cell may have ruptured, leading to an explosion.
The satellite had just turned 38 years old on September 5, and was originally designed to operate for only three years, according to the declassified records made public by NRO. Its lifespan in space was said to be just four years.
However, the likelihood that the 'tuna can-shaped' spy craft was struck by a deadly space rock or another piece of man-made hardware has set off red flags that it could happen to a satellite with much greater importance to everyday life on Earth in 2026.
In this satellite 'highway,' there are many everyday and military satellites which support phone and internet services around the globe.
This includes GPS and navigation, weather forecasts, banking, shipping, emergency communications, US military communications, reconnaissance and warning systems - all of which operate in low Earth orbit.
If debris was the cause of the mysterious explosion and more pieces start knocking those satellites out, services on the ground could fail, and the US would lose eyes and links it relies on in space.
'Within 50 km (31 miles) of its altitude are more than 200 active satellites, including the entire Iridium NEXT constellation. Even before USA 32 broke up, this region was extremely cluttered,' said Phillips, who has 30 years of space forecasting experience.
As Phillips mentioned, Iridium NEXT is a network of about 66 working satellites that provide satellite phone and data service almost anywhere on Earth, including oceans and at the poles.
While the investigation into the mystery explosion continues, CNN has claimed that there were no signs that the spy satellite was deliberately targeted in an attack by an anti-satellite weapon.
The satellite's destruction came just days after Space Force began sending a series of classified payloads into orbit using SpaceX rockets.
At the same time, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink made the shock announcement that the US military had indeed placed weapons in space for the first time.
Space Force officials then told the Daily Mail that the weapons were being deployed to counter space-based actions taken by both Russia and China over the last 20 years.
Five years ago, the Russian military showed how lethal its space-based satellites could be, successfully testing a hit-to-kill anti-satellite missile in 2021.
The device obliterated a defunct, Soviet-era spy satellite launched in 1982, sparking condemnation from around the world.
There has been no sign or announcement that such a weapon was used to destroy Farrah III at this time.
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Science begins for Smile
30/09/2026
On 23 September, the European-Chinese Smile mission was declared ready to start revealing how Earth responds to the wind of charged particles from the Sun.
This follows a busy in-space commissioning period since the spacecraft launched on 19 May and reached its target orbit for science operations on 20 June.
A spacecraft never quite behaves the same in space as it does on the ground.
Between 20 June and now, European and Chinese teams have been getting Smile ready – including deploying mechanisms, switching on units, checking all communications between the spacecraft and the ground, and fixing any issues that came up.
“The Smile mission is a testament to the trust built between our teams, their dedication to excellence and their determination to find solutions whatever the challenge,” says Professor Carole Mundell, ESA Director of Science.
" Smile is now approved to begin science operations. This is a very important milestone – a true pleasure to announce – and I am sure our excellent collaboration will deliver ground-breaking data to scientists around the world.”
Preparing Smile’s instruments for science
A big part of the commissioning period involved testing out Smile’s toolbox of four science instruments – the soft X-ray imager (SXI), ultraviolet aurora imager (UVI), magnetometer (MAG) and light ion analyser (LIA).
Each instrument will collect vital information to help us better understand solar storms, geomagnetic storms, and the science of space weather.
Smile will give us data on how solar activity interacts with Earth's magnetic field, leads to the auroras and can affect electronic infrastructure on and around Earth.
The video below is the first footage to be released from UVI, the first camera since 2008 to capture the full ring of northern lights around the North Pole in ultraviolet light. UVI is now recording the auroras for a record-breaking 45 hours at a time.
The footage was taken on 24 July 2026, just two weeks after UVI was switched on. It shows activity in the ring of northern lights due to a disturbance in Earth’s magnetic field caused by a rush of solar wind particles.
Smile’s X-ray camera, SXI, was also successfully switched on and has taken its first images.
SXI is a key European contribution to the mission. The two images below – both showing the aftermath of a distant exploded distant star – were taken to check that the camera works as expected.
Though the camera itself is working very well, when pointed towards Earth it currently detects too much unwanted (stray) light.
To reduce this unwanted light as much as possible, specific settings and software updates are currently being changed and implemented onboard.
ESA, the consortium of universities and companies involved in the instrument, and the Chinese team leading the operations of the spacecraft are working together hard to achieve this goal. It helps that the instrument has a versatile design that can be adjusted remotely.
Because Smile is steadily pointing farther away from Earth and less light is emitted by the North Pole as we are moving towards northern winter, the unwanted light is reducing naturally.
It is due to reach a minimum in mid-October. At that point, SXI would take its first good image of the magnetopause (where the solar wind meets Earth’s magnetic field), or the northern polar cusp (a hole in the magnetosphere at the North Pole, where charged solar wind particles get funnelled towards Earth’s surface).
Let’s Smile: the film
Smile went from a handful of disconnected pieces to collecting science data in just over two years.
A new documentary film covers the exciting period in the mission’s development between June 2024 and May 2026.
It features behind-the-scenes footage of the different parts of the spacecraft arriving at ESA’s technical centre in the Netherlands, being attached together, tested and finally sent to Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana for launch.
Featuring exclusive interviews with scientists and engineers from across Europe, it is the final instalment in the series ‘Let’s Smile’, bringing together and supplementing the four shorter episodes released so far.
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Smile/Science_begins_for_Smile
moa ESA
https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Engineering_Technology/Shaping_the_Future/Simpler_ESA_R_D_a_highlight_at_2026_Industry_Space_Days
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Shaping_Europe_s_future_in_low_Earth_orbit
https://x.com/Soph_astro/status/2105328951379775916