Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site
Huge object passing the Sun at tremendous speed
-
Similar Topics
-
-
By Space Force
The DARC partnership is completing construction at the first of three sites that will host a global network of advanced ground-based sensors.
View the full article
-
By NASA
NASA’s SPHEREx is situated on a work stand ahead of prelaunch operations at the Astrotech Processing Facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The SPHEREx space telescope will share its ride to space on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with NASA’s PUNCH mission.
Credit: USSF 30th Space Wing/Christopher
NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer), the agency’s newest space telescope. This will lift off with another NASA mission, Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere, or PUNCH, which will study the Sun’s solar wind.
The launch window opens at 10:09 p.m. EST (7:09 p.m. PST) Thursday, Feb. 27, for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will lift off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Watch coverage on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.
The SPHEREx mission will improve our understanding of how the universe evolved and search for key ingredients for life in our galaxy.
The four small spacecraft that comprise PUNCH will observe the Sun’s corona as it transitions into solar wind.
The deadline for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch has passed. NASA’s media credentialing policy is available online. For questions about media accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Tuesday, Feb. 25
2 p.m. – SPHEREx and PUNCH Science Overview News Conference
Shawn Domagal-Goldman, acting director, Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters Joe Westlake, director, Heliophysics Division, NASA Headquarters Nicholeen Viall, PUNCH Mission Scientist, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Rachel Akeson, SPHEREx science data center lead, Caltech/IPAC Phil Korngut, SPHEREx instrument scientist, Caltech The news conference will stream on NASA+. Media may ask questions in person or via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the NASA Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Wednesday, Feb. 26
3:30 p.m. – SPHEREx and PUNCH Prelaunch News Conference
Mark Clampin, acting deputy associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters David Cheney, PUNCH program executive, NASA Headquarters James Fanson, SPHEREx project manager, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory Denton Gibson, launch director, NASA’s Launch Services Program Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science Missions, SpaceX U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Ina Park, 30th Operations Support Squadron launch weather officer Coverage of the prelaunch news conference will stream live on NASA+.
Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than one hour before the start of the event at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Thursday, Feb. 27
12 p.m. – SPHEREx and PUNCH Launch Preview will stream live on NASA+.
9:15 p.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+.
10:09 p.m. – Launch window opens.
Audio Only Coverage
Audio only of the launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, or -1240. On launch day, “mission audio,” countdown activities without NASA+ media launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.
NASA Website Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the agency’s website. Coverage will include links to live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 9:15 p.m., Feb. 27, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff.
For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on the SPHEREx blog.
Attend the Launch Virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following launch.
Watch, Engage on Social Media
You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:
X: @NASA, @NASAJPL, @NASAUnivese, @NASASun, @NASAKennedy, @NASA_LSP
Facebook: NASA, NASAJPL, NASA Universe, NASASunScience, NASA’s Launch Services Program
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAJPL, @NASAUnivese
For more information about these missions, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/spherex/
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/punch/
-end-
Alise Fisher – SPHEREx
Headquarters, Washington
202-617-4977
alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov
Sarah Frazier – PUNCH
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
202-853-7191
sarah.frazier@nasa.gov
Laura Aguiar
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-593-6245
laura.aquiar@nasa.gov
Share
Details
Last Updated Feb 18, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe and Ices Explorer) Missions Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere (PUNCH) Science Mission Directorate View the full article
-
By European Space Agency
Video: 00:00:40 Back in 2023, we reported on Solar Orbiter’s discovery of tiny jets near the Sun’s south pole that could be powering the solar wind. The team behind this research has now used even more data from the European Space Agency’s prolific solar mission to confirm that these jets exist all over dark patches in the Sun’s atmosphere, and that they really are a source of not only fast but also slow solar wind.
The newfound jets can be seen in this sped-up video as hair-like wisps that flash very briefly, for example within the circled regions of the Sun's surface. In reality they last around one minute and fling out charged particles at about 100 km/s.
The surprising result is published today in Astronomy & Astrophysics, highlighting how Solar Orbiter’s unique combination of instruments can unveil the mysteries of the star at the centre of our Solar System.
The solar wind is the never-ending rain of electrically charged particles given out by the Sun. It pervades the Solar System and its effects can be felt on Earth. Yet despite decades of study, its origin remained poorly understood. Until now.
The solar wind comes in two main forms: fast and slow. We have known for decades that the fast solar wind comes from the direction of dark patches in the Sun’s atmosphere called coronal holes – regions where the Sun’s magnetic field does not turn back down into the Sun but rather stretches deep into the Solar System.
Charged particles can flow along these ‘open’ magnetic field lines, heading away from the Sun, and creating the solar wind. But a big question remained: how do these particles get launched from the Sun in the first place?
Building upon their previous discovery, the research team (led by Lakshmi Pradeep Chitta at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Germany) used Solar Orbiter’s onboard ‘cameras’ to spot more tiny jets within coronal holes close to the Sun’s equator.
By combining these high-resolution images with direct measurements of solar wind particles and the Sun’s magnetic field around Solar Orbiter, the researchers could directly connect the solar wind measured at the spacecraft back to those exact same jets.
What’s more, the team was surprised to find not just fast solar wind coming from these jets, but also slow solar wind. This is the first time that we can say for sure that at least some of the slow solar wind also comes from tiny jets in coronal holes – until now, the origin of the solar wind had been elusive.
The fact that the same underlying process drives both fast and slow solar wind comes as a surprise. The discovery is only possible thanks to Solar Orbiter’s unique combination of advanced imaging systems, as well as its instruments that can directly detect particles and magnetic fields.
The measurements were taken when Solar Orbiter made close approaches to the Sun in October 2022 and April 2023. These close approaches happen roughly twice a year; during the next ones, the researchers hope to collect more data to better understand how these tiny jets ‘launch’ the solar wind.
Solar Orbiter is a space mission of international collaboration between ESA and NASA, operated by ESA. This research used data from Solar Orbiter’s Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI), Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI), Solar Wind Plasma Analyser (SWA) and Magnetometer (MAG). Find out more about the instruments Solar Orbiter is using to reveal more about the Sun.
Read our news story from 2023 about how Solar Orbiter discovered tiny jets that could power the solar wind
Read more about how Solar Orbiter can trace the solar wind back to its source region on the Sun
View the full article
-
By NASA
3 Min Read How Does the Sun Behave? (Grades K-4)
This article is for students grades K-4.
The Sun is a star. It is the biggest object in our solar system. The Sun is about 93 million miles away from Earth and about 4.5 billion years old. The Sun affects Earth’s weather, seasons, climate, and more. Let’s learn about how the Sun behaves.
Why is the Sun warm and bright?
The Sun is a giant ball made of hydrogen and helium gases. Deep in the center of the Sun, hydrogen atoms are pressed together. This forms helium. When this happens, energy is released. That energy is the heat and light we feel and see all the way here on Earth.
Hydrogen atoms are pressed together to form helium. This releases energy in the form of heat and light. Does the Sun ever change?
Sometimes, the Sun is very active. It gives off a lot of energy. Other times, it is quieter. It gives off less energy. This pattern is called the solar cycle. One solar cycle lasts about 11 years.
Scientists call the time when the Sun is active “solar maximum.” During this time, we see darker, cooler spots on the Sun’s surface. These are called sunspots. When the Sun is less active, scientists call that “solar minimum.”
Scientists call the time when the Sun is active “solar maximum.” When the Sun is less active, scientists call that “solar minimum.” Does the Sun have a north pole?
Yes! Just like Earth, the Sun has north and south magnetic poles. But every 11 years, the Sun’s poles flip. North becomes south and south becomes north.
Every 11 years, the Sun’s poles flip. North becomes south and south becomes north. What is space weather?
Space weather includes things like solar wind, solar storms, and solar flares. When the Sun is active, these things can have an impact on Earth and in space.
Let’s learn more about space weather and how it affects our planet.
What is solar wind?
The solar wind is a constant wave of particles flowing out into space from the Sun’s surface. It travels deep into space. When the solar wind reaches Earth, its particles interact with Earth’s magnetic field. This causes colorful streams of moving light at Earth’s north and south poles. These are called auroras or the northern and southern lights.
When the solar wind from the Sun reaches Earth, its particles interact with Earth’s magnetic field. This causes colorful streams of moving light at Earth’s north and south poles. What are solar storms and solar flares?
The Sun’s magnetic fields are always moving. They twist and stretch. Sometimes they snap and reconnect. When this happens, it releases a burst of energy. This can cause a solar storm.
Solar storms can include solar flares. A solar flare is a blast of light and energy from the Sun’s surface. They usually erupt near sunspots. Solar flares happen more often during solar maximum and less often during solar minimum.
A solar flare is a blast of light and energy from the Sun’s surface. How does space weather affect Earth?
Earth is protected from most space weather. Our atmosphere and magnetic field act like a shield. But strong solar storms can still cause problems. Areas might lose electricity. Radios might not work. Satellites can be damaged. NASA keeps an eye on space weather. If strong storms are predicted, teams work to protect spacecraft and astronauts in space.
How are we learning more about the Sun?
A space probe is a robot that explores space. They often visit other planets, moons, or asteroids and comets that also orbit the Sun. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe launched to the Sun in 2018. The Parker Solar Probe is on a special mission. It flies very close to the Sun to collect information. This will help scientists learn new things about the Sun and how it affects life on Earth.
Visit these websites to read more about the Sun:
https://science.nasa.gov/sun/facts/ https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/menu/sun/ https://www.nasa.gov/stem-content/our-very-own-star-the-sun/ Read NASA Knows: How Does the Sun Behave? (Grades 5-8).
Explore More for Students Grades K-4
View the full article
-
-
Check out these Videos
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.