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By NASA
3 Min Read Lagniappe for April 2025
Explore the April 2025 issue, highlighting the NASA-sponsored FIRST Robotics competition, Space Flight Awareness honorees and more! Credits: NASA/Danny Nowlin Explore Lagniappe for April 2025 featuring:
NASA-Sponsored FIRST Robotics Welcomes Teams to Magnolia Regional NASA Leaders Visit Representatives Blood Moon in South Mississippi Gator Speaks
Gator SpeaksNASA/Stennis New beginnings feel a lot like the month of April. It is the heart of spring and the season that symbolizes growth and renewal.
April is the perfect time to break free from old routines and try something new.
If you have landed here in this website corner of our digital world, consider this your open invitation to continue ahead on the journey with NASA Stennis by following us on social media.
It is time to say goodbye to the Lagniappe publication as we know it, but do not worry. All of the great news about the center and its frontline activities still will be available, just in a new way – via our social media platforms! Gator wants you to feel more connected than ever as we continue to help power space dreams in south Mississippi. Moving forward, join NASA Stennis in our digital playground for even more of that extra-something special.
This playground is not limited to only fun, or making new friends, or learning new stuff.
Whether you are on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or X, there is a place, and space, for all of that and more.
As we close out the website edition of NASA Stennis Lagniappe, we turn the page and look forward to new possibilities ahead.
Let’s keep building one connection at a time because here at America’s largest rocket propulsion test site, it is more than just content.
It is where the NASA Stennis team will continue building on its proven expertise in all areas of work, and where you will have a front row seat to experience it unfold.
So, click the links below to become a NASA Stennis follower today. Then, invite your friends to become followers as well.
Facebook logo @NASAStennis @NASAStennis Instagram logo @NASAStennis > Back to Top
NASA Stennis Top News
NASA-Sponsored FIRST Robotics Welcomes Teams to Magnolia Regional
NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA serves as a lead sponsor, along with NASA Stennis employees and interns volunteering, for the third annual FIRST Robotics Magnolia Regional Competition on March 14. The event in Laurel, Mississippi, welcomed 37 teams from eight states (Alabama, California, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee) and one team from Mexico. The FIRST (For the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event joined NASA’s Robotics Alliance Project to combine the excitement of sport with the rigors of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in field games using industrial-sized robots.NASA/Danny Nowlin > Back to Top
Center Activities
NASA Leaders Visit Representatives
U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, center, greets NASA Stennis Deputy Director Christine Powell, right, and NASA Stennis Legislative Affairs Officer and Chief of Staff Troy Frisbie on March 4. Powell and Frisbie visited with Smith and other congressional members in conjunction with the recent NASA Artemis Suppliers Conference in Washington, D.C.NASA/Stennis U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi welcomes NASA Stennis Deputy Director Christine Powell and other guests on March 5. Powell visited Wicker in conjunction with the NASA Artemis Suppliers Conference in Washington, D.C.NASA/Stennis U.S. Rep. Mike Ezell of Mississippi, fourth from right, stands with acting NASA Kennedy Space Center Director Kelvin Manning, fifth from right; NASA Stennis Deputy Director Christine Powell, third from right; NASA Stennis Legislative Affairs Officer and Chief of Staff Troy Frisbie, far left; and several congressional staff members March 5. The NASA officials visited with Ezell and other congressional members in conjunction with the recent NASA Artemis Suppliers Conference in Washington, D.C.NASA/Stennis NASA Space Flight Awareness Program Recognizes Stennis Employees
NASA’s Stennis Space Center employees were recognized with Honoree Awards from NASA’s Space Flight Awareness Program during a March 10 ceremony in Orlando, Florida, for outstanding support of human spaceflight.
Read More about Space Flight Awareness Honorees Blood Moon in South Mississippi
Images show the total lunar eclipse, known as a Blood Moon, over south Mississippi during the early morning hours of March 14. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon.NASA/Rebecca Mataya Images show the total lunar eclipse, known as a Blood Moon, over south Mississippi during the early morning hours of March 14. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon.NASA/Rebecca Mataya Images show the total lunar eclipse, known as a Blood Moon, over south Mississippi during the early morning hours of March 14. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon.NASA/Rebecca Mataya Images show the total lunar eclipse, known as a Blood Moon, over south Mississippi during the early morning hours of March 14. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon.NASA/Rebecca Mataya Images show the total lunar eclipse, known as a Blood Moon, over south Mississippi during the early morning hours of March 14. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon.NASA/Rebecca Mataya Images show the total lunar eclipse, known as a Blood Moon, over south Mississippi during the early morning hours of March 14. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it appears red-orange. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon.NASA/Rebecca Mataya Learn More About the Blood Moon U.S. Senator’s Staff Visit NASA Stennis
NASA’s Stennis Space Center hosts staff members of U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi on March 21 for a site visit. Pictured (left to right) are Kelly McCarthy, NASA Stennis partnership development lead; Troy Frisbie, NASA Stennis legislative affairs officer and chief of staff; Jason Richard, NASA Stennis propulsion business manager; Joe Schuyler, director of the NASA Stennis Engineering and Test Directorate; Emily Yetter, Wicker’s military legislative assistant; Dan Hillenbrand, Wicker’s legislative director; Terry Miller, U.S. Navy Fellow assigned to Wicker’s office; NASA Stennis Associate Director Rodney McKellip; Duane Armstrong, manager of the NASA Stennis Strategic Business Development Office; Drew Parks, Navy Senate liaison officer to Wicker’s office. The members representing the Mississippi senator’s staff toured NASA Stennis, including the Thad Cochran Test Stand, where NASA Stennis is preparing for future Artemis testing.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Hosts Leadership Class
Approximately 50 members of the Leadership Hancock Class of 2025 visit NASA Stennis on March 26 for a full-day tour that included meeting NASA Stennis leaders and seeing center facilities, such as the Thad Cochran Test Stand pictured in the background. Leadership Hancock is an annual program by the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce designed to identify and cultivate future community leaders.NASA/Danny Nowlin NASA Stennis Interns Tour Site
NASA student interns stand in the flame deflector at the Fred Haise Test Stand on March 7 during a NASA Stennis site tour. Interns include (left to right): Addison Mitchell (Pathways intern for Engineering and Test Directorate); Andrew Evans (Office of STEM Engagement intern for Autonomous Systems Lab); Mikayla Chandler (Office of STEM Engagement intern for ASTRO CAMP Community Partners); and Kristen Zack (Office of STEM Engagement intern for Autonomous Systems Lab). NASA Office of STEM Engagement paid internships allow high school and college-level students to contribute to agency projects under the guidance of a NASA mentor. The Pathways program offers current students and recent graduates paid internships that can be direct pipelines to full-time employment at NASA upon graduation.NASA/Danny Nowlin Rocket Test Group Visits NASA Stennis
NASA Stennis partnered with Mississippi Enterprise for Technology to host more than 100 members of the 57th Rocket Test Group on March 18-19.
The group toured the south Mississippi NASA center on March 19, learning how NASA Stennis operates as NASA’s primary, and America’s largest, rocket propulsion test site to serve the nation and commercial sector with its unique capabilities and expertise.
Read More about Rocket Test Groups Visit > Back to Top
NASA in the News
NASA’s Artemis II Orion Service Module Buttoned Up for Launch – NASA
Welcome Home! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Back on Earth After Science Mission – NASA
NASA Science Continues After Firefly’s First Moon Mission Concludes – NASA
NASA Artemis II Core Stage Goes Horizontal Ahead of Final Integration – NASA
> Back to Top
Employee Profile: Rebecca Mataya
Rebecca Mataya is a budget analyst at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. “Whether you are an engineer, analyst, lawyer, technician, communicator or innovator, there is a place for you here at NASA,” she said. “Every skill contributes to the greater mission of pushing the boundaries of exploration, discovery, and progress. If you have a passion, determination, and willingness to learn, NASA is a place where you can grow and leave a lasting impact on the future of space.”NASA/Stennis A career path can unfold in unexpected ways. Ask NASA’s Rebecca Mataya. The journey to NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, was not planned but “meant to be,” she said.
Read More About Rebecca Mataya > Back to Top
Additional Resources
My Origin Story: NASA Engineers – Bradley Tyree Artemis II to the Moon: Launch to Splashdown (NASA Mission Animation)
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Article 4 weeks ago View the full article
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By European Space Agency
Image: This image shows Webb’s recent observation of the asteroid 2024 YR4 using both its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). Data from NIRCam shows reflected light, while the MIRI observations show thermal light.
On 8 March 2025, the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope turned its watchful eye toward asteroid 2024 YR4, which we now know poses no significant threat to Earth in 2032 and beyond.
This is the smallest object targeted by Webb to date, and one of the smallest objects to have its size directly measured.
Observations were taken to study the thermal properties of 2024 YR4, including how quickly it heats up and cools down and how hot it is at its current distance from the Sun. These measurements indicate that this asteroid does not share properties observed in larger asteroids. This is likely a combination of its fast spin and lack of fine-grained sand on its surface. Further research is needed, however this is considered consistent with a surface dominated by rocks that are roughly fist-sized or larger.
Asteroid 2024 YR4 was recently under close watch by the team at ESA's Near Earth Objects Coordination Centre, located in Italy. Planetary defence experts from the Agency's Space Safety programme worked with NASA and the international asteroid community to closely watch this object and refine its orbit, which was eventually determined to not pose a risk of Earth impact. Read details on this unusual campaign via ESA's Rocket Science blog and in news articles here and here.
Webb’s observations indicate that the asteroid measures roughly 60 meters (comparable to the height of a 15-story building).
The new observations from Webb not only provide unique information about 2024 YR4’s size, but can also complement ground-based observations of the object's position to help improve our understanding of the object’s orbit and future trajectory.
Note: This post highlights data from Webb science in progress, which has not yet been through the peer-review process.
[Image description: A collage of three images showing the black expanse of space. Two-thirds of the collage is taken up by the black background sprinkled with small, blurry galaxies in orange, blue, and white. There are two images in a column at the right side of the collage. On the right side of the main image, not far from the top, a very faint dot is outlined with a white square. At the right, there are two zoomed in views of this area. The top box is labeled NIRCam and shows a fuzzy dot at the center of the inset. The bottom box is labeled MIRI and shows a fuzzy pinkish dot.]
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By NASA
2 min read
Citizen Scientists Use NASA Open Science Data to Research Life in Space
2023 Workshop of Analysis Working Group members, Washington, D.C., November 14, 2023. Now, you are invited to join their quest to understand how life can thrive in deep space! Want to learn more first? Join our live virtual event April 17 at 3pm Eastern Time to hear an overview of the OSDR AWG’s operations. Photo: NASA OSDR Team How can life thrive in deep space? The Open Science Data Repository Analysis Working Groups invite volunteers from all backgrounds to help answer this question. Request to join these citizen science groups to help investigate how life adapts to space environments, exploring topics like radiation effects, microgravity’s impact on human and plant health, and how microbes change in orbit.
Currently, nine Analysis Working Groups (AWGs) hold monthly meetings to advance their specific focus areas. Participants collaborate using an online platform, the AWG “Forum-Space”, where they connect with peers and experts, join discussions, and contribute to over 20 active projects.
The AWGs work with data primarily from the NASA Open Science Data Repository (OSDR), a treasure trove of spaceflight data on physiology, molecular biology, bioimaging, and much more. For newcomers, there are tutorials and a comprehensive paper covering all aspects of the repository and the AWG community. You can explore 500+ studies, an omics multi-study visualization portal, the environmental data app, and RadLab, a portal for radiation telemetry data. (“Omics” refers to fields of biology that end in “omics,” like “genomics”.)
Each of the nine AWGs has a Lead who organizes their group and holds monthly virtual meetings. Once you join, make sure to connect with the Lead and get on the agenda so you can introduce yourself. Learn more about the AWGs here.
Have an idea for a new project? Propose a new project and help lead it! From data analysis and visualization to shaping data standards and conducting literature meta-analyses, there’s a place for everyone to contribute. Request to join, and together, we can address a great challenge for humanity: understanding and enabling life to thrive in deep space!
Want to learn more?
On April 17 at 3pm Eastern Time, the NASA Citizen Science Leaders Series is hosting an virtual event with Ryan Scott about these Analysis Working Groups and their work. Ryan is the Science Lead for the Ames Life Sciences Data Archive and the liaison between the Open Data Science Repository and the Analysis Working Groups. Click here to register for this event!
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Last Updated Apr 01, 2025 Related Terms
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By NASA
Skywatching Science Skywatching What’s Up: April 2025… Skywatching Home What’s Up What to See Tonight Meteor Showers Eclipses Moon Guide More Tips & Guides Skywatching FAQ Night Sky Network April (Meteor) Showers and See a City of Stars!
Enjoy observing planets in the morning and evening sky, look for Lyrid meteors, and hunt for the “faint fuzzy” wonder that is the distant and ancient city of stars known as globular cluster M3.
Skywatching Highlights
All Month – Planet Visibility:
Mercury: Visible for a few days in the second half of April, extremely low in the east before sunrise. Venus: Rising low in the east in the hour before dawn. Mars: Bright and easy to view after dark all month. Setting a couple of hours after midnight. Jupiter: Bright and easy to spot in the west after dark, setting a couple of hours after sunset. Saturn: Visible low in the east below Venus, before dawn in the last two weeks of April. Daily Highlights:
April 1 & 30 – Jupiter & Crescent Moon: Find the charming pair in the west as the sky darkens, setting about 3 hours after sunset.
April 4 & 5 – Mars & Moon: The Moon, around its first quarter phase, appears near Mars in the sky for two nights.
April 24-25 – Grouping of the Moon & Three Planets: Find Venus, Saturn, and the crescent moon gathered low in the east as dawn warms the morning sky. Mercury is also visible below them for those with a clear view to the horizon.
All month – Venus: Earth’s hothouse twin planet has made the shift from an evening object to a morning sight. You’ll notice it rising low in the east before dawn, looking a little higher each morning through the month.
All month – Mars: Looking bright and reddish in color, Mars is visible high overhead after dark all month. At the start of the month it lies along a line with bright stars Procyon and Pollux, but you’ll notice it moves noticeably over the course of April (~12 degrees or the width of your outstretched fist at arm’s length).
Transcript
What’s Up for April? Planets at dusk and dawn, April showers, and observing a distant city of stars.
Sky chart showing Jupiter and the crescent Moon on April 1. A similar scene repeats on April 30, but with the Moon appearing above Jupiter. NASA/JPL-Caltech First up, in the evening sky, we begin and end the month with Jupiter and the crescent Moon shining brightly together in the western sky as sunset fades. On both April 1st and 30th, you can find the charming pair about half an hour after sunset, setting about 3 hours later.
Mars is high overhead in the south on April evenings. At the start of the month, it’s directly in between bright stars Procyon and Pollux, but it moves noticeably during the month. You’ll find the first-quarter moon right next to Mars on April 4th and 5th.
Moving to the morning sky, Venus has now made the switch from an evening object to a morning one. You may start to notice it rising low in the east before dawn, looking a little higher each morning through the month.
Sky chart showing the eastern sky 45 minutes before sunrise on April 24, with Venus, Saturn and the crescent Moon forming a grouping low in the sky. Mercury might also be visible for those with a completely clear view to the horizon. NASA/JPL-Caltech Around April 24th and 25th, you’ll find Venus, Saturn, and the crescent moon gathered low in the east as dawn warms up the morning sky. Those with a clear view to the horizon might also pick out Mercury looking bright, but very low in the sky.
April brings shooting stars as Earth passes through one the streams of comet dust that create our annual meteor showers. The Lyrids are a modest meteor shower that peaks overnight on April 21st and into the morning of the 22nd. You can expect up to 15 meteors per hour near the peak under dark skies.
The Lyrids are best observed from the Northern Hemisphere, but can be seen from south of the equator as well. View them after about 10:30pm local time until dawn, with the best viewing around 5 a.m. The waning crescent moon will rise around 3:30am, but at only 27% full, it shouldn’t interfere too much with your meteor watching. For the best experience, face roughly toward the east, lie down in a safe, dark place away from bright lights, and look straight overhead. Meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, and some Lyrids can leave bright trails that last for a few seconds after they’ve passed.
NASA studies meteors from the ground, in the air, and from orbit to forecast meteor activity and protect spacecraft, and to understand the composition of comets and asteroids throughout our solar system.
Sky chart facing east around 9pm in April 2025 showing the location of globular cluster M3. The chart depicts the cluster’s position relative to the Big Dipper and bright stars Arcturus and Cor Caroli. The Big Dipper star Megrez serves as an indicator for the brightness of Cor Caroli. For easy visibility, M3 is depicted brighter and larger than its actual appearance. NASA/JPL-Caltech April offers a chance to observe a truly distant wonder – a globular cluster known as “M3.” It’s a vast collection of stars that lies 34,000 light-years from Earth in our galaxy’s outer reaches. Astronomer Charles Messier discovered this object in 1764, while searching for new comets. Realizing it wasn’t one, he added it to his list of interesting objects that were not comets, which today we know as Messier’s catalog.
Through binoculars, Messier 3, or M3, appears as a small, fuzzy, star-like patch of light. With a small telescope, you’ll see a more defined glow with a slightly grainy texture. And with telescopes 8 inches or larger, the cluster begins to resolve into hundreds of individual stars.
Now, globular clusters contain some of the oldest stars in the universe, often over 10 billion years old. Unlike open clusters like the Pleiades, which sit within the Milky Way’s spiral arms, globular clusters are found in the galaxy’s halo, orbiting far above and below the Milky Way’s disk. Our galaxy has around 150 confirmed globular clusters. M3 itself is probably 11 to 13 billion years old and contains around half a million stars. And it’s relatively easy to spot in April under dark skies with binoculars or a small telescope.
Finding M3 starts with the Big Dipper. Facing east, use the Dipper’s handle to “arc to Arcturus,” the fourth-brightest star in the night sky. From there, look higher in the sky to find the star Cor Caroli located here to the west of the Dipper’s handle. It’s about as bright as this star in the Dipper’s cup. M3 is located roughly a third of the way from Arcturus to Cor Caroli. With binoculars or a finder scope, sweep within this area until you spot a faint, round glow.
M3 is an excellent target for beginners and seasoned observers alike. Whether using binoculars or a telescope, you’ll be rewarded with a view of one of the oldest objects in our galaxy.
The phases of the Moon for April 2025. NASA/JPL-Caltech Above are the phases of the Moon for April.
Stay up to date on all of NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at NASA Science. I’m Preston Dyches from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month.
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