Hurricane Chris became the first storm of the Atlantic season to reach hurricane strength on June 21, 2012, with cloud top temperatures indicating strong thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. Forecasters expect it to weaken as it moves into stable air and cooler waters, eventually becoming a post-tropical cyclone.
A medium-chance tropical depression is possible in the south-central Gulf of Mexico, with NASA satellites providing key data on the area's low pressure. The system is expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding to parts of Cuba, western Cuba, and southern Florida over the next couple of days.
NASA satellite data shows Tropical Depression Talim's thunderstorms becoming disorganized as it interacts with Taiwan and a nearby frontal system. The depression is expected to dissipate later today due to these factors.
Tropical storm Talim brought almost 600 mm of rainfall to southern Taiwan, with intense rainfall rates reaching 50mm/hr in the Strait of Taiwan. The TRMM satellite captured powerful storms near Talim's center, indicating heights of up to 16km.
The High Park Fire in Colorado has expanded to 65,738 acres with over 1,900 people battling the blaze. The fire has generated significant smoke visible on NASA satellite imagery, affecting nearby areas like Wyoming and Nebraska.
Tropical Storm Guchol made landfall in Japan, bringing heavy rainfall to the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku. The TRMM satellite detected a large area of rainfall over 500 km from the typhoon's center, highlighting the storm's impact on the region.
Researchers estimate that ice may make up 22 percent of Shackleton crater's surface material using laser light from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. The team discovered the crater's floor is brighter than nearby craters, indicating possible ice presence.
Tropical Storm Chris formed on June 19, with NASA's Aqua satellite capturing an image just before it reached tropical storm strength. The storm exhibited a 'tail' shape due to a band of thunderstorms wrapping around its center, giving it a comma-like appearance.
Two NASA visualizations have been selected for the SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival: a lunar surface tour and an animation illustrating how the sun drives Earth's ocean currents. The festival highlights the best in computer graphics and technical research, with the chosen animations meeting strict guidelines.
New study finds that most massive black-hole growth in the early universe was fueled by small, long-term events rather than dramatic short-term major mergers. Quasars thrive in normal-looking spiral galaxies, triggered by black holes snacking on gas or small satellite galaxies.
Tropical Storm Talim formed in the South China Sea on June 18, with NASA's TRMM satellite capturing moderate to heavy rainfall data. The storm is currently moving northeastward at 11 knots and is expected to weaken as it passes through the Strait of Taiwan.
Tropical Storm Guchol weakened as it approached Japan, passing over the mainland on June 19, 2012. Radar and infrared imagery captured by NASA's TRMM and Aqua satellites showed a weakening typhoon with maximum sustained winds near 55 knots.
Tropical Storm Talim is experiencing its heaviest rainfall in the south and western quadrants, with some areas reaching Vietnam. The storm is expected to strengthen as it moves northeast towards Taiwan, with sea surface temperatures allowing it to continue its trajectory.
Landsat satellites offer high-resolution data for tracking forest change and storing carbon, supporting REDD+ efforts. The program's long-term continuity and free access to data have contributed to a decrease in deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
Typhoon Guchol's high winds and storm surges pose a significant threat to Kadena Air Base, with sustained winds of up to 120.8 mph and 52-foot-high seas. The storm is expected to track near Kyoto as it continues to weaken.
Hurricane Carlotta has intensified, with powerful high thunderstorms almost 10 miles high, and is expected to bring heavy rainfall and flooding to Mexico. The storm is forecast to make landfall in the Mexican states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.
Typhoon Guchol is intensifying and expected to bring rough surf, heavy rainfall, and typhoon conditions to Okinawa and western Japan over the weekend. The storm has spawned alerts in the Philippines and has a compact diameter of approximately 110 nautical miles.
Tropical Storm Carlotta has bitter cold cloud tops, indicating strong thunderstorms and high winds. The storm is expected to strengthen into a hurricane, bringing heavy rainfall, flooding, and mudslides to the Pacific coast of Mexico.
The James Webb Space Telescope has received its first mid-infrared instrument, the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), allowing scientists to study cold and distant objects in greater detail. MIRI's capabilities will help distinguish the oldest galaxies from more evolved objects, enabling researchers to understand the birthplaces of stars.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center detected a new solar active region, AR1504, which fired off two M-class flares and two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on June 13-14, 2012. The CMEs are traveling towards Earth at speeds of 375 and 800 miles per second.
Guchol, a compact system, intensified into a typhoon with cloud temperatures as low as -63 degrees Fahrenheit. The storm has maximum sustained winds near 70 knots and is expected to brush east central and northern Luzon, Philippines.
The chance alignment of galaxies NGC 3314A and NGC 3314B shows a unique view of their spiral arms and dust lanes. The motion of the galaxies indicates they are not on a collision course, with NGC 3314A's warped shape likely due to an encounter with another nearby galaxy.
System 94E has a greater chance of development, with a 60% chance of becoming a tropical depression in the next two days. NASA's TRMM satellite observed heavy rainfall and intense convective storms within its area, indicating potential for cyclone formation.
Tropical Storm Guchol is consolidating convection and thunderstorms over its low-level circulation center. The storm's slow development is hindered by dry air along its northern edge, resulting in a smaller size.
Researchers used NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and New Solar Telescope to observe ultrafine loops in the sun's corona. These narrow loops are connected to higher lying, wider loops and may help explain how temperatures rise throughout the corona.
Satellite data tracked aerosols from Siberian fires to reach America's shores in six days. Images revealed the densest area of smoke over Mongolia, transported across the Pacific Ocean and into Alaska.
Fermi detects the highest-energy gamma rays ever associated with a solar flare, surpassing visible light by two billion times. The discovery showcases Fermi's capabilities as a solar observatory, providing insights into solar outbursts and charged particles acceleration.
NASA TRMM satellite data shows Tropical Depression Kuena experiencing weaker rainfall rates between June 6 and 7. The storm's intense rainfall rates were found in convective storms that reached heights above 15km.
Engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center are integrating instruments on the first of four MMS spacecraft decks in a newly fabricated cleanroom. The mission aims to investigate magnetic reconnection, a fundamental process affecting space weather and modern technological systems.
A severe weather outbreak on June 1, 2012, generated 9 weak tornadoes across Maryland. NASA's Aqua satellite and NOAA's GOES-13 satellite provided critical information about the storm's movement and intensity, including cloud temperatures and heights.
Typhoon Mawar was observed to be producing a large area of rainfall southeast of Japan, with most heavy rainfall occurring north of the dissipating tropical cyclone's center. The storm's surface temperature and extent were also studied using NASA's Aqua satellite, revealing a lack of an eye wall and weakening circulation.
The photon sieve, a variant of Fresnel zone plate, focuses light through diffraction to create high-resolution images. The technology has been successfully demonstrated in ground tests and is set to be deployed on a Cubesat satellite, offering a game-changing solution for space-based imaging.
Researchers will observe the Arc of Venus, a glowing rim around Venus, to learn about its atmosphere and super-rotation. The phenomenon reveals temperature and density structures in Venus' middle atmosphere, shedding light on the planet's mysterious evolution.
The RHESSI satellite will utilize the June 5-6, 2012 Venus transit to improve its measurements of the sun's diameter. By analyzing the sharpness of the Venus disk as it crosses the sun, scientists can calibrate their instrument and refine their observations of the sun's horizon.
Typhoon Mawar brought heavy surf, heavy rainfall, and gusty winds to the Philippines, resulting in several missing and injured people. The storm intensified to typhoon strength before weakening and moving north-northeast, with forecasters predicting it will become an extra-tropical storm south of Japan by mid-week.
NASA's Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) mission will deploy two Global Hawk aircraft to study hurricane formation and intensity changes. The aircraft will sample the environment of storms and measure winds, precipitation, and other factors to improve hurricane prediction.
The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) will observe the June 2012 Venus transit to calibrate its instruments and learn more about Venus' atmosphere. The transit provides a unique opportunity to test the SDO's orientation accuracy and understand the point spread function of the telescope.
Tropical Storm Mawar is strengthening due to growing cloud top temperatures and higher thunderstorms. Forecasters expect it to reach typhoon strength before weakening, potentially affecting the Philippines and southern Japan with rainfall and rough surf.
The Milky Way is destined for a head-on collision with the Andromeda galaxy in 4 billion years. Computer simulations show that stars will be thrown into different orbits around the new galactic center, and our solar system may be tossed farther from the core.
Astronomers use XMM-Newton data to detect X-ray 'echoes' from a distant galaxy, revealing a new way to study supersized black holes and their accretion disks. The echoes, which lag behind AGN flares by up to 30 minutes, provide insights into the environment around these massive black holes.
A rare ground level enhancement (GLE) event was triggered by a May 17, 2012 M-class flare. Scientists are excited to analyze data from the PAMELA mission, which measured high-energy solar particles that caused the GLE.
Scientists have discovered that the moon's presence affects the solar wind, creating turbulence and changes in direction and density. Computer simulations explain this phenomenon by showing an electric field near the lunar surface generated by sunlight and solar wind flow.
BARREL aims to measure X-rays produced by charged particles entering Earth's atmosphere, helping scientists understand risks to spacecraft and humans in space. The 45 payloads will be launched on balloons around Antarctica as part of a NASA mission, combining with RBSP measurements for more accurate data.
Tropical Storm Beryl formed off the Carolina coast and was monitored by NASA satellites. The storm made landfall near Jacksonville, Florida, causing heavy rainfall and dangerous surf conditions in nearby areas.
Typhoon Sanvu transformed into an extra-tropical storm due to cooler sea surface temperatures and wind shear, weakening it significantly. The storm passed Chichi Jima island on May 27, with most rainfall pushed to the northeast of its center.
Typhoon Sanvu is affecting Iwo To and Chichi Jima with high winds, rough seas, and heavy rainfall. The storm is expected to weaken due to cooler ocean temperatures and wind shear by the end of the weekend.
Hurricane Bud is expected to make a quick landfall in western Mexico before turning back to sea, bringing heavy rainfall and severe flooding to the region. The storm's slow movement may result in life-threatening flash floods and mudslides as it moves over Mexico's rugged coastal terrain.
Scientists have directly measured the Yarkovsky effect on asteroid 1999 RQ36, a subtle force causing it to drift from its gravity-ruled orbit. The measurements show the asteroid has deviated by roughly 100 miles over 12 years, revealing its low density and making it an ideal target for the OSIRIS-REx mission.
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center are developing an infinitely smaller segmented mirror, called the Multiple Mirror Array (MMA), that will revolutionize space-based telescopes. The MMA promises to detect, image, and characterize planets beyond our solar system from a high-altitude balloon.
Bud has become the first hurricane of the eastern Pacific Hurricane Season, with NASA satellites providing key imagery and data. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds, and life-threatening surf conditions to southwestern Mexico.