NASA has developed a new technology to protect the James Webb Space Telescope from contamination, using Molecular Adsorber Coating (MAC) panels. The MAC panels capture outgassed molecular contaminants in the vacuum chamber, preventing them from affecting sensitive instrument components.
Tropical Depression Kujira made landfall in northeastern Vietnam on June 24, as NASA's Aqua satellite captured visible images of the storm. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported the storm's weakened maximum sustained winds of 30 knots.
Astronomers have discovered a massive cloud of hydrogen, dubbed 'The Behemoth,' evaporating from a warm Neptune-sized planet orbiting a nearby star. The phenomenon may help explain the existence of Hot Super-Earths and provide insights into how planets lose their outer layers.
Tropical Storm Kujira made landfall on Hainan Island, China, with surface wind speeds near 65 knots, according to NASA's RapidScat data. The storm then moved into the Gulf of Tonkin, where it was centered near 20.1 North latitude and 107.8 East longitude, with maximum sustained winds near 35 knots.
A new NASA simulation reveals that dark matter particles colliding in a black hole can produce strong, potentially observable gamma-ray light. This detection could provide new insights into both black holes and the nature of dark matter.
The OSIRIS-REx team is preparing to deliver crucial instruments for the NASA mission to collect a sample from near-Earth asteroid Bennu. The spacecraft will map and analyze the asteroid's surface using five key instruments, including cameras, altimeters, thermometers, spectrometers, and an imaging spectrometer.
The MAVEN mission has discovered that Mars' atmosphere is losing gas to space due to solar wind and electric forces, creating a polar plume of escaping particles. The spacecraft also detected a long-lived layer of metal ions in the upper atmosphere, and witnessed aurora displays caused by solar activity.
A lightning strike sparked the Washington Fire near California Highways 4 and 89, fueled by strong erratic winds and severe drought conditions. The fire has grown to 8,000 acres since initial firefighting efforts began on June 19.
Tropical Storm Kujira experienced strong vertical wind shear, displacing convection from its center. The strongest storms had coldest cloud top temperatures, indicating potential for heavy rainfall.
A mid-level solar flare, peaking at M6.6, was emitted by the sun on June 22, 2015. This event may disturb the atmosphere and affect GPS and communications signals.
Two major wildfires are burning in California: the Lake Fire, which is 17,305 acres in size and has slowed its growth, and the smaller San Gorgonio Fire. The fires have forced the closure of hiking trails and caused air quality issues in surrounding areas.
The remnants of Tropical Depression Bill brought heavy rainfall to a large part of the US, from Texas to Washington D.C. before moving into the Atlantic Ocean. Rainfall totals varied by city, with some areas receiving over 4 inches of rain.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Tropical Depression Bill's remnants over the central United States on June 18. The storm is expected to bring significant rainfall and flash flooding to the eastern two-thirds of the US, including sections of Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Louisiana, and Texas.
A California lake fire has burned over 11,000 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest, with 150 structures threatened. The fire's proximity to hiking trails and high-pressure weather conditions are hindering containment efforts.
Former hurricane Carlos has dissipated, bringing an end to its eastern Pacific journey. The National Hurricane Center reported no areas of suspect development for the next couple of days.
Astronomers use Hubble Space Telescope to uncover the early formative years of quasars, finding that galaxy collisions and mergers drive their peak activity. The observations reveal the transitional phase in the merger-driven black hole scenario, providing new insights into the universe's brightest objects.
Tropical Depression Bill moved north-northeast through the southern U.S., affecting eastern Texas and Oklahoma. NASA satellites provided infrared, visible, and rainfall estimates for the storm's progression, while NWS forecasts heavy rain accumulations of 4-12 inches across several states.
The Aquarius instrument successfully completed its primary three-year mission in November 2014, achieving its science objectives and providing valuable data on ocean dynamics and climate models. The loss of onboard power regulation and spacecraft attitude stabilization led to the end of operations.
Tropical Storm Carlos remains a small, tightly wound storm with thunderstorms wrapped around its center, producing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides in Mexico. The storm is expected to rapidly weaken and dissipate over the coast of western Mexico.
Satellites are now used to monitor coral reef health, providing near-real time data and long-term forecasts of tropical conditions. This information helps identify early warning signs of coral decline and loss due to natural and human-caused pressures.
Tropical Storm Bill is expected to bring heavy rain accumulations of 4-8 inches over eastern Texas and eastern Oklahoma, with life-threatening flash floods possible. The storm will weaken over the next two days, becoming a post-tropical low pressure area by Thursday.
Hurricane Carlos has caused coastal complications for western Mexico residents as it weakened and re-strengthened to hurricane force. The storm's compact structure and strong thunderstorms tightly circling the center have extended hurricane-force winds up to 10 miles from the center.
Tropical Storm Bill is expected to bring heavy rain and flash flooding to parts of Texas, particularly eastern Texas and Louisiana. The storm's center was located near latitude 28.2 North, longitude 96.4 West at 10 a.m. CDT on June 16.
In June, nearly three-quarters of all fires in the North China Plain occur, fueled by wheat residue burning. The practice, though prohibited, remains common due to its cost-effectiveness in clearing fields and fertilizing soil.
A developing tropical low pressure area in the south-central Gulf of Mexico has a high chance of forming into a tropical depression. The National Hurricane Center warns residents along the northwestern Gulf Coast of potential tropical storm conditions and heavy rainfall.
Tropical Storm Carlos is closely monitored by NASA and the National Hurricane Center (NHC) due to its proximity to Mexico's west coast. The storm has sustained winds of up to 35 mph, with tropical-storm-force winds affecting the coastline.
Tropical cyclone Ashobaa made landfall in Oman on June 12, 2015, bringing tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rainfall. The NASA Terra satellite provided key imagery of the storm's progression, including false-colored infrared data and a visible image after it passed Masirah Island.
Tropical Storm Carlos is slowly developing in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, lingering off Mexico's southwestern coast. The storm is expected to move northwest over the next couple of days, bringing heavy rains and potentially life-threatening surf conditions to southern Mexico.
Tropical Cyclone Ashobaa is expected to make landfall in eastern Oman, bringing tropical-storm-force winds and heavy rainfall. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 40 knots (46 mph) on June 11.
The discovery of a stratosphere on WASP-33b offers insights into the planet's composition and formation. The presence of titanium oxide in the atmosphere indicates temperature inversion, similar to Earth's ozone layer.
NASA's RapidScat and Terra satellites observed Tropical Depression 3-E forming in the Eastern Pacific, with sustained winds near 15 meters per second (33.5 mph) and a powerful thunderstorm band spiraling into its center.
Wildfires in Canada are releasing massive amounts of smoke that are drifting south into the US Midwest, affecting air quality. Exposure to this smoke is particularly hazardous for those with respiratory issues, elderly, and children due to its composition of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and other chemicals.
Remnant moisture from hurricane Blanca will generate scattered thunderstorms over New Mexico, with enhanced chances for rain in the northwest plateau and northern mountains. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are expected in Albuquerque, with a high near 88.
NASA satellites tracked Tropical Cyclone Ashobaa's powerful storms, with rainfall rates exceeding 70.5 mm per hour and storm heights reaching up to 21 km. The cyclone is strengthening despite high wind shear, but is expected to weaken after landfall on June 12.
NGC 6503, a 30,000-light-year-long galaxy, is located at the edge of the 150-million-light-year-wide Local Void. The Hubble Space Telescope image showcases its vibrant colors and swirling spiral arms.
Tropical cyclone Ashobaa formed in the Arabian Sea, with NASA's GPM core satellite providing 3-D rainfall data. The storm is intensifying, with powerful thunderstorms near its center, and is expected to make landfall on June 12.
The start of India's monsoon season was marked by increased rainfall in southern India, with data from NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission indicating above-average precipitation. Heavy showers dropped over 120 millimeters of rain in the week preceding June 8, 2015.
The remnants of Hurricane Blanca are blanketing northern Baja California and mainland Mexico with disorganized storm clouds. NASA's GOES-West satellite captured an infrared image revealing the system's rapid disruption by high terrain, leading to dissipation later in the day.
A new model can measure the magnetic field configuration of a solar eruption significantly further ahead in time, potentially giving forecasters 24-hour advance warning to protect their systems. The model uses NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory data and has been tested on eight different CMEs with promising results.
In Alberta, six active fires larger than 2500 hectares have been detected, with the largest fire at 10,000 hectares near Wood Buffalo National Park. In Saskatchewan, 47 active wildfires are burning, including one out of control at 4,678 hectares near Buffalo Narrows.
DSCOVR will provide enhanced measurements of solar wind conditions to warn of potentially harmful solar activity, predicting geomagnetic storm magnitude on a regional basis. The satellite's unique vantage point at Lagrange point 1 allows for early warnings of large magnetic eruptions from the sun.
Tropical Cyclone 01A has intensified with sustained winds increasing around the entire storm. The storm is expected to reach hurricane-strength by June 10 and then weaken before entering the Gulf of Oman.
Tropical Storm Blanca weakened before making landfall in Baja California, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds decreasing to near 40 mph. The storm's eye had disappeared by June 7, and it was expected to degenerate into a remnant low by Tuesday.
The Suomi NPP satellite gathered infrared data on Hurricane Blanca, which was false-colored to show locations of the strongest thunderstorms. The image revealed two areas of coldest cloud top temperatures and strongest storms west-southwest and east-northeast of Blanca's circulation center.
Tropical Storm Andres is weakening due to strong west-southwesterly shear and cool waters, with the National Hurricane Center expecting it to become post-tropical by June 4. The storm's strongest winds were measured at 25 meters per second in a small area northwest of the center.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured images of Hurricane Blanca on June 3 and 4, showing a decrease in organization and cloud top temperatures as cold as -81.6F. The storm's bands of thunderstorms became fragmented, and its pinhole eye disappeared from the image.
Tropical Storm Andres has weakened significantly, transitioning from a hurricane to a tropical storm as it moves over cooler waters. Swells generated by the storm are affecting western coast of Mexico, causing life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
Hurricane Blanca rapidly strengthens with a pinhole eye, expected to become major hurricane and potentially impact southern Baja California and mainland Mexico. Swells generated by the storm will cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions along the coast of southwestern Mexico.
Two of Pluto's moons, Nix and Hydra, wobble unpredictably due to a constantly shifting gravitational field created by the double planet system of Pluto and Charon. This effect is strengthened by the non-spherical shape of the moons, which may be similar for the other two moons, Kerberos and Styx.
A team of international volunteers is mapping landslide locations in earthquake-affected Nepal to identify additional hazards. Using satellite data from various sources, they have mapped nearly 1,000 landslides, providing critical information for evacuation and relief efforts.