Citizen scientists on DiskDetective.org have classified 1 million potential debris disks and YSOs, helping astronomers identify promising targets for future studies. The project has already identified 478 objects of interest, with many more to be investigated using ground-based telescopes.
Astronomers witness billowing clouds of gas towering above and below the plane of our galaxy, driven by a titanic eruption in the galactic core. The Hubble Space Telescope measures velocity and composition of the mystery lobes, revealing unique information about the expanding gas.
The Adelaide Hills bushfire in Australia destroyed or damaged 26 homes as of January 5, 2015. Firefighters are concerned about worsening conditions due to forecasted temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius.
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured the sharpest large composite image of the Andromeda galaxy, revealing over 100 million stars in a 61,000-light-year-long stretch. This panoramic view provides unprecedented insights into the galaxy's structure and evolution.
The new images show the pillars as eerie, wispy silhouettes against a background of stars, with newborn stars hidden within. The infrared view reveals dense knots of dust and gas at the pillar's ends, underscoring the dynamic and violent nature of star-forming regions.
Tropical Cyclone Kate experienced rapid weakening after passing over NASA's Aqua satellite on December 31. The storm lost significant cloud cover in the northern and eastern quadrants due to northeasterly wind shear.
Tropical Depression Jangmi encountered strong southeasterly vertical wind shear, causing its north, northeast, and eastern quadrants to become almost cloud-free. The satellite image revealed the effects of this wind shear, showing weakening thunderstorms northwest of the center.
Tropical storm Jangmi has weakened to a tropical depression as it moves into the Sulu Sea, affecting central and northern Philippines. The storm is expected to continue moving toward Palawan before re-strengthening into a tropical storm in the South China Sea.
The TRMM satellite measured the heaviest rainfall rate of about 1.2 inches per hour north of Tropical Cyclone Kate's eye, with weaker rates around its center. The storm strengthened since Dec. 29 and developed an eye, moving southwest through the Southern Indian Ocean.
Tropical Cyclone Kate peaked in strength on Dec. 28 with maximum sustained winds near 70 knots, but weakened to 65 knots by Dec. 29 as it moved away from Cocos Island. The satellite imagery showed bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center of the storm.
Tropical Storm Jangmi is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rainfall to the Philippines as it moves westward through the Sulu Sea. NASA's Aqua satellite detected the storm on December 29, revealing a tightly wrapped low-level circulation centered near 10.0 north latitude and 124.2 east longitude.
Tropical Cyclone Kate formed over the Indian Ocean on Dec. 24, with NASA-NOAA's Suomi NPP satellite capturing its visible image. The storm is expected to bring strong winds and rough seas to the Cocos Keeling Islands on Dec. 25 and 26.
NASA's RapidScat instrument captured high winds in the Gulf of Mexico while Mississippi experienced tornadoes late on Dec. 23. An animation of NOAA's GOES-East satellite data showed the movement of severe weather systems from Canada to South America.
Two new mobile apps, SatCam and WxSat, utilize satellite data to capture observations and provide real-time weather information. SatCam enables users to submit cloud product quality assessments and receive satellite images, while WxSat displays and animates full-resolution satellite data for global weather forecasting.
A significant solar flare, peaking at X1.8-class, occurred on Dec 19, 2014, as observed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The event may disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel, potentially affecting Earth.
The 2014-2015 Antarctic Scientific Balloon Campaign launched NASA's ANITA-III payload to detect ultra-high energy cosmogenic neutrino fluxes. The campaign also includes the launch of COSI, a gamma-ray telescope to study astrophysical sources of nuclear line emission.
A mid-level flare with a magnitude of M6.9-class occurred on December 18, 2014, emitting powerful bursts of radiation. The Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the event, which may affect Earth's atmosphere and GPS/communications signals.
Scientists have explained the origin of theta auroras, a type of high-latitude aurora that was unclear until now. The mysterious phenomenon is linked to hot plasma in the magnetosphere, caused by magnetic reconnection and funneled into near-Earth space from the sun.
A recent experiment releasing water down the Colorado River resulted in a 40% increase in vegetation, reversing a 13-year decline. The study used Landsat 8 satellite data to track plant responses to the pulse of water.
Holiday lights in major US cities increase by 20-50% during Christmas and New Year's, while in some Middle Eastern cities they shine up to 100% brighter during Ramadan. Satellite data from NASA's Suomi NPP satellite reveals patterns of urban energy use and cultural variation.
A mid-level solar flare occurred on Dec. 16, 2014, as observed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, emitting powerful bursts of radiation. The flare's intensity was classified as M8.7-class, causing disturbance in the atmosphere layer where GPS and communications signals travel.
Scientists have observed a significant increase in solar radiation absorbed in the Arctic since 2000, driven by the decline of sea ice. This trend is linked to climate change, with the region experiencing more dramatic warming than anywhere else on Earth.
The remnants of Tropical Cyclone Bakung persist in the Southern Indian Ocean, with NOAA-NASA's Suomi NPP satellite monitoring its possible re-development. Fragmented thunderstorms were detected southeast and northwest of the storm's center, indicating unstable conditions.
Scientists have made the first definitive detection of organic molecules at Mars using NASA's Curiosity rover. The discovery suggests that ancient Martian environments may have provided a supply of reduced organic molecules for use as building blocks for life and an energy source.
Scientists using NASA data have produced a comprehensive study of the Greenland Ice Sheet's hidden plumbing and melt water flow. The research suggests that current ice sheet modeling is too simplistic to accurately predict future ice loss, and may underestimate contributions to sea level rise.
Scientists analyzed 2,279 TGFs detected by Fermi's GBM to identify the types of thunderstorms involved and their atmospheric conditions. They found that any thunderstorm can produce gamma rays, even weak ones, and that storm intensity is not a key factor in TGF production.
NASA captured a visible image of Tropical Cyclone Bakung's elongated remnants on Dec. 5, showing low-level circulation and poorly defined storm system. The remnants were weakening due to unfavorable conditions with strong vertical wind shear, making redeveloping unlikely.
The MAVEN mission has made groundbreaking discoveries about the loss of Mars' atmosphere to space over time. The spacecraft has detected a stream of solar-wind particles that penetrate deep into the planet's upper atmosphere and ionosphere, revealing a new process by which atmospheric loss occurs.
Tropical Cyclone Bakung is moving west-southwest over the Southern Indian Ocean, with maximum sustained winds near 40 knots (46 mph). NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of the storm on December 12, showing deeper convection around its low-level center.
A powerful storm system, known as the Pineapple Express, brought intense precipitation to the western US, causing flash flooding, landslides, and damage. The satellite imagery captured by NOAA's GOES-West satellite showed a stream of clouds associated with the moisture from Hawaii, leading to violent rain storms in California.
Tropical Cyclone Bakung is moving west-southwest over the Southern Indian Ocean, with maximum sustained winds near 40 knots (46 mph). The cyclone is expected to slowly intensify over the next couple of days, nearing hurricane-force by Dec. 16.
Hagupit has weakened to a depression in the South China Sea before making landfall in southern Vietnam. The storm's maximum sustained winds dropped to 30 knots on Dec. 11, with forecasters predicting quick dissipation after landfall.
A 13-year decline in vegetation in the eastern and southeastern Amazon has been linked to a decade-long rainfall decline in the region. The study used new satellite instruments to measure greenness and found a 0.8% decline in the Amazon, affecting over half the continental United States' area.
Typhoon Hagupit brought heavy rainfall to the Philippines, with NASA's Terra satellite capturing a picture of the storm. Rainfall totals reached over 450 mm in eastern Philippines and over 477 mm in the open waters of the Philippine Sea.
The NASA Operation IceBridge mission has completed its 2014 Antarctic campaign, building on previous studies to understand changes in ice conditions over time. Researchers collected data on sea ice, glaciers, and sub-ice water depth to inform projections of future Antarctic Ice Sheet changes.
Heavy rainfall amounts of over 450 mm were found in eastern Philippines near where Typhoon Hagupit came ashore. The typhoon's slow movement resulted in frequent flooding along its track.
The FOXSI mission will observe high-energy X-rays from the Sun, helping scientists understand solar flares and the sun's atmosphere. By detecting these faint events, researchers aim to confirm the existence of nanoflares, which are thought to occur constantly but are difficult to detect.
Typhoon Hagupit weakened to a tropical storm after passing through the eastern Philippines, with its cloud extent covering northern and central provinces. The storm is expected to reach southern Vietnam by Dec. 11 as a depression.
Super Typhoon Hagupit is forecast to make landfall in the eastern Philippines bringing heavy rainfall, damaging winds and storm surge. The storm's sustained winds were estimated at over 145 knots (166.8 mph) with heaviest rainfall just southwest of a well-defined eye.
A mid-level solar flare, peaking at M6.1-class, was emitted by the sun on Dec. 4, 2014, potentially disturbing Earth's atmosphere. The Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the event, which is classified as a less intense flare compared to X-class flares.
NASA's Terra satellite and GPM/TRMM satellites provide valuable data on Super Typhoon Hagupit's rainfall patterns and cloud height. Forecasters expect the storm to reach peak intensity and weaken, while warnings are issued for the Philippines due to typhoon-force winds.
Typhoon Hagupit continues to intensify as it moves through Micronesia, triggering warnings for strong winds and rough seas. The storm's maximum sustained winds have increased to 115.1 mph, with forecasters predicting it will peak at Category four on the Saffir-Simpson scale.
A new time-lapse animation of data from NOAA's GOES-West satellite reveals the movement of a record-setting storm system that brought heavy rainfall to Southern California. The storm, fueled by warm moisture from the Pacific Ocean, merged with a low-pressure system, resulting in torrential rains and setting new records for some areas.
Tropical Storm Hagupit has become a Category One typhoon with maximum sustained winds near 70 knots, posing threats to islands in Micronesia. The storm is expected to continue moving west-northwest through the region and intensify before weakening on December 6.
Tropical Storm Sinlaku made landfall in Vietnam, bringing heavy rainfall. NASA's TRMM and GPM satellites analyzed rainfall rates before landfall, while Terra satellite spotted the storm as it came ashore.
Tropical Storm Hagupit rapidly developed from a low-pressure area due to warm waters and favorable atmospheric conditions. The storm strengthened into a tropical storm on Dec. 1, with strong thunderstorms and fragmented bands spiraling into its center.
The Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) instrument on the International Space Station measures aerosols and cloud layers, providing data to improve air quality forecasts and track hazardous events like wildfires. This information will also feed into climate models to better understand Earth's energy balance.
The HS3 mission investigated the processes underlying hurricane formation and intensity change in the Atlantic Ocean basin. The study focused on four tropical cyclones: Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, and Gonzalo. Data collected by NASA's Global Hawk aircraft revealed strong winds and dry air shifts near Hurricane Cristobal's center.
A new tropical storm, Tropical Cyclone 02S, has formed in the Southern Indian Ocean and is closing in on Mauritius and Reunion Islands. The cyclone is expected to bring gusty winds, showers, and rough seas to the region over the next couple of days.
Tropical Depression 21W strengthens into Tropical Storm Sinlaku in the South China Sea, with NASA's Aqua satellite capturing an elongated image. Forecasters predict maximum sustained winds of up to 60 knots (69.0 mph/111.1 kph) before weakening.