Comet ISON brings holiday fireworks
Comet ISON is approaching Earth, expected to be visible to the naked eye in November. The comet's icy nucleus and bright star-like coma create a tail of gas and dust streaming behind it.
NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center
High nitrogen dioxide levels from Arizona's Yarnell Hill Fire
The NASA Aura satellite detected high nitrogen dioxide levels from the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona, indicating a large amount of combustible material was burned. The fire has consumed over 8,000 acres and forced evacuations in nearby towns.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Rumbia hit China with heavy rainfall
Tropical Storm Rumbia brought heavy rainfall to southern China with rainfall rates over 92mm/hour, impacting areas near the Gulf of Tonkin. NASA's TRMM satellite data showed intense thunderstorms streaming heavy rainfall into China from the South China Sea.
NASA sees tropical storm dalila weaken, new low pressure area form
Tropical Storm Dalila has weakened near the southwestern Mexico coast, while a new tropical low pressure area called System 97E has formed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The storm's maximum sustained winds dropped to 65 mph on July 2, and it is now moving away from the coast into open waters.
Coronal mass ejection headed toward Mercury and Venus
A coronal mass ejection was detected heading towards Mercury and Venus on July 1, 2013. The CME is expected to pass by NASA's Messenger, Spitzer, and STEREO-B satellites with only slight particle radiation associated with it.
Fires in Manitoba, Canada
A total of 27 fires are currently burning in northeast Manitoba, with areas at risk due to dry conditions. The wildfires have burned approximately 126,000 hectares and pose a significant threat to local communities.
Satellite shows tropical storm dalila hugging Mexico's southwestern coast
Tropical Storm Dalila is closely tracking the southwestern coast of Mexico, prompting a tropical storm warning and watch. The National Hurricane Center expects Dalila to intensify over the next couple of days, with minimum central pressure dropping from 1003 millibars.
NASA sees heavy rainfall as Typhoon Rumbia heads for landfall in China
Typhoon Rumbia is bringing heavy rainfall, tropical-storm force winds, and flash flooding to southeastern China. The storm's western quadrant is interacting with Hainan Island, weakening the storm ahead of its expected landfall near Zhanjiang.
GPM spreads its wings in solar array deployment test
The GPM Core satellite completed two pre-vibration solar array deployment tests, simulating the satellite's deployment in space. The successful tests showcased the satellite's support system and air cushion design, which reduce friction and mimic how the solar array would float in space.
Silver Fire, New Mexico
The Silver Fire, burning in southern New Mexico's Gila National Forest, has consumed over 133,625 acres as of July 1. The fire, caused by a lightning strike on June 7, is partially contained at 50 percent.
Astronaut view of Colorado fires
The West Fork Complex fire in southwestern Colorado reached heights of up to 13.5 kilometers, while smoke plumes were detected in European airspace. The fire was part of a larger complex involving three separate fires, burning over 75,000 acres before being fully contained.
East Peak fire burn scar, Colorado
A false-color image from NASA's Landsat 8 satellite captured the extent of the East Peak fire burn scar in southern Colorado. The fire burned nearly 13,500 acres before being extinguished on June 25, 2013.
NASA satellites see Eastern Pacific's hurricane Cosme weaken
Hurricane Cosme weakened after being tracked by NASA satellites, causing strong winds on Clarion Island, Mexico. The storm was expected to continue weakening and drop to tropical depression status on June 27.
OSIRIS-REx team member selected by White House as a Citizen Science Champion of Change
Dolores H. Hill, a NASA scientist, has been selected by the White House as a Citizen Science Champion of Change for her work on the Target Asteroids project. The project aims to engage amateur astronomers in tracking near-Earth objects and improve our understanding of asteroids.
NASA satellite sees Jaroso fire, New Mexico
The NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center satellite captured an image of the massive Jaroso fire burning in northern New Mexico. The fire, ignited by lightning on June 10, 2013, had burned through nearly 4,500 acres of conifer forests by June 24.
NASA sounding rocket daytime dynamo launch postponed
Two sounding rockets will launch 15 seconds apart in support of the Daytime Dynamo experiment, studying a global electrical current called the dynamo. The mission aims to understand how winds and charged particles affect the currents.
NASA sees West Fork complex fires, Colorado
The NASA Aqua satellite's MODIS instrument captured an image of the West Fork fire complex in June 2013. The fires were burning in rugged terrain with large beetle-killed spruce forests, prompting evacuations in nearby South Fork.
5 years of stereo imaging for NASA's TWINS
The TWINS mission has provided three-dimensional images and global characterization of the magnetosphere, tracking how it responds to space weather storms. The stereo imaging has revealed details on ion movement and escape patterns, helping scientists understand the ring current's behavior.
Messier 61 looks straight into Hubble's camera
Messier 61 is a massive spiral galaxy with a diameter of 100,000 light-years, located 55 million light-years from Earth. The galaxy features six supernovae, making it one of the top galaxies for supernova observations.
Sun emits a solstice CME
A June 20, 2013, solar eruption sent billions of tons of particles into space, potentially affecting electronic systems on satellites and the ground. The event, known as a geomagnetic storm, can cause aurora and degrade communication signals.
Wilfire smoke over Alaska
Wildfires in western Alaska produce massive smoke clouds, with MODIS detecting unusually warm surface temperatures. The Alaska Interagency Coordination Center reports record-setting fire potential across boreal spruce forests and tundra landscapes.
NASA rocket launch successful; next launch June 24 from Wallops
NASA successfully launched a Terrier-Improved Orion sounding rocket on June 20, carrying experiments built by university students and instructors. The next launch on June 24 will feature two rockets supporting the Daytime Dynamo experiment, which studies global electrical currents in the ionosphere.
Goddard helps set 2 Guinness World Records
Landsat 5, operated by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, set the record for the longest-operating Earth observation satellite with 28 years of service. The center also hosted the largest astronomy lesson event, breaking a Guinness World Record with over 500 participants in Austin, Texas.
Sounding rocket to observe currents in atmosphere
Scientists are launching a sounding rocket to study the dynamo, a global electrical current sweeping through the ionosphere. The mission will provide insights into the movement of charged particles and neutral winds, crucial for understanding the dynamo's impact on radio signals and potential presence on other planets.
Smoke engulfs Singapore
In June 2013, NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites captured images of smoke billowing from Sumatran wildfires. The resulting haze descended on Singapore, pushing air quality indices to hazardous levels. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned that the haze could last for several weeks.
Barry expected to dissipate rapidly after landfall
Tropical Storm Barry was captured by NASA's Aqua spacecraft on June 20, 2013, revealing maximum sustained winds of 40 knots and gusts up to 50 knots. Rainfall totals of 3-5 inches are expected in southern Mexico, posing life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.
Colliding galaxy pair takes flight
The colliding galaxy duo Arp 142 features a star-forming spiral galaxy NGC 2936 with a compressed gas core triggering new star formation. The elliptical companion NGC 2937 is warped by the encounter, but shows little effect from gravitational pull.
NASA satellite sees developing tropical depression near Philippines
A low-pressure area has formed near the Philippines and is expected to develop into Tropical Depression 4 in the coming days. The system, named System 91W, is currently located about 355 miles east-southeast of Manila and is moving northwards.
Pyrocumulus cloud billows from New Mexico fire
Pyrocumulus clouds formed above a New Mexico wildfire, demonstrating their unique characteristics in satellite images. The Silver fire's pyrocumulus cloud reached altitudes of 10-11 kilometers and temperatures up to -45°C.
Second Atlantic season tropical depression forms
A tropical depression formed in the western Caribbean Sea on June 17, with maximum sustained winds near 35 mph. The center of the depression will move inland over southern Belize before potentially emerging into the Bay of Campeche, where it could strengthen into Tropical Storm Barry.
Bushfires in north of Western Australia
Northern Australia is prone to bushfires during winter and spring due to dry conditions and strong winds. NASA's satellite images reveal active burning areas, highlighting the region's susceptibility to wildfires.
NASA finds Tropical Depression Yagi's strongest side, now waning
Tropical Depression Yagi has weakened due to cooler waters and an upper-level low pressure area, causing it to lose its circulation and become elongated. Its maximum sustained winds dropped to 30 knots on June 12, leading to forecasters predicting dissipation by June 13.
NASA satellite sees Tropical Storm Yagi just south of Japan
Tropical Storm Yagi was located just south of Japan's Big Island when captured by NASA satellite imagery. The storm is expected to weaken and dissipate over the next couple of days as it moves southeast.
Fourmile and Silver Fires in Arizona and New Mexico
The Fourmile fire in Arizona and Silver Fire in New Mexico are two major wildfires burning in the region. The fires, which were started by lightning strikes, have grown to over 5,000 acres in size and pose a high risk of growth due to extreme weather conditions.
NASA's TRMM Satellite sees Andrea's heavy rains in Cuba, US East Coast
NASA's TRMM satellite measured rainfall totals of 400-600 mm over Cuba and the southeast Gulf of Mexico, with widespread flooding reported in western Cuba. Along Andrea's track, rainfall amounts were lighter, ranging from 45-150 mm over parts of South Carolina, eastern Georgia, and coastal North Carolina.
Landsat satellite looks back at El Paso, forward to a new mission
The Landsat satellite has been collecting millions of images for over 40 years, providing a wealth of data on Earth's surface. With the launch of Landsat 8, scientists can now access images that are accurate and consistent with previous missions, allowing for more detailed analysis and research.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Yagi spinning in Western Pacific Ocean
Tropical Storm Yagi developed over the weekend of June 8 and 9 in the Western North Pacific. The storm's heaviest rain fell south of its center, with rates reaching up to 1.2 inches per hour.
NASA animation sees Post-Tropical Storm Andrea speed away
Post-Tropical cyclone Andrea sped away from the Maine coast, passing through Atlantic Canada before entering the Northern Atlantic. The storm brought tropical-strength winds and precipitation to areas like Portland, Maine, with 0.99 inch of rain recorded.
Amazon forest fire risk to increase in 2013
Researchers predict a higher severity of Amazon fires in 2013, with increased fire activity in states such as Mato Grosso and Pará. The forecast is based on historical fire data from NASA's Terra satellite and sea surface temperature data from NOAA, indicating a risk of widespread fire activity.
NASA sees Tropical Storm Andrea cover half the East Coast
Tropical Storm Andrea's extensive cloud cover blanketed half of the East Coast, with most rain occurring ahead of the storm's center. The storm is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 2-4 inches along the eastern seaboard into coastal Maine.
Climate conditions determine Amazon fire risk
Understory fires in Amazon rainforest cause significant damage, with climate conditions playing a crucial role in determining fire risk. The study reveals that these hidden fires burn at a much slower rate and can destroy up to 50% of the affected area's trees.
SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London (B )·DateJun 7, 2013
Fires in northern Saskatchewan
Seventy-seven wildfires have been reported in Saskatchewan, with the largest burning over 247 acres. The province's 'observation zone' policy allows fires to burn naturally, reducing suppression costs.
NASA satellite reveals Tropical Storm Andrea's towering thunderstorms
Tropical Storm Andrea featured towering thunderstorms with cloud top temperatures above -63F (-52C) and heaviest precipitation over the eastern Gulf of Mexico and southeastern Florida. TRMM satellite data revealed a large area of moderate to heavy rainfall in the storm's northeast quadrant, spreading over Florida.
NASA sees heavy rainfall in tropical storm Andrea
Heavy rainfall rates were detected in Tropical Storm Andrea by NASA's TRMM satellite, with rates reaching up to 5 inches per hour in the southern part of the storm. The storm intensified into a tropical storm on June 5, with maximum sustained winds near 40 mph.
NASA Chandra, Spitzer study suggests black holes abundant among the earliest stars
A study using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Spitzer Space Telescope data suggests that black holes are responsible for at least 20% of the cosmic infrared background. This finding indicates intense activity from black holes feeding on gas during the epoch of the first stars.
NASA builds sophisticated Earth-observing microwave radiometer
The new radiometer will globally map soil moisture levels, a crucial gauge for drought monitoring and prediction. It will also help scientists understand the water cycle and crack an unsolved climate mystery: the location of carbon dioxide stores.
Tres Lagunas and Thompson Ridge fires in New Mexico
Two devastating wildfires in New Mexico, Tres Lagunas and Thompson Ridge, continue to threaten residents around Santa Fe. The causes of the fires, downed power lines and human activity, have raised concerns about growth potential and containment efforts.
NASA satellite sees strong thunderstorms in developing gulf low
A NASA satellite captured infrared imagery revealing a large area of disorganized thunderstorms and strong gusty winds over the southeastern Gulf. The system has a high chance (60%) of becoming a subtropical or tropical cyclone within 2 days, posing a threat to southern Florida.
NASA's IceBridge mission contributes to new map of Antarctica
A new dataset called Bedmap2 offers a clearer picture of Antarctica, providing valuable information on ice thickness and bedrock depth. The improvement in resolution, coverage, and precision will lead to more accurate calculations of ice volume and sea level rise.
NASA's IRIS mission to launch in June
IRIS aims to unravel the interface region by providing high-resolution images and spectrograph data, revealing structures like giant jets that affect the solar wind and Earth's climate. The mission will utilize advanced computing to interpret the light flowing out of this region.