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Helio Highlights: October 2025
- Home
- Framework for Heliophysics Education
- Resource Database
- About NASA HEAT
- More
5 min read
Helio Highlights: October 2025 5 Min Read Helio Highlights: October 2025 NASA Education Specialist Christine Milotte demonstrates heliophysics activities during a teacher professional development event hosted by the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT) at the Dallas Arboretum, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Credits:NASA/Keegan Barber The Sun and Our Lives
On a clear night, you might see thousands of stars in the sky. Most of these stars are dozens or hundreds of light years away from us. A light year is the distance a beam of light travels in a year: about 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers). This means that for those stars we see at night, it takes their light, which travels at about 186,000 miles per second (or about 300 thousand kilometers per second), dozens or hundreds of years to reach us.
But in the daytime, we only see one star: the Sun. It dominates the daytime sky because it is so close – about 93 million miles (or 150 million kilometers) away. That distance is also called one astronomical unit, and its another unit of measurement astronomers use to record distance in space. But even if 1 astronomical unit seems like a long way, it’s still about 270 thousand times closer than Alpha Centauri, the next nearest star system.
The Sun isn’t just close – it’s also gigantic! The Sun is large enough to fit more than a million Earths inside it, and has more mass than 330 thousand Earths put together. Its light also provides the energy which allows life as we know it to flourish. For these reasons, the Sun is a powerful presence in our lives. We all have a relationship with the Sun, so knowing about it, and about the benefits and hazards of its presence, is essential.
Teaching About the SunAutumn is when most students in the United States return for a new school year after summer vacation. This back-to-school time offers a wonderful opportunity to reach students fresh off of a few months of fun in the Sun and capture their imaginations with new information about how our native star works and how it impacts their lives.
To that end, NASA conducts efforts to educate and inform students and educators about the Sun, its features, and the ways it impacts our lives. NASA’s Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT) teaches people of all ages about the Sun, covering everything from how to safely view an eclipse to how to mitigate the effects of geomagnetic storms.
This “Our Dynamic Sun” banner is one of many educational outreach products offered by NASA HEAT. It uses imagery of the Sun at different wavelengths of light to demonstrate the features of our nearest star, and features information about how the Sun interacts with the rest of the Solar System. NASA HEAT.jpg?w=5438&h=3638&fit=clip&crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint){kind=link}
This often means tailoring lesson plans for educators. By connecting NASA scientists who study Heliophysics with education specialists who align the material to K-12 content standards, HEAT gets Heliophysics out of the lab and into the classroom. Making Sun science accessible lets learners of all ages and backgrounds get involved in and excited about the discovery, and instills a lifelong thirst for knowledge that builds the next generation of scientists.
Since 2007, NASA’s Living With a Star (LWS) program and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research’s Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS) have cooperated to offer the Heliophysics Summer School program for doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars. This program aims to foster heliophysics as an integrated science, teaching a new generation of researchers to engage in cross-disciplinary communication while they are still in the early days of their career.
One Way to Get InvolvedAs part of its efforts to increase awareness of the scientific and social importance of heliophysics, and to both inspire future scientists and spark breakthroughs in heliophysics as a discipline, the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (NASA HEAT) is working on a slate of educational materials designed to get students involved with real-world mission data.
My NASA Data, in collaboration with NASA HEAT, has released a new set of resources for educators centered around space weather. My NASA Data supports the use of authentic NASA data as part of classroom learning materials. These materials include lesson plans, mini-lessons (shorter activities for quick engagement), student-facing web-based interactives, and a longer “story map,” which deepens the investigation of the phenomenon over multiple class periods.
These resources are designed to engage learners with data and observations collected during both past and ongoing missions, including the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), and more.
One example of this is the educational material published to support outreach efforts focusing on the 2023 and 2024 American solar eclipses. These materials allowed learners to collect their own data on cloud and temperature observations during the eclipses with the GLOBE Observer Eclipse tool. This gave them the chance to participate in the scientific process by contributing meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment.
New Ways to EngageGroups like HEAT don’t just spark interest in science for the sake of inspiring the next generation of heliophysicists. Just like amateur astronomers can bring in a lot more data than their professional counterparts, citizen scientists can do a lot to support the same institutions that may have inspired them to take up the practice of citizen science. This can mean anything from helping to track sunspots to reporting on the effects of space weather events.
2023 Partial Solar Eclipse Viewing at Camino Real Marketplace with the View the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit. Events like this, which can take place during major events such as eclipses or during impromptu circumstances, offer an excellent opportunity for the public to get involved in and excited about heliophysics. Photo by Chuck McPartlin
These enthusiasts are also adept at sharing knowledge of heliophysics. Even just one person inspired to buy a telescope with the right solar filter (international standard ISO 12312-2), set it up in a park, and teach their neighbors about the Sun can do amazing work, and there are a lot more of them than there are professional scientists. That means these amateur heliophysicists can reach farther than even the best official outreach.
Whether they take place in the classroom, at conferences, or in online lectures, the efforts of science communicators are a vital part of the work done at NASA. Just as scientists make new discoveries, these writers, teachers, audio and video producers, and outreach specialists are passionate about making those discoveries accessible to the public.
All of this work helps to inspire the scientists of tomorrow, and to instill wonder in the citizen scientists of today. The Sun is a constant and magnificent presence in our lives, and it offers plenty of reasons to be inspired, both now and in the future.
Additional Resources Lesson Plans & Educator Guides Explore theSun Toolkit
The Explore the Sun Toolkit includes postcards, a banner, and slides ideal for informal educators and community events to bring the wonder of NASA Solar Science to your community.
Sun as a Star
Activities,
Grades 5-12
Educator guide consisting of eight roughly one-hour, hands-on activities adapted from a classroom environment for after-school audiences, and which will work for a variety of audiences.
Interactive Resources My NASA Data
My NASA Data, a NASA Langley Research Center Science Directorate project, supports the use of authentic NASA Earth data for educators and learners in grades 3-12.
NASA Space
Place Sun Page
Videos, games, activities and more for engaging younger students in a variety of space science topics, including resources on the Sun which range from hands-on activities to detailed lessons.
Student HelioViewer:
Solar Data Interactive
A user-friendly interactive where students can access NASA data collected by spacecraft about the Sun and its features, including solar flares, magnetic fields, sunspots, and CMEs.
Make a Solar
Viewer Activity
Create a simple solar viewer, or pinhole viewer, which works by projecting the image of the Sun through a small hole, to safely observe the Sun with just some paper and aluminum foil.
Webinars & Slide Decks HBY & Math #3:
The Sun Touches Everything
From agriculture to economics, the Sun touches all parts of our lives, especially with the sunlight that allows crops to grow. This webinar looks at sunlight through the year and how it changes.
The Solar Cycle As
Seen From Space
Roughly 2-minute video which uses views of the Sun taken by a variety of spacecraft to show how different features of the Sun vary between solar minimum and solar maximum.
Helio Highlights: October 2025
- Home
- Framework for Heliophysics Education
- Resource Database
- About NASA HEAT
- More
5 min read
Helio Highlights: October 2025 5 Min Read Helio Highlights: October 2025 NASA Education Specialist Christine Milotte demonstrates heliophysics activities during a teacher professional development event hosted by the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT) at the Dallas Arboretum, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Credits:NASA/Keegan Barber The Sun and Our Lives
On a clear night, you might see thousands of stars in the sky. Most of these stars are dozens or hundreds of light years away from us. A light year is the distance a beam of light travels in a year: about 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers). This means that for those stars we see at night, it takes their light, which travels at about 186,000 miles per second (or about 300 thousand kilometers per second), dozens or hundreds of years to reach us.
But in the daytime, we only see one star: the Sun. It dominates the daytime sky because it is so close – about 93 million miles (or 150 million kilometers) away. That distance is also called one astronomical unit, and its another unit of measurement astronomers use to record distance in space. But even if 1 astronomical unit seems like a long way, it’s still about 270 thousand times closer than Alpha Centauri, the next nearest star system.
The Sun isn’t just close – it’s also gigantic! The Sun is large enough to fit more than a million Earths inside it, and has more mass than 330 thousand Earths put together. Its light also provides the energy which allows life as we know it to flourish. For these reasons, the Sun is a powerful presence in our lives. We all have a relationship with the Sun, so knowing about it, and about the benefits and hazards of its presence, is essential.
Teaching About the SunAutumn is when most students in the United States return for a new school year after summer vacation. This back-to-school time offers a wonderful opportunity to reach students fresh off of a few months of fun in the Sun and capture their imaginations with new information about how our native star works and how it impacts their lives.
To that end, NASA conducts efforts to educate and inform students and educators about the Sun, its features, and the ways it impacts our lives. NASA’s Heliophysics Education Activation Team (HEAT) teaches people of all ages about the Sun, covering everything from how to safely view an eclipse to how to mitigate the effects of geomagnetic storms.
This “Our Dynamic Sun” banner is one of many educational outreach products offered by NASA HEAT. It uses imagery of the Sun at different wavelengths of light to demonstrate the features of our nearest star, and features information about how the Sun interacts with the rest of the Solar System. NASA HEATThis often means tailoring lesson plans for educators. By connecting NASA scientists who study Heliophysics with education specialists who align the material to K-12 content standards, HEAT gets Heliophysics out of the lab and into the classroom. Making Sun science accessible lets learners of all ages and backgrounds get involved in and excited about the discovery, and instills a lifelong thirst for knowledge that builds the next generation of scientists.
Since 2007, NASA’s Living With a Star (LWS) program and the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research’s Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS) have cooperated to offer the Heliophysics Summer School program for doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars. This program aims to foster heliophysics as an integrated science, teaching a new generation of researchers to engage in cross-disciplinary communication while they are still in the early days of their career.
One Way to Get InvolvedAs part of its efforts to increase awareness of the scientific and social importance of heliophysics, and to both inspire future scientists and spark breakthroughs in heliophysics as a discipline, the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team (NASA HEAT) is working on a slate of educational materials designed to get students involved with real-world mission data.
My NASA Data, in collaboration with NASA HEAT, has released a new set of resources for educators centered around space weather. My NASA Data supports the use of authentic NASA data as part of classroom learning materials. These materials include lesson plans, mini-lessons (shorter activities for quick engagement), student-facing web-based interactives, and a longer “story map,” which deepens the investigation of the phenomenon over multiple class periods.
These resources are designed to engage learners with data and observations collected during both past and ongoing missions, including the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), and more.
One example of this is the educational material published to support outreach efforts focusing on the 2023 and 2024 American solar eclipses. These materials allowed learners to collect their own data on cloud and temperature observations during the eclipses with the GLOBE Observer Eclipse tool. This gave them the chance to participate in the scientific process by contributing meaningfully to our understanding of the Earth system and global environment.
New Ways to EngageGroups like HEAT don’t just spark interest in science for the sake of inspiring the next generation of heliophysicists. Just like amateur astronomers can bring in a lot more data than their professional counterparts, citizen scientists can do a lot to support the same institutions that may have inspired them to take up the practice of citizen science. This can mean anything from helping to track sunspots to reporting on the effects of space weather events.
2023 Partial Solar Eclipse Viewing at Camino Real Marketplace with the View the Santa Barbara Astronomical Unit. Events like this, which can take place during major events such as eclipses or during impromptu circumstances, offer an excellent opportunity for the public to get involved in and excited about heliophysics. Photo by Chuck McPartlinThese enthusiasts are also adept at sharing knowledge of heliophysics. Even just one person inspired to buy a telescope with the right solar filter (international standard ISO 12312-2), set it up in a park, and teach their neighbors about the Sun can do amazing work, and there are a lot more of them than there are professional scientists. That means these amateur heliophysicists can reach farther than even the best official outreach.
Whether they take place in the classroom, at conferences, or in online lectures, the efforts of science communicators are a vital part of the work done at NASA. Just as scientists make new discoveries, these writers, teachers, audio and video producers, and outreach specialists are passionate about making those discoveries accessible to the public.
All of this work helps to inspire the scientists of tomorrow, and to instill wonder in the citizen scientists of today. The Sun is a constant and magnificent presence in our lives, and it offers plenty of reasons to be inspired, both now and in the future.
Additional Resources Lesson Plans & Educator Guides Explore theSun Toolkit
The Explore the Sun Toolkit includes postcards, a banner, and slides ideal for informal educators and community events to bring the wonder of NASA Solar Science to your community.
Sun as a Star
Activities,
Grades 5-12
Educator guide consisting of eight roughly one-hour, hands-on activities adapted from a classroom environment for after-school audiences, and which will work for a variety of audiences.
Interactive Resources My NASA Data
My NASA Data, a NASA Langley Research Center Science Directorate project, supports the use of authentic NASA Earth data for educators and learners in grades 3-12.
NASA Space
Place Sun Page
Videos, games, activities and more for engaging younger students in a variety of space science topics, including resources on the Sun which range from hands-on activities to detailed lessons.
Student HelioViewer:
Solar Data Interactive
A user-friendly interactive where students can access NASA data collected by spacecraft about the Sun and its features, including solar flares, magnetic fields, sunspots, and CMEs.
Make a Solar
Viewer Activity
Create a simple solar viewer, or pinhole viewer, which works by projecting the image of the Sun through a small hole, to safely observe the Sun with just some paper and aluminum foil.
Webinars & Slide Decks HBY & Math #3:
The Sun Touches Everything
From agriculture to economics, the Sun touches all parts of our lives, especially with the sunlight that allows crops to grow. This webinar looks at sunlight through the year and how it changes.
The Solar Cycle As
Seen From Space
Roughly 2-minute video which uses views of the Sun taken by a variety of spacecraft to show how different features of the Sun vary between solar minimum and solar maximum.
NASA signs US-Australia Agreement on Aeronautics, Space Cooperation
At the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) taking place in Sydney this week, representatives from the United States and Australia gathered to sign a framework agreement that strengthens collaboration in aeronautics and space exploration between the two nations.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy and Australian Space Agency Head Enrico Palermo signed the agreement Tuesday on behalf of their countries, respectively.
“Australia is an important and longtime space partner, from Apollo to Artemis, and this agreement depends on that partnership,” said Duffy. “International agreements like this one work to leverage our resources and increase our capacities and scientific returns for all, proving critical to NASA’s plans from low Earth orbit to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”
Australian Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Tim Ayres said the signing builds on more than half a century of collaboration between the two nations.
“Strengthening Australia’s partnership with the U.S. and NASA creates new opportunities for Australian ideas and technologies, improving Australia’s industrial capability, boosting productivity, and building economic resilience,” Ayres said.
Known as the “Framework Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Australia on Cooperation in Aeronautics and the Exploration and Use of Airspace and Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes,” it recognizes cooperation that’s mutually beneficial for the U.S. and Australia and establishes the legal framework under which the countries will work together.
Potential areas for cooperation include space exploration, space science, Earth science including geodesy, space medicine and life sciences, aeronautics research, and technology.
NASA has collaborated with Australia on civil space activities since 1960, when the two countries signed their first cooperative space agreement. The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex played a vital role in supporting NASA’s Apollo Program, most notably during the Apollo 13 mission. Today, the complex is one of three global stations in NASA’s Deep Space Network, supporting both robotic and human spaceflight missions.
One of the original signatories to the Artemis Accords, Australia joined the United States under President Donald Trump and six other nations in October 2020, in supporting a basic set of principles for the safe and responsible use of space. Global space leaders from many of the 56 signatory countries met at IAC in Sydney this week to further their implementation.
As part of an existing partnership with the Australian Space Agency, Australia is developing a semi-autonomous lunar rover, which will carry a NASA analysis instrument intended to demonstrate technology for scientific and exploration purposes. The rover is scheduled to launch by the end of this decade through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative.
NASA’s international partnerships reflect the agency’s commitment to peaceful, collaborative space exploration. Building on a legacy of cooperation, from the space shuttle to the International Space Station and now Artemis, international partnerships support NASA’s plans for lunar exploration under the Artemis campaign and future human exploration of Mars.
To learn more about NASA’s international partnerships, visit:
Share Details Last Updated Sep 30, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsNASA signs US-Australia Agreement on Aeronautics, Space Cooperation
At the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) taking place in Sydney this week, representatives from the United States and Australia gathered to sign a framework agreement that strengthens collaboration in aeronautics and space exploration between the two nations.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy and Australian Space Agency Head Enrico Palermo signed the agreement Tuesday on behalf of their countries, respectively.
“Australia is an important and longtime space partner, from Apollo to Artemis, and this agreement depends on that partnership,” said Duffy. “International agreements like this one work to leverage our resources and increase our capacities and scientific returns for all, proving critical to NASA’s plans from low Earth orbit to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”
Australian Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Tim Ayres said the signing builds on more than half a century of collaboration between the two nations.
“Strengthening Australia’s partnership with the U.S. and NASA creates new opportunities for Australian ideas and technologies, improving Australia’s industrial capability, boosting productivity, and building economic resilience,” Ayres said.
Known as the “Framework Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Australia on Cooperation in Aeronautics and the Exploration and Use of Airspace and Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes,” it recognizes cooperation that’s mutually beneficial for the U.S. and Australia and establishes the legal framework under which the countries will work together.
Potential areas for cooperation include space exploration, space science, Earth science including geodesy, space medicine and life sciences, aeronautics research, and technology.
NASA has collaborated with Australia on civil space activities since 1960, when the two countries signed their first cooperative space agreement. The Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex played a vital role in supporting NASA’s Apollo Program, most notably during the Apollo 13 mission. Today, the complex is one of three global stations in NASA’s Deep Space Network, supporting both robotic and human spaceflight missions.
One of the original signatories to the Artemis Accords, Australia joined the United States under President Donald Trump and six other nations in October 2020, in supporting a basic set of principles for the safe and responsible use of space. Global space leaders from many of the 56 signatory countries met at IAC in Sydney this week to further their implementation.
As part of an existing partnership with the Australian Space Agency, Australia is developing a semi-autonomous lunar rover, which will carry a NASA analysis instrument intended to demonstrate technology for scientific and exploration purposes. The rover is scheduled to launch by the end of this decade through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative.
NASA’s international partnerships reflect the agency’s commitment to peaceful, collaborative space exploration. Building on a legacy of cooperation, from the space shuttle to the International Space Station and now Artemis, international partnerships support NASA’s plans for lunar exploration under the Artemis campaign and future human exploration of Mars.
To learn more about NASA’s international partnerships, visit:
Share Details Last Updated Sep 30, 2025 LocationNASA Headquarters Related TermsHeadquarters and Center Chief Counsel Contacts
General Counsel
Iris LanDeputy General Counsel
Bryan R. Diederich (Acting)Chief of Legal Operations
Christine Pham (Acting)Associate General Counsel for Contracts and Procurement, Headquarters
Karen Reilley (Acting)Associate General Counsel for Contracts and Acquisition Integrity Law Practice Group, Headquarters
Karen Reilley (Acting)Associate General Counsel for General Law Practice Group, Headquarters
Katie SpearAssociate General Counsel for International and Space Law Practice Group, Headquarters
Rebecca BresnikAgency Counsel for Ethics, Headquarters
Adam GreenstoneAgency Counsel for the Acquisition Integrity Program, Headquarters
Adam Supple (Acting)Agency Counsel for Intellectual Property, Headquarters
Trenton Roche
Chief Counsel, Ames Research Center
Christine PhamChief Counsel, Armstrong Flight Research Center
Brett SwansonChief Counsel, Glenn Research Center
James Jackson (Acting)Chief Counsel, Goddard Space Flight Center
Dave BarrettChief Counsel, Johnson Space Center
Randall SurattChief Counsel, Kennedy Space Center
Alex VinsonChief Counsel, Langley Research Center
Andrea WarmbierChief Counsel, Marshall Space Flight Center
Pam BourqueChief Counsel, NASA Management Office at JPL
James MahoneyChief Counsel, NASA Shared Service Center
Ron BaldChief Counsel, NASA Stennis Space Center
Ron Bald
Headquarters and Center Chief Counsel Contacts
General Counsel
Iris LanDeputy General Counsel
Bryan R. Diederich (Acting)Chief of Legal Operations
Christine Pham (Acting)Associate General Counsel for Contracts and Procurement, Headquarters
Karen Reilley (Acting)Associate General Counsel for Contracts and Acquisition Integrity Law Practice Group, Headquarters
Karen Reilley (Acting)Associate General Counsel for General Law Practice Group, Headquarters
Katie SpearAssociate General Counsel for International and Space Law Practice Group, Headquarters
Rebecca BresnikAgency Counsel for Ethics, Headquarters
Adam GreenstoneAgency Counsel for the Acquisition Integrity Program, Headquarters
Adam Supple (Acting)Agency Counsel for Intellectual Property, Headquarters
Trenton Roche
Chief Counsel, Ames Research Center
Christine PhamChief Counsel, Armstrong Flight Research Center
Brett SwansonChief Counsel, Glenn Research Center
James Jackson (Acting)Chief Counsel, Goddard Space Flight Center
Dave BarrettChief Counsel, Johnson Space Center
Randall SurattChief Counsel, Kennedy Space Center
Alex VinsonChief Counsel, Langley Research Center
Andrea WarmbierChief Counsel, Marshall Space Flight Center
Pam BourqueChief Counsel, NASA Management Office at JPL
James MahoneyChief Counsel, NASA Shared Service Center
Ron BaldChief Counsel, NASA Stennis Space Center
Ron Bald
Widely Attended Gatherings (WAGs) Determinations
2025
Space Policy Institute 10.21.2025
MSBR Space Business Roundtable 10.15.2025
76th International Astronautical Congress_IAC 9-29-25
2025 Von Braun Memorial Dinner 10.29.25
Space Foundation Reception 9.16.25
Evening with the Stars 9.10.25
Greater Houston Partnership Reception 6.12.25
Space Foundation and German Embassy Reception 6.5.25
H2M Conference and Events 5.28-29.25
American Rocketry Challenge Reception 5.17.25
Rockets on the Hill Reception 5.16.25
Dayton Development Coalition Event 5.13.25
2025 Space Heroes and Legends Gala
Thunderbird School and Global Management Reception
40th Space Symposium Main Events
SPI/GWU/USRA Symposium.3.27.25
Goddard Memorial Dinner.3.21.25
2025 Satellite Exhibition Event.3.10.25 to 3.13.25
67th Laureate Awards Dinner.3.6.25
Bae Systems SPHEREx Launch.2.27.25
2025 Artemis Suppliers Conference
Creole-Queen NOLA Reception.1.13.25
2025 New Glenn Mission 1 Launch Event
2025 Firefly Blue Origin Launch Reception
2024
Aero Club Award Dinner.12.13.24
Space Foundation Event.12.13.24
Commercial Space Federation Joint Event.12.9.24
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation Event.11.21.24
Planet Labs PBC Reception.11.20.24
Blue Origin and KBR Dinner.10.30.24
36th Annual Dr. Wernher von Braun Memorial Dinner
2024 Keystone Space Conference
WIA Reception and Awards Dinner.10.10.24
2024 JPL Europa Clipper Launch Reception.10.8.24
AIA & Amazon Reception.8.26.24
Farnborough Air Show.7.20-21.24
Artemis II SLS Roll Out Reception.7.15.24
Astroscale Reception Tokyo.7.12.24
Brooke Owens Fellowship Dinner.7.11.24
Greater Cleveland Partnership.6.13-14.24
Coalition for Deep Space Exploration Return to the Moon.6.5.24
The 2024 Infinite Exhibit Grand Opening
AIA and German Embassy Reception.6.4.24
AIA and British Embassy Reception.5.22.24
Space Foundation Event.5.16.24
Foundation Fratelli Tutti Dinners.5.10-11.24
H2M Conference and Event.5.7-8.24
Crowell & Moring Reception.4.16.24
2024 Space Heroes and Legends Awards Dinner
SpaceX Symposium Reception.4.10.24
39th Space Symposium Supplemental
39th Space Symposium Main Events
Goddard Memorial Dinner.3.22.24
AIA and Amazon Reception.3.19.24
Embassy of Australia and Space Foundation.2.29.24
2024 Artemis Suppliers Conference
2024 Aerospace Days Legislative Reception
IDGA 17th Annual Event.1.23 – 24.24
Latino Biden-Harris Appointees Reception.1.11.24
2024 Axiom Space AX-3 Launch Reception
2023
2023 Astrobotic PM1 PreLaunch Reception
AERO Club Awards Dinner.12.15.23
SCL and GBM Foundation Reception.12.11.23
LASP and Ball Aerospace Reception.12.11.23
L Oreal USA for Women Event.11.16.23
KBR Welcome Reception.11.14.23
Museum of Natural History Board Events 11.2.23
2023 Von Braun Memorial Dinner
Planet Labs PBC Reception.10.26.23
WIA Reception and Award Dinner.10.12.23
National Space Club Banquet 2023
Space Foundation and Airbus.10.3.23
2023 VASBA HR AUVSI Gala and Symposium
AIA Congress Space Reception.9.7.23
Space Foundation Reception 7.19.23
Chamber of Commerce Reception.7.13.23
ECI Fellows Meeting.7.12 to 7.14.23
Embassy of Italy and Virgin Galactic.7.12.23
Brook Owens Fellowship Dinner 7.13.23
Comteck and Airbus Space Defense 07.11.23.
2023 Axiom Space AX-2 Launch Event WAG
AIAA Awards Gala Event 5.18.23
38th Space Symposium 4.16 to 4.20.23
Planet Labs PGC Reception.4.13.23
2023 TEMPO Pre-Launch Reception
Coalition for Deep Space Exploration SLS Orion EGS Gateway Suppliers 3.26.23
Orion SLS Conference 3.27 to 3.28.23
2023 Agency WAG Debus Award Banquet
VHMC And Boeing Reception 3.18.23
Ball Aerospace Kinship Reception 3.15.23
SpaceX Satellite Reception 3.13.23
Goddard Memorial Dinner 3.10.23
Space Foundation Event 2.16.23
BDB National Engineers Week 2023 Banquet
MSBR Lunch 2.28.23
STA Luncheon 2.7.23
WSBR Reception 2.1.23
SPI GWU SWF Reception 1.31.23
Artemis I Splashdown 01.17.23
MSBR Lunch 1.17.23
2022
GRC An Evening With the Stars 8.30.22
JPL 25 Years on Mars Reception 7.27.22
SPI GWU Dinner 7.6.22
Berlin Air Show 6.22-26.22
MSBR Lunch 6.21.22
KSC Gateway VIP Rception 6.14.22
MSBR Dinner Gala 6.10.22
NAA Robert J. Collier Awards Dinner 6.9.22
Advanced Space and Rocket Lab Capstone Event 6.8.22
AIA Challenger Center Reception 6.2.22
2022 H2M Summit 5.17-19.22
MSBR Lunch 5.17.22
FCW GovExec Awards Dinner 5.12.22
Meta Reception 5.4.22
JSC RNASA Luncheon and Dinner 4.29.22
Coalition for Deep Space Reception 4.28.22
SLS Orion EGS Suppliers Conference 4.28-29.22
SPI GWU Dinner 4.27.22
AIAA Awards Gala Dinner 4.27.22
MSBR Luncheon 4.19.2022
Arianespace Northrop Grumman JWST Reception 4.5.22
37th Space Symposium 4.4 to 7.22
Axiom Space Launch Event 3.30.22
Heinrich Boell Foundation Dinner 3.30.22
Aarianespace Reception 3.23.22
SIA Conference Events 3.21-23.22 Revised
Satellite Industry Association Reception 3.21.22
Goddard Memorial Dinner 3.18.22
GOES-T Post-Launch Reception 3.1.22
Goes-T L3 Harris Reception 3.1.22
Christopher Newport University Dinner 02.23.22
NG-17 CRS Launch Events VA 2.19.22
SPI GWU Dinner 02.04.2022
MSBR Dinner 01.18.2022
KSC CCTS Spaceport Summit 1.11-12.22
2021
JWST Launch 12.25.21
Aero Club Awards Reception 12.17.21
KSC NSC Celebrate Space 12.10.21
AGI Ansys Reception 12.10.21
KSC Ball Aerospace IXPE Launch Celebration Reception 12.7.21
WIA Awards Dinner 12.2.21
National Space Council Recognition Reception 12.1.21
SPI Dinner 11.16.21
AIAA ASCEND Event 11.15.21
AIAA Ascend 2021 Reception Dinner Las Vegs 11.14.21
KSC Astronaut Hall of Fame Event 11.13.21
KSC DNC Taste of Space Event 11.5.21
SPI Dinner 11.2.21
IAC Closing Gala 10.29.21
GRC Evening With The Stars 10.27.21
Goddard Memorial Awards Dinner 10.22.21
IAC 2021
Lucy Post Launch Dinner 10.16.21
KSC Lucy Launch Mission Events 10.12-13.21
United Airlines Reception 10.12.21
Blue Origin Launch 10.12.21
SPI Dinner on or about 9.28.21
Goddard Memorial Dinner 9.17.21 CANCELLED
SPI Dinner 9.7.21
RNASA Awards Dinner and Luncheon 9.3.21
GRC Evening With the Stars 8.31.21
FED100 Gala Awards Dinner 8.27.21
Addendum to 36th Space Symposium 8.22-26.21
36th Space Symposium 8.22-26.21
KSC ASF Innovators Gala 8.14.21
NG16 Launch Events 8.10.21
LaRC Virginia Space Reception 7.30.21
KSC 2021 Debus Award Dinner 7.30.21
Coalition for Deep Space 07.22.21
KSC Lockheed WAS Star Center Reception 7.15.21
2020
United Launch Alliance Satellite 2020 Reception 3.10.20
SpaceX Reception 3.9.20
U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2020 Aviation Summit 3.5.20
Maryland Space Business Roundtable Lunch 2.18.20
SLS Orion Suppliers Conference 2.12.20
Coalition for Deep Space Exploration Reception 2.11.20
Northrop Grumman NG-13 CRS Launch Events 2.9.20
VA UAS AeroSpace Legislative Reception 1.29.20
MSBR Lunch 1.21.20
Guidance Keough School of Global Affairs 1.16.20
Boeing Orbital Flight Test Launch Events 12.20.19
Virgin Space Reception 12.17.19
SEA Summit 12.17.19
Wright Memorial Dinner 12.13.19
Analytical Graphics AGI Reception 12.13.19
Ball Reception 12.10.19
MSBR Lunch 12.3.19
Plant Reception 11.20.19
JSC Spacecom Conference VIP Reception 11.20.19
JSC Spacecom Conference Reception 11.19.19
SAIC BSU STEM Roundtable 11.07.19
Apollo UK Productions Ltd 7.10.19
SpaceX Satellite Reception 5.6.19
SPI GWU Dinner 5.1.19
AIAA Reception 4.30.19
MSBR Lunch 1.21.20
MSBR Lunch 1.21.20
Widely Attended Gatherings (WAGs) Determinations
2025
Space Policy Institute 10.21.2025
MSBR Space Business Roundtable 10.15.2025
76th International Astronautical Congress_IAC 9-29-25
2025 Von Braun Memorial Dinner 10.29.25
Space Foundation Reception 9.16.25
Evening with the Stars 9.10.25
Greater Houston Partnership Reception 6.12.25
Space Foundation and German Embassy Reception 6.5.25
H2M Conference and Events 5.28-29.25
American Rocketry Challenge Reception 5.17.25
Rockets on the Hill Reception 5.16.25
Dayton Development Coalition Event 5.13.25
2025 Space Heroes and Legends Gala
Thunderbird School and Global Management Reception
40th Space Symposium Main Events
SPI/GWU/USRA Symposium.3.27.25
Goddard Memorial Dinner.3.21.25
2025 Satellite Exhibition Event.3.10.25 to 3.13.25
67th Laureate Awards Dinner.3.6.25
Bae Systems SPHEREx Launch.2.27.25
2025 Artemis Suppliers Conference
Creole-Queen NOLA Reception.1.13.25
2025 New Glenn Mission 1 Launch Event
2025 Firefly Blue Origin Launch Reception
2024
Aero Club Award Dinner.12.13.24
Space Foundation Event.12.13.24
Commercial Space Federation Joint Event.12.9.24
The Arthur C. Clarke Foundation Event.11.21.24
Planet Labs PBC Reception.11.20.24
Blue Origin and KBR Dinner.10.30.24
36th Annual Dr. Wernher von Braun Memorial Dinner
2024 Keystone Space Conference
WIA Reception and Awards Dinner.10.10.24
2024 JPL Europa Clipper Launch Reception.10.8.24
AIA & Amazon Reception.8.26.24
Farnborough Air Show.7.20-21.24
Artemis II SLS Roll Out Reception.7.15.24
Astroscale Reception Tokyo.7.12.24
Brooke Owens Fellowship Dinner.7.11.24
Greater Cleveland Partnership.6.13-14.24
Coalition for Deep Space Exploration Return to the Moon.6.5.24
The 2024 Infinite Exhibit Grand Opening
AIA and German Embassy Reception.6.4.24
AIA and British Embassy Reception.5.22.24
Space Foundation Event.5.16.24
Foundation Fratelli Tutti Dinners.5.10-11.24
H2M Conference and Event.5.7-8.24
Crowell & Moring Reception.4.16.24
2024 Space Heroes and Legends Awards Dinner
SpaceX Symposium Reception.4.10.24
39th Space Symposium Supplemental
39th Space Symposium Main Events
Goddard Memorial Dinner.3.22.24
AIA and Amazon Reception.3.19.24
Embassy of Australia and Space Foundation.2.29.24
2024 Artemis Suppliers Conference
2024 Aerospace Days Legislative Reception
IDGA 17th Annual Event.1.23 – 24.24
Latino Biden-Harris Appointees Reception.1.11.24
2024 Axiom Space AX-3 Launch Reception
2023
2023 Astrobotic PM1 PreLaunch Reception
AERO Club Awards Dinner.12.15.23
SCL and GBM Foundation Reception.12.11.23
LASP and Ball Aerospace Reception.12.11.23
L Oreal USA for Women Event.11.16.23
KBR Welcome Reception.11.14.23
Museum of Natural History Board Events 11.2.23
2023 Von Braun Memorial Dinner
Planet Labs PBC Reception.10.26.23
WIA Reception and Award Dinner.10.12.23
National Space Club Banquet 2023
Space Foundation and Airbus.10.3.23
2023 VASBA HR AUVSI Gala and Symposium
AIA Congress Space Reception.9.7.23
Space Foundation Reception 7.19.23
Chamber of Commerce Reception.7.13.23
ECI Fellows Meeting.7.12 to 7.14.23
Embassy of Italy and Virgin Galactic.7.12.23
Brook Owens Fellowship Dinner 7.13.23
Comteck and Airbus Space Defense 07.11.23.
2023 Axiom Space AX-2 Launch Event WAG
AIAA Awards Gala Event 5.18.23
38th Space Symposium 4.16 to 4.20.23
Planet Labs PGC Reception.4.13.23
2023 TEMPO Pre-Launch Reception
Coalition for Deep Space Exploration SLS Orion EGS Gateway Suppliers 3.26.23
Orion SLS Conference 3.27 to 3.28.23
2023 Agency WAG Debus Award Banquet
VHMC And Boeing Reception 3.18.23
Ball Aerospace Kinship Reception 3.15.23
SpaceX Satellite Reception 3.13.23
Goddard Memorial Dinner 3.10.23
Space Foundation Event 2.16.23
BDB National Engineers Week 2023 Banquet
MSBR Lunch 2.28.23
STA Luncheon 2.7.23
WSBR Reception 2.1.23
SPI GWU SWF Reception 1.31.23
Artemis I Splashdown 01.17.23
MSBR Lunch 1.17.23
2022
GRC An Evening With the Stars 8.30.22
JPL 25 Years on Mars Reception 7.27.22
SPI GWU Dinner 7.6.22
Berlin Air Show 6.22-26.22
MSBR Lunch 6.21.22
KSC Gateway VIP Rception 6.14.22
MSBR Dinner Gala 6.10.22
NAA Robert J. Collier Awards Dinner 6.9.22
Advanced Space and Rocket Lab Capstone Event 6.8.22
AIA Challenger Center Reception 6.2.22
2022 H2M Summit 5.17-19.22
MSBR Lunch 5.17.22
FCW GovExec Awards Dinner 5.12.22
Meta Reception 5.4.22
JSC RNASA Luncheon and Dinner 4.29.22
Coalition for Deep Space Reception 4.28.22
SLS Orion EGS Suppliers Conference 4.28-29.22
SPI GWU Dinner 4.27.22
AIAA Awards Gala Dinner 4.27.22
MSBR Luncheon 4.19.2022
Arianespace Northrop Grumman JWST Reception 4.5.22
37th Space Symposium 4.4 to 7.22
Axiom Space Launch Event 3.30.22
Heinrich Boell Foundation Dinner 3.30.22
Aarianespace Reception 3.23.22
SIA Conference Events 3.21-23.22 Revised
Satellite Industry Association Reception 3.21.22
Goddard Memorial Dinner 3.18.22
GOES-T Post-Launch Reception 3.1.22
Goes-T L3 Harris Reception 3.1.22
Christopher Newport University Dinner 02.23.22
NG-17 CRS Launch Events VA 2.19.22
SPI GWU Dinner 02.04.2022
MSBR Dinner 01.18.2022
KSC CCTS Spaceport Summit 1.11-12.22
2021
JWST Launch 12.25.21
Aero Club Awards Reception 12.17.21
KSC NSC Celebrate Space 12.10.21
AGI Ansys Reception 12.10.21
KSC Ball Aerospace IXPE Launch Celebration Reception 12.7.21
WIA Awards Dinner 12.2.21
National Space Council Recognition Reception 12.1.21
SPI Dinner 11.16.21
AIAA ASCEND Event 11.15.21
AIAA Ascend 2021 Reception Dinner Las Vegs 11.14.21
KSC Astronaut Hall of Fame Event 11.13.21
KSC DNC Taste of Space Event 11.5.21
SPI Dinner 11.2.21
IAC Closing Gala 10.29.21
GRC Evening With The Stars 10.27.21
Goddard Memorial Awards Dinner 10.22.21
IAC 2021
Lucy Post Launch Dinner 10.16.21
KSC Lucy Launch Mission Events 10.12-13.21
United Airlines Reception 10.12.21
Blue Origin Launch 10.12.21
SPI Dinner on or about 9.28.21
Goddard Memorial Dinner 9.17.21 CANCELLED
SPI Dinner 9.7.21
RNASA Awards Dinner and Luncheon 9.3.21
GRC Evening With the Stars 8.31.21
FED100 Gala Awards Dinner 8.27.21
Addendum to 36th Space Symposium 8.22-26.21
36th Space Symposium 8.22-26.21
KSC ASF Innovators Gala 8.14.21
NG16 Launch Events 8.10.21
LaRC Virginia Space Reception 7.30.21
KSC 2021 Debus Award Dinner 7.30.21
Coalition for Deep Space 07.22.21
KSC Lockheed WAS Star Center Reception 7.15.21
2020
United Launch Alliance Satellite 2020 Reception 3.10.20
SpaceX Reception 3.9.20
U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2020 Aviation Summit 3.5.20
Maryland Space Business Roundtable Lunch 2.18.20
SLS Orion Suppliers Conference 2.12.20
Coalition for Deep Space Exploration Reception 2.11.20
Northrop Grumman NG-13 CRS Launch Events 2.9.20
VA UAS AeroSpace Legislative Reception 1.29.20
MSBR Lunch 1.21.20
Guidance Keough School of Global Affairs 1.16.20
Boeing Orbital Flight Test Launch Events 12.20.19
Virgin Space Reception 12.17.19
SEA Summit 12.17.19
Wright Memorial Dinner 12.13.19
Analytical Graphics AGI Reception 12.13.19
Ball Reception 12.10.19
MSBR Lunch 12.3.19
Plant Reception 11.20.19
JSC Spacecom Conference VIP Reception 11.20.19
JSC Spacecom Conference Reception 11.19.19
SAIC BSU STEM Roundtable 11.07.19
Apollo UK Productions Ltd 7.10.19
SpaceX Satellite Reception 5.6.19
SPI GWU Dinner 5.1.19
AIAA Reception 4.30.19
MSBR Lunch 1.21.20
MSBR Lunch 1.21.20
Discovery Alert: ‘Baby’ Planet Photographed in a Ring around a Star for the First Time!
WISPIT 2b
The Discovery:Researchers have discovered a young protoplanet called WISPIT 2b embedded in a ring-shaped gap in a disk encircling a young star. While theorists have thought that planets likely exist in these gaps (and possibly even create them), this is the first time that it has actually been observed.
This image of the WISPIT 2 system was captured by the Magellan Telescope in Chile and the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona. The protoplanet WISPIT 2b is a small purple dot to the right of a bright white ring of dust surrounding the system’s star. A fainter white ring outside of WISPIT 2b can be seen. Laird Close, University of Arizona Key Takeaway:
Researchers have directly detected – essentially photographed – a new planet called WISPIT 2b, labeled a protoplanet because it is an astronomical object that is accumulating material and growing into a fully-realized planet. However, even in its “proto” state, WISPIT 2b is a gas giant about 5 times as massive as Jupiter. This massive protoplanet is just about 5 million years old, or almost 1,000 times younger than the Earth, and about 437 light-years from Earth.
Being a giant and still-growing baby planet, WISPIT 2b is interesting to study on its own, but its location in this protoplanetary disk gap is even more fascinating. Protoplanetary disks are made of gas and dust that surround young stars and function as the birthplace for new planets.
Within these disks, gaps or clearings in the dust and gas can form, appearing as empty rings. Scientists have long suggested that these growing planets are likely responsible for clearing the material in these gaps, pushing and scattering dusty disk material outwards and greeting the ring gaps in the first place. Our own solar system was once just a protoplanetary disk, and it’s possible that Jupiter and Saturn may have cleared ring gaps like this in that disk many, many years ago.
But despite continued observation of stars with these kinds of disks, there was never any direct evidence of a growing planet found in one of these ring gaps. That is, until now. As reported in this paper, WISPIT 2b was directly observed in one of the ring gaps around its star, WISPIT 2.
Another interesting aspect of this discovery is that WISPIT 2b appears to have formed where it was found, it didn’t form elsewhere and move into the gap somehow.
This artist’s concept depicts a close-up of the protoplanet WISPIT 2b accreting matter as it orbits around its star, WISPIT 2. NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC) Details:
The star WISPIT 2 was first observed using VLT-SPHERE (Very Large Telescope – Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch), a ground-based telescope in northern Chile operated by the European Southern Observatory. In these observations, the rings and gap around this star were first seen.
Following these observations of the system, researchers looked at WISPIT 2, and spotted the planet WISPIT 2b for the first time, using the University of Arizona’s MagAO-X extreme adaptive optics system, a high-contrast exoplanet imager at the Magellan 2 (Clay) Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.
This technology adds another unique layer to this discovery. The MagAO-X instrument captures direct images, so it didn’t just detect WISPIT 2b, it essentially captured a photograph of the protoplanet.
The team used this technology to study the WISPIT 2 system in what is called H-alpha, or Hydrogen-alpha, light. This is a type of visible light that is emitted when hydrogen gas falls from a protoplanetary disk onto young, growing planets. This could look like a ring of super heated plasma circling the planet. This plasma emits the H-alpha light that MagAO-X is specially designed to detect (even if it is a very faint signal compared to the bright star nearby).
When looking at the system in H-alpha light, the team spotted a clear dot in one of the dark ring gaps in the disk around WISPIT 2. This dot? The planet WISPIT 2b.
In addition to observing the protoplanet’s H-alpha emission using MagAO-X, the team also studied the protoplanet in other wavelengths of infrared light using the LMIRcam detector as part of the The Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer instrument on the University of Arizona’s Large Binocular Telescope.
Fun Facts:In addition to discovering WISPIT 2b, this team spotted a second dot in one of the other dark ring gaps even closer to the star WISPIT 2. This second dot has been identified as another candidate planet that will likely be investigated in future studies of the system.
The Discoverers:WISPIT-2b was discovered by a team led by University of Arizona astronomer Laird Close and Richelle van Capelleveen, an astronomy graduate student at Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands. This followed the recent discovery of the WISPIT 2 disk and ring system using the VLT, which was led by van Capelleveen.
This discovery was detailed in the paper “Wide Separation Planets in Time (WISPIT): Discovery of a Gap Hα Protoplanet WISPIT 2b with MagAO-X,” published August 26, 2025 in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. A second paper led by van Capelleveen and the University of Galway published on the same day in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
This research was partially supported by a grant from the NASA eXoplanet Research Program. MagAO-X was developed in part by a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation with support from the Heising-Simons Foundation.
Discovery Alert: ‘Baby’ Planet Photographed in a Ring around a Star for the First Time!
WISPIT 2b
The Discovery:Researchers have discovered a young protoplanet called WISPIT 2b embedded in a ring-shaped gap in a disk encircling a young star. While theorists have thought that planets likely exist in these gaps (and possibly even create them), this is the first time that it has actually been observed.
This image of the WISPIT 2 system was captured by the Magellan Telescope in Chile and the Large Binocular Telescope in Arizona. The protoplanet WISPIT 2b is a small purple dot to the right of a bright white ring of dust surrounding the system’s star. A fainter white ring outside of WISPIT 2b can be seen. Laird Close, University of Arizona Key Takeaway:Researchers have directly detected – essentially photographed – a new planet called WISPIT 2b, labeled a protoplanet because it is an astronomical object that is accumulating material and growing into a fully-realized planet. However, even in its “proto” state, WISPIT 2b is a gas giant about 5 times as massive as Jupiter. This massive protoplanet is just about 5 million years old, or almost 1,000 times younger than the Earth, and about 437 light-years from Earth.
Being a giant and still-growing baby planet, WISPIT 2b is interesting to study on its own, but its location in this protoplanetary disk gap is even more fascinating. Protoplanetary disks are made of gas and dust that surround young stars and function as the birthplace for new planets.
Within these disks, gaps or clearings in the dust and gas can form, appearing as empty rings. Scientists have long suggested that these growing planets are likely responsible for clearing the material in these gaps, pushing and scattering dusty disk material outwards and greeting the ring gaps in the first place. Our own solar system was once just a protoplanetary disk, and it’s possible that Jupiter and Saturn may have cleared ring gaps like this in that disk many, many years ago.
But despite continued observation of stars with these kinds of disks, there was never any direct evidence of a growing planet found in one of these ring gaps. That is, until now. As reported in this paper, WISPIT 2b was directly observed in one of the ring gaps around its star, WISPIT 2.
Another interesting aspect of this discovery is that WISPIT 2b appears to have formed where it was found, it didn’t form elsewhere and move into the gap somehow.
This artist’s concept depicts a close-up of the protoplanet WISPIT 2b accreting matter as it orbits around its star, WISPIT 2. NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (IPAC) Details:The star WISPIT 2 was first observed using VLT-SPHERE (Very Large Telescope – Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet REsearch), a ground-based telescope in northern Chile operated by the European Southern Observatory. In these observations, the rings and gap around this star were first seen.
Following these observations of the system, researchers looked at WISPIT 2, and spotted the planet WISPIT 2b for the first time, using the University of Arizona’s MagAO-X extreme adaptive optics system, a high-contrast exoplanet imager at the Magellan 2 (Clay) Telescope at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile.
This technology adds another unique layer to this discovery. The MagAO-X instrument captures direct images, so it didn’t just detect WISPIT 2b, it essentially captured a photograph of the protoplanet.
The team used this technology to study the WISPIT 2 system in what is called H-alpha, or Hydrogen-alpha, light. This is a type of visible light that is emitted when hydrogen gas falls from a protoplanetary disk onto young, growing planets. This could look like a ring of super heated plasma circling the planet. This plasma emits the H-alpha light that MagAO-X is specially designed to detect (even if it is a very faint signal compared to the bright star nearby).
When looking at the system in H-alpha light, the team spotted a clear dot in one of the dark ring gaps in the disk around WISPIT 2. This dot? The planet WISPIT 2b.
In addition to observing the protoplanet’s H-alpha emission using MagAO-X, the team also studied the protoplanet in other wavelengths of infrared light using the LMIRcam detector as part of the The Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer instrument on the University of Arizona’s Large Binocular Telescope.
Fun Facts:In addition to discovering WISPIT 2b, this team spotted a second dot in one of the other dark ring gaps even closer to the star WISPIT 2. This second dot has been identified as another candidate planet that will likely be investigated in future studies of the system.
The Discoverers:WISPIT-2b was discovered by a team led by University of Arizona astronomer Laird Close and Richelle van Capelleveen, an astronomy graduate student at Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands. This followed the recent discovery of the WISPIT 2 disk and ring system using the VLT, which was led by van Capelleveen.
This discovery was detailed in the paper “Wide Separation Planets in Time (WISPIT): Discovery of a Gap Hα Protoplanet WISPIT 2b with MagAO-X,” published August 26, 2025 in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. A second paper led by van Capelleveen and the University of Galway published on the same day in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
This research was partially supported by a grant from the NASA eXoplanet Research Program. MagAO-X was developed in part by a grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation with support from the Heising-Simons Foundation.
Music and Science Unite in the Work of Cosmologist Stephon Alexander
A fight against conventionality has driven cosmologist Stephon Alexander on a groundbreaking journey through theoretical physics.
The post Music and Science Unite in the Work of Cosmologist Stephon Alexander appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
Egg cells made with DNA from human skin fertilised in the lab
Egg cells made with DNA from human skin fertilised in the lab
'Funny' videos of stressed and frightened pets are no laughing matter
'Funny' videos of stressed and frightened pets are no laughing matter
Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io
During its close flyby of Jupiter’s moon Io on December 30, 2023, NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured some of the most detailed imagery ever of Io’s volcanic surface. In this image, taken by the JunoCam instrument from about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) above the moon, Io’s night side [left lobe] is illuminated by “Jupitershine,” which is sunlight reflected from the planet’s surface.
This image is the NASA Science Image of the Month for October 2025. Each month, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate chooses an image to feature, offering desktop wallpaper downloads, as well as links to related topics, activities, and games.
Text credit: NASA/JPL–Caltech/Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)/Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS)
Image credit: NASA/JPL–Caltech/Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)/Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS); Image processing: Emma Wälimäki © CC BY
Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io
During its close flyby of Jupiter’s moon Io on December 30, 2023, NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured some of the most detailed imagery ever of Io’s volcanic surface. In this image, taken by the JunoCam instrument from about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) above the moon, Io’s night side [left lobe] is illuminated by “Jupitershine,” which is sunlight reflected from the planet’s surface.
This image is the NASA Science Image of the Month for October 2025. Each month, NASA’s Science Mission Directorate chooses an image to feature, offering desktop wallpaper downloads, as well as links to related topics, activities, and games.
Text credit: NASA/JPL–Caltech/Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)/Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS)
Image credit: NASA/JPL–Caltech/Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)/Malin Space Science Systems (MSSS); Image processing: Emma Wälimäki © CC BY