Watch the stars and from them learn. To the Master's honor all must turn, Each in its track, without a sound, Forever tracing Newton's ground

— Albert Einstein

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A vast bubble around a dying star is too big to comprehend

A red supergiant star is surrounded by a sphere of dust and gas so large there is no known explanation for what produced it
Categories: Astronomy

Signs of alien life on exoplanet K2-18b have all but vanished

Earlier this year, astronomers reported possible evidence of life on another planet – but new observations from JWST suggest the apparent biosignature isn’t there after all
Categories: Astronomy

Rapidly spinning dead star's strange 'glitches' are oddly regular

Space.com - 9 hours 21 min ago
Ultimately, we do not understand where glitches come from or exactly what's going on inside pulsars.
Categories: Astronomy

Melissa John Champions Environmental Stewardship at White Sands 

NASA News - 9 hours 21 min ago

For Melissa John, protecting the environment is her way of contributing to space exploration while preserving the Earth we call home.  

As the sustainability program lead at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, John manages efforts to reduce waste, prevent pollution, and promote eco-conscious practices. Over the past 13 years, she has helped shape a workplace culture that values innovation and environmental responsibility. 

Official portrait of Melissa John. NASA/Brandon Teeples This is how I make a difference — by protecting the land, the community, and hopefully inspiring others to do the same.

Melissa John

Sustainability Program Lead

Through awareness campaigns and outreach events, John empowers employees to be mindful of their environmental impact. Whether she is fostering grassroots connections, leading hands-on events, or recognizing colleagues who prioritize climate-aware actions, John remains dedicated to making a lasting, positive impact on the planet. 

John credits her Diné heritage and cultural values for fueling her passion to protect and preserve Earth for future generations. 

John began her NASA career at White Sands as a document specialist, reviewing schedules and environmental reports. She later transitioned into technical editing and gradually got involved in green initiatives, volunteering her time before eventually stepping into her current leadership role. 

Now, she coordinates a sitewide working group dedicated to reducing the facility’s environmental impact and inspires others to think critically about everyday actions and their ripple effects. 

Melissa John in the propulsion test area near the main water tank at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico.NASA/Brandon Teeples

John did not always know how she would make her mark. 

“Growing up, I remember a teacher asking how we could make a difference in the world,” she said. “I never forgot that question.” 

During the years she spent working in accounting and in the mining industry, she kept returning to that question. It was not until she joined NASA that she found her answer: 

“This — this is how I make my difference in the world.” 

The work also helped John grow in ways she did not expect. 

“I was painfully shy as a kid and terrified of speaking in front of a crowd,” she said. “But when I took on this role, I knew I had to find my voice. I still have timid moments, but the pride I feel in this work helps me push through. I’ve been through a lot, but I’m still here learning, growing, and showing up for the team I now call family.” 

John credits her strong support system for that transformation. “I am in awe of the women I’ve worked with,” she said. “I hope I can inspire others as they have inspired me.” 

From left to right: Mary Canavan, Melissa John, Amanda Skarsgard, and Pam Egan at the annual Plant Fair Share at White Sands Test Facility.

Whether on Earth or beyond it, John believes that thoughtful action today leads to a brighter tomorrow. She is committed to leaving the world a better place for the next generation. Her legacy is simple: “Clean air, clean water, and clean land — that’s what I want to pass on.”  

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Categories: NASA

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APOD - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 12:00pm

Globular star cluster


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

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APOD - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 12:00pm

Meteors from the


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

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APOD - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 12:00pm


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

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APOD - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 12:00pm

Have you ever seen a fireball?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

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APOD - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 12:00pm

Can some supernovas explode twice?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

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APOD - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 12:00pm

Nebulas are perhaps as famous for being identified


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

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APOD - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 12:00pm

Have you ever watched a lightning storm in awe?


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' cast explains those wild and funky wigs in Season 3 (exclusive)

Space.com - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 11:00am
The cast of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" has to cover a wide range of dramatic genres, aided in part by the show's ample stockpile of wigs.
Categories: Astronomy

Go behind the gory scenes of Hulu's 'Alien: Earth' with gruesome aliens and crawling eyeballs (video)

Space.com - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 10:00am
A new behind-the-scenes featurette from Hulu's upcoming 'Alien: Earth' show why the series will be pure nightmare fuel.
Categories: Astronomy

Troubled balloon-tourism pioneer Space Perspective bought by Spanish company

Space.com - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 9:00am
The European company Eos X Space has acquired Space Perspective, one of its key rivals in the nascent field of stratospheric balloon tourism.
Categories: Astronomy

Hurricane forecasters are losing 3 key satellites ahead of peak storm season − a meteorologist explains why it matters

Space.com - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 8:00am
Satellite data allows meteorologists to keep track of the location, structure and intensity of severe weather, helping to keep people safe. Now they're losing access to these satellites.
Categories: Astronomy

See Mars shine close to the waxing crescent moon after sunset on July 28

Space.com - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 6:00am
Mars will be less than four degrees from the crescent moon around sunset on July 28.
Categories: Astronomy

SpaceX launch from California marks 2nd Starlink mission in 24 hours (video)

Space.com - Sun, 07/27/2025 - 12:46am
After an early morning launch from Florida, SpaceX sent another 24 Starlink satellites into orbit on a Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California early on Sunday, July 27, 2025.
Categories: Astronomy

New Findings Indicate that the Origin of Life Started in Space

Universe Today - Sat, 07/26/2025 - 10:44pm

In the young V883 Orionis system, ALMA observations have revealed signatures of complex organic compounds such as ethylene glycol and glycolonitrile – potential precursors to amino acids, DNA, and RNA. These findings indicate that the building blocks of life may not be limited to local conditions but could form widely throughout the Universe under suitable circumstances.

Categories: Astronomy

Mars' Seasonal Frost Could Briefly Host Liquid Water

Universe Today - Sat, 07/26/2025 - 10:44pm

What can brine (extra salty) water teach scientists about finding past, or even present, life on Mars? This is what a recent study published in Communications Earth & Environment hopes to address as a researcher from the University of Arkansas investigated the formation of brines using 50-year-old data. This study has the potential to help researchers better understand how past data can be used to gain greater insights on the formation and evolution of surface brines on the surface of Mars.

Categories: Astronomy

Seasonal Frosts Could Lead to Patches of Briny Water on Mars' Surface

Universe Today - Sat, 07/26/2025 - 10:44pm

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jul 22, 2025 Recent research led by Vincent Chevrier of the University of Arkansas offers new evidence that brines-salt-rich liquid water-could form on the Martian surface under specific seasonal conditions. Drawing on decades of research, Chevrier used atmospheric data from NASA's Viking 2 lander alongside advanced computer simulations to demonstrate that seasonal frost could briefly melt, creating small qu

Categories: Astronomy