Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not.
Both are equally terrifying.

— Arthur C. Clarke

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Australia is battling its largest diphtheria outbreak in living memory

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 8:00am
Vaccine misinformation, nurse and doctor shortages and crowded living arrangements may be behind soaring rates of diphtheria in remote Indigenous communities in Australia
Categories: Astronomy

Span wants to turn homes into mini data centers

Scientific American.com - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 8:00am

Smart-panel start-up Span wants to turn spare household electricity into AI computing power. How far it can scale and what effect that would have on the residential grid remain unsettled

Categories: Astronomy

Hubble Captures Galaxy Cluster

NASA News - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 7:37am
Explore Hubble

2 min read

Hubble Captures Galaxy Cluster NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured this scene of galaxy cluster MACS J1141.6-1905 in visible and infrared light. NASA, ESA, H. Ebeling (University of Hawaii); Image Processing: G. Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

Look closely at this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and you’ll see galaxies of various shapes and sizes clustered together toward the center-left of the image. A few foreground stars shine brightly and are easily distinguished by the spikes that appear to extend outward from each star. These spikes, called diffraction spikes, are the result of how point sources of light (such as stars) bend, or diffract, around the supports for Hubble’s secondary mirror.

Hubble captured this scene of MACS J1141.6-1905 in visible and infrared light. The image includes data from two Hubble observing programs that looked at massive galaxy clusters that shine very brightly in X-rays. Both programs were looking for distant galaxies gravitationally lensed by the cluster. They also wanted to better understand the physical nature of interactions at each cluster’s core. An extra bonus was the addition of Hubble’s visible and infrared observations of these very bright X-ray clusters to its archive.

Hubble’s archive of 1.7 million observations, and counting, is a valuable tool for current and future astronomers. They can mine Hubble’s 36 years of observations and examine the data with new tools, enabling researchers to make new discoveries.

MACS J1141.6-1905 is around four billion light-years away in the constellation Crater (the Cup).

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@NASAHubble

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Media Contact:

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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Details

Last Updated

May 22, 2026

Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Related Terms Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble

Hubble Space Telescope

Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.


Hubble Spectroscopy


Hubble’s Partners in Science


AI and Hubble Science

Categories: NASA

Hubble Captures Galaxy Cluster

NASA - Breaking News - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 7:37am
Explore Hubble

2 min read

Hubble Captures Galaxy Cluster NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured this scene of galaxy cluster MACS J1141.6-1905 in visible and infrared light. NASA, ESA, H. Ebeling (University of Hawaii); Image Processing: G. Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America)

Look closely at this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and you’ll see galaxies of various shapes and sizes clustered together toward the center-left of the image. A few foreground stars shine brightly and are easily distinguished by the spikes that appear to extend outward from each star. These spikes, called diffraction spikes, are the result of how point sources of light (such as stars) bend, or diffract, around the supports for Hubble’s secondary mirror.

Hubble captured this scene of MACS J1141.6-1905 in visible and infrared light. The image includes data from two Hubble observing programs that looked at massive galaxy clusters that shine very brightly in X-rays. Both programs were looking for distant galaxies gravitationally lensed by the cluster. They also wanted to better understand the physical nature of interactions at each cluster’s core. An extra bonus was the addition of Hubble’s visible and infrared observations of these very bright X-ray clusters to its archive.

Hubble’s archive of 1.7 million observations, and counting, is a valuable tool for current and future astronomers. They can mine Hubble’s 36 years of observations and examine the data with new tools, enabling researchers to make new discoveries.

MACS J1141.6-1905 is around four billion light-years away in the constellation Crater (the Cup).

Facebook logo @NASAHubble

@NASAHubble

Instagram logo @NASAHubble

Media Contact:

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

Share

Details

Last Updated

May 22, 2026

Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Related Terms Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble

Hubble Space Telescope

Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.


Hubble Spectroscopy


Hubble’s Partners in Science


AI and Hubble Science

Categories: NASA

What will happen if the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies collide?

Scientific American.com - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 6:45am

Our galaxy and its nearest large companion, Andromeda, may be headed for a collision on a cosmic scale. What happens then?

Categories: Astronomy

What is E15 fuel? Why higher-ethanol gasoline could raise summer smog levels

Scientific American.com - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 6:30am

In an effort to reduce prices at the pump, an EPA wavier allows the sale of fuel with 15 percent ethanol content

Categories: Astronomy

Bixonimania’—the fake illness that AI fell for

Scientific American.com - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 6:00am

How an experiment involving a made-up skin condition exposes the risks of increasingly popular AI medical advice

Categories: Astronomy

This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 22 – 31

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 5:11am

Venus and Jupiter — the Evening Star and the False Evening Star — draw closer together in the western twilight and point down to Mercury. The waxing Moon shows off its rich telescopic detail.

The post This Week's Sky at a Glance, May 22 – 31 appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

How ageing on Earth mimics the effects of space travel

New Scientist Space - Space Headlines - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 5:00am
Life on the International Space Station may feel distant, but columnist Graham Lawton finds that studying how astronauts experience accelerated ageing could help us fight similar effects on Earth related to sedentary lifestyles, disrupted circadian rhythms and social isolation
Categories: Astronomy

How ageing on Earth mimics the effects of space travel

New Scientist Space - Cosmology - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 5:00am
Life on the International Space Station may feel distant, but columnist Graham Lawton finds that studying how astronauts experience accelerated ageing could help us fight similar effects on Earth related to sedentary lifestyles, disrupted circadian rhythms and social isolation
Categories: Astronomy

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APOD - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 4:00am

Like salsa verde on your favorite burrito, a green


Categories: Astronomy, NASA

Earth from Space: Algerian arid landscape

ESO Top News - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 4:00am
Image: The sandy and rocky terrain of the Sahara desert in central Algeria is featured in these images captured by the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission.
Categories: Astronomy

Nereid Could be Neptune’s Only Original Moon

Sky & Telescope Magazine - Fri, 05/22/2026 - 3:18am

New research suggests that Triton — or a Triton-like object — might have disrupted Neptune's original moon system. Nereid might be the sole survivor.

The post Nereid Could be Neptune’s Only Original Moon appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Categories: Astronomy

Both Hemispheres of 3I/ATLAS Observed Simultaneously by JUICE and Europa Clipper

Universe Today - Thu, 05/21/2026 - 8:21pm

The Southwest Research Institute-led Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) instruments aboard ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft and NASA’s Europa Clipper made unique observations of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS in late 2025. SwRI leads the UVS instruments on both spacecraft, simultaneously imaging both hemispheres of the comet and detecting the comet’s ultraviolet emissions.

Categories: Astronomy

Crypto Investor Works on a Plan to Ride SpaceX's Starship Around Mars

Universe Today - Thu, 05/21/2026 - 8:16pm

Chinese-born cryptocurrency investor Chun Wang has become the latest deep-pocketed space enthusiast to set his sights on a trip around Mars. But first, he wants to take a ride around the moon on SpaceX's Starship. And SpaceX is willing to work with him.

Categories: Astronomy

SpaceX scrubs launch of Starship V3—the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built

Scientific American.com - Thu, 05/21/2026 - 7:35pm

This launch, when it comes, will mark the 12th flight test of Starship and the first demonstration of its V3 design. A new attempt could come as soon as Friday

Categories: Astronomy

NASA to Showcase Mission to Boost Swift Spacecraft’s Orbit

NASA - Breaking News - Thu, 05/21/2026 - 5:36pm
Engineers from Katalyst stabilize their LINK robotic servicing spacecraft during environmental testing at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The LINK spacecraft will be encapsulated in Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, for launch in late June on a mission to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.Credit: NASA/Scott Wiessinger

Media are invited to NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Wednesday, June 17, to view Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, carrying a Katalyst robotic spacecraft that will attempt to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.

Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft, called LINK, will launch on Pegasus in June to rendezvous with Swift and raise its altitude, extending its science mission lifespan.

Both United States and international media may apply for onsite credentials to view the Pegasus and the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft that will deploy the rocket at launch. In addition to interview opportunities on site, media also will receive images and video of LINK, as the spacecraft already will be encapsulated in the rocket.

NASA and Katalyst also will host an audio-only media teleconference on June 17 to preview the mission to boost Swift’s orbit. Audio of the media teleconference will stream live on NASA’s YouTube channel. Information about timing and teleconference participants will be shared closer to the event.

The application deadline for U.S. citizens to attend in person is 4 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 10. International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 3 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, May 27. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.

Media requesting to participate in person or join the media call must send their accreditation requests to Amy Barra at: amy.l.barra@nasa.gov, with the following information:

  • Legal first and last name (must match government identification)
  • Email
  • Phone number
  • Job title and organization
  • Citizenship

The Swift mission, which launched in 2004, leads NASA’s fleet of space telescopes in studying changes in the high-energy universe. It studies gamma-ray bursts — the most powerful explosions in the universe — and other cosmic objects and events. When a rapid, sudden event takes place in the cosmos, Swift serves as a “dispatcher,” providing critical information that allows other “first responder” missions to follow up to learn more about how the universe works.

Learn more about the mission to boost Swift’s orbit at:

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/swift/swift-boost-mission

-end-

Karen Fox / Alise Fisher
Headquarters, Washington
202-385-1287 / 202-358-2546
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov

Amy Barra
Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia
757-824-1579
amy.l.barra@nasa.gov

Share Details Last Updated May 21, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Categories: NASA

NASA to Showcase Mission to Boost Swift Spacecraft’s Orbit

NASA News - Thu, 05/21/2026 - 5:36pm
Engineers from Katalyst stabilize their LINK robotic servicing spacecraft during environmental testing at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The LINK spacecraft will be encapsulated in Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, for launch in late June on a mission to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.Credit: NASA/Scott Wiessinger

Media are invited to NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on Wednesday, June 17, to view Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus XL rocket, carrying a Katalyst robotic spacecraft that will attempt to boost the orbit of NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory.

Katalyst’s robotic servicing spacecraft, called LINK, will launch on Pegasus in June to rendezvous with Swift and raise its altitude, extending its science mission lifespan.

Both United States and international media may apply for onsite credentials to view the Pegasus and the L-1011 Stargazer aircraft that will deploy the rocket at launch. In addition to interview opportunities on site, media also will receive images and video of LINK, as the spacecraft already will be encapsulated in the rocket.

NASA and Katalyst also will host an audio-only media teleconference on June 17 to preview the mission to boost Swift’s orbit. Audio of the media teleconference will stream live on NASA’s YouTube channel. Information about timing and teleconference participants will be shared closer to the event.

The application deadline for U.S. citizens to attend in person is 4 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, June 10. International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 3 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, May 27. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online.

Media requesting to participate in person or join the media call must send their accreditation requests to Amy Barra at: amy.l.barra@nasa.gov, with the following information:

  • Legal first and last name (must match government identification)
  • Email
  • Phone number
  • Job title and organization
  • Citizenship

The Swift mission, which launched in 2004, leads NASA’s fleet of space telescopes in studying changes in the high-energy universe. It studies gamma-ray bursts — the most powerful explosions in the universe — and other cosmic objects and events. When a rapid, sudden event takes place in the cosmos, Swift serves as a “dispatcher,” providing critical information that allows other “first responder” missions to follow up to learn more about how the universe works.

Learn more about the mission to boost Swift’s orbit at:

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/swift/swift-boost-mission

-end-

Karen Fox / Alise Fisher
Headquarters, Washington
202-385-1287 / 202-358-2546
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / alise.m.fisher@nasa.gov

Amy Barra
Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, Virginia
757-824-1579
amy.l.barra@nasa.gov

Share Details Last Updated May 21, 2026 EditorJessica TaveauLocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
Categories: NASA