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A new Stephen King short story collection, an Ursula K. Le Guin reissue and a celebration of cyberpunk featuring writing from Philip K. Dick and Cory Doctorow are among the new science fiction titles published this month

A new Stephen King short story collection, an Ursula K. Le Guin reissue and a celebration of cyberpunk featuring writing from Philip K. Dick and Cory Doctorow are among the new science fiction titles published this month

Some practical advice for how to sit, happily, joyfully, with uncertainty—and in doing so, grow and learn from it.

Boeing's Starliner capsule is scheduled to launch astronauts for the first time ever on May 6. Here's how to watch that historic liftoff, as well as key events before and after it.

3 min read

May’s Night Sky Notes: Stargazing for Beginners

by Kat Troche of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

Millions were able to experience the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, inspiring folks to become amateur astronomers – hooray! Now that you’ve been ‘bitten by the bug’, and you’ve decided to join your local astronomy club, here are some stargazing tips!

The Bortle Scale

Before you can stargaze, you’ll want to find a site with dark skies. It’s helpful learn what your Bortle scale is. But what is the Bortle scale? The Bortle scale is a numeric scale from 1-9, with 1 being darkest and 9 being extremely light polluted; that rates your night sky’s darkness. For example, New York City would be a Bortle 9, whereas Cherry Springs State Park in Pennsylvania is a Bortle 2.

The Bortle scale helps amateur astronomers and stargazers to know how much light pollution is in the sky where they observe. International Dark Sky Association

Determining the Bortle scale of your night sky will help narrow down what you can expect to see after sunset. Of course, other factors such as weather (clouds namely) will impact seeing conditions, so plan ahead. Find Bortle ratings near you here: www.lightpollutionmap.info

No Equipment? No Problem!

There’s plenty to see with your eyes alone. Get familiar with the night sky by studying star maps in books, or with a planisphere. These are great to begin identifying the overall shapes of constellations, and what is visible during various months.

A full view of the northern hemisphere night sky in mid-May. Stellarium Web

Interactive sky maps, such as Stellarium Web, work well with mobile and desktop browsers, and are also great for learning the constellations in your hemisphere. There are also several astronomy apps on the market today that work with the GPS of your smartphone to give an accurate map of the night sky.

Keep track of Moon phases. Both the interactive sky maps and apps will also let you know when planets and our Moon are out! This is especially important because if you are trying to look for bright deep sky objects, like the Andromeda Galaxy or the Perseus Double Cluster, you want to avoid the Moon as much as possible. Moonlight in a dark sky area will be as bright as a streetlight, so plan accordingly! And if the Moon is out, check out this Skywatcher’s Guide to the Moon: bit.ly/MoonHandout

Put On That Red Light

If you’re looking at your phone, you won’t be able to see as much. Our eyes take approximately 30 minutes to get dark sky adapted, and a bright light can ruin our night vision temporarily. The easiest way to stay dark sky adapted is to avoid any bright lights from car headlights or your smartphone. To avoid this, simply use red lights, such as a red flashlight or headlamp.

The reason: white light constricts the pupils of your eyes, making it hard to see in the dark, whereas red light allows your pupils to stay dilated for longer. Most smartphones come with adaptability shortcuts that allow you to make your screen red, but if you don’t have that feature, use red cellophane on your screen and flashlight.

Up next: why binoculars can sometimes be the best starter telescope, with Night Sky Network’s upcoming mid-month article through NASA’s website!

Briou Bouregois is a mechanical test operations engineer at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, where he enjoys working on a variety of projects to support NASA’s efforts of leading the way in space exploration for humanity.

Work at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, takes one site engineer back to a childhood memory, where a dream of being a member of the NASA team began. Now, Briou Bourgeois is working to launch a career with even bigger aspirations.

A lot of the work we do at NASA Stennis … I think is going to be beneficial to the agency’s focus of establishing the first long-term presence on the Moon

Briou Bouregois

NASA Stennis Mechanical Test Operations Engineer

The Bay St. Louis native recalls childhood watching the Apollo 13 movie with his dad. He became fascinated with the story of how astronauts overcame challenges when NASA attempted the third lunar landing in 1970.

Even as the lunar portion of the mission was aborted due to the rupture of a service module oxygen tank, Bourgeois was fascinated by how everybody on the ground at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston fought through challenges to come up with solutions.

Bourgeois said he did not understand the gravity of the situation he was watching unfold, but he was not short of questions. He wanted to learn more.

“That probably spurred me into wanting to become part of the NASA team but, even more so, to become an astronaut and be sort of the tip of the spear when it comes to space exploration and doing the hard things that allow humanity to further understand the universe and space in general,” Bourgeois said.

Now in his seventh year at NASA Stennis, the Mississippi State University graduate said the wide range of testing capabilities at the south Mississippi site, coupled with working alongside a variety of people “highly specialized in the aerospace operations realm” is what he enjoys most.

He currently works at the versatile E Test Complex, where the mechanical test operations engineer supports research and development testing as NASA collaborates with commercial companies pursuing a future in space.

The Pass Christian, Mississippi, resident is the mechanical operations lead for the Relativity Space thrust chamber assembly test project and the Blue Origin pre-burner project. In those roles, he has written test procedures and developed a thorough knowledge of test operations.

Even as Bourgeois continues adding to his experience, he also has applied to become a NASA astronaut. Thanks, to his work at NASA Stennis, he feels equipped to make the split-second decisions needed during highly critical and hazardous moments. In addition, his NASA Stennis experience has taught him greatly about the importance of teamwork.

“A lot of the work we do at NASA Stennis with propellant transfers, managing cryogenic systems, pneumatic systems, hydraulic systems, and just having the hands-on experience and operational knowledge of those systems, I think is going to be beneficial to the agency’s focus of establishing the first long-term presence on the Moon,” Bourgeois said.

Whether Bourgeois’ future is at NASA Stennis or beyond, the NASA employee looks forward to helping the agency explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.

Learn more about the people who work at NASA Stennis

Exciting news for young space fans! PaniniPedia Space, the most complete and up-to-date sticker reference album about space, launches in France on 1 May 2024. Created by Panini in collaboration with ESA, PaniniPedia Space takes readers on a journey of discovery through our Solar System and beyond.

Spiked running shoes with a rubbery material between the inner and outer soles, and a stiff plate to improve stability, seem to help people move faster

Spiked running shoes with a rubbery material between the inner and outer soles, and a stiff plate to improve stability, seem to help people move faster

High above you on May evenings is an one obvious star pattern that just about everyone knows: the Big Dipper. This “Swiss Army Knife of the sky” can help you find many other key springtime stars and constellations. Just download or stream this month’s Sky Tour podcast.

The post May Podcast: Big Dipper Shows the Way appeared first on Sky & Telescope.

Located some 3 million light-years away in the arms of nearby spiral

How did a star form this beautiful nebula?

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson addresses a Diplomatic Corps during a U.S. Department of State Open House, Monday, April 29, 2024, at the NASA Headquarters Mary W. Jackson Building in Washington. NASA/Bill Ingalls

This event was part of Space Diplomacy Week, focused on deepening bilateral relationships, specifically how international partnerships are strengthened by space exploration.

Lunar settlers could avoid health problems like muscle wasting by running on the inside of a circular wall to mimic the pull of Earth’s gravity on the body

Lunar settlers could avoid health problems like muscle wasting by running on the inside of a circular wall to mimic the pull of Earth’s gravity on the body

A process to dissolve the mineral olivine in acid could provide a plentiful, energy-efficient material for carbon-negative cement

A process to dissolve the mineral olivine in acid could provide a plentiful, energy-efficient material for carbon-negative cement

A new Japanese observatory built high in the Chilean Andes mountains promises fresh views of the early universe.

Astrogram banner Advanced Composite Solar Sail System Successfully Launches

On April 23, the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System CubeSat mission launched successfully aboard an Electron rocket launched by Rocket Lab and carried Ames’ payload from Māhia, New Zealand. The CubeSat was subsequently delivered to a Sun-synchronous orbit around Earth.

Ames has pioneered the use of CubeSats and small satellites to run innovative, cost-effective missions and test technologies in space, providing leadership in cost-effective spaceflight missions for NASA.

An artist’s concept of NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System spacecraft in orbit.NrediASA/Aero Animation/Ben Schweighart

Under the auspices of STMD’s Small Spacecraft Technology Program, the Advanced Composite Solar Sail System mission demonstrates next-generation solar sail technology for small interplanetary spacecraft. It will test a new way of navigating our solar system when the mission’s CubeSat hoists its sail into space – not to catch the wind, but the propulsive power of sunlight. This technology could advance future space travel and expand our understanding of our Sun and solar system. 

NASA, FAA Partner to Develop New Wildland Fire Technologies 

Recently, NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) established a research transition team to guide the development of wildland fire technology. 

Wildland fires are occurring more frequently and at a larger scale than in past decades, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Emergency responders will need a broader set of technologies to prevent, monitor, and fight these growing fires more effectively. Under this Wildland Fire Airspace Operations research transition team, NASA and the FAA will develop concepts and test new technologies to improve airspace integration. 

Artist’s rendering of remotely piloted aircraft providing fire suppression, monitoring and communications capabilities during a wildland fire.Credit: NASA

Current aerial firefighting operations are limited to times when aircraft have clear visibility – otherwise pilots run the risk of flying into terrain or colliding with other aircraft. Drones could overcome this limitation by enabling responders to remotely monitor and suppress these fires during nighttime and low visibility conditions, such as periods of heavy smoke. However, advanced airspace management technologies are needed to enable these uncrewed aircraft to stay safely separated and allow aircraft operators to maintain situational awareness during wildland fire management response operations. 

Over the next four years, NASA’s Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project, in collaboration with the FAA, will work to develop new airspace access and traffic management concepts and technologies to support wildland fire operations. These advancements will help inform a concept of operations for the future of wildland fire management under development by NASA and other government agencies. The team will test and validate uncrewed aircraft technologies for use by commercial industry and government agencies, paving the way for integrating them into future wildland fire operations.  

ACERO is led out of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley under the agency’s Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate. 

Studying the Ocean with NASA Computer Simulations

A tool developed at NASA Ames’ Advanced Supercomputing division provides researchers with a global view of their ocean simulation in high resolution. In this part of the global visualization, the Gulf Stream features prominently. Surface water speeds are shown ranging from 0 meters per second (dark blue) to 1.25 meters (about 4 feet) per second (cyan). The video is running at one simulation day per second. The data used comes from the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean (ECCO) consortium.Credit: NASA/Bron Nelson, David Ellsworth

“Every time I help with visualizing [ocean] simulation data, I learn about an entirely new area of ocean or climate research, and I’m reminded of how vast and rich this area of research is. And…the real magic happens at the intersection and interaction of simulated and observed data.

It is a great honor – and a thrill – to collaborate with devoted, world-class scientists doing such important, cutting-edge research and sometimes to even help them learn something new about their science.”

—Dr. Nina McCurdy, a data visualization scientist with the NASA Advanced Supercomputing division at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley

Luxembourg Leaders Focus on Lunar Exploration During Visit to NASA Ames

by Abigail Tabor

The challenges of working on the surface of the Moon are at the center of a facility at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. The Lunar Lab and Regolith Testbeds help scientists and engineers – from NASA and industry alike – study how well science instruments, robots, and people might be able to safely work, manipulate, navigate, and traverse the tough lunar terrain. On March 7, three visitors from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg – Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Minister of the Economy Lex Delles, and Ambassador to the United States Nicole Bintner – learned more about the work happening here. 

Left to right: Ames Deputy Center Director David Korsmeyer, Ames Center Director Eugene Tu, Deputy Prime Minister of Luxembourg Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg Minister of Economy Lex Delles, and Ambassador Nicole Bintner meet at Ames on March 7, 2024.Credit: NASA Ames/Brandon Torres

During the visit, lunar rock and crater features crafted from lunar soil, or regolith, simulant were lit by harsh, low-angle illumination to simulate sunlight conditions at the Moon’s poles. Members of the VIPER mission (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) discussed their work testing optical sensors at the lab for NASA’s water-hunting Moon rover. Engineering versions of VIPER’s hazard-avoidance cameras and lighting system, tested in the facility, were also on display. The lab is managed by NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI). 

The Regolith Testbeds enable research applicable to places beyond our Moon as well, including Mercury, asteroids, and regolith-covered moons like Mars’ Phobos. 

Luxembourg was one of the first nations to sign the Artemis Accords and has taken steps to enable commercial space exploration. At Ames, the visitors learned about the center’s support of NASA’s Artemis exploration goals, including with VIPER, agency supercomputing resources, and the development of advanced tools for lunar operations. 

AI, Robots, Autonomy Software Discussed at Star Trek Convention

Above: Left to right are Abigail Tabor of the Office of Communications Division, J. Benton, computer science researcher; and Dr. Jennifer Blank, senior scientist in the Space Science and Astrobiology Directorate speaking on a panel at the March Star Trek Convention held in Hyatt Regency SFO, Burlingham, California. They spoke about artificial intelligence for a future space station that will orbit the Moon and the use of legged robot technology, autonomy software, and remote science operations in a volcanic cave. At least 7,000 attended the Star Trek Convention. Majoring in Liberal Studies: Giving Back, Honoring Culture, and Working at NASA

Choosing a major can be intimidating, so finding Liberal Studies was perfect for community-centered Maria Lopez, deputy operations manager for the NASA Ames Exchange.  Maria was interviewed by the Puente Project, a mission to increase the number of educationally underrepresented students who enroll in four-year colleges and universities, as part of the “Puente Major 2 Career Video Series.” The Major 2 Career video series, which is on YouTube, focuses on different majors. The project highlights various professionals’ journey from college to their career.  The premise is to feature two professionals who earned the same bachelor’s degrees but following different professions to show the range and opportunities to first-generation college bound students currently at the middle school, high school, and community college levels.

Maria highlighted how she landed on Liberal Studies after trying a few majors, the challenges she faced along the way, and her unexpected and exciting career with NASA.  She started out in STEM education and has supported the NASA mission in different roles with the technical publications office, international office, protocol office, and the office of diversity and equal opportunity.  Maria shares an array of mission enabling positions with NASA and how NASA fuels her passion for celebrating culture and community outreach.  In the video, she demonstrates by example that NASA is within reach and inspires students to pursue their dreams.

Watch and learn more about Maria’s journey!

Maria on detail with the Protocol Office supporting a presidential visit in 2023.Credit: photo by Lisa Lockyer Ames Engineer Natasha Schatzman Excites Kids about the Mars Helicopter

On April 13, the Sunnyvale Public Library hosted “Space Camp 2024” with space-themed activities for kids, such as crafts, scavenger hunts, speakers, and more. Apollo 16 lunar samples were displayed at the event and Ames engineer Dr. Natasha Schatzman of Code AV gave a presentation to an enthusiastic crowd of a few hundred people about her NASA journey, her work on the Mars helicopter efforts, and led a Mars paper helicopter activity with the children. Students young and old enjoyed the fun of learning about vertical flight. Mayor Larry Klein attended the event and did a reading for the kids. Ames Staff Shares NASA Mission Info with Cal Academy Nightlife Attendees

Ames Office of Communications (OComm) supported a NASA exhibits booth at the California Academy of Sciences Nightlife festivities on the evening of Feb. 29, in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. About a third of the 2,000 plus attendees interacted with the NASA booth and presenters, experiencing many high-quality interactions with many of the attendees. The QUESST (NASA’s mission to demonstrate how the X-59 can fly supersonic without generating loud sonic booms), VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover), Artemis, Orion missions were discussed and many attendees were asked if they’d like to send their names with VIPER on its upcoming launch. Hillary Smith of OComm is seen below interacting with visitors at the event.

Hillary Smith at Academy of Sciences in San Francisco interacting with event attendees. Lego Exhibit Brings Out the Engineering Creativity with the Kids

On April 13 and 14, the Office of Communications team members facilitated VIPER’s (Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover) subject matter experts Vandana Jay and Hans Thomas who interacted with audiences at LEGOLand Bay Area in Miliptas, California. The experts worked alongside “master builders” supplied by LEGOLand to help younger engineers design and test moon rovers of their own creation, creating a fun engineering challenge. During the day, the team interacted with about 80 families and close to 500 individual attendees. See below for photos from the event.

Kids enjoying making their own little lego Moon rovers. Building rovers at the April 13 LegoLand Bay Area event. Moon rovers built by students at the April 13 LegoLand Bay Area event. Building model lego rovers. Ames Space Biology and Astrobiology Teams Engage Kids with Science Demos

Tri-Valley Innovation Fair at Alameda County Fairgrounds was held April 18 – 19 and is an annual event featuring STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) providers and vendors across the Bay Area. The Ames booth highlighted the Space Biology and Astrobiology groups. The space biology team highlighted how model organisms, such as tardigrades, drosophila, yeast and C. elegans give researchers insights into the effects of space on living organisms and the astrobiology team highlighted the search for life in the universe and Earth’s extremophiles. Attendees to the event enjoyed posing with the astronaut cutouts and learning about the electromagnetic spectrum and the James Webb Space Telescope with an interactive infrared demo. Close to 1,000 interactions occurred during the event. SJCU Research Week Event Highlights its Partnerships with NASA Ames

​San Jose State University (SJSU) Research Week, April 15 – 19, consists of a series of events at the campus that highlight the university’s engagement in research with partners such as NASA Ames. The Ames booth at Paseo de Cesar Chavez on campus on April 15 featured the TechEdSat small sat project, the Ames Aeronautics directorate and OSTEM. Marcus Murbac and his team comprised of many SJSU alumni, showed off their latest iteration of the TechEdSat and Zach Roberts spoke about Ames aeronautics projects as well as a couple of drones. Francesa Bura, an intern at Ames, talked about internship and OSTEM resources. Information about Ames Atmospheric Sciences and NASA jobs also were shared. About 200 students visited the display and the event supported the activities that Ames has with the university. PASIFIKA STEM Fair Provides Engaging Hands-on STEM Experience

The Bay Area PASIFIKA STEM Fair is an annual event organized by the Pacific Islander Encouraging Fun Engineering Science and Technology (PIEFEST) organization dedicated to improving Pacific Islander representation and access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) related careers. The event brings STEM organization and enthusiasts in the Bay Area together to provide Pacific Islander students and families an Interactive, hands-on STEM experience. The NASA booth featured a new VIPER mission demo, permanently shadowed craters of the Nobile region, and emissions spectra of various elements and molecules, the astronaut cutouts, as well as an electromagnetic spectrum demo. More than 1,000 students of varying grade levels and their parents and families attended the event, with more than 20 vendors participating with hands-on activities and demonstrations. Interacting with the exhibits at the Bay Area PASIFIKA STEM Fair. Jonas Dino of the Ames Office of Communications Division at the Bay Area PASIFIKA STEM fair, connecting with and inspiring kids of all ages as to the wonders of science. Kids enjoying the interactive exhibits at the NASA booth during the Bay Area PASIFIKA STEM Fair. Future Aspirations, the Importance of STEM Discussed at Grimmer Career Day

Jonas Dino from the Ames Public Engagement team was the featured speaker at the Grimmer Elementary Career Day on April 26. He presented to the entire school body of more than 300 TK to 5th grade students, teachers and administrators talking about careers at NASA and the need for the students to be STEM literate and possibly entering the NASA workforce pipeline in the future. He also interacted with the students at lunch talking to them about their future aspirations and answering specific questions they had about NASA. The career day featured members of the Fremont community including fire, police, engineers and medical personnel visiting classrooms talking about their careers. Starling Stuns at Golden Gate Park Planetarium Show

Bay Area audiences got a unique look at a NASA Ames CubeSat mission during a full-dome planetarium show as part of the Benjamin Dean lecture series at the Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, on March 4. NASA Ames aerospace flight systems engineer and Starling mission deputy project manager Scott Miller shared Ames’ legacy in CubeSats and swarms and how technologies used in NASA’s Starling mission aims to tackle crowding in low Earth orbit and enhance how we study deep space, in his presentation, “NASA Spacecraft Swarms for Low Earth Orbit and Beyond.” Credit: photos by Josh Roberts In Memoriam …

Dr. Anna McHargue (Colonel, USAF, Ret.) passed away peacefully on March 26, 2024, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Palo Alto, California. Hospital staff honored her with a brief ceremony for passing veterans, which her close friends attended. 

Dr. Anna McHargue

Dr. McHargue began her higher education at Murray State University in Kentucky, graduating in 1956 and eventually being selected as Distinguished Alumna. She pursued her medical degree at the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky, at a time when women were not very welcome in the field. She persevered and finished at the top of her class in 1962. She chose not to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology until later at the Stanford University Hospital, where she was a faculty member from 1974-1980. She practiced in the specialty for several years in Oakland and in Redwood City, California, and became a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.  

She served in the United States Air Force (USAF), joining in 1966, was promoted to colonel, and was trained as an aviation medical examiner qualified to perform Federal Aviation Administration flight physicals. She enjoyed flying all over the world with transport aircraft crews on military and humanitarian missions. In the USAF Reserves, she was named the 1999 and 2000 Flight Surgeon of the Year by the 312th Airlift Squadron. She retired in 2001 after 25 years of service.  

From 1989-2020, she served as a part-time physician at the Health Unit at NASA’s Ames Research Center. Ultimately, she dedicated herself to the field of medicine for 58 years. Dr. McHargue was actively involved in the Church of the Advent as a deacon and on the Board of Trustees of Grace Cathedral in San Francisco.  

Her funeral service and internment are planned at her hometown in Kentucky. Friends can donate and send condolences online to:

Dignity Memorial. 

Equal Opportunity if the Law

SES plans to buy fellow satellite operator Intelsat, in a deal that could help the combined company compete with SpaceX's huge Starlink broadband network.