Hubble Peers Into the Heart of the Milky Way Galaxy

Peering deep into the dusty heart of our Milky Way galaxy using infrared vision, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope reveals a rich tapestry of more than half a million stars. Except for a few blue foreground stars, the stars are part of the Milky Way’s nuclear star cluster, the most massive and densest star cluster in our galaxy. via NASA http://ift.tt/1VVmCzh

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Earth Art in Northwestern Australia

During an International Space Station flyover of Australia, NASA astronaut Jeff Williams captured a colorful image of the coast and shared it with his social media followers on March 29, 2016, writing, “The unique terrain of the northwestern Australian coast.” via NASA http://ift.tt/1q2mrGx

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Greenland’s Ice Sheet From 40,000 Feet

The Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG) field campaign team is flying NASA’s G-III aircraft at about 40,000 feet. On a clear day, this altitude also provides a stunning perspective of one of the world’s two great ice sheets (the other is Antarctica). The flight Saturday, March 26, over the northeast coastline was one of those clear days. via NASA http://ift.tt/1RF6bE2

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Simulated Atmosphere of a Hot Gas Giant

The turbulent atmosphere of a hot, gaseous planet known as HD 80606b is shown in this simulation based on data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.Spitzer measured the whole heating cycle of this planet, determining its coolest (less than 400 degrees Fahrenheit) and hottest (2,000 degrees Fahrenheit) temperatures. via NASA http://ift.tt/22HDjDz

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Hubble Looks Into a Cosmic Kaleidoscope

This cosmic kaleidoscope of purple, blue and pink marks the site of two colliding galaxy clusters. via NASA http://ift.tt/22KovR5

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Alluvial Fans in Saheki Crater, Mars

Alluvial fans are gently-sloping wedges of sediments deposited by flowing water. Some of the best-preserved alluvial fans on Mars are in Saheki Crater, an area that has been imaged many times previously. via NASA http://ift.tt/1UKgLwX

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Liftoff of Cygnus Cargo Ship, Atlas V Rocket on Mission to International Space Station

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying Orbital ATK’s Cygnus spacecraft on a resupply mission to the International Space Station lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 11:05 p.m. EDT on March 22, 2016. via NASA http://ift.tt/1q1rw1q

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Cygnus Spacecraft Ready for Launch to the International Space Station

The Cygnus spacecraft sits on top of an Atlas V rocket ready for launch to the International Space Station on March 22, 2016. via NASA http://ift.tt/1RhQDns

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Map of Mars Gravity

A new map of Mars’ gravity is the most detailed to date, providing a revealing glimpse into the planet’s hidden interior. The map was derived using Doppler and range tracking data collected by NASA’s Deep Space Network from three NASA spacecraft in orbit around Mars: Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Odyssey, and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. via NASA http://ift.tt/1S0UaX5

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Soyuz Lifts Off Carrying Jeff Williams and Crewmates to Station

A Soyuz rocket lifts off from rom the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 19, (March 18 U.S. time) carrying Expedition 47 to the International Space Station. via NASA http://ift.tt/1pRW2L3

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Gantry Arms Close Around the Soyuz TMA-20M Spacecraft

The gantry arms close around the Soyuz TMA-20M spacecraft to secure the rocket, as seen in this long exposure photograph taken on Wednesday, March 16, 2016 at launch pad 1 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Launch of the Expedition 47 crew is scheduled for 5:26 p.m. EDT Friday, March 18. via NASA http://ift.tt/1SYozdh

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Haze Layers Above Pluto

This image of haze layers above Pluto’s limb was taken by the Ralph/Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) on NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft. About 20 haze layers are seen; the layers have been found to typically extend horizontally over hundreds of kilometers, but are not strictly parallel to the surface. via NASA http://ift.tt/1MpKPpM

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March 16, 1966: Gemini’s First Docking of Two Spacecraft in Earth Orbit

On March 16, 1966, command pilot Neil Armstrong and pilot David Scott successfully docked their Gemini VIII spacecraft with the Agena target vehicle, the first-ever linking of two spacecraft together in Earth orbit. This crucial spaceflight technology milestone would prove vital to the success of future moon landing missions. via NASA http://ift.tt/1VcGwFr

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South Africa From the Space Station’s EarthKAM

The remotely controlled Sally Ride EarthKAM aboard the International Space Station snapped this striking photograph of South Africa on Feb. 9, 2016. The EarthKAM program allows students to request photographs of specific Earth features, which are taken by a special camera mounted on the space station when it passes over those features. via NASA http://ift.tt/1RLHIu8

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Tilted Terminator

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft captured this view of Saturn’s moon Enceladus that shows wrinkled plains that are remarkably youthful in appearance, being generally free of large impact craters. via NASA http://ift.tt/22dWNj0

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My Dinosaur’s Jet Lag Helps Explain Why a Time Change Is Hard by HEATHER MURPHY

By HEATHER MURPHY

Glow-in-the dark dinoflagellates illuminate why Daylight Saving Time causes you to spill coffee and fumble through conversations.

Published: March 13, 2016 at 08:00PM

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Ben Simmons, a Top Big Man, May Find an N.C.A.A. Berth Is Out of Reach by ROBERT WEINTRAUB

By ROBERT WEINTRAUB

Simmons, a dynamic freshman forward, and L.S.U. need the automatic berth to the N.C.A.A. tournament that comes with winning the Southeastern Conference tournament.

Published: March 11, 2016 at 07:00PM

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Hubble Sees a Legion of Galaxies

Containing countless galaxies, this parallel field observation is nearly as deep as the Hubble Ultra-Deep Field. When compared to other deep fields, it will help astronomers understand how similar the universe looks in different directions. via NASA http://ift.tt/1RUEhUy

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Frontier Fields Galaxy Cluster MACS J0717

“Frontier Fields” galaxy cluster MACS J0717, one of the most complex and distorted galaxy clusters known, is the site of a collision between four clusters. It is located about 5.4 billion light years away from Earth. via NASA http://ift.tt/1QPz8L0

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Solar Eclipse Over the South Pacific Ocean

During the afternoon of March 9, 2016, a total solar eclipse was visible in parts of southeast Asia. An eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between Earth and the sun. The MODIS instrument on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image of the total solar eclipse moving across the south Pacific Ocean at 03:05 UTC on March 9, 2016. via NASA http://ift.tt/1W99nJh

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Celebrating International Women’s Day

On April 8, 2010, STS-131 mission specialists Stephanie Wilson of NASA, Naoko Yamazaki of JAXA, Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger of NASA, and Expedition 23 flight engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson (top left) work at the robotics workstation on the International Space Station, in support of transfer operations using the station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm . via NASA http://ift.tt/21Wd4c1

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Ahuna Mons on Ceres Seen From Low-Altitude Mapping Orbit

The mysterious mountain Ahuna Mons is seen in this mosaic of images from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft. via NASA http://ift.tt/1QBSTcl

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Marine Life Thrives in Unlikely Place: Offshore Oil Rigs by ERIK OLSEN

By ERIK OLSEN

The realization is adding momentum to efforts to convert some of the platforms into artificial reefs once they are decommissioned.

Published: March 7, 2016 at 07:00PM

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Marine Life Thrives in Unlikely Place: Offshore Oil Rigs by ERIK OLSEN

By ERIK OLSEN

The realization is adding momentum to efforts to convert some of the platforms into artificial reefs once they are decommissioned.

Published: March 7, 2016 at 07:00PM

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Hubble and a Stellar Fingerprint

Showcased at the center of this Hubble Space Telescope image is an emission-line star known as IRAS 12196-6300, located just under 2,300 light-years from Earth. via NASA http://ift.tt/1VVtVog

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