Using observations from NASA's ICON mission, scientists presented the first direct measurements of Earth's long-theorized dynamo on the edge of space: a wind-driven electrical generator that spans the globe 60-plus miles above our heads. The dynamo churns in the ionosphere, the electrically charged boundary between Earth and space. It's powered by tidal winds in the upper atmosphere that are faster than most hurricanes and rise from the lower atmosphere, creating an electrical environment that can affect satellites and technology on Earth.

With an extremely short orbital period of 0.67 days (16 hours), the newly-discovered ultrahot Jupiter - named TOI-2109b - has the shortest orbital period among all known extrasolar gas giants. TOI-2109b was initially identified by NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission. Its planetary nature was then confirmed through radial-velocity measurements using several ground-based telescopes. [...]

The space agency's assessment follows a "sudden, unplanned release of a clamp band" that shook the telescope last week.

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captured a striking new photo of the small spiral galaxy NGC 1317. NGC 1317 is located approximately 55 million light-years away in the southern constellation of Fornax. Also known as ESO 357-23, LEDA 12653 and Fornax B, the galaxy is a member of the galaxy pair NGC [...]

Nasa has asked the private sector to design new spacesuits that can be used on the Moon.

Members of NASA’s Curiosity rover mission team have combined two versions of the black-and-white images of Martian mountains from different times of the day and added colors to create a rare postcard from Mars. On November 16, 2021, the Curiosity team commanded the rover to take two sets of composite images, capturing the scene at [...]

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have observed HH 45, a Herbig-Haro object embedded in the nebula NGC 1977. Herbig-Haro objects are small bright patches of nebulosity associated with newborn stars. They are formed when gas ejected by young stars collides with clouds of gas and dust nearby at high speeds. “Herbig-Haro objects occur [...]

Nasa has asked the private sector to design new spacesuits that can be used on the Moon.

NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission launched November 24, 2021 at 1:21 a.m. EST on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the United States. At 2:17 a.m. EST, DART separated from the second stage of the rocket. Minutes later, mission operators received [...]

While gut microbiota play a critical role in the induction of adaptive immune responses to influenza virus infection, the role of nasal bacteria in the induction of virus-specific adaptive immunity is less clear. New research explores the role of nasal bacteria and provides clues to developing better intranasal vaccines for flu and COVID-19.