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Space Observatories

Featured Images

Artistic idea of a planet imaged through a solar gravitational lens

Long-Range Scanner September 28, 2020
Astro-2 payload aboard space shuttle Endeavours

High Observatory March 2, 2020
The CHEOPS space telescope heads for space

On Its Way December 19, 2019
CHEOPS in orbit

Following Up October 11, 2019
Artist's concept of TESS in front of a star with several transiting planets

New Hunter March 20, 2018
Telescopes in the cargo bay of space shuttle Columbia, December 1995

Space (Shuttle) Telescope December 8, 2015
X-ray energy forms expanding rings around the black hole V404 Cygni

Big Gulp Aftermath September 15, 2015
Artist's concept of Fermi bubbles

Blowing Bubbles July 20, 2015
Artist's concept of Solar Max in orbit

Sun Watcher February 14, 2015
Space-based infrared view of the Rosette Nebula

Ruffled Rose February 28, 2014
The Planck space telescope and its view of the cosmic microwave background

Going Dark October 24, 2013
Artist's concept of Spitzer Space Telescope

Heat Seeker August 23, 2013
Visible- and infrared-light views of Orion

Double Vision January 25, 2013
Combined optical and X-ray view of two possible black holes in the galaxy IC 342

On the Job January 8, 2013
Infrared image of the Carina Nebula from space-based Herschel Observatory

Busy Nursery June 6, 2012
Newborn stars in the Orion Nebula

Bright Babies March 1, 2012
Atlantis lands on July 21, 2011, ending the space shuttle program

That's All, Folks! July 22, 2011
NGC 3758, a system of two merging galaxies

Double Trouble June 11, 2011
The Milky Way galaxy and the afterglow of the Big Bang make up this all-sky imag

A Little of Everything July 6, 2010

Dust Storm April 2, 2010

First Snapshot January 7, 2010

Radio Programs

Astro-2 A high, fast-moving observatory March 2, 2020

Solar Orbiter Flying into the solar wind February 4, 2020

Getting Closer A small gift for the planet Venus December 24, 2019

WISE Getting “wise” to the infrared sky December 14, 2019

Planet Hunters Photographing hundreds of planets December 18, 2018

Stretching Out The universe stretches out December 10, 2018

Hangin’ Around Watching the universe from behind Earth October 3, 2018

Asteroseismology Listening to the beat of the stars September 25, 2018

Spitzer Space Telescope New targets for a space telescope August 25, 2018

Arthur Compton From cosmic rays to gamma rays September 10, 2017

Beryllium A key element in fact and fantasy July 25, 2017

The Next Generation Space telescopes: the next generation March 22, 2017

NICER A “nicer” kind of satellite February 21, 2017

Stellar Disruption The outcry of a dying star June 29, 2016

Gamma-Ray Bursts The long and short of gamma-ray bursts April 18, 2016

Starshade Zeroing in on habitable planets March 18, 2016

WFIRST Unwrapping a Christmas present March 17, 2016