NASA looks for its next astronaut class
NASA has announced its next astronaut selection. Explore how astronaut training can span spacewalking, aircraft operations and lunar geology.
Read the source ↗AI science studio
The universe is your laboratory!
Change a planet’s orbit, jump on the Moon and investigate the first minutes of the universe. Then plan your next night under the stars.
3 interactive experiments/Exploration mission
Exploration station
Cosmic laboratory
Pick a mission, make a prediction and test it at the controls.
Mission badges 0 / 3
Orbital mechanics
Orbit builder
Move the planet farther away. Does its year get longer?
✦ Your mission
Find an orbit with a period between 450 and 550 Earth days.
Run the experiment to download your result or ask the guide.
Model and science notes
A planet of negligible mass circles a star with the Sun’s mass. One astronomical unit is approximately the mean Earth–Sun distance. Four seconds of animation represent one Earth year. The sizes of the bodies are symbolic.
T = 2π√(r³/GM) · v = √(GM/r) · JPL astrodynamic parameters
Station dispatch
Space news
Follow the story back to the scientists who published it.
Euclid looks into the Milky Way’s busy heart
ESA has released a view of the crowded central region of our galaxy from Euclid. Open the original image and compare how densely stars appear across the field.
Read the source ↗Hubble follows a star cluster’s trail
Messier 30 is about 27,500 light-years away in Capricornus. Images taken years apart let researchers follow tiny changes in the positions of its stars.
Read the source ↗Observation log
Sky calendar
Dates use Tehran time. For a clear view, find a dark spot away from city lights.
12Nov
Northern Taurid meteors
Around November 12, look up from a dark spot away from bright lights. You can watch for these meteors without a telescope.
15Nov
Mars meets Jupiter
Before sunrise the two planets appear about 1.2 degrees apart, although they remain far from each other in space.
17Nov
Watch for Leonid meteors
Try the early mornings of November 17 and 18 after moonset. A dark, clear sky offers a better chance of seeing a meteor.
24Nov
November full Moon
Look for the full Moon on the evening of November 24. Sketch a few bright and dark markings to compare with your next observation.