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Stephen Watson
@watson7t.bsky.social
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Reposted by Stephen Watson
universal-sci.bsky.social
Saturn's rings are not as calm as they look: The Hubble telescope discovered a rain of icy particles is affecting the huge planet's weather, heating its atmosphere.

(Credit: ESA/Hubble, NASA & L. Ben-Jaffel)
February 2, 2026 at 12:33 AM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
earthskyscience.bsky.social
Paul Wilson in Paso Robles, California, captured this image of the #OrionNebula, Messier 42. This image was taken with just over 400, 60 second sub-frames with darks, flats, and bias frames. Wow! Thank you, Paul!
buff.ly/wrO99hU

Have a photo of your own to share? Submit it here!
buff.ly/u3KQUL4
Orion Nebula glowing with colorful gas and dust, bright stars embedded, and surrounding dark space.
January 31, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
hourlycosmos.bsky.social
Mars, Jezero - Panorama from Nasa’s Perseverance SOL 59 - From Andrea Luck (andrealuck.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/2kUp7be
From Nasa Perseverance Feel free to share, giving the appropriate credit and providing a link to the original image or tweet: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
January 31, 2026 at 1:00 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
chinaspace.bsky.social
Chinese astronomers unveil birthplace environment of mysterious cosmic burst : Using China’s FAST telescope, astronomers tracked a fast radio burst over several years, the first study of its kind showed the signal originates from a young supernova remnant. Read More 👇
en.people.cn/n3/2026/0131...
January 31, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
hourlycosmos.bsky.social
Hubble Goes High Def to Revisit the Iconic 'Pillars of Creation' - From Goddard Space Flight Center - https://flic.kr/p/qGTuRP
This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image, taken in near-infrared light, transforms the pillars into eerie, wispy silhouettes, which are seen against a background of myriad stars. The near-infrared light can penetrate much of the gas and dust, revealing stars behind the nebula as well as hidden away inside the pillars. Some of the gas and dust clouds are so dense that even the near-infrared light cannot penetrate them. New stars embedded in the tops of the pillars, however, are apparent as bright sources that are unseen in the visible image. The ghostly bluish haze around the dense edges of the pillars is material getting heated up by the intense ultraviolet radiation from a cluster of young, massive stars and evaporating away into space. The stellar grouping is above the pillars and cannot be seen in the image. At the top edge of the left-hand pillar, a gaseous fragment has been heated up and is flying away from the structure, underscoring the violent nature of star-forming regions. Astronomers used filters that isolate the light from newly formed stars, which are invisible in the visible-light image. At these wavelengths, astronomers are seeing through the pillars and even through the back wall of the nebula cavity and can see the next generations of stars just as they're starting to emerge from their formative nursery. Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Read more: 1.usa.gov/1HGfkqr NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center ena...
January 30, 2026 at 11:00 AM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
exploration.esa.int
📢 Launch update: #Crew12 scheduled to launch on 11 February.

👩‍🚀 Go @Soph_astro, go #εpsilon!

📅 Full timeline & launch details:
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
Crew-12, scheduled to launch on Wednesday 11 February
The crew of four will launch no earlier than Wednesday 11 February at 11:00 GMT/12:00 CET (06:00 EST) from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space ...
www.esa.int
January 29, 2026 at 9:39 AM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
hourlycosmos.bsky.social
Perseverance Rover Downlook Camera - From Simeon Schmauß (stim3on.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/2qMuDyg
Instrument: ROVER DOWNLOOK CAMERA EDE_0000_0666952883_084EDR_N0000000EDLC00004_0000LUJ01 LMST: Sol-00000M15:52:26.68792 Start time: 2021-02-18 20:42:53 UTC Height above ellipsoid: -552 m Height above landing: 1683 m Speed: 284 km/h This image was processed to approximate the colors that the human eye would see. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Simeon Schmauß CC BY
January 30, 2026 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
museumofscience.bsky.social
How do our environments shape our health? 🧠🧪

On February 26, join Dr. Monica Wang for The Collective Cure, a conversation on how where we live, work, and connect influences our well-being long before clinical care begins.

🎟 Free with pre-registration: bit.ly/3ZuMYi8
January 28, 2026 at 2:23 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
allthegalaxies.galaxyzoo.org
A spiral galaxy, observed with the Apache Point 2.5m Telescope in the SDSS survey.

It is at redshift 0.018 (lookback time 257.3 million years) with coordinates (147.46106, 12.69522).

45 volunteers classified this galaxy in Galaxy Zoo 2.🔭
A spiral galaxy from the Galaxy Zoo 2 project, classified by 45 volunteers.
January 28, 2026 at 6:44 AM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
earthskyscience.bsky.social
Could astronomers use #quantum computers to photograph #exoplanets? A new study suggests combining 2 types of quantum #computers - one using diamonds and the other ultra-cold atoms - could dramatically sharpen future images of these distant worlds. 🌌🔭📸
buff.ly/M1NACu7

📸 NASA/ ESA/ CSA/ STScI/ JHU.
4 spots in different colors on a black background. A white star shape in the center has the text label 'HR 8799.'
January 27, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
sciam.bsky.social
Astronomers puzzled out minuscule distortions in images of faraway galaxies taken by JWST in order to chart the invisible
JWST unveils most intricate map yet of cosmic dark matter
Astronomers puzzled out minuscule distortions in images of faraway galaxies taken by JWST in order to chart the invisible
www.scientificamerican.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:38 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
space.com
Artemis 2 astronauts enter quarantine ahead of historic NASA moon launch www.space.com/space-explor...
Artemis 2 astronauts enter quarantine ahead of historic NASA moon launch
The quartet went into quarantine in Houston on Friday (Jan. 23).
www.space.com
January 26, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
earthskyscience.bsky.social
Check out this image from the James Webb Space Telescope (#JWST). Most of the specks you see are distant galaxies. At the center are elliptical galaxies whose immense gravity dominates the scene.

Find out more here: buff.ly/1rCMxgs

📸 ESA/ Webb/ NASA/ CSA/ C. Willott/ R. Tripodi.
Golden, red and orange galaxy blobs swirl around the center of the image. A handful of bright blue stars dot around.
January 25, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
hourlycosmos.bsky.social
M104 "The Sombrero Galaxy" (N00238002.jpg) gif-movie - From 2di7 & titanio44 - https://flic.kr/p/rS8oNE
To see animation: www.flickr.com/photos/lunexit/16976186498/sizes/o/ - More: aliveuniverseimages.com/speciale-missioni/sistema-solare/... - Left image credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute - Right image credit: Image Data: NASA, ESO , NAOJ, Giovanni Paglioli - Processing: R. Colombari - Processing: 2di7 & titanio44
January 25, 2026 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
universal-sci.bsky.social
This is JW39, a “jellyfish galaxy” drifting more than 900 million light-years away in Coma Berenices.

It looks calm, almost luminous, but this view is a snapshot of a galaxy under pressure.

A thread 🧵
January 25, 2026 at 1:49 AM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
setiinstitute.bsky.social
Dr. @exoterraincognita.bsky.social leads the massively interdisciplinary NASA Virtual Planetary Laboratory, which she started in 2001 with the goal of developing a scientific foundation for the search for habitability and life beyond the Solar System. 🧪 🔭 👩‍🔬

#Exoplanets #Space #NotJustAliens
Text: #notjustaliens. Victoria S. Meadows, Astrobiology / Exoplanets. Background: Starry night sky. Inset: Photo of Dr. Meadows. Text: Dr. Victoria Meadows leads the massively interdisciplinary NASA Virtual Planetary Laboratory, which she started in 2001 with the goal of developing a scientific foundation for the search for habitability and life beyond the Solar System. Background: Starry night sky with graphics of a star and exoplanets in front of it. Text: Dr. Meadow’s research includes studying the present and past Earth as analogs for exoplanet environments, theoretical modeling of star-planet interactions, and using simulated spectra of exoplanets to understand how to best detect signs of life in a planetary environment. Background: Starry night sky with graphics of a star and exoplanets. SETI Institute logo. Graphics: (top) Black hole. (bottom) radio telescope dishes at the Allen Telescope Array. Background: Starry night sky.
January 23, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
hourlycosmos.bsky.social
Aurora over Stony Ridge Observatory - From Ryan Kinnett (rkinnett.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/2pRc37o
Observed on May 10, 2024, in Los Angeles County.
January 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
esa.int
🆕 This NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope image shows the galaxy cluster MACS J1149, which is located about 5 billion light-years away from us. 🧪🔭

🔗 esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/01/A_celebrity_cluster_in_the_spotlight

@science.esa.int @stsci.edu
A Webb image of many glowing galaxies in deep space, in various shapes and colours, on a black background. There are some large, blue spiral galaxies, some large and pale white elliptical galaxies, and many orange and red, medium-sized galaxies. Even smaller galaxies, down to tiny faint spots, appear in all these colours.
January 22, 2026 at 10:51 AM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
sciam.bsky.social
From the new issue: will the James Webb Space Telescope help us see the first generation of stars?
Are we about to see the first stars ever born?
The James Webb Space Telescope should soon be able to spot the first generation of stars in space
www.scientificamerican.com
January 20, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
setiinstitute.bsky.social
PRESS RELEASE: The SETI Institute announced that alliant Global CEO, Dhaval Jadav, joined its Board of Directors. Dhaval brings a deep lifelong passion for space science, a strong commitment to STEM education, and a shared belief in the SETI Institute’s mission. 🧪
Background: Office setting. Foreground: Picture of Dhaval Jadav, a man wearing a grey suit and tie with a blue checked shirt. SETI Institute logo. Text: alliant Global CEO Dhaval Jadav Joins the SETI Institute Board.
January 20, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
space.com
Mysterious polar weather on Jupiter and Saturn could be key to understanding their insides www.space.com/astronomy/so...
Mysterious polar weather on Jupiter and Saturn could be key to understanding their insides
"I don't think anyone's made this connection between the surface fluid pattern and the interior properties of these planets."
www.space.com
January 20, 2026 at 10:04 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
museumofscience.bsky.social
With over 600 days in orbit and nine spacewalks, NASA Astronaut Suni Williams’ retirement marks the close of a career that advanced space science, human endurance research, and the future of exploration beyond Earth.

#NASA #Astronaut #Science #Space #WomeninSTEM
January 21, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
iflscience.com
All you need is a nuclear reaction, a particle accelerator, or the blast of a supernova. www.iflscience.com/gold-can-be-...
January 21, 2026 at 10:30 AM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
hourlycosmos.bsky.social
Saturn on September 22, 2009 - From Gordan Ugarković (ugordan.bsky.social) - https://flic.kr/p/8jm9J4
Ten wide-angle RGB footprints taken a little over a month after equinox. The rings are still faintly illuminated by the low sun, but numerous spokes are visible. An unsharp filter was applied to Saturn's cloudtops to bring out cloud features. The moons visible are, clockwise from top: Pandora (exited Saturn's shadow, about to move behind Saturn), Dione (overexposed), Pan (very faint, about to enter Saturn's shadow), Enceladus, Prometheus (above Enceladus) and Janus (near the left ring ansa, casting a shadow onto the rings).
January 21, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Stephen Watson
iflscience.com
Temperatures there soar to an incredible 30,000 to 50,000 kelvin.
January 19, 2026 at 5:30 PM