Project News

NEOWISE 2017 Data Release

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • June 1st, 2017

The Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and IPAC present the NEOWISE 2017 Data Release. The 3-year NEOWISE archive now contains over 7.7 million calibrated image sets and a database of over 57 billion source detections.

How Far Away is That Galaxy? Vast Catalog Has Answers

NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database • Project News • January 5th, 2017

A team of researchers has compiled a special catalog to help astronomers figure out the true distances to tens of thousands of galaxies beyond our own Milky Way. The catalog, called NED-D, is a critical resource, not only for studying these galaxies, but also for determining the distances to...

Discovering Our Universe From The Classroom: NASA/IPAC Teacher Research Program

NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program • Project News • January 5th, 2017

High school teachers and students doing real astronomy research? Absolutely! Once again, more than 50 teachers, students and astronomy educators from the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) will be attending the winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), running...

SPHEREx Not Selected as a NASA SMEX

SPHEREx • News Release • January 4th, 2017

We are disappointed not to have been selected as a NASA SMEX this round.

NASA's NEOWISE Mission Spies One Comet, Maybe Two

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • December 29th, 2016

NASA's NEOWISE mission has recently discovered some celestial objects traveling through our neighborhood, including one on the blurry line between asteroid and comet. Another--definitely a comet--might be seen with binoculars through next week.

Are planets like those in 'Star Wars: Rogue One' really out there? NASA plans to find out

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope • Project News • December 15th, 2016

In the "Star Wars" universe, ice, ocean and desert planets burst from the darkness as your ship drops out of light speed. But these worlds might be more than just science fiction.

SPHEREx Submitted as a NASA Medium-Class Explorer

SPHEREx • News Release • December 15th, 2016

An enhanced version of SPHEREx was submitted as a NASA Medium-Class Explorer (MIDEX), with Step-1 selections expected in July 2017.

Building Blocks of Life's Building Blocks Come From Starlight

Herschel • Feature • October 12th, 2016

Life exists in a myriad of wondrous forms, but if you break any organism down to its most basic parts, it's all the same stuff: carbon atoms connected to hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and other elements. But how these fundamental substances are created in space has been a longstanding mystery.

Planck: First Stars Formed Later Than We Thought

Planck • Feature • August 31st, 2016

ESA's Planck satellite, a mission with significant participation from NASA, has revealed that the first stars in the universe started forming later than previous observations of the cosmic microwave background indicated. The background is the most ancient light in the history of the cosmos,...

NASA Team Probes Peculiar Age-Defying Star

Herschel • Feature • August 29th, 2016

For years, astronomers have puzzled over a massive star lodged deep in the Milky Way that shows conflicting signs of being extremely old and extremely young. Researchers initially classified the star as elderly, perhaps a red supergiant. But a new study by a NASA-led team of researchers suggests...

NEOWISE 2017 Data Release

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • June 1st, 2017

The Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer and IPAC present the NEOWISE 2017 Data Release. The 3-year NEOWISE archive now contains over 7.7 million calibrated...

How Far Away is That Galaxy? Vast Catalog Has Answers

NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database • January 5th, 2017

A team of researchers has compiled a special catalog to help astronomers figure out the true distances to tens of thousands of galaxies beyond our own Milky Way. The catalog,...

Discovering Our Universe From The Classroom: NASA/IPAC Teacher Research Program

NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program • January 5th, 2017

High school teachers and students doing real astronomy research? Absolutely! Once again, more than 50 teachers, students and astronomy educators from the NASA/IPAC Teacher...

SPHEREx Not Selected as a NASA SMEX

SPHEREx • January 4th, 2017

We are disappointed not to have been selected as a NASA SMEX this round.

NASA's NEOWISE Mission Spies One Comet, Maybe Two

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • December 29th, 2016

NASA's NEOWISE mission has recently discovered some celestial objects traveling through our neighborhood, including one on the blurry line between asteroid and comet....

Are planets like those in 'Star Wars: Rogue One' really out there? NASA plans to find out

Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope • December 15th, 2016

In the "Star Wars" universe, ice, ocean and desert planets burst from the darkness as your ship drops out of light speed. But these worlds might be more than just science fiction.

SPHEREx Submitted as a NASA Medium-Class Explorer

SPHEREx • December 15th, 2016

An enhanced version of SPHEREx was submitted as a NASA Medium-Class Explorer (MIDEX), with Step-1 selections expected in July 2017.

Building Blocks of Life's Building Blocks Come From Starlight

Herschel • October 12th, 2016

Life exists in a myriad of wondrous forms, but if you break any organism down to its most basic parts, it's all the same stuff: carbon atoms connected to hydrogen, oxygen,...

Planck: First Stars Formed Later Than We Thought

Planck • August 31st, 2016

ESA's Planck satellite, a mission with significant participation from NASA, has revealed that the first stars in the universe started forming later than previous observations of...

NASA Team Probes Peculiar Age-Defying Star

Herschel • August 29th, 2016

For years, astronomers have puzzled over a massive star lodged deep in the Milky Way that shows conflicting signs of being extremely old and extremely young. Researchers...