NASA

This new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features one of the most visually intricate remnants of a dying star: the Cat’s Eye Nebula, also known as NGC 6543. This extraordinary planetary nebula lies in the constellation Draco and has captivated astronomers for decades with its elaborate and multilayered structure. Observations with ESA’s Gaia mission place the nebula at 4,400 light-years away. Planetary nebulae, so-called because of their round shape, which made them appear to look like planets when viewed through early telescopes, are in fact expanding gas thrown off by stars in their final stages of evolution. It was the Cat’s Eye Nebula itself where this fact was first discovered in 1864 — examining the spectrum of its light reveals the emission from individual molecules ...

We’re on the hunt for worlds that can sustain life! But how can we identify them from trillions of miles away?We start the search within the habitable, or “Goldilocks,” zone around other stars – the not too hot, not too cold region where liquid surface water could exist on orbiting planets.ALTThis artist’s impression shows a star with several planets within its habitable zone.It sounds simple enough, but it’s surprisingly complicated. For one thing, the size and location of a habitable zone varies from star to star, mainly depending on how big and hot it is. It’s like standing near a bonfire; the smaller the flames, the closer you have to be to feel the heat.ALTThis visualization of our solar system shows the rough location of the Sun’s habitable zone. Earth is nestled comfortably in the m...

WASHINGTON — Funding for the U.S. Space Force this fiscal year approaches $42 billion when mandatory and discretionary dollars are combined, according to a new analysis unveiled Feb. 24 by the National Security Space Association. Across the Defense Department, spending on space programs in fiscal 2026 totals about $57.7 billion, the estimate shows, a sharp increase driven by last year’s reconciliation package that injected roughly $150 billion in mandatory defense funding outside the regular appropriations process. The analysis was conducted by Mike Tierney, head of legislative affairs at the National Security Space Association, using funding data compiled by the consulting firm Velos from individual program elements. Tierney cautioned the figures are not official Pentagon budget...

HOUSTON, TX (FEB. 18, 2026) — Space Center Houston has been ranked No. 6 as the Best Science Museum in the nation in the 2026 USA TODAY 10BEST Readers’ Choice Awards. The official announcement was made on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at noon EST, with results published on the USA TODAY 10BEST website and shared across the USA TODAY Network. Nominated by a panel of industry experts and USA TODAY 10BEST editors before public voting, Space Center Houston ranked among the nation’s top 10 science museums for its engaging exhibits, immersive experiences and programming, making it a premier destination center. “This recognition reflects the passion of our crewmembers, the innovation behind our exhibits and programming, and the incredible support from our guests,” said William Harri...

Although the aurora borealis, or northern lights, is most often observed in March and September, it can appear at other times of the year if conditions are right. For instance, in February 2026, a minor geomagnetic storm produced a striking display of light swirling across northern skies. The VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) on the Suomi NPP satellite acquired these images in the early morning hours of February 16. The VIIRS day-night band detects nighttime light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses filtering techniques to observe signals such as city lights, reflected moonlight, and auroras. While these satellite data are displayed in grayscale, auroras appear in various colors to observers on the ground, from green (the most common) to p...