CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A private **** ecraft that was supposed to provide a lifeline to NASA's Swift Observatory managed to get close to the sinking telescope and even snap photos two weeks after the rescue was abandoned.
But the three-armed robotic salvager had to turn away because it was low on fuel, according to Katalyst **** e Technologies, which attempted the daring operation.
"We got so close, but so far," Katalyst CEO Ghonhee Lee told The **** ociated Press this week.
Katalyst's Link **** ecraft got within 15 kilometers (9 miles) of Swift on Tuesday, using its sensors to gather data on the doomed telescope for NASA. The rescue effort had already been called off in August because of Link's own troubles in orbit, but the company wanted the practice for future satellite-servicing missions.
Link went into an uncontrollable spin soon after rocketing to Swift's rescue in July. Flight controllers managed to slow the tumble and stabilize the **** ecraft, using up precious fuel. In the end, there was not enough fuel remaining to boost the aging Swift into a higher, longer-lasting orbit so it could continue observing the cosmos.

#rescue #link #close #telescope

A massive observatory that scientists have called a "discovery machine" is set to launch toward the cosmos, beginning a journey that could mark a significant shift in our understanding of the universe.
Designed to seek out otherwise invisible and faint ***** e objects, NASA's Nancy Grace Roman ***** e Telescope is expected to lift off aboard a ***** eX Falcon Heavy rocket as soon as 7:26 a.m. ET Sunday from Kennedy ***** e Center in Florida.
Over the next five years, the bus-size telescope's observations could reveal answers to enduring mysteries such as dark energy, which fuels the inexplicable accelerating expansion of the universe, and dark matter, which provides the cosmos with structure but remains unseen. It could allow astronomers to spot previously unseen galaxies and exoplanets, worlds around stars beyond our solar system, as well rogue planets that don't orbit stars at all.
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#space #universe #stars #nancy

The August full moon, commonly known as the sturgeon moon, is almost here, and this year, it will coincide with a partial lunar eclipse.
Celebrity astrologer Kyle Thomas, who is known for his cosmic guidance for celebrities, businesses, and online influencers, spoke to "Good Morning America" about what the August full moon and lunar eclipse could mean for each zodiac sign.
But first, here's what to know about this month's sturgeon moon.
Next week's partial lunar eclipse caps off a busy month of celestial splendor
The sturgeon moon will reach its full phase at 12:18 a.m. ET on Aug. 28, or 9:18 p.m. PT on Aug. 27, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory.

#full #sturgeon #lunar

By Will Dunham
Aug 25 (Reuters) - NASA is preparing to launch its next flagship ****** e observatory, one that scientists plan to use to investigate some of the universe's biggest mysteries including dark energy and dark matter, while also testing gravity at vast scales and hunting for planets beyond our solar system.
The launch of the Nancy ‌Grace Roman ****** e Telescope, a roughly $4 billion project, is planned for Sunday at NASA's Kennedy ****** e Center in Florida, with the observatory to be lofted into orbit aboard a ‌SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The launch comes nine months ahead of schedule, according to U.S. ****** e agency officials.
Roman is a follow-on to the Hubble ****** e Telescope, launched in 1990, and the James Webb ****** e Telescope, launched in 2021, and has capabilities that can expand on the knowledge gained by those pioneering observatories, both of which continue to operate.
The new telescope's panoramic view of ****** e and its rapid survey speeds offer the opportunity for scientists to study the cosmos as never before, with wide-field surveys examining its structure, composition and evolution.

#space #observatory #launched #dunham

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President JD Vance has added a chicken coop to his residence at the U.S. Naval Observatory, along with a dozen baby chicks whose new henhouse is designed to look like the Victorian home where the second family lives.
The coop, which features a round turret and faux slate roof, was donated by Carolina Coops, a North Carolina company that advertises "premium" coops that have amassed a social media following. The coop was custom-built for the residence and completed May 29, the company's owner and founder said.
"It's something I thought was amazing to do for this country," Matthew DuBoise said in an interview. "It's a place of history and a place of significance."
The coop was built without taxpayer money, according to a person familiar with the project who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly. The residence hosted a family event over the weekend where local 4-H students taught other kids about the newly installed coup, the person said.
Vice presidents since 1977 have lived on the grounds of the 72-acre Naval Observatory, and many have left their own imprint on the property. Joe Biden added a heritage garden, Mike Pence's wife, Karen, contributed beehives, and Kamala Harris' updates included pink wallpaper in the house's library. A heated swimming pool on the property was added by Dan Quayle in 1991.

FC Barcelona boasts the world's most expensive player in Lamine Yamal, according to the CIES Observatory.
FC Barcelona boasts the world’s most expensive soccer player according to the CIES Football Observatory, which rates its talented teenager Lamine Yamal at an astounding $415 million (€358 million) as per a report shared by Mundo Deportivo.
The 18-year-old heading to the World Cup with Spain finished ahead of his nearest rivals Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe by some distance.
While Manchester City striker Haaland was second on $264 million (€227 million), third-place Real Madrid number 9 Kylian Mbappe has been valued at $193 million (€166 million).
Of these three players, it is worth noting that only Mbappe has been transferred for a significant fee.

NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory is considered one of the agency’s greatest achievements, but it’s not necessarily as recognizable as siblings like the James Webb and Hubble ****** e Telescopes. However, since 1999, the powerful ****** ecraft has peered deep into the cosmos to provide astronomers with never-before-seen glimpses of the Milky Way galaxy. As the observatory nears its 27th anniversary, NASA is highlighting its Chandra Source Catalog (CSC), an absolutely massive archive of visualization data collected over the years.
The most recent CSC update adds more than 400,000 unique compact

Scientists debate a 70-year-old UFO mystery as new images come to light

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More than 70 years ago, astronomers at the Palomar Observatory in California photographed several star-like flashes that appeared and vanished within an hour — years before the first satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched into orbit.
New peer-reviewed research revisiting those midcentury sky plates repo

To commemorate 25 years since the International Gemini Observatory achieved full operations, Chilean students selected the stunning ***** erfly Nebula (NGC 6302) as the celebratory image for the Gemini South telescope in Chile.
Operated by NSF’s NOIRLab and located atop Cerro Pachón, the 8.1-meter Gemini South telescope captured a breathtaking new image of the glowing, wing-shaped planetary nebula as part of the “Gemini First Light Anniversary Image Contest.”
The contest invited students from the observatory’s host communities in Chile and Hawaii to choose an object that honors the observato