A team of engineers lifts the mast into place atop of NASA’s VIPER robotic Moon rover in a clean room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.NASA/Helen Arase Vargas

NASA’s VIPER – short for the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover – now stands taller and more capable than ever. And that’s thanks to its mast.

VIPER’s mast, and the suite of instruments affixed to it, looks a lot like the rover’s “neck” and “head.” The mast instruments are designed to help the team of rover drivers and real-time scientists send commands and receive data while the rover navigates around hazardous crater slopes, boulders, and places that risk communications blackouts. The team will use these instruments, along with four science payloads, to scout the lunar South Pole. During its approximately 100-day mission, VIPER seeks to better understand the origin of water and other resources on the Moon, as well as the extreme environment where NASA plans to send astronauts as part of the Artemis campaign.

The tip of VIPER’s mast stands approximately eight feet (2.5 meters) above its wheel rims and is equipped with a pair of stereo navigation cameras, a pair of powerful LED headlights, as well as a low- and high-gain antenna to transmit data to and receive data from the Deep Space Network (DSN) antennas on Earth.

The stereo navigation cameras – the “eyes” of the rover – are mounted to a part of the mast that gimbals, allowing the team to pan them as much as 400 degrees around and tilt them up and down as much as 75 degrees. The VIPER team will use the navigation cameras to take sweeping panoramas of the rover’s surroundings and images to detect and further study surface features such as rocks and craters as small as four inches (10 cm) in diameter – or about the length of a pencil – from as far as 50 feet (15 meters) away. And because the navigation cameras are mounted up high, it gives the VIPER team a near human-like perspective as the rover explores areas of scientific interest around the Moon’s South Pole.

Due to the extremes of light and darkness found on the Moon, VIPER will be the first planetary rover to have headlights. The headlights will cast a narrow, long-distance beam – much like a car’s high beams – to help the team reveal obstacles or interesting terrain features that would otherwise stay hidden in the shadows. Positioned next to the rover’s two navigation cameras, the lights feature arrays of blue LEDs that the rover navigation team determined would provide the best visibility given the challenging lighting conditions on the Moon. 

In order to transmit large amounts of data across the 240,000 miles (384,000 km) that separate Earth and the Moon, VIPER has a gimballing precision-pointed, high-gain antenna that will send information along a very focused, narrow beam. Its low-gain antenna also will send data but using radio waves at a much lower data rate. The ability for the antennas to maintain the correct orientation, even while driving, serves a critical function: without it, the rover cannot receive commands while in motion on the Moon and cannot transmit any of its data back to Earth for scientists to achieve their mission goals. All that data is then transferred from the DSN to the Multi-Mission Operations and Control Center at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, where rover operations are based.

NASA’s VIPER robotic Moon rover stands taller than ever after engineers integrated its mast in a clean room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.NASA/Josh Valcarcel

Prior to installation on the rover, engineers put the mast through a variety of testing. This included time in a thermal vacuum chamber to verify the white coating surrounding the mast insulates as intended. After the mast’s integration in the clean room at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the team also successfully performed check-outs of its components and for the first time sent data through the rover using its antennas.

VIPER is part of the Lunar Discovery and Exploration Program and is managed by the Planetary Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. VIPER will launch to the Moon aboard Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. It will reach its destination at Mons Mouton near the Moon’s South Pole. 

4 min read

Citizen Scientists Invited to Collect Data for NASA During Eclipse Argentine students gather cloud observations and temperature data to upload through the GLOBE Eclipse tool during the eclipse that crossed South America on July 2, 2019. Pablo Cecchi

On April 8, 2024, as the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, thousands of amateur citizen scientists will measure air temperatures and snap pictures of clouds. The data they collect will aid researchers who are investigating how the Sun influences climates in different environments.

Among those citizen scientists are the fifth- and sixth-grade students at Alpena Elementary in northwest Arkansas. In the weeks leading up to the eclipse, these students are visiting the school’s weather station 10 times a day to collect temperature readings and monitor cloud cover. They will then upload the data to a phone-based app that’s part of a NASA-led program called GLOBE, short for Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment.

The goal, according to Alpena Elementary science and math teacher Roger Rose, is to “make science and math more real” for his students. “It makes them feel like they’re doing something that’s important and worthwhile.”

The GLOBE eclipse tool is a small part of the much broader GLOBE project, through which students and citizen scientists collect data on plants, soil, water, the atmosphere, and even mosquitoes. And while some of these studies require equipment, contributors to the eclipse project will only need a thermometer and a smart phone with the GLOBE Observer app downloaded. They can access the eclipse tool in the app.

This is not the first time the GLOBE eclipse tool has been deployed in North America. During the 2017 North American eclipse, NASA researchers examined the relationship between clouds and air temperature and found that temperature swings during the eclipse were greatest in areas with less cloud cover, while temperature fluctuations in cloudier regions were more muted. It’s a finding that would have been difficult, perhaps impossible, without the assistance of numerous amateur observers along the eclipse path, said Marilé Colón Robles, a meteorologist based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, and the GLOBE project scientist overseeing the cloud study portion of the project.

GLOBE program volunteers across North America uploaded data coinciding with the July 21, 2017 event to this map. A high concentration of observers make the path of totality in the western part of the U.S. stand out. Globe program

The number of weather stations along this year’s eclipse path is limited, and while satellites give us a global view, they can’t provide the same level of detail as people on the ground, said Ashlee Autore, a NASA Langley data scientist who will be conducting a follow-up to the 2017 study. “The power of citizen science is that people make the observations, and they can move.”

It’s still unclear how temperature fluctuations during a total eclipse compare across different climate regions, Colón Robles said. “This upcoming eclipse is passing through desert regions, mountainous regions, as well as more moist regions near the oceans.” Acquiring observations across these areas, she said, “will help us dig deeper into questions about regional connections between cloud cover and ground-level temperatures.” The studies should give scientists a better handle on the flow of energy from the Sun that’s crucial for understanding climate.

In many areas, citizen scientists are expected to gather en masse. “We’re inviting basically all of El Paso to campus,” said geophysicist and GLOBE partner John Olgin of El Paso Community College in Texas. The area will experience the eclipse in near totality, with about 80% of the Sun covered at the peak. It’s enough to make for an engaging event involving citizen scientists from the U.S. and Juarez, Mexico, just across the Rio Grande. 

Just a few minutes of midday darkness will have the long-term benefits of increasing awareness of NASA citizen science programs, Olgin said: “It’s going to inspire people to say, ‘Hey look, you can actually do stuff with NASA.’”

More than 30 million people live along the path of the 2024 eclipse, and hundreds of millions more will see a partial eclipse. It will be another 20 years before so many people in North America experience another total solar eclipse again.

With this in mind, Colón Robles has a piece of advice: As the Moon actively blocks the Sun, set your phone and thermometer aside, and marvel at one of the most extraordinary astronomical events of your lifetime.

Visit NASA’s Citizen Science page to learn how you can help NASA scientists study the Earth during eclipses and all year round. The GLOBE Program page provides connections to communities of GLOBE participants in 127 countries, access to data for retrieval and analysis, a roadmap for new participants, and other resources.

By James Riordon
NASA’s Earth Science News Team

About the Author James Riordon

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Apr 01, 2024

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5 min read Total Solar Eclipse 2024: The Moon’s Moment in the Sun

To know exactly where and when the solar eclipse will cast its shadow, we study…

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3 Min Read April’s Night Sky Notes: Participate in Eclipse Science

An example of the Cloudspotting on Mars data representations, as annotated by an experienced participant.

Credits:
NASA / Zooniverse

by Kat Troche of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

April is NASA’s Citizen Science Month, and there is no shortage of projects available. Here are some citizen science projects that you can participate in on April 8th, on and off the path of totality right from your smartphone! 

Eclipse Soundscapes Logo ARISA Lab / NASA Eclipse Soundscapes

Eclipse Soundscapes will compare data from a 1932 study on how eclipses affect wildlife – in this case, crickets. There are a number of ways you can participate, both on and off the path. NOTE: you must be 13 and older to submit data. Participants 18+ can apply to receive the free Data Collector kit. Learn more at: eclipsesoundscapes.org/

GLOBE Eclipse 

Folks that participated in the GLOBE Eclipse 2017 will be glad to see that their eclipse data portal is now open! With the GLOBE Observer smartphone app, you can measure air temperature and clouds during the eclipse, contributing data to the GLOBE program from anywhere you are. Learn more at: observer.globe.gov/

HamSCI citizen scientists. HamSCI, The University of Scranton / NASA HamSCI

HamSCI stands for Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation. HamSCI has been actively engaged in scientific data collection for both the October 14, 2023, annular solar eclipse and the upcoming April 8, 2024, total eclipse. Two major activities that HamSCI will be involved in around the solar events will be the Solar Eclipse QSO Party (SEQP) and the Gladstone Signal Spotting Challenge (GSSC) which are part of the HamSCI Festivals of Eclipse Ionospheric Science. Learn more about these experiments and others at: hamsci.org/eclipse

SunSketcher logo. SunSketcher, Western Kentucky University / NASA SunSketcher

If you’re traveling to totality, help the SunSketcher team measure the oblateness, or shape, of the Sun during the eclipse by timing the flashes of Baily’s Beads. You will need a smartphone with a working camera for this, along with something to hold the phone in place – don’t forget a spare battery! NOTE: The app will need to run from five minutes before the eclipse starts until the end of the eclipse. Any additional phone use will result in Sun Sketcher data loss. Learn more at: sunsketcher.org/

Don’t stop at the eclipse – NASA has citizen science projects you can do all year long – from cloud spotting on Mars to hunting for distant planets! By contributing to these research efforts, you can help NASA make new discoveries and scientific breakthroughs, resulting in a better understanding of the world around us, from the critters on the ground, to the stars in our sky.

We’ll be highlighting other citizen science projects with our mid-month article on the Night Sky Network page, but we want to wish all you eclipse chasers out there a very happy, and safe solar eclipse! For last minute activities, check out Night Sky Network’s Solar Eclipse Resources section!

6 min read

What’s Up: March 2024 Skywatching Tips from NASA
Download the Video

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

Jupiter plows through the Pleiades on March 14, a chance to spot Mercury at month’s end along with a subtle lunar eclipse, and a comet worth keeping an eye on!

March skywatching highlights:

• March 10 – New moon
• March 13 – The Moon joins Jupiter tonight in the west, following sunset. They make a great pairing through binoculars.
• March 14 – Tonight the crescent Moon moves through the Pleiades star cluster, creating a dazzling sight for skywatchers observing with binoculars.
• March 21-25 – Northern Hemisphere viewers have their best chance of the year to spot Mercury in the evening sky. Look for it shining brightly, low in the west, starting half an hour after sunset.
• March 24-25 – A subtle lunar eclipse called a penumbral eclipse will cause a slight decrease in the Moon’s brightness tonight. It’s usually difficult to see, but you might see the difference if you look before the eclipse and then at the peak. At the peak observers can sometimes see a subtle gradient in brightness across the Moon’s face.
• March 25 – Full moon
• March 25 – The full moon dims slightly during a penumbral lunar eclipse tonight, as it passes through the outer part of Earth’s shadow, the penumbra. The decrease in brightening for this type of eclipse is subtle, but you might be able to notice a slight gradient in brightness across the Moon’s face around the peak of the event.
• All month – Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is heading toward its closest approach to the Sun on its 71-year orbit, and is bright enough to observe in telescopes and binoculars. There’s a possibility it might become just visible to the unaided eye by late March or sometime in April.

Sky chart showing the changing position of Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks during the month of March. Find the comet in the west-northwest as soon as the sky is fully dark. It moves lower as the month continues Video Transcript

Text of the current month’s video.

What’s Up for March? Some close pair-ups with the Moon, and Mercury makes an appearance, a subtle lunar eclipse, and a chance to catch a comet.

In March, you’ll find Jupiter shining brightly in the west during the early evening hours all month long. And on March 13th, it’s joined by a crescent Moon so close that the pair will be visible together through binoculars.

Sky chart showing Jupiter with the Moon on the evening of March 13, one hour after sunset. NASA/JPL-Caltech

On the following evening, the Moon visits the Pleiades. This is another close pairing – with the five-day-old lunar crescent hanging right next to the bright star cluster – that will look great through a small telescope or binoculars.

Near the end of March, observers in the Northern Hemisphere will have the best opportunity of the year to catch a glimpse of Mercury in the evening sky. Look for it shining brightly low in the west following sunset.

Sky chart showing Jupiter and Mercury on the evenings of March 21-25 about 30-40 minutes after sunset. NASA/JPL-Caltech

Overnight on March 24th and into the 25th, the Moon will pass through the outer part of Earth’s shadow, creating a faint lunar eclipse called a penumbral eclipse. Now, the more spectacular variety of lunar eclipses happens when the Moon passes through Earth’s inner shadow, or umbra. That’s when we see a dark “bite” taken out of the Moon, or in the case of a total lunar eclipse, a reddish, so-called “blood moon.” Penumbral eclipses cause only a slight dimming of the Moon’s brightness, so if you’re not looking for it, you might not know there was an eclipse happening. But if you glance at the Moon early in the night, and then later, around the peak of the eclipse, you might notice the difference in brightness.

Even faint lunar eclipses like this one are always accompanied by a solar eclipse either a couple of weeks before or after. And on April 8th, a total solar eclipse will sweep across the U.S. (We’ll tell you more about that in next month’s video.)

There’s a comet making its way into the inner solar system that’s already observable with a telescope, and might start to become visible to the unaided eye by late March or in April. It’s a mountain of rock, dust, and ice several miles wide named 12P/Pons-Brooks.

It has a stretched-out, 71-year-long orbit that carries it as far from the Sun as the orbit of Neptune and nearly as close as the orbit of Venus. Fortunately, because this orbit is tilted, it doesn’t cross our planet’s path, so there’s no chance of a collision.

Comet 12P has been observed on several of its previous appearances going back hundreds of years, and one thing it’s known for is its occasional outbursts. Sometimes this comet suddenly brightens by quite bit, due to bursts of gas and dust being released from beneath its surface. If this happens in the March-April timeframe as the comet nears the Sun, it could become bright enough to observe with the eye alone.

But even without additional brightening from outbursts, the comet is predicted to peak at a brightness that should make it easy to see with binoculars, and possibly just naked-eye visible under dark skies by the end of March.

Now, comets are notoriously unpredictable, so it’s hard to know for sure how bright Pons-Brooks will get as it nears the Sun, but it’s certainly worth a look. You can find it low in the west-northwest part of the sky at the end of evening twilight.

Comets, along with asteroids, are leftover pieces of the materials that formed the Sun and planets. So catch a comet and glimpse one of the building blocks of our solar system with your own eyes.

Here are the phases of the Moon for March.

The phases of the Moon for March 2024. NASA/JPL-Caltech

Stay up to date on NASA’s missions exploring the solar system and beyond at science.nasa.gov. I’m Preston Dyches from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and that’s What’s Up for this month.

Skywatching Resources​

• NASA’s Night Sky Network
• NASA’s Watch the Skies Blog
• Daily Moon Observing Guide
• Full Moon Blog

About the What’s Up production team

“What’s Up” is NASA’s longest running web video series. It had its first episode in April 2007 with original host Jane Houston Jones. Today, Preston Dyches, Christopher Harris, and Lisa Poje are the science communicators and space enthusiasts who produce this monthly video series at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Additional astronomy subject matter guidance is provided by JPL’s Bill Dunford, Gary Spiers, Lyle Tavernier, and GSFC’s Molly Wasser.

NASA selected 12 finalist teams to compete in the next round of the Human Lander Challenge (HuLC) competition. In 2023, NASA invited undergraduate and graduate students from accredited colleges and universities in the United States to propose innovative solutions to manage the lunar dust a spacecraft stirs up when landing on the Moon.

NASA’s Artemis campaign will establish a long-term human presence on and around the Moon for the benefit of all, and one of the challenges the agency and its partners must address is the particularly dusty aspect of landing on the lunar surface. These university-level teams will spend the next several months continuing to develop their concepts for managing or preventing the cloud of dust created when using rocket engines to land on unprepared surfaces like the Moon. This effect is called plume surface interaction and can damage assets NASA plans to establish on the Moon’s surface, like habitats and scientific experiments.

“Each team brings a unique perspective and I’m excited to see the cumulation of each team’s extensive research and concept development at the 2024 Forum,” said Jamshid Samareh, lead for the technology identification and assessment team at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. “Their proposed system-level designs showcase the brilliance and dedication of the Artemis Generation to our collective mission. I am confident their work will propel us closer to the Moon and hopefully inspire future advancements in space exploration.”

The 2024 HuLC Finalist Teams are:

• Colorado School of Mines
  • “Prudent Landers – FAST”
  • Advisor: Mark Florida, Dr. Angel Abbud-Madrid, David Purcell
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • “Plume Additive for Reducing Surface Ejecta and Cratering (PARSEC)”
  • Advisor: Dr. Siwei Fan
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • “Ceramic Research Advancement Technology at Embry-Riddle (C.R.A.T.E.R.)”
  • Advisor: Seetha Raghavan
• Ohio Northern University
  • “HuLC Smash”
  • Dr. Louis DiBerardino
• Texas A&M University
  • “Maroon Moon: Preliminary Surface Stabilization to Mitigate Lunar Plume Surface Interaction”
  • Advisor: John F. Connolly, Dr. Jean-Louis Briaud
• Texas A&M University
  • “Synthetic Orbital Landing Area for Crater Elimination (SOLACE)”
  • Advisor: Dr. Helen Reed
• Texas State University
  • “Numerical Simulation and Physical Validation of Regolith Ejecta During Plume Surface Interaction”
  • Advisor: Dr. Bin Xiao
• The College of New Jersey
  • “TCNJ Adaptable Regolith Retention Program (TARRP)”
  • Advisor: Mohammed Alabsi
• University of California San Diego
  • “Microwave Lunar Sintering of Nanophase Iron Enriched Lunar Regolith for the Creation of a Lunar Landing Pad”
  • Advisor: Dr. Amy Eguchi, Dr. Zahra Sadeghizadeh, Dr. Ross Turner
• University of Colorado Boulder (Graduate Team)
  • “Lunar Surface Assessment Tool (LSAT): A Simulation of Lunar Dust Dynamics for Risk Analysis”
  • Advisor: James Nabity
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • “HINDER: Holistic Integration of Navigational Dynamics for Erosion Reduction”
  • Advisor: Laura Villafane Roca
• University of Michigan
  • “ARC-LIGHT: Algorithm for Robust Characterization of Lunar surface Imaging for Ground Hazards and Trajectory”
  • Advisor: Mirko Gamba, Chris Ruf

The finalist selection process involved a rigorous assessment of each team’s proposal package submission, consisting of a 5–7-page concept proposal and a two-minute summary video. The judging panel made up of subject matter experts from NASA’s Human Landing System Program considered factors such as feasibility, innovation, and adherence to NASA’s safety standards. Each team will receive a $7,000 stipend award to facilitate further development of their proposed concept and their full participation in the 2024 HuLC Forum in Huntsville, Alabama this June. The 12 finalists will make final presentations to a panel of NASA and industry experts at the onsite HuLC Forum. The top three winning teams will share a prize purse of $18,000.

The Human Lander Challenge is sponsored by NASA’s Human Landing System Program and managed by the National Institute of Aerospace.

Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon, paving the way for a long-term, sustainable lunar presence to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before and prepare for future astronaut missions to Mars.

For full competition details, visit the Human Lander Challenge website:

https://hulc.nianet.org

29 Min Read March-April 2024: The Next Full Moon is the Crow, Crust, Sap, Sugar, or Worm Moon

A full moon rises over Utah.

Credits:
NASA/Bill Dunford

The next full moon is the Crow, Crust, Sap, Sugar, or Worm Moon; the Paschal Moon; Purim; the Holi Festival Moon; Madin Poya; the Pothole Moon; a Micromoon, and a Partial Lunar Eclipse.

The next full moon will be on Monday morning, March 25, 2024, appearing opposite the Sun in Earth-based longitude at 3 AM EDT. This will be on Sunday evening from Alaska Time westward to the International Date Line. Around this time the Moon will pass through the partial shadow of the Earth (called a penumbral lunar eclipse). The slight dimming of the Moon will be difficult to notice, but see if you can tell if the lower part of the Moon is dimmer than the upper part. The Moon will begin entering the Earth’s shadow at 12:53 AM, reach greatest eclipse at 3:13 AM with 96% of the Moon in partial shadow, and exit the shadow at 5:32 AM. Since this full Moon is a little over a day after apogee (when the Moon is at its farthest from the Earth in its orbit) this is a micromoon, the opposite of a supermoon. The Moon will appear full for about 3 days around this time, from Saturday evening through Tuesday morning.

The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began publishing “Indian” names for full Moons in the 1930s and these names are now widely known and used. According to this almanac, as the full Moon in March the tribes of the northeastern United States called this the Crow, Crust, Sap, Sugar, or Worm Moon. The more northern tribes of the northeastern States knew this as the Crow Moon, with the cawing of crows signaling the end of winter. Other northern names were the Crust Moon, because the snow cover became crusted from thawing by day and freezing by night, or the Sap (or Sugar) Moon as this was the time for tapping maple trees. The more southern tribes called this the Worm Moon after the earthworm casts that appeared as the ground thawed. It makes sense that only the southern tribes called this the Worm Moon. When glaciers covered the northern part of North America they wiped out the native earthworms. After these glaciers melted about 12,000 years ago the more northern forests grew back without earthworms. Most of the earthworms in these areas are invasive species introduced from Europe and Asia.

In the western Christian ecclesiastical calendar this is the Paschal Moon, from which the date of Easter is calculated. Paschal is the Latinized version of Pesach, Hebrew for Passover. Initially, the Christian holiday of Easter, also called Pascha, was celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full Moon of spring. However, there are differences between the times of these astronomical events and the calendars now used by the Eastern and Western churches. Western Christianity will be celebrating Easter on Sunday, March 31, 2024, the Sunday after this first full Moon of spring. The date of Eastern Orthodox Easter is based on the Julian calendar and will be on Sunday, May 5.

Many lunar and lunisolar calendars start the months on the new Moon with the full Moon in the middle of the month. Lunisolar calendars add or repeat a month as needed to keep the lunar months aligned with the solar seasons. This full Moon is in the middle of the second month of Adar in the Hebrew calendar and corresponds with Purim, celebrated from sunset on March 23 to sunset on March 24, 2024, the 14th of the Adar II (a day later in Jerusalem and ancient walled cities). Purim marks the Jewish people’s deliverance from a royal death decree around the fourth century BCE as told in the Book of Esther. Purim is celebrated by exchanging gifts of food and drink, feasting, and donating to charity.

In the Islamic calendar this full Moon is near the middle of the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is honored as the month in which the Quran was revealed. Observing this annual month of charitable acts, prayer, and fasting from dawn to sunset is one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

As the full Moon in the Hindu month Phalguna, this Moon corresponds with the Holi festival, celebrating the victory of good over evil and the start of spring. This two-day long festival is also known as the Festival of Love, Festival of Colors, or the Festival of Spring. Holi begins with a bonfire the evening before the day of the full Moon, continues on the day of the full Moon with a free-for-all game involving the spraying of colored powders and/or colored water on whomever wanders by, and ends with evening visits with friends and family.

Every full Moon is a holiday in Sri Lanka. This full Moon is Medin or Madin Poya, marking the Buddha’s first visit to his father after his enlightenment.

Continuing the tradition of naming Moons after prominent phenomena tied to the time of year, a few years ago my friend Tom Van Wagner suggested naming this the Pothole Moon. It may be a case of confirmation bias, but whether in my car or on my bicycle I notice more potholes this time of year.

As usual, the wearing of suitably celebratory celestial attire is encouraged in honor of the full Moon.

As for other celestial events between now and the full Moon after next (with specific times and angles based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC):

Total Eclipse of the Sun

There will be a total eclipse of the Sun on Monday, April 8, 2024. This total eclipse will be visible in a swath ranging from 142 (88 miles) wide near the start and end to 203 km (126 miles) wide near the middle of the swath. The path of the total eclipse will begin in the Pacific south of the equator, start passing over North America on the coast of Mexico near Mazatlán, cross the USA from Texas to Maine, exit North America from Canada on the coast of Newfoundland, and end in the North Atlantic. Outside of this narrow swath, most of North and Central America will see a partial solar eclipse. See https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/skywatching/eclipses/solar-eclipses/2024-solar-eclipse/total-solar-eclipse-2024-the-moons-moment-in-the-sun/ for more information.

Assuming you can find a place with clear skies near the centerline of this swath, this eclipse, in particular, should be quite a show. Compared to the eclipse in 2017, the Moon will be nearer its closest to the Earth, making its shadow larger, the sky darker, and the eclipse longer. In addition, the Sun will be nearer its maximum in its 11-year cycle, so the corona, which can only be seen during a total eclipse, should be more spectacular. If the sky is clear during the eclipse, you will be able to see the planets and some stars that are not normally visible this time of year. Bright Jupiter will be to the upper left of the eclipse, with Venus, Saturn, and Mars to the lower right. In the unlikely event that the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks has an outburst that makes it significantly brighter (described below), you may be able to see it to the right of Jupiter (if it isn’t obvious, I recommend enjoying the eclipse rather than spending time searching for a comet you might not be able to see).

Plenty of information about this total eclipse is available elsewhere, so I will refrain from adding much more, but please read and pay attention to eye safety. The only time it is safe to look directly at the Sun is when it is completely blocked by the Moon, so that you can only see the much fainter corona. Staring directly at even a small sliver of the Sun can do permanent eye damage.

This eclipse will be passing through or near many populated areas, making it possible to trade off waiting for more accurate weather forecasts for clear skies against the difficulties of making last minute bookings or dealing with  traffic jams if you wait until the day of the eclipse to drive to the zone of totality.

Total eclipses of the Sun are rare and spectacular events. I recognize that not everyone will be able to drop everything and go see this one, but seeing at least one good, total eclipse in a clear sky should be on your bucket list. A partial eclipse is just not the same. The only other reason I can think of for not going where you can see this total eclipse (other than you absolutely can’t at this time) is that if you see this eclipse, you are likely to want to see more, and will begin making plans to go to North Africa in 2026, Australia in 2028, etc. The next three eclipses visible from parts of North America will be in 2044, 2045, and 2052.

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks

During this lunar cycle, comet 12P/Pons-Brooks will be visible with binoculars or a telescope, and may become bright enough to be a naked eye comet. In my quick searches of the web I found visual guides that provide specific information on when and where to look from your location on any given night. However, I did not see a concise guide to when might be the best time to look for this comet, so here is my meager attempt.

Several things make a difference in how easy it is to see a comet.

The greatest uncertainty is how much dust and gas it will be giving off, as it is the sunlight illuminating these plumes that make the comet bright. This comet has already had outbursts that have made it temporarily 10 to 100 times brighter. It may be less likely such outbursts will occur as the comet moves closer to the Sun, but this is uncertain. As the astronomer David H. Levy said, “Comets are like cats; they have tails, and they do precisely what they want.”

My recommendation is to pay attention to the news and check regularly to see if the comet has had an outburst, as this may push its brightness into the visible range. In addition, I plan to look for the comet with binoculars, both on April 8 and 9 before moonlight begins to interfere and in the weeks before closest approach to the Sun on April 21. The next couple of paragraphs give my reasoning (which you are welcome to skip if you like).

We can’t predict outbursts, but we can predict other influences on the brightness of the comet.

If the gas and dust from the comet isn’t changing, an easy calculation is to assume the comet will scatter light uniformly in all directions, so that all you need to consider is the distance between the Sun and the comet and the distance between the comet and the Earth. This suggests that the comet will be at its brightest around April 20 and 21, 2024, when it will be passing its closest to the Sun and receiving (and reflecting towards Earth) the maximum amount of sunlight.

How easy the comet will be to see will also depend on how much glow there is from twilight (which depends on how far the Sun is below the horizon), whether (and how much) moonlight there is (increased moonlight will brighten the background sky), and how high the comet is above the horizon.

In the evenings, nautical twilight ends when the Sun reaches 12 degrees below the horizon (the estimate of when the horizon will be too dark for sailors at sea to use for navigation). In mid-to-late April (for the DC area), nautical twilight ends about 1 hour after sunset (the start and end of twilight I use throughout these Moon Missives is based on nautical twilight). Astronomical twilight is when the Sun is between 12 and 18 degrees below the horizon, when the sky looks dark but there can be enough residual glow that the faintest stars and diffuse objects (like nebulae, galaxies, faint meteors, and comets on the edge of visibility) may be masked. When the Sun is more than 18 degrees below the horizon the sky is about as dark as it is going to get.

When the Moon is in the sky it will add its light to the background brightness of the sky. The amount of light added will increase as the Moon waxes from a faint, thin crescent to a bright, nearly full Moon.

The evening of April 8, 2024, as nautical twilight ends (at 8:39 PM EDT), the crescent Moon will have already set and the comet will be 11.4 degrees above the west-northwestern horizon. The combined effect of the range from the Sun and the Earth gives a geometric estimate of 91% of the maximum brightness at its closest to the Sun in late April. By the time astronomical twilight ends (at 9:12 PM) the comet will still be 5 degrees above the horizon.

The evening of April 9, it might be interesting to see the comet and the thin, waxing crescent Moon low on the horizon as twilight ends, as the Moon will not be very bright and should not interfere much with seeing the comet. Nautical twilight will end (at 8:40 PM) with the Moon 4.2 degrees above the horizon and the comet above the Moon at 10.8 degrees above the horizon. The Moon will set (at 9:08 PM) just 5 minutes before astronomical twilight ends (at 9:13 PM), when the comet will be 4.6 degrees above the horizon. The distance-based estimate of brightness will have increased to 93% of the peak in late April.

Between April 10 and April 21, the geometric estimate of the brightness of the comet will gradually increase, but so will interference from the brightness of the waxing Moon, and the comet will shift closer to the horizon each evening. On the evening of April 21 the geometric brightness of the comet will be at its greatest, but the Moon will be 96% illuminated and the comet will be only 2.7 degrees above the horizon as nautical twilight ends. April 24 will be the last evening that the comet will be above the horizon before nautical twilight ends (at 8:57 PM).

Note that as our opportunity to view this comet from northern latitudes gets worse in late April, the opportunity for viewers in the Southern Hemisphere will get better.

Length of Daylight

As spring continues the daily periods of sunlight continue to lengthen, having changed at their fastest around the equinox on March 19, 2024. On Monday, March 25 (the day of the full Moon), morning twilight will begin at 6:05 AM, sunrise will be at 7:03 AM, solar noon will be at 1:14 PM when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 53.3 degrees, sunset will be at 7:25 PM, and evening twilight will end at 8:24 PM. By Tuesday, April 23 (the day of the full Moon after next), morning twilight will begin at 5:18 AM, sunrise will be at 6:20 AM, solar noon will be at 1:06 PM when the Sun will reach its maximum altitude of 64.0 degrees, sunset will be at 7:53 PM, and evening twilight will end at 8:56 PM.

Meteor Showers

Two meteor showers, the Lyrids (006 LYR) and the π-Puppids (137 PPU), will peak near the end of this lunar cycle but the nearly full Moon will interfere with seeing these meteors.

Evening Sky Highlights

On the evening of Sunday, March 24 (the evening before the full Moon), as twilight ends (at 8:22 PM EDT), the rising Moon will be 14 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon. The bright planet Jupiter will be 27 degrees above the western horizon and the planet Mercury will be to the lower right of Jupiter at 7 degrees above the horizon. The bright object appearing closest to overhead will be Pollux at 78 degrees above the south-southeastern horizon. Pollux is the 17th brightest star in our night sky and the brighter of the twin stars in the constellation Gemini the twins. Pollux is an orange tinted star about 34 light-years from Earth. It is not quite twice the mass of our Sun but about 9 times the diameter and 33 times the brightness.

As this lunar cycle progresses, the background of stars will appear to shift westward each evening (as the Earth moves around the Sun). Mercury will be dimming as it shifts toward the west-northwestern horizon, with April 3 the last evening it will be above the horizon as twilight ends and April 11 when it will pass between the Earth and the Sun, shifting from the evening to the morning sky. We are approaching the end of the opportunity to view Jupiter for this apparition, as it will shift lower towards the west-northwestern horizon each evening. The waxing Moon will pass by Jupiter on April 10, Pollux on April 14 and 15, Regulus on April 17 and 18, and Spica on April 22. By the evening of Tuesday, April 23 (the evening of the day of the full Moon after next), as twilight ends (at 8:56 PM EDT), the rising Moon will be 10 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon. The bright planet Jupiter will be 4 degrees above the west-northwestern horizon. The bright object appearing closest to overhead will be Regulus at 63 degrees above the southern horizon. Regulus is the 21st brightest star in our night sky and the brightest star in the constellation Leo the lion. The Arabic name for Regulus translates as “the heart of the lion.” Although we see Regulus as a single star, it is actually four stars (two pairs of stars orbiting each other). Regulus is about 79 light-years from us.

Morning Sky Highlights

On the morning of Monday, March 25 (the morning after the full Moon), as twilight begins (at 6:05 AM EDT), the setting Moon will be 12 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon. The planet Mars will be 3 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon. The bright object appearing closest to overhead will be the star Vega at 73 degrees above the eastern horizon. Vega is the brightest star in the constellation Lyra the lyre and is one of the three bright stars in the “Summer Triangle” along with Deneb and Altair. Vega is the 5th brightest star in our night sky, about 25 light-years from Earth, twice the mass of our Sun, and shines 40 times brighter than our Sun.

As this lunar cycle progresses, the background of stars will appear to shift westward each evening, while Mars will hover low on the east-southeastern horizon, drifting slightly to the left. The waning Moon will pass by Spica on March 26 and 27, and Antares on March 30. April 1 will be the first morning the planet Saturn will be above the eastern horizon as morning twilight begins, shifting towards Mars each morning. On April 6 the thin, waning crescent Moon will form a triangle with Saturn and Mars, but will be low on the east-southeastern horizon and difficult to see, with the Moon rising just 3 minutes before morning twilight begins. On April 10 Mars and Saturn will appear closest to each other, after which they will appear to separate. By the morning of Tuesday, April 23 (the morning of the day of the full Moon after next), as twilight begins (at 5:18 AM EDT), the setting full Moon will be 7 degrees above the west-southwestern horizon with the bright star Spica 2.5 degrees to the lower left of the Moon. The planet Mars will be 5 degrees above the eastern horizon and the planet Saturn will be 7 degrees above the east-southeastern horizon. The bright object appearing closest to overhead will still be the star Vega at 86 degrees above the eastern horizon.

Detailed Daily Guide

Here for your reference is a day-by-day listing of celestial events between now and the full Moon after next. The times and angles are based on the location of NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC, and some of these details may differ for where you are (I use parentheses to indicate times specific to the DC area).

Monday evening into Tuesday morning, March 18 to 19, 2024, the bright star Pollux (the brighter of the twin stars in the constellation Gemini the twins) will appear near the waxing gibbous Moon. Pollux will be 3.5 degrees to the left as twilight ends (at 8:16 PM EDT) and will shift clockwise around the Moon until the Moon sets on the northwestern horizon (at 4:42 AM) when Pollux will be 2 degrees to the upper right.

Tuesday evening, March 19, 2024, at 11:06 PM EDT, will be the vernal equinox, the astronomical end of winter and start of spring. For a location on the equator in the ocean north of Western New Guinea the Sun will pass directly overhead as it shifts from the Southern to the Northern Hemisphere.

Thursday morning, March 21, 2024, if you have a very clear view of the horizon about halfway between east and east-southeast, you might be able to see the planet Saturn less than a degree to the lower left of the bright planet Venus. Because of the glow of dawn this will be hard to see. Venus will shine brighter than any star, but Saturn will rise last (at 6:32 AM), 21 minutes after twilight begins (at 6:11 AM EDT), and will be only a little brighter than the star Pollux, the 17th brightest star in our night sky. You may need binoculars to see the pair, but make sure you stop looking well before sunrise.

The next morning, Friday, March 22, 2024, the planet Venus will have shifted to less than a degree to the left of the planet Saturn, with the pair rising together (at 6:29 AM EDT) 19 minutes after twilight begins (at 6:10 AM).

Thursday evening into Friday morning, March 21 to 22, 2024, the bright star Regulus will appear near the waxing gibbous Moon. As twilight ends (at 8:19 PM EDT) Regulus will be 5 degrees to the lower right of the Moon. Regulus will gradually shift closer to the Moon, initially swinging towards the left (appearing 4 degrees below and a little to the left) as the Moon reaches its highest (at 11:13 PM). At about 2:30 AM (when Regulus will be 3 degrees to the lower left) Regulus will switch and start swinging towards the right. As Regulus sets (at 5:58 AM) it will be 2.5 degrees below the Moon, with morning twilight beginning 12 minutes later (at 6:10 AM) and the Moon setting 3 minutes after that (at 6:13 AM).

Saturday night, March 23, 2024, at 11:46 AM EDT, the Moon will be at apogee, its farthest from the Earth for this orbit.

Sunday evening, March 24, 2024, at 5:59 PM EDT, will be when the planet Mercury reaches its greatest angular separation from the Sun as seen from Earth for this apparition (called greatest elongation). This will be the evening when the planet Mercury will appear highest above the western horizon (6.5 degrees) as twilight ends (at 8:22 PM).

As mentioned above, the next full Moon will be on Monday morning, March 25, 2024. The Moon will pass through the partial shadow of the Earth (called a penumbral lunar eclipse), beginning to enter the shadow at 12:53 AM EDT, reaching greatest eclipse at 3:13 AM when 96% of the Moon will be in partial shadow, and exiting the shadow at 5:32 AM. The slight dimming of the Moon will be difficult to notice. Since this is a little over a day after apogee (when the Moon is at its farthest from the Earth in its orbit) this will be a micromoon, the opposite of a supermoon. The Moon will appear full for about 3 days around this time, from Saturday evening through Tuesday morning.

Tuesday morning, March 26, 2024, the bright star Spica will appear near the full Moon. As the Moon reaches its highest in the sky for the night (at 1:52 AM EDT), Spica will be 8 degrees to the lower left of the Moon. By the time twilight begins (at 6:03 AM), Spica will be 6 degrees to the left of the Moon.

Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, March 26 to 27, 2024, the Moon will have shifted to the other side of Spica. As the Moon rises on the east-southeastern horizon (at 8:59 PM EDT), Spica will be 3 degrees to the upper right of the Moon. By the time the Moon reaches its highest for the night (at 2:32 AM), Spica will be 5 degrees to the upper right. Spica will be 6 degrees to the lower right as twilight begins (at 6:02 AM).

Saturday morning, March 30, 2024, the bright star Antares will appear near the waning gibbous Moon. As Antares rises on the southeastern horizon (at 12:37 AM EDT) it will be 5 degrees to the lower left of the Moon. The Moon will reach its highest for the night (at 4:52 AM) with Antares 3 degrees to the left. As twilight begins (at 5:57 AM) Antares will be a little less than 3 degrees to the upper left of the Moon.

Monday morning, April 1, 2024, will be the first morning that the planet Saturn will be above the eastern horizon as twilight begins (at 5:55 AM EDT).

Monday night, April 1, 2024, the waning Moon will appear half-full as it reaches its last quarter at 11:15 PM EDT (when the Moon will be below the horizon).

Wednesday evening, April 3, 2024, will be the last evening that the planet Mercury will be above the horizon as twilight ends.

Saturday morning, April 6, 2024, if you have a very clear view of the east-southeastern horizon, you might be able to see the thin, waning crescent Moon near the planets Saturn and Mars. The Moon will rise last (at 5:42 AM EDT) just 3 minutes before twilight begins, with

Saturn 2 degrees to the upper left of the Moon and Mars 4 degrees to the upper right of the Moon.

You will need binoculars to see them in the glow of dawn, but on Sunday morning, April 7, 2024, the bright planet Venus will appear 3.5 degrees to the left of the very thin, waning crescent Moon low on the eastern horizon. Venus will rise last (at 6:14 AM EDT) 31 minutes after twilight begins and 29 minutes before sunrise. If you are using binoculars to scan for this pairing, be sure to stop looking well before any chance of sunrise (as using high powered lenses to focus intense sunlight directly into your eyes is a really bad idea).

Sunday afternoon, April 7, 2024, at 1:52 PM EDT, the Moon will be at perigee, its closest to the Earth for this orbit.

There will be an eclipse of the Sun on Monday, April 8, 2024. For information on the total solar eclipse (not visible from the Washington, DC area) see the summary section above. The Washington, DC area will only see a partial eclipse, starting at about 2:04 PM EDT, reaching its peak at about 3:21 PM when 88.9% of the Sun will be blocked by the Moon, and ending at 4:33 PM. Please pay attention to eye safety and do not look at the Sun directly without eclipse glasses. When the Moon is blocking most of the Sun, what remains will appear like a crescent. One of the interesting effects is that the sunlight through trees, etc., that we normally see as mottled sunlight (round blotches of light) is actually made up of many small images of the round Sun. When the Sun appears as a crescent these mottled patches will appear as many small crescents.

The eclipse will also be the new Moon, when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is not usually visible from the Earth (except when its silhouette causes an eclipse). The day of or the day after the new Moon marks the start of the new month for most lunisolar calendars. Sundown on Monday, April 8, 2024, marks the start of Nisan in the Hebrew calendar. Pesach or Passover begins on the 15th day of Nisan. The third month of the Chinese calendar starts on Tuesday, April 9, 2023.

Monday evening, April 8, 2024, as nautical or evening twilight ends (at 8:39 PM EDT), comet 12P/Pons-Brooks will be 11.4 degrees above the west-northwestern horizon. The crescent Moon will have already set, making this the last evening to see this comet without moonlight. By the time astronomical twilight ends (at 9:12 PM) the comet will still be 5 degrees above the horizon.

In the Islamic calendar the months traditionally start with the first sighting of the waxing crescent Moon. Many Muslim communities now follow the Umm al-Qura Calendar of Saudi Arabia, which uses astronomical calculations to start months in a more predictable way. This calendar predicts the holy month of Ramadan will end and Shawwāl will begin with sunset on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. Because of the religious significance of the end of Ramadan, Shawwāl is one of 4 months in the Islamic year where the start of the month is updated in the Umm al-Qura Calendar based upon the actual sighting of the crescent Moon. Starting with the sighting of the crescent Moon, the end of the Ramadan fast will be celebrated with Eid al-Fitr (the Feast of Breaking the Fast), a celebration lasting from 1 to 3 days.

Tuesday evening, April 9, 2024, it should be interesting to see the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks and the thin, waxing crescent Moon low on the horizon as twilight ends, as the Moon will not be very bright and should not interfere much with seeing the comet. Nautical or evening twilight will end (at 8:40 PM EDT) with the Moon 4.2 degrees above the horizon and the comet above the Moon at 10.8 degrees above the horizon. The Moon will set (at 9:08 PM) just 5 minutes before astronomical twilight ends (at 9:13 PM), when the comet will be 4.6 degrees above the horizon.

In the mornings throughout this lunar cycle the planets Saturn and Mars will appear near each other low on the east-southeastern horizon. Both will appear to shift higher each morning, with Saturn shifting more than Mars. Wednesday morning, April 10, 2024, will be when the pair will be at their closest. As twilight begins (at 5:38 AM EDT) the slightly brighter Saturn will appear 3 degrees above the horizon with Mars 0.5 degrees above Saturn.

Wednesday evening, April 10, 2024, the bright planet Jupiter will appear 4 degrees to the lower left of the waxing crescent Moon. The Moon will be 17 degrees above the west-northwestern horizon as twilight ends (at 8:41 PM EDT) and Jupiter will set first 77 minutes later (at 9:58 PM).

Thursday evening, April 11, 2024, the Pleiades star cluster will appear 6 degrees to the lower right of the waxing crescent Moon. The Moon will be 30 degrees above the western horizon as twilight ends (at 8:42 PM EDT) and the Pleiades will set first a little over 2 hours later (at about 11 PM).

Thursday evening, April 11, 2024, the planet Mercury will be passing between the Earth and the Sun, called inferior conjunction. Planets that orbit inside of the orbit of Earth can have two types of conjunctions with the Sun, inferior (when passing between the Earth and the Sun) and superior (when passing on the far side of the Sun). Mercury will be shifting from the evening sky to the morning sky and will begin emerging from the glow of the dawn on the eastern horizon later in April (depending upon viewing conditions).

Sunday evening into early Monday morning, April 14 to 15, 2024, the bright star Pollux (the brighter of the twins in the constellation Gemini the twins) will appear to the upper left of the waxing crescent Moon. As twilight ends (at 8:45 PM EDT) Pollux will be 8 degrees from the Moon. By the time the Moon sets on the west-northwestern horizon (at 2:39 AM), Pollux will be 5 degrees from the Moon.

Monday afternoon, April 15, 2024, the Moon will appear half-full as it reaches its first quarter at 3:13 PM EDT (when it will be daylight with the Moon visible in the eastern sky).

Monday evening into early Tuesday morning, April 15 to 16, 2024, the half-Moon will have shifted such that the bright star Pollux will appear to the lower right of the Moon. As twilight ends (at 8:45 PM EDT) Pollux will be 6 degrees from the Moon and the pair will appear to separate as the night progresses, reaching 8 degrees apart around 1:30 AM.

Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, April 17 to 18, 2024, the bright star Regulus will appear to the lower left of the waxing gibbous Moon. As twilight ends (at 8:49 PM EDT) Regulus will be 7.5 degrees from the Moon. When Regulus sets on the west-northwestern horizon (at 4:12 AM) it will be 4.5 degrees from the Moon.

Thursday evening into Friday morning, April 18 to 19, 2024, the waxing gibbous Moon will have shifted to the other side of the bright star Regulus. As twilight ends (at 8:50 PM EDT) Regulus will be 6 degrees to the upper right of the Moon. About 1 hour later (at 9:53 PM) the Moon will reach its highest for the night with Regulus 6 degrees to the right. Regulus will appear to rotate clockwise around and to separate from the Moon as the night progresses, reaching about 8 degrees to the lower right around 3 AM.

Friday night, April 19, 2024, at 10:09 PM EDT, the Moon will be at apogee, its farthest from the Earth for this orbit.

Friday morning, April 19, 2024, will be the first morning that the planet Mercury will rise more than 30 minutes before sunrise, a very rough estimate of the earliest it might start being visible in the glow of dawn on the eastern horizon. Mercury will be quite faint, but will brighten each morning as it presents a larger illuminated crescent towards the Earth. However, this will not be a favorable apparition for Mercury viewing, as even at its highest it will not rise before twilight begins.

Sunday, April 21, 2024 will be when the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks will be at its closest to the Sun, and the week or two before this might be a good time to look for this comet with binoculars. If the trail of gas and dust the comet is giving off doesn’t change significantly (a very big and uncertain “if”) then the brightness of the comet should gradually increase to a maximum on April 21. However, interference from the light of the waxing Moon will also increase beginning April 9, and the comet will shift closer to the horizon each evening. As twilight ends on April 21 (at 8:53 PM EDT) the Moon will be 96% illuminated and the comet will be only 2.7 degrees above the horizon. April 24 will be the last evening that the comet will be above the horizon before evening twilight ends (at 8:57 PM).

Monday evening into Tuesday morning, April 22 to 23, 2024, the bright star Spica will appear to the lower right of the full Moon. Spica will be a little more than 1 degree from the Moon as twilight ends. They will be at their closest a little before midnight. Spica will be 1 degree from the Moon as the Moon reaches its highest for the night (at 12:31 AM) and will be 2.5 degrees from the Moon as twilight begins (at 5:18 AM).

The full Moon after next will be Tuesday evening, April 23, 2024, at 7:49 PM EDT. This will be on Wednesday from the UK, Ireland, and Portugal eastward across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia to the International Date Line in the mid-Pacific. The Moon will appear full for about 3 days centered on this time, from Monday morning to Thursday morning.

1 min read

Planet Sizes and Locations in Our Solar System The eight planets and dwarf planet Pluto. NASA

Our solar system has eight planets, and five officially recognized dwarf planets. Which planet is biggest? Which is smallest? What is the order of the planets as we move out from the Sun?

This is a simple guide to the sizes of planets based on the equatorial diameter – or width – at the equator of each planet. Each planet’s width is compared to Earth’s equatorial diameter, which is about 7,926 miles (12,756 kilometers).

At the bottom of the page, there is a handy list of the order of the planets moving away from our Sun.

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Compare Earth to other planets using NASA’s Eyes on the Solar System.

Order of Planets and Dwarf Planets – Distance From the Sun A stylized illustration of our solar system. NASA/JPL

• Mercury: 36 million miles (58 million kilometers)
• Venus: 67.2 million miles (108 million kilometers)
• Earth: 93 million miles (149.7 million kilometers)
• Mars: 141.6 million miles (227.9 million kilometers)
• Dwarf planet Ceres: 257 million miles (413 million kilometers)
• Jupiter: 483.7 million miles (778 million kilometers)
• Saturn: 889.8 million miles (1.4 billion kilometers)
• Uranus: 1.8 billion miles (2.9 billion kilometers)
• Neptune: 2.8 billion miles (4.5 billion kilometers)
• Dwarf Planet Pluto: 3.67 billion miles (5.9 billion kilometers)
• Dwarf Planet Haumea: 4 billion miles (6.5 billion kilometers)
• Dwarf Planet Makemake: 4.3 billion miles (6.9 billion kilometers)
• Dwarf Planet Eris: 6.3 billion miles (10 billion kilometers)

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NASA has selected Science Applications International Corporation of Reston, Virginia, for safety and mission assurance support at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, and White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico.

The Safety and Mission Assurance Engineering Contract III (SMAEC) is an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with the ability to issue cost-plus-award-fee and fixed price task orders. The contract begins June 1 with a five-year base period, followed by two one-year options, with possible extensions of services through November 2031. The total maximum value of the contract is approximately $494 million.

The contract will provide safety, reliability, and quality engineering, as well as quality and software assurance support for NASA programs and projects in deep space including the Orion spacecraft, Gateway lunar space station, and Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility, as well as the Commercial Crew, Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development, International Space Station, and Human Research Programs.

Services also may be provided at other NASA centers, U.S. government facilities, contractor or subcontractor locations, or vendor facilities as provided in the statement of work, or as specified in the issued task orders.

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov

-end-

Abbey Donaldson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
abbey.a.donaldson@nasa.gov  

Kelly Humphries
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
kelly.o.humphries@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Mar 29, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters

The International Space Station provides researchers access to the unique features of low Earth orbit: long-duration microgravity, exposure to space, and a one-of-a-kind perspective of our planet. These special attributes enable scientists to conduct innovative experiments that can’t be done anywhere else.

Employees in the International Space Station Research Integration Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center help enable and execute the research opportunities only available on board the space station with a wide variety of researchers. They also look out for and coordinate new partnerships with international partners, academic organizations, commercial companies, and more.

Two women are currently spearheading these efforts: International Space Station Program Chief Scientist Jennifer Buchli and International Space Station Program Deputy Chief Scientist Meghan Everett. Together, they lead the full suite of research and science happening on board the orbital outpost.

Jennifer Buchli leans against equipment while inside one of the International Space Station modules inside the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.NASA / Josh Valcarcel

How would you describe your job to family or friends?

Jennifer Buchli: I provide the science strategy and make science recommendations for the International Space Station program. I ensure we are maximizing the space station to its full capability, for both NASA research and as a U.S. National Laboratory.

Meghan Everett: I help make sure all of the science on the International Space Station goes smoothly, from preparing for launch to conducting research on the space station with the scientists and astronauts and returning the science to Earth.

What do you love sharing about the International Space Station? What’s important to help people understand the benefits to life on Earth?

Jennifer Buchli: I like sharing the diversity of science we do on station, from human health and disease research to fundamental physics and climate science. I think people are aware NASA is doing exploration research, but they may not know about the medical advancements, pharmaceutical developments on station, colloid research that helps shelf stability of products on Earth, or how our Earth science instruments can show how our planet is changing and inform policy decisions.

Meghan Everett: Since my area of expertise is science, I always love sharing the benefits of the International Space Station to science on Earth. The space station is a huge laboratory with diverse capabilities, just like the gold standard state of the art laboratories on Earth. The station can be considered a unique environment that allows for unique discoveries and novel ways of looking at scientific exploration that lead to discoveries we could otherwise explore in the presence of gravity.

What do you wish you had known as a young woman contemplating a career in STEAM?

Jennifer Buchli: I wish I had realized how interdisciplinary science is. I thought I needed to choose a field. You can study areas such as astrobiology [and] geomicrobiology, and now there are programs dedicated entirely to space science.

Meghan Everett: I [hardly knew about] any opportunities in STEM growing up. It really was not until college that I started learning more and looking at options. Being exposed to the NASA environment and moving to Houston opened up a whole new world of opportunity for me, but it was also very overwhelming. Looking back, I wish I had more exposure to opportunities before college.

Do you have any advice for women beginning their careers in the STEAM fields?

Jennifer Buchli: Find a group of peers and discuss challenges and ideas with them. You will learn new perspectives and solve problems faster.

Meghan Everett: Be open-minded and absorb as much as you can. Reach out and ask questions, and immerse yourself in the experience and people as much as possible.

What inspirational message or advice would you give to young girls interested in a career in STEAM?

Jennifer Buchli: Find a field you are passionate about and do not let anyone steer you away from it.

Meghan Everett: Believe in your dreams and do hard things, and don’t be afraid to get it wrong and fail. Things we do now were once thought impossible – go try to do the impossible things!

Meghan Everett leans against a safety railing overlooking the International Space Station modules inside the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.NASA / Josh Valcarcel

Today, Jennifer and Meghan are leading the continuation of the story of the International Space Station – which has hosted over 3,000 experiments from more than 5,000 researchers representing over 100 countries so far, with more than 4,000 scientific journal publications based on space station science – and all the invaluable science the orbiting laboratory has to offer. Their leadership, and the science they are shepherding, will better prepare us for future exploration missions and benefit humanity back on Earth.

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In honor of Women’s History Month, we caught up with the ASIA-AQ team on the other side of the Earth and asked the women from Langley about their inspirations and challenges as scientists.

The ASIA-AQ (Airborne and Satellite Investigation of Asian Air Quality) mission is an international cooperative field study designed to address local air quality challenges. ASIA-AQ will contribute to improving the integration of satellite observations with existing air quality ground monitoring and modeling efforts across Asia.

Langley’s Angelique Demetillo, center, in her flight suit after a flight in the Philippines for the ASIA-AQ mission along with mission partners from the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Manila Observatory.NASA/Kevin Rohr

Mary Angelique G. Demetillo, Ph.D., NASA Post-doctoral Program Fellow and instrument operator on board Langley’s G-III aircraft, operates the GeoCAPE Airborne Spectrometer (GCAS) remote sensor.

What do you do at Langley? 

I focus on using high-resolution remote-sensing measurements to study air pollution inequality in cities. Currently, I am using airborne LIDAR measurements to understand lower tropospheric ozone variability over Houston, Texas. 

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? 

I just wanted to be helpful–at first, I wanted to be a teacher and then a doctor and then a biomedical engineer. Then, I found atmospheric chemistry research and discovered I could combine the knowledge I learned in the classroom to 1) work with scientific instruments that could measure the unseen, 2) to understand the world around me, and 3) provide policy-useful information towards addressing air pollution inequality.

Are there obstacles you have had to overcome to be successful? 

Hmmmm, this is a hard one. I think I was very lucky to have access to good education and food and housing security so I could focus on my studies such that any obstacles I encountered really ended up being stepping-stones in my development as a scientist. Growing up in America under immigrant parents, it was tricky navigating the reconciliation of two very different cultural and generational perspectives. The largest impact of this dichotomy was that it wasn’t common for first-generation Filipina-Americans to be anything other than nurses or in the medical field. As such, I didn’t really know being a scientist was an accessible career to me and was even actively discouraged to pursue it. But I’m glad I did, and still am, and feel incredibly lucky to be able to do great work with awesome people while navigating this pipeline.

Were you treated differently as a woman in a science field? 

I may have been and didn’t recognize it since I was very shy and quiet. However, I did realize being confident in my abilities and knowledge and speaking up for myself and others were critical to participating and succeeding in male-dominated fields like physics and atmospheric science.

Who were your mentors growing up? Who are your mentors now?

I have been incredibly lucky to come across many people from whom I learned different things and looked up to in different ways. Most notably however, were my elementary school computer teacher, my 5th grade science teacher, my graduate school advisor, and my current postdoc advisor! Each of them were/are critical to developing my self-confidence as a scientist and person. 

What’s the best part of your job? 

It’s hard to pick! You can’t beat the work –getting to fly and work closely with the instrument/measurement teams whose data I use for my research; collaboration across cultures and expertise on field campaigns; and exercising scientific precision, accuracy, and creativity for data-driven, policy-relevant solutions is a surreal job to have. But since I’m still building my career, I would really have to say the people are the best part—from speaking with experienced scientists, mechanics, engineers, and project managers to growing alongside the next-generation atmospheric chemists as we shape our contribution to the field as individuals and cohort, makes the work even more fun and exciting.

Why does science matter to you? 

Science matters to me because it served as a platform through which I could understand the world around me. As I grow more in this field, I am also learning science truly requires collaboration. Science can serve as a testbed for new solutions and innovations while bridging the gap between language, culture, and backgrounds. And with increasing interdisciplinary science, it will not only challenge our ability to connect different perspectives of information together, but also strengthen our connections to each other.

Langley’s Francesco Gallo in front of NASA Armstrong’s DC-8 aircraft in South Korea during ASIA-AQ.NASA/Eddie Winstead

Francesco Gallo, Ph.D., research scientist, operates Langley Aerosol Research Group (LARGE) instruments on board Armstrong’s DC-8 aircraft for ASIA-AQ.

What do you do at Langley?

I do a lot of data analysis of aerosol datasets from previous and current NASA campaigns.

Are there obstacles you have had to overcome to be successful? 

I’ve always been very much supported by my family and mentors. Being a foreign national has been often an obstacle. Luckily, becoming a lawful permanent resident last year has helped things improve. 

Were you treated differently as a woman in a science field?

No.

What’s the best part of your job?

Thinking I can somehow support the understanding of climate change for better environmental justice.

Langley’s Carolyn Jordan with the LARGE instrument panel she operates on NASA Armstrong’s DC-8 aircraft at Clark Air Base, Philippines.NASA/Eddie Winstead

Carolyn Jordan, Ph.D., research scientist senior, is a member of the Langley Aerosol Research Group (LARGE). For ASIA-AQ, Jordan operates a rack on Armstrong’s DC-8 that measures aerosol properties and is developing a new measurement called the Spectral Aerosol Light Absorption Detector (SALAD).

What do you do at Langley?

Primarily, I am a data analyst with LARGE working up various data sets and writing papers focused on our aerosol measurements.  I also work in the lab with other members of our group.  We have developed two new ground-based measurement capabilities for spectral extinction (SpEx) and absorption.  We are now transitioning those methods to enable them to be used from airborne platforms.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I wanted to be an astronaut and even wrote to NASA as a young teenager (13-14 or so) to ask what one had to do to become one.  They didn’t tell me, but they did send me a lovely photograph of Saturn!

Are there obstacles you have had to overcome to be successful?

I grew up in a tiny farm town in rural Wisconsin, but I was very fortunate to be surrounded by people who didn’t think it was crazy to want to be an astronaut.  I was also extremely fortunate to have excellent teachers in high school and college who were supportive and helpful when I questioned whether I could manage the material as a physics major.  I was lucky my obstacles were few, and I have been very fortunate in the opportunities that came my way.

Were you treated differently as a woman in a science field?

Sometimes.  The important thing is even in the 1980s (my college, grad school, and early career years), those who did so were considered to be out of line, so I never paid much attention to those who treated me as if I didn’t belong.

Who were your mentors growing up? Who are your mentors now?

My high school teachers Dr. Neil C. Goodspeed, Mrs. Peggy Johnson, Mr. Ted Moskonas, and Ms. Pam Wilson, my college professors Dr. Dino Zei, Dr. Wayne Broshar, and Dr. Mary Williams-Norton.  At this point in my career I don’t have mentors so much as excellent colleagues from whom I continue to learn a great deal.

What’s the best part of your job?

I have great colleagues and interesting research.  Even after all these years, I still have a great time doing the work that I do.  The most interesting thing for me is to look at the data.  One always finds something interesting and often something unexpected.  Working to understand what is there is the most fun for me.

Why does science matter to you?

Science is how we learn things.  It’s how we identify solutions to problems.  But there is also something to be said for expanding our knowledge of the universe we live in for its own sake.

What’s next?

I don’t know, we’ll see where the data tells us to look.

Langley’s Laura Judd and Barry Lefer from NASA HQ after a science flight at Clark Air Base, Philippines.NASA/Barry Lefer

Laura Judd, Ph.D., research physical scientist and platform scientist for Langley’s G-III aircraft on ASIA-AQ.

What do you do on the ASIA-AQ mission?

I lead science flight planning and execution with our remote sensing payload and instrument and aircraft teams.  In the field, I spend my days working with the forecasting team to identify flight opportunities and real-time decision-making during science flights. I also continue my role I did as an instrument team member, which includes data processing and analysis with high resolution maps of nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde from one of our satellite proxy instruments.  

What do you do at Langley?

I think my job fits largely three roles: (1) I contribute to planning of upcoming field studies This year it’s been STAQS (Synergistic TEMPO Air Quality Science) and ASIA-AQ. (2) I use data collected from those field studies to research spatial and temporal changes in pollution over major cities from satellites, aircraft, and ground-based data.  This also includes validating satellite products and collaborating with other researchers using our data for topics such as model evaluation and air quality event analysis, etc. (3) I also am an associate program manager for the Health and Air Quality area in Earth Action.  This comes with managing a portfolio of air quality projects that are integrating NASA datasets within decision making frameworks for stakeholders in air quality management and the public health sector. 

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

I always wanted to study the weather.  This came from growing up in Nebraska and constantly being bombarded with dramatic shifts in day-to-day weather, including severe storms. This is typical of most meteorology colleagues I have met.  Going in the air pollution direction didn’t come until I graduated with my degree in meteorology through a NASA internship, but the weather is one of three major factors in why air pollution events unfold like they do from region-to-region (the other two being emissions and chemistry). 

Were you treated differently as a woman in a science field?

I have definitely encountered a subset of people who have not given me the respect due to being a woman throughout my career.  There are definitely instances where I am the only woman around, too, especially during field work. Luckily, I have been extremely fortunate to be overwhelmed with colleagues and mentors who do not treat me differently because I am a woman but rather see my potential and together make a good team.  

Who were your mentors growing up? Who are your mentors now?

Barry Lefer [NASA’s Tropospheric Composition Program Manager] has been a huge advocate for me and many other women as scientists.  While statistically there are less women in STEM, there is no way to balance it out in the future without advocates like him. He was my first mentor in doing airborne science as a student and continues to be at NASA.

What’s the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is being on the forefront of new science.  I get to work with some of the top experts in our field in the world and a lot of them I get to now call my friends. We are all learning together to come up with new ways to improve our understanding of air quality with the hope of seeing cleaner air in the future. You also can’t beat an office view from 28,000 feet during these sporadic missions!

Why does science matter to you?

The science we are doing directly affects our quality of life, especially for the millions living with poor air quality. I am also encouraged.  I am early in my career and have already seen positive changes in air quality happen in some regions.  I find that encouraging to keep going.  

What’s next?

For me, it’s to keep pushing bounds on what we can learn from combining new satellite, airborne, and ground-based air quality data. 

Langley’s Katie Travis on the flight line at Osan Airbase, South Korea. NASA’s DC-8 and G-III aircraft can be seen behind her along with a partner aircraft from the Korea Meteorological Administration.NASA/Francesca Gallo

Katie Travis, Ph.D., research scientist, compares model forecast simulations with local air quality monitoring sites on the ASIA-AQ mission. Travis also performs quick evaluations of the aircraft data as it becomes available after each flight.

What do you do at Langley?

I work to put together all parts of the integrated observing system for air quality by interpreting satellite, aircraft, and ground-based data with models to improve our understanding of surface air quality and atmospheric composition.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

A journalist!

Are there obstacles you have had overcome to be successful? 

The main obstacle I have had to overcome is balancing having children with the demands of a scientific career.

Were you treated differently as a woman in a science field?

That is a difficult question to answer.  However, I can say that getting my bachelor’s degree in engineering from a women’s college (Smith College) gave me a wonderful start to working in science in a very supportive environment.

Who were your mentors growing up? Who are your mentors now?

I am very grateful for the wonderful community in the field of atmospheric chemistry and at NASA. It was a professor at Smith College, Paul Voss, who introduced me to air quality.  Now I am lucky to be part of the IMPAQT group (Integrating Multiple Perspectives of Air Quality Team) at NASA and be mentored by senior scientists as well as work with colleagues with a range of expertise in both air pollution and policy.

What’s the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is getting to learn something new every day and getting to explore questions about the world that I think are important.

Why does science matter to you?

Studying environmental issues, to me, means working to understand the impact human activities have on our environment so that we can protect it for future generations.

What’s next?

More science.

For more information on the ASIA-AQ mission and the Science Directorate at Langley:

https://www-air.larc.nasa.gov/missions/asia-aq/index.html

https://science.larc.nasa.gov/

https://science-data.larc.nasa.gov/large/

https://science.larc.nasa.gov/impaqt/

Facebook logo @NASALaRC @NASA_Langley Instagram logo @NASA_Langley Linkedin logo @NASA-Langley-Research-Center Explore More 4 min read Meet the Two Women Leading Space Station Science Article 25 mins ago 4 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Melanie Grande Article 2 hours ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Gwendolyn Wheatle Article 2 hours ago

3 min read

Unveiling the Sun: NASA’s Open Data Approach to Solar Eclipse Research A total solar eclipse is seen on Monday, August 21, 2017 above Madras, Oregon. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of South America, Africa, and Europe. NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

As the world eagerly anticipates the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, NASA is preparing for an extraordinary opportunity for scientific discovery, open collaboration, and public engagement. At the heart of the agency’s approach to this unusual event lies a commitment to open science, ensuring that the data captured during the eclipse is readily accessible to all.

During a total solar eclipse the normal rhythms of Earth are briefly disrupted, providing an unusual opportunity for scientists to study the atmosphere of our solar-powered planet. Because NASA uses the vantage point of space to understand and explore our home planet to improve lives and safeguard our future, solar eclipses offer scientists a one-of-a-kind window into the workings of our solar system. 

While they offer a treasure trove of data for formal researchers, eclipses are also a fantastic opportunity for citizen scientists to participate in a celestial event. Participants from all backgrounds can work together with NASA to make discoveries possible before, during, and after an eclipse – regardless of where they are in the eclipse path. For example, citizen science projects like the Citizen CATE Experiment, which mobilizes volunteers to set up telescopes along the path, contribute greatly to data collection efforts.

A boy watches the total solar eclipse through protective glasses in Madras, Oregon on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse was visible across the entire North American continent along with parts of South America, Africa, and Europe. NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

Additionally, NASA has introduced innovative tools like SunSketcher, a user-friendly platform that allows enthusiasts to sketch the sun’s corona during an eclipse. These sketches contribute valuable qualitative data alongside quantitative measurements, enriching our understanding of solar phenomena and enhancing public engagement in scientific endeavors. By involving amateur astronomers and enthusiasts, NASA not only expands its observational reach but also fosters community engagement and participation in scientific discovery.

NASA is committed to open science and making scientific data available to everyone. Following each solar eclipse, the agency shares the data collected with the global community. Through publicly available datasets, accessible via online repositories and dedicated eclipse websites, NASA ensures that researchers, educators, students, and enthusiasts alike can delve into the intricacies of eclipse observations. By sharing data and resources, NASA facilitates interdisciplinary research and broadens understanding of solar phenomena on a global scale. 

Ahead of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, the NASA Transform to Open Science (TOPS) team will participate in several activities in the Uvalde, Texas area to educate the public about the data-driven domain of eclipses and how open science principles facilitate the sharing and analysis of information among researchers, students and enthusiasts. For a full schedule of NASA TOPS events, please be sure to check the TOPS 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Event page. For a complete list of NASA 2024 Total Solar Eclipse events, visit the NASA eclipse event page.

For more information about the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/

For more information on NASA’s commitment to open science, including NASA’s Open Science 101 training on how to participate in open science, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/open-science/

By Amanda Moon Adams
Communications Lead for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer

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Mar 29, 2024

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Missions

Humans in Space

Climate Change

Solar System

NASA and its partners are developing the foundational systems needed for long-term exploration at the Moon for the benefit of all with NASA’s Artemis campaign. Following the Artemis III mission that will land the first people near the Moon’s South Pole, astronauts on Artemis IV will live and work in humanity’s first lunar space station, Gateway, which will enable new opportunities for science and preparation for human missions to Mars. The mission will bring together an intricate choreography of multiple launches and spacecraft dockings in lunar orbit, and will feature the debut of NASA’s larger, more powerful version of its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and new mobile launcher.

Artemis Generation Science

Artemis missions are accelerating scientific research on the surface of the Moon, and soon, in lunar orbit aboard Gateway. Built with international and commercial partnerships, Gateway will include docking ports for a variety of visiting spacecraft, space for crew to live, work, and prepare for lunar surface missions, and instruments for science investigations to study heliophysics, human health, and life sciences, among other areas.

Artist’s concept of the full Gateway configuration.NASA

Gateway’s oval-shaped orbit passes over both the North and South Pole areas of the Moon, and it provides unparalleled opportunities for science and access to the lunar surface. The orbit combines the benefits of surface access from low lunar orbit with the fuel efficiency of distant retrograde orbit, all while offering unique views of the Earth, Moon, Sun, and deep space for scientific study.

Mission prelude

Gateway is taking shape on the ground, and engineers will connect its first two modules — the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) built by Maxar, and the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) built by Northrop Grumman — for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The elements will spend about a year traveling to lunar orbit, taking advantage of highly efficient solar-electric propulsion and the gravity of the Earth, Moon, and Sun to reach its destination. Multiple scientific instruments on and in HALO and PPE will provide scientific data on radiation during transit and while Gateway is in lunar orbit.

Once in its orbit around the Moon, Gateway’s computers will run through a checklist of items to prepare for the arrival of a second habitation element with the Artemis IV crew — the International Habitation module, or I-Hab, provided by ESA (European Space Agency). I-Hab will expand where Gateway’s astronauts will live, work, conduct groundbreaking science, and prepare for their lunar surface missions. I-Hab also includes the critical life support systems provided by JAXA (Japanese Space Agency) to enable longer stays aboard Gateway.

Prior to launching the crew and I-Hab with the SLS rocket, NASA and its partners will pre-position two additional spacecraft for the mission: SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System that will carry the next-generation spacesuits for moonwalks, and the SpaceX Dragon XL logistics module carrying science experiments and other supplies for the mission. An upgraded Starship will support Artemis IV with expanded capabilities for long-term exploration and future missions, including docking with Gateway.

Bigger boost for crew, Moon-bound module Artist’s concept of the Block 1B crew configuration of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket during lift-off from a new mobile launcher for a night launch.NASA

Four Artemis IV crew members will lift off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the agency’s Orion spacecraft on NASA’s upgraded SLS rocket. The Block 1B version of the rocket is capable of hoisting 84,000 pounds to the Moon using a more powerful upper stage, and it also features an adapter with more than 10,000 cubic feet of space to send large cargos, such as I-Hab, to the Moon along with the crew. NASA’s new mobile launcher will accommodate the larger rocket, which will stand about 40 feet taller than current configurations, and additional weight of increased payload capacity.

After the SLS rocket completes its initial launch and ascent, the core stage will separate from the upper stage, which will remain connected to Orion and I-Hab. After the upper stage performs a translunar injection burn to set Orion and I-Hab on their path to the Moon, Orion will act as a spacefaring tugboat, flipping itself 180 degrees to extract I-Hab from the adapter using Orion’s docking system, and transporting the module to Gateway where it will connect to the lunar station’s HALO module.

The Gateway space station hosts the Orion spacecraft and SpaceX’s deep space logistics spacecraft in a polar orbit around the Moon, supporting scientific discovery on the lunar surface during the Artemis IV mission. Surface operations

When Orion and I-Hab rendezvous with Gateway, Orion will maneuver I-Hab into position to dock with the HALO module. The astronauts will enter the world’s first lunar space station and fully activate its hardware and systems, and the crew also will check out the human landing system, unload supplies and science experiments from the logistics module, and prepare for their work at the Moon.

After several days performing initial checkouts aboard Gateway and readying for the surface expedition, two crew members will enter Starship and undock to spend about six days on the lunar surface. The other pair stay at Gateway to continue setup, conduct research, and monitor surface activities.

Like on Artemis III, the astronauts will conduct several moonwalks, donning advanced spacesuits and taking Starship’s elevator down to the surface to accomplish their exploratory to-do list. The crew will conduct field geology, deploy instruments, and collect samples that will help us understand the history of our solar system.

Artist’s concept of SpaceX Starship human landing system.SpaceX Until next time (Artemis V)

With surface expeditions complete, the two astronauts will board Starship, fly back to Gateway, and all four astronauts will prepare for the quarter-million-mile journey back to Earth aboard Orion. 

Prior to departing Gateway, the crew will transfer scientific samples to Orion and prepare the outpost to hum along without human tenants. Then, after reaching the optimal departure point, Orion will undock, fire its engines, and harness the Moon’s gravity to slingshot home, where recovery teams will await the crew’s return in the Pacific Ocean.

With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface and establish long-term exploration for scientific discovery and to prepare for human missions to Mars. The agency’s SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft, and supporting ground systems, along with the human landing system, next-generation spacesuits and rovers, and Gateway are NASA’s foundation for deep space exploration. 

Artemis IV Mission Map Artemis IV will be the first mission to the Gateway space station in lunar orbit, bringing together an intricate choreography of multiple launches and spacecraft dockings in lunar orbit, and featuring the debut of NASA’s larger, more powerful version of its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and new mobile launcher.NASA

Melanie Grande works in mission design and systems analysis at NASA’s Langley Research Center, where she has contributed to planning for human exploration of both the Moon and Mars. Starting in Langley’s Space Mission Analysis Branch (SMAB) as a Pathways co-op student in 2016, Melanie currently works as an aerospace engineer on the Mars Architecture Team, where she is involved in exploring possible Mars mission campaigns and modeling the many decisions needed for the Mars architecture.

Who or what inspired you to choose your career and why?

When I was in middle school, we went on a class field trip to NASA Kennedy Space Center, and I was absolutely amazed by the rockets, the exploration of the Moon, and everything about space. I decided to be an astronaut right then and there! Eventually, I also learned about engineering and how engineering was a career where people solve hard problems with creativity, and that appealed to me. I studied aerospace engineering in college, and eventually I found a Pathways position in SMAB, which offered me an opportunity to work on human space exploration and to solve the big picture problems, and I’ve been doing it ever since!

What do you find most rewarding about working with NASA?

I feel inspired by our mission to send humans to explore the Moon and Mars, and I also love working with so many passionate people who, just like me, enjoy chewing on high-level problems. NASA is the leading organization in the world for space exploration, and it’s because everyone at NASA is working hard every day to make these incredibly challenging missions possible. On top of that, I also really appreciate how my team and my branch have encouraged me to take on new opportunities and grow in a way that has really shaped my career so far.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I find public policy quite interesting, and more than anything, I see how regulatory support is critical not only for the aerospace industry but for human exploration in particular. So, outside of my regular job, I also serve on the AIAA Public Policy Committee as the Co-Chair of the Advocacy Working Group. It’s a great opportunity to help organize events both on Capitol Hill and for AIAA members to raise awareness for aerospace industry issues. Outside of that, I also enjoy traveling as much as I can, skiing, and working on crochet projects.

What advice would you give to someone who might be interested in pursuing a career at NASA?

I like to remind young people that NASA has so many different career opportunities—not just STEM. NASA employs artists, public relations and communications specialists, lawyers, accountants, inventors, technicians, human resource specialists, and more. NASA is a wonderful place to work because our mission is amazing and inspiring and because the people here are awesome, so I would encourage anyone who has an interest in space and aeronautics to come apply!

How does your background and heritage contribute to your perspective and approach in your role at NASA?

Being a woman in engineering, I’ve always been aware of being part of a minority—there were plenty of jokes in college about being noticeable, being one of only 5 or so women. And I didn’t have any role models of female engineers that I knew growing up. But my family has always encouraged me to work hard and follow my dreams. Also, I had a pretty diverse cohort of aerospace engineering peers in college, and we all banded together to survive the late nights in the Aero Lab! It’s a little different now—there are a lot of awesome female leaders and role models in NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate! But I still carry with me the perspective that we all have to work together and use our unique and diverse strengths, because otherwise, we won’t ever be able to make it all the way to Mars.

Facebook logo @NASALaRC @NASA_Langley Instagram logo @NASA_Langley Linkedin logo @NASA-Langley-Research-Center Explore More 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Gwendolyn Wheatle Article 13 mins ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Dr. Kanama Bivins  Article 14 mins ago 3 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Anum Ashraf Article 14 mins ago

Gwendolyn Wheatle is an Administrative Assistant in the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA Langley Research Center.NASA/David C. Bowman

Gwendolyn Wheatle currently serves as the Administrative Assistant for the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. What started as a temporary, three-week clerical position supporting the Office of the Chief Scientist has blossomed into a 38-year career at NASA. In 1986, Gwendolyn joined the Office of Education (now OSTEM). She says Dr. Michael Card, former Chief Scientist, Dr. Samuel E. Massenberg, former NASA Langley Director of Education, and Robert Yang, who was the University Affairs Officer, were all instrumental in her career. Gwendolyn also enjoyed working with Dr. Christine Darden, aerospace engineer and pioneer in supersonic aircraft noise research and sonic boom reduction, when Darden served as Director of Education. Gwendolyn formed a professional relationship with retired NASA astronauts Dr. Mae Jemison, Leland Melvin, and Roger Crouch. She also shared memorable experiences with renowned mathematician and “Hidden Figure” Katherine Johnson.

Gwendolyn graduated from Walton High School in the Bronx, N.Y. and then furthered her education at Lehman College in the Bronx where she pursued a degree in early childhood education. She says working with the brilliant people of NASA Langley has been both rewarding and inspiring.

Who or what inspired you to choose your career and why?

Before joining NASA Langley, I worked for the Newport News Shipyard, which I loved. When I bought my first home my next-door neighbor was Frank Quinto, retired NASA Langley employee, and then directly across from me lived Robert Yang, who is now at NASA Headquarters. As neighbors, we had casual conversations, and they would tell me about their career here at NASA. I said to Bob Yang one day, “I would love to work for NASA!”
One day we were talking, and he [Bob Yang] said, “Gwen, our admin is leaving for about three weeks, and we need somebody to fill in her position while she’s out. It’s only three weeks.” I said, “I’m not quitting my job for three weeks!” but something about it stuck with me. I couldn’t sleep that night thinking about it, and the next day I saw Bob and I said, “You know what? I’m going to apply for that three-week position at NASA.” I had to apply for the position through a temporary agency called Carol Maden Temporary Services. I was selected for the position and quit my job.
They brought me in, and the three weeks has turned into 38 years!

What do you find most rewarding about working with NASA?

The people I’ve met and rubbed shoulders with throughout my career, as well as working with students and teachers have been the most rewarding aspects of working for NASA.
Working in the Office of Education, I had to schedule presenters for our different workshops, including Mae Jemison, who was the first African American female astronaut. Speaking of astronauts, Roger Crouch and I traveled from Tulsa, Okla. to Oklahoma State University together, just the two of us. I’m driving and he says, “You better slow this vehicle down!” I said, “Wait a minute! You went faster than this up in space!” and he responded, “Yeah, but I didn’t worry about anybody pulling me over!” It was a joke! Just meeting him, being in his presence, and talking to him about his career was a wild moment. Others that I got to meet included Leland Melvin and Gamaliel Cherry, who became my directors. They were all students and interns in the co-op program. I remember when Leland became Associate Administrator for Education. When I think about it now, this has been an amazing journey.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

I do love singing, but my main hobby is helping senior citizens. My Mom recently moved into a senior citizen community, and I visit every Tuesday. I take the community members food, they play Bingo, and I take them out shopping at times. It is worth it just to see the smiles on their face. I want to encourage people and let them know there are people who care.

What advice would you give to someone who might be interested in pursuing a career at NASA?

There are a variety of opportunities at NASA. You don’t have to have a degree in engineering or science to hold a position at NASA. Using myself as an example, when I came to NASA, I wondered if I could do this because of my background in early childhood education. I quickly learned, no matter your degree, background, or experience, there is a place for you at NASA.

How does your background and heritage contribute to your perspective and approach in your role at NASA?

I am a people person and I’ll talk to anybody without even knowing who they are. I can just strike up a conversation! Because of that I feel it is important to form relationships with people and talk with them. Find out what they do. Listening to other people’s stories inspires me to continue to strive to do my best. Amazing things happen at NASA, and we work around some amazing people.

Facebook logo @NASALaRC @NASA_Langley Instagram logo @NASA_Langley Linkedin logo @NASA-Langley-Research-Center Explore More 4 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Melanie Grande Article 12 mins ago 5 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Dr. Kanama Bivins  Article 14 mins ago 3 min read Langley Celebrates Women’s History Month: Anum Ashraf Article 14 mins ago

Dr. Kanama Bivins is Acting Associate Director at NASA Langley Research Center.NASA/David C. Bowman

Dr. Kanama Bivins currently serves as the Acting Associate Director at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Prior to this role, Kanama was NASA Langley’s Chief Financial Officer. Kanama grew up in a military family and moved often but she considers the Hampton Roads area home. Following high school graduation, Kanama joined the United States Air Force where she served as a financial manager. She holds a doctorate degree in strategic leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Kanama says her untraditional path to NASA highlights the many career opportunities the agency offers.

Who or what inspired you to choose your career and why? 

I didn’t choose a career. I chose the military. I chose service. In doing so, they [the U.S. Air Force] chose a career for me. Of course, they test you and they make determinations based on what they see as to what you should do. The Air Force chose financial management for me, and I really liked it. I earned my bachelor’s degree in accounting and continued along that career path. There were times that I considered doing something more hands on or operational [in the Air Force] and there were mentors along the way who said, “No, what we do is important and let me tell you why,” and that helped a lot. It was a non-traditional way of getting to do the work that I do now.

What do you find most rewarding about working with NASA?  

I think the opportunity to do this detail [as Acting Associate Director] is very unique to NASA. This has been great because I have been in financial management the balance of my career. I appreciate the opportunity to step away and do something different while still having a tie to that financial piece because I do manage the center budget primarily now. I think you can become very familiar with what you do so I enjoy being in a role that allows me to touch so many parts of the center. It gives me a very tangible connection to the center and that has proven invaluable to me.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?  

I love spending time with my family. My daughter just turned 16. I know she’s going to go off in the world soon so I’m trying to maximize my time with her. My husband and I also love to travel. We are huge National Football League (NFL) fans and love following our team, the San Francisco 49ers. My daughter sails competitively so we travel the country following her for sailing.

Personally, I try to become involved in activities that aren’t familiar to me. I sit on the Board [of Governors] of the Virginia Opera, which is not something I was familiar with or thought that I would do. The experience has been eye opening and amazing! I am also actively involved with my church and engage with my community through the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) and the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO).

What advice would you give to someone who might be interested in pursuing a career at NASA?

Find out what it is that you like to do and the thing about NASA is there is a place for you here. Whether it’s human resources, financial management, procurement, aerosciences, space technology and exploration, or engineering: all have a place here at NASA. Once you find the career that you want to pursue, look for opportunities to connect with people who do that work. There is a lot of information that you can only get from talking to somebody that actually does that work or has that experience, so be targeted as you network and intentional about connecting with people who are doing the type of work that you are interested in pursuing. Also be prepared and do your research to understand the different paths to your desired career opportunity. No matter what it is you choose to do, there are opportunities at NASA for any career field.

How does your background and heritage contribute to your perspective and approach in your role at NASA?  

My parents are both from overseas, so I am a first-generation American. I have a diverse family background and grew up surrounded by people who looked completely different [from me] but who shared the same values. We all came from the same place. That is also how I approach NASA. We are all very different. We all have very different experiences. But we all share the same mission and we are all focused on the good of NASA. I also came from a military family which means I was surrounded by very diverse people growing up because the military is that shared value and vision. I hope it has allowed me to approach everything in a very well-rounded fashion.

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Anum Ashraf is a Climate Scientist at NASA Langley Research Center.NASA/Angelique Herring

Anum Ashraf is a Climate Scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Originally set on pursuing a medical career, Anum found her calling in engineering and research. Now a “doctor for the planet” with a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, she uses her skills to study Earth’s radiation budget and develop instrumentation that can inform the future of our planet.

Who or what inspired you to choose your career and why?

I would have to say my parents and just my family. As a little girl, I didn’t grow up dreaming to be a scientist or an engineer at NASA. In fact, when I started my academics, I originally wanted to be a medical doctor, but my parents pushed me to have a backup plan, so I also pursued a degree in biomedical engineering. And that’s actually what’s worked out!

What do you find most rewarding about working with NASA?

What I find most rewarding is being part of a community and knowing that you are contributing to the greater good in some way—knowing that I am helping design instrumentation that is eventually going to go up in space to makes measurements of the climate, which will then help inform policymakers. And climate and weather instruments are important for our planet’s future, and I think being part of that is very rewarding, too.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Lately, I have picked up knitting, and I enjoy knitting projects for my kids. Knitting is amazing! I enjoy it because, to some extent, there’s math involved—you count the stitches—and it’s very fulfilling at the end of the day. My daughter loves wearing her scarf that I knitted her. She goes to school, and she tells everybody “My momma knitted this,” and the teachers are so surprised. Like, your mom did that? Yeah, I’m talented like that!

How does your background and heritage contribute to your perspective and approach in your role at NASA?

I was born in Pakistan and moved to the states when I was ten years old. So, I’ve experienced and lived in different cultural backgrounds, and I think that’s really helped shape me. I am a principal investigator, so I lead a team of engineers and scientists who have very diverse backgrounds. It really takes a specific person with a specific set of qualities to morph all of those disciplines and really lead the team forward, and I think my upbringing has helped me excel in this role.

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3 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Lisa Ziehmann is the Acting Deputy Center Director at NASA Langley Research Center.NASA/Angelique Herring

Lisa Ziehmann is the Acting Deputy Center Director of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Ziehmann’s lifelong love of numbers and problem solving led her to graduate from Christopher Newport College, now Christopher Newport University, with a degree in accounting. After spending time in the Mission Support Directorate at NASA’s Headquarters, she found her way back to Langley, where she now helps lead the center on its quest to innovate for the benefit of humanity.

Who or what inspired you to choose your career and why?  

My inspiration for my career path was my parents. They were both public servants; my father served in the Air Force for a number of years, and my mother volunteered for the Red Cross and worked in the public school system. So, I come from parents who were very much dedicated to public service. I feel like that’s been my guide in life.

What do you find most rewarding about working with NASA?  

It’s the people, not just here at NASA Langley, but across the entire agency. We just have the best workforce that I could ever imagine working with. They are so dedicated and passionate about the mission of NASA. It’s a varied mission, so there’s something for everyone. And we don’t hesitate to solve the tough problems, either. We work together. It’s like a family–we all rely on each other’s strengths.

What do you enjoy doing outside of work? 

I like to go on long walks with my dog, garden, and bake—all kinds of baking, but especially cakes and pies! I also like to travel to experience different cultures throughout the United States and around the world. And I enjoy being with family and friends, too. We’re all busy working, so finding the time to connect with family and friends is really important.

How does your background and heritage contribute to your perspective and approach in your role at NASA? 

My grandfather on my mother’s side worked in coal mines, and my grandfather on my dad’s side was a farmer. So, we came from a very humble upbringing. On my dad’s side, they immigrated to the United States when my dad was nine, and they really had to work hard. It’s just that hard work and can-do attitude that I think I experienced growing up and certainly has done me well in my career. I’m a collaborator and a problem solver, and in coal mines and farming, you have to do all that, too, right? You have to be flexible, and I think I learned that organically as I grew up.

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“One of my proudest, happiest moments was watching an early-career researcher, who I met first when she was a graduate student conducting research and working on some new, innovative equipment. She was going to give a demonstration to a group of visitors, and as happened with me many times, everything works perfectly until the people show up – and the equipment wouldn’t do anything. So she took a few deep breaths and explained what we would have seen.

“And then she actually became a NASA Postdoctoral Program fellow. And I watched her scientific growth and her confidence increase, and I watched her research transition through different areas until … she finished her postdoc and she got a fellowship to do some additional work in another institution.

“And then we were both at a conference one time, and she pulled me over and she said, ‘Melissa, I just got a call,’ and she got this enormous grant … and I realized, ‘She has launched!’ … It was cool to watch the positive things. It was important for people to be there for her, to help her through the difficult times and tell her she could do it and [say], you know, ‘Just give it some more time.’

“She has become just like a force. She’s become one of the leaders in the astrobiology community, and I got to participate in all of that. And I’m so happy, and I know that there are going to be a ton more people who will follow in her footsteps, and I hope that I can interact with them also.

“… I’ve just seen such tremendous things happen since I’ve been part of the Astrobiology Program, and that’s why I’m pretty confident we’re going to find life elsewhere, because there are just so many brilliant people working on this.”

— Melissa Kirven-Brooks, Exobiology Deputy Branch Chief and Future Workforce Lead of the NASA Astrobiology Program, NASA’s Ames Research Center

Image Credit: NASA / Brandon Torres
Interviewer: NASA / Michelle Zajac

Check out some of our other Faces of NASA.

6 min read

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Kari AlvaradoNASA Graphics

In honor of Women’s History Month, we recently sat down with Kari Alvarado, lead management analyst and Dryden Aeronautical Test Range (DATR) asset manager at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, to learn more about her role and working at NASA.

What do you do at NASA and how do you help support Armstrong’s mission?

I have had essentially 3 different careers. I began as an aircraft mechanic. After 11 years, I became a contracts specialist, and 17 years later a management analyst.

What do you do at NASA and how do you help support Armstrong’s mission?

I have had essentially 3 different careers. I began as an aircraft mechanic. After 11 years, I became a contracts specialist, and 17 years later a management analyst.

Over the period I spent in maintenance, I supported multiple projects which advanced aero technology. I supported the F-18 flight platform to research fiber-optic smart actuator performance, a CV-990 to research space shuttle tire performance on different runways, and an F-104 to research air-flow over a fuselage mounted flight-test fixture. Towards the end of this career segment, I was a primary member of the team that transitioned the center aircraft fleet from paper maintenance records to electronic maintenance records.

After 11 years in aircraft maintenance, I cross trained into the Office of Procurement, where I learned the art of federal contracting. At the perfect time, mentors helped me advance to the center’s largest procurement action, obtaining Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) platform project. I helped our center take in and administer the project contractually.

After 17 years in procurement, I cross-trained to serve Armstrong in my current position in the Dryden Aeronautical Test Range (DATR), Mission Operations. I currently serve as a management analyst and range asset manager. I work with a team to manage the resources which enable aeronautical data transfer from aircraft to control centers, and data capture for the disciplined engineers in support of aeronautical research and technology advancement.

Why did you choose to work at NASA and how long have you worked here?

I did not know much about NASA when I applied. I was a young E-4 in the Air Force stationed at Edwards. I was going through a divorce and was about to be a single mother. I needed dependable employment. NASA was one of many places to which I applied and was the first to offer me work that was directly related to my Air Force training. I started at NASA on August 26, 1991. The center was called Ames Research Center, Dryden Flight Research Facility. The position was one of the best things that ever happened in my life, due to all the opportunities to excel at NASA. I am going into my 37th year of federal service; 33 years here at Armstrong.

What has been your proudest accomplishment or highlight of your career?

I feel proud that I have mentored others in their NASA careers. I am most proud of my own education and success as a female in a male-dominated environment of aircraft maintainers, and aeronautics professionals in general. After many years at NASA, I advanced to supervision of Armstrong’s Crew-Chiefs. This accomplishment reached to my core since civil rights was a significant part of my upbringing. It was especially unusual for a female to supervise in a predominantly male career field. As I served the center, the NASA environment allowed me to learn and thrive. The opportunities, up to that point, had included competing for and winning center training funds which helped me obtain a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. My proudest accomplishment in my second career, after obtaining the Deputy Procurement Officer supervision role in contracting, is that my team made significant contributions to the commercialization of sub-orbital space flight and payload integration. NASA’s investment in me allowed me to serve NASA while simultaneously excelling professionally and personally, and to further serve NASA.

What is one piece of advice you’ve never forgotten?

A critical mentor in my career advised me, I will never forget. I had earned my Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) license from the FAA. This had to do with another NASA provided opportunity. NASA had partnered with AV college to provide the access to fast-track A&P training for those who had aircraft experience. A fellow colleague was envious about my accomplishment of becoming licensed. When I expressed concern, my mentor advised me to never compare myself to others (as my colleague was doing). Only compare yourself to you, compare what I am doing to my own potential. My mentor’s advice has served me well.

Do you have any advice for others like yourself who may be contemplating a career at NASA?

Decide what you want and find a way to get there. You can always find a way. For those already at NASA, find opportunities. They are everywhere. Share your energy and wonder. Always ask questions.

What is the most exciting aspect of your job?

On a day-to-day, the camaraderie and teamwork that occur when working towards identified mission milestones. When looking overall at my career, being a part of the advancement of aeronautical history is most exciting.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A lawyer, and I got close by going into federal procurement. I got to hang out with the lawyers sometimes.

Did you think you would ever work for NASA?

Never.

What’s the strangest tradition in your family? Or a unique family tradition?

My family has had a strong military presence. Not an intentional tradition, but I come from people of discipline and who serve others. My entire immediate family served in 3 different services: my husband, self, and both sons. Military service extends to both our fathers, grandfathers, nephews, great aunts, and uncles. The services include Army Air Corp, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Air Force National Guard, Army Reserve, and Coast Guard. The commonality we all have is strong work ethic and commitment to service.

If you could master a skill without any work, what would it be?

Play guitar, violin, or the piano. Like anything good though, it takes work and dedication.

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Details Last Updated Mar 29, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactAmber YarbroughLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms

• Armstrong Flight Research Center
• Featured Careers
• Life at NASA
• NASA Centers & Facilities
• People of NASA
• What We Do
• Women's History Month

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The April 8, 2024, solar eclipse will be visible in the entire contiguous United States, weather permitting. People along the path of totality stretching from Texas to Maine will have the chance to see a total solar eclipse; outside this path, a partial solar eclipse will be visible.Credits: NASA

On Monday, April 8, most of North America will have the chance to see the Moon pass in front of the Sun during a solar eclipse. NASA is inviting the public to participate with in-person events, opportunities to do NASA science, and multiple ways to watch online.

Millions of people along the path of totality – which stretches from Texas to Maine in the United States – will see a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the Sun. Outside the path of totality, people across the contiguous United States will have a chance to see a partial solar eclipse, when the Moon covers part of the Sun. Learn how to safely view this celestial event.

Watch Through Eyes of NASA

NASA will host live coverage of the eclipse starting at 1 p.m. EDT. The agency’s eclipse coverage will include live views of the eclipse from across North America, special appearances by NASA experts, astronauts aboard the space station, and an inside look at NASA’s eclipse science experiments and watch parties across the country. NASA’s broadcast will last three hours, and features live locations from across the nation including the agency’s only center in the path of totality, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio, as well as:

• Carbondale, Illinois
• Dallas
• Houlton, Maine
• Indianapolis
• Kerrville, Texas
• Niagara Falls, New York
• Russellville, Arkansas

The NASA broadcast will stream on NASA+, air on NASA TV, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media and the agency’s app.

NASA also will host a watch party of the eclipse in Spanish starting at 1:30 p.m. on YouTube.

NASA will provide a no-commentary, telescope-only feed of the eclipse on NASA Television’s media channel and YouTube, starting at 1 p.m. and running for three hours. The telescope feed will incorporate views from multiple locations, and will be switched based on weather, the eclipse’s progress, and feed availability. Locations may include:

• Carbondale, Illinois
• Cleveland
• Dallas
• Houlton, Maine
• Indianapolis
• Junction, Texas
• Kerrville, Texas
• Mazatlán, Mexico
• Niagara Falls, New York
• Russellville, Arkansas
• Torreón, Mexico
• Tupper Lake, New York

NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia will provide a commentated livestream of three sounding rocket launches for the Atmospheric Perturbations around Eclipse Path mission. The livestream will begin at 2:30 p.m. on NASA Wallops’ YouTube channel and conclude after the last of the three sounding rocket launches.

NASA’s interactive Eclipse Explorer Map will allow users to track the total solar eclipse in real time on April 8 as it moves across North America. Use the tool ahead of time to search by zip code or city for eclipse timing, get real-time weather updates, percent of eclipse coverage, and even a corona prediction for locations in the path of totality.

Media Resources

Media resources are available on NASA’s eclipse website. To request a remote or in-person eclipse interview with NASA, please contact agency-eclipsemedia@mail.nasa.gov.

Details about in-person eclipse events and registration requirements for media are available online.

NASA eclipse photos will be shared on the Flickr account.  

To learn more about the total solar eclipse, visit:

go.nasa.gov/Eclipse2024

-end-

Karen Fox
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
karen.c.fox@nasa.gov

Sarah Frazier
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
202-853-7191
sarah.frazier@nasa.gov

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Details Last Updated Mar 29, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms

• Eclipses
• 2024 Solar Eclipse
• Solar Eclipses