Latest news with #SpaceXCrew-10
New York Post
04-07-2025
- Science
- New York Post
Astronaut photographs elusive luminous event from far above Earth
An astronaut aboard the International Space Station has shared a striking photo of what is known as a Transient Luminous Event seen above a thunderstorm over Mexico and the Desert Southwest earlier in the week. NASA astronaut Nichole 'Vapor' Ayers posted the image on social media and said, 'Just. Wow. As we went over Mexico and the US this morning, I caught this sprite.' Advertisement Sprites are a type of TLE, which create brilliant flashes of light high above powerful thunderstorms and are difficult to observe from the ground. There is some debate on whether what she captured is surely a sprite or what is known as a gigantic jet – both are part of the TLE phenomena. According to NOAA, sprites are often triggered by positive cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, which produce an electric field that extends miles above a thunderstorm into the upper atmosphere. The phenomenon appears mostly red in color, lasts only a fraction of a second and occurs so high up in the atmosphere that it is rarely visible to the human eye – unless, of course, you are orbiting some 250 miles above Earth's surface. Advertisement 4 NASA astronaut Nichole 'Vapor' Ayers captured a Sprite above Earth from the International Space Station. via REUTERS 4 Nichole Ayers aboard the International Space Station in 2025. ISS/NASA / SWNS 'Sprites are TLEs, or Transient Luminous Events, that happen above the clouds and are triggered by intense electrical activity in the thunderstorms below. We have a great view above the clouds, so scientists can use these types of pictures to better understand the formation, characteristics, and relationship of TLEs to thunderstorms,' Ayers explained on social media. Gigantic jets begin inside the anvil and reach through the cloud up to the ionosphere, which represents what Ayers might have witnessed. Advertisement Why some lightning bolts trigger sprites while others do not is still poorly understood by the scientific community. Other related phenomena include elves, blue jets and ghosts, all of which are known TLEs, and occur well above Earth's surface in the stratosphere, mesosphere and even the thermosphere. 4 The phenomenon appears mostly red in color, lasts only a fraction of a second and occurs so high up in the atmosphere that it is rarely visible to the human eye – unless, of course, you are orbiting some 250 miles above Earth's surface. via REUTERS 4 The International Space Station orbiting over Earth in November 2018. NASA / SWNS Advertisement Ayers is currently stationed aboard the ISS as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission, which launched in March and is expected to remain in outer space through at least August. During the astronauts' time aboard the space observatory, the crew will conduct hundreds of scientific experiments, including testing the flammability of material and studies examining the physiological and psychological effects of space on the human body.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Thunderstorms 'as large as cities' in Southeast seen from space
Being in space is cool on its own, but imagine seeing thunderstorms as big as cities from a space perspective, too. Nasa astronaut and U.s. Army Col. Anne McClain posted video Wednesday of recent thunderstorms impacting the Southeast. The video showed the region as pitch black except for city lights and flashes of lightning as Florida's recognizable shape comes into view. "I was astounded at the scale of recent thunderstorms," McClain said in a post to X. "Some of these flashes are as large as cities!" While the exact date of the video is unclear, rounds of thunderstorms have rattled the southern and eastern states since Mother's Day weekend. Some of them shattered rainfall records in Charleston, South Carolina and Miami. Miami Roads Flood After Tropical Moisture Shatters Daily Rain Record They brought flooding rains and damaging winds to cities along the Gulf Coast, and even produced a tornado in South Carolina. Spacex Given Federal Approval To Resume Starship Megarocket Test Launch After Spectacular Explosion Storm damage was also reported in Florida, where aerial photos showed homes and buildings damaged in Holmes County. McClain was sent to space in March as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 article source: Thunderstorms 'as large as cities' in Southeast seen from space
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA Astronaut Snaps Knockout Views of Flower Moon in Full Bloom
Spring is popping in the northern hemisphere and the full flower moon joined in on the seasonal celebrations on May 12. Skywatchers on the ground were treated to a glowing disk of light. NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers enjoyed the view from a different vantage point -- way up on the International Space Station. Ayers shared three images of the moon at full strength. "I'm still in awe of our view of the world and beyond," she said on X. "Today was the flower moon and it did not disappoint!" The first image features our blue planet dappled with clouds. The moon hovers in the corner with the dark maria (Latin for "seas") impact basins stretching like shadows across its surface. It's a poetic image highlighting the close relationship between Earth and its only natural satellite. Ayers' next image tells a different story. The moon is a tiny dot below an upside-down Earth riddled with clouds. Parts of the space station poke out from the bottom of the view. It goes to show how direction doesn't matter much on the ISS. Earth can be either above or below you depending on your chosen perspective in orbit. The final shot is an ode to distance. The moon orbits at an average of about 239,000 miles from Earth. It looks every bit that far away in the photo. Our planet is a watery, cloudy hulk with the dainty full moon shining like a remote beacon. Ayers is part of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission that arrived at the ISS in March to relieve the so-called "stranded astronauts" Sunita "Suni" Williams and Barry "Butch" Wilmore. This is Ayers' first visit to the ISS. Ayers has been dedicating some of her public outreach efforts to astrophotography. The moon photos show off her artistic eye. "These were shot from a few different lenses for perspective," she said. "I love how you can see the texture in the clouds and on the moon itself." The May full moon is known by the "flower moon" nickname. "Many cultures refer to May's full moon as the flower moon thanks to the abundant blooming that occurs as spring gets going properly," the Royal Museums Greenwich said in an explainer. "Other names include the hare moon, the corn planting moon and the milk moon." Ayers' views of the full moon bring the astronaut's perspective on the celestial show to us on Earth. It's a beauty whether you're down on the ground or up in orbit.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Magnet Innovation Center students have an ‘out of this world' conversation with NASA astronaut
WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – Some Walton County students had the rare opportunity on Thursday to speak to those beyond the skies. One small step for students, one giant leap for Walton County's MIC. Around a dozen students got to ask astronaut Nichole Ayers two questions about her experience in the great unknown. 'Being able to talk to an astronaut live while they're in space, I think, is an opportunity that's for most people beyond a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,' District Chairperson Jason Catalano said. Ayers has been in the International Space Station for 33 days as part of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission. For the past two years, students have planned, designed, and built an antenna that would give them a wireless connection to the ISS. Last October, they were selected as one of only six schools to participate in the national call, but connectivity issues arose. Officials from the Air Force confirmed the issue was not on the part of the students, so NASA granted them a second opportunity to redo the call. Bill introduced to rename stretch of Highway 90 after fallen WCSO deputy With a successful connection, students were able to ask questions and hear Ayer's feedback. Staff said initiatives like this one help motivate students to shoot for the stars. 'I just absolutely love having our students create opportunities like this for themselves, supporting them in it, being successful, and then seeing what it means to them and to their learning as well as to their futures students getting to be part of this contact with an astronaut, I just know that that breathes a second wind into their into their desires. For their futures, for themselves,' MIC Principle Kathryn Benson said. 'I just feel like I don't learn as well whenever I'm sitting there, like staring at a screen or like reading a packet. And I feel like I retain a lot more information, and also feels like so much more personal when I actually get to talk to like another human being about their career. Like, it just feels so special. Like it adds a lot. It helps me learn a lot more,' MIC student Stella Johnson said. The Magnet Innovation Center is a limited access high school in Watersound that was established by the district in 2019. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
WA native, astronaut talks to FOX 13 from International Space Station
The Brief Anne McClain, 45, is a Washington native and is currently living on the International Space Station. McClain is the commander of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission that launched on March 14, 2025. SEATTLE - As the world awaited the return of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the astronauts stranded on the International Space Station for nine months, the crew heading up to relieve them included Washington native Anne McClain. McClain, 45, is no stranger to the ISS, having previously arrived on the orbiting space lab in late 2018. This time around, McClain was tapped to be the commander of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission alongside pilot Nichole Ayers and mission specialists Takuya Onishi and Kirill Peskov. "There is a heightened level of responsibility to so many people," said McClain. "Living aboard the International Space Station is an international endeavor, and there are so many people all around the world that have put resources and time into making this possible." Dig deeper McClain told FOX 13 that she works with hardware or experiments every day that qualify as someone's life's work. She said everyone onboard view themselves as stewards of both the station, and the path to becoming an astronaut. "As I always say, 'when you get to goals, don't forget to send the elevator back down for the next people,'" said McClain. McClain had long dreamed of becoming an astronaut, stating she first told her parents of her plans as a three-year-old. She'd achieve that goal in 2018 during her first mission to the International Space Station – she'd spend 204 days aboard the ISS while completing two spacewalks during that time. What's next Crew-10 is expected to work on more than 200 scientific experiments and tech demonstrations during their six-month stay onboard the ISS. Those experiments will include a number of research experiments aimed at preparing astronauts for exploration beyond low Earth orbit for future missions, including NASA's future Artemis missions. McClain was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. She attended West Point and is currently a colonel in the U.S. Army – she was an instructor pilot, with hundreds of hours of combat time before her first space flight. She called her path a series of big steps, one at a time. "So many people give up on their own goals before they're even told they can't do it," she said. "I think my biggest key to success from Spokane to the International Space Station was never giving up on myself." The Source Information in this story is from FOX 13 Seattle reporting and an interview with astronaut Anne McClain. Richard Sherman's WA home robbed by armed men, deputies confirm Mystery over Seattle sky: Black ring leaves public guessing Woodland Park Zoo handler recovering after serious orangutan bite Police investigate after 100 shots fired in West Seattle Man stabbed to death in Marysville, WA To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation.
