imaging Archives

In a cleanroom at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, on April 3, 2026, (from left) Sean Gazarik, Tyler Radomsky, Amber Dubill and Emory Toomey complete a “fit check” of Dragonfly’s top deck on the rest of the rotorcraft lander’s body. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Ed Whitman

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Cryobiology, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Press Release, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Saturn, Titan, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Astrobiology Exploration: Dragonfly Rotorcraft Hardware Integration and Parachute Test

by Keith CowingApril 24, 2026April 24, 2026

NASA’s Dragonfly rotorcraft is beginning to take shape – literally – with the delivery of the panels that make up the rotorcraft lander’s body. Built from ultra‑lightweight honeycomb panels designed […]

Artist’s impression of the approach of a swarm towards Proxima b; at this point, a few seconds before closest approach, the swarm could be examining the planet’s nightside for techno- or bioluminescence. (This image is based on the artistic work of Dr. Mark A. Garlick.) -- astro-ph.IM

Alpha Centauri, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cubesats and smallsats, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Gaia Mission, Habitable Zones, Interstellar, Missions & Hardware, Proxima Centauri, Status Report

Science From The In Situ Exploration Of Tthe Proxima Centauri System

by Keith CowingApril 23, 2026April 23, 2026

In the future interstellar exploration at near-relativistic speeds will be possible using beamed energy laser propulsion.

Sky map of the Lyα brightness seen from Europa for visit 12 (Jan 26, 2015) from interplanetary medium H scattering model (Pryor et al. 2024). The direction to the Sun is shown by the small white circle, the anti-Sun direction is shown by the white asterisk. -- astro-ph.EP

Astrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Europa, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Space Weather & Heliophysics, Status Report

Europa’s Lyman-α Emissions From HST/STIS Observations

by Keith CowingApril 23, 2026April 23, 2026

Context. An image of Lyman-α (Lyα) emission from Europa obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (HST/STIS) provided the first evidence for localized water vapor (H2O) aurora, […]

A: Microscope images of the aragonite host showing two survey areas (M1 and M2). B: Area M1 showing micrometer-sized fossil structures in more detail. Figure adapted from Tulej et al., 2015.

Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Fossils & Paleontology, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Tricorders & Sensors

Laser-based Mass Spectrometry For The Detection Of Signatures Of Life Within Our Solar System

by Keith CowingApril 22, 2026April 22, 2026

The search for signatures of life beyond Earth has been a major goal of space research and astrobiology for decades. The combination of expanded knowledge on Solar System bodies from […]

Planet orbiting a red dwarf -- Grok via Astrobiology.com

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

The CARMENES Search For Exoplanets Around M Dwarfs. A Homogeneous Catalogue Of Projected Rotational Velocities Accounting For Limb-darkening

by Keith CowingApril 22, 2026April 22, 2026

Stellar rotation is closely linked to both age and magnetic activity. Through gyrochronology, it provides a means to estimate stellar ages and trace the evolution of planetary systems, and it […]

Eclipse spectra of various surface models from Paragas et al. (2025) as simulated by JESTER, compared to the observed eclipse spectra LTT 1445 A b (Wachiraphan et al. 2024) and GJ 1132 b (Xue et al. 2024). Model uncertainty is calculated following Section 3.2. Significant model overlap renders photometric observations incapable of producing strong constraints on the planet’s composition, though exogeological study may remain possible through spectroscopy as the shape and location of wavelength dependent spectral features are preserved. -- astro-ph.EP

Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Uniform Reinterpretation of Rocky Exoplanet Secondary Eclipse Observations and the Impact of Stellar and Orbital Uncertainties

by Keith CowingApril 22, 2026April 22, 2026

Secondary eclipse observations are a powerful way to investigate whether or not a rocky exoplanet hosts an atmosphere, as an atmospheric presence would transport heat to the nightside and render […]

ID: ESP_076844_2550 date: 18 December 2022 altitude: 316 km -- NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona Larger image

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Desert Worlds, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Mars, Status Report

Translucent Ice On Martian Dunes

by Keith CowingApril 21, 2026April 21, 2026

Coordinating with the CaSSIS instrument on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, we acquired an image at this site for seasonal monitoring.

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity acquired this image, showing the polygonal sulfate unit currently being investigated by the rover after leaving the boxwork terrain. Curiosity captured the image using its Left Navigation Camera on March 27, 2026 — Sol 4848, or Martian day 4,848 of the Mars Science Laboratory mission — at 10:43:16 UTC. NASA/JPL-Caltech

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Desert Worlds, Exploration Gear & Tech, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mars, Missions & Hardware, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, Status Report

Mars Curiosity Blog Sols 4845-4851: Bye-Bye Boxwork, Bye-Bye

by Keith CowingApril 20, 2026April 20, 2026

Earth planning date: Friday, March 27, 2026

Stability analysis of the TOI-5624 planetary system focusing on planet f

Astronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, TRAPPIST-1

The Multi-planet System TOI-5624: Four Transiting Sub-Neptunes With An Outer Companion Revealed By Transit-timing Variations

by Keith CowingApril 19, 2026April 19, 2026

Following the 2022 alert of a TESS object of interest transiting TOI-5624 (a G7 V star ∼100 pc away), a CHEOPS campaign in 2023 detected four planetary signals at Pb≈3.4, […]

Artist’s impression of the LIFE nulling-interferometry mission, consisting of four collector spacecraft in a rectangular array configuration sending light to a beam combiner spacecraft in the center. The present analysis assumes an X-array configuration with a baseline ratio of 6:1. -- astro-ph.IM

Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report

Continuing To Advance European High Contrast Imaging Research And Development Towards HWO And LIFE

by Keith CowingApril 19, 2026April 19, 2026

The European Research and Development for Space based High Contrast Imaging II Workshop, held at MPIA in May 2025, advanced Europe strategic coordination in support of future exoplanet imaging missions […]

imaging

Astrobiology Exploration: Dragonfly Rotorcraft Hardware Integration and Parachute Test

Science From The In Situ Exploration Of Tthe Proxima Centauri System

Europa’s Lyman-α Emissions From HST/STIS Observations

Laser-based Mass Spectrometry For The Detection Of Signatures Of Life Within Our Solar System

The CARMENES Search For Exoplanets Around M Dwarfs. A Homogeneous Catalogue Of Projected Rotational Velocities Accounting For Limb-darkening

Uniform Reinterpretation of Rocky Exoplanet Secondary Eclipse Observations and the Impact of Stellar and Orbital Uncertainties

Translucent Ice On Martian Dunes

Mars Curiosity Blog Sols 4845-4851: Bye-Bye Boxwork, Bye-Bye

The Multi-planet System TOI-5624: Four Transiting Sub-Neptunes With An Outer Companion Revealed By Transit-timing Variations

Continuing To Advance European High Contrast Imaging Research And Development Towards HWO And LIFE

SwRI Study Found Primordial Mini-moons May Explain Meteorite Composition

The Galactic Centre G+0.633-0.0604 Molecular Cloud: A New Astrochemical Gold Mine. I. Gas Physical Properties

Researchers Confirm The Cause Of Earth’s Biggest Mass Extinction

Multistage Rocket Optimization, Geophysics, and the Spacefaring Envelope of Habitable Super-Earths

The Recent Crossing Of The 7:3 Resonance Between Ganymede And Callisto