Gallery: Space Photos of the Week: Hey Ceres, Why So Blue (and Red)?

  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Night Moon Outdoors Nature Outer Space Planet Globe and Earth
    <a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=pia21081">NASA/JPL</a>
    01

    SPoW-Dec16-03.jpg

    The hydrogen concentrations of dwarf planet Ceres (right) compared with that of giant asteroid Vesta (left) shows that Vesta is drier, with a lower percentage of hydrogen.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Nebula Outer Space and Outdoors
    <a href="https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/potw1650a/">ESA</a>
    02

    SPoW-Dec16-05.jpg

    This barred spiral galaxy, over 40 million light-years away, lies in the constellation of Grus (The Crane).
  • Image may contain Water Outdoors Ripple and Plant
    <a href="http://m.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2016/12/Proba-V_images_Mount_Everest">ESA</a>
    03

    SPoW-Dec16-06.jpg

    This image shows the snow-capped Himalayan mountains, with vegetation in Nepal shown in red and the green Tibetan Plateau to the north, with Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga among the white peaks between.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Night Moon Outdoors Nature Outer Space Animal and Sea Life
    <a href="http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages/details.php?id=PIA21219">JPL/NASA</a>
    04

    SPoW-Dec16-04.jpg

    This image depicts one of eight white opals on Jupiter. The “string of pearls” are rotating storms, appearing in the planet’s southern hemisphere.
  • Image may contain Universe Space Astronomy Outer Space Outdoors and Nature
    <a href="http://www.eso.org/public/images/cosmic/">ESO</a>
    05

    SPoW-Dec16-02.jpg

    When high-energy cosmic rays hit a camera, they jolt it, producing a tiny white point, as shown in this image.
  • This photo was taken by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet while flying over South America.
    <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/wklysumm_week_of_5dec16.html">NASA/Thomas Pesquet</a>
    06

    SPoW-Dec16-01.jpg

    This photo was taken by ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet while flying over South America.
Read More
Astronomers Discover a Possible New Dwarf Planet in Our Solar System
Lying beyond Pluto, 2026 ED138 could be as large as 1,500 kilometers in diameter. Astronomers are still working to confirm whether it meets the criteria for a dwarf planet.
Jorge Garay
How to See the Orionid Meteor Shower and Other Upcoming Astronomical Events
Made up of small fragments left behind by Halley’s Comet, these meteors are known for being especially bright and speedy.
Ritsuko Kawai
The ‘Exotic Physics’ Behind a Mysterious 1,000-Mile Cloud on Mars
The cloud has baffled astronomers since its discovery in 2018. Now, a new study offers a possible cause for its appearance.
Tereza Ondráčková
Astronomers Confirm Discovery of the Youngest Known Exoplanet Ever
Under 1 million years old, “Elias 2-24b” is now the youngest exoplanet ever observed, and it may force researchers to reevaluate theories about how planets are formed.
Teruyuki Hayakawa
Inside the Supermassive Debate Over the James Webb Telescope’s ‘Little Red Dots’
The Webb telescope sees tiny red dots everywhere. Astronomers can’t agree on what they are, but some believe they may be enormous stars with black holes inside.
Charlie Wood
NASA Just Made Nearly 1 TB of Artemis II Data Available to the Public
The data drop includes photographs, audio, video, and astronauts’ notes that will be used to study the moon and prepare for future human missions.
Jorge Garay
Artemis III Scientist Shares What to Expect From NASA’s Next Lunar Mission
Though scaled back from initial plans of landing, the voyage will serve as a dress rehearsal for when humans return to the moon’s surface.
Jorge Garay
Japan Is Attempting an Audacious Mission to Sample a Martian Moon
JAXA is leading an international mission to reach Mars’ Phobos moon and bring soil back to Earth. If successful, it could unlock new clues about the history of the solar system.
Jenna Ahart
NASA’s Oldest Martian Spacecraft Have Been Running for Decades. Here’s How
Two orbiters have long outlasted their expected lifespans and completely reshaped our understanding of the Red Planet, all while operating 140 million miles from Earth.
Meghan Bartels
Earth’s Condition Is ‘Serious and Getting Worse’ as Climate Change Intensifies
Seven of 16 planetary vital signs are in their most extreme state ever recorded, and El Niño is here to make matters even worse.
Brian Kahn
Humans Watched This Supernova Explode Nearly a Millennium Ago. Now You Can See It in High Definition
The new image isn’t just stunning—it may also provide clues about how this star survived its own explosion.
Jorge Garay
Scientists Trapped an Antimatter Particle for Months to Study Its Secrets
These elusive and reactive particles have been challenging to hold on to and even more challenging to study, but a new method paves the way for tests on the differences between matter and antimatter.
Jorge Garay