NASA Exoplanets

x.comOriginal Tweet (Truncated)View the full post on Ex-Twitter

20h

The warm embrace of a star could be the stuff of nightmares. 😱 Small stars like our Sun puff out into red giants at the ends of their lives, engulfing anything orbiting too close, but brown dwarf WD 1202-024 B may have survived just such a hug. #MondayMotivation

Science operations for our Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory have now ended. With the spacecraft orbiting less than 171 miles (275 kilometers) above Earth, atmospheric drag prevents the satellite’s telescopes from steadily gazing at their cosmic targets. 🧵

Since launching on November 20, 2004, Swift observed: More than 2,000 gamma-ray bursts More than 1,400 supernovae Stars being shredded by black holes Asteroids and comets … and so much more!

Data from Swift’s three telescopes has contributed to about 7,000 published scientific papers. Swift leaves behind a treasure trove of 12 TB of data — equivalent to about 600 HD movies — that astronomers will continue to comb through for years to come. t.co/y048ZptEf9 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4sucstU

go.nasa.govNASA Scientific Visualization Studio | NASA Goddard Halloween Pumpkin StencilsGet in the Halloween spirit by using one of our pumpkin stencils. || 2019102513185848958142233o_1.jpg (4128x2322) [2.2 MB] || Celebrate Halloween with NASA-themed pumpkin carvings! These stencils will

Doing some pumpkin carving this weekend? Make space on your front porch for some out-of-this-world jack-o’-lanterns! 🎃 Check out these stencils featuring some cosmic cartoon characters, @NASAWebb, @NASARoman, and more. Download them here: t.co/RnyEsx4ATp

twitter.comX. It’s what’s happeningFrom breaking news and entertainment to sports and politics, get the full story with all the live commentary.

LISA is an @ESA-led mission in partnership with @NASA that will detect and measure ripples in space-time called gravitational waves. LISA’s three spacecraft will fly in a triangular formation that follows Earth as it orbits the Sun. What object could fill this triangle?

Each arm of this triangle will be about 1.6 million miles long, big enough that our Sun would snugly fit inside. Gravitational waves from cosmic events will ripple across the triangle, slightly changing the distances between the spacecraft. Meet LISA: t.co/QMRE0g44Yy 🔗 nasa.gov/lisa

With its quick reflexes, flexible scheduling, and multiwavelength vision, our Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory has made discoveries with nearly every NASA space telescope during its 22 years in space. As the mission winds down, let’s see how Swift’s collaboratio... 🔗 x.com/NASAUniverse/status/2...

go.nasa.govNASA's Webb Makes First Detection of Heavy Element from Star Merger - NASA ScienceA team of scientists has used multiple space and ground-based telescopes, including NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, NASA’s Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope,

@chandraxray Observatories often complement each other. Take gamma-ray burst 230307A, as an example. Our Fermi telescope detected it, then Swift and others pinpointed it, allowing @NASAWebb to find the signature of tellurium, an element rarer than platinum on Earth. t.co/cAw5RbPjUT

go.nasa.govNASA’s TESS Mission Spots Its 1st Star-shredding Black Hole - NASAFor the first time, NASA’s planet-hunting Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) watched a black hole tear apart a star in a cataclysmic phenomenon

@chandraxray @NASAWebb In 2019, our planet-hunting TESS telescope saw a black hole tear apart a star in a tidal disruption event. Rapid follow-up by Swift and other observatories — on the ground and in space — caught intriguing details of this rare, star-destroying blast. t.co/bJqxxIC6XI

Last year, Swift teamed up with our IXPE, @ChandraXray, and NuSTAR telescopes to study a black hole jet in the Perseus galaxy cluster. They traced the X-rays to interactions between light and particles, helping us better understand black hole environments. t.co/LGNTx80mBH 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4jJ9q2D

#TBT to Oct. 17, 2002, when @ESA's INTErnational Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) launched to study the cosmos using the highest-energy form of light. INTEGRAL contributed to many discoveries, sometimes in tandem with @NASA observatories. t.co/NO7ka7BWtM 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4s911rk

Meet the universe’s goth worlds. Brown dwarfs drift in darkness, ungoverned by a host star and heated entirely from within. Our SPHEREx telescope studied 37 of these objects, revealing chemically rich atmospheres harboring water, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and methane. ⬇️

nasa.govNASA’s SPHEREx Telescope Sees Menagerie of Brown Dwarfs - NASANASA’s SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) space telescope is shedding light on brown

Only a few dozen brown dwarfs have been studied in detail with space-based telescopes, but SPHEREx’s ability to measure 102 colors makes it uniquely suited to studying these “dark wanderers.” Learn more:

twitter.comX. It’s what’s happeningFrom breaking news and entertainment to sports and politics, get the full story with all the live commentary.

Our Swift observatory’s UVOT (Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope) was designed to investigate some of the universe’s brightest bursts, but it’s also helped us study stars, galaxies, and more. Since Swift's launch in 2004, how many images has the UVOT taken? Check back for the answer!

go.nasa.govThe Swift Spacecraft - NASA ScienceSwift launched into orbit on Nov. 20, 2004, as NASA’s Swift Gamma-ray Observatory. In 2018, NASA renamed the spacecraft in honor of Neil Gehrels, who helped

If you guessed the UVOT has taken over 1,500,000 images, you’re right! Each one features a piece of the sky, combining with data from Swift’s other two telescopes to build a treasure trove that'll fuel discoveries for years to come. More about Swift: t.co/ABePiPT5Ra

Say Betelgeuse three times and its companion may appear! Scientists thought that the 10th brightest star had a companion, and a @NASAAmes scientist spotted it using @NOIRLabAstro’s Gemini North telescope in Hawaii and a @NASA-built camera: t.co/YASGVKgVNB 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4yGatoj

#OTD in 2000, the High Energy Transient Explorer (HETE-2) launched from Kwajalein Atoll. An international collaboration, it was launched to help detect and unravel the mystery of gamma-ray bursts. Learn more about HETE-2 here: t.co/Xp1ZFQ1eos 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4y7NJfX

Our planet-hunting TESS mission has reached an exciting milestone: over 1,000 of the exoplanet candidates it has discovered since its 2018 launch have been confirmed! Let’s explore some of these intriguing worlds beyond our solar system … 🧵

go.nasa.govNASA’s TESS Mission Finds Planetary System in New Way - NASA ScienceFor the first time, NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) mission has identified a planet orbiting a distant star thanks to ripples in

Most TESS planets were discovered by catching dips in starlight from orbiting planets. But it recently identified a planet through another method called microlensing, where light from a distant star is magnified by a nearer star passing in front of it: t.co/W3bZkG7HOs

go.nasa.govExoplanets - NASA ScienceMost of the exoplanets discovered so far are in a relatively small region of our galaxy, the Milky Way. (“Small” meaning within thousands of light-years of

We’ve only scratched the surface of TESS discoveries — there are thousands of additional exoplanet candidates awaiting confirmation! Learn more about our search for distant worlds: t.co/ymLMXge902

Puffy, Jupiter-sized WD 1856 b is the first intact planet found closely orbiting a much smaller white dwarf star. The process of forming these compact cool stars usually destroys nearby planets, so scientists were surprised to find one: t.co/mxYF3cYvlP 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4zi3JwP

go.nasa.govDiscovery Alert: Watch the Synchronized Dance of a 6-Planet System - NASA ScienceSix "sub-Neptune" exoplanets orbit their star in a rhythmic dance – one easily set to music.

Not all planets are solo acts! TESS helped find a family of six exoplanets smaller than Neptune in synchronized orbits around their star. Their repetitive orbital dance can teach us about planet formation and evolution … and be set to music: t.co/zyDKOmk5qK

TESS stares at wide patches of the sky, watching for changes that might indicate a planet orbiting a star. Within its first three months of observations, TESS confirmed three exoplanets … and also spotted supernovae, comets, flaring stars, and more: t.co/q8UuxdOH7K 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4yGZjzS

go.nasa.govNASA Planet Hunter Finds its 1st Earth-size Habitable-zone World - NASANASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered its first Earth-size planet in its star’s habitable zone, the range of distances where

In 2020, the TESS team announced its first discovery of an Earth-sized world orbiting within its star’s habitable zone, the range of distances where conditions may be just right for liquid water to exist on a planet’s surface: t.co/FAmjFraWRv

The universe is better with friends. As our Swift Observatory approaches the end of its mission, we’re celebrating its 21+ years in orbit — and the friends it's made — with some new galactic images. Check out this thread for more, or download yours here: t.co/5... 🔗 chandra.si.edu/photo/2026/s...

@chandraxray @esa @NASAHubble NGC 4151 is a spiral galaxy whose central supermassive black hole is actively growing! The X-ray emission has been attributed to an outburst powered by the black hole. This composite combines observations from @ChandraXray and Swift.

NGC 1365 also sports a growing giant black hole at its center. The growth is fueled by a steady flow of gas streaming toward the black hole. This new view of the galaxy brings together data from our @ChandraXray and Swift observatories with optical light from a ground-based telescope.

The Small Magellanic Cloud is one of our closest neighbors, orbiting our galaxy about 200,000 light-years away. This new view combines data from our Swift, @ChandraXray, and Spitzer satellites with @ESA’s XMM-Newton and Herschel space telescopes and a ground-based observation.

@chandraxray @esa Spiral galaxy NGC 1097 lies about 48 million light-years away. Gas nearing the galaxy’s black hole is heated to millions of degrees, causing the region to glow in X-rays. This combined view uses data from @ChandraXray, Swift, @NASAHubble and a ground-based telescope.

🎵 Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! How I wonder what you’re at! Up above the world you fly, Like a tea-tray in the sky. 🎵 Perhaps the Hatter spied this cosmic teacup, captured by @chandraxray (blue) and @NASAHubble (red and green)? More: t.co/TDRY0bE70G #MadHatterDay 🔗 chandra.si.edu/photo/2019/t...

x.comOriginal Tweet (Truncated)View the full post on Ex-Twitter

Sometimes when we look out into the shadowy depths of the cosmos, we find it looking right back. #MondayMotivation

#OTD in 1952, the namesake for our Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory was born. He led development of Swift, a first-of-its-kind satellite designed to automatically repoint to study fleeting cosmic explosions called gamma-ray bursts. Learn more about Swift: t.co/Sy3iiYkL0G 🔗 nasa.gov/swift

Also #OTD, @NASAHubble imaged nebula N44, which is filled with glowing gas, dark dust lanes, and stars of different ages. It also hosts a dark, starry gap called a “superbubble,” whose presence is something of a mystery. What did Hubble see on your day? t.co/gWs7DGccWK 🔗 go.nasa.gov/47vxuOR

Black holes don’t emit light, but the regions around them can shine bright! Data from our NuSTAR telescope and @ESA_XMM from 13 distant and luminous supermassive black holes helped astronomers explore how their coronae produce intense X-ray light: t.co/9m77Ft936H 🔗 nustar.caltech.edu/news/nus...

Our Swift observatory recently returned to science operations to make the most out of its time in orbit. Let’s look at its Burst Alert Telescope, which was designed to catch powerful but fleeting gamma-ray explosions by watching a sixth of the sky at a time for gamma rays. ⬇️

From the pattern of shadows, the Burst Alert Telescope calculates the source’s location and shares it with the science community. Then, Swift can quickly repoint its other two instruments to that object. In 20+ years, Swift has seen over 2,000 bursts — check out the first 500.

Just last year, Swift researchers released an all-sky catalog using over 13 years of data from the Burst Alert Telescope. The catalog pinpointed more than 1,800 sources including active galaxies, neutron stars, and galaxy clusters.

Because gamma rays can’t be focused with current technology, Swift’s Burst Alert Telescope works differently than typical telescopes. The Burst Alert Telescope uses a mask made of lead tiles that stop gamma rays, casting shadows on the detectors below. t.co/004femyq7q 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4xXmEw4

Sightseeing? Don’t forget to send a postcard! 📬 We’ve got you covered if your travels take you to the edge of a black hole. Tour the universe with the Traveler on NASA+: t.co/xyGwOiLhQ2 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4dzElun

Our Swift observatory is leveraging its remaining time in orbit to do more science. It has telescopes to observe in several types of light. Let’s take a closer look at its Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope, which was designed to locate gamma-ray bursts and study how they evolve. ⬇️

Swift’s Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope tested out its vision on galaxy M101, also known as the Pinwheel galaxy. Shortly after that, it started regular observations, including enabling Swift’s first distance determinations to gamma-ray bursts in March 2005. t.co/YCzJWzhb7z 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4dfudXq

In 2018, Swift’s Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope took its millionth image, which captured an active galaxy that appeared to exhibit some unusual behavior. To mark the occasion, this mosaic was created from images taken by the telescope. Zoom in to explore. t.co/mrzxuMymFa 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4yI8L6d

As its name suggests, the Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope detects both UV and optical (or visible) light. When it spots a burst, the telescope goes through a preprogrammed series of observations, turning its filter wheel to capture specific wavelengths. t.co/BDPTI05WUC 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4hlPocP

Swift’s X-Ray Telescope caught X-rays from a gamma-ray burst Swift detected on Jan. 17, 2005, while the burst was still going on! It was the first time any X-ray telescope had seen such an early stage of a burst. Learn more: t.co/52Em7FGsPO 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4hz21js

go.nasa.govNASA’s Swift Learns a New Trick, Spots a Snacking Black Hole - NASAUsing NASA’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which launched in 2004, scientists have discovered a black hole in a distant galaxy repeatedly nibbling on a

During its 20+ years in orbit, Swift has observed much, much more than gamma-ray bursts. And just a couple years ago, Swift learned a new trick: Astronomers developed an automated search of Swift’s view of the X-ray sky to find sudden changes. t.co/4KCtkFgMQi

Our Swift observatory recently resumed science operations to take advantage of its remaining time in orbit. Among its multiwavelength capabilities is X-ray vision. Swift’s X-Ray Telescope was designed to pinpoint gamma-ray bursts and measure some of their key characteristics. ⬇️

x.comOriginal Tweet (Truncated)View the full post on Ex-Twitter

Though the commercial mission to boost our Swift observatory ended without an attempt to raise the spacecraft’s orbit, NASA and Katalyst Space have gained valuable experience that will benefit future in-space servicing programs. 🧵

This daring mission rapidly responded to Swift’s sinking altitude, with less than a year passing between Katalyst’s selection and the launch of its LINK robotic servicing spacecraft in July. The compressed timeline required agile project management and efficient problem solving.