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NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope recently observed edge-on starburst galaxy Messier 82 (M82), nicknamed the Cigar Galaxy. Webb’s new view of M82, added to archival data from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, gives us a more complete picture of this starburst galaxy. Because Webb can see infrared light, it is able to peer through clouds of dust and gas to see the shape of this edge-on galaxy, as well as approximately 16.5 million of its stars.

M82’s rapid star formation, thought to be the result of its merger with another galaxy, will only be a (relatively) brief period in its history. Ironically, the extreme star formation is causing plumes of material to be ejected above and below the disk of the galaxy – something that will disrupt future stellar birth.

Read the full story.

Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Adam Smercina (STScI, Tufts), Thomas Williams (University of Manchester); Image processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

The Black Sea sits at the boundary between Europe and Asia and connects to the Mediterranean Sea via a chain of waterways. Its surface often appears dark, but each spring and summer it transforms into a striking expanse of swirling turquoise. The OCI (Ocean Color Instrument) on NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite captured this image (above) of the colorful waters on June 22, 2026. 

The turquoise color is likely caused by coccolithophores, a type of phytoplankton covered with calcium carbonate plates that can give surface waters a milky-blue appearance. These types of phytoplankton tend to dominate in late spring and early summer. Other times of the year, diatoms—a type of microscopic algae with silica shells—can become more prevalent, and they tend to darken the water rather than brighten it.   

The Bosphorus, the narrow strait running through Istanbul that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, also turned turquoise. An astronaut aboard the International Space Station photographed the strait on May 27, 2026 (below), about a month before the PACE image, capturing blooming phytoplankton as it traced currents on both sides of the waterway. (Note that north is oriented toward the bottom of the frame.)

Though coccolithophores are microscopic, they become so abundant during a bloom that they become visible from space. This makes remote sensing a useful tool for researchers studying bloom dynamics in regions where direct sampling is limited. Beyond their visibility, these blooms also contribute to the ocean’s carbon cycle. When they die, some of the carbon they’ve taken up sinks to the seafloor, where it can remain stored for long periods of time.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison, using PACE data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview and the NASA Ocean Biology Distributed Active Archive Center OB.DAAC. Astronaut photograph ISS074-E-619520 was acquired on May 27, 2026, with a Nikon Z9 digital camera using a focal length of 50 millimeters. It is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit at NASA Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by a member of the Expedition 74 crew. The image has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Story by Kathryn Hansen.

References & Resources

• NASA Earth Observatory (2022, June 28) Brilliant Color in the Black Sea. Accessed June 24, 2026.
• NASA Earth Observatory (2012, July 15) Carbon Eaters on the Black Sea. Accessed June 24, 2026.
• Silkin, V., et al. (2026) Prolonged Summer Coccolithophore Blooms in the Northeastern Black Sea: Anomaly or Emerging Trend? Diversity, 18(1), 4.

Data from NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) mission has revealed two new “super-puff” planets, giant worlds so light that their density is comparable to cotton candy. Scientists calculate that these Jupiter-sized planets—named TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c—are the “puffiest” worlds ever found.

The planets orbit a Sun-like star named TOI-791 that is approximately 1,113 light years away from Earth. The TESS mission first detected the planets by watching for repeated dips in TOI-791’s brightness, a telltale sign that a planet is transiting, or passing in front of, a star. Further study revealed two large planets with unusual features.

TOI-791 b is nearly the same size as Jupiter but contains just 3.0 percent of Jupiter’s mass. TOI-791 c is even larger than Jupiter but contains just 5.9 percent of Jupiter’s mass.

“The main reason these planets are interesting to study is that we didn’t expect to see them at all,” said Jon Jenkins, the science lead for the Science Processing Operations Center at NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley, which provided the science-ready data from TESS analyzed in this study. “They represent a puzzle for us to solve about how giant planets like Jupiter and the super-puffs form.”

The newly found super-puffs also have unusually long orbits, with TOI‑791 b taking 139 days and TOI‑791 c taking 232 days to circle the host star. Such long-orbit planets are rare to find, needing long durations of telescope observation to capture and confirm their attributes. From its vantage point in high Earth orbit, TESS was able to gather 1,122 days of data on this planetary system over the course of seven years, giving the research team a wealth of data about the planetary system.

Further analysis found that TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c are locked in an orbital pattern that allows them to tug on each other gravitationally. As they orbit their host star, the planets alternate pulling on each other, affecting the timing of their transits across the host star. Scientists used that variation in orbital timing to calculate the planets’ masses, cementing their status as low density super-puffs.  

“Only a handful of these super-puffy planets are known, and it is even rarer to find two in the same system,” said lead author George Dransfield of Oxford  University’s Department of Physics in Oxford, England. “Their extremely low densities make them fascinating targets for understanding how planetary systems form and evolve.”

With further study, the super-puffs may have more to tell us about planetary evolution.

“Large planet formation is believed to drive the evolution of a planetary system, so further study of these Jupiter-size, but far less than Jupiter-mass, planets is of high value,” said Steve Howell, a NASA Ames research scientist who was involved in this study.

Scientists hope to learn more about the chemical makeup of the planets’ atmospheres, how their spin affects their shape, and how the tilt of their host star compares to their orbits. Deeper investigation could provide new insight into how TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c migrated through the planetary system during their development, whether their orbits were shaped by interactions with other planets, and how low-density super-puff planets form.

The study, published today in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, was led by the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Université Côte d’Azur/Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur and the University of Birmingham.

Seven weeks after the Orion spacecraft returned four astronauts from humanity’s first crewed journey around the Moon since Apollo, Artemis II Orion Vehicle Manager Branelle Rodriguez reflected on the mission’s achievements and how it is shaping NASA’s return to the lunar surface and future missions to Mars. 

Introduced by NASA’s Johnson Space Center Acting Director of Business Development and Technology Integration Monte Goforth, Rodriguez spoke at the Ion in Houston on May 28 as part of the NASA Stories at the Ion speaker series. Located in Houston’s Ion District, the innovation hub serves as a gathering place for entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry leaders working to advance technology and shape the future of industries ranging from aerospace to energy. 

She shared an inside look at the mission she helped guide — as the Orion vehicle manager for Artemis II, Rodriguez has overseen the life of the spacecraft from end-to-end, through its development, production, execution of the mission, and currently, the post-mission work underway now that Orion is back at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

“This mission was very near and dear to my heart,” Rodriguez said. “It has not sunk in what this mission and what this accomplishment all means to us and humanity.” 

Launched April 1, Artemis II carried NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, along with CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, on a 10-day voyage around the Moon inside the Orion spacecraft.  

Using mission imagery and video, Rodriguez walked attendees through key milestones, including launch aboard NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, operations in high-Earth orbit, a lunar flyby, and Orion’s return to Earth. She also shared views from Orion captured by the crew, including Earthrise, detailed images of the lunar surface, and a solar eclipse observed from deep space. 

Artemis II successfully demonstrated Orion’s performance during its first crewed deep space mission. The mission tested Orion’s life support systems, crew interfaces, navigation, and reentry systems, providing data that will help teams prepare for upcoming Artemis missions. The crew also completed a manual piloting demonstration, evaluating Orion handling and proximity operations that will inform future rendezvous and docking activities.  

“I think it really hit me at T-minus 10 seconds,” Rodriguez said. “That’s when we go into ‘terminal count,’ meaning there’s just no turning back.” 

Rodriguez emphasized that Orion’s success on Artemis II was the result of global teamwork across NASA centers, industry partners, and international agencies. She highlighted the European Service Module, provided by ESA (European Space Agency), which supplies Orion with power, propulsion, oxygen, water, and other resources needed during flight. In the Orion Mission Evaluation Room at Johnson, more than 300 people supported the mission, monitoring spacecraft systems and standing ready to respond in real time. Among the mission’s more personal touches was Rise, Orion’s zero-gravity indicator. The plushie, created by a student through an Artemis II design competition, carried a memory card containing over 5.6 million names of space fans who signed up through NASA’s “Send Your Name with Artemis” effort. 

“It is what the crew wanted – to bring all of us with them on this mission,” Rodriguez said.  

The crew also designed the mission patch with a hidden detail: viewed from a distance, the artwork reads “all” – a deliberate tribute to everyone who made the mission a success.  

“It is a village that makes this possible, absolutely,” she said. Looking ahead, Rodriguez discussed preparations underway for upcoming Artemis missions. Artemis III will test critical rendezvous and docking capabilities between Orion and commercial human landing systems in low Earth orbit and advance plans to return astronauts to the lunar surface. On June 9, NASA announced the Artemis III crew at Johnson Space Center in Houston, while hardware for future missions is already in production at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

For Rodriguez, Artemis II demonstrated what is possible when thousands of people work toward a common goal, supporting NASA’s vision of a sustained presence at the Moon and, ultimately, human missions to Mars. 

“It’s going to take time to build this all up,” Rodriguez said. “But we are off and running.” 

Lea esta nota de prensa en inglés aquí.

El administrador de la NASA, Jared Isaacman, ofrecerá una conversación virtual el martes 30 de junio a las 2:30 p.m. EDT (hora del este) para compartir las novedades más recientes sobre los planes de la agencia para construir una base en la superficie de la Luna.

El administrador Isaacman y Carlos García-Galán, director del programa Base Lunar, hablarán sobre la próxima ronda de adjudicaciones para nuevas misiones de módulos de alunizaje y ofrecerán un avance de las próximas oportunidades a medida que la agencia avanza en la construcción de una presencia sostenida en la Luna.

La rueda de prensa se transmitirá por el canal de YouTube de la NASA (en inglés). Una repetición instantánea estará disponible en línea. Infórmese sobre cómo ver el contenido de la NASA en distintas plataformas, incluidas las redes sociales (información en inglés).

Para hacer preguntas de forma virtual durante el evento, los periodistas deberán confirmar su asistencia a más tardar a las 12:30 p.m. EDT (hora del este) del 30 de junio escribiendo a: hq-media@mail.nasa.gov. La política de acreditación de medios de la NASA está disponible en línea (en inglés).

La NASA avanza en el desarrollo de la Base Lunar, una iniciativa de exploración e infraestructura lunar a largo plazo diseñada para permitir una presencia humana sostenida y ampliar la actividad científica y comercial en la superficie de la Luna.

Como parte de una edad de oro de innovación y exploración, la NASA enviará astronautas en misiones cada vez más difíciles para explorar más de la Luna con fines de descubrimiento científico y beneficios económicos, y para continuar sentando las bases para las primeras misiones tripuladas a Marte.

Para obtener más información (en inglés) sobre los planes de la NASA para la Base Lunar, visite:

https://www.nasa.gov/moonbase

-fin-

Bethany Stevens / Rachel Kraft / María José Viñas
Sede central, Washington
+1 202-358-1600
bethany.c.stevens@nasa.gov / rachel.h.kraft@nasa.gov / maria-jose.vinasgarcia@nasa.gov

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