Heliophysics Stories

Filters

Scientists Share Early Results from NASA’s Solar Eclipse Experiments 

5 min read

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse swept across North America, from the western shores of Mexico, through the United States, and into northeastern Canada. For the eclipse, NASA helped fund numerous research projects and called upon citizen scientists…

Article18 hours ago

NASA JPL Unveils the Dr. Edward Stone Exploration Trail

5 min read

A series of plaques stretching through the heart of the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory offers highlights of the space explorer’s career and the Voyager mission he led. Family members, colleagues, and local dignitaries gathered on Friday, Dec. 6, at NASA’s…

Article5 days ago
The total solar eclipse. Against a black background, there is a faint white glow surrounding a black circle. On the bottom right of this circle is a bright glowing circle overlapping.

Annual Science Conference to Highlight NASA Research

3 min read

NASA researchers will present findings on Earth science, planetary science, and heliophysics at the upcoming American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2024 annual meeting in Washington, DC, beginning on Monday, Dec. 9. New NASA science results will be presented regarding the 2024…

Article5 days ago
A group of smiling people in cold-weather gear and life jackets pose on a boat surrounded by icy waters. They are holding scientific equipment, including a plankton net and collection bottles, with yellow bins and an orange traffic cone visible in the foreground.

This Thanksgiving, We’re Grateful for NASA’s Volunteer Scientists!

2 min read

This year, we’re giving thanks to you for Doing NASA Science! You and the millions of other volunteers have enabled an incredible banquet of discoveries—by taking data, analyzing data, writing code, writing papers, and even inventing your own science projects.…

Article2 weeks ago
In this illustration, an exploding star powers jets of material. The star is shown as an almost flower-like shape. The purple �petals� represent clouds of material created in the explosion. The bluish-white and yellow center shows where the newly formed black hole begins driving the jets. The core of the jet pointed toward us is whitish and the broader regions are magenta. In the distance, on the far side of the star, you can see the opposite side of the jet disappearing into space.

5 Surprising NASA Heliophysics Discoveries Not Related to the Sun

5 min read

With NASA’s fleet of heliophysics spacecraft, scientists monitor our Sun and investigate its influences throughout the solar system. However, the fleet’s constant watch and often-unique perspectives sometimes create opportunities to make discoveries that no one expected, helping us to solve…

Article3 weeks ago

Six Ways Supercomputing Advances Our Understanding of the Universe

7 min read

At NASA, high-end computing is essential for many agency missions. This technology helps us advance our understanding of the universe – from our planet to the farthest reaches of the cosmos. Supercomputers enable projects across diverse research, such as making…

Article4 weeks ago

Mining Old Data From NASA’s Voyager 2 Solves Several Uranus Mysteries

4 min read

NASA’s Voyager 2 flyby of Uranus decades ago shaped scientists’ understanding of the planet but also introduced unexplained oddities. A recent data dive has offered answers. When NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft flew by Uranus in 1986, it provided scientists’ first…

Article4 weeks ago
Against the outline of the southeastern United States, a circular shape moves from the center of the view (around Tennessee) to the southeast toward Florida. Inside the circular shape are bands of blues, yellows, and reds that change as the circle moves.

Hurricane Helene’s Gravity Waves Revealed by NASA’s AWE

2 min read

On Sept. 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene slammed into the Gulf Coast of Florida, inducing storm surges and widespread impacts on communities in its path. At the same time, NASA’s Atmospheric Waves Experiment, or AWE, recorded enormous swells in the atmosphere…

Article1 month ago

Bundling the Best of Heliophysics Education: DigiKits for Physics and Astronomy Teachers

3 min read

For nearly a decade, the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) has been working to bring together resources through its DigiKits–multimedia collections of vetted high-quality resources for teachers and their students. These resources are toolkits, allowing teachers to pick and…

Article1 month ago
An animated gif showing a side-by-side comparison reveals Venus surface images. The left, labeled "WISPR," is captured via the Parker Solar Probe, showcasing a blurry grayscale view. The right, labeled "RADAR," presents a vibrant surface map in green, blue, and reddish hues using visible light imaging.

Final Venus Flyby for NASA’s Parker Solar Probe Queues Closest Sun Pass

4 min read

On Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024, NASA’s Parker Solar Probe will complete its final Venus gravity assist maneuver, passing within 233 miles (376 km) of Venus’ surface. The flyby will adjust Parker’s trajectory into its final orbital configuration, bringing the spacecraft…

Article1 month ago