Join the Alien Search, login or register FREE on Aliens and Space Forum

Members Can Post Anonymously On This Site

NASA’s ASTRO CAMP – and its Impact – Continues to Grow in FY2024

NASA · 2024-12-06T14:56:58+0000

3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) When it comes to NASA’s ASTRO CAMP®, the numbers – and impact – of the initiative to help students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) just continue to grow and grow and grow. As in recent years, the NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners (ACCP) program surpassed previous milestone marks in fiscal year 2024 by partnering with 373 community sites, including 50 outside the United States, to inspire youth, families, and educators. Participants included students from various population segments, focusing on students from underrepresented groups, accessibility for differently-abled students, and reaching under-resourced urban and rural settings. “This year has been extremely impactful for the students at ACCP collaborating partner sites,” said Kelly Martin-Rivers, principal investigator for NASA’s ACCP. “A particular highlight was being a part of NASA’s focus on the solar eclipses of 2024, supporting over 42,000 students at 52 NASA ACCP events. Supporting more and more exciting research and activities by the Science Activation grantees and Globe citizen scientists also continues to bring hands-on experiences directly to students across the country and around the world.” NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.NASA ASTRO CAMP® NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.NASA ASTRO CAMP® NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.NASA ASTRO CAMP® NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.NASA ASTRO CAMP® NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.NASA ASTRO CAMP® NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.NASA ASTRO CAMP® In the most recent year, the NASA ACCP partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine. Overall, almost 150,000 students took part in the program, a 30% increase from fiscal year 2023. In addition, almost 107,000 students took part in special STEM activities, an increase of 43.6% from the previous year’s total of more than 74,000. ACCP trained 1,454 facilitators during Educator Professional Development sessions as well, representing an increase of 25.3% from the prior year. Taken together, the total NASA ACCP impact exceeded a quarter of a million (257,765) people. As part of the NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Activation program, ACCP continues to make strides in bridging disparities and breaking barriers in STEM. Demographically, the initiative reached a range of ethnic and multiethnic groups. One-third of participants were African American, with another 13% identified as Hispanic. Participants were almost equally divided between male (52%) and female (48%). In terms of age, 38% of participants were elementary school students. Another 30% were middle school aged, with the remaining 38% high school students. In a final breakdown, more than 42,000 of the participants were impacted during 52 NASA ACCP solar eclipse events in the spring of 2024. ACCP activities offer real-world opportunities for students to enhance scientific understanding and contribute to NASA science missions, while also inspiring lifelong learning. The ACCP theme was “NASA Science … Fire to Water to Ice and Beyond!” The program featured materials and activities related to NASA science missions, astrophysics, heliophysics, Earth science, and planetary science. The unique methodology teaches students to work collaboratively to complete missions and provides trained community educators to implement the themed NASA modules, developed by the ACCP team, seated at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. ASTRO CAMP began at NASA Stennis as a single one-week camp in the 1990s. Since then, it has developed into several adaptable models for schools, museums, universities, libraries, and youth service organizations, enabling a worldwide expansion. For more information about becoming a NASA ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner, contact: Kelly Martin-Rivers at kelly.e.martin-rivers@nasa.gov or 228-688-1500; or Maria Lott at maria.l.lott@nasa.gov or 228-688-1776. For more on the ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner Program, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/stennis/stem-engagement-at-stennis/nasa-accp/. Share Details Last Updated Dec 06, 2024 EditorNASA Stennis CommunicationsContactC. Lacy Thompsoncalvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333LocationStennis Space Center Related Terms Stennis Space Center Explore More 4 min read Lagniappe for December 2024 Article 2 days ago 5 min read NASA Stennis – An Ideal Place for Commercial Companies Article 3 weeks ago 4 min read NASA Stennis Propulsion Testing Contributes to Artemis Missions Article 3 weeks ago View the full article

By NASA
December 6, 2024 in NASA

https://www.aliensandspace.com/topic/15683-nasa%E2%80%99s-astro-camp-%E2%80%93-and-its-impact-%E2%80%93-continues-to-grow-in-fy2024/

Followers 0

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

When it comes to NASA’s ASTRO CAMP^®, the numbers – and impact – of the initiative to help students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) just continue to grow and grow and grow.

As in recent years, the NASA ASTRO CAMP^®Community Partners (ACCP) program surpassed previous milestone marks in fiscal year 2024 by partnering with 373 community sites, including 50 outside the United States, to inspire youth, families, and educators. Participants included students from various population segments, focusing on students from underrepresented groups, accessibility for differently-abled students, and reaching under-resourced urban and rural settings.

“This year has been extremely impactful for the students at ACCP collaborating partner sites,” said Kelly Martin-Rivers, principal investigator for NASA’s ACCP. “A particular highlight was being a part of NASA’s focus on the solar eclipses of 2024, supporting over 42,000 students at 52 NASA ACCP events. Supporting more and more exciting research and activities by the Science Activation grantees and Globe citizen scientists also continues to bring hands-on experiences directly to students across the country and around the world.”

two camp-goers pause a for a photo — NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.
NASA ASTRO CAMP®

a young child wearing solar eclipse glasses looking up — NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.
NASA ASTRO CAMP®

An adult and young child wearing solar eclipse glasses look up — NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.
NASA ASTRO CAMP®

a camp-goer wearing safety goggles as he traces a wood design — NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.
NASA ASTRO CAMP®

ASTRO CAMP instructor interacts with young camp-goer — NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.
NASA ASTRO CAMP®

two young camp-goers building a robot — NASA’s ASTRO CAMP® continued its success in fiscal year 2024 as students across the nation and world learn about NASA and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The NASA ASTRO CAMP® Community Partners program partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine.
NASA ASTRO CAMP®

In the most recent year, the NASA ACCP partnered with 323 sites in 29 states and the District of Columbia. It also reached beyond the borders to partner with 50 sites in six countries, including Mexico, India, Turkey, Canada, Spain, and Ukraine. Overall, almost 150,000 students took part in the program, a 30% increase from fiscal year 2023. In addition, almost 107,000 students took part in special STEM activities, an increase of 43.6% from the previous year’s total of more than 74,000. ACCP trained 1,454 facilitators during Educator Professional Development sessions as well, representing an increase of 25.3% from the prior year.

Taken together, the total NASA ACCP impact exceeded a quarter of a million (257,765) people.

As part of the NASA Science Mission Directorate Science Activation program, ACCP continues to make strides in bridging disparities and breaking barriers in STEM. Demographically, the initiative reached a range of ethnic and multiethnic groups. One-third of participants were African American, with another 13% identified as Hispanic. Participants were almost equally divided between male (52%) and female (48%).

In terms of age, 38% of participants were elementary school students. Another 30% were middle school aged, with the remaining 38% high school students. In a final breakdown, more than 42,000 of the participants were impacted during 52 NASA ACCP solar eclipse events in the spring of 2024.

ACCP activities offer real-world opportunities for students to enhance scientific understanding and contribute to NASA science missions, while also inspiring lifelong learning. The ACCP theme was “NASA Science … Fire to Water to Ice and Beyond!” The program featured materials and activities related to NASA science missions, astrophysics, heliophysics, Earth science, and planetary science.

The unique methodology teaches students to work collaboratively to complete missions and provides trained community educators to implement the themed NASA modules, developed by the ACCP team, seated at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

ASTRO CAMP began at NASA Stennis as a single one-week camp in the 1990s. Since then, it has developed into several adaptable models for schools, museums, universities, libraries, and youth service organizations, enabling a worldwide expansion.

For more information about becoming a NASA ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner, contact: Kelly Martin-Rivers at kelly.e.martin-rivers@nasa.gov or 228-688-1500; or Maria Lott at maria.l.lott@nasa.gov or 228-688-1776.

For more on the ASTRO CAMP Collaborative Community Partner Program, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/stennis/stem-engagement-at-stennis/nasa-accp/.

Details

Last Updated

Dec 06, 2024

Editor

NASA Stennis Communications

Contact

C. Lacy Thompson

calvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333

Location

Stennis Space Center

Related Terms

Stennis Space Center

View the full article

Quote

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Reply to this topic...

× Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead

Only 75 emoji are allowed.

× Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead

× Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor

× You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Insert image from URL

https://www.aliensandspace.com/topic/15683-nasa%E2%80%99s-astro-camp-%E2%80%93-and-its-impact-%E2%80%93-continues-to-grow-in-fy2024/

Followers 0

Go to topic listing

Similar Topics
- How NASA’s SPHEREx Mission Will Share Its All-Sky Map With the World
  By NASA
  
  5 min read
  How NASA’s SPHEREx Mission Will Share Its All-Sky Map With the World
  NASA’s SPHEREx mission will map the entire sky in 102 different wavelengths, or colors, of infrared light. This image of the Vela Molecular Ridge was captured by SPHEREx and is part of the mission’s first ever public data release. The yellow patch on the right side of the image is a cloud of interstellar gas and dust that glows in some infrared colors due to radiation from nearby stars. NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s newest astrophysics space telescope launched in March on a mission to create an all-sky map of the universe. Now settled into low-Earth orbit, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer) has begun delivering its sky survey data to a public archive on a weekly basis, allowing anyone to use the data to probe the secrets of the cosmos.
  “Because we’re looking at everything in the whole sky, almost every area of astronomy can be addressed by SPHEREx data,” said Rachel Akeson, the lead for the SPHEREx Science Data Center at IPAC. IPAC is a science and data center for astrophysics and planetary science at Caltech in Pasadena, California.
  Almost every area of astronomy can be addressed by SPHEREx data.
  Rachel Akeson
  SPHEREx Science Data Center Lead
  Other missions, like NASA’s now-retired WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer), have also mapped the entire sky. SPHEREx builds on this legacy by observing in 102 infrared wavelengths, compared to WISE’s four wavelength bands.
  By putting the many wavelength bands of SPHEREx data together, scientists can identify the signatures of specific molecules with a technique known as spectroscopy. The mission’s science team will use this method to study the distribution of frozen water and organic molecules — the “building blocks of life” — in the Milky Way.
  This animation shows how NASA’s SPHEREx observatory will map the entire sky — a process it will complete four times over its two-year mission. The telescope will observe every point in the sky in 102 different infrared wavelengths, more than any other all-sky survey. SPHEREx’s openly available data will enable a wide variety of astronomical studies. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech The SPHEREx science team will also use the mission’s data to study the physics that drove the universe’s expansion following the big bang, and to measure the amount of light emitted by all the galaxies in the universe over time. Releasing SPHEREx data in a public archive encourages far more astronomical studies than the team could do on their own.
  “By making the data public, we enable the whole astronomy community to use SPHEREx data to work on all these other areas of science,” Akeson said.
  NASA is committed to the sharing of scientific data, promoting transparency and efficiency in scientific research. In line with this commitment, data from SPHEREx appears in the public archive within 60 days after the telescope collects each observation. The short delay allows the SPHEREx team to process the raw data to remove or flag artifacts, account for detector effects, and align the images to the correct astronomical coordinates.
  The team publishes the procedures they used to process the data alongside the actual data products. “We want enough information in those files that people can do their own research,” Akeson said.
  One of the early test images captured by NASA’s SPHEREx mission in April 2025. This image shows a section of sky in one infrared wavelength, or color, that is invisible to the human eye but is represented here in a visible color. This particular wavelength (3.29 microns) reveals a cloud of dust made of a molecule similar to soot or smoke. NASA/JPL-Caltech This image from NASA’s SPHEREx shows the same region of space in a different infrared wavelength (0.98 microns), once again represented by a color that is visible to the human eye. The dust cloud has vanished because the molecules that make up the dust — polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons — do not radiate light in this color. NASA/JPL-Caltech
  
  During its two-year prime mission, SPHEREx will survey the entire sky twice a year, creating four all-sky maps. After the mission reaches the one-year mark, the team plans to release a map of the whole sky at all 102 wavelengths.
  In addition to the science enabled by SPHEREx itself, the telescope unlocks an even greater range of astronomical studies when paired with other missions. Data from SPHEREx can be used to identify interesting targets for further study by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, refine exoplanet parameters collected from NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), and study the properties of dark matter and dark energy along with ESA’s (European Space Agency’s) Euclid mission and NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
  The SPHEREx mission’s all-sky survey will complement data from other NASA space telescopes. SPHEREx is illustrated second from the right. The other telescope illustrations are, from left to right: the Hubble Space Telescope, the retired Spitzer Space Telescope, the retired WISE/NEOWISE mission, the James Webb Space Telescope, and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. NASA/JPL-Caltech The IPAC archive that hosts SPHEREx data, IRSA (NASA/IPAC Infrared Science Archive), also hosts pointed observations and all-sky maps at a variety of wavelengths from previous missions. The large amount of data available through IRSA gives users a comprehensive view of the astronomical objects they want to study.
  “SPHEREx is part of the entire legacy of NASA space surveys,” said IRSA Science Lead Vandana Desai. “People are going to use the data in all kinds of ways that we can’t imagine.”
  NASA’s Office of the Chief Science Data Officer leads open science efforts for the agency. Public sharing of scientific data, tools, research, and software maximizes the impact of NASA’s science missions. To learn more about NASA’s commitment to transparency and reproducibility of scientific research, visit science.nasa.gov/open-science. To get more stories about the impact of NASA’s science data delivered directly to your inbox, sign up for the NASA Open Science newsletter.
  By Lauren Leese
  Web Content Strategist for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer
  More About SPHEREx
  The SPHEREx mission is managed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the agency’s Astrophysics Division within the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. BAE Systems in Boulder, Colorado, built the telescope and the spacecraft bus. The science analysis of the SPHEREx data will be conducted by a team of scientists located at 10 institutions in the U.S., two in South Korea, and one in Taiwan. Caltech in Pasadena managed and integrated the instrument. The mission’s principal investigator is based at Caltech with a joint JPL appointment. Data will be processed and archived at IPAC at Caltech. The SPHEREx dataset will be publicly available at the NASA-IPAC Infrared Science Archive. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.
  To learn more about SPHEREx, visit:
  https://nasa.gov/SPHEREx
  Media Contacts
  Calla Cofield
  Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
  626-808-2469
  calla.e.cofield@jpl.nasa.gov
  Amanda Adams
  Office of the Chief Science Data Officer
  256-683-6661
  amanda.m.adams@nasa.gov
  Share
  
  Details
  Last Updated Jul 02, 2025 Related Terms
  Open Science Astrophysics Galaxies Jet Propulsion Laboratory SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe and Ices Explorer) The Search for Life The Universe Explore More
  3 min read Discovery Alert: Flaring Star, Toasted Planet
  
  Article
  
  4 hours ago
  11 min read 3 Years of Science: 10 Cosmic Surprises from NASA’s Webb Telescope
  
  Article
  
  5 hours ago
  7 min read A New Alloy is Enabling Ultra-Stable Structures Needed for Exoplanet Discovery
  
  Article
  
  1 day ago
  Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From NASA
  Missions
  
  Humans in Space
  
  Climate Change
  
  Solar System
  
  View the full article
- NASA’s LRO Views ispace HAKUTO-R Mission 2 Moon Lander Impact Site
  By NASA
  
  On June 11, NASA’s LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) captured photos of the site where the ispace Mission 2 SMBC x HAKUTO-R Venture Moon (RESILIENCE) lunar lander experienced a hard landing on June 5, 2025, UTC.
  RESILIENCE lunar lander impact site, as seen by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) on June 11, 2025. The lander created a dark smudge surrounded by a subtle bright halo.Credit: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University. RESILIENCE was launched on Jan. 15 on a privately funded spacecraft.
  LRO’s right Narrow Angle Camera (one in a suite of cameras known as LROC) captured the images featured here from about 50 miles above the surface of Mare Frigoris, a volcanic region interspersed with large-scale faults known as wrinkle ridges.
  The dark smudge visible above the arrow in the photo formed as the vehicle impacted the surface, kicking up regolith — the rock and dust that make up Moon “soil.” The faint bright halo encircling the site resulted from low-angle regolith particles scouring the delicate surface.
  This animation shows the RESILIENCE site before and after the impact. In the image, north is up. Looking from west to east, or left to right, the area pictured covers 2 miles.Credit: NASA/Goddard/Arizona State University. LRO is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. Launched on June 18, 2009, LRO has collected a treasure trove of data with its seven powerful instruments, making an invaluable contribution to our knowledge about the Moon. NASA is returning to the Moon with commercial and international partners to expand human presence in space and bring back new knowledge and opportunities.
  More on this story from Arizona State University’s LRO Camera website
  Media Contact
  Karen Fox / Molly Wasser
  Headquarters, Washington
  202-358-1600
  karen.c.fox@nasa.gov / molly.l.wasser@nasa.gov
  
  Lonnie Shekhtman
  NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
  lonnie.shekhtman@nasa.gov
  Share
  Details
  Last Updated Jun 20, 2025 EditorMadison OlsonContactMolly Wassermolly.l.wasser@nasa.govLocationGoddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
  Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Earth's Moon View the full article
- ESA Impact: Pick of our spring space snaps
  By European Space Agency
  
  ESA Impact: Pick of our spring space snaps
  
  View the full article
- ESA’s new asteroid hunter opens its eye to the sky
  By European Space Agency
  
  The European Space Agency’s (ESA) newest planetary defender has opened its ‘eye’ to the cosmos for the first time. The Flyeye telescope’s ‘first light’ marks the beginning of a new chapter in how we scan the skies for new near-Earth asteroids and comets.
  View the full article
- Hubble Spies Paired Pinwheel on Its Own
  By NASA
  
  Explore Hubble Hubble Home Overview About Hubble The History of Hubble Hubble Timeline Why Have a Telescope in Space? Hubble by the Numbers At the Museum FAQs Impact & Benefits Hubble’s Impact & Benefits Science Impacts Cultural Impact Technology Benefits Impact on Human Spaceflight Astro Community Impacts Science Hubble Science Science Themes Science Highlights Science Behind Discoveries Hubble’s Partners in Science Universe Uncovered Explore the Night Sky Observatory Hubble Observatory Hubble Design Mission Operations Missions to Hubble Hubble vs Webb Team Hubble Team Career Aspirations Hubble Astronauts Multimedia Images Videos Sonifications Podcasts e-Books Online Activities 3D Hubble Models Lithographs Fact Sheets Posters Hubble on the NASA App Glossary News Hubble News Social Media Media Resources More 35th Anniversary Online Activities 2 min read
  Hubble Spies Paired Pinwheel on Its Own
  This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image features the beautiful barred spiral galaxy NGC 3507 ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker A single member of a galaxy pair takes centerstage in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image. This beautiful spiral galaxy is NGC 3507, which is situated about 46 million light-years away in the constellation Leo (the Lion). NGC 3507’s classification is a barred spiral because the galaxy’s sweeping spiral arms emerge from the ends of a central bar of stars rather than the central core of the galaxy.
  Though pictured solo here, NGC 3507 actually travels the universe with a galactic partner named NGC 3501 that is located outside the frame. While NGC 3507 is a quintessential galactic pinwheel, its partner resembles a streak of quicksilver across the sky. Despite looking completely different, both are spiral galaxies, simply seen from different angles.
  For galaxies that are just a few tens of millions of light-years away, like NGC 3507 and NGC 3501, features like spiral arms, dusty gas clouds, and brilliant star clusters are on full display. More distant galaxies appear less detailed. See if you can spot any faraway galaxies in this image: they tend to be orange or yellow and can be anywhere from circular and starlike to narrow and elongated, with hints of spiral arms. Astronomers use instruments called spectrometers to split the light from these distant galaxies to study the nature of these objects in the early universe.
  In addition to these far-flung companions, a much nearer object joins NGC 3507. The object is marked by four spikes of light: a star within the Milky Way, a mere 436 light-years away from Earth.
  Text Credit: ESA/Hubble
  Facebook logo @NASAHubble @NASAHubble Instagram logo @NASAHubble Media Contact:
  Claire Andreoli (claire.andreoli@nasa.gov)
  NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
  Share
  
  Details
  Last Updated May 30, 2025 Editor Andrea Gianopoulos Location NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
  Hubble Space Telescope Astrophysics Astrophysics Division Galaxies Goddard Space Flight Center Spiral Galaxies The Universe Keep Exploring Discover More Topics From Hubble
  Hubble Space Telescope
  
  Since its 1990 launch, the Hubble Space Telescope has changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.
  
  Hubble’s Galaxies
  
  Science Behind the Discoveries
  
  Hubble’s Night Sky Challenge
  
  View the full article
Check out these Videos

Sign In

NASA’s ASTRO CAMP – and its Impact – Continues to Grow in FY2024

Recommended Posts

NASA

Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)

Share

Details

Related Terms

Join the conversation

Similar Topics

Check out these Videos

Activity

Browse

Videos