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Space Telescope Science Institute
@stsci.edu
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The Space Telescope Science Institute is the Science Operations Center for Webb, Hubble, and the upcoming Roman space telescopes, & Mission Operations Center for Webb. We help humanity explore the universe with advanced space telescopes and data archive.
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Here's a recap of the astronomy news you may have missed from #AAS247:

🔹 Hubble is giving us a rare look into this dark universe by uncovering a dark-matter-dominated, failed galaxy that did not form stars, nicknamed Cloud-9: go.nasa.gov/45IdxUt

🧵 (1/4) 🔭 🧪 📰
A region of space mostly filled with background galaxies, with one prominent star at upper left. A large blob of purple haze occupies much of the field. Within the purple region, an unremarkable area is outlined with a dashed white circle.
stsci.edu
It may look like a phoenix, but these are actually two dwarf galaxies entangled in a gravitational dance.💃 #NASAWebb shows the wispy bridge of gas that connects NGC 4490 and NGC 4485 and the stellar populations within. Credit: ESA, NASA, CSA.
Horizontal image shows two interacting galaxies forming a large, wide V shape that’s bright red overall. NGC 4490 occupies the left side of the image, while NGC 4485 appears as a white glowing hue in the top right of the field. Both galaxies are connected by a bright stream of red stretching from the top left of the image, through the bottom center, and ending at the right under galaxy NGC 4485. There are regions of bright blue gas visible in concentrated areas of the red stream. The background is black with multiple galaxies in various shapes throughout.
January 9, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Reposted by Space Telescope Science Institute
stsci.edu
Here's a recap of the astronomy news you may have missed from #AAS247:

🔹 Hubble is giving us a rare look into this dark universe by uncovering a dark-matter-dominated, failed galaxy that did not form stars, nicknamed Cloud-9: go.nasa.gov/45IdxUt

🧵 (1/4) 🔭 🧪 📰
A region of space mostly filled with background galaxies, with one prominent star at upper left. A large blob of purple haze occupies much of the field. Within the purple region, an unremarkable area is outlined with a dashed white circle.
January 7, 2026 at 3:24 PM
stsci.edu
#NASARoman was the name of the game at #AAS247 this week.

From the NASA Hyperwall to conference town halls, STScI scientists explained how the observatory will settle essential questions in the areas of dark energy, exoplanets, and astrophysics.
Presentation at a NASA exhibit featuring the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, with an individual speaking to an audience seated in front of a screen depicting the telescope. A person gesturing while presenting at a NASA Science exhibit, featuring a large digital screen with graphics about the Roman Space Telescope. Various NASA logos are visible. Person presenting a High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey at a conference, with an audience of attendees looking on. The presentation slide shows graphics about survey data points and deep stack analysis.
January 8, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Reposted by Space Telescope Science Institute
stsci.edu
Astronomers using #NASAWebb have found a small sample of tiny galaxies that don’t fit existing categories, comparing them to the odd duck of biology, the platypus. Discover these “platypus galaxies” with Webb: https://news.stsci.edu/4qamfDq #AAS247 🔭
James Webb Space Telescope image showing a broad area of space with thousands of small galaxies, four of which are highlighted in pull-out boxes. The four highlighted galaxies are very small, appearing as points of light. The image isn’t continuous. Black areas of the overall image indicate where the telescope did not collect data: a vertical section in the center and a square in the lower left corner.
January 6, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Reposted by Space Telescope Science Institute
stsci.edu
#NASAWebb researchers found iron-rich dust and complex carbon molecules in Sextans A, a nearby galaxy with similar properties to those in the early universe. Why the finding is surprising: https://news.stsci.edu/4st0ccz #AAS247 🔭
A region of space is filled with stars and clumps of glowing orange and tan dust. A small portion of the sky at the center of the image is outlined with a white box. Lines extend from the corner of the box to the inset panel at the top right showing a magnified version of the outlined portion of the image. In the inset, there are smatterings of dim whitish-blueish stars and about seven glowing red orbs across the center in a line. Also across the center of the inset is a green glow. The background of the image is filled with stars and galaxies of various shapes and colors.
January 6, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Space Telescope Science Institute
stsci.edu
The varying brightness of red supergiant Betelgeuse could be explained by Hubble’s latest reveal: The bright star in Orion’s shoulder has an elusive companion star orbiting it in its extended atmosphere, leaving a “wake” of dense gas: https://news.stsci.edu/4sunaQH #AAS247 🔭
An illustration of the red supergiant star Betelgeuse, its companion star, and a dense wake. The disk of a red-orange star is in the center. It is surrounded by a diffuse orange cloud representing its extended atmosphere. Below it, about one stellar diameter away, is a yellow dot representing a smaller companion star. From the companion, a dark red cloud wraps around in a counterclockwise direction. It begins very narrow and expands as it gets further from the companion, finally disappearing at the outer edge of the diffuse orange cloud around 10 o’clock. The words “artist’s concept” are at lower right.
January 5, 2026 at 9:16 PM
Reposted by Space Telescope Science Institute
stsci.edu
Scientists trained Hubble’s sharp vision on a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter cloud and identified a new type of astronomical object—a failed galaxy that never produced stars. Nicknamed Cloud-9, it is considered a fossil from the early universe: https://news.stsci.edu/4bdj2Ov #AAS247
January 5, 2026 at 5:18 PM
stsci.edu
STScI astronomer Kailash Sahu will receive the 2026 Beatrice M. Tinsley Prize from the American Astronomical Society. He was recognized for his work using microlensing to detect isolated black holes and measure the masses of stars: https://news.stsci.edu/4poB18k #AAS247
A man with salt-and-pepper hair and a mustache, wearing a button-up shirt, standing in front of a photo of a nebula speckled with stars.
January 8, 2026 at 3:20 PM
stsci.edu
Applications are open for STScI's Space Astronomy Summer Program: an opportunity for college students to work with researchers and staff on projects that include astrophysics research; science software engineering; science instrument calibration; and science public outreach: https://bit.ly/4ptMkfs 🔭
Group of people standing in a room with posters and models related to space exploration, including a banner for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
January 7, 2026 at 6:35 PM
stsci.edu
🚨 Our fascinating Public Lecture Series is now on YouTube! We currently have the 2019-2025 lectures available to watch.
STScI Public Lecture Series - YouTube
The STScI Public Lectures Series held monthly presentations on all aspects of astronomy and space telescopes for several decades. Due to changes in funding, ...
www.youtube.com
January 7, 2026 at 5:49 PM
stsci.edu
Here's a recap of the astronomy news you may have missed from #AAS247:

🔹 Hubble is giving us a rare look into this dark universe by uncovering a dark-matter-dominated, failed galaxy that did not form stars, nicknamed Cloud-9: go.nasa.gov/45IdxUt

🧵 (1/4) 🔭 🧪 📰
A region of space mostly filled with background galaxies, with one prominent star at upper left. A large blob of purple haze occupies much of the field. Within the purple region, an unremarkable area is outlined with a dashed white circle.
January 7, 2026 at 3:24 PM
stsci.edu
#NASAWebb researchers found iron-rich dust and complex carbon molecules in Sextans A, a nearby galaxy with similar properties to those in the early universe. Why the finding is surprising: https://news.stsci.edu/4st0ccz #AAS247 🔭
A region of space is filled with stars and clumps of glowing orange and tan dust. A small portion of the sky at the center of the image is outlined with a white box. Lines extend from the corner of the box to the inset panel at the top right showing a magnified version of the outlined portion of the image. In the inset, there are smatterings of dim whitish-blueish stars and about seven glowing red orbs across the center in a line. Also across the center of the inset is a green glow. The background of the image is filled with stars and galaxies of various shapes and colors.
January 6, 2026 at 6:00 PM
stsci.edu
Astronomers using #NASAWebb have found a small sample of tiny galaxies that don’t fit existing categories, comparing them to the odd duck of biology, the platypus. Discover these “platypus galaxies” with Webb: https://news.stsci.edu/4qamfDq #AAS247 🔭
James Webb Space Telescope image showing a broad area of space with thousands of small galaxies, four of which are highlighted in pull-out boxes. The four highlighted galaxies are very small, appearing as points of light. The image isn’t continuous. Black areas of the overall image indicate where the telescope did not collect data: a vertical section in the center and a square in the lower left corner.
January 6, 2026 at 5:20 PM
stsci.edu
The varying brightness of red supergiant Betelgeuse could be explained by Hubble’s latest reveal: The bright star in Orion’s shoulder has an elusive companion star orbiting it in its extended atmosphere, leaving a “wake” of dense gas: https://news.stsci.edu/4sunaQH #AAS247 🔭
An illustration of the red supergiant star Betelgeuse, its companion star, and a dense wake. The disk of a red-orange star is in the center. It is surrounded by a diffuse orange cloud representing its extended atmosphere. Below it, about one stellar diameter away, is a yellow dot representing a smaller companion star. From the companion, a dark red cloud wraps around in a counterclockwise direction. It begins very narrow and expands as it gets further from the companion, finally disappearing at the outer edge of the diffuse orange cloud around 10 o’clock. The words “artist’s concept” are at lower right.
January 5, 2026 at 9:16 PM
stsci.edu
Stop by our booth at the American Astronomical Society meeting this week in Phoenix, Arizona! Our experts are ready to answer your questions about the Hubble, Webb, and Roman space telescopes, as well as our incredible data archive. #AAS247
Two individuals engage in discussion at an astronomy conference booth with banners reading "Roman Research", "Nexus", and "MAST". One person is seated, gesturing as they are speaking, while the other stands listening attentively. A person sitting at a promotional booth for the Hubble Space Telescope and James Webb Space Telescope, surrounded by informational banners and brochures.
January 5, 2026 at 5:54 PM
stsci.edu
Scientists trained Hubble’s sharp vision on a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter cloud and identified a new type of astronomical object—a failed galaxy that never produced stars. Nicknamed Cloud-9, it is considered a fossil from the early universe: https://news.stsci.edu/4bdj2Ov #AAS247
January 5, 2026 at 5:18 PM
stsci.edu
↖️ The Space Telescope Science Institute is the Science Operations Center for NASA's Webb, Hubble, and the upcoming Roman space telescopes, and the Mission Operations Center for Webb. 🔭 We help humanity explore the universe with advanced space telescopes and a large data archive.
January 2, 2026 at 7:56 PM
stsci.edu
Me(w)ow! 🐈 The #NASAWebb mid-infrared light image revealed a never-seen-before sight: a cat tail-like structure extending from the secondary debris disk of star system Beta Pictoris. Scientists estimate this feature extends 10 billion miles (20 billion km): https://bit.ly/44fpYXl
Star system Beta Pictoris. A thin, elongated horizontal orange line appears at the center, extending almost to the edges. This is a debris disk seen edge-on. A thin blue-green disk is inclined about five degrees counterclockwise relative to the orange main disk. Cloudy, translucent gray material is most prominent near the orange main debris disk. Some of the gray material forms a curved feature in the upper right, resembling a cat’s tail. The central star, represented as a small white star icon, is blocked by an instrument known as a coronagraph, which forms a large black circle at center and two small disks pointing to the upper left and lower right. The background of space is black.
January 2, 2026 at 3:58 PM
stsci.edu
While the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is being readied for launch, news releases in 2025 focused on what the observatory will study. Roman will devote about 75% of its observing time during its primary mission to conducting three core community surveys. 🔭
2025 Year In Review — Roman Space Telescope #shorts
YouTube video by Space Telescope Science Institute
youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:53 PM
stsci.edu
What a year for the James Webb Space Telescope! From identifying frozen water in a young star system to wowing us with great images of the distant universe, Webb has exceeded our expectations in 2025. 🔭
2025 Year In Review — James Webb Space Telescope #shorts
YouTube video by Space Telescope Science Institute
www.youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:52 PM
stsci.edu
2025 was a stellar year for the Hubble Space Telescope! From tracking "blue lurker" stars to catching colliding asteroids in nearby Fomalhaut, Hubble has added to its list of discoveries from the last three decades. 🔭
2025 Year In Review — Hubble Space Telescope #shorts
YouTube video by Space Telescope Science Institute
www.youtube.com
January 2, 2026 at 3:52 PM
stsci.edu
What a year for the James Webb Space Telescope! From identifying frozen water in a young star system to wowing us with great images of the distant universe, Webb has exceeded our expectations in 2025. 🔭
https://youtube.com/shorts/kf-mjdxK6KM
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December 31, 2025 at 5:08 PM
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2025 was a stellar year for the Hubble Space Telescope! From tracking "blue lurker" stars to catching colliding asteroids in nearby Fomalhaut, Hubble has added to its list of discoveries from the last three decades. 🔭
https://youtube.com/shorts/p_i9ffClogM
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December 31, 2025 at 1:34 PM
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Before we ring in the new year, let’s talk about the Ring Nebula. #NASAWebb observed this planetary nebula in 2022, showing its filamentary structure, hot gas, and arcs in great detail. The Ring Nebula is located approximately 2,500 light-years away.

Credit: ESA, NASA, CSA.
The Ring Nebula appears as a distorted doughnut against the black background of space. The nebula’s inner cavity hosts shades of blue and green, while the detailed ring transitions through shades of orange in the inner regions and pink in the outer region. The ring’s inner region has distinct filament elements. Many small yellow dots, which are galaxies, and blue-white stars with eight-pointed diffraction spikes are scattered across the image.
December 30, 2025 at 6:14 PM
stsci.edu
ICYMI: Hubble has revealed the largest found chaotic birthplace of planets.

The telescope identified the largest known protoplanetary disk—spanning an astonishing 400 billion miles, roughly 40 times the diameter of our solar system. 🔭 🧪
NASA's Hubble Reveals Largest Found Chaotic Birthplace of Planets - NASA Science
Astronomers using Hubble imaged the largest protoplanetary disk ever observed circling a young star. The disk is nicknamed “Dracula's Chivito.”
science.nasa.gov
December 30, 2025 at 3:29 PM