NASA is using its assets and expertise from across the agency, including from JPL, to help respond to Hurricane/Tropical Storm Harvey.
NASA and Iconic Museum Honor Voyager Spacecraft 40th Anniversary
NASA and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum will celebrate 40 years of the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft.
Juno Scientists Prepare for Seventh Science Pass of Jupiter
NASA’s Juno spacecraft will make its seventh science flyby over Jupiter’s mysterious cloud tops this Friday.
NASA and Iconic Museum Honor Voyager Spacecraft 40th Anniversary
NASA and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum will celebrate 40 years of the Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft.
Juno Scientists Prepare for Seventh Science Pass of Jupiter
NASA’s Juno spacecraft will make its seventh science flyby over Jupiter’s mysterious cloud tops this Friday.
Space-inspired Star Storm to premiere next month
Star Storm, an explosive performance inspired by stellar processes in the Universe, will be premiered at the 2017 Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria, on 10 September.
A slice of Hubble

Technology image of the week: Hardware that has been to space and back will be on show during ESA’s 8 October Open Day in the Netherlands
Astronomers recover a lost nova
First observed 600 years ago, this binary system is providing vital clues to how novae work.
Saturn Plunge Nears for Cassini Spacecraft
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft is 18 days from its mission-ending dive into the atmosphere of Saturn.
Saturn Plunge Nears for Cassini Spacecraft
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft is 18 days from its mission-ending dive into the atmosphere of Saturn.
Heavy but fast
Human spaceflight and robotic exploration image of the week: A particle accelerator recreates cosmic radiation
HiOptic Photography’s Great American Eclipse
This video of the eclipse from Gallatin, Tennessee, offers a great look back at totality.
How I salvaged materials to build a great eclipse scope
A little trash picking, a little scrap scrounging, and some father-son elbow grease turned a hunk of junk telescope into an eclipse machine.
Cloud-free view
Automatically stitching together multiple images from Sentinel-2, Austrian company EOX gives us an unobstructed view of Earth
NASA’s Next Mars Mission to Investigate Interior of Red Planet
Preparation of NASA’s next spacecraft to Mars, InSight, has ramped up this summer, on course for launch next May as the first interplanetary launch from California.
NASA’s Next Mars Mission to Investigate Interior of Red Planet
Preparation of NASA’s next spacecraft to Mars, InSight, has ramped up this summer, on course for launch next May as the first interplanetary launch from California.
Endel Lippmaa mälestusloeng
Teisipäeval, 12. septembril 2017 algusega kell 14 toimub teaduste akadeemia saalis (Kohtu 6, Toompea) esimene Endel Lippmaa mälestusloeng, mille peab nobelist Kurt Wüthrich (sünd 1938; Nobeli keemiaauhind 2002). Loengu teema: “Basic Research in NMR and its Impact on Daily Human Life”. Pärast loengut antakse professor Kurt Wüthrichile üle akadeemik Endel Lippmaa nimeline medal. Endel Lippmaa mälestusloengute ja […]
Scientists find that the stars in the Pleiades are variable
A new algorithm can change the way Kepler measures brightness.
Managing water
As international experts convene in Stockholm for World Water Week, discover how satellites help to manage this precious resource for irrigation
Cassini closes in

Space Science Image of the Week: Cassini is making its final dives between Saturn and its rings before the mission’s grand finale next month
Gravitatsiooniteoreetikud kogunevad Tartusse, et mõelda Einsteinist edasi
28. augustist 1. septembrini toimub TÜ füüsika instituudis rahvusvaheline konverents „Gravitatsiooni geomeetrilised alused“, mis toob kokku üle 60 teoreetilise füüsiku ja matemaatiku enam kui 20 riigist. Einsteini üldrelatiivusteooria, mis kirjeldab gravitatsiooninähtuseid matemaatiliselt aegruumi kõveruse kaudu, on heas kooskõlas paljude astronoomiliste vaatlustega ning sai hiljuti hiilgava kinnituse gravitatsioonilainete avastamise näol. Ometi tõstatavad kosmoloogias seni lahenduseta tumeaine […]
Mars has some serious snowstorms at night
A new study shows what happens in Mars’ atmosphere when the Sun sets.
NASA Satellite Images Show Evolution of Hurricane Harvey
The rapid intensification of Harvey is depicted in a new set of images from a pair of instruments on NASA’s Aqua satellite.
NASA Satellite Images Show Evolution of Hurricane Harvey
The rapid intensification of Harvey is depicted in a new set of images from a pair of instruments on NASA’s Aqua satellite.
Saturn With a Side of Bacon
Take a peek inside the Cassini team’s beloved tradition of Friday breakfast together.
NASA Satellite Images Show Evolution of Hurricane Harvey
The rapid intensification of Harvey is depicted in a new set of images from a pair of instruments on NASA’s Aqua satellite.
A Clockwork Rover for Venus
Mechanical computers could help explore an extremely unwelcoming planet.
Saturn With a Side of Bacon
Take a peek inside the Cassini team’s beloved tradition of Friday breakfast together.
NASA Satellite Images Show Evolution of Hurricane Harvey
The rapid intensification of Harvey is depicted in a new set of images from a pair of instruments on NASA’s Aqua satellite.
A Clockwork Rover for Venus
Mechanical computers could help explore an extremely unwelcoming planet.
Watching Harvey

Sentinel-3A takes Hurricane Harvey’s temperature as the storm gains strength and moves towards Texas
Magneto-Optical Detection of the Spin Hall Effect in Pt and W Thin Films
Author(s): C. Stamm, C. Murer, M. Berritta, J. Feng, M. Gabureac, P. M. Oppeneer, and P. Gambardella
Spin accumulation due to the spin Hall effect has, for the first time, been detected directly, rather than inferred indirectly, in nonmagnetic conductors.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 087203] Published Fri Aug 25, 2017
Popsicle-Stick Cobra Wave
Author(s): Jean-Philippe Boucher, Christophe Clanet, David Quéré, and Frédéric Chevy
High-speed video of the dramatic “cobra wave” produced by a latticework of popsicle sticks helped researchers explain the shape and speed of the wave.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 084301] Published Fri Aug 25, 2017
Big dishes band together

Earlier this month, radio dishes from three deep-space networks combined to catch faint ‘survival’ whispers from one of ESA’s Mars orbiters, underlining the value of international collaboration for exploring the Red Planet.
Week in Images
Our week through the lens: 21-25 August 2017
Astronomers have just mapped the surface of Antares
This is our best yet image of a star that’s not the Sun.
NASA Announces Cassini End-of-Mission Activities
On Sept. 15, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft will complete its remarkable story of exploration with an intentional plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere, ending its mission after nearly 20 years in space.
NASA Announces Cassini End-of-Mission Activities
On Sept. 15, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft will complete its remarkable story of exploration with an intentional plunge into Saturn’s atmosphere, ending its mission after nearly 20 years in space.
Granting weightless wishes

ESA participated in the Kid’s Weightless Dreams campaign organised by Novespace and Rêves de Gosse giving children with disabilities the opportunity to experience weightlessness and lunar gravity on a parabolic flight.
ESA and Chinese astronauts train together

ESA astronauts Samantha Cristoforetti and Matthias Maurer joined 16 Chinese astronauts earlier this month for nine days of sea survival training off China’s coastal city of Yantai. The ultimate goal is for ESA to establish a long term cooperation with China and ESA astronaut to fly on China’s space station.
A tale of two eclipses
A past Astronomy contributor compares his eclipse experiences.
Astronomers catch X-rays from a stellar explosion
This first-of-its-kind detection suggests there’s still much to learn about supernovae.
I see you

Operations image of the week: During the first open day at ESA’s centre in Germany in 1974, one young visitor kept his eye on the camera while crowds mobbed the main control room
Study of Jet Quenching with $Z+\text{jet}$ Correlations in Pb-Pb and $pp$ Collisions at ${\sqrt{s}}_{NN}=5.02\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$
Author(s): A. M. Sirunyan et al. (CMS Collaboration)
Properties of the quark-gluon plasma can be inferred from measurements of jets and Z bosons simultaneously produced in the ion collisions that create the plasma.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 082301] Published Wed Aug 23, 2017
Uranus and Neptune: Cloudy with a chance of diamonds
Researchers at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have recreated the ice giants’ diamond rain.
Chasing the eclipse from China to Dallas, Oregon
A team of Chinese astronomers studied the Sun during the 117-second totality.
Burn scars
Sentinel-2 shows blazes and dramatic burn scars from wildfires in Greece
Time for the Moon

Technology image of the week: This crew of Polish ‘astronauts’ are testing altered perceptions of time during a two-week simulated stay on the Moon
Sea survival training
ESA astronauts Matthias Maurer and Samantha Cristoforetti participate in Chinese sea survival training
Return of the Sun
Human spaceflight and robotic operations image of the week: Sun returns after four months of darkness in Antarctica
Solar spectacular seen from Earth and space
While ground-based observers experienced the awe-inspiring view of a total solar eclipse yesterday, astronauts aboard the International Space Station, and our Sun-watching satellites, enjoyed unique perspectives of this spectacular sight f…
Solar spectacular

Images from Earth and space as 21 August’s solar eclipse swept over the globe
Direct Observation of Dynamical Quantum Phase Transitions in an Interacting Many-Body System
Author(s): P. Jurcevic, H. Shen, P. Hauke, C. Maier, T. Brydges, C. Hempel, B. P. Lanyon, M. Heyl, R. Blatt, and C. F. Roos
The observation of dynamical quantum phase transitions in an interacting many-body system breaks new ground in the study of matter out of thermal equilibrium.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 080501] Published Mon Aug 21, 2017
Before the eclipse

The Sun as seen by SOHO and Proba-2 as astronomers prepare for today’s total solar eclipse
Before the eclipse

The Sun as seen by SOHO and Proba-2 as astronomers prepare for today’s total solar eclipse
Experimental confirmation of Lenz’s law
The paper presents a series of experiments that demonstrate the phenomenon of electromagnetic
induction. These make it possible to determine the direction of the induced current and so confirm
Lenz’s Law. The simple experiments can be reproduced in…
Experimental confirmation of Lenz’s law
The paper presents a series of experiments that demonstrate the phenomenon of electromagnetic
induction. These make it possible to determine the direction of the induced current and so confirm
Lenz’s Law. The simple experiments can be reproduced in…
A semi-analytical approach to black body radiation
We describe a semi-analytical method to calculate the total radiance received from a black body,
between two frequencies. As has been done before, the method takes advantage of the fact that the
solution simplifies with the use of polylogarithm funct…
Some didactical suggestions for a deeper embedding of DC circuits into electromagnetism
Undergraduate students often encounter great difficulties in understanding Ohm’s law and electrical
circuits. Considering the widespread students’ beliefs and their common mistakes, as they come out
from the literature and our teaching experience…
A semi-analytical approach to black body radiation
We describe a semi-analytical method to calculate the total radiance received from a black body,
between two frequencies. As has been done before, the method takes advantage of the fact that the
solution simplifies with the use of polylogarithm funct…
Some didactical suggestions for a deeper embedding of DC circuits into electromagnetism
Undergraduate students often encounter great difficulties in understanding Ohm’s law and electrical
circuits. Considering the widespread students’ beliefs and their common mistakes, as they come out
from the literature and our teaching experience…
Full-Gap Superconductivity Robust against Disorder in Heavy-Fermion ${\mathrm{CeCu}}_{2}{\mathrm{Si}}_{2}$
Author(s): T. Takenaka, Y. Mizukami, J. A. Wilcox, M. Konczykowski, S. Seiro, C. Geibel, Y. Tokiwa, Y. Kasahara, C. Putzke, Y. Matsuda, A. Carrington, and T. Shibauchi
Magnetic penetration depth measurements show that the superconducting gap in this iconic heavy-fermion superconductor is robust against the introduction of disorder, ruling out some superconductivity mechanisms as explanations.

[Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 077001] Published Fri Aug 18, 2017
Week in Images
Our week through the lens: 14 – 18 August 2017
Week in Images
The Eclipse Megamovie Project will release its first results Monday
You can send in your photos of the eclipse as part of this historic effort.
Failed stars may act more like giant planets
They form the same as stars, but have the kind of wild weather typically seen on Jupiter or Neptune.
Large Asteroid to Safely Pass Earth on Sept. 1
Asteroid Florence, a large near-Earth asteroid, will pass safely by Earth on Sept. 1, 2017, at a distance of about 4.4 million miles.
Q&A: What Happens During a Total Eclipse?
Photos can’t do justice to the in-person experience, according to an eclipse-chaser at JPL.
An Insider’s Guide to Voyager: 1977-2017
From the first detection of active volcanoes outside Earth to the first up-close images of Neptune, the 40-year Odyssey of NASA’s Voyager mission is full of unforgettable memories.
Large Asteroid to Safely Pass Earth on Sept. 1
Asteroid Florence, a large near-Earth asteroid, will pass safely by Earth on Sept. 1, 2017, at a distance of about 4.4 million miles.
Q&A: What Happens During a Total Eclipse?
Photos can’t do justice to the in-person experience, according to an eclipse-chaser at JPL.
An Insider’s Guide to Voyager: 1977-2017
From the first detection of active volcanoes outside Earth to the first up-close images of Neptune, the 40-year Odyssey of NASA’s Voyager mission is full of unforgettable memories.
Scientists Improve Brown Dwarf Weather Forecasts
Researchers have a new model for explaining how clouds move and change shape in brown dwarfs, using insights from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.
What to Expect When Viewing the Eclipse
NASA’s Eyes on the Eclipse application offers an easy preview of the event for any location.
What to Expect When Viewing the Eclipse
NASA’s Eyes on the Eclipse application offers an easy preview of the event for any location.
Scientists Improve Brown Dwarf Weather Forecasts
Researchers have a new model for explaining how clouds move and change shape in brown dwarfs, using insights from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.
Sentinel-1 speeds up crop insurance payouts
For the first time in India, a state government is using satellites to assess lost crops so that farmers can benefit from speedy insurance payouts.
Sentinel-1 speeds up crop insurance payouts
For the first time in India, a state government is using satellites to assess lost crops so that farmers can benefit from speedy insurance payouts.
ESA’s Proba-3 will create artificial solar eclipses

Astrophysicists are joining sightseers in watching Monday’s total solar eclipse across North America but, in the decade to come, they will be viewing eclipses that last for hours instead of a few minutes – thanks to a pioneering ESA space mission.
ESA’s Proba-3 will create artificial solar eclipses

Astrophysicists are joining sightseers in watching Monday’s total solar eclipse across North America but, in the decade to come, they will be viewing eclipses that last for hours instead of a few minutes – thanks to a pioneering ESA space mission.
Impact of mass gain, tailwind and age on the performance of Usain Bolt from Beijing 2008 to Rio 2016
Despite the impressiveness of the sprints run by Usain Bolt, the question naturally arises of why he
has not been able to break the 100 m sprint world record he set in Berlin (2009). In this paper, we
address such a query by considering Bolt’s cond…
Calibration of gamma-ray detectors using Gaussian photopeak fitting in the multichannel spectra with a LabVIEW-based digital system
This paper reports on the development of a gamma-ray spectroscopic system for the (i) recording and
(ii) processing of spectra. The utilized data read-out unit consists of a PCI digital oscilloscope,
personal computer and LabVIEW™ programming envir…
Visualisation of charge dynamics when water droplets move off a hydrophobic surface
The Kelvin water drop generator is often used for educational purposes to visualise how charge is
transferred when water drops separate from a solid. Here, we discuss an alternative and simpler
setup, which allows one to visualise the charge transfer…
Dynamics of a particle on an axisymmetric surface under gravitational force: a geometric approach
In this paper the problem of a particle constrained to move on an axisymmetric surface embedded in
three-dimensional Euclidean space, under the influence of a gravitational field, is addressed from a
geometrical point of view. Using a covariant geome…
A quantitative experiment on the fountain effect in superfluid helium
Superfluid helium, a state of matter existing at low temperatures, shows many remarkable properties.
One example is the so called fountain effect, where a heater can produce a jet of helium. This
converts heat into mechanical motion; a machine with n…
Demonstration of acoustic resonances in a cylindrical cavity applying the photoacoustic technique
In this work we present some experiments which can be performed in college or on the first courses
of university to acquire knowledge about resonant acoustical phenomena in closed cavities in a
tangible way, through experiments based on the photoacou…
Dynamics of a particle on an axisymmetric surface under gravitational force: a geometric approach
In this paper the problem of a particle constrained to move on an axisymmetric surface embedded in
three-dimensional Euclidean space, under the influence of a gravitational field, is addressed from a
geometrical point of view. Using a covariant geome…
Impact of mass gain, tailwind and age on the performance of Usain Bolt from Beijing 2008 to Rio 2016
Despite the impressiveness of the sprints run by Usain Bolt, the question naturally arises of why he
has not been able to break the 100 m sprint world record he set in Berlin (2009). In this paper, we
address such a query by considering Bolt’s cond…
Demonstration of acoustic resonances in a cylindrical cavity applying the photoacoustic technique
In this work we present some experiments which can be performed in college or on the first courses
of university to acquire knowledge about resonant acoustical phenomena in closed cavities in a
tangible way, through experiments based on the photoacou…
A quantitative experiment on the fountain effect in superfluid helium
Superfluid helium, a state of matter existing at low temperatures, shows many remarkable properties.
One example is the so called fountain effect, where a heater can produce a jet of helium. This
converts heat into mechanical motion; a machine with n…
Calibration of gamma-ray detectors using Gaussian photopeak fitting in the multichannel spectra with a LabVIEW-based digital system
This paper reports on the development of a gamma-ray spectroscopic system for the (i) recording and
(ii) processing of spectra. The utilized data read-out unit consists of a PCI digital oscilloscope,
personal computer and LabVIEW™ programming envir…
Visualisation of charge dynamics when water droplets move off a hydrophobic surface
The Kelvin water drop generator is often used for educational purposes to visualise how charge is
transferred when water drops separate from a solid. Here, we discuss an alternative and simpler
setup, which allows one to visualise the charge transfer…
NASA-led Mission Studies Storm Intensification
A group of NASA and NOAA scientists are teaming up this month on an airborne field campaign to study severe storms in the Northern Hemisphere and what makes them intensify.
NASA-led Mission Studies Storm Intensification
A group of NASA and NOAA scientists are teaming up this month on an airborne field campaign to study severe storms in the Northern Hemisphere and what makes them intensify.
Determination of the Spin and Parity of the ${Z}_{c}(3900)$
Author(s): M. Ablikim et al. (BESIII Collaboration)An analysis of electron-positron collision data has determined the spin and parity of a particle thought to consist of four quarks.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 072001] Published Wed Aug 16, 2017
Spin Current Generation Using a Surface Acoustic Wave Generated via Spin-Rotation Coupling
Author(s): D. Kobayashi, T. Yoshikawa, M. Matsuo, R. Iguchi, S. Maekawa, E. Saitoh, and Y. NozakiWe demonstrate the generation of alternating spin current (SC) via spin-rotation coupling (SRC) using a surface acoustic wave (SAW) in a Cu film. Ferromagn…
Melting and High $P\text{−}T$ Transitions of Hydrogen up to 300 GPa
Author(s): Chang-sheng Zha, Hanyu Liu, John S. Tse, and Russell J. HemleyMeasurements of the melting curve of hydrogen at unprecedentedly high pressures call for a refinement of the theories describing the material.[Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 075302] Publis…
Cassini prepares for mission’s end
The spacecraft has entered its final five orbits of Saturn.
Canned space

Technology image of the week: Europe’s largest vacuum chamber, used to test satellites before they fly
Alternative routes to the retarded potentials
Two procedures to introduce the familiar retarded potentials of Maxwell’s equations are reviewed.
The first well-known procedure makes use of the Lorenz-gauge potentials of Maxwell’s equations. The
second less-known procedure applies the retarded…

