NASA’s Hubble Captures Crimson Cloud Sparkling with White, Blue Stars

Like fresh fireworks launched against a background of dissipating smoke, blue and white stars shine brilliantly against a crimson background of glowing gas in this image of stellar nursery LH 95 from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

LH 95 is a region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that orbits the Milky Way. Low-mass infant stars live alongside massive blue giant stars in what is known as a stellar association, one of many in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

The LH 95 region’s most massive stars, possessing at least three times the mass of the Sun and visible here as the largest and brightest blue stars, expel ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds that both heat and shape the surrounding hydrogen gas. Dark filaments stand out in sharp contrast against the glowing hydrogen where denser dust lanes resist erosion.

In this image, blue indicates the shorter wavelengths that are visible light, while red depicts the longer wavelengths of visible light, as well as some near-infrared light. Colors in Hubble images are chosen based on standard image processing techniques to best represent the wavelengths of light that pass through the filters used in the observation. The gas of the nebula glows crimson due to hydrogen-alpha emissions.

Hydrogen-alpha is an excellent indicator of star formation, allowing astronomers to identify very young stars embedded in this glowing gas. Researchers found developing stars still gathering material from the disks of gas and dust around them. In fact, LH 95 is home to an extraordinary 2,500 stars that have accumulated almost all of their critical mass but have not yet “turned on” by beginning fusion reactions. These stars, called “pre-main-sequence stars,” have formed from collapsing clouds of gas and are still contracting. They will soon begin burning hydrogen in their cores to become full stars.

By studying these forming stars, researchers confirmed that the stars’ accretion rate ― the rate at which they accumulate matter ― decreased with age, as expected. However, they also learned that accretion can persist for several million years, longer than sometimes assumed. This information helps refine our understanding of how young stars keep growing and how their disks evolve.

Researchers noted that distinct generations of stars in LH 95 exist side-by-side, indicating that rather than forming stars in a single event, the region produces multiple stellar generations over an extended period.

The most massive star in LH 95 (above center, slightly left) has about 60-70 times the mass of the Sun and is about a million years younger than the rest of stars in the system, which appear to be around 4 million years old. Massive stars like these burn through their fuel quickly and die in supernova explosions.

With its rich stellar population, LH 95 is valued by astronomers for providing a way to observe forming stars at relatively close range in an environment with less obscuring dust than similar regions of the Milky Way.

As one of NASA’s flagship observatories, Hubble has produced a wealth of scientific discoveries over more than 30 years in orbit. Its observations are expanded upon and enhanced by observations with other NASA missions, including the infrared-detecting Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which is scheduled to launch in late summer.

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Media Contact:

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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NASA’s Hubble Spots Star-Spangled Cosmic Scene

More than 500,000 stars blaze red, white, and blue in this image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, released in celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary. The image showcases Messier 3 (M3), one of the Milky Way galaxy’s most massive globular clusters, or spherical collections of gravitationally bound stars. Globular clusters are made up of ancient stars that formed at roughly the same time from the same cloud of gas, giving those stars similar ages. Around 150 known globular clusters are sprinkled around the outer regions of the Milky Way.

In addition to its significant mass, M3 is unusual because it lies relatively far from the galactic center and has more than 240 RR Lyrae variable stars, the most of any globular cluster in our galaxy. RR Lyrae variables are some of the galaxy’s oldest stars and are of special interest to astronomers, due to their age and because their light fluctuates over time in a way that tells us their intrinsic brightness. This true brightness can be used to measure distances in the cosmos, just as knowing the brightness of car headlights on a dark road can help estimate the distance to an oncoming vehicle.

The M3 globular cluster also contains around 70 identified “blue straggler” candidates, which are stars that shine with a bright, blue light that makes them look like younger stars than the typical, redder residents of globular clusters. This was the first cluster in which these oddball stars were located. These stars are thought to have gravitationally pulled mass from companion stars, rejuvenating them and making them appear bluer and younger despite their true age.

The unusual characteristics of M3 may arise from its origins. The globular cluster, which contains two distinct populations of stars, may be the result of a merger of two globular clusters. These two clusters were members of the same dwarf galaxy, which was later swallowed up by the Milky Way.

Hubble has taken several images of M3, also known as NGC 5272, documenting its complicated and intriguing characteristics. In this image, blue indicates the shorter wavelengths that are visible light, while red depicts the longer wavelengths of visible light, as well as some near-infrared light. Colors in Hubble images are chosen based on standard image processing techniques to best represent the wavelengths of light that pass through the filters used in the observation. Because the color and temperature of stars are directly related, we know that the blue stars in this image are hotter and the red stars are cooler.

This image is part of a Hubble Treasury program survey designed to observe approximately half of the Milky Way’s globular clusters to construct a detailed chronology of how the Milky Way galaxy formed. With over 30 years of observations, Hubble is one of NASA’s flagship observatories and works in complement with its sibling space missions, including the infrared-detecting Webb Space Telescope and the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, to weave together a comprehensive picture of our vast universe.

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NASA’s Artemis II Breaks Agency Streaming Record

NASA’s live coverage of the Artemis II mission mission drew unprecedented public interest – including more than 149.4 million views of the launch, lunar flyby, splashdown on NASA-owned platforms, including the 24/7 streams covering the mission and the Orion spacecraft views – demonstrating strong, sustained global engagement throughout the mission. 

Around the Clock Live Broadcast

NASA’s Artemis II Crew Launches to the Moon broadcast set unprecedented viewership records across the agency’s streaming platforms, drawing a combined peak of 3,662,554 viewers—rising to 3.66 million when including more than 411,130 concurrent viewers on X and Twitch—surpassing previous milestones, including the launches of Artemis I (2022) and the James Webb Space Telescope (2021–2022). The launch generated 23.9 million total views across NASA platforms, with 16.6 million people watching live, underscoring the mission’s broad national and global appeal from liftoff onward. NASA en español’s dedicated broadcast also reached a landmark peak of 458,366 concurrent viewers and has since amassed 2.8 million total views, highlighting the mission’s strong resonance with Spanish‑speaking audiences and expanding the global reach of Artemis communications.

NASA’s Artemis II Lunar Flyby broadcast delivered one of the largest peak audiences ever recorded across the agency’s streaming platforms, reaching 1,471,069 total concurrent viewers – driven largely by 897,789 on YouTube, one of NASA’s strongest single platform performances – along with an additional 190,221 viewers on X and Twitch, underscoring the mission’s broad global reach and sustained excitement. Together, the Artemis II launch and Moon flyby broadcasts have redefined NASA’s livestreaming benchmarks, demonstrating record-breaking public interest in humanity’s return to the Moon. As of April 13, the flyby broadcast has accumulated 40 million views across NASA+, YouTube, X, and Twitch, highlighting the intense and enduring engagement surrounding Artemis II.

Pre‑splashdown coverage across major outlets emphasized the “riskiest moments” still ahead—particularly Orion’s reentry and heat‑shield performance—framing the return as the mission’s climax and driving heightened public attention. As anticipation grew, audience interest that had already surged during the record‑setting launch only intensified: Artemis II’s liftoff drew 3,662,554 peak viewers, but global curiosity about the crew’s safe return pushed splashdown viewership even higher to 3,838,418, a 4.8% increase that reflected widespread investment in the mission’s outcome as viewers tuned in to witness the critical reentry sequence, confirm crew safety, and celebrate humanity’s first journey around the Moon in more than 50 years. NASA’s Artemis II Crew Comes Home generated 29.5 million total views across NASA-owned platforms, with an estimated 24.1 million occurring during the live return sequence—an exceptional level of engagement that underscores the deep public interest carried through the mission’s final and most critical moments.

Major entertainment platforms including HBO Max, Netflix, Peacock, and Amazon Prime Video exponentially expanded NASA’s global footprint by placing Artemis II in front of hundreds of millions of potential viewers worldwide, with HBO Max reaching 120–150 million global subscribers; Netflix reaching 325 million paid subscribers and covering 54% of global households; Peacock contributing 36–41 million U.S. subscribers; and Amazon Prime Video reaching up to 275 million global subscribers. Together, these partners enabled NASA to reach mainstream, international, and non-traditional audiences at a scale unattainable through NASA-owned channels alone.

Websites

NASA’s Artemis II mission drove a major surge in traffic across the agency’s websites, with NASA.gov recording 125.1 million pageviews between April 1 and 10 – more than double the roughly 50 million logged in all of March – reflecting intense public interest in following the mission in real time. On launch day alone, NASA sites saw 17.6 million pageviews from 8.3 million visitors, with the Artemis Real-Time Orbit Website (AROW) drawing 797,796 pageviews,

Interest spiked again during the April 6 lunar flyby, generating 16.5 million pageviews from 6.2 million visitors; AROW registered 1.9 million pageviews – boosted by more than 440,000 Google referrals – while the NASA homepage reached 2.3 million. Splashdown day brought another surge to NASA-owned websites, with more than 16 million pageviews from 6.1 million visitors as audiences followed the Artemis II crew’s return; AROW drew over 1 million pageviews and surpassed 11 million cumulative views since launch. Together, these metrics show sustained, high-volume engagement across all mission milestones, with live hubs, broadcast pages, and real-time tracking consistently ranking among the most-visited content throughout launch, flyby, and splashdown.

Social Media

Public reaction to NASA’s Artemis II mission remained largely steady across launch week, with neutral and positive posts dominating the online conversation. Neutral sentiment consistently led daily discussion, ranging from 47 to 60 percent, while positive reactions accounted for 30 to 42 percent, fueled by excitement over the crew’s historic lunar journey, striking mission imagery, and renewed interest in deep space exploration. Engagement spiked around major mission milestones, with NASA accounts generating 35 million engagements on splashdown day content alone and 261 million from March 27 to April 13, underscoring how closely audiences followed each phase. Strong amplification from major news outlets, brands, and international partners, further boosted visibility and cemented Artemis II as a global cultural moment.

NASA’s Artemis II mission drove major social media growth across the agency’s flagship and mission‑specific accounts, with follower numbers climbing steadily from rollout through the lunar flyby and splashdown. Internal tracking shows NASA’s flagship Instagram account added more than 4.6 million followers, while the Artemis‑dedicated Instagram account grew by 2 million—a 66% increase over the course of the mission. Significant gains were also recorded across X, Facebook, and YouTube, including a 2 million increase in YouTube subscribers and NASA’s flagship Facebook page climbing by 1.7 million. Collectively, these gains highlight how Artemis II’s human‑spaceflight narrative, real‑time crew updates, and highly visual moments drew millions of new followers across platforms.

Mission Images

NASA has long shaped its legacy through unforgettable imagery—pictures that don’t just document history but become part of it. Artemis II carries that tradition forward with a growing collection of images capturing every phase of the mission, from the anticipation of launch to the sweep of a lunar flyby and splashdown. For those eager to explore more, the mission’s dedicated image galleries offer a rich visual journey, complemented by additional photos on the NASA Headquarters official Flickr account and the NASA Image and Video Library.

NASA Campaigns

Moon Mascot: NASA Artemis II ZGI Design Challenge

Last year, the Moon mascot design contest received thousands of submissions from more than fifty countries for the Artemis II mission’s zero‑gravity indicator. This plush item serves a special purpose — it begins to float once the astronauts reach space, signaling the onset of zero gravity. It also provides a comforting reminder of Earth when the crew is far from home.

Ultimately, the Artemis II astronauts selected “Rise”—inspired by the iconic Earthrise photograph captured during the Apollo 8 mission and designed by Lucas Ye of Mountain View, California—as the zero‑gravity indicator that will accompany them around the Moon. “Rise” also features a small pouch that will carry an SD card containing all 5.6 million names submitted through the Send Your Name with Artemis campaign.

Send Your Name with Artemis II

NASA invited the public to join the agency’s Artemis II test flight as four astronauts ventured around the Moon and back to test the systems and hardware needed for deep space exploration. As part of the agency’s “Send Your Name with Artemis II” effort, anyone could claim their spot by signing up before Jan. 21, 2026. Participants launched their names aboard the Orion spacecraft and SLS (Space Launch System) rocket alongside NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen.

Online Collaborations

Google Doodle

The April 1, 2026, Google Doodle celebrated the launch of Artemis II, the NASA mission that sent astronauts around the Moon and back for the first time in more than 50 years. During the approximately 10‑day voyage, the crew tested the spacecraft’s systems while traveling farther into deep space than any human had gone since the Apollo program. This critical test flight brought us one step closer to a long‑term return to the Moon and future missions to Mars.

Spotify Playlist: The Artemis II Crew’s Wake-up Songs

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Offline Collaborations

NASDAQ, New York

Nasdaq celebrated the successful launch of NASA’s Artemis II mission, marking humanity’s return to the Moon after more than 50 years.

Empire State Building, New York

Red, white, and blue for the Artemis II crew. Welcome back to Earth.

Sphere, Las Vegas

As the astronauts on Orion reached their closest approach to the Moon, the sphere celebrated this milestone here on Earth. NASA provided the Sphere with a 3D model of the Orion spacecraft and unique soundbites from the April 1, 2026, launch to help design the moon, spacecraft, and flight path to match the real-life version.

Piccadilly Lights, London

London’s Piccadilly Lights celebrated the lunar flyby of Artemis II, where the four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft went deeper into space than ever before.

NASA’s Artemis Program

The Artemis II mission launched April 1, 2026, on NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the nearly 10‑day test flight, the crew achieved the mission’s primary objectives, including testing its life support systems; manually piloting the Orion spacecraft; performing maneuvers to propel Orion to the Moon and adjust its course; conducting a lunar flyby with unprecedented views of the Moon’s far side; and completing a safe re-entry and recovery. The astronauts also set a record for the farthest distance traveled by humans away from Earth.

As part of a Golden Age of innovation and exploration, NASA will send Artemis astronauts on increasingly challenging missions to explore more of the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, establish an enduring human presence on the lunar surface, and lay the groundwork for sending the first astronauts – American astronauts – to Mars.

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NASA Students Get Airborne View of Atmospheric Science at Ellington Field

From June 3 to 13, aircraft at Ellington Field in Houston gave students a firsthand look at how scientists study Earth from the air.

Through NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program, or SARP, students learned how airborne field campaigns collect data used in atmospheric science, ecology, air quality research, and climate modeling.

This year’s activity took place alongside an air quality campaign led by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), giving students a chance to see how federal agencies work together to study Earth’s atmosphere.

“Every SARP flight is more than a mission; it’s a classroom in the sky, where students learn how science is planned, executed, and transformed into discovery,” said NASA’s Ames Research Center Earth Science Project Specialist Vidal Salazar.

The NOAA effort allowed NASA to build on active atmospheric research already underway in Texas. By integrating additional aircraft into the campaign, students gained access to a real-world research environment and saw how scientists collect data from the air.

Students attend daily lectures, take coding classes, work with instrument teams, and use campaign data and NASA’s extensive archive to design, implement, and present independent research projects.

“SARP is full of passionate individuals who work together to inspire the next generation of Earth scientists,” said SARP Project Manager Joelle Hopkins.

Students work with NASA subject matter experts throughout the program, giving them exposure to a range of career paths in airborne science.

“It is great seeing different students with very diverse backgrounds exploring the next step in their academic journey,” said NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center Lead Forecaster Joe Finlon. 

The operations involved the agency’s Gulfstream V (N95NA); Gulfstream C-20A (N802NA); and Gulfstream III (N520NA), as well as NOAA’s WP-3D Orion (N43RF), and a King Air B200 aircraft (N46L), owned by Dynamic Aviation and contracted by NASA.

The WP-3D Orion conducted maneuvers as low as 1,000 feet above ground level. Owned and operated by NOAA, the aircraft is used as a hurricane hunter and has supported several airborne science missions for NASA.

NASA aircraft also carried instruments that support atmospheric science and ecology research. One instrument – the Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer, or AVIRIS – was used to characterize Earth’s surface and atmosphere. Additional atmosphere and air quality measurements were collected by instruments including the High Spectral Resolution Lidar 2, GeoCAPE Airborne Spectrometer, Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar, and Aerosol Wind Profiler.

Low-altitude flights are important for this type of work because aircraft must fly close enough to Earth’s surface for instruments to collect data at the needed resolution. 

For NOAA’s campaign, aircraft measurements can help researchers study air quality conditions and feed data into numerical models. Since similar measurements are collected over time, researchers can compare conditions from year to year and better understand changes in pollution and atmospheric chemistry.

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