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- A Comet’s Glow, Lunar Science, and a Busy Week in Orbit
A Comet’s Glow, Lunar Science, and a Busy Week in Orbit
Fresh images, key mission updates, what to watch in the next days, and a new space wallpaper for your phone
Javier García
December 13, 2025
In partnership with
Introduction
Welcome to another exciting week!
Content:
Best image of the week
This week’s image comes from the Hubble Space Telescope and focuses on Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, captured as it moved through the inner Solar System. The image shows a vivid green coma surrounding the comet’s nucleus, caused by diatomic carbon glowing under solar radiation. Subtle jets can be seen extending outward as sunlight heats volatile material on the comet’s surface. At the time of observation, the comet was tens of millions of kilometres from Earth, yet Hubble’s resolution allows astronomers to study changes in its activity as it approaches perihelion. Images like this help scientists understand how comets evolve and how primitive Solar System material reacts to increasing solar energy.
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Last week news
Monday, June 9: NASA confirmed that the Artemis II crew module completed another successful thermal vacuum test, validating life-support and avionics systems under lunar-mission conditions. This keeps the first crewed Artemis flight on track for its next integration phase.
Wednesday, June 11: SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 carrying a new batch of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral. The first stage landed successfully on a droneship in the Atlantic, extending the company’s booster reuse record and maintaining a high launch cadence.
Friday, June 13: Scientists released new results from the James Webb Space Telescope showing refined atmospheric measurements of a hot-Jupiter exoplanet. The data reveal water vapour and carbon-bearing molecules, demonstrating Webb’s growing role in comparative exoplanet science.
Sunday, June 15: The European Space Agency announced the completion of critical software updates for the JUICE spacecraft as it continues its long cruise toward Jupiter, ensuring autonomous navigation and instrument safety during upcoming flybys.
Upcoming events
Tuesday, June 17: A Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled to deploy another set of Earth-observation satellites into polar orbit, contributing to climate and environmental monitoring.
Thursday, June 19: Skywatchers will be able to observe a close pairing of the Moon and Saturn in the early morning sky, with both objects visible low above the horizon before sunrise.
Sunday, June 22: NASA is set to host a public briefing outlining the next science targets for the Perseverance rover as it continues its exploration of ancient river delta deposits on Mars.
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Mobile wallpaperToday’s wallpaper is from ESA’s Mars Express mission and shows a sweeping view of Valles Marineris , the largest canyon system in the Solar System. The image captures layered canyon walls stretching thousands of kilometres across the Martian surface, carved by tectonic forces billions of years ago. Soft shadows highlight the immense depth of the terrain, while subtle colour variations reveal differences in rock composition and dust coverage. This perspective not only emphasizes the scale of Mars’ geology but also serves as a reminder of how dynamic the planet once was. The image is available in a mobile-friendly vertical format directly from ESA’s Mars Express image archive, making it a striking and scientifically grounded wallpaper choice. If you want, next time I can tune the difficulty level of the science explanations or push them slightly deeper for a more technical audience. |  |
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