Here are today’s most important updates from the realm of Science and Space.
First-Ever Ship-to-Ship Call Made Between Artemis II and ISS Astronauts
NASA's Artemis II moon mission crew spoke briefly with the astronauts living
and working on the International Space Station on Tuesday afternoon, the first call of its kind in the history of spaceflight. At around 2:40 p.m. New York time, the two crews connected during an audio call and spoke about what it was like for the Artemis crew to launch and then fly around the moon. Christina Koch of the Artemis II crew said the training she got from living on the ISS applied to their current mission. There are currently seven astronauts on board the International Space Station: three NASA astronauts, three Russian cosmonauts and a French astronaut from the European Space Agency.
NASA’s Artemis II Delivers Rare Close-Up of Lunar Far Side
Astronauts aboard Nasa’s Artemis II mission captured striking views of the Moon as the Orion spacecraft flew around its far side on April 6, offering a rare glimpse of the rugged, cratered terrain that remains hidden from Earth. The images, taken during the spacecraft’s lunar flyby, showcase the stark contrast between the Moon’s shadowed far side and the sunlit horizon. The Artemis II mission, Nasa's first crewed journey to the Moon in over five decades, marks a significant milestone in preparations for future lunar landings under the Artemis programme. As Orion completed its trajectory around the Moon, astronauts documented the journey through high-resolution imagery, providing valuable scientific and visual data.
Artemis II Photos Reveal Moon’s Hidden Craters and Earth’s Rise
Four humans have just flown around the Moon for the first time in over five decades, capturing a world that has remained largely hidden from human eyes. Armed with high-resolution cameras and eclipse glasses, the Artemis 2 crew documented the lunar surface in unprecedented detail. The Artemis 2 astronauts witnessed a breathtaking Earthrise at approximately 7:10 p.m. IST on Tuesday, April 7, when Earth emerged from behind the lunar limb following a 40-minute communications blackout. These photographs are not just beautiful; they provide a fresh look at the rugged landscape of the lunar far side and the moment Earth reappeared from the darkness.
Scientists Find Closest Pair of Giant Black Holes Yet
Supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies are one of the most active fields of research in astronomy. In order to accumulate their enormous masses, they must merge with each other. A research team led by Silke Britzen from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR) in Bonn has found direct evidence of two supermassive black holes in the galaxy Markarian 501, which orbit each other very closely. This could be the first time that a pair has been detected that is about to merge. This provides a unique opportunity to better understand a central process in galaxy evolution.
