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Largest Known Spiral Galaxy: The giant barred spiral galaxy NGC 6872 is 522,000 light-years across from the tip of one outstretched arm to the tip of the other, making it about 5 times the size of our home galaxy, the Milky Way.

Press Releases & Feature Stories

NASA's Fermi, Swift See 'Shockingly Bright' Burst

05.03.2013

A record-setting blast of gamma rays from a dying star in a distant galaxy has wowed astronomers around the world.

The Day NASA's Fermi Dodged a 1.5-ton Bullet

04.30.2013

On March 29, 2012, the science team for NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope learned that a defunct Cold-War spy satellite would pass too close for comfort on April 4.

NASA's Hubble Sees a Horsehead of a Different Color

04.19.2013

Astronomers have used NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to photograph the iconic Horsehead Nebula in a new, infrared light to mark the 23rd anniversary of the famous observatory's launch.

Dying Supergiant Stars Implicated in Hours-long Gamma-Ray Bursts

04.16.2013

Three unusually long-lasting stellar explosions discovered by NASA’s Swift satellite represent a previously unrecognized class of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs).

Suzaku 'Post-mortem' Yields Insight into Kepler's Supernova

04.08.2013

An exploding star observed in 1604 by the German astronomer Johannes Kepler held a greater fraction of heavy elements than the sun, according to an analysis of X-ray observations from Suzaku.

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Division News

Goddard View

05.14.2013

Volume 9, Issue 5 - The thermal shield of the Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on JWST goes through rigorous environmental testing to ensure it can perform properly in the extreme cold temperatures that it will encounter in space.

Exoplanet Science Definition Teams

04.30.2013

NASA HQ has announced the selections for membership on the two Exoplanet Science Definition Teams, to study Probe scale (<1B$) missions for consideration by the Astrophysics mid-Decadal survey. Five folks from Goddard were selected!

The selections are:
    Coronagraph SDT:
    Karl Stapelfeldt (667 - chair)
    Mike McElwain (667)
    Occulter SDT:
    Shawn Domegal-Goldman (690)
    Marc Kuchner (667)
    Aki Roberge (667)

Cutting Edge

04.24.2013

NICER/SEXTANT and Super-TIGER are featured in Volume 9, Issue 3 (Spring 2013) of the Cutting Edge

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Overview

The Astrophysics Science Division conducts a broad program of research in astronomy, astrophysics, and fundamental physics. Individual investigations address issues such as the nature of dark matter and dark energy, which planets outside our solar system may harbor life, and the nature of space, time, and matter at the edges of black holes.

Observing photons, particles, and gravitational waves enables researchers to probe astrophysical objects and processes. Researchers develop theoretical models, design experiments and hardware to test theories, interpret and evaluate the data, archive and disseminate the data, provide expert user support to the scientific community, and publish conclusions drawn from research. The Division also conducts education and public outreach programs about its projects and missions.

About the ASD