iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 19h

Say Betelgeuse three times and its companion may appear! Scientists thought that the 10th brightest star had a companion, and a @NASAAmes scientist spotted it using @NOIRLabAstro’s Gemini North telescope in Hawaii and a @NASA-built camera: t.co/YASGVKgVNB 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4yGatoj

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 20h

#OTD in 2000, the High Energy Transient Explorer (HETE-2) launched from Kwajalein Atoll. An international collaboration, it was launched to help detect and unravel the mystery of gamma-ray bursts. Learn more about HETE-2 here: t.co/Xp1ZFQ1eos 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4y7NJfX

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 08/10/2026

Puffy, Jupiter-sized WD 1856 b is the first intact planet found closely orbiting a much smaller white dwarf star. The process of forming these compact cool stars usually destroys nearby planets, so scientists were surprised to find one: t.co/mxYF3cYvlP 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4zi3JwP

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 08/10/2026

TESS stares at wide patches of the sky, watching for changes that might indicate a planet orbiting a star. Within its first three months of observations, TESS confirmed three exoplanets … and also spotted supernovae, comets, flaring stars, and more: t.co/q8UuxdOH7K 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4yGZjzS

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 08/10/2026

Our planet-hunting TESS mission has reached an exciting milestone: over 1,000 of the exoplanet candidates it has discovered since its 2018 launch have been confirmed! Let’s explore some of these intriguing worlds beyond our solar system … 🧵

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 08/10/2026

NGC 1365 also sports a growing giant black hole at its center. The growth is fueled by a steady flow of gas streaming toward the black hole. This new view of the galaxy brings together data from our @ChandraXray and Swift observatories with optical light from a ground-based telescope.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 08/10/2026

@chandraxray @esa @NASAHubble NGC 4151 is a spiral galaxy whose central supermassive black hole is actively growing! The X-ray emission has been attributed to an outburst powered by the black hole. This composite combines observations from @ChandraXray and Swift.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 08/10/2026

@chandraxray @esa Spiral galaxy NGC 1097 lies about 48 million light-years away. Gas nearing the galaxy’s black hole is heated to millions of degrees, causing the region to glow in X-rays. This combined view uses data from @ChandraXray, Swift, @NASAHubble and a ground-based telescope.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 08/10/2026

The Small Magellanic Cloud is one of our closest neighbors, orbiting our galaxy about 200,000 light-years away. This new view combines data from our Swift, @ChandraXray, and Spitzer satellites with @ESA’s XMM-Newton and Herschel space telescopes and a ground-based observation.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 08/10/2026

The universe is better with friends. As our Swift Observatory approaches the end of its mission, we’re celebrating its 21+ years in orbit — and the friends it's made — with some new galactic images. Check out this thread for more, or download yours here: t.co/5... 🔗 chandra.si.edu/photo/2026/s...

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 06/10/2026

🎵 Twinkle, twinkle, little bat! How I wonder what you’re at! Up above the world you fly, Like a tea-tray in the sky. 🎵 Perhaps the Hatter spied this cosmic teacup, captured by @chandraxray (blue) and @NASAHubble (red and green)? More: t.co/TDRY0bE70G #MadHatterDay 🔗 chandra.si.edu/photo/2019/t...

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 03/10/2026

Also #OTD, @NASAHubble imaged nebula N44, which is filled with glowing gas, dark dust lanes, and stars of different ages. It also hosts a dark, starry gap called a “superbubble,” whose presence is something of a mystery. What did Hubble see on your day? t.co/gWs7DGccWK 🔗 go.nasa.gov/47vxuOR

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 03/10/2026

#OTD in 1952, the namesake for our Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory was born. He led development of Swift, a first-of-its-kind satellite designed to automatically repoint to study fleeting cosmic explosions called gamma-ray bursts. Learn more about Swift: t.co/Sy3iiYkL0G 🔗 nasa.gov/swift

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 02/10/2026

Black holes don’t emit light, but the regions around them can shine bright! Data from our NuSTAR telescope and @ESA_XMM from 13 distant and luminous supermassive black holes helped astronomers explore how their coronae produce intense X-ray light: t.co/9m77Ft936H 🔗 nustar.caltech.edu/news/nus...

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 01/10/2026

Just last year, Swift researchers released an all-sky catalog using over 13 years of data from the Burst Alert Telescope. The catalog pinpointed more than 1,800 sources including active galaxies, neutron stars, and galaxy clusters.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 01/10/2026

From the pattern of shadows, the Burst Alert Telescope calculates the source’s location and shares it with the science community. Then, Swift can quickly repoint its other two instruments to that object. In 20+ years, Swift has seen over 2,000 bursts — check out the first 500.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 01/10/2026

Because gamma rays can’t be focused with current technology, Swift’s Burst Alert Telescope works differently than typical telescopes. The Burst Alert Telescope uses a mask made of lead tiles that stop gamma rays, casting shadows on the detectors below. t.co/004femyq7q 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4xXmEw4

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 01/10/2026

Our Swift observatory recently returned to science operations to make the most out of its time in orbit. Let’s look at its Burst Alert Telescope, which was designed to catch powerful but fleeting gamma-ray explosions by watching a sixth of the sky at a time for gamma rays. ⬇️

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 01/10/2026

Sightseeing? Don’t forget to send a postcard! 📬 We’ve got you covered if your travels take you to the edge of a black hole. Tour the universe with the Traveler on NASA+: t.co/xyGwOiLhQ2 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4dzElun

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 30/09/2026

In 2018, Swift’s Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope took its millionth image, which captured an active galaxy that appeared to exhibit some unusual behavior. To mark the occasion, this mosaic was created from images taken by the telescope. Zoom in to explore. t.co/mrzxuMymFa 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4yI8L6d

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 30/09/2026

Swift’s Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope tested out its vision on galaxy M101, also known as the Pinwheel galaxy. Shortly after that, it started regular observations, including enabling Swift’s first distance determinations to gamma-ray bursts in March 2005. t.co/YCzJWzhb7z 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4dfudXq

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 30/09/2026

As its name suggests, the Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope detects both UV and optical (or visible) light. When it spots a burst, the telescope goes through a preprogrammed series of observations, turning its filter wheel to capture specific wavelengths. t.co/BDPTI05WUC 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4hlPocP

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 30/09/2026

Our Swift observatory is leveraging its remaining time in orbit to do more science. It has telescopes to observe in several types of light. Let’s take a closer look at its Ultraviolet/Optical Telescope, which was designed to locate gamma-ray bursts and study how they evolve. ⬇️

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 29/09/2026

Swift’s X-Ray Telescope caught X-rays from a gamma-ray burst Swift detected on Jan. 17, 2005, while the burst was still going on! It was the first time any X-ray telescope had seen such an early stage of a burst. Learn more: t.co/52Em7FGsPO 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4hz21js

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 29/09/2026

Our Swift observatory recently resumed science operations to take advantage of its remaining time in orbit. Among its multiwavelength capabilities is X-ray vision. Swift’s X-Ray Telescope was designed to pinpoint gamma-ray bursts and measure some of their key characteristics. ⬇️

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 28/09/2026

Innovative operation of Swift extended the time it was at a serviceable altitude, an approach that could be adapted for other missions. Katalyst also performed demonstrations of their satellite-servicing technology. More lessons learned: t.co/WzmoYW0xt5 🔗 go.nasa.gov/3Vg9m04

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 28/09/2026

This daring mission rapidly responded to Swift’s sinking altitude, with less than a year passing between Katalyst’s selection and the launch of its LINK robotic servicing spacecraft in July. The compressed timeline required agile project management and efficient problem solving.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 28/09/2026

AU Mic is a young, nearby star still surrounded by a disk of debris left over from its formation. AU Mic even has planets, which provides us a one-of-a-kind opportunity for studying how planets and their atmospheres form, evolve, and interact with their stars. #MondayMotivation

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 25/09/2026

This return to normal science operations has caused Swift to resume sinking rapidly. But the Swift team is taking advantage of their remaining time in orbit to gather more information about the universe — including any unexpected events that might pop up.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 24/09/2026

#TBT to Sept. 20, 1979, when NASA’s final High Energy Astronomy Observatory, HEAO 3, launched into space. It mapped the sky in gamma-ray light and made detailed measurements of cosmic ray particles, helping us learn about supernova remnants, distant galaxies, and more.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 23/09/2026

How does the universe work? Our @NASARoman is poised to help us answer this question by shedding light on dark matter, the invisible glue that holds the universe together. Dark matter makes up about 27% of the universe, but we still don’t know what it is. ⬇️

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 22/09/2026

Zippy particles called cosmic rays travel at nearly light speed across the cosmos, and astronomers have been searching for sites where these particles get their energy. Thanks to our NuSTAR telescope, we’ve found another candidate: pulsar wind nebulae. t.co/EIM8O... 🔗 nustar.caltech.edu/news/nus...

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 21/09/2026

It’s okay to be different! Omega Centauri is the largest, brightest, and most massive globular cluster in the Milky Way. But it might not even be a globular cluster. It may be the core of a dwarf galaxy captured by the Milky Way and stripped of its outer stars. #MondayMotivation

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 18/09/2026

Outflows of gas from the giant star are captured by its pulsar companion, a dense, rapidly spinning stellar remnant. The flares, which last several days, occur twice each orbit when the pulsar passes through a dense stream of gas. Learn more: t.co/EXpIkx2Wqs 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4yFJQQ4

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 14/09/2026

The supernova responsible for the Crab Nebula was observed in 1054 and cataloged as a “guest star” by Chinese astronomers. Over the past two decades, we’ve been able to map the changes in the cloud of debris left behind by this explosion. #MondayMotivation

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 10/09/2026

#TBT to Sept. 6, 2023, when the XRISM telescope launched from Japan! Led by @JAXA_en in partnership with @NASA and with contributions from @ESA, XRISM helps us study some of the hottest spots and most energetic events in the cosmos. Catch up with XRISM: t.co/dA6J2GeW27 🔗 nasa.gov/xrism

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 04/09/2026

This week, Katalyst Space continued to demonstrate capabilities of its LINK robotic servicing satellite, adjusting its orbit to come within about 7.5-9 miles (12-15 kilometers) of our Swift observatory. LINK will not make any closer approach to Swift during its remaining op... 🔗 go.nasa.gov/3T9WtDX

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 31/08/2026

The stellar remnant known as pulsar J0002 is hurtling through space at nearly 2.5 million miles per hour away from the expanding debris of the supernova that created it. It's traveling so fast that it will eventually leave our galaxy. #MondayMotivation

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 31/08/2026

LIVE NOW! Tune in with us to watch our newest space telescope @NASARoman start its million-mile journey to help us investigate the mysteries of the universe: 🔗 nasa.gov/live

Quoted tweet: https://twitter.com/i/status/2094007256576565379

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 29/08/2026

Set your alarms … tomorrow is launch day for @NASARoman, our newest space telescope! Learn about Roman, and join us for launch on Aug. 30 at 7:26 a.m. EDT (but we’ll be up a little earlier for the livestream): 🔗 nasa.gov/roman

Quoted tweet: https://twitter.com/i/status/2093806790651592877

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 28/08/2026

Our Swift observatory is back in its science era. Two of its telescopes resumed operation this week, and the team hopes to have the third science instrument back online soon. After the scaling back of a commercial mission that would have boosted the sinking spacecraft’s alt... 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4gXd9rc

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 26/08/2026

Roman was filled with 290 gallons of hydrazine fuel! That’s close to the amount of diesel some semitrucks carry. This will fuel Roman for its five-year primary mission and is potentially enough to support an additional five-year extended mission. t.co/WlQ3qAjuTD 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4cXSC3l

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 25/08/2026

Our newest exoplanet explorer has started its science mission! Launched earlier this year, Pandora has begun observing worlds beyond our solar system and the stars they orbit. It will help us learn about the atmospheres of at least 20 exoplanets. More: t.co/8QIX06T7fz 🔗 go.nasa.gov/46ok9r2

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 25/08/2026

#OTD in 2003, our Spitzer Space Telescope launched to study the infrared universe as one of @NASA’s Great Observatories. Even after retiring in 2020, Spitzer's wealth of data continues to contribute to remarkable discoveries in the cosmos. t.co/j96ueVCEOK 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4gtnSZ8

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 24/08/2026

The universe is full of weird juxtapositions. This colorful image, for example, shows sites of new star formation AND a shattered star. The upper portion is full of newly forming stars while the stellar leftovers are the small blue blob in the lower left. #MondayMotivation

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 19/08/2026

NASA and Katalyst Space have determined that Katalyst’s LINK spacecraft will not capture or boost our Swift observatory to a higher altitude to extend its science mission, due to an ongoing attitude control issue with the spacecraft. However, LINK will still attempt to cond... 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4io1lzk

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 18/08/2026

@NASARoman Astronomers recently found that dark energy may be evolving over time. Roman will explore this cosmic expansion far back in our universe’s history, which could confirm whether dark energy is really changing over time. More: t.co/B0AmeaJIQL 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4gD9yhY

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 13/08/2026

#TBT to August 12, 1977, when our HEAO (High Energy Astronomy Observatory) 1 satellite launched into space. Its four instruments helped it map the X-ray and gamma-ray sky and identify interesting new sources for further study, including black holes, neutron stars, and more.

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 11/08/2026

Katalyst Space successfully uploaded a flight software update designed to maintain the stability of their LINK robotic spacecraft. This work has prepared LINK to continue its approach toward our Swift observatory, performing a series of burns and maneuvers in the coming day... 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4c3MKp9

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NASA Exoplanets @nasaexoplanets.extwitter.link · 10/08/2026

Hungry for s’more space? With marshmallows, graham crackers, and a bit of chocolate, a sweet and gooey spacecraft could be the star of your next cookout or camping trip! For inspiration, meet our fleet of space telescopes: t.co/e1DJGEWonO #NationalSmoresDay 🔗 go.nasa.gov/4bJe2Ro

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