A strong X1.9 solar flare erupted from the sun's surface at 9:49 p.m. ET on Nov. 30, and NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory caught it in action. The flare appears as a bright flash on the Sun’s edge, followed by a plume of hot material rising into space. Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. They can disturb radio communications, affect navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts — which is why NASA and NOAA track them so closely. Credit: NASA/SDO | NASA 360

NASA’s OSIRIS-APEX spacecraft just made a very close pass by our planet, only 2,136 miles above the surface. For a spacecraft headed into deep space, that’s practically brushing past home. As it approached and swung away, OSIRIS-APEX turned its cameras back toward Earth. The team used the flyby to calibrate its instruments and check the spacecraft’s health before it continues toward its next target: asteroid Apophis, which will make a famously close pass by Earth in 2029. A quick hello, a quick

#ICYMI: One NASA astronaut and two Roscosmos cosmonauts launched and docked on Thanksgiving Day to the International Space Station for an eight-month mission. Watch key moments highlighting their holiday journey. | International Space Station