The best images from space in 2024
It was (arguably) China’s year in lunar exploration — especially for returning rock samples from the far side of the moon. But there were also astounding images of a no-star galaxy, the sun, and a halo eclipse.
China brought the far-side closer to home
This is the moment that China's Chang'e 6 spacecraft launched from the far side of the moon in June 2024 to bring back to Earth the first ever rock and dust samples from the under-explored lunar region.
Japanese probe on its side
Japan had a fairly good year on the moon as well — although its "SLIM" probe did land lopsidedly in January 2024. SLIM experienced engine trouble on its lunar landing, which left the spacecraft's solar panels at a wrong angle — facing west instead of up — and it ran out of power. But nine days later, SLIM had regained power and began making scientific observations of the moon.
Black hole takes a bite
An international team of researchers in Europe discovered the black hole/binary star system VFTS 243 — this is an illustration that has been enhanced to better define the blue star and its accompanying black hole. The team said the finding provided new insight into the way stellar mass black holes form. VFTS 243 is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, about 200,000 light-years from Earth.
Four-pronged solar flare
This rare quadruple solar flare was observed in April 2024. The four solar flares erupted almost simultaneously at different points on the sun's surface. NASA, which captured the unique image, said the event could have launched a solar storm towards Earth. It was an indication, among others in 2024, that the sun was reaching a peak in an 11-year cycle of activity.
A 'star-less' galaxy? Surely not!
Scientists appear to have discovered a galaxy-like formation with almost no stars. The team, led by Karen O'Neil at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, US, found the mass of dust and gas by chance. They said it largely consists of hydrogen and dark matter. As such, it is invisible to the naked eye, and was only detected by radio signals the team happened to pick up.
Star at the edge of the abyss
This is the first up-close image of a star — WOH G64 — outside our galaxy in its final stages of life. WOH G64 is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Taken by the European Southern Observatory, the image shows the star "puffing out gas and dust, in the last stages before it becomes a supernova," the observatory said in November.
Halo complex
Another rarity: October 2024's halo eclipse. These happen when the moon doesn't completely cover the sun during an eclipse — from our visual perspective — which depends on the distance of the moon from the Earth.