Space & Aviation
Explore Space & Aviation across the Smithsonian through stories, events, and exhibitions. Use the filters to browse by format, then bookmark events and exhibitions to keep track of what you want to visit or attend.
428 results
In the fourth and final episode of our limited series “50 Years of Air + Space,” we discuss the history, intentions, and process of this project we call Transformation, and preview the exciting things in store for the decades ahead.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F9a%2F80%2F9a806c6d-472c-4a77-a3e3-7fa3ee166bf7%2Fsmithsonian_feature_images_13.png&w=2560&q=75)
During the peak, 96 percent of the moon will be within the darkest part of our planet’s shadow. The orb will take on an eerie glow because of how sunlight gets filtered through Earth’s atmosphere.
Galaxies are cosmic gems — each with characteristics including size and shape that make them distinct. This new gallery displays a collection of galactic images from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other telescopes.
%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Ftf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Ffiler_public%2F3f%2F55%2F3f5579c8-c4a7-43a5-bb54-6498478792fd%2Fhelix1940__fitmaxwzk3mcw2ntbd.jpg&w=2560&q=75)
Researchers captured an unprecedented image of the stellar recycling process while calibrating a Chile-based instrument called MOTHRA, which is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
The discovery of the Kuiper Belt revealed thousands of icy objects near Pluto, challenging its status as a planet. After the discovery of Eris, astronomers formally redefined “planet” in 2006, leading to Pluto’s reclassification as a dwarf planet.
Galaxies are like cosmic gems, each with characteristics including size and shape that make them distinct.
Museum education manager Mike Hulslander goes above and beyond his ~duties~ to show us a reproduction of the Universal Waste Management System. It’s currently in use on the International Space Station and NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
If you haven’t been to the National Air and Space Museum in D.C. for a while, you may notice a few things have changed…actually, just about everything’s been completely overhauled.