Nick Oakes - Science Communicator

Helio and You: Studying Eclipses Near and Far - NASA Science

Here on Earth, we're lucky to get total solar eclipses from time to time. But did you know that eclipses can happen on other worlds, too? This article explores eclipses and what they're like on Earth and elsewhere, and includes resources catalogued for use by educators seeking to introduce these topics to their students. Published August 2026.

Helio and You: Heliophysics as an American Endeavor - NASA Science

Scientific achievement has been a part of the American identity for as long as that identity has existed. Heliophysics is an important cornerstone of the history of astronomy, and many of the pioneers in this field have been American. Let's take a look at a few of these history-makers. Published July 2026.

Helio and You: Seasons on Earth, Mars, and Beyond - NASA Science

Earth has four seasons: spring, summer, fall, and winter. Other planets can experience seasons, too, but they might be wildly different from the ones that we are used to. Find out about how seasons work and what role the Sun and other stars play in causing them. Published May 2026.

Helio and You: The Sun, Solar Wind, and Earth as a Connected System - NASA Science

This article covers the PUNCH mission, which is designed to gain new insights into the Sun, its atmosphere, the solar wind, and the heliosphere. Connected to educational resources that help K-12+ teachers explain solar wind and space science concepts in simple, engaging ways for students. Published April 2026.

Helio Highlights: Comets, the Sun, and You - NASA Science

This article shows educators how studying comets help us learn more about the Sun and Space Weather, with a focus on interstellar objects like Comet 3I/ATLAS. Connected to educational resources that help K-12+ teachers explain solar wind and space science concepts in simple, engaging ways for students. Published December 2025.

NASA Science • 30th September 2025

Helio Highlights: The Sun and Our Lives - NASA Science

This article explores the unique connections between heliophysics and our everyday lives, with a focus on how NASA's Heliophysics Education Activation Team brings the study of the Sun-Earth system into classrooms nationwide. Connected to educational resources that help K-12+ teachers explain heliophysics education in simple, engaging ways for students. Published September 2025.

Helio Highlights: The Moon as a Laboratory - NASA Science

This article shows how studying the Sun can and has supported Lunar exploration, and how it can continue to support human exploration of the solar system. Connected to educational resources that help K-12+ teachers explain the link between Planetary Science and Heliophysics in simple, engaging ways for students. Published August 2025.

Helio Highlights: Two Stars in Solar Science - NASA Science

This article explores how the Parker Solar Probe & Solar Orbiter work together to learn about the Sun. Connected to educational resources that help K-12+ teachers explain how space missions run by different nations can work together to tell us more about the Sun in simple, engaging ways for students. Published July 2025.

Helio Highlights: The Sun and the Light Shows It Creates - NASA Science

This article uses the May 2024 solar storms as a starting point to explain how the Sun causes auroras. Connected to educational resources that help K-12+ teachers explain this part of the Earth-Sun relationship in simple, engaging ways for students. Published July 2025.

Three new planets found around Barnard’s Star

As of 2025, astronomers have identified at least 14 stars within 10 light-years of the Sun. After the Alpha Centauri system, the next closest is Barnard’s Star, a solo red dwarf roughly 6 light-years away. And thanks to new observations, we now know that Barnard’s Star is orbited by four small, rocky exoplanets.