Overview: Tom Corbett, Astro and T. J. Thistle aboard the Polaris, accompany a scout ship manned by Commander Arkwright, and Professor Hinkel on a flight into outer space. Professor Hinkel is an eccentric professor, anxious to photograph a nova that he recently discovered, and that was named after him. The Professor and Commander Arkwright approach the exploding star for this purpose, but are stricken with temporary blindness from the nova's intense light and ultraviolet radiation when the Professor foolishly removes their ship's protective sun filter for a better look at his star.