Subcategory: Space Science Ice Deposits Found at Moon's Pole Mar 2 2010 - BBC News A radar experiment aboard India's Chandrayaan-1 lunar spacecraft has identified thick deposits of water-ice near the Moon's north pole. Saturn Moon Could Be Hospitable to Life, New Images Suggest Feb 25 2010 - ScienceNews New close-ups of Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus taken by the Cassini spacecraft during a November flyby and released by NASA February 23 provide fresh evidence that the moon’s interior may be hospitable to life. Mining Mars? Where's the Ore? Feb 23 2010 - Discovery Channel We may not be prospecting Mars anytime soon, but scientists have mapped out where on the planet we should look—some day. Russia: No Plans for Moon Feb 3 2010 - The New York Times (requires free registration) The Russian space agency has no plans to fly to the Moon and will not be shifting this position now that President Obama has asked NASA to abandon a second American Moon program. The exploration goals of the two space agencies would “fully coincide” if America drops its Moon program. Spirit Rover to Rest Forever on Mars But More Data Expected Jan 27 2010 - ScienceInsider The rover may have stopped roving, but its Spirit lives on. A New Theory on Why the Sun Never Swallowed the Earth Jan 11 2010 - Time Astronomers may have figured out why small planets like Earth can survive. Kepler Telescope Finds 5 Lightweight Worlds Jan 4 2010 - MSNBC The list of known exoplanets in the galaxy just got bigger, thanks to the first observations of NASA's Kepler space telescope, which found five new lightweight worlds orbiting distant stars. Brown Dwarf Pair Mystifies Astronomers Dec 23 2009 - ScienceDaily Two brown dwarf-sized objects orbiting a giant old star show that planets may assemble around stars more quickly and efficiently than anyone thought possible, according to an international team of astronomers. NASA Craft to Photograph Entire Universe Dec 15 2009 - Voice of America News NASA has launched a new space telescope that will allow scientists to look at the universe closer than ever before. The Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, known as WISE, will help them to discover, photograph, and research thousands of previously undetected stars, galaxies, and potentially threatening asteroids. U.K. Gets Own Space Agency At Last Dec 11 2009 - ScienceInsider The U.K. Science Minister announced that Britain would, finally, create its own space agency. It has long been argued that a single body managing the U.K. space effort would bring more coherence to research efforts and give the U.K. more clout in negotiations with international partners. Pluto's Cloud Components Verified Dec 7 2009 - ScienceNews Clouds in Pluto’s atmosphere may be composed of tiny frozen spherules of nitrogen or carbon monoxide, rather than snowflake-like clumps of tiny particles as previous research had suggested, new analyses suggest. Star Outweighed any Known in Milky Way Dec 3 2009 - ScienceNews Data suggest that the supernova dubbed SN 2007bi originally tipped the scales at more than 200 times the mass of the Sun. That would make it more massive than any known in the Milky Way, and it may suggest that astronomers have to revise their models of how extremely massive stars live and die. Could Jupiter Moon Harbor Fish-Size Life? Nov 18 2009 - National Geographic News In the oceans of a moon hundreds of millions of miles from the Sun, something fishy may be alive—right now. NASA Finds 'Significant' Water on Moon Nov 13 2009 - CNN NASA said Friday it had discovered water on the moon, opening "a new chapter" that could allow for the development of a lunar space station. End of the Line for Spirit Rover? Nov 13 2009 - ScienceInsider The Mars rover that has been stuck in talcum-powder-like soil the past 6 months is in a bad way, its NASA team reported in a press conference. Messenger Spies Iron on Mercury Nov 4 2009 - BBC News Mercury is even more of an "iron planet" than scientists had previously supposed. Richer concentrations of iron and titanium have been seen on Mercury's surface by Nasa's Messenger probe. Russia Hopes Nuclear Ship Will Fly Humans to Mars Oct 29 2009 - Yahoo! News Russia should build a new nuclear-powered spaceship for prospective manned missions to Mars and other planets, the nation's space chief said Thursday. Scientists See Blast from Past—13 Billion Years Ago Oct 29 2009 - Reuters Astronomers have seen the furthest back in time ever, measuring light from a star that exploded 13 billion years ago, just after the dawn of the universe. Mars May Have Caves, Scientists Say Oct 27 2009 - Los Angeles Times Images of ancient lava flows from the Arsia Mons volcano suggest an extensive system near the Red Planet's equator. Caves could one day aid space explorers. NASA Rolls Out New Moon Rocket for Test Flight Oct 21 2009 - Reuters NASA on Tuesday carted a sleek, towering rocket out to the launch pad to test the vehicle planned to replace the retiring space shuttles and return U.S. astronauts to the Moon. Scientists Find Trawl of 32 New Planets Oct 19 2009 - Reuters European astronomers announced they had found 32 new planets orbiting stars outside our solar system and believe their find means that 40% or more of Sun-like stars have such planets. Bizarre Galaxy Is Result of Pair of Spiral Galaxies Smashing Together Oct 14 2009 - ScienceDaily A recent NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image captures what appears to be one very bright and bizarre galaxy, but is actually the result of a pair of spiral galaxies that resemble our own Milky Way smashing together at breakneck speeds. NASA Blasting Moon in Search of Water Oct 8 2009 - Discovery Channel NASA plans a surgical strike on the Moon on Friday, hoping to hit water. The operation, scheduled for 7:31 a.m. EDT, will unfold live on the Internet, as well as under the watchful eyes of dozens of amateur and professional astronomers and orbiting observatories. New Ring Detected Around Saturn Oct 7 2009 - BBC News A colossal dust ring is seen encircling Saturn, way beyond the ones astronomers have long known about. Missions Find Evidence of Water on the Moon Sep 24 2009 - Reuters Three separate missions examining the moon have found clear evidence of water there, apparently concentrated at the poles and possibly formed by the solar wind. Surprising, Huge Peaks Discovered in Saturn's Rings Sep 22 2009 - Yahoo! News Stunning new views of Saturn from a NASA spacecraft have revealed odd formations in the planet's trademark rings, including ripples as tall as the Rocky Mountains. Planck Telescope's First Glimpse Sep 17 2009 - BBC News The European telescope sent far from Earth to study the oldest light in the Universe has returned its first images. Scientists Say "Super-Earth" Has Rocky Surface Sep 16 2009 - Reuters Detailed data about the smallest planet ever found outside our solar system suggest it is a rocky "super-Earth" world very like our own, European astronomers said on Wednesday. Unraveling the Chemistry of Titan's Hazy Atmosphere Sep 15 2009 - National Science Foundation An international team of scientists has announced the confirmation of a key chemical reaction that forms the molecule triacetylene in the ultra-cold atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan. U.S. Scientists Levitate Mice to Study Low Gravity Sep 11 2009 - Reuters Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have succeeded in levitating mice, a feat that they say could lead to advances in treating bone loss for astronauts living for extended periods in low gravity environments. No Strain for Andromeda: Galaxy Is Cosmic Cannibal Sep 2 2009 - Yahoo! News Our nearest major galactic neighbor is a cosmic cannibal. And it's heading this way eventually. Contact Lost, India Terminates First Moon Mission Aug 31 2009 - Reuters India terminated its first mission to the Moon Sunday, a spokesman for the national space agency said, a day after scientists lost all contact with an unmanned spacecraft orbiting the Moon. Huge New Planet Orbits 'Wrong' Way Around Star Aug 28 2009 - ScienceDaily A team of scientists has found a new planet which orbits the wrong way around its host star. The planet, named WASP-17, and orbiting a star 1000 light years away, was found by the UK's WASP project in collaboration with Geneva Observatory. First Discovery of Life's Building Block in Comet Aug 18 2009 - ScienceDaily NASA scientists have discovered glycine, a fundamental building block of life, in samples of comet Wild 2 returned by NASA's Stardust spacecraft. Orbital Gas Station Puts Moon, Mars in Reach Aug 10 2009 - Discovery Channel While debate swirls over whether the United States should stick with plans for a base on the moon or head straight to Mars, members of a presidential panel assessing options for NASA's future have another idea: orbital gas stations. Martian Methane Mystery Deepens Aug 5 2009 - BBC News Methane on Mars is produced and destroyed far faster than on Earth, according to analysis of recent data. The presence of methane on Mars is intriguing because its origin could either be life or geological activity, including volcanism. Winds of Change on Saturn Jul 31 2009 - ScienceNow Daily News Does the wind on Saturn blow to the east or to the west? After centuries of observation, scientists can finally answer: Yes. Saturn's powerful jets move in both directions, researchers have discovered, a finding that hints at the mass of the planet's mysterious core. Longer Life for the Space Station Is Advised Jul 29 2009 - The New York Times (requires free registration) Members of the government panel reviewing NASA's human spaceflight program said Tuesday that the life of the International Space Station should be extended past its planned demise in 2016. China Delays Launch of First Space Telescope to 2012 Jul 23 2009 - Reuters China has delayed the launch of its first space telescope, designed to detect black holes, by two years to 2012 for cost reasons, the Xinhua news agency said on Thursday. Comet May Have Hit Jupiter Jul 21 2009 - MSNBC Astronomers say Jupiter has apparently been struck by an object, possibly a comet. Images taken early Monday by NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility show a dark scar in Jupiter's atmosphere near the south pole of the gas giant. Six End Simulated Mars Mission Isolation Jul 15 2009 - Reuters Four Russians, a Frenchman, and a German ended a simulated 105-day space trip in Moscow on Tuesday designed to test their responses in the kind of isolated surroundings they would experience in a manned mission to Mars. Where Tomorrow's Stars Will Be Born Jul 6 2009 - Yahoo! News Astronomers love their sky maps, and this latest is a doozie. It reveals thousands of previously undiscovered knots of cold cosmic dust, each a potential star waiting to be born. End of a Space Odyssey Jun 30 2009 - ScienceNOW Daily News After almost 17 years in orbit, the scientific mission of the Ulysses spacecraft will end today. The satellite, originally designed for a 5-year study of the solar wind and interstellar dust from a unique orbit over the Sun's poles, has suffered a fatal defect in its attitude-control system. "Geyser" Moon Sprinkles Salt on Saturn's Rings Jun 26 2009 - National Geographic News The icy, geyser-like plumes spewing from Saturn's moon Enceladus are sprinkling the planet's famous rings with sodium salts, a new study says. The finding may mean that the moon, which is completely encrusted with ice, hides a liquid ocean deep beneath its surface. Mission to Measure and Map the Moon Begins Jun 19 2009 - The New York Times (requires free registration) A new mission has been launched by NASA to measure and map the Moon. The mission supports NASA's effort to send astronauts back to the Moon by 2020 and is looking for suitable landing sites and resources. First Hard Evidence Found of a Lake on Mars Jun 18 2009 - Reuters A long, deep canyon and the remains of beaches are perhaps the clearest evidence yet of a standing lake on the surface of Mars—one that apparently contained water when the planet was supposed to have already dried up, scientists said on Wednesday. Solar System on a Collision Course Jun 11 2009 - ScienceNow Daily News New supercomputer simulations predict that, in 3 billion to 4 billion years, there is a slight chance that Venus or Mars will slam into our planet thanks to the subtle gravitational interactions between Jupiter and Mercury. Sun Stealing Earth's Atmosphere Jun 2 2009 - National Geographic News Unlike, say, Mars's or Venus's, Earth's atmosphere was thought to be untouchable inside our protective magnetic field. But a new study says the Sun is slowly "stealing" our atmosphere—and at a greater rate than on Mars or Venus. Planet Found Orbiting Same-Size Star Jun 1 2009 - National Geographic News A previously unproven tool in the planet-hunting arsenal has finally netted its quarry—and it's found an unusual cosmic duo—an extrasolar planet that's thought to be the same size as its parent star. New Light Shed on Pulsar Puzzle May 21 2009 - BBC News Astronomers have shed light on the mysterious origins of the fastest spinning stars known to science—millisecond pulsars. These are the fastest spinning class of pulsars—dense cosmic bodies that emit radio waves along their magnetic poles. Study Turns Back Clock on Origins of Life on Earth May 20 2009 - Reuters A heavy bombardment by asteroids the size of Ireland was not enough to wipe out life on Earth 3.9 billion years ago, researchers said today in a finding that turns back the clock of life by 500 million years. "Whole Earth Telescope" Spies White Dwarf May 20 2009 - Discovery News A worldwide network of telescopes is spending time every night watching the odd death throes of a star very much like the Sun. Europe Launches Telescopes to Measure the Big Bang May 14 2009 - Time As NASA astronauts work to repair the aging Hubble, Europe launches a new generation of telescopes that could help scientists unravel the mysteries of the universe. Mars Rover Stopped in Its Tracks May 13 2009 - ScienceInsider The Spirit rover has bogged down on Mars, a development that could end its long-running mission of exploration. NASA announced that Spirit had dug its wheels deep into the fluffy remains of an ancient volcanic steam vent. Ironically, such salty, flour-like deposits are among Spirit's greatest discoveries in its 5 years of roaming Gusev Crater. Milky Way's X-ray Ridge: Resolving A Galactic Mystery May 1 2009 - ScienceDaily An extremely deep Chandra X–ray Observatory image of a region near the center of the Milky Way Galaxy has resolved a long-standing mystery about an X-ray glow along the plane of the our home galaxy. Cosmic Blast Sets Distance Mark Apr 28 2009 - BBC News The cataclysmic explosion of a giant star early in the history of the Universe is the most distant single object ever detected by telescopes. The colossal blast was picked up first by Nasa's Swift space observatory. Other telescopes then confirmed the source to be more 13 billion light-years away. Lightest Exoplanet Is Discovered Apr 21 2009 - BBC News Astronomers have announced the discovery of the lightest planet ever detected outside our Solar System. Situated in the constellation Libra, it is only about twice as massive as the Earth, whereas most other exoplanets identified have been far bigger. Orion Hides Busy Star "Nursery" Apr 21 2009 - Reuters The constellation Orion hides a busy stellar nursery, crowded with young stars blasting jets of gas in all directions, astronomers report. U.S. Billionaire Roars into Space History Mar 26 2009 - Reuters U.S. billionaire Charles Simonyi roared into space aboard a Russian rocket on Thursday, making history as the first tourist to make the epic journey twice. Tracked Asteroid Debris Collected Mar 26 2009 - BBC News Debris from an asteroid tracked as it fell to Earth has been recovered by scientists for the first time, says a report in the science journal Nature. Obama Quizzes Astronauts about Life in Space Mar 25 2009 - Reuters Astronauts aboard the International Space Station took a break from construction tasks on Tuesday to answer questions from schoolchildren and U.S. President Barack Obama about the rigors of space life. Liquid Saltwater Is Likely Present on Mars, New Analysis Shows Mar 20 2009 - ScienceDaily Salty, liquid water has been detected on a leg of the Mars Phoenix Lander and therefore could be present at other locations on the planet, according to analysis by a group of mission scientists. This is the first time liquid water has been detected and photographed outside the Earth. Discovery Nears Space Station as Debris Nears, Too Mar 16 2009 - Yahoo! News Seven astronauts raced to the international space station aboard space shuttle Discovery today, while NASA debated whether the orbiting outpost will need to move aside to dodge a piece of space junk. The shuttle launch Sunday followed five delays that caused Discovery's mission to be shortened by a day and canceled a planned spacewalk. Pluto Has "Upside Down" Atmosphere Mar 9 2009 - National Geographic News Pluto, the solar system's oddball, has an upside-down atmosphere compared with Earth. Temperatures rise, rather than drop, with altitude on the dwarf planet, a new study finds. Tiny Moon Discovered Orbiting Saturn Mar 4 2009 - CNN International scientists have announced the discovery of a tiny moon orbiting Saturn. The speck of light, captured by cameras on board the Cassini spacecraft, was first observed on August 15. What a Mess! Experts Ponder Space Junk Problem Feb 20 2009 - Yahoo! News Think of it as a galactic garbage dump. With a recent satellite collision still fresh on minds, participants at a meeting in the Austrian capital this week are discussing ways to deal with space debris—junk that is clogging up the orbit around the Earth. Biofuel Rocket Engine Gets Test Run Feb 18 2009 - Discovery.com News The U.S. aerospace industry is officially onboard the biofuel bandwagon, with the test fire of a small rocket engine that burns commercially available biodiesel. Russian and US Satellites Collide Feb 12 2009 - BBC News U.S. and Russian communications satellites have collided in space in what is thought to be the biggest incident of its kind to date. The U.S. commercial Iridium spacecraft hit a defunct Russian satellite at an altitude of about 800km over Siberia on Tuesday, according to Nasa. The impact produced a cloud of debris, which will be tracked into the future. On Titan: It's Raining Methane Feb 3 2009 - MSNBC It's been raining liquid methane on Titan. That's according to an analysis of just-released images revealing a possible new lake in the south polar region of Saturn's largest moon. Sky Show This Month: "Two-Tailed" Comet Nearing Earth Jan 29 2009 - National Geographic News A fresh new face has moved into our neighborhood, but once it swings by Earth next month, it may never come back. Comet Lulin is currently sailing through the inner solar system and is getting closer to our home planet, with its nearest approach expected in late February. New Light on Mars Methane Mystery Jan 16 2009 - BBC News Scientists detect seasonal releases of methane gas on Mars and say either geological activity or life could be the cause. "Renegade" Stars Tearing Across Universe, Hubble Shows Jan 12 2009 - National Geographic News Ripples in cosmic gas that resemble speedboat wakes have revealed a new population of young, renegade stars barreling through the universe at more than 112,000 miles (180,250 kilometers) an hour. NASA Space Balloon Mission Tunes in to Cosmic Radio Mystery Jan 8 2009 - ScienceDaily Listening to the early universe just got harder. A team of NASA scientists announced the discovery of cosmic radio noise that booms six times louder than expected. Detailed analysis ruled out an origin from primordial stars or from known radio sources, including gas in the outermost halo of our own galaxy. The source of this cosmic radio background remains a mystery. Biggest Known Landslide Found on Mars? Jan 7 2009 - National Geographic News A Texas-size asteroid that hit ancient Mars may have triggered a United States–size landslide—the largest known anywhere, according to scientists. The finding could help solve the origin mystery of Mars's Arabia Terra region, a vast, midlevel plateau between the planet's smooth northern lowlands and rugged southern highlands. Data Uncover Bigger Galaxy in Cosmos, and It’s Ours Jan 6 2009 - The New York Times (requires free registration) It turns out that Andromeda, previously thought to be the biggest galaxy in this part of the universe, may not have bragging rights over the Milky Way after all. Astronomers said Monday that the Milky Way is more massive than earlier known. Enceladus Has Spreading Surface Dec 16 2008 - BBC News A NASA probe has witnessed a moon of Saturn do something very unusual and Earth-like. Pictures of the icy satellite Enceladus suggest its surface splits and spreads apart—just like the ocean floor on our planet splits to create new crust. CO2 Found on "Hot Jupiter" Planet Dec 11 2008 - Reuters Carbon dioxide has been seen on a hot planet outside our solar system—another piece of evidence supporting the possibility that life could develop elsewhere, according to astronomers. China to Send Scientists into Space Dec 4 2008 - MSNBC China's military-backed space program will send scientists on future manned missions as its demand for technical expertise rises, state media reported. Plans call for the program to begin setting up space laboratories after 2012. Sources of Saturn Moon's Supersonic Water Jets Revealed Dec 2 2008 - National Geographic News Jets of water vapor blasting out of Saturn's moon Enceladus at supersonic speeds are coming from vents each about the size of a professional sports stadium, a new study says. Researchers think the jets are formed when liquid water from pools not far beneath the icy moon's surface accelerates as vapor passes through a maze of nozzle-like channels before erupting into space. Most Planets May Be Seeded with Life Dec 1 2008 - ScienceNow Daily News Astronomers have detected a building block of RNA floating within the hot, compact core of a massive star-forming region in the Milky Way. The molecule appears to have formed with all of the other stuff that makes up planets, suggesting that many other worlds are seeded with some of life's ingredients right from birth. Thanksgiving Sky: Jupiter, Venus, Moon Together Nov 26 2008 - Time Magazine It's not just families that are getting together this Thanksgiving week. The three brightest objects in the night sky—Venus, Jupiter, and a crescent moon—will crowd around each other for an unusual group shot. Exoplanets Finally Come into View Nov 14 2008 - BBC News The first pictures of planets outside our Solar System have been taken, two groups report in the journal Science. Visible and infrared images have been snapped of a planet orbiting a star 25 light-years away. The planet is believed to be the coolest, lowest-mass object ever seen outside our own solar neighbourhood. Cassini Finds Mysterious New Aurora on Saturn Nov 13 2008 - ScienceDaily Saturn has its own unique brand of aurora that lights up the polar cap, unlike any other planetary aurora known in our solar system. This odd aurora revealed itself to one of the infrared instruments on NASA's Cassini spacecraft. "Star Trek" Shield May Protect Astronauts Nov 6 2008 - National Geographic News A powerful magnetic shield may be able to deflect dangerous solar radiation from spacecraft traveling to the Moon and other planets, a new study says. India Joins Asia Space Race in First Moon Mission Oct 21 2008 - Reuters India will launch its first unmanned Moon mission on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of rivals China and Japan, as it tries to show off its scientific know-how and claim a bigger chunk of the global space business. Mysterious Cyclones Seen at Both of Saturn's Poles Oct 17 2008 - National Geographic News Saturn boasts cyclones at each of its poles that dramatically outpower Earth-roving hurricanes, new images reveal. On Earth, powerful storms are driven by warm surface temperatures, which allow moist air from the oceans to rise and condense. Without large bodies of liquid water, Saturn's polar cyclones are likely fed by heat from thunderstorms deep in its ammonia-filled atmosphere, according to researchers. Falling Snow Seen on Mars Sep 30 2008 - Discovery.com News A robotic science probe on the surface of Mars beamed a laser into the sky and made a surprising discovery: It was snowing. The snowfall detected was taking place 2.5 miles above the planet's surface and vaporized before reaching the ground. Saturn's Rings May Be Older than Thought Sep 23 2008 - Reuters Saturn's rings may be more massive and older than previously thought, according to researchers. Findings to be presented at the European Planetary Science Congress in Germany bolster the possibility that the rings were formed billions of years ago. Saturn Moons Sport Rings, Too Sep 8 2008 - Discovery.com News New findings from the Cassini science probe confirm ring arcs ahead and behind Saturn's small moons Anthe and Methone, a discovery that is giving physicists new insights into the sculpting prowess of gravity. Black Holes Dodge Middle Ground Aug 21 2008 - BBC News For black holes, there appears to be very little room for mediocrity, astronomers have found. A study suggests they come in either small or large sizes, but medium-sized ones are very rare or non-existent. New Minor Planet Helps Explain Comets Aug 18 2008 - Yahoo! News A newly discovered "minor planet" with an elongated orbit around the Sun may help explain the origin of comets, according to researchers. The object, known as 2006 SQ372, is starting the outward portion of a 22,500-year orbit that will take it 150 billion miles away from the Sun. Russian Invasion of Georgia Imperils U.S. Access to Space Station Aug 14 2008 - Discover Magazine In a strange side effect of Russia’s invasion of Georgia this weekend, the U.S. may lose access to Russia’s Soyuz spacecrafts that were expected to ferry NASA astronauts to the International Space Station after the retirement of the space shuttle fleet in 2010. Florida Senator Bill Nelson says that because of Russia’s new aggression, the U.S. Congress may refuse to pass an exemption required to let NASA buy services from Russia. Hostile-to-Life Substance Found in Martian Soil Aug 5 2008 - Discovery.com News NASA's Phoenix spacecraft has detected the presence of a chemically reactive salt in the Martian soil, a finding that if confirmed could make it less friendly to potential life than once believed. The First Stars Started Small, Grew Fast, and Died Young Aug 4 2008 - Discover Magazine Researchers have run a sophisticated computer program that simulated early cosmic conditions and replicated the production of the first primordial star, which cast the first rays of starlight out into the blackness. The new model shows that the first star was tiny, but rapidly grew to enormous proportions before either flaming out or collapsing. There's Life in Space, Says Someone Who's Been There Jul 29 2008 - Reuters The U.S. commander of space shuttle Discovery believes life probably exists somewhere in outer space, but there is a simple reason why aliens have not visited earth—the journey is too tough. Planet and Star in Puzzling Waltz Jul 25 2008 - NewScientist.com A newly discovered planet seems to have a surprisingly powerful influence on its parent star, forcing the star to rotate at exactly the same rate as the planet orbits. The planet's day is also the same length, so the pair are fixed in a face-to-face whirl. Gravity cannot explain the newly discovered exoplanet is so well synchronized with its star, says a UK astronomer. Dwarf Planet Near Pluto Named for Polynesian God Jul 21 2008 - Reuters A dwarf planet orbiting beyond Neptune has been designated the third plutoid in the solar system and given the name Makemake, according to the International Astronomical Union. The red methane-covered dwarf planet formerly known as 2005 FY9 or "Easterbunny" is named after a Polynesian creator of humanity and god of fertility. Photos Reveal Volcanoes on Mercury Jul 10 2008 - National Geographic Mercury is full of volcanoes and other surprises, reveals initial data from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft--the first to conduct an in-depth investigation of the solar system's smallest planet in more than 30 years. Moon's Interior Did Hold Water Jul 9 2008 - BBC News U.S. scientists have found evidence that water was held in the Moon's interior, challenging some elements of the theory of how Earth's satellite formed. NASA Sets Date for Final Shuttle Mission in 2010 Jul 8 2008 - US News & World Report NASA has tentatively set the final space shuttle mission for May 31, 2010, four months before the shuttle fleet retires. Not a Quirk but a Quark… a Quark Star! Jun 27 2008 - National Science Foundation Astronomers recently announced that they have found a novel explanation for a rare type of super-luminous stellar explosion that may have produced a new type of object known as a quark star. Martian Soil Could Support Life Jun 27 2008 - BBC News Martian soil appears to contain sufficient nutrients to support life—or, at least, asparagus—NASA scientists believe. Mars' Two-Faced Riddle Solved Jun 26 2008 - BBC News The puzzle of why the northern and southern hemispheres of Mars look so different may now have been solved. Mars' crust is thicker in the southern hemisphere, and magnetic anomalies are found in the south but not the north. New studies suggest that a massive space rock smashing into the planet could have created an abrupt disparity between the two halves. Bright Chunks at Phoenix Lander's Mars Site Must Have Been Ice Jun 20 2008 - Science Daily Dice-size crumbs of bright material have vanished from inside a trench where they were photographed by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander four days ago, convincing scientists that the material was frozen water that vaporized after digging exposed it. Trio of Super-Earths Discovered Jun 17 2008 - BBC News Astronomers have identified a trio of so-called "super-Earths"--rocky planets between two and 10 times the mass of Earth. The three new planets were detected using the Harps instrument at the La Silla Observatory in central Chile. The star they circle is slightly smaller than our Sun and is located 42 light-years away near the southern Doradus and Pictor constellations. Life Cooked Up in Outer Space? Jun 17 2008 - ScienceNow Daily News The odds are improving that life exists beyond Earth. A European-U.S. team reports that a meteorite that formed billions of years ago and eventually crashed on our planet harbors two important components of RNA and DNA, the fundamental molecules of life. The findings could help explain how life got started on Earth, and they suggest that the ingredients for life have been liberally sprinkled throughout the solar system, if not the galaxy. 'Non-Planet' Pluto Gets New Class Jun 12 2008 - BBC News "Plutoid" is the word of the moment for astronomers. It is the new classification that has been sanctioned for the object that was formerly known as the "ninth planet". It is nearly two years since the International Astronomical Union (IAU) stripped Pluto of its former status as a "proper" planet. Now an IAU committee, meeting in Oslo, has suggested that small, nearly spherical objects orbiting beyond Neptune should carry the "plutoid" tag. As astronomy's official nomenclature organisation, the IAU must approve all new names and classifications. "Lunar Concrete" May Form Buildings on the Moon Jun 10 2008 - National Geographic A new type of "lunar concrete," made by mixing moondust and carbon nanotubes, could be used to construct buildings, solar power arrays, and monolithic telescopes on the Moon. Dark, Perhaps Forever Jun 3 2008 - New York Times (requires free registration) A decade ago, astronomers discovered that galaxies, pushed apart by the force of the Big Bang, are picking up speed, in defiance of cosmic gravity, on a dash toward eternity. The shock has not worn off. Although cosmologists have adopted a name, dark energy, for whatever is driving this apparently antigravitational behavior, nobody claims to understand why it is happening, or its implications for the future of the universe and of the life within it, despite thousands of learned papers, scores of conferences, and millions of dollars' worth of telescope time. It has led some cosmologists to the verge of abandoning their fondest dream: a theory that can account for the universe and everything about it in a single breath. Robot Digger to Land at Martian Pole May 21 2008 - Time Magazine Like a miner prospecting for gold, NASA hopes its latest robot to Mars hits pay dirt when it lands Sunday near the red planet's north pole to conduct a 90-day digging mission. The three-legged Phoenix Mars lander fitted with a backhoe arm is zeroing in on the unexplored arctic region where a reservoir of ice is believed to lie beneath the Martian surface. Astronomers in a Spin about Mystery Pulsar May 20 2008 - ScienceNOW Daily News Imagine a star more massive than the Sun yet hardly larger than a small city. Now twirl it around as fast as a kitchen blender spins. Such millisecond pulsars are fairly common in the Milky Way, but astronomers have found one that stands out. Pulsar J1903+0327, some 20,000 light-years from Earth, appears to be orbiting the wrong kind of star in the wrong way. Figuring out what's up with this outlier may shed light on how the most extreme objects in the universe form. Remains of 140-Year-Old Supernova Discovered May 15 2008 - Scientific American Astronomers have discovered traces of a star that went supernova about 140 years ago, around the time of the U.S. Civil War and the publication of Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. The expanding debris cloud, or remnant, known as G1.9+0.3, lies near the center of the Milky Way, about 25,000 light-years from Earth. Iron "Snow" May Explain Mercury's Magnetic Field May 9 2008 - NewScientist Flakes of iron snow could be falling inside the planet Mercury, according to a new experiment. This hot metal snowfall might help generate Mercury's puzzling magnetic field. Dust Devils Spotted at Mars Probe's Landing Site May 8 2008 - NewScientist Two whirling dust devils towering nearly a kilometer high have been seen at the exact spot where the Phoenix Mars lander is due to touch down in a few weeks. The dust vortices should pose no threat to the landing, but could provide dramatic views from the probe when it alights on the flat, relatively barren landscape. India in Multi-Satellite Launch Apr 28 2008 - BBC News ndia has successfully launched 10 satellites in a single mission, boosting its capabilities in space. The launch, from the Sriharikota space center off India's east coast, is being described as a milestone for the country's 45-year-old space program. Observers say it's a sign that India is emerging as a major player in the multi-billion dollar space market. Gravity "Ripples" Hunt Upgraded Apr 17 2008 - BBC News The next phase in physics' great 21st century quest--to detect gravitational waves--has been approved. The US Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatories (LIGO) is hunting for ripples predicted to be seen in the fabric of space-time when extreme cosmic events occur, such as the merger of super-dense stars. Confirmation of the waves' existence should open up new ways to study the mysteries of the universe. Mission to Saturn Extended to 2010 Apr 16 2008 - MSNBC The Cassini spacecraft's mission to Saturn has been extended by two years, NASA announced, allowing the plucky probe to continue scouting the planet and its exotic medley of moons. Enormous Solar "Belches" Rip the Tail off a Passing Comet Apr 15 2008 - BBC News Nasa's Stereo orbiters have captured stunning new images of spaceborne debris thrown out from the Sun. The twin spacecraft have seen Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) hurling material into a comet, ripping off its tail. Scientists hope the probes will allow better forecasting of CMEs, which sometimes disrupt communication systems on Earth. Russia Tests Monkeys for Mars Trip Apr 14 2008 - BBC News Russia's Sochi Institute of Medical Primatology will select macaques that may eventually fly to Mars before humans do. After two years of experiments the most suitable 40 monkeys will be sent to the Institute of Biomedical Problems in Moscow, where scientists study aerospace biomedicine. Experiments on the monkeys will be carried out at the same time as the Mars-500 project. Search for Active Volcanoes on Venus in High Gear Apr 10 2008 - Science Daily ESA's Venus Express has measured a highly variable quantity of the volcanic gas sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere of Venus. Scientists must now decide whether this is evidence for active volcanoes on Venus, or linked to a hitherto unknown mechanism affecting the upper atmosphere. Robot Ship Cleared to Dock with Space Station Apr 3 2008 - New York Times (requires free registration) Managers of the International Space Station on Wednesday cleared Europe's new Jules Verne cargo ship for its first docking with the orbiting research outpost. The Jules Verne is the first of a new class of robot station supply ships called Automatic Transfer Vehicles or ATVs. New Kink in Sun's Strange Corona Mar 25 2008 - MSNBC The Sun's outer layer, the corona, is inexplicably hot. A new study may complicate things further by poking holes in a leading theory that aims to account for the puzzling phenomenon. Centuries-Old Supernova "Echoes" Detected Mar 24 2008 - National Geographic A powerful supernova hundreds of years ago sent light bouncing off neighboring dust clouds, and that "echoed light" is just now reaching Earth, providing clues to the spectacular event. The massive blast took place 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy. Evidence of Ocean Found on Saturn’s Titan Mar 21 2008 - MSNBC An ocean seasoned with the chemical ingredients of life may lie hidden beneath the icy surface of Saturn's moon Titan. The evidence? The entire surface of Titan appears to be sliding around, scientists say, like cheese over tomato sauce on a slice of pizza. Methane Found on Distant World Mar 20 2008 - BBC News A carbon-containing molecule has been detected for the first time on a planet outside our Solar System. The organic compound methane was found in the atmosphere of a planet orbiting a star some 63 light years away. Water has also been found in its atmosphere, but scientists say the planet is far too hot to support life. First Mars Avalanches Seen in Action Mar 5 2008 - National Geographic The first-ever picture of avalanches occurring on Mars has been found among the latest batch of images from NASA's orbiting HiRISE camera. Most of the shots of the Martian surface returned so far by the high-resolution camera have been much more static. But in this case billowing clouds of dust reveal active landslides at the base of a towering slope. Unique Solar Probe Freezing to Death Feb 25 2008 - MSNBC The Ulysses solar probe, after 17 years of studying the Sun and solar system, is about to die by freezing to death, NASA and the European Space Agency say. The satellite had long outlasted the five-year mission it began in 1990, but it continued to transmit useful data on solar winds. More recently, its plutonium power source had slowly weakened and its fuel was freezing as the probe made a wide circle of the Sun, traveling as far as Jupiter. Water Gushes Created "Staircases" on Mars Feb 21 2008 - MSNBC Sudden, tremendous gushes of water from underground most likely carved out unusual fan-shaped geological formations with steps like a staircase long ago on the surface of Mars, scientists say. First Stars May Have Been Dark Feb 19 2008 - BBC News The first stars to appear in the Universe may have been powered by dark matter, according to scientists. Normal stars are powered by nuclear fusion reactions, where hydrogen atoms meld to form heavier helium. But when the Universe was still young, there would have been abundant dark matter, made of particles called Wimps: Weakly Interacting Massive Particles. These would have fused together and obliterated each other long before nuclear fusion had the chance to start. As a result, the first stars would have looked quite different from the ones we see today, and they may have changed the course of the Universe's evolution, or at least held it up. Discovery of Two New Planets Raises Questions Feb 15 2008 - MSNBC The discovery of a Jupiter-like planet and another about the size of Saturn has astronomers suggesting that solar systems like our own may be common. The newfound worlds both appear to be gaseous and are about 80% the sizes of Jupiter and Saturn, the astronomers said today. They orbit a star that is about half the size of our Sun and is dimmer and much cooler. Japanese Scientists Make Paper Planes for Space Feb 7 2008 - ABC News A spacecraft made of folded paper zooming through the skies may sound far-fetched, but Japanese scientists plan to launch paper planes from the International Space Station to see if they make it back to Earth. The theory is that paper craft, being much lighter than space shuttles, may escape the worst of the friction and heat that much heavier space shuttles face on re-entry to the atmosphere; they say the technology might one day be used for unmanned spacecraft. NASA Beaming Beatles Tune to the Stars Feb 4 2008 - MSNBC NASA today will broadcast the Beatles' song "Across the Universe" across the galaxy to Polaris, the North Star. This first-ever beaming of a radio song by the space agency directly into deep space is nostalgia-driven. It celebrates the 40th anniversary of the song, the 45th anniversary of NASA's Deep Space Network, which communicates with its distant probes, and the 50th anniversary of NASA. Mercury's Volcanic Past Revealed Jan 31 2008 - BBC News A fly-by by a Nasa unmanned space probe has revealed evidence of "widespread" volcanism on the planet Mercury. The US Mercury Messenger spacecraft made a close pass of the first planet from the Sun on 14 January. Evidence from the Mariner 10 probe launched in the 1970s had provided only tenuous evidence for volcanic activity. In addition, only 45% of Mercury's surface had previously been mapped; Messenger has already covered a further 30% of the planet. On the evidence for volcanism, mission scientist Louise Prockter, from the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, said: "I think there's little doubt on the part of our team that there has been widespread volcanism on Mercury." Spy Satellite Loses Power, May Fall to Earth Jan 28 2008 - MSNBC A large U.S. spy satellite has lost power and could hit the Earth in late February or March, say government officials. The satellite, which no longer can be controlled, could contain hazardous materials, and it is unknown where on the planet it might come down, they said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the information is classified as secret. "Appropriate government agencies are monitoring the situation," said Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the National Security Council, when asked about the situation after it was disclosed by other officials. "Numerous satellites over the years have come out of orbit and fallen harmlessly. We are looking at potential options to mitigate any possible damage this satellite may cause." Largest Asteroid to Come Near Earth in 22 Years Jan 25 2008 - NewScientist.com The largest asteroid to come near the Earth in more than 20 years will make its closest approach on Tuesday, venturing as close as 1.4 times the distance to the Moon. The last time an object of about the same size was observed to approach Earth at about the same distance was in September 1985, says Don Yeomans, head of NASA's Near Earth Object program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, US. "This will be the closest approach by a known asteroid of this size or larger until 2027," he adds. Its discovery only a few months before its closest approach to Earth highlights the importance of finding potentially dangerous space rocks, astronomers say. Recent research suggests small asteroids, just a few tens of meters across, can cause significant destruction if they impact the Earth. Two Unusual Older Stars Giving Birth to Second Wave of Planets Jan 15 2008 - Science Daily Astronomers report that a second wave of planetesimal and planet formation appears to be taking place, years after planets would have initially formed around two unusual stars. “This is a new class of stars, ones that display conditions now ripe for formation of a second generation of planets, long, long after the stars themselves formed,” explained Carl Melis, a University of California, Los Angeles, graduate student. Melis reported the findings on January 15 at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Austin, Texas. NASA Scientists Predict Black Hole Light Echo Show Jan 14 2008 - Space Daily New theoretical research shows the gravity outside the outer boundary of a black hole can produce light echoes. “The light echoes come about because of the severe warping of space time predicted by Einstein,” said Keigo Fukumura of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “If the black hole is spinning fast, it can literally drag the surrounding space, and this can produce some wild special effects.” Airborne Astronomers to Track Intense Meteor Shower Jan 3 2008 - NewScientist.com Sky watchers who have good weather could view dozens of Quadrantid meteors tonight. Like other meteor showers, the Quadrantids appear when Earth moves through an interplanetary stream of debris. “It is out strongest annual shower, but one that is frustratingly difficult to observe,” explained Peter Jenniskens of NASA’s Ames Research Center. Researchers note the difficulty can be partially attributed to bad weather in the northern hemisphere at this time of year. And for residents who live in the far north, the shower’s radiant is below the horizon. Baby Planet Spotted Near Far Away Sun Jan 3 2008 - MSNBC.com Scientists have located the youngest planet to date circling a sun-like star. Cataloged as TW Hydrae b, the planet is so infantile that it resides in the star’s “protoplanetary disk,” a ring of gas and dust circling the star. The extrasolar planet is an estimated at eight million to 10 million years old. Researchers explained that no planet younger than 100-million-years-old has been detected circling a sun-like star until now. Exoplanet Reflected Light Detected for the First Time Dec 28 2007 - Science Daily Using techniques similar to how Polaroid sunglasses filter reflected sunlight to reduce glare, an international team of astronomers has detected and monitored the visible light scattered in the atmosphere of an exoplanet for the first time. “The polarimetric detection of the reflected light from exoplanets opens new and vast opportunities for exploring physical conditions in their atmospheres,” explains lead researcher Svetlana Berdyugina of ETH Zurich’s Institute of Astronomy. “In addition, more can be learned about radii and true masses, and thus the densities of nontransiting planets.” The Enduring Mysteries of Comets Dec 28 2007 - MSNBC.com For many years, scientists have believed that comets were omens of doom. However, researchers explain that solving the mysteries behind comets could help reveal the part they played in the birth of life on Earth. Studying comets could also help uncover secrets concerning the rest of the galaxy. Earliest Stage of Planet Formation Dated Dec 20 2007 - Space Daily University of California, Davis, researchers have dated the earliest step in the formation of the solar system. Researchers say microscopic interstellar dust coalesced into mountain-sized chunks of rock 4,568 million years ago, within a range of 2,080,000 years. The scientists established the dates by analyzing a particular type of meteorite, known as a carbonaceous chondrite, which represents the oldest material left over from the formation of the solar system. Moon is Younger and More Earth-like Than Thought Dec 20 2007 - NewScientist.com New research suggests that the Moon is 30 million years younger than previously thought, and is similar to Earth rather than Mars. Researchers based their findings on studies of an isotope of the metal tungsten in lunar rocks. The isotope, tungsten-182, is produced by the decay of two other elements: hafnium-182, which has a half-life of nine million years, and tantalum-182. Tantalum-182, however, is not an intrinsic component of the Moon. It forms when cosmic rays run into the lunar surface. Previous estimates of the Moon’s age were based on tungsten measurements that did not subtract the effect of the decay of tantalum. Neptune and Uranus Traded Cosmic Places Dec 19 2007 - MSNBC.com Steve Desch, an Arizona State University astrophysicist, claims that Uranus and Neptune switched places during a gentle ride out to their current orbits. “Models predicted [Jupiter] would take many millions of years for it to form, and billions of years for Uranus and Neptune, but our solar system is not that old,” Desch explained. “Having a denser disk of gas bunched up around the sun could explain the two planets’ formation, but only if they switched places.” Desch’s work is published in the Astrophysical Journal. Galaxy Zapping Neighbor With Deathly Beam Dec 18 2007 - Discovery News Scientists have observed a super-massive black hole blasting its galactic neighbor with a deadly beam of energy. “There will be bad effects on Earth-like planets,” noted astronomer Daniel Evans of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. However, researcher Martin Hardcastle of the University of Hertfordshire explained the jet’s smashing into the other galaxy’s clouds of gas and dust could trigger the clouds to contract and give birth to new stars there. Hardcastle added that either way there is strong evidence the violence will not last. It's Prime Time for Reliable Meteor Shower Dec 13 2007 - MSNBC.com Observers note this year’s Geminid meteor shower should be a “reliable” and “great” display. The best time to view the Geminids is anytime after 10 p.m. when the constellation Gemini, from which the meteors appear to emanate, rises higher into the eastern sky. By 2 a.m. Friday, Gemini is directly overhead, and meteors will streak outward in all directions, like spokes on a wheel, weather permitting. Mars Rover Finding Suggests Once Habitable Environment Dec 12 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration) Scientists report that the lame wheel on the Mars rover Spirit has generated evidence that the Red Planet was once a habitable environment. Researchers explain high levels of silica were found in Spirit after the rover’s right front wheel stopped turning. Spirit’s twin, Opportunity, has found evidence of an environment once steeped in acidic ground water. Meanwhile, images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have helped to explain the mystery of geological patterns called “spiders” that appear each spring around the South Pole. New Findings Underscore an Earth-Venus Kinship Nov 29 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration) Scientists report that despite a few differences, Venus and Earth are similar planets. “They’re really twins which are just separated at birth,” observed Dmitri Titov, the science coordinator for the Venus Express mission. “The key question is why those twins are so different.” Understanding the dynamics and history of Venus’s turbulent atmosphere could lead to an enhanced understanding of the role that heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide play in shaping the climate of planets including Earth. China Shows First Image From Lunar Probe Nov 26 2007 - ABC News Chinese officials have unveiled the first image of the moon. The image, captured by the country’s Chang-e 1 probe, marks the formal start of the satellite’s mission to document the lunar landscape. Launched in October, China hopes the Chang-e 1 will have surveyed the entire surface of the moon at least once by early next year. Earth's Moon is a Rare Oddball Nov 21 2007 - MSNBC.com A new study suggests that moons created from massive collisions similar to the way Earth’s might have been are a rarity in the universe. “When a moon forms from a violent collision, dust should be blasted everywhere,” explained Nadya Gorlova, an astronomer at the University of Florida in Gainesville, who analyzed observations of stellar dust clouds from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope to make the discovery. “If there were lots of moons forming, we would have seen dust around lots of stars. But we didn’t.” The findings appear in the Astrophysical Journal. Autumn Meteor Shower Hitting its Peak Nov 16 2007 - MSNBC.com Sky watchers worldwide can look for the return of the famous Leonid meteor shower this weekend. Experts note that this year’s show will be a modest one instead of a spectacular display as in years past. The meteors will appear to emanate from out of the so-called “Sickle” of Leo. Prospective viewers should not concentrate on that area of the sky around Leo, bur rather keep their eyes moving around to different parts of the sky. The best time for viewing is after midnight. Brightest Supernova May Reignite Nov 15 2007 - Scientific American Researchers have proposed two competing theories for a new type of ultra-powerful supernova discovered in 2006. One team of scientists says that supernova 2006gy fits a model of star explosion that should have produced two flare-ups already and may culminate in a third before the star fizzles out. A second study suggests the explosion might have come from the marriage of multiple stars. Astronomers Simulate Life and Death in the Universe Oct 30 2007 - Science Daily Using computer simulations, researchers at the Argelander Institute for Astronomy at the University of Bonn have answered the question of how star clusters are created from interstellar gas clouds and why they develop in different ways. The work has helped to solve, on a theoretical level, one of the oldest astronomical mysteries. Scientists Say Dark Matter Doesn't Exist Oct 29 2007 - MSNBC.com Two scientists report that dark matter does not exist. In August 2006, an astronomer at the University of Arizona at Tucson and his colleagues reported that a collision between two huge clusters of galaxies three billion light-years away, known as the Bullet Cluster, had caused clouds of dark matter to separate from normal matter. Many scientists noted the observations were proof of dark matter’s existence and a serious blow for alternative explanations aiming to eliminate dark matter with modified theories of gravity. But now astronomers at the University of Waterloo in Canada say those announcements were premature. China is the Latest to Head to the Moon Oct 24 2007 - CBS News More than 2,000 tourists witnessed the launch today of China’s first lunar probe into space. Named after a mythical Chinese goddess who flew to the moon, The Chang’e 1 will orbit Earth and enter the moon’s orbit by November 5. Mission scientists hope to analyze the chemical and mineral composition of the lunar surface, and conduct explorations of the moon for a year. China hopes to put a man on the moon by 2020. Astronomers Find Dust in the Wind of Black Holes Oct 12 2007 - Space Daily New observations from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope suggest that space dust was manufactured in large quantities in the winds of black holes that populated the early universe. Theorists have postulated that supernovae might be the source of this dust, while others have proposed that a type of energetic, growing super-massive black hole could be a contributing factor. Researchers explain the new findings provide a significant clue in figuring out where all the dust in the young universe came from. Mineral May Unlock Secrets of Venus's Ancient Oceans Oct 11 2007 - NewScientist.com Although the surface of Venus is extremely dry and hot, scientists say there is evidence that the planet was much cooler and wetter in previous years. Researchers explain the answer could be locked inside a hardy mineral known as tremolite. “For half of its lifetime, Venus could have been a habitable planet with liquid water oceans,” explains planetary scientist David Grinspoon of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. "Missing" Moons, "Dirty" Ice Among Jupiter Flyby Finds Oct 10 2007 - National Geographic News New findings published in this week’s journal Science show “missing” moonlets, a huge volcanic eruption, and new maps of possible ocean ice on Jupiter’s moons. The most surprising find for astronomers was an absence of tiny moonlets within Jupiter’s rings. Four small moons orbiting inside the orbit of the large moon Io were found during previous missions. Studying the ice on the surface of Jupiter’s moons might offer clues to whether the underlying ocean is suitable for life, scientists noted. Major Step Toward Knowing Origin of Cosmic Rays Oct 10 2007 - Space Daily New observations from NASA and the Japanese X-ray observatories have helped to clarify the origin of cosmic rays. Scientists explain cosmic rays are not actually rays; they are subatomic particles and ions that travel through space in all directions at near-light speed, with energies tens of thousands of times greater than particles produced in Earth’s largest particle accelerators. Since the 1960s, scientists have pointed to supernova remnants as the breeding ground of most cosmic rays. Mystery of Saturn's Two-Faced Moon Solved Oct 9 2007 - MSNBC.com For years, the appearance of Saturn’s two-sided moon Iapetus has puzzled astronomers. However, new images suggest sunlight is melting ice on one side of Iapetus, leaving the moon’s dark surface exposed, while the other half retains its reflective ice-mixed shell. Did an Ancient Impact Bowl Pluto Over? Oct 5 2007 - NewScientist.com A new study suggests that Pluto and its moon Charon might have tipped over when they were struck by space rocks in the past. Jay Melosh of the University of Arizona, Tucson, first suggested that the basins gouged out by impacts would redistribute the mass of planetary bodies causing them to roll over to re-stabilize themselves. But Francis Nimmo of the University of California, Santa Cruz, who has led similar studies of Earth’s and Saturn’s moons, says impacts might also have caused Pluto and Charon to flip over on their sides. Earth-like Planet Spotted in the Making Oct 4 2007 - Scientific American Astronomers report that a ring of warm dust encircling a star 424 light-years away might be molded into an Earth-like planet in the next 100 million years. The composition of the dust suggests the star is also right for forming a rocky or terrestrial planet instead of a gaseous one. The research will be published in The Astrophysical Journal. Microbes Gain Strength in Space Oct 3 2007 - Space Daily Researchers from NASA and 13 institutions have performed the first study of its kind to investigate the effect of space flight on the genetic responses and disease-causing potential of Salmonella typhimurium, the main bacteria component of food poisoning. The results show a key role for a master regulator, known as Hfq, in triggering the genetic changes that indicate an increase in the virulence of salmonella as a result of space flight. The results also show potential for new therapies for treatment and prevention of infectious disease. High Definition Imagery of Earth Shot from Space Oct 2 2007 - MSNBC.com Kaguya, the Japanese lunar explorer, has captured the first high-definition video of Earth. The lunar explorer will investigate the entire moon to determine its chemical composition, surface and sub-surface structure, the remnants of its magnetic field, and its gravity field. The results are expected to help scientists enhance their understanding of the moon’s origin and evolution. Astronomers Find Mysterious Radio Burst Sep 28 2007 - MSNBC.com Archived views of the cosmos reveal a new and intense type of radio burst. The burst could be neutron stars colliding or death throes of a black hole. “This is something that is completely unprecedented,” said Duncan Lorimer, an astrophysicist at West Virginia University in Morgantown and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, who led researchers in the discovery. Lorimer added that the find could open a whole new research field. The "Dawn" of Asteroid Exploration Sep 27 2007 - CBS News NASA successfully launched the Dawn spacecraft on September 27. The craft will travel to Vesta and Ceres, the two largest asteroids in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. “We should learn a lot about the evolutionary history, the geologic make-up, and, of course, take stunning visual images throughout the orbital phases,” explained NASA engineer Jennifer Roca. NASA Spacecraft Set to Probe Two Planet Wannabes Sep 26 2007 - Christian Science Monitor In an effort to study the origin of the solar system, NASA plans to launch Dawn on September 27. Dawn is a spacecraft designed to orbit Vesta and Ceres. The objects orbit the sun in the asteroid belt. The craft will gather chemical, mineral, and other data on the planetary objects. Dawn will spend 10 months at Vesta beginning in August 2011. The craft will then travel to Ceres for six months. MIT Observations Give Precise Estimate of Mars Surface Ice Sep 26 2007 - Mars Daily Scientists have discovered that the southern pole of Mars contains the largest deposit of frozen water in the inner solar system, outside of Earth. “What we found is that water ice is the dominant constituent beneath a thin dust veneer,” explained Maria Zuber, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology geophysics professor, who served as lead author of the study. Zuber’s research team identified the composition of the southern polar cap by calculating its density. The researchers plan to conduct a similar density study of Mars’ northern polar cap. Astronomers Use New Method to Find Galaxies Sep 25 2007 - MSNBC.com Scientists have discovered a new technique that can dissect the intense pattern of light emitted by quasars, finding irregularities in the image where “invisible” galaxies are absorbing some of the quasar light. “The difficulty in actually spotting and seeing these galaxies stems from the fact that the glare of the quasar is too strong compared to the dim light of the galaxy,” explained Nicholas Bouche, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany. 'Sci-Fi' Model Worlds Aid Planet Classification Sep 25 2007 - NewScientist.com Scientists have worked out the properties of a variety of unique planet types that could circle alien suns, including worlds of graphite and globes of carbon monoxide. The researchers considered planets that sound like sci-fi creations but that could actually be formed in nature. The work could help astronomers identify the properties of exoplanets discovered in the future. Forty-Year-Old Telescope is Still a Galactic Explorer Sep 19 2007 - NewScientist.com Scientists say the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico continues to provide unique capabilities. Supporters note the world’s largest radio dish is needed to test general relativity and theories of galactic evolution. However, a review panel urged the National Science Foundation to cut support for the telescope in 2006. Lunar Mysteries Still Baffle Scientists Sep 17 2007 - MSNBC.com As close as the moon is to Earth, scientists are still far from solving all of its mysteries. These mysteries range from how the moon was born to whether life on Earth has its past and future there. Astronomers Aim to Shine Light on Universe's 'Dark Energy' Sep 13 2007 - Christian Science Monitor So far, no one has devised a widely accepted reason why dark energy exists. Nor has anyone figured out why it acts as a repellent. Scientists explain that dark energy is 74% of the universe’s inventory of matter and energy. “It’s almost unfair that the universe is teasing us this way. It gives us this dramatic clue, then shuts up,” said Sean Carroll, a cosmologist at the California Institute of Technology. “We want to understand this dramatic fact much better. But in order to do that, we need to get more information about it.” The National Research Council (NRC) has become the latest group to answer that call. The NRC has recommended that NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy underwrite a mission to take dark energy’s measure. Scientists Shave 15 minutes off Saturn's Day Sep 7 2007 - MSNBC.com New calculations of Saturn’s rotation period could have major implications for how scientists think about other gas giants. Using data collected by several NASA spacecrafts, scientists have revised the ringed planet’s rotation period to 10 hours, 32 minutes, and 35 seconds. Scientists note the new numbers are “only the latest educated guess.” The new calculations are about 15 minutes shorter than an estimate made in 2006. Rovers Begin New Observations on Changing Martain Atmosphere Aug 30 2007 - Mars Daily Scientists working with the Mars rovers have engaged in a new study of the Red Planet’s atmosphere using the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS). Thanasis Economou, senior scientist at the Enrico Fermi Institute in Chicago, suggested the study after observing that the APXS instruments aboard the Mars rovers had recorded fluctuations in the argon composition of the Martian atmosphere. Einstein's Warping Seen Around Neutron Stars Aug 28 2007 - MSNBC.com Albert Einstein’s predicted warping of space time has been discovered around neutron stars. The same distortions have also been found around Earth and black holes. The finding is significant for answering basic questions of physics, according to NASA and University of Michigan astronomers involved in the research. Total Lunar Eclipse Coming Early Tuesday Aug 27 2007 - CBS News Skywatchers across most of the globe will be able to view a total lunar eclipse on August 28. For the second time this year, the lunar eclipse will be visible in North and South America. Residents in the Pacific Islands, eastern Asia, Australia, and New Zealand can view the eclipse if the skies are clear. People in Europe, Africa, or the Middle East will be unable to view the eclipse because the moon will have set when the partial eclipse begins at 4:51 a.m. Eastern time. The next total lunar eclipse will take place on February 21, 2008. Astronomers Find a Hole in the Universe Aug 24 2007 - CBS News A group of astronomers from the University of Minnesota have found a hole in the universe. Astronomers have known for many years that there are empty patches in the universe. But the new finding “is a void that is far bigger than scientists ever imagined,” according to the Minnesota group. The scientists found the hole after using two different types of astronomical observations. Endeavour and Crew Land Safely in Florida Aug 21 2007 - ABC News NSTA member and astronaut Barbara Morgan and her crewmates have returned to Earth after spending 14 days in space aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. The shuttle landed at 12:32 p.m. Eastern time on August 21 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Morgan noted that she would “be gland to get her feet on the ground.” During her first day in space, Morgan commented that she “felt upside down and was not sure which way was up.” Old Star Shows Signs of Earth-like Planets Aug 17 2007 - MSNBC.com Scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), report that chemical elements observed around a burned-out star known as a white dwarf offer evidence that Earth-like plants once orbited it. The scientists studied a white dwarf named GD 362, located 150 light years away in the Milky Way, to make their finding. They determined that the chemical composition of a large asteroid that was broken by gravitational forces as it approached GD 362, finding it was similar to that of Earth’s crust. “The fact that the asteroid is so similar in composition to the Earth, as well as the moon, indicates that rocky planets like our own may have orbited the star eons ago,” said UCLA astronomer Michael Jura. Comet Probes Show Origin of Life Evidence Aug 15 2007 - Science Daily Probes placed inside comets suggest life began in space, according to Welsh scientists. Professor Chandra Wickramasinghe and her colleagues explain that the findings show how the first organisms could have formed. The 2005 Deep Impact mission to Comet Tempel 1 discovered a mixture of organic and clay particles acted as a catalyst, converting simple organic molecules into more complex structures. The 2004 Stardust Mission to Comet Wild 2 found a range of complex hydrocarbon molecules, which are considered potential building blocks for life. China Plans to Survey 'Every Inch' of Moon Aug 14 2007 - Moon Daily State media officials in China report that the country plans to survey the “every inch” of the moon’s surface before eventually bringing pieces of it back to Earth. Media officials explained that China’s lunar exploration program is divided into three areas: orbiting the moon, landing on the lunar surface, and coming back to Earth with samples. The country also plans to continue its efforts to research manned space missions, including a space walk and experiments to connect passing spacecraft. Rare Meteor Shower to Shed Light on Dangerous Comets Aug 8 2007 - NewScientist.com On September 1, a rare meteor shower is predicted to hit Earth. The collision will enable astronomers to have a second chance to study an ancient comet’s crust. It will also help them develop a warning system against a comet aimed at Earth from the dark fringes of the solar system. Astronomers associated with the event are looking for amateurs to contribute their observations. “We are interested to know what is the brightest, biggest Aurigid,” explained Peter Jenniskens of NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California. “Somebody is going to capture that, and it’s probably not going to be us.” Scientists Discover Largest Known Planet Outside of Solar System Aug 7 2007 - ABC News Scientists have discovered the largest-known planet outside the solar system. TrES–4 consists of hydrogen with a temperature of 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit. It is 20 times the diameter of Earth and 1.7 times the diameter of Jupiter. “There is probably not a really firm surface anywhere on the planet. You would sink into it,” explained Georgi Mandushev, a research scientist at Flagstaff’s Lowell Observatory and lead author of an article announcing the finding in the Astrophysical Journal Letters. Planet Orbiting a Giant Red Star Discovered with Hobby-Eberly Telescope Aug 6 2007 - Space Daily Researchers led by Pennsylvania State University’s Alex Wolszczan have found a planet orbiting a giant red star. The discovery resulted from an ongoing effort that the research team began three years ago to find Jupiter-mass planets around red giant stars that are typically farther from Earth than those included in most other planet searches. A paper describing the discovery is scheduled to appear in the November 2007 issue of the Astrophysical Journal. Reborn Phoenix Lander Wings its Way to Mars Aug 6 2007 - MSNBC.com On August 4, NASA launched the Phoenix Mars Lander. The robot will be searching for traces of organic molecules on the Red Planet. Traces of the molecules would be a possible indicator of conditions favorable for current or previous life on Mars, according to scientists. Perseid Meteors Set to Dazzle Aug 1 2007 - NewScientist.com On August 12, the Perseids will peak. The meteors are cast-offs from Comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun every 135 years and last swept through the inner solar system in 1992. At its peak, the shower is expected to produce one or two meteors per minute, according to Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office in Huntsville, Alabama. Quadruple Star System May Host a Planet Jul 26 2007 - NewScientist.com New observations show planets may be present in a quadruple star system 150 light years from Earth. Named HD 98800, the system consists of two pairs of stars in which the partners in each pair orbit one another closely. The pairs themselves travel around each other on an elongated path. For more information on the Solar System, NSTA members can refer to the July 2007 issue of Science Scope. Scientists Detect Saturn's 60th Moon Jul 20 2007 - Saturn Daily Scientists have detected the 60th moon orbiting Saturn using the Cassini spacecraft’s wide angle camera. Cassini scientists believe the moon is about 1.2 miles wide, and similar to its neighbors, is made mostly of ice and rock. “When the Cassini mission launched back in 1997, we knew of only 18 moons orbiting Saturn,” said Carl Murray, a Cassini imaging team scientist from Queen Mary, University of London. “Now, between Earth-based telescopes and Cassini we have more than tripled that number, and each and every new discovery adds another piece to the puzzle and becomes another new world to explore.” Charon Could Be Ice Machine Jul 18 2007 - Space Daily Frigid geysers spewing material through cracks in the crust of Pluto’s companion Charon and recoating parts of its surface in ice crystals could be making this distant world into the equivalent of an outer solar system ice machine. Evidence for these ice deposits comes from high resolution spectra obtained using optic and infrared instruments. The discovery could have profound implications for other similar worlds in the Kuiper Belt, scientists say. For more information on the Solar System, NSTA members can refer to the July 2007 issue of Science Scope. Volcano Used as a Test Bed for Trees Jul 16 2007 - ABC News Scientists are using the pine-forested slopes of a Mexican volcano as a test bed to see if trees could grow on a heated Mars. The effort is part of a vision of making the chilly and barren red planet habitable for humans in the future. Planetary scientists at NASA and Mexican universities believe if they can warm Mars using heat-trapping gases, raise the air pressure, and start photosynthesis, they could create an atmosphere that would support oxygen-breathing life forms. For more information on the Solar System, NSTA members can refer to the July 2007 issue of Science Scope. Stars With Debris Spots Discovered Jul 16 2007 - MSNBC.com Astronomers report that debris spots found on stars reveal planets have appeared to fall flat like bugs on a windshield. Luca Pasquini, a European Southern Observatory astronomer, noted the result is metal smears on the surface of parent stars. “It is a little bit like a tiramisu or a cappuccino,” Pasquini observed. The finding could help unravel mysteries of planet formation. For more information on the Solar System, NSTA members can refer to the July 2007 issue of Science Scope. Planet with Water Vapor Found Jul 11 2007 - Science Daily The European Space Agency claims to have found the first conclusive evidence of the presence of water vapor in the atmosphere of an extra-solar planet. The discovery was made by analyzing the transit of the gas giant HD 189733b across its star in the infrared. A Journey Into the Past Jul 10 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration) In the summer of 1889, when this was still an analog world, a young astronomer named Solon I. Bailey carefully packed two crates of glass photographic plates taken at his outpost in the Peruvian Andes for shipment to Harvard College Observatory. Carried down the mountain on a mule, and across a suspension bridge to the village of Chosica, the fragile load was put on a train bound for Lima and the trip to Boston Harbor. For nearly 18 months, the data stream continued. Over the decades more streams came from other countries. During the last few months, museum curators and volunteers have been setting the stage for a major attempt to bring the entire collection into the digital age. The result, if money can be found, will be a searchable online atlas showing any spot in the heavens as it appeared from the late 19th century to the mid 1980s. Mars Mission to Explore Icy Soil Jul 10 2007 - Mars Daily In August, NASA plans to launch its Phoenix Mars Lander to probe the Red Planet’s icy soil. “Phoenix has been designed to examine the history of the ice by measuring how liquid water has modified the chemistry and mineralogy of the soil,” explained Peter Smith, the Phoenix principal investigator at the University of Arizona, Tucson. “In addition, our instruments can assess whether this polar environment is a habitable zone for primitive microbes.” Scientists Develop New Method for Characterizing Galaxy Density Waves Jul 10 2007 - Science Daily Astronomers have created a new method of characterizing galaxy density waves. The new method determines the corotations of the wave patterns by calculating the gravitational potential field produced by the patterns. Once located, the corotations can then be compared with the structure of a galaxy and correlated with observed features. More information about the method can be found in the June issue of The Astronomical Journal. Studies Reveal New Details of Strange Moon Jul 5 2007 - MSNBC.com Two studies published in this week’s issue of the journal Nature reveal new details about one of the strangest moons in the solar system. Scientists describe Hyperion as a “Saturnian satellite so pockmarked by deep craters that it looks like a giant, rotating bath sponge adrift in space.” A new analysis suggests that the moon’s odd appearance is the result of a highly porous surface that preserves craters, allowing them to remain nearly as pristine as the day they were created. The analyses also confirmed that Hyperion is composed of water ice with very little rock. Astronomers Observe Stellar Explosions Jun 27 2007 - MSNBC.com Scientists have observed two stellar explosions going off just weeks apart in the same galaxy. The discovery, made by NASA’s Swift satellite, marks the first time two supernova events have been observed in a single galaxy so close in time. Cloud Theory Gets Boost Jun 27 2007 - NewScientist.com The Earth and Moon share a past etched in silicon and it hints that the favored theory of how the Moon formed is not quite right. Most astronomers believe that the Moon formed when a Mars-sized object struck Earth. If this is the case, the Moon should contain mainly rock from the impacting body. However, Alex Halliday of the University of Oxford and his colleagues have evidence suggesting this is not true. Computer Models Provide Clues to Planets' Atmospheres Jun 20 2007 - Space Daily New computer models, from both Earth-based spectroscopy and space mission data, are providing space scientists compelling evidence for a better understanding of planetary atmospheric chemistry. Recent findings suggest a trend of increasing water content in going from Jupiter (depleted in water) to Saturn (less enriched in water than other volatiles) to Uranus and Neptune, which have large water enrichments. “The farther out you go in the solar system, the more water you find,” said Bruce Fegley, Jr., professor of earth and planetary sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Fegley has worked on computer models that can provide clues to what comprises the atmosphere of such planets and better known celestial bodies in the solar system. Why are Galaxies Without Black Holes Uncommon? Jun 13 2007 - NSTA News--Kristin Collins Recent calculations indicate that when two galaxies, and the super massive black holes that lie at their centers, merge, these galactic marriages frequently produce gravitational forces strong enough to kick the new combined black hole out of its merged galaxy. So far, however, none of the many empty nest galaxies predicted by such calculations have been found. Two New Planets Lack Heavy Foundations Jun 5 2007 - Nature News Astronomers have discovered a star that has managed to build two giant planets despite a dearth of the ingredients often thought to be needed for the job. The star HD 155358, 140 light years away in the constellation of Hercules, is similar to the Sun in some ways, just a bit hotter and smaller. But one thing is very different: it is short of the heavy elements, such as oxygen, silicon, carbon, iron, and the like, out of which most planets and their cores are made. Moon Might Be Best Place to Study Earth's Climate May 31 2007 - NewScientist.com Where is the best place to study the Earth’s climate? The moon, according to one U.S. researcher. Shoapeng Huang of the University of Wisconsin has obtained temperature records taken by instruments that were left on the moon’s surface in 1971 by the Apollo 15 mission to make his claim. However, others are not so convinced by the findings. A Bevy of Exoplanets Announced May 30 2007 - Space Daily The world’s largest and most prolific team of planet hunters has discovered 28 new planets outside our solar system, increasing the total number of known expoplanets to 236. The planets are among 37 new objects, each orbiting a star, but smaller than a star, discovered by the teams within the past year. Seven of the 37 are confirmed brown dwarfs, which are failed stars that nevertheless are much more massive than the largest, Jupiter-sized planets. Two others are borderline and could be either large, gas giant planets or small brown dwarfs. Physicists Predict the Death of Cosmology May 23 2007 - MSNBC.com Physicists are now foretelling the death of cosmology, or the study of our universe, as we know it. Thankfully, cosmologists won't be jobless for a couple trillion years. The universe is rapidly expanding, perhaps not rapidly enough to rip to shreds, but enough that distant galaxies will eventually be moving away faster than the speed of light. This much has been known for decades. Once all these galaxies blink out of existence, scientists ask in an upcoming issue of The Journal of Relativity and Gravitation, how will future intelligent beings study space if the human race's knowledge is long gone? Will they be able to figure out if the Big Bang happened? Or rediscover relativity? For the most part, said Lawrence Krauss, a theoretical physicist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and co-author of the journal article, future observers will be out of luck. Mars Rover Sees New Evidence of Wet Past May 22 2007 - CBS News The Mars rover Spirit has uncovered the strongest evidence yet that the planet used to be wetter than previously thought, scientists reported on May 21. The robot analyzed a patch of soil in Gusev Crater and found it unusually rich in silica. The presence of water would have been necessary to produce such a large silica deposit, scientists said. "This is a remarkable discovery," principal investigator Steve Squyres of Cornell University said in a statement. "It makes you wonder what else is still out there." 'Aquanauts' Train for Future Space Trips in Underwater Lab May 18 2007 - NewScientist.com Surrounded by friendly sharks and curious turtles 18 meters below the surface of the ocean, NASA astronauts are working to prepare future missions to the Moon. Hot "Ice" May Cover Planet Circling Distant Star May 17 2007 - ABC News An odd planet the size of Neptune, made mostly of hot, solid water, has been discovered orbiting a nearby star and offers evidence that other planets may be covered with oceans, European astronomers reported on May 16. Called GJ 436b, the planet orbits quickly around a cool, red star some 30 light-years away, the team at the Geneva Observatory said. "It's not a very welcoming planet," Frederic Pont, an astronomer who helped make the discovery, said in a telephone interview. The planet is hot because it is near its star and under high pressure because of its mass. Mars Experiment Might Help Insomniacs on Earth May 15 2007 - NewScientist.com An experiment aimed at finding ways to help astronauts adapt to life on Mars could end up helping insomniacs on Earth, researchers report. Scientists say they have found that two 45-minute exposures to bright light in the evening could help people adjust to a longer, Martian-style day. Dark Matter Has a Ring of Truth May 15 2007 - Nature News A ghostly ripple spotted within a cluster of galaxies five billion light years away supplies further evidence that the mysterious substance known as dark matter really exists. An international team of astronomers says that the galactic cluster C1 0024+17 contains a ring of dark matter 2.6 million light years across. The scientists were initially so perplexed by the ring that they thought it was just an error in their data. Early Moon Photos Revealed More Than Was Known May 14 2007 - Space.com Newly reprocessed images of the moon’s far side taken by a Soviet spacecraft more than 40 years ago may have confirmed that the moon’s biggest impact scar was glimpsed far earlier than previously thought. The images were acquired by the Luna 3 and Zond 3 spacecraft in October 1959 and July 1965 respectively, and provided the first look at the moon’s forever hidden side. The original murky and noisy images have now been reprocessed by amateur astronomer Ricardo Nunes and add weight to a proposal by V.V. Shevchenko and V.I. Chikmachev of the Sternberg State Astronomical Institute in Moscow that a dark smudge visible on the moon’s limb in Luna 3 images is part of the western edge of the enormous South Pole Aitken Basin. Astronomers Make First Exoplanet Weather Map May 10 2007 - Space Daily Researchers using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have learned what the weather is like on two distant, exotic worlds. One team of astronomers used the infrared telescope to map temperature variations over the surface of a giant, gas planet HD 189733b, revealing it likely is whipped by roaring winds. Another team determined that gas planet HD 149026b is the hottest planet yet discovered. Both findings appear in the journal Nature. Galaxy Collision Reveals Missing Matter May 10 2007 - NewScientist.com Baby galaxies growing from the debris of a galactic traffic accident have been hiding a lot of extra matter, new observations suggest. If so, galaxies like our own could contain vast quantities of invisible gas that outweigh their stars and other visible material, and these gas stores could represent some of the “missing” normal matter astronomers have been puzzling over. Scientists Astonished With Superbright Supernova May 8 2007 - The New Mexican (Santa Fe, New Mexico) Shining like a hay fire across a wide prairie, the brightest supernova ever recorded has been found in a galaxy 240 million light-years from Earth. Astronomers said May 7 that the supernova might represent a new way for giant stars to die. Satellite Spots Its First Extrasolar Planet May 7 2007 - MSNBC.com A new European space probe has detected its first extrasolar planet. Astronomers say the satellite has the ability to find Earth-like worlds. The COROT satellite, a joint project of France, Europe, and Brazil, discovered a gas giant planet nearly twice the diameter of Jupiter orbiting a star 1,500 light-years away. The planet circles a yellow dwarf star similar to our sun every 1.5 days, so it is close to the star, and therefore hot. Launched in December, COROT found the planet by noting the decrease in light from a parent star when the planet crosses in front of the star. This “transit method” has been used before, but the new space mission promises more frequent detections and the ability to spot smaller worlds. NASA: Mercury May Have a Molten Core May 4 2007 - Science Daily NASA scientists working with high-precision planetary radars in California have discovered strong evidence that the planet Mercury might have a molten core. The finding by researchers explains a more than three-decade old planetary mystery that began with the flight of JPL’s Mariner 10 spacecraft in the 1970s. A Bleak and Lonely Outlook for Universe May 2 2007 - MSNBC.com Empires may rise and civilizations and ecosystems may crumble in the billions of years to come, but matter as we know it will endure, according to a new study eyeing the future of the universe. Scientists Predict Next Solar Cycle Peak Apr 26 2007 - CBS News The peak of the next sunspot cycle will come in late 2011 or early 2012, potentially affecting airline flights, communications satellites, and electrical transmissions. But forecasters cannot agree on how intense it will be. A 12-member panel charged with forecasting the solar cycle says it is evenly split over whether the peak will be 90 sunspots or 140 sunspots. NASA Launches First Ice Cloud Mission Apr 26 2007 - Science Daily NASA has launched the first spacecraft dedicated to exploring the mysterious ice clouds that dot the edge of space in Earth’s polar regions. The Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) spacecraft was launched April 25 by a L-1011 aircraft from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to study the noctilucent clouds. These types of clouds can be seen from the ground only at night, when they are illuminated by sunlight no longer visible from the Earth’s surface. Scientists Find a 'Super Earth' Apr 25 2007 - Christian Science Monitor Astronomers in Europe have detected a “super Earth” orbiting a dwarf star 20.5 light-years away. The planet appears to be the most Earth-like of any of the more than 200 planets yet found outside the solar system. Spring Meteor Shower is in Full Bloom Apr 20 2007 - MSNBC.com The sky will be dark and moonless for at least three hours before the first light of dawn on the morning of April 22, when the annual Lyrid meteor shower is due to reach its peak. NASA to Release 3-D Images of the Sun Apr 19 2007 - Science Daily NASA scientists say three-dimensional images of the sun taken by the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory are enhancing our understanding of solar physics. The images, to be released April 23 on the internet, television, and at museums, are also expected to help improve space weather forecasting. Galaxy's Ghostly Arms Finally Explained Apr 16 2007 - MSNBC.com Scientists have discovered the source of a galaxy’s two extra, ghostly spiral arms that show up only in some telescope images, cracking a 45-year-old mystery. Water Identified in Extrasolar Planet Atmosphere Apr 11 2007 - Space Daily For the first time, water has been identified in the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet. Through a combination of previously published Hubble Space Telescope measurements and new theoretical models, Lowell Observatory astronomer Travis Barman has found strong evidence for water absorption in the atmosphere of transiting planet HD209458b. For Plants on Alien Worlds, It Is Not Easy Being Green Apr 11 2007 - NewScientist.com The greenery on other planets may not be so green. Astrobiologists say plants on Earth-sized planets orbiting stars somewhat brighter than the Sun may appear yellow or orange, while those on planets orbiting stars much fainter than the Sun might look black. New Thinking on the Death of Sun-like Stars Apr 9 2007 - MSNBC.com When stars like our sun die, they bloat to become red giants and then eject gigantic clouds of gas and dust into space. Increasingly, however, scientists have found themselves at a profound loss to explain how exactly dying stars could blow away these clouds. Now astrophysicists propose that unexpected chemical reactions during the formation of stardust could help solve this mystery. Dust Blamed for Warming on Mars Apr 4 2007 - NewScientist.com Scientists have been puzzling over the cause of dramatic global warming on Mars, which has made parts of the south polar ice cap disappear in recent years. The answer, it seems, is blowing in the wind: the planet’s famous red dust. Many Planets Could Circle Twin Suns, NASA Says Mar 31 2007 - National Geographic News The latest data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope suggests that the universe might be brimming with planets that have two suns like the desert world that Luke Skywalker called home. Scientists Question Our Understanding of the Universe Mar 23 2007 - Space Daily Cosmologists from around the world will meet at Imperial College London the week of March 26 to challenge the theories behind the 'standard model' used to understand the universe. Speakers at the conference, jointly organized by Imperial and the University of Alabama, Huntsville, and sponsored by the National Science Foundation, will cover a wide range of unanswered questions on how the universe was formed and what has happened to it after its formation. Dazzling New Images Reveal the 'Impossible' on the Sun Mar 22 2007 - NewScientist.com The restless bubbling and frothing of the Sun’s chaotic surface is astonishing astronomers who have been treated to detailed new images from a Japanese space telescope called Hinode. Hinode was launched in September 2006 to study the solar magnetic field and how magnetic energy is released as the field rises into the Sun’s outer atmosphere. The mission was formerly known as Solar-B. Far Flung Space Crash May Help Solve Mystery of Moon's Formation Mar 16 2007 - National Geographic News Scientists have found fragments they say are from a massive, far-flung collision that may help explain the formation of the Earth’s moon. The collision took place between dwarf planets near the dawn of the solar system. More information about the finding can be found in the journal Nature. Scientists Observe 'Magnetic Reconnection' Mar 12 2007 - Science Daily British-led European Space Agency (ESA) physicists have reported making an unprecedented measurement in their study of the Earth’s magnetic field. The researchers say they have used the ESA’s four Cluster satellites to detect an electric field thought to be a key element in the process of “magnetic reconnection.” Could Venus Watch for Earth-bound Asteroids? Mar 9 2007 - NewScientist.com A dedicated space-based telescope is needed to achieve a congressionally mandated goal of discovering 90% of all near Earth asteroids down to a size of 140 meters by the year 2020, according to a NASA report sent to Congress on March 8. Asteroids of that size are large enough to destroy a major city or region if they strike the planet, but NASA says it does not have the money to pay for the project. Panorama Reveals Thousands of Growing Galaxies Mar 6 2007 - NewScientist.com Hundreds of images snapped by the Hubble Space Telescope have been woven together to create a rich tapestry of thousands of galaxies. Astronomers have created the panoramic view a part of a five-year project named the All Wavelength Extended Groth Strip International Survey (AEGIS). Measuring Weather Harder Than You Think Mar 5 2007 - MSNBC.com With constant weather forecasts on television and the Internet, and all the precise storm totals that are reported, some people might think scientists had a firm grasp on how much snow and rain falls around the planet. “It’s amazing how much we don’t know about global patterns of rain and snow,” explains Walt Petersen, an atmospheric scientist with the National Space Science and Technology Center and the University of Alabama, Huntsville. NASA promises a greater understanding with future observations from space. Twin Spacecraft Track Solar Storms, NASA Says Mar 2 2007 - Scientific American New twin spacecraft are helping scientists track pesky solar storms from the sun to the Earth. Pluto Probe Swings by Jupiter Feb 28 2007 - Scientific American The New Horizons spacecraft flew past Jupiter on February 28, picking up enough speed from the planet’s gravity field to shave three years off what could have been a 12-year journey. Spacecraft Closes in for a Look at Jupiter, With Pluto Next on List Feb 27 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration) The New Horizons spacecraft is moving in for a close encounter with Jupiter on February 28 that should let it test its suite of instruments before being flung off toward the distant target of Pluto and its trio of moons. The craft will make more than 700 observations of Jupiter and its four largest moons by June. It will be July 2015 before the spacecraft reaches Pluto. 2 Alien Planets Show No Evidence of Water Feb 22 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration) Astronomers report that the most extensive examinations yet of the atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars was most noteworthy for what they did not see: namely water, a substance predicted by virtually all theories of planet formation, not to mention the essential ingredient of life as we know it. On the Trail of Dead Planets: Dust Ring Around a White Dwarf Feb 21 2007 - Science News Infrared observations have depicted the dusty vestiges of a planetary system dancing around a dead star. Researchers say that the dust is generated by collisions among comets that outlived both their parent star and the star’s innermost planets. Star Shatters Spinning Speed Record Feb 20 2007 - MSNBC.com A star found spinning more than a thousand times every second is thought to be the fastest rotating star known. Photos Reveal Mars Had Water Underground Feb 16 2007 - New York Times (Requires free registration) New detailed photos of Mars show evidence of subterranean streams of liquid, including water, that once flowed long enough that they could have sustained simple forms of life, researchers say. New Glimpse of the Sun's South Pole Feb 13 2007 - MSNBC.com A spacecraft in solar orbit reached almost directly above the south pole of the sun last week, giving scientists a rare glimpse of this unfamiliar territory. Launched on October 6, 1990, Ulysses, a joint mission of NASA and the European Space Agency, has made only two flybys of the sun’s south pole. Saturn Moon's Ice Geysers Create "Cosmic Graffiti" Feb 9 2007 - National Geographic News Saturn’s moon Enceladus is spewing giant geysers of ice that have sandblasted several nearby moons, making them some of the solar system’s most reflective objects, according to a new study. The report, published in the journal Science, bills Enceladus as “a cosmic graffiti artist, caught in the act.” Night Clouds Warm Surface of Mars Feb 7 2007 - MSNBC.com A new study suggests that nighttime clouds detected for the first time on Mars can help to keep the planet’s surface warm after sunset when temperatures drop. Moon Too Static for Astronauts? Feb 2 2007 - Nature News A group of U.S. scientists have discovered that the Moon’s surface can become charged with up to several thousand volts of static electricity. Mars' Missing Air Might Just Be Hiding Jan 26 2007 - MSNBC.com New findings suggest the missing atmosphere of Mars might be locked up in hidden reservoirs on the planet, rather than having been chafed away by billions of years worth of solar winds as previously thought. Dust Around Nearby Star Like Powder Snow Jan 18 2007 - NSTA News Astronomers peering into the dust surrounding a nearby red dwarf star have found that the dust grains have a fluffiness comparable to that of powder snow. University of California, Berkeley, researchers say this is the first definitive measurement of the porosity of dust outside our solar system and is akin to looking back four billion years into the early days of the planetary system. Space Life Search Turns to TV, Radio Signals Jan 8 2007 - Scientific American Is there intelligent life on other planets? If so, what do space aliens watch on television? Astronomers plan to search 1,000 nearby stars for television broadcasts and other signals that could indicate extraterrestrial life, the Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics announced. Planned for early 2008, the project would consist of using a new radio telescope to search for radio traffic similar to that found on Earth. In a Map of Dark Matter, Clues to Galaxies' Histories Jan 8 2007 - Christian Science Monitor A team of astronomers has unfolded the first large scale map of dark matter, one of the cosmos' most enigmatic ingredients. Such maps are vital to understanding how galaxies evolved and gathered themselves into larger structures, researchers say. Scientists Spot Black Hole in Unlikely Place Jan 4 2007 - Space News Astronomers have spied a small black hole nestled in the middle of a packed star cluster, a region not typically thought to be very black hole-friendly. About 10 times more massive than our Sun, the black hole was found inside a globular cluster in the elliptical galaxy NGC 4472, located some 50 million light-years away from Earth in the Virgo Cluster. A black hole is an object whose mass is so concentrated that nothing, not even light, can escape the strong pull of its gravity from within a certain distance. Space Shuttle Facts Dec 27 2006 - CNN.com The recent Space Shuttle launch may prompt questions from students regarding the history of NASA's space shuttle program. This article from CNN provides a timeline of events from the shuttle's start in 1972. Astronomy's Next Step: Behemoth Telescopes, Monster Costs Dec 18 2006 - Christian Science Monitor At sundown on any given night, mountaintop turrets around the world rumble to life as astronomers train their telescopes on the sky. The quest: to write the history of the cosmos from clues they find in feeble starlight from the edge of the visible universe. Groups in Europe and North America aim to build observatories that would leave Galileo breathless. They envision behemoths up to four times bigger than today’s largest optical telescopes, which currently rely on 10-meter light gathering mirrors. Researchers Find Surprise in Makeup of a Comet Dec 15 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration) Comets are not all made of interstellar dust and ice, but instead may contain material shot from the heart of the solar system during its tumultuous birth, according to scientists who examined pristine particles of a comet that were brought back by the Stardust spacecraft. The evidence suggests that comets did not form in isolation in the outer parts of the solar system as it coalesced from a swirling mass of primal material. Instead, the researchers note some of the hot material that formed planets around the Sun seems to have spewed off into distant areas and become a component of distant comets. Scientists Grapple Over Sunspot Cycle Dec 13 2006 - CBS News Scientists are deadlocked over the severity of the next sunspot cycle, which could produce powerful solar storms that can disrupt communication systems on Earth. A panel of space weather forecasters has been sifting through about three dozen predictions from 15 nations that differ widely in how intense the next solar cycle will be. The group, run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and funded by NASA, aims to make an official prediction in spring 2007. Researchers Study Space Weather Conditions Dec 11 2006 - Science Daily A U.S. science team is creating instruments and techniques designed to help scientists more accurately predict space weather conditions. Signs of Recent Water Boost Theory of Life on Mars Dec 7 2006 - Houston Chronicle Photographs from an unmanned NASA craft suggest that underground water occasionally rises and flows across Mars' frigid terrain, further raising the prospect that the Red Planet hosts conditions suitable for life, scientists announced Wednesday. NASA Plans Permanent Base on Moon Dec 5 2006 - Scientific American NASA says it plans to build a permanently occupied base on the moon, most likely at the lunar South Pole. The habitat will serve as a science outpost, as well as a test–bed for technologies needed for future travel to Mars. Construction will follow a series of flights to the moon scheduled to begin by 2020. Scientist: Asteroid to Return in 2036 Dec 4 2006 - CBS News A Maine scientist who uses radar to peer at objects in space says an asteroid that passed by Earth five years ago is due for a return visit to the planetary neighborhood in 2036. But Chris Magri, an associate professor of physics at the University of Maine, Farmington, says there is no need for panic. By 2036, Magri notes that scientists may have figured out a way to send the muffin-shaped asteroid, known as KW4, somewhere else. Pluto-Bound Spacecraft Spots Its Target Nov 30 2006 - MSNBC.com A NASA spacecraft hurtling away from Earth has caught the first glimpse of its distant destination: the dwarf planet Pluto. Spinning Black Hole is Fastest on Record Nov 20 2006 - NewScientist.com A new analysis suggests that a black hole has been found to be spinning faster than ever before. The finding supports the idea that only fast–spinning stars can collapse to create powerful explosions called long gamma–ray bursts. Weekend Meteor Shower Nov 18 2006 - CBS News Stargazers in New England, New York, and Western Europe could see an "outburst" of hundreds of meteors this weekend during the annual Leonid meteor shower if the skies are clear enough. 9 Billion-Year-Old 'Dark Energy' Reported Nov 17 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration) A strange thing happened to the universe five billion years ago. As if God had turned on an antigravity machine, the expansion of the cosmos speeded up, and galaxies began moving away from one another at an even faster pace. Astronomers' Treat: Mercury Crosses Sun Nov 9 2006 - CBS News Mercury’s brief trip November 8 between Earth and the sun treated sky watchers to a celestial event most people observe less than once a decade. The minuscule planet appeared as a tiny dot passing from left to right across the face of the sun. The five-hour passing, called a transit, was viewable only with specially outfitted telescopes and online telescope cameras. How the Moon Sheds its Skin Nov 8 2006 - NewScientist.com A new study suggests blasts of gas from deep beneath the lunar surface are giving the Moon a surprisingly fresh–faced look. If they are, scientists say, our picture of the Moon’s geological past will have to change just as dramatically. Plotting Pluto's Comeback Nov 6 2006 - Newsweek Although the International Astronomical Union is not scheduled to meet again until 2009, plans are being made for an ad hoc conference of astronomers next year to come up with another new definition of "planet,” one that will almost certainly restore Pluto's status. The Astronomy of Halloween Oct 31 2006 - MSNBC.com Halloween means more than just a day for costumes and candy corn. It's the halfway point between the autumnal equinox and winter solstice, the last of four "cross-quarter" days on the solar calendar. "Our recognition of the cross–quarter days in the English–speaking world comes primarily from the Celts who lived in Britain in preChristian times," explains astronomer Richard Pogge of Ohio State University. Satellites Launched to Spy on Sun Oct 26 2006 - CBS News NASA has launched two spacecrafts that will study huge eruptions from the sun that can damage satellites, disrupt electrical and communications systems on Earth, and endanger space–walking astronauts. Scientists hope the $550 million, two–year mission will help them understand why these eruptions occur, how they form, and what path they take. Life on Mars? NASA Orbiter Starts Its Search Oct 17 2006 - Christian Science Monitor NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has begun capturing the most detailed images yet of the Red Planet. One of the orbiter’s cameras has detected a Mars rover and its shadow. Another of its cameras, whose first images were unveiled on October 16, is starting to decipher in unprecedented detail the chemical makeup of minerals on the planet’s surface. The imaging capability is expected to give scientists new insight into whether Mars once might have served as a moist incubator for simple forms of life. Double Impact May Explain Why Venus Has No Moon Oct 11 2006 - Scientific American One of biggest mysteries in the solar system is why Venus has no moon. A new model suggests that our sister planet may have in fact had a moon, but that it was destroyed. Study: Black Holes Power Brightest Objects Oct 6 2006 - MSNBC.com Two new studies describe astronomers’ findings for the best evidence yet that black holes power quasars. And NASA says it has mapped the location of every local galaxy with an active super–massive black hole at its center. Scientists Spot New Ring Around Saturn Sep 21 2006 - CBS News Scientists have found a new ring around Saturn. The new ring crosses the orbits of the Saturn moons Janus and Epimetheus, leading scientists to believe tiny particles from the lunar surfaces gave rise to the ring. Saturn’s rings are of interest to scientists because they are a model of gas and dust that initially surrounded the sun. Studying them could yield important clues about how the planets formed from that disk 4.5 billion years ago. Science Group Backs NASA Lunar Plans Sep 19 2006 - CBS News NASA’s plans to return to the moon have been endorsed by the National Research Council. Scientists with the group were asked to evaluate and give guidance to NASA’s plans for robotic and human exploration of the moon during the next two decades. “Only by returning to the moon to carry out new scientific exploration can we hope to close the gaps in understanding and learn the secrets that the moon alone has kept for eons,” the scientists said. Astronomers Find Distant, Fluffy Planet Sep 15 2006 - CBS News Astronomers say the largest planet they have ever found orbiting another star is so puffy it would float on water. Dubbed HAT–P–1, the newly discovered planet is both the largest and least dense of the nearly 200 worlds astronomers have found outside our own solar system. Astronomers believe HAT–P–1 may belong to an entirely new class of planets, along with a second, smaller distant world that is also puffier than theories would have predicted, said Robert Noyes, a research astrophysicist with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Former 'Tenth Planet' Named for Goddess of Discord Sep 14 2006 - NewScientist.com A large icy object that helped spark the debate over Pluto's status has officially been named Eris, after the Greek goddess of discord. The object had been known as 2003 UB313 since its discovery was reported in 2005 by Mike Brown of the California Institute of Technology. The object is slightly larger than Pluto, which prompted Brown and others to refer to it as the “tenth planet,” and generated debate about what should be considered a planet. Hard Hat Area: Shuttle Atlantis Docks at ISS Construction Site Sep 11 2006 - Space.com An orbital construction crew of six astronauts arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sept. 11 after NASA’s Atlantis shuttle docked at the high–flying laboratory to deliver its first major addition since 2002. Atlantis’ ISS arrival kicks off eight, fast–paced days of joint operations for the STS–115 and ISS astronauts. By Sept. 15, the two crews expect to have staged three space walks from the station’s Quest airlock to equip the P3/P4 truss with vital power and cooling lines, remove launch restraints, and deploy new solar arrays. Debate Lingers Over Definition for a Planet Sep 1 2006 - New York Times (Requires free registration) More than 300 scientists have signed a petition protesting the definition of planet decided by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) earlier this month. The petition states: “We, as planetary scientists and astronomers, do not agree with the IAU’s definition of a planet, nor will we use it. A better definition is needed.” Many planetary scientists say they are dissatisfied with the new definition because they do not find it to be sound and because of how it was decided. Two scientists are organizing an international conference to revisit the issue next year. Europe's First Lunar Mission Nears End Aug 31 2006 - ABC News Europe’s first mission to the moon is due to crash–land on Sept. 3 on a volcanic plane called the Lake of Excellence. The landing will mark the end of a three–year voyage that gathered data about the lunar surface and tested a new engine intended to propel future spacecraft to Mercury and other planets. Observatories on Earth hope to capture images of the impact and the resulting cloud of debris. Mars Clouds Higher Than Those on Earth Aug 28 2006 - MSNBC.com Scientists report that Mars is home to the highest clouds ever discovered above the surface of a planet. The discovery suggests the upper layers of Mars’ atmosphere can be denser than previously thought. Widow of Pluto's Discoverer 'Shook Up' Aug 25 2006 - ABC News The widow of the astronomer who discovered Pluto says she is frustrated by the decision to strip it of its planetary status. However, Patricia Tombaugh said her husband would have understood. Clyde Tombaugh was 24 when he discovered Pluto while working at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. He was the only person in the Western Hemisphere to have discovered a planet in our solar system until Aug. 24, when the International Astronomical Union separated it from the eight “classical planets” and reclassified it as a dwarf planet. Tombaugh died in 1997. Pluto Gets the Boot Aug 24 2006 - CNN.com Astronomers have eliminated Pluto as a planet in the solar system under historic new guidelines. The new rules state a planet is “a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self–gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a…nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit.” Pluto is automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune’s. Pluto will be reclassified in a new category of “dwarf planets,” similar to what long have been termed “minor planets.” NASA Names New Spacecraft 'Orion' Aug 23 2006 - BBC News The vehicle is being developed to take human space explorers back to the Moon and potentially then on to Mars. Its first manned flight will take place no later than 2014 and its first flight to the Moon no later than 2020, when it travels to the International Space Station. Astronomers Offer Proof of 'Dark Matter' Aug 22 2006 - CBS News Astronomers say they have found the best evidence to date for dark matter. Using a host of telescopes, researchers focused on the collision between two galactic clusters. They found that most of the gravitational pull from the aftermath of the encounter comes from a relatively empty looking patch of sky. “This provides the first direct proof that dark matter must exist,” said Doug Clowe, a research astronomer at the University of Arizona. For Stars, Size Determines Destiny, Hubble Confirms Aug 18 2006 - Scientific American Scientists have discovered that size matters for stars. Smaller stars may not have quite enough mass to sustain the fusion that keeps those just above the limit, known as red dwarfs burning bright for billions of years. This deficiency condemns them to persist for much shorter periods as so–called brown dwarfs. Larger stars that have reached the end of their hydrogen fusion fuel burn out into white dwarfs, dense, hot, but cooling remnants. New observations with the Hubble Space Telescope have captured images of both the very faintest stars of this trend, those nearest to the lowest mass limit, as well as white dwarfs so old they are turning blue. Plan Would Add Planets to Solar System Aug 16 2006 - ABC News Astronomers are proposing to add three planets to our solar system. Pluto would remain a planet and its largest moon plus two other heavenly bodies would join Earth’s neighborhood under a proposal to be presented to the International Astronomical Union. The plan would also include a new category of planets called “plutons,” referring to Pluto–like objects that reside in the Kuiper Belt. Scientists are also being asked to consider eliminating the term “minor planets,” which has been used to collectively describe asteroids, comets, and other non–planetary objects. Astronomers Struggle to Define 'Planet' Aug 14 2006 - ABC News Astronomers from around the globe will discuss the definition of a planet and whether Pluto should be a part of the solar system at a conference this week in Prague. The trick for scientists will be to set a criterion that makes sense scientifically. Should planets be grouped by location, size, or another marker? If planets are defined by their size, should they be bigger than Pluto or another arbitrary size? The latter could expand the solar system to 23, 39, or even 53 planets. Stars are Suspects in Cosmic Whodunit Aug 9 2006 - MSNBC.com New observations by scientists suggest a process similar to a conveyor belt transports heavy elements from the surface of stars into their interiors where they are destroyed. The findings support the idea that the abundance of heavy elements in stars decreases with time and could help solve the cosmological lithium problem, a riddle that has been puzzling astronomers for years. Telescope Sees 8 Complex Molecules Aug 9 2006 - CBS News A research team from across the globe has identified eight new complex molecules in two interstellar clouds. The molecules detected include acetamide, cyclopropenone, propenal, propanal, and ketenimine in Sagittarius BS (N), while methyl–cyano–diacetylene, methyl–triacetylene, and cyanoallene were found in the Taurus Molecular Cloud. Two years of work led to the molecules’ discovery, a “feat unprecedented in the 35–year history of searching for complex molecules in space,” said Jan M. Hollis of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the research team’s leader. After 10 Years, Few Believe Life on Mars Aug 7 2006 - ABC News On Aug. 6, 1996, NASA announced the discovery of life on Mars during a press conference in Washington, D.C. Scientists showed images of a four–pound Martian meteorite riddled with wormy blobs that resembled bacterial colonies. Researchers explained how they had pried numerous clues from the rock, all strongly supporting the contention that microscopic creatures once occupied its insides. NASA officials and space buffs said it might be the scientific discovery of the century. But 10 years later, the results have not been verified Moon's Odd Bulge May Betray a Turbulent History Aug 3 2006 - NewScientist.com Scientists say an eccentric orbit in the Moon’s distant past might be responsible for the mysterious bulge around its middle. To predict the Moon’s position and orbit, a research team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) solved equations for the Moon’s motion to find out if any particular ancient orbits and spin rates could account for the Moon’s current mass distribution. The MIT scientists note that although the work is not conclusive, it is a good starting point for narrowing down the possible histories of the Moon. Stellar Survivor: Brown Dwarf Outlasts Red Giant Aug 3 2006 - Scientific American Scientists have discovered an unusual binary star system consisting of brown and white dwarfs. “Such a system must have had a very troubled history,” explains Pierre Maxted of Keele University in the United Kingdom, who led the observations. “Its existence proves that the brown dwarf came out almost unaltered from an episode in which it was swallowed by a red giant.” More information about the research can be found in the journal Nature. Giant "Blob" is Largest Thing in Universe Jul 31 2006 - National Geographic News Using telescopes on the Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii, Japanese astronomers have identified a colossal structure they have dubbed the largest object in the universe. The object, measuring 200 million light-years wide, contains clusters of galaxies surrounded by gas clouds known as Lyman alpha blobs. Scientists say the galactic blob could reveal how and when the earliest galaxies formed. First Space Lakes Found on Saturn Moon Jul 28 2006 - National Geographic News A flyby of Saturn’s moon, Titan, has revealed what scientists have been searching for—lakes. Scientists say the lakes show as dark, smooth blotches surrounded by hills on radar. Much of the terrain around the lakes looks like Earth's northern regions, explains Ralph Lorenz of the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in Tucson. Researchers note the discovery of the lakes makes Saturn the only planet in the solar system, other than Earth, to have lakes on its surface. Stellar Explosion Revealed in Unique Detail Jul 19 2006 - NewScientist.com Astronomers have observed an unprecedented glimpse of the blast wave from an erupting star. The new view suggests that the binary system observed could be responsible for some of the universe’s most powerful explosions known as Type la supernovae. Type la supernovae are important to astronomers since they are used as “standard candles” to measure distances. But their source has been a major mystery in the field of astronomy. Shuttle's Human Experiments Pave Way for Moon, Mars Voyages Jul 17 2006 - National Geographic News Although the space shuttle Discovery has landed safely back on Earth, science experiments started during the 13-day mission will continue. Crew members on Discovery kept diaries of their sleeping habits and filled containers with various bodily fluids in an effort to study the effects of spaceflight on human health. Researchers hope to use the data to learn more about the effects of radiation exposure on the human body, how spaceflight affects the immune system, and whether spaceflight can reactivate viruses that lie dormant. Deep Impact Reveals Comet's Components Jul 14 2006 - Scientific American Researchers observing a comet collision with the Spitzer Space Telescope have revealed their findings. The collision took place in July 2005 when NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft sent a projectile into the body of the comet called Temple 1. The collision delivered 19 gigajoules of energy into the wandering comet and ejected a plume of its innermost secrets. Approximately 10 million kilograms of material from the comet spread out into space enabling scientists to have a rare glimpse of the ingredients that go into making a comet. Science Shines Light on Black Holes at Last Jul 10 2006 - MSNBC.com For many years, scientists have known about the existence and properties of black holes from Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity. But tangible evidence has been a recent phenomenon. Scientists are finding indirect evidence about black holes through the use of x-ray telescopes and other resources in an effort to solve some longstanding mysteries about them. But as one question is answered, another mystery pops up. Mini Solar System Could Reveal Hidden Dimensions Jul 7 2006 - NewScientist.com A new study suggests that a tiny, artificial solar system could reveal hidden spatial dimensions and test alternative theories of gravity. Scientists explain that this artificial system would reside inside a spacecraft that would be sent to the L2 Lagrange point, a point that lies about four times as far away from Earth as the moon does. Once at the Lagrange point, the artificial solar system would be set in motion inside the spacecraft. Star Shade Could Reveal Earthlike Exoplanets Jul 6 2006 - Scientific American Stars shine so brightly that planets orbiting them are lost in the glow. Astronomers can only detect exoplanets indirectly by their effects on parent stars. But a 50 meter-wide, daisy-shaped star shade could block stellar light, allowing direct observation of their planets, according to a new study published in Nature. Shuttle Puts Early Flash in the Fourth Jul 5 2006 - Los Angeles Times (Requires free registration) As thousands watched, NASA successfully launched the Space Shuttle and its crew of seven on the 4th of July. The crew's mission is to the International Space Station; this is the second and final test flight of the shuttle as the space agency recovers from the Columbia disaster in 2003. Giant Hot Bubbles May Help Protect Earth Jun 22 2006 - NewScientist.com New research shows giant superheated bubbles of gas are drifting towards Earth and popping as they encounter our planet’s magnetic field. An international team of scientists responsible for the research believes the bubbles may actually feed the “bow shock” that is created where the solar wind runs into Earth’s magnetic field. Pluto's Newly Found Moons Named Nix, Hydra Jun 22 2006 - ABC News The International Astronomical Union has officially christened Pluto’s new moons with names. The moons will be called Nix and Hydra. The names, with roots in Greek mythology, were selected in part because their first letters, “N” and “H,” were a tribute to the New Horizons spacecraft, said Alan Stern, who led the team that discovered the moons. The New Horizons spacecraft blasted off earlier this year on a nine year mission to study Pluto. Saturn's Moons Seen Wearing Haloes Jun 20 2006 - NewScientist.com Saturn’s two largest moons have been captured together in a new image taken by the Cassini spacecraft. Scientists associated with the Cassini mission are constantly taking such images to compare predictions of where the moons should be with where they actually are. Since the moons have a gravitational effect on the spacecraft and can move it away from its intended path, the new information will also help scientists maneuver the spacecraft in the future. Neptune Linked to Potential Swarm of Asteroids Jun 15 2006 - Space.com Astronomers have detected three new rocky bodies that share the same orbit as Neptune. The finding brings the total number of the gas giant’s asteroid companions or “Trojans” to four. The highly inclined orbit of one of the Trojans supports the hypothesis that the Neptune Trojans were captured from a much larger asteroid cloud that surrounds the planet, and that they are not the broken remains of some larger object, as some scientists speculated. Planemos May Give Rise to Planets, Moons Jun 6 2006 - Scientific American Researchers have found that comparable disks girdle distant exoplanets far less massive than our sun. Astronomer Ray Jayawardhana of the University of Toronto and his international team of colleagues surveyed the optical spectra of seven exoplanets in two studies to make their finding. The discovery raises the possibility that these planetary mass objects, or planemos, are orbited by other planets and moons, like our own solar system, but smaller. Orbiting Gas Stations Key to Interplanetary Exploration Jun 2 2006 - NewScientist.com A new study by NASA suggests that an orbiting gas station is an important requirement for the long-term future of human interplanetary exploration. For missions to Mars, spacecraft would make pit stops at fueling stations orbiting the Earth or Moon to fill their tanks with liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen generated in space. Researchers believe it may one day be possible to mine oxygen from lunar soil. If there is frozen water in some of the Moon’s craters, that could be split into hydrogen and oxygen. This would mean the fuel loads needed for long missions would not have to be lifted out of the Earth’s gravity. But the project’s manager notes there are still many technical challenges to overcome before a fuel station could operate in zero gravity. Artificial Intelligence to Boost Space Probe Efficiency May 30 2006 - National Geographic News Scientists are reprogramming existing space probes so they can make more decisions on their own. Experts explain that artificial intelligence will help unmanned spacecrafts work more efficiently and send better data back to Earth. The new technology, called onboard autonomy, is already in use on the Earth Observing-1 spacecraft. Experts note, however, the greatest benefit of onboard autonomy may come from future missions. The Kink at the Edge of the Solar System May 24 2006 - NewScientist.com Scientists report that the outer boundary of the solar system is distorted as though it was punched from below. The evidence comes from NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft, which is about to cross the inner boundary although it is closer to the sun than its twin spacecraft was when it crossed in 2004. The new observations suggest that Voyager 2 could beat its twin to the next milestone. If the southern hemisphere is shaped as predicted, Voyager 2 will have a shorter distance to travel through the heliosheath into interstellar space, which it could reach in 10 years. Cosmic Map Highlights Knowledge Gap May 15 2006 - MSNBC.com A new cosmic map is giving scientists clues about the universe. The map confirms that the universe is full of dark energy, a strange force pushing galaxies apart at faster speeds. “We now have a precise view of what makes up our universe, but little idea as to why,” said Ofer Lahv, head of the Astrophysics Group at University College London. “It is intriguing that the ordinary matter our bodies are made of and that we experience in everyday life only accounts for a few percent of the total cosmic budget.” Preventing the Sky Falling in on Moon Bases May 3 2006 - NewScientist.com A meteoroid blasting through a Moon base would be a bad day in space. So, with NASA now planning to return astronauts to the Moon as early as 2018, scientists at the Meteoroid Environment Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are combing through 30-year-old seismic data to see exactly how big a threat impacts pose to future lunar explorers. 'Starquake' Explosion Rips Neutron Star Open Apr 27 2006 - NewScientist.com Astronomers have measured the thickness of the crust of a neutron star for the first time. The technique, which involves studying how the dense stellar corpse reverberates during a “starquake,” may one day reveal the nature of the exotic matter thought to lie at the star’s core. Early Gravitational Pull Tilted the Big Planets Apr 26 2006 - MSNBC.com A South American astronomer says an early gravitational pull made the giant planets tilt the way they do. Adrian Brunini explains the shift probably happened billions of years ago when the bigger planets in our solar system were closer together than they are now, and the gravity of each one exerted a pull on the others. The new theory is a departure from an earlier idea that tilts were caused by collisions with Earth-sized space rocks during the early period of the solar system. Scientists: Black Holes Energy-Efficient Apr 25 2006 - ABC News With gasoline hitting $3 per gallon, scientists have discovered the most energy efficient engines in the universe—black holes. The jets of energy spurting out of older ultra-efficient black holes also appear to be playing a crucial role as “zoning cops” in large galaxies, preventing too many stars from sprouting. These black holes are 25 times more efficient than anything man has built, with nuclear power being the most efficient of man-made efforts, noted study lead author Steve Allen of Stanford University and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. Strange Satellite Galaxies Revealed Around Milky Way Apr 24 2006 - NewScientist.com Astronomers have discovered two new satellite galaxies around the Milky Way. During the past two years, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's measurement of stars stretching across a quarter of the sky have enabled astronomers to find several new companion dwarf galaxies for the Milky Way and its nearby twin galaxy, Andromeda. One of the new galaxies was found in the constellation Canes Venatici. A second galaxy has been nicknamed “Boo” for its location in the constellation Bootes. Cosmic Constellation to Study Atmosphere Apr 13 2006 - MSNBC.com A novel constellation of satellites will be launched into Earth’s orbit this week, the first to provide atmospheric data daily in real time over thousands of points on Earth for both research and operational weather forecasting. This unique probing of Earth’s atmosphere is the product of an agreement between the American Institute in Taiwan and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States. A Visit to Venus Apr 10 2006 - CBS News The planet Venus moves to astronomy’s center stage this week with the arrival of the European Space Agency’s spacecraft. The Venus Express orbiter is slated to reach Earth’s neighbor on April 11. The spacecraft will reach its operating orbit three weeks later where it will spend at least two Venusian days probing the atmosphere in unprecedented detail. Unlike Mars, which has become a magnet for space missions over the past decade, “Venus has been somewhat of a forgotten planet,” notes Larry Esposito, a planetary scientist at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a member of the Venus Express science team. Eclipse Tomorrow Will Blot Out the Sun Mar 28 2006 - ABC News Tourists and scientists will gather at spots around the world for a solar show on March 29. An eclipse will blot out the sun in highly populated areas, including west Africa, where governments have educated people about the dangers of looking at the eclipse without proper eye protection. Night will turn to day in the eclipse’s route and a corona will glow around the edges of the moon as it comes between the earth and the sun. But the corona’s light can burn eyes. The moon is expected to first begin blocking out the sun in the morning in Brazil before the path of greatest blockage migrates to Africa, then on to Turkey and up into Mongolia, where it will fade out with the sunset. Did Earth Seed Life Elsewhere in the Solar System? Mar 17 2006 - Nature News Scientists suggest earthly bacteria could have reached distant planets and moons after being thrown into space by massive meteorite impacts. The proposal reverses the panspermia theory, which suggests that life on Earth was seeded by microbes on comets or meteorites from elsewhere. Both theories envision life spreading through the solar system in much the same way that germs race around a crowded classroom, says Jeff Moore, planetary scientist at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffet Field, California. “Once one planet comes down with life, they all get it.” Einstein Effect Reveals Icy Exoplanet Mar 15 2006 - Scientific American An international team of scientists has discovered a massive new planet, thanks to a phenomenon predicted by Albert Einstein 70 years ago. Microlensing occurs when a star crosses in front of another star and bends the light from the more distant star, magnifying it like a lens. Scientists say the cold planet has approximately 13 times the mass of Earth and orbits its star at the distance of the asteroid belt in our own solar system. “These icy super-Earths are pretty common, roughly 35% of all stars have them,” explains team leader Andrew Gould. “The next step is to push the sensitivity of our detection methods down to reach Earth-mass planets and microlensing is the best way to get there.” Water Found on Saturn Moon Mar 10 2006 - CBS News The Cassini spacecraft has found evidence of liquid water spewing from geysers on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus. “If the finding is true, it means Enceladus will join a very short list of places in the solar system that could, in theory at least, support life,” explains CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood. If Enceladus does harbor life, it probably consists of microbes or other primitive organisms capable of living in extreme conditions. Scientists add that Mars and Jupiter might have or once had conditions hospitable to life as well. Astronauts Plan the Biggest Golf Drive in History Mar 1 2006 - New Scientist.com Russia plans to hit a golf ball into Earth’s orbit from the International Space Station. If NASA approves the plan, the ball would set records for the longest drive ever made. The plan calls for the station’s next set of crew members to attempt the effort by hitting the ball with a gold-plated golf club during one of three space walks by September 2006. But some experts warn that a mishap could cause “catastrophic” damage to the station. Two New Moons-and Maybe Some Rings-for Pluto Feb 23 2006 - Scientific American Adding to the growing compendium of Kuiper belt objects, astronomers have spotted two new moons orbiting Pluto. Observations with the Hubble Space Telescope from May 2005 show two tiny dots revolving around the same center of gravity as the ninth planet and its largest moon, Charon. Reporting the finding today in Nature, the researchers speculate that the tiny companions formed in the same cataclysmic collision that produced Charon. Mars Rover Reaches 'Home Plate' Feb 13 2006 - CBS News The Mars rover Spirit has hit a home run by landing in a rugged plateau dubbed “Home Plate." But scientists continue to decipher its geology and believe the “Home Plate” holds important geologic clues to Mars’ past. The “Home Plate” is made of highly layered rocks that are coarse at the bottom and fine at the top. Principal investigator Steve Squyres of Cornell University said it appears the rocks were formed from a volcanic explosion, but that more study is needed. “The bottom line for now is that we’ve got a spectacular mystery in front of us, and far more questions than we have answers,” Squyres noted. Milky Way Steals from Nearby Cluster Feb 8 2006 - Scientific American Nearly a million stars seem to have gone missing from the nearby globular cluster Messier 12, located within the constellation Ophiuchus. Scientists say our own Milky Way may be to blame. “In the solar neighborhood and in most stellar clusters, the least massive stars are the most common by far,” explains Guido de Marchi, an astronomer with the European Space Agency and lead author of the paper describing the findings. More information about Marchi’s findings can be found in Astronomy & Astrophysics. Spacesuit Still Alive, Giving Weak Signal Feb 5 2006 - ABC News Dubbed “Ivan Ivanovich,” the spacesuit filled with old clothes and a radio transmitter tossed out of the International Space Station last week is sending out weak signals, according to ham operators. “Death reports were premature,” observed Allen Pitts, a spokesman for the American Radio Relay League. The spacesuit is designed to send recorded messages in six languages to amateur radio operators for several days before eventually reentering Earth’s atmosphere and burning up. The suit is also supposed to transmit pictures, artwork, and lessons for students on the ground. Stuffed, Orbiting Spacesuit to Communicate with Earth Feb 2 2006 - National Geographic News Astronauts on the International Space Station plan to intentionally jettison one of their older colleagues into Earth’s orbit today. The “colleague” will be a defunct spacesuit retooled to be one of the most unusual satellites ever launched. The satellite is designed to broadcast transmissions to students and amateur radio operators around the world. If the plan works, astronauts may routinely use old spacesuits for satellite experiments, according to Frank Bauer, the project’s engineer. 'Tenth Planet' is Bigger than Pluto Feb 1 2006 - New Scientist.com The chilly world dubbed Xena on the outskirts of the solar system has as at least as much claim to be a planet as Pluto, according to a new study confirming that the “tenth planet” is by far the larger of the two. Astronomers estimated that Xena must be slightly larger than Pluto from its brightness and distance. To calculate Xena’s size more directly, scientists measured its light at a wavelength of 1.2 millimeters using a telescope array in the Spanish Sierra Nevada. The amount of millimeter radiation suggested Xena is about 3,000 kilometers wide, 30% wider than Pluto. Milky Way Brims With Singleton Stars Jan 27 2006 - New Scientist.com Most of the stars in the Milky Way are born alone and live out their lives without partners, a new analysis suggests. If true, the work overturns standard theories that stars are born in broods and also suggests planets, and potentially life, may be more common in the galaxy than thought. Astronomers Find Small, Distant Planet Jan 26 2006 - CBS News Astronomers have found what may be the smallest and most distant planet known to be orbiting a star outside our own solar system. The work suggests that such small rocky or icy planets may be more common in the cosmos than Jupiter-sized gas giant planets. The discovery also indicates the power of a relatively new method of finding such exoplanets. All of the exoplanets discovered so far around distant stars are larger than Earth. The newly found planet is about 5.5 times the mass of Earth, making it much smaller than most of the 160 previous exoplanet discoveries. Break-up of Asteroid Blanketed Earth in Dust Storm 8 Million Years Ago Jan 19 2006 - MSNBC.com Although interplanetary dust is nothing new to scientists—20,000 tons of it land on Earth every year—"scientists report a spike in helium 3, a type of helium that's rare on Earth and typically of extraterrestrial origin, in a layer of sediment dated to that time frame," reports the January 19 issue of Nature. "The helium 3 spike found in these sediments is the smoking gun that something quite dramatic happened to the interplanetary dust population 8.2 million years ago," said Caltech geochemist Ken Farley. "It's one of the biggest dust events of the last 80 million years." NASA's Stardust Spacecraft Sends Canister to Earth with Cosmic Dust and Interstellar Bits Jan 18 2006 - MSNBC.com Stardust's seven-year mission reached a high point when a double-sealed capsule fell in the Utah desert on January. "Needless to say, the scientists are ecstatic," said principal investigator Donald Brownlee, an astronomer from the University of Washington. Hundreds of scientists are waiting to analyze the samples. James Oberg, an NBC Space News Analyst, writes that "comets are 'dirty snowballs,' cosmic leftovers from the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Therefore, pristine samples of a comet could well shed new light on the chemical origins of life on Earth." Pluto Probe Set for Landmark Space Odyssey Jan 12 2006 - MSNBC.com It will be the fastest spacecraft ever launched, zooming past the moon in nine hours and reaching Jupiter in just over a year at a speed nearly 100 times that of a jetliner. Its target is Pluto—the solar system’s last unexplored planet, three billion miles from Earth. The New Horizons spacecraft, scheduled for launch on Jan. 17, could reach it within nine years. Once the probe reaches Pluto, it will study the ninth planet’s moon, Charon, as well as two other moons discovered last year. The mission should also provide scientists with a better understanding of the Kuiper Belt. Is Dark Energy Changing? Jan 12 2006 - Nature News Contrary to all expectations, the mysterious dark energy that is pushing the Universe apart may be changing with time. By observing distant, powerful bursts of gamma rays, Brad Schaefer says he has preliminary evidence that the strength of dark energy is different today from when the Universe was very young. Schaefer, an astronomer at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, presented his results at an American Astronomical Society meeting. Minutes after the presentation, some astronomers called the bold claim into question. Dark Matter May Affect Our Galaxy's Warp Jan 9 2006 - MSNBC.com University of California, Berkeley, researchers have revived an old theory with a new twist. Astronomers have puzzled over the Milky Way’s warped shape for nearly half a century, but have been unable to provide a convincing explanation for what might be causing it. The researchers have now discovered that a slow motion collision between mysterious dark matter and two of the Milky Way’s galactic neighbors may be causing our galaxy to warp like a vinyl record left out in the hot sun. 'Mild' Collision Spawned Earth's Moon Jan 9 2006 - New Scientist.com The collision that spawned the Earth’s moon was relatively mild, according to the longest and most detailed computer simulation ever done on the impact. Computer models suggest the moon formed after an object the size of Mars crashed into the Earth about 4.5 billion years ago. Debris from the impact formed a disc around the Earth that eventually coalesced to become the Moon. Comet Dust to Take Plunge Jan 9 2006 - CBS News Six months after NASA scientists first peeked inside one comet from afar, they are bringing pieces of another to Earth for study under the microscope. This weekend, the Stardust spacecraft will jettison a 100-pound capsule holding comet dust. It will nosedive through the Earth’s atmosphere and, if all goes well, make a soft landing in the Utah desert. Comets, which astronomers consider to be among the solar system’s leftover building blocks, have been scrutinized for centuries. But only in recent years have scientists had the technology to learn firsthand their ingredients. Star Occultation Provides Defining Glimpse of Charon Jan 5 2006 - Scientific American The solar system beyond Neptune is a dark and mysterious place. It is also crowded. Besides Pluto and its moon Charon, there are chunks of rock and ice like Sedna and the recently discovered 2003UB313, as well as a host of asteroids and comets in the Kuiper belt and beyond. Determining which of these objects constitute new planets and which do not remains controversial work. Some astronomers argue Charon deserves to share the planet title. But new observations, reported by Amanda Gulbis of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her colleagues, prove that Charon lacks an atmosphere and therefore lacks one potential criterion for planet status. 2006: A Busy Year in Space Jan 4 2006 - New Scientist.com The year 2006 looks to be a busy one for arrivals and departures in the solar system. One of the first space events of the year will be the dramatic reentry of NASA’s Stardust capsule through the Earth’s atmosphere. NASA is preparing to send its New Horizons probe to Pluto on January 17. Another planet, Mars, will receive a visitor on March 10 when the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter is due to enter orbit. The science phase of the mission is scheduled to begin in November. Other space events have also been scheduled. Life's Ingredients Circle Sun-like Star Dec 22 2005 - New Scientist.com The first evidence that some of the basic organic building blocks of life can exist in an Earth-like orbit around a young Sun-like star has been provided by NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. The telescope took infrared spectrograms of 100 young stars in a stellar nursery and one of those stars showed signs of the organic molecules acetylene and hydrogen cyanide. The detection supports the widely held theory that many of the molecular building blocks of life were present in the solar system even before planets formed, thus assisting the initial formation of complex organic molecules and the start of life itself. Strange New Object Found at Edge of Solar System Dec 13 2005 - New Scientist.com Scientists have discovered a large object beyond Pluto traveling in an orbit tilted by 47 degrees to most other bodies in the solar system. Astronomers are at a loss to explain why the object's orbit is so off-kilter while being almost circular. Researchers led by Lynne Allen at the University of British Columbia first spotted the object in observations made with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope last year. Since October 2005, they have made follow-up observations that have revealed the object's perplexing path. Foreign Competition in Space Nov 8 2005 - Christian Science Monitor As lawmakers in Washington fret over how to pay for key elements of President Bush’s space exploration plan which aims to send astronauts back to the moon in 2018, China is making a bid to place the first bootprints on the moon. Many experts worry that the United States could lose its dominance in space if NASA cuts its research and development budget. Michael Griffin, NASA’s administrator, told Congress last week the agency needed to make “difficult cuts” in basic research and technology development. Supermassive Black Hole at Center of Milky Way, Study Hints Nov 2 2005 - National Geographic News Astronomers are closing in on proof that a supermassive black hole is the source of mysterious radio waves at the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way. Astronomers have long suspected that supermassive black holes sit at the heart of most galaxies and may be closely related to galaxy growth. But concrete proof of the existence of these black holes has remained elusive. Hints of Early Stars May Have Been Found Nov 2 2005 - ABC News Astronomers may have detected the dawn's early light, light from around the dawn of the universe, that is. Researchers from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland believe they have captured traces of radiation from long-extinguished stars that were "born" during the universe's infancy. The research represents the first tangible but not conclusive evidence of these earliest stars, which are thought to have produced the raw materials from which future stars, including our sun, were created. If the team's conclusions are correct, the study will advance understanding of how the universe originally lit up. Two New Moons Discovered Around Pluto Nov 1 2005 - New Scientist.com Two tiny additional moons have been found around Pluto, making it the first object in the outer solar system known to have multiple satellites. But how the moons got there remains a mystery. Astronomers discovered a large moon, Charon, around Pluto in 1978. But no further moons were found until now, when a team using the Hubble Space Telescope spotted two faint objects around the distant planet, which lies in a vast ring of icy bodies called the Kuiper Belt. The discovery is "impressive because Pluto has been studied so intensively in the past,” observed David Jewitt, a planetary scientist at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, who was not involved in the research. Mars to Swing Close to Earth This Weekend Oct 28 2005 - CBS News For the second time in nearly 60,000 years, the Red Planet will swing unusually close to Earth this weekend, appearing as a yellow twinkle in the night sky. Skygazers with a telescope in their backyard will see Mars as a small, brilliant ball. Observers with more powerful instruments might be able to discern details on the planet’s surface, including its southern ice cap and white clouds. “This is the best we are going to see Mars, so we should strike the iron while it is hot,” said Kelly Beatty, executive editor of Sky & Telescope magazine. New Telescope Opens Its Eyes Oct 27 2005 - Scientific American After 20 years of planning, developing, and constructing, astronomers at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy have released the first image captured by the new Large Binocular Telescope, an instrument with a light-gathering power 24 times greater than the Hubble Space Telescope. The new telescope is a joint venture between Americans, Germans, and Italians and stationed on Mount Graham in Arizona. It will be able to image planets circling distant stars, as well as enable scientists to gain answers to fundamental questions about the universe. Scientists Probe Mysteries of Venus Oct 24 2005 - MSNBC Venus is commonly known as Earth’s "twin sister," but when it comes to being alike, these two are more like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito than Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. But in modern times Venus has been somewhat neglected and only three missions have been dedicated to studying the heavily clouded planet. However, all that will soon change, with the European Space Agency’s plan to launch the Venus Express satellite. The satellite will bounce radio waves off the planet’s surface, snap pictures of its swirling atmosphere, take the temperature of the clouds, and search for hints of a magnetic field. Measuring the World: From Material to Ethereal Oct 16 2005 - New York Times (Requires free registration) Locked in a vault in Paris is a cylinder about the size of a plum. It is the kilogram. For 116 years, this cylinder made of platinum and iridium has been the world's defining unit of mass. It's an easy concept to understand. Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland, announced in September significant progress toward supplanting this cylinder. Their concept, however, is not so easy to understand. Scientists: Black Hole Helps Spawn Stars Oct 14 2005 - ABC News Astronomers say the mysterious, massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way helped give birth to new stars, challenging earlier theories that black holes are solely destructive forces. “Massive black holes are usually known for violence and destruction," explained Sergei Nayakshin of the University of Leicester in England, who made the discovery. "So it's remarkable that this black hole helped create new stars, not just destroy them." The new find may also help scientists better understand the physics of black holes, according to a theoretical astrophysics professor not associated with the study. What Defines a Planet? New Finds Put the Answer in Doubt Oct 4 2005 - Christian Science Monitor The discovery of a tiny moon circling the most distant object seen in the solar system is further proof that the view of a tidy solar system with nine planets—enshrined in science fair dioramas and school textbooks—is headed toward almost certain revision. Astronomers announced in July the discovery of what they considered the tenth planet, an icy world that swings nine billion miles away from the sun and is likely larger than Pluto. Whether the new planet is actually a planet will be the decision of the International Astronomical Union. The IAU’s decision could also spark a reexamination of what a planet really is. New Planet Comes With Moon Oct 2 2005 - CBS News The astronomers who claim to have discovered the tenth planet in the solar system have made another intriguing discovery. The planet has a moon. Dubbed Gabrielle after Xena’s faithful traveling sidekick in the television series “Xena: Warrior Princess,” scientists believe the new moon was formed when Kuiper Belt objects collided with one another. The moon discovery is significant because it can help scientists determine the new planet’s mass. But experts note that the find will likely not quell the debate over what exactly is a planet and whether Pluto should keep its status. The Definition of a Planet is Going Under the Telescope Sep 22 2005 - USA Today The simple word “planet” may soon be lost in space. Scientists have long wrestled with this question: When is a planet really a planet? Apparently, there is no easy answer. So, the International Astronomical Union panel, headed by Iwan Williams of the University of London, is proposing that astronomers use the label “planet” only with an added descriptive term. NASA Presents Space Exploration Plans Sep 19 2005 - Nature News NASA has unveiled details of their plan to send astronauts to the Moon and Mars. Described as "Apollo on steroids," the agency’s new moon exploration plan consists of using beefed-up shuttle and Apollo parts and aims to put people on the moon by 2018. Although President Bush outlined his “Vision for Space Exploration” in January 2004, this plan explains how NASA will actually make the vision work on a $104 billion budget. Scientists Reconsider Life on Saturn's Moon Sep 13 2005 - MSNBC.com Scientists are reconsidering the possibility there may be life on Saturn’s moon Titan, thanks to findings from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft and discoveries about organisms on Earth that thrive in extreme conditions. Analyzing data from the Cassini probe, scientists at the Southwestern Research Institute in Texas and Washington State University, say several key elements crucial for life on Earth are also present on Titan, including liquid reservoirs, organic molecules, and ample energy sources. Further fueling speculations about life on Titan are findings that microscopic organisms that live in extreme environments on Earth are hardier and capable of surviving in environments much harsher that anyone ever imagined. Astronomers Find Infant Version of Our Solar System Sep 9 2005 - Space.com New observations of a young star and its surroundings are like a snapshot of our own solar system when it was forming, astronomers report. Scientists say the star is surrounded by a disk of dust, the sort of “protoplanetary” disk that planets formed around the sun, according to a theory. In the disk is a gap that astronomers say likely was formed by one or more giant gas planets. “Studies like this one will ultimately help us better understand how our outer planets, as well as others in the universe, form,” said Nuria Calvet, the study’s lead author and University of Michigan astronomy professor. Researchers Explain Behavior of Space Radiation Sep 8 2005 - Scientific American In the summer action film, The Fantastic Four, intrepid space travelers are exposed to an intense radiation burst that gives them superpowers—from immense strength to invisibility—once they return to Earth. That premise is science fiction, but radiation encircling our planet affects both astronauts and orbiting satellites. The activity of the two Van Allen radiation belts has now been explained in a report that should help scientists better predict their behavior and reduce the risk to humans and spacecraft. Speeding Neutron Star is Fastest on Record Sep 2 2005 - Scientific American Superman may be faster than a speeding bullet, but there is a neutron star in our galaxy that can compete for the title of fastest space traveler. B1508+55 is a spinning neutron star, or pulsar, 7,700 light-years from Earth. Using the Very Long Baseline Array Telescope, scientists have found both its speed and position by measuring the powerful beams of radio waves it emits. Scientists then calculated its trajectory across the sky and determined it was born out of the supernova explosion some two and half million years ago from a giant star in the constellation Cygnus. The results should help astronomers determine what, if any, other processes could be contributing to B1508+55’s speed in addition to the initial supernova. Solar Probe Scores 1,000 Comets Aug 24 2005 - Discovery News Astronomers have detected 1,000 comets—nearly half of all officially recorded comets in history, thanks to a U.S. and European satellite launched 10 years ago. Italian teacher Tony Scarmato spotted the final two comets earlier this month. Most of the sightings have been of Kreutz Group comets, which travel into the sun on a suicidal trajectory. Some experts suggest Kreutz Group comets may be parts of a huge comet that broke apart in the distant past. A Bar at the Heart of the Milky Way Aug 17 2005 - Scientific American A structural analysis of the Milky Way has revealed an interesting find. Scientists using NASA’s Infrared Spitzer Space Telescope have observed a long bar of old stars spanning the center of the galaxy. The bar of stars is 27,000 light-years long and sits at a 45-degree angle to the galaxy’s main plane. “To date, this is the best evidence for a long bar in our galaxy,” said Robert Benjamin of the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater. Benjamin and his colleagues describe the work in a upcoming report to be published in Astrophysical Journal Letters. Unique Triple Asteroid System Discovered Aug 11 2005 - Scientific American Astronomers have discovered a unique set of triplets—an asteroid with two moons orbiting the asteroid. Dubbed 87 Sylvia, the asteroid was first detected in 1866 and lies between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists observed a moon associated with the asteroid in 2001. However, a second satellite has been found circling 87 Sylvia using Yepun, one of the telescopes in the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope Array. The new moon, Remus, measures seven kilometers across and travels around 87 Sylvia once every 33 hours in an orbit and 710 kilometers from the asteroid. Discovery Returns Safely to Earth Aug 9 2005 - BBC News NASA officials are celebrating the return to Earth of the space shuttle Discovery. Inclement weather forced a change in landing sites for the shuttle sending the spacecraft to touch down at Edwards Air Force Base in California instead of Florida. Mission scientists noted test objectives of the space shuttle program were achieved and the spacecraft was returned in “great shape.” Officials have not said when the next shuttle mission would be launched. Distant Object Found Orbiting Sun Jul 29 2005 - BBC News Astronomers with the Institute of Astrophysics are calling it “a great discovery,” but the details of the find are sketchy. Scientists say they have found a large object outside of the solar system. The object never comes closer to the Sun than Neptune and spends most of its time much further out than Pluto. The object is likely made of ice and rock and is one of the largest objects ever found outside of the solar system. The scientists will present their findings at a conference in Cambridge, England, in September. Huge Spy Satellite Set to Launch to Mars Jul 22 2005 - New Scientist.com NASA is preparing to launch the largest spacecraft ever sent to Mars. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will beam back more data than all previous missions combined and search for landing sites for future Mars missions. The spacecraft will spend six months traveling to the Red Planet. The craft will be launched into space on an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on August 10. The Devils of Mars Jul 14 2005 - NASA When humans visit Mars, they'll have to watch out for towering electrified dust devils: monster columns towering kilometers high and hundreds of meters wide, 10 times larger than any tornado on Earth. "The sand in the lower part of a Martian dust devil would be the biggest hazard," says Mark T. Lemmon, associate research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at Texas A&M University. "The atmospheric pressure on Mars is only 1 percent that at sea level [on Earth], so you wouldn't feel much wind against you. But you'd still be pinged by high-speed material." Moreover, the moving dust and sand may become electrically charged, to the point of "arcing to your spacesuit or vehicle, and creating electromagnetic interference," adds William M. Farrell of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. World's Largest Telescope Begins With a Spin Jun 30 2005 - New Scientist.com Expert mirror makers are gearing up to cast the first component of what is planned to be the world’s largest telescope. Like other multiple-dish instruments, the Giant Magellan Telescope will take advantage of its expansive surface area to boost its sensitivity to light. When completed, the telescope’s seven 8.4-meter mirrors will more than quadruple the power of today’s observatories. The telescope will also have 10 times more resolving power than the Hubble Space Telescope. 'Solar Sail' Launch Fails Jun 23 2005 - CBS News Russian space officials say the world’s first solar sail spacecraft crashed back to Earth after its booster rocket failed 83 seconds after takeoff. The Cosmos 1 spacecraft, a joint U.S.-Russian project, was feared lost after it stopped communicating following its launch on June 21. The purpose of the mission was to show that a solar sail could make a controlled flight. A government panel will investigate possible reasons behind the failure. NASA Deep Impact Probe on Target for July 4 Comet Smash Jun 23 2005 - National Geographic News Looking for a different set of fireworks on Independence Day? NASA’s Deep Impact spacecraft will launch a projectile into the surface of comet Temple 1 on July 4. It is the first time a spacecraft will touch the nucleus of a comet. Mission scientists say the effort will enable them to understand the earliest phases of the solar system by learning what’s really inside a comet in its pristine form. The experiment could also help scientists devise ways to deflect rogue comets if they threaten to collide with Earth in the future. Solar Sail Craft Feared Lost Jun 22 2005 - Discovery News The fate of an experimental solar sail spacecraft remains unknown a day after its launch. Cosmos 1 was launched June 21 from a submerged Russian submarine in the Barents Sea. Flight controllers, however, have been unable to determine the spacecraft’s location after its separation from the submarine. “The sporadic signals received from the craft haven’t been conclusive enough to declare the launch a success,” noted Louis Friedman, project director with the Planetary Society, the organizer’s of the launch. Launch Set for Solar Sail Spacecraft Jun 21 2005 - ABC News If all goes as planned, Cosmos 1, the first spacecraft propelled by sunlight will be launched today. The craft will be carried into Earth’s orbit by a converted intercontinental ballistic missile. The missile will be launched from a submerged Russian submarine in the Barents Sea, according to the Planetary Society, which is undertaking the $4 million project. Russian, American, and Czech ground stations will track the spacecraft. Space Suits With Geology Skills Built In Jun 16 2005 - New Scientist.com Astronauts may soon be able to wear equipment that would make searching for life on other planets much easier. Astronauts aboard previous missions to the moon were trained in geology, enabling them to identify rocks that might reveal signs of water or life. The new system would involve a computer in the astronaut’s field of vision that would analyze rock formations and issue an alert when it detects rock types that need to be sampled, thus eliminating the need for specialized training. A recent test of the new system showed it agreed with human geologists 68 percent of the time. Smallest Extrasolar Planet Found Jun 14 2005 - BBC News Astronomers have detected the smallest extrasolar planet yet. Scientists discovered the planet using the wobble technique, which involves a planet’s gravitational tug on its parent star and produces changes in the star’s velocity. This can be picked up in the light spectrum emitted by the star. Scientists note the new find may be the “first rocky world” found around a star like our Sun. NASA Launches Telescope Balloon Jun 13 2005 - CBS News NASA has launched a scientific helium balloon with a telescope into space for studies of star formation. The telescope “will address some of the most important cosmological and galactic questions regarding the formation and evolution of stars, galaxies, and clusters,” explains Mark Devlin, a University of Pennsylvania professor, who is leading the studies. The mission is expected to last between six and nine days. Martian Aurora is One of a Kind Jun 9 2005 - Scientific American The impressive display known as the northern lights is one example of Earth’s auroras. But scientists have discovered that Mars can put on its own dazzling light show in a unique manner. Auroras on Earth and four other planets result from the interaction between charged particles from the solar wind with their planet’s magnetic fields. The light show above Mars, however, manifests around areas of magnetized rock in the planet’s crust. Mystery Hidden at Supernova's Center Jun 7 2005 - MSNBC Astronomers have come up empty in a search for the remains of a nearby stellar explosion. “We think a neutron star was formed. The question is: Why don’t we see it?” explains Genevieve Graves of the University of California at Santa Cruz. Scientists observed the blast site of the supernova, SN 1987A, with the Hubble Space Telescope, but could not find any signs of the dense stellar core. Neutron stars are often detected as pulsars when they emit intense beams of radio waves. Experts note that it might be too soon to see radio flashes from the supernova, since theory predicts that pulsars take 100 to 100,000 years to develop after a supernova. Earth Microbes May Survive on Mars Jun 2 2005 - New Scientist.com A new study shows terrestrial microbes that catch a ride to Mars on spacecraft might be able to survive under special circumstances. An international team of scientists tested the endurance of a blue-green alga or cyanobacterium that thrives in dry deserts from Antarctica to Israel. The bacterium, called Chroococcidiopsis sp. 029, was chosen as a worst-case scenario for contamination of the planet. The team found that dormant spores of the bacterium died after five minutes of Martian UV exposure. The bacteria, however, were able to stay alive if they were shielded by a millimeter of soil during the tests. The research suggests scientists should take extra care when analyzing potential signs of life on future missions to Mars. Stellar Tantrums Beget More Stars Jun 1 2005 - Scientific American Scientists have unveiled a striking image of a distant nebula showing infant stars trashing their nurseries and promoting new star formation in the process. The new picture shows first generation stars like Eta Carinae, as well as subsequent generations of descendants across a range of different sizes and ages. Astronomers made the discovery using NASA’s Infrared Spitzer telescope. Solar Sail Spacecraft Launch Set for June May 27 2005 - National Geographic News The Planetary Society plans to launch the world’s first solar sail spacecraft. Cosmos 1 will be launched from a submerged Russian submarine in the Barents Sea and carried into orbit by a converted intercontinental ballistic missile. Initially orbiting the Earth at an altitude of about 500 miles, the spacecraft will gradually move outward by solar sailing—propelled by the pressure of light particles from the sun striking the craft's eight triangular sails. The journey has no destination. The goal of the mission is simply to prove that solar sail technology works. Chaos in Solar System Explained May 26 2005 - CBS News By using a computer to play a game of “what if,” scientists have developed a tale of chaos about the early solar system they say explains several mysteries about why our cosmic neighborhood turned out the way it did. The tale answers such questions as: What set off an intense asteroid bombardment 3.9 billion years ago that created huge lava-filled basins on the moon and may have set back the development of life on Earth? Why did Jupiter and Saturn leave their circular orbits and take on the more oval paths seen today? And how did their orbits become so tilted compared to other planets? Mars Spacecraft Snaps Shots of Other Orbiting Satellites May 23 2005 - Scientific American A spacecraft orbiting a foreign planet has observed and photographed some of its kin for the first time. Scientists released photographs May 20 taken by NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor Spacecraft of two spacecraft also in orbit around the Red Planet. These spacecrafts included the European Space Agency’s Mars Express and NASA’s Mars Odyssey. Twelve New Moons Discovered Around Saturn May 5 2005 - New Scientist.com A team of astronomers from the University of Hawaii and the Carnegie Institute of Washington has observed 12 tiny new moons circling Saturn. The scientists’ observations were part of a broader hunt for irregular moons. The new find doubles the number of irregular moons orbiting Saturn and brings the total to 46. Experts note the discovery could help scientists understand how such satellites become snagged by gas giants. Planet Outside Solar System is Observed May 2 2005 - ABC News A team of European and American astronomers report that new images taken of an object five times the mass of Jupiter is a giant planet closely orbiting a distant star. The team first spotted the object last year as a faint reddish speck of light circling a dim brown dwarf or failed star 225 light-years away from Earth near the constellation Hydra. Scientists guessed the faint light was a planet, but said further observation was needed. Cassini Scoops Complex Organics in Titan Flyby Apr 26 2005 - New Scientist.com The Cassini spacecraft has detected a large number of complex organic chemicals while traveling through the upper atmosphere of Saturn’s moon Titan. Some complex organic molecules—such as benzene and diacetylene—had already been picked up on an earlier approach to Titan. The latest encounter, however, has yielded an even wider range of molecules. It includes nitriles and scores of different hydrocarbons, some with up to seven carbon atoms. Scientists say these results suggest that Titan’s upper atmosphere holds even heavier and more complex organics. Skywatchers Await Solar Eclipse on Friday Apr 5 2005 - Yahoo-Associated Press Skywatchers from the South Pacific to the Americas should mark their calendar for this Friday. That’s when the first solar eclipse of 2005 will take place. Solar eclipses occur when the Earth, sun, and moon align in a way that makes the moon cast a shadow over the Earth. Friday’s eclipse, which will be a partial one, will last from a few minutes to more than an hour, depending on one’s location. In most of the continental United States, residents will observe what looks like the moon taking a bite out of the sun, with the bite bigger over the South. Telescopes See 'Distant Planet' Apr 4 2005 - BBC News A European team claims to have obtained the first direct image of a planet beyond our solar system. The extrasolar planet is said to orbit a star called “GQ Lup,” which is thought to be like a young version of our Sun. Similar claims have been made in the past, but skeptical scientists believe the pictures show objects that share the same view in the sky. The GQ Lup object is far more certain, notes Ralph Neuhaeuser’s team in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Nanotech Is Booming Biggest in U.S., Report Says Mar 28 2005 - Washington Post (Requires free registration) The science of the very small is getting big in the United States. Americans are investing more money, publishing more scientific papers, and winning more patents than anyone else, according to the first federal report on nanotechnology. But the report warns America’s lead may be short-lived because Europe and Asia show evidence of gaining in this field. The report also notes important questions about the technology’s safety and oversight remain unanswered and lack adequate study. New Source of High-Energy Gamma Rays Discovered at Milky Way's Center Mar 28 2005 - Scientific American Astronomers have found eight new sources of high-energy gamma rays in the Milky Way, two of which may represent a new class of cosmic rays. Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Germany used the High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) of four telescopes in Namibia, Africa, to search the Milky Way for the gamma ray sources. Future studies with the HESS system will consist of searching other parts of the galaxy for similar discoveries. Astronomers See Light From Extrasolar Planets Mar 23 2005 - Scientific American Two separate research teams report they have directly detected light coming from planets outside our solar system for the first time. “Detecting light from these other worlds is very exciting,” observed one team member. “It opens a whole new window on these objects. It’s the beginning of our ability to study their temperature and composition.” Papers describing the findings will be published in the April 7 issue of Nature and the June 20 issue of the Astrophysical Journal. Scientists Struggle to Digest Surprises from Europe's Mars Craft Mar 16 2005 - Space.com Scientists attending the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in Texas this week are trying to digest all the data being collected from Europe’s Mars Express spacecraft. The probe is casting new light on the past and present status of the Red Planet, including signs of recent volcanic activity, as well as vestiges of glaciers and gigantic waterfalls. The probe has also found levels of methane in the Martian atmosphere. Data collected from the Mars Express will be more widely distributed in the coming weeks. 'Red and Dead' Galaxies Surprise Astronomers Mar 11 2005 - New Scientist.com In a survey of the distant, early universe, the Spitzer Space Telescope has identified the corpses of three “dead” galaxies. An infrared telescope on Earth first found the galaxies two years ago. They appeared red (a sign that most of their stars were old). But the Earth’s heat clouded the observations, making it impossible to rule out whether dust was obscuring the light from younger stars. Scientists note the latest finding bolsters a theory that colossal black holes can starve galaxies of the gas needed to create new stars. Mars Discoveries Spur Talk of New Mission Feb 25 2005 - ABC News Scientists have called for a follow-up mission to find out if life exists on Mars, after discovering active volcanoes and frozen seas on the Red Planet. The recommendation follows an analysis of data from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Mars probe. Ice packs have been found at the planet’s poles and the likely existence of a frozen sea near its equator. Signs of lava flows 20 million years ago and several recent cones have been discovered near Mars’ North Pole. “From what we’ve seen, Mars meets all the requirements that are needed for life to exist,” observed Everett Gibson, a NASA scientist invited to join in the analysis of the ESA project. Saturn's Moon Titan a Frozen World Feb 22 2005 - ABC News Data from the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft shows Saturn’s moon Titan was a world frozen in its youth. “Titan is the Peter Pan of our solar system. It’s a little world that never grew up,” observed University of Hawaii’s Tobias Owen, a member of an international team monitoring the findings from the spacecraft. Ice appears to form the bedrock of Titan and there is a possibility of cryovolcanoes—volcanic-like vents that spew forth ice instead of lava—on the moon. Dennis Matson of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory notes the “ice volcano concept is still a theory, but it offers the best explanation for some features seen on the surface of Titan.” Astronomers Spy Galaxy's Strongest Explosion Yet Feb 22 2005 - Scientific American Telescopes across the globe have recorded the brightest explosion ever detected in our galaxy. The initial burst lasted less than a second, followed by a tail of x-rays lasting six minutes. Material ejected by the blast sped outward at speeds close to one-third the speed of light. “It was the mother of all magnetic flares—a true monster,” observed Kevin Hurley of the University of California at Berkeley. Radio waves from the flare’s aftermath continue to be recorded by telescopes around the world. Black Holes Bend Light the 'Wrong' Way Feb 15 2005 - Nature News Mathematicians claim that astronomers could be misinterpreting their observations of distant stars. Scientists note that an effect called negative refraction results in starlight being bent in odd directions when it passes close to a rotating black hole and unexpectedly shifts its source’s apparent position in the sky. Mathematicians warn that astronomical measurements, particularly those relating to black holes and other massive stellar bodies, should be reexamined. For more information about Our Place in the Universe, NSTA members can refer to the February 2005 issue of The Science Teacher. Pluto Still a Mystery 75 Years Later Feb 14 2005 - ABC News Although it’s been 75 years since the discovery of Pluto, the planet remains a mystery to scientists. Clyde Tombaugh, a young amateur astronomer at the Lowell Observatory, spotted the planet on Feb. 18, 1930. But how to categorize Pluto has been a mystery. Pluto was labeled the ninth planet in the solar system when Tombaugh made his discovery. Some astronomers, however, believe that Pluto behaves more like Kuiper Belt objects than other planets. Scientists hope to launch a probe to Pluto in 2006 to learn more about the planet. Speeding Star Will Escape Milky Way Feb 9 2005 - Nature News Scientists have observed for the first time the fastest star to escape the Milky Way. Dubbed the “outcast star,” the new star is currently in the outer reaches of the galaxy, nearly 200,000 light years away from Earth. The star has been on its present course for less than 80 million years; it may be 80 million more years before it clears the edge of the galaxy and travels into intergalactic space. Scientists also note that runaway stars have been spotted before, but all of them are still confined in our galaxy. Japan to Launch Satellite Into Orbit Feb 9 2005 - ABC News Grounded for more than a year, Japan’s space agency has begun the countdown to launch its domestically built H2-A rocket on Feb. 24. The rocket will carry a replacement for the Himawari 5, a weather observation satellite that stopped working properly in 2004, prompting Japan to rely on a U.S. satellite for weather data. The satellite will also give air traffic controllers the positions of aircraft flying over the ocean. Telescope Sees Possible Mini Solar Systems Feb 8 2005 - Yahoo-Associated Press NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has spotted a dusty disc of material around a small “failed star” called a brown dwarf. The finding raises the possibility that there may be miniature solar systems, in which planets orbit objects not much larger than planets, according to scientists. For more information on Our Place in the Universe, NSTA members can refer to the February 2005 issue of The Science Teacher. Astronomers Detect Saturnian Hot Spot Feb 4 2005 - Scientific American New data from the W.M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii has revealed a hot spot near Saturn’s south pole. Scientists say it’s no surprise that the environs are slightly warm, because sunlight has bathed Saturn’s southern hemisphere for 15 years without a break. But researchers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory say they are amazed to see just how hot the south pole is with a stratospheric temperature of 151 kelvins. What is causing Saturn’s hotspot remains unclear. Experts note that future observations by the infrared spectrometer on board the Cassini spacecraft should help scientists piece together the mystery. Chunk of Universe's Missing Matter Found Feb 3 2005 - Scientific American In recent years, scientists have wondered why a certain percentage of matter has been missing from the universe. But astronomers may now have an answer to that problem. Data collected from the Chandra X-ray Observatory indicates the lost ordinary matter may be swimming in diffuse rivers of gas in an intergalactic medium too hot to see with an optical telescope. But experts warn whether the region sampled in this study is representative of the rest of the universe is unknown, and will need further analysis. For more information on Our Place in the Universe, NSTA members can refer to the February 2005 issue of The Science Teacher. Lunar Colony to Run on Moon Dust and Robots Jan 24 2005 - New Scientist.com President Bush has received an unexpected boost in his effort to establish a colony on the moon. Scientists have used simulated moon dust to make a key component of a working solar cell. Researchers note a power source will be needed for Bush’s proposal. The president’s plan consists of a permanent lunar base from which people can go out and explore the moon, and then travel on to Mars. Huygens Sends Images of Titan Jan 17 2005 - National Geographic News The space probe investigating Saturn’s moon Titan has sent dozens of images back to Earth. Images from the Huygens probe show an Earth-like surface strewn with blocks of ice on Titan. The pictures also reveal a shoreline and drainage channels, perhaps for liquid methane. Scientists hope the data could help unlock the mystery of Saturn’s biggest moon and yield answers to fundamental questions about chemistry and physics, planetary formation, and the conditions that gave rise to life on Earth. Huygens Begins its Titan Descent Jan 14 2005 - BBC News The Huygens spacecraft has sent back its first signal of its historic descent to Saturn’s moon Titan. The space probe took images and readings as it parachuted towards the moon’s surface. Scientists say the scientific investigation of this mysterious world could yield clues to how life first arose on Earth. “We’re doing something today, which will last for centuries,” added David Southwood, a professor and director of science for the European Space Agency. Big Bang Sound Waves Explain Galaxy Clustering Jan 12 2005 - New Scientist.com Sound waves that roared through space after the big bang left behind a subtle imprint in the way galaxies are currently clustered, according to two new studies. A British astronomer says this discovery is “especially powerful” because the two groups who worked on the project used different observations and statistical techniques to arrive at the same conclusion. Scientists also note the results bolster the standard theory that the universe is flat, and that measuring the distance between sound ripples might provide a new cosmic yardstick to probe the past. NASA's Rovers Still Exploring Mars Jan 4 2005 - ABC News NASA scientists are celebrating the first anniversary of the two Mars rovers. The robotic explorers known as Spirit and Opportunity were supposed to last only three months, but continue to travel across the Red Planet. Mission scientists credit the rovers’ success to teamwork, the availability of resources, an ethic of “test, test, test” and to “the miracle on Mars.” Scientists note they plan to investigate why things have gone so well, noting its important “to learn from your successes as well as your failures.” Comet Glowing Brighter in New Year Jan 3 2005 - MSNBC Skywatchers will have another opportunity in 2005 to view a naked-eye comet. Scientists say Comet Machholz has been brightening steadily and that conditions are now prime for observation. The comet will be closest to Earth on the night of Jan. 5–6, when it will be 32,256,000 miles away. On the evening of Jan. 7, the comet will pass a couple of degrees to the west of the famous Pleiades star cluster. Comet Machholz will head into space after a whirl around the sun on Jan. 24. Cassini Reports on an Evolving Saturn Dec 20 2004 - Scientific American Colorado and Iowa scientists have found new clues into the icy nature of Saturn’s rings and how the planet has changed in recent years. Larry Esposito and his colleagues at the University of Colorado discovered a varied amount of oxygen on Saturn that may have caused unseen icy moons to collide with the planet’s E ring. Scientists from the University of Iowa report the planet has not stayed static in the past two decades since the flyby of the space probe Voyager 1. The Iowa scientists also found that Saturn’s rotation period is slowing down. Holiday Sky Show: Five Planets to Shine in Predawn Dec 17 2004 - National Geographic News A heavenly show awaits stargazers this holiday season. During the next few weeks, sky-watchers can spot five planets in the same nighttime sky. Mercury, Venus, and Mars will shine in the east, while Saturn will be visible from the west. Jupiter will hover overhead. The planets will appear across the sky in the minutes before dawn. All five planets were visible in the evening sky earlier this year. But they won’t be seen together again until 2016. Mars Was Wet, Studies Say, But Was It Inhabited? Dec 8 2004 - National Geographic News Scientists say there is no doubt that abundant water once soaked Mars. But now the big question is whether the Red Planet ever supported life. According to Steve Squyres, principal investigator for NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover mission, Mars “had a habitable environment that was suitable for some kind of life as we know it on Earth.” Cassini Discovers Music of the Rings Nov 9 2004 - New Scientist.com Scientists have made a surprising discovery when it comes to Saturn’s ring system. Researchers have learned the planet’s rings emit a melodic series of musical notes. The tones are emitted as radio waves, and are short, typically lasting between one and three seconds. Each musical note is also distinct. This evidence suggests that each tone is produced by the impact of a meteoroid on the icy chunks that make up the rings, according to scientists. Star Search Solves Historic Puzzle Oct 30 2004 - Los Angeles Times (Requires free registration) Astronomers have solved a 400-year-old cosmic mystery, possibly locating the missing companion star that played a critical role in the titanic supernova witnessed by Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe on Nov. 11, 1572. If this star, called Tycho G, is indeed the companion star, experts note it confirms the basic theory about how supernovas occur. For more information on the History and Nature of Science, NSTA members can refer to the November 2004 issues of Science Scope and The Science Teacher. Scientists Pore Over Cassini Data Oct 27 2004 - BBC News Scientists have received the closest views yet of Saturn’s moon Titan, thanks to the Cassini spacecraft. Scientists hope to use the images to answer some key questions about this unexplored world. For example, the data could help to settle a vigorous debate about the nature of Titan’s icy surface. Previous attempts to view Titan’s surface have been a challenge because a thick, orange haze covers the moon. Cassini Probe to Fly by Saturn's Moon Titan Oct 22 2004 - National Geographic News The Cassini spacecraft is scheduled to travel through the upper atmosphere of Saturn’s moon Titan on Oct. 26. The probe will use high-tech cameras during the flyby to peer through Titan’s hazy orange atmosphere and look at the moon’s mysterious surface. Titan’s surface and atmosphere have intrigued scientists for many years. They are thought to resemble that of Earth several billion years ago, before life as we know it, began pumping oxygen into the atmosphere. Getting a Clearer Read on Stars Oct 21 2004 - The Christian Science Monitor A unique array of telescopic light gathering mirrors in Arizona is helping astronomers obtain a clearer look at stars. Dubbed the Navy Prototype Optical Interferometer (NPOI), this array allows astronomers to study the surface of stars, search for extrasolar planets, and map positions of stars with high precision. Scientists hope the lessons they learn with the NPOI will benefit a similar, but larger array planned for New Mexico’s Magdalena Ridge, near Socorro. Messy Reality of Planet Formation Revealed Oct 19 2004 - Scientific American A new analysis of data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope is helping astronomers to better understand planet formation. The findings suggest planet formation is more chaotic and can take up to 10 times longer than previously thought. “It’s a mess out there,” observed team leader George Rieke of the University of Arizona, Tucson. “We are seeing that planets have a long, rocky road to go down before they become full grown.” Modern Telescopes Illuminate 400-Year-Old Astronomical Mystery Oct 13 2004 - Scientific American Astronomers are using three telescopes in hopes of better understanding our galaxy’s most recent supernova. The combined image captured from the Spitzer and Hubble Space telescopes, as well as the Chandra X-ray Observatory has revealed “Kepler’s remnant” as a cloud of dust and gas 14 light-years across and expanding at a rate of four million miles an hour. Astronomers, however, have yet to determine the source of Kepler’s remnant. 50-Satellite Sputnik Salute Planned Oct 13 2004 - MSNBC A group of space researchers, scientists, and industry professionals plan to mark the 50th anniversary of the historic Sputnik 1 satellite launch. The International Aeronautical Federation hopes to launch a single kilogram nanosatellite from each of its 50 member nations by 2007 to celebrate the anniversary. The soda can-sized nanosatellites will be carried as an extra payload aboard an Arianespace rocket. Each satellite is expected to have a mission lifetime of about two years and will be controlled by independent researchers at universities and other organizations. Space Sugar a Clue to Life's Origins Sep 27 2004 - The Washington Post Astronomers have known about sugar in space for some time. New research, however, has revealed that a cotton candy-like cloud of simple sugar found in regions on the outer layer of the solar system could exist at extremely low temperatures. Although several scientists agree that life probably derived from a rich “primordial soup” created in the warm-water puddles of the Earth, they note this discovery offers “fresh evidence” for another popular view—that some of the basic ingredients to form life may have flown in from interstellar space aboard a comet or asteroid. Two Huge Galactic Clusters Are Colliding Millions of Light-Years Away Sep 24 2004 - The Washington Post Scientists say they have observed two gigantic galactic clusters slamming together in one of the biggest collisions ever recorded. J. Patrick Henry of the University of Hawaii, who lead an international team of scientists to make the observation, noted the two galactic clusters were separate objects about 300 million years ago and began colliding after that. Researchers note the violent merger offers the best data yet on the process, and could help scientists learn more about how galaxies and their contents developed in the early universe. Asteroid Close Encounter Coming Wednesday Sep 24 2004 - National Geographic News Astronomy buffs should mark their calendars for Sept. 29. That’s when a peanut-shaped asteroid named 4179 Toutatis is expected to pass within a million miles of Earth. Steven Ostro, who studies asteroids at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, notes that the “approach is the closest in this century of any known asteroid at least as big as Toutatis.” Scientists also note that the asteroid poses no risk of impacting Earth at least through the year 2562. Hubble Heats Debate Over Ionized Universe Sep 23 2004 - New Scientist.com Astronomers studying the deepest image ever taken of the universe are coming to different conclusions about what made space transparent to light billions of years ago. Early observations suggest violent galaxies called quasars might be the cause. But surveys show there were not enough quasars to make space transparent to light. Scientists are hoping an image captured from the Hubble Space Telescope, which shows 10,000 galaxies in a small patch of sky, will yield some clues. Mars Rovers Given Six More Months Sep 22 2004 - New Scientist.com The Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity have had their missions extended by another six months after weathering the Martian winter solstice. Scientists working with the mission plan to continue to obtain as much data as possible from the twin rovers, but note they are uncertain how much longer the probes will keep working. Originally planned as a 90-day mission, Spirit has already performed well beyond expectations for 263 days. Opportunity is three weeks behind its sister vehicle in operational time. New Mars Data Gives Life Clue Sep 21 2004 - BBC News A connection between methane and water has excited researchers working with the mission to Mars. Scientists have discovered new data from the Mars Express probe that shows patterns of water and methane in Mars’ atmosphere overlap, which may have important implications for the idea that the Red Planet could have life. Some scientists argue, however, that alternative processes other than microbial life could explain this overlap. Spacecrafts Powered by Thunder Sep 20 2004 - New Scientist.com Thunderous sound waves could one day propel spacecraft to the edge of the solar system, according to engineers who have developed a new type of acoustic engine. Stirling engines use temperature differentials between reservoirs of gas to create electricity. Funding for research about the engines will be funded by NASA. Crashed Capsule May Still Reveal Solar Secrets Sep 13 2004 - New Scientist.com Most of the science from NASA’s Genesis spacecraft will likely be salvaged, according to mission scientists. Preliminary inspections of the ruptured probe suggest many of the capsule’s hexagonal particle collectors are broken. Contamination from dirt and moisture, however, may not be as widespread as previously thought. The Genesis spacecraft spent more than two years in space, collecting charged particles blown on the solar wind from the Sun’s outermost layer. The probe crashed into the Utah desert on Sept. 8. Mars Was Watery for Eons Sep 9 2004 - Discovery Channel.com Mars may be a planet that is cold, dry, and dusty. However, it had a watery climate for most of its history, according to a study published today in the journal Nature. Scientists have based their conclusion on research that involved comparing images sent back by the Mars rover Opportunity and spectrometer scans made by the Mars Odyssey, a NASA orbiter. Scientists Prepare to Use New Device to Capture Cosmic Rays Sep 3 2004 - The Billings Gazette (Montana) Scientists have broken ground on a new tool to capture and study the most powerful energy sources in the universe: cosmic rays. The cosmic ray detector, located on a remote hilltop in the western Utah desert, will be the first part of the Telescope Array. This $18 million Japanese-American project is designed to help scientists learn more about where cosmic rays come from and how they impact the Earth. Scientists hope to complete the project in about two years. Scientists to Map Known Universe Sep 2 2004 - Yahoo-Associated Press Astronomers say they will begin using the radio telescope at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory to map the night sky for future generations. Scientists hope their work will yield thousands of new pulsars, supernovas, black holes, and planets. The process is expected to take two years to complete. Any information that is collected will be compiled into a worldwide database that scientists can access on the Internet. Astronomers Find 4 New Planets Aug 31 2004 - CBS News Three teams of scientists from the United States and Europe have found four new expoplanets—those orbiting stars other than the sun—in the past week. Officials with NASA are expected to cap the excitement with details on what the space agency describes as a “new class” of expoplanets found by one of the American teams. Experts note it won’t be long before astronomers detect planets that are similar to Earth’s dimensions and characteristics as a result of the recent discoveries. Comet Research Pioneer Whipple Dies Aug 31 2004 - ABC News Fred L. Whipple, an astronomy pioneer who proposed the “dirty snowball” theory for the substance of comets, has died. Whipple proposed this theory in 1950, saying that comets consisted of ice with some rock mixed in, rather than sand held together by gravity, which was widely believed. Whipple also theorized glowing comet tails contained particles that originated from frozen reservoirs in comet nuclei. Whipple’s theories were proven correct in 1986 through the use of photographs taken of Haley’s comet by the European Space Agency’s Giotto spacecraft. Saturn and Venus to Converge Aug 27 2004 - MSNBC Astronomy enthusiasts will want to direct their attention to the eastern part of the sky this week. That’s when the planets Venus and Saturn are expected to converge within two degrees of each other. The two planets will pull away from each other in September. Astronauts Practice Survival Skills Aug 27 2004 - Boston Globe Three teachers who are part of the new class of 14 NASA astronaut candidates have completed survival training in Maine. Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger, a high school science teacher, noted a highlight of the four-day training program took place when the astronauts sat on a cliff near a campfire one night, pointing out constellations, and looking at the moon. “People have been there and we’re training to get there,” Lindenburger observed. Telescope Network Detects Distant Planet Aug 25 2004 - Scientific American Telescopes need not be huge to make large discoveries. Scientists report in the publication Astrophysical Journal Letters that they have found a new Jupiter-size gas giant using a network of small and inexpensive telescopes located across the globe. The distant planet has been named TrES-1 and is orbiting a star 500 light-years away from Earth. Beagle 2's Demise Remains a Mystery Aug 24 2004 - New Scientist.com Scientists who worked with the Beagle 2 mission to Mars have published a study that discusses possible reasons for why the probe might have disappeared. The report, Beagle 2: Lessons Learned, aims to make the knowledge and experience gained by mission scientists available to organizers of future spacecraft missions. The study, however, fails to give a clear answer to a key question: why did the Beagle 2 lander fail? Asteroid Shaves Past Earth's Atmosphere Aug 23 2004 - New Scientist.com New details are emerging for the first time about the closest observed asteroid yet to fly by the Earth without hitting the planet’s atmosphere. The previously unknown object, named 2004 FU162, is about five to 10 meters in size and streaked across the sky on March 31. Scientists say information about this discovery was not reported earlier because the asteroid had moved into the daytime sky making it difficult for follow-up observations. Telescope 'Gigantic Eye on Universe' Aug 22 2004 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Requires free registration) South African scientists and engineers are putting the final touches on a new powerful telescope. The Southern African Large Telescope will enable scientists to look at stars, galaxies, and quasars a billion times too faint to be seen with the naked eye and not visible in the Northern Hemisphere. Scientists will also be able to use the telescope to conduct research about the evolution of the universe. Construction of the $30 million telescope will be completed in 2005. NASA Prepares to Catch a Falling Star Sample Aug 20 2004 - USA Today NASA’s effort to return genuine stardust back to Earth is set for a dramatic finale on Sept. 8. Scientists from the space agency plan to use helicopter pilots who have flown in Hollywood films to retrieve a descending space capsule in midair. In 2001, the space agency launched the Genesis mission to collect samples from the solar wind. Planetary scientists expect that analysis of the pristine solar dust will reveal the chemistry of the interstellar dust cloud from which the solar system arose 4.5 billion years ago. Five New Moons for Planet Neptune Aug 19 2004 - BBC News Scientists have discovered five new moons orbiting the planet Neptune. Two of the moons orbit in the same direction as the planet rotates, while the orbits of the other moons travel in the opposite direction to Neptune’s spin. Researchers note cataclysmic events connected to the capture of Neptune’s moon, Triton, were thought to have destroyed any outer satellites the planet previously had. Mars Rovers Find More Proof of H20 Aug 19 2004 - CBS News NASA scientists report that the Mars rovers Spirit and Opportunity have found several weird rocks and enticing dunes, as well as more evidence that the Red Planet once contained water. Although the two robotic vehicles continue to find data about Mars, scientists note Spirit and Opportunity are showing signs of “aches and pains.” The twin rovers also face the challenge of the arrival of winter on Mars. Cassini Spots Mini Moons Circling Saturn Aug 18 2004 - Scientific American The Cassini spacecraft has found two new moons around Saturn. Dubbed S/2004 S1 and S/2004 S2, the moons are located about 120,000 miles from the center of Saturn. Sebastien Charnoz of the University of Paris discovered the moons using a computer code that searches for spots of light moving with respect to background stars. Scientists note the existence of the moons might give astronomers clues to the number of comets in the outer solar system. India Rethinks Plan to Send Man to Moon Aug 12 2004 - Yahoo-Associated Press India is reconsidering a plan to send a man to the moon. Officials with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), the country’s space agency, noted such a mission would be too expensive and could be performed with instruments. Observers note India’s plan is an attempt to compete with China, who sent a man into space in 2003. An ISRO spokesman noted India has no interest in competing with other countries. First Space Test for Solar Sailing Aug 10 2004 - New Scientist.com Scientists in Japan have successfully unfurled a delicate solar sail in space for the first time. Researchers note this effort could enable spacecraft to travel to distant planets in record time by harnessing the Sun’s rays. Others hope the effort will help humans travel into space. A spokesman for the Planetary Society noted the Japanese test is “an important step towards realizing a real solar sail.” The California-based organization hopes to test the first fully functioning solar sail later this year. Cassini Finds Radiation Between Saturn and Innermost Ring Aug 6 2004 - Los Angeles Times (Requires free registration) Calling it “a huge surprise,” the Cassini spacecraft has discovered a radiation belt around Saturn and inside the orbit of the planet’s rings. Scientists had previously thought that such a belt could not exist around Saturn. The spacecraft, which was launched in June, has also revealed the prevalence of storms on the planet’s surface. A mission spokesman noted the storms are “dramatically different” than those observed on Saturn 20 years ago by the Voyager 2 spacecraft. Red Planet Had 'Recent' Volcanism Aug 5 2004 - BBC News New evidence from Europe’s Mars Express orbiter shows that the Red Planet appears to have been volcanically active more recently than previously thought. The evidence suggests that volcanic activity on Mars could have taken place between a million to 20 million years ago. Previous data from spacecraft that explored Mars indicated that volcanic activity ceased about 500 to 600 million years ago. Scientists note that more work will be needed to confirm the new dates. Solar System May Be Exception Not Rule Aug 4 2004 - New Scientist.com A British scientist and his colleagues say that extrasolar planets might not have been formed the same way as those that orbit our solar system. “It will be another five years or so before we know whether the solar system is truly different,” notes Martin Beer, a University of Leicester astrophysicist. “But if it is, we may have to revise our theories of planet formation, since the existing theories are largely based on information gathered in the solar system.” NASA Launches Spacecraft to Mercury Aug 4 2004 - ABC News After a 24-hour delay due to bad weather, the spacecraft Messenger has been launched to explore the planet Mercury. Scientists hope the probe will help reveal the mysterious secrets of the hot planet. Researchers note they have been anxious to study Mercury up close ever since Mariner 10 passed by the planet in the 1970’s. “I say we are long overdue for another visit with some permanence to help us unveil the secrets of this planet, the innermost and least understood of the terrestrial planets,” observed Orlando Figueroa, director of NASA’s solar system exploration division. Spacecraft to Begin Journey to Mercury Jul 26 2004 - ABC News In an effort to learn more about the planet Mercury, NASA will launch the Messenger spacecraft next week. Messenger will be the first spacecraft ever to orbit Mercury and the first probe to approach the planet in 30 years. Scientists hope to learn more about how Mercury was formed. Experts note that anything scientists can learn about Mercury’s formation will shed light on the origins of other planets in the solar system. The Mercury mission will conclude in 2012. Rovers to Get Extra Time on Mars Jul 22 2004 - BBC News The Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, will have more time to explore the Red Planet. NASA has decided to extend the mission for the two rovers by seven months. A NASA spokesman noted the extension is both good news and bad news for the mission. Although no new funding will be given to the project, mission scientists say the effort to explore Mars has lasted longer than they had expected. Meanwhile, Opportunity is investigating the Endurance crater, while Spirit continues to spend time at the base of the planet’s Columbia Hills. First Direct Measurement of Solitary Star's Mass Since the Sun Jul 19 2004 - Scientific American Scientists say they have measured the mass of another single star besides the sun, thanks to a rare event known as the MACHO–LMC–5. The red star is nearly 2,000 light-years away from Earth and is one-tenth the mass of the sun. “It’s possible that by getting these kind of measurements, we will be able to test our theories of stellar structure,” explains the study’s team leader, Andrew Gould of Ohio State University. Apollo Anniversary: Moon Landing "Inspired World" Jul 16 2004 - National Geographic News Thirty-five years ago today, the mission that carried the first humans to the surface of the moon occurred. Apollo 11 was launched into orbit from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On board the spacecraft were astronauts Neil Armstrong; Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr.; and Michael Collins. “Putting a man on the moon not only inspired the nation, but also the world,” observed Steven Dick, NASA’s chief historian at the space agency’s Washington, D.C. office. Saturn's Rings Get UV Treatment Jul 8 2004 - CBS News Astronomers may be able to learn more about the evolution of Saturn, thanks to new ultraviolet images taken of the planet’s rings. The photographs show more ice toward the outer part of Saturn’s rings. Mission scientists note that this could indicate how the rings have changed over time. Although the rings are primarily composed of ice, scientists hope to investigate other “dirty” material that is contained in the rings. Hubble Discovers 100 New Planets Jul 2 2004 - BBC News Scientists have made a discovery that could lend support to the idea that nearly every sun-like star in our galaxy is accompanied by planets. The Hubble Space Telescope might have found as many as 100 new planets orbiting stars, according to researchers. Scientists say if the discovery is confirmed, it would nearly double the number of planets known to be circling other stars to about 230 in nine years. Saturn's Rings Seen Close Up by Cassini Jul 1 2004 - New York Times (Requires free registration) Carolyn Porco, leader of the Saturn mission imaging team, thought her colleagues were playing a joke on her when the initial photos of Saturn’s rings were returned to Earth. The Cassini spacecraft sent back clear and detailed images of Saturn’s rings on June 30. “They were so shocking, I thought that my team was playing tricks on me and showing me a simulation of the rings and not the rings itself,” Porco said. Scientists might have more to get excited about in the near future. A flyby of Saturn’s moon, Titan, is scheduled for July 2. Lure of the Rings Jun 29 2004 - ABC News Although they have eluded scientific explanation, scientists hope the Cassini spacecraft will help them to learn more about Saturn’s mysterious rings. The probe is scheduled to enter Saturn’s orbit and begin examining the planet’s rings on June 30. Scientists note that learning what is contained in Saturn’s rings and when they were formed could lead to an enhanced understanding of how the solar system formed. “It will be like opening up a whole new world. Things will go from fuzzy blobs to clear worlds,” observed Linda Spilker, a project scientist for the joint NASA-European Cassini mission. Double Discovery on Past Mars Water Jun 28 2004 - New Scientist.com Scientists continue to keep finding clues that show Mars had a wet and watery past. The Mars rover Spirit has found hematite, an iron mineral usually formed in water. Spirit’s twin, Opportunity, has found additional evidence of water through possible past cycles of wet and dry climates. The rovers have also entered new phases in the mission to Mars. Opportunity has descended into a crater called Endurance, while Spirit is studying a softball-sized rock covered in nuggets and dubbed a “pot of gold.” Mission's Path to New Astronomy Jun 24 2004 - BBC News The European Space Agency has awarded a contract to a British organization that will result in the creation of one of the most ambitious space missions ever launched. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Pathfinder mission will demonstrate technologies that will be needed to detect gravitational waves in space. Although astronomers have indirect evidence of their existence, scientists have yet to detect these gravitational waves directly. The Pathfinder should launch in 2008. Saturn Moon Reveals Its Secrets Jun 23 2004 - Wired News Scientists say data from the Cassini spacecraft’s probe of Saturn’s moon Phoebe, confirms the theory the moon is a planetary building block left over from the birth of the solar system. “We believe Phoebe is a good example of the fundamental building blocks of planets—an icy planetesimal,” explains Torrence Johnson, an imaging team member at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Data from the probe has also revealed the temperature on Phoebe is 200 degrees colder than any temperature recorded on Earth. Scientists note additional discoveries about Phoebe are expected in the future. Grasping for Light of Distant Worlds Jun 22 2004 - New York Times (Requires free registration) Astronomers are using the Air Force’s Aeos telescope and an experimental new camera in an effort to record the first images of planets around other stars. Scientists have deduced the existence of more than 100 extrasolar planets in the last decade. Experts note, however, that until astronomers can actually see these planets by recording and analyzing their light, what they consist of, and other factors, the discovery “will remain in the realms of mystery and science fiction.” Comet Spills Its Secrets Jun 18 2004 - Nature News Not all comets are born equal, according to this article. Researchers report in today’s issue of the journal Science that photographs taken by NASA’s Stardust spacecraft show the comet Wild 2 has a rigid core that can support vertical cliffs and spires of rock. Scientists had previously thought that all comets were piles of rubble. “It’s completely unexpected,” Donald Brownlee, Stardust’s principal investigator, noted of the finding. Mars Rover Spies Pot of Gold Jun 16 2004 - New Scientist.com Dubbed a “pot of gold,” the Mars rover Spirit has returned exciting new images back to Earth of rock formations including a unique rock never seen before on the Red Planet. Scientists working on the Mars mission say nobody has an explanation for these formations, but that “it’s hard to imagine that water wasn’t involved.” Meanwhile, Opportunity has started its journey into the interior of the crater called Endurance. Cassini Flyby Gives Clues to Origin of Saturn's Moon Phoebe Jun 15 2004 - Scientific American Scientists have received the clearest pictures ever taken of Phoebe, one of Saturn’s moons. The photographs show the moon has an icy surface that has seen its share of hits both large and small. The images have also revealed evidence of the moon’s combative past in craters ranging in size from 50 kilometers wide to less than a kilometer across, as well as clues to Phoebe’s internal properties. Scientists say they plan to use these clues to piece together the moon’s origin and evolution. Venus Watchers Soak Up the Atmosphere Jun 8 2004 - New Scientist An estimated five billion people worldwide witnessed the passage of Venus in front of the sun today. Europe, Africa, and most of Asia were able to watch the entire transit, while stargazers in the Americas caught the tail end of the rare event. The last transit of Venus took place in 1882. Observers who missed today’s event will have to wait another eight years to witness a repeat performance. The next transit is set for June 2012. Stargazers Prepare for Rare Venus Show Jun 7 2004 - ABC News Stargazers across the universe are preparing to watch a rare event. The planet Venus will pass between the Earth and the sun on Tuesday, a celestial event that was last witnessed 122 years ago. The six-hour transit will be visible around the globe, except for the southern tip of South America, southwestern Canada, and the western part of the United States. For those who miss the event, the next transit is scheduled for June 6, 2012. Saturn Looms in Cassini's Sights Jun 7 2004 - Nature News After years of travel across the solar system, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft, a joint project between NASA and the European Space Agency, is nearing Saturn and will fly past the planet’s outermost moon on Friday. “The objective of the Cassini-Huygens (mission) is very simple: it’s to allow us to rewrite the story of the lord of the rings,” said Charles Elachi, director of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Cassini spacecraft was launched from Florida in 1997. It will spend the next four years studying Saturn and its moons. Mars Rover Sets Eyes on Long-Sought Hills Jun 3 2004 - New Scientist.com Scientists might soon get their first look at hills on Mars. The Mars rover Spirit is moving closer to the Columbia Hills on the Red Planet. Images of the hills indicate there could be outcrops of layered rock and several large boulders on Mars’ surface. The hills could also contain different types of rocks than those already seen, which could reveal further information about Mars’ geological history, according to scientists. Massive Black Holes Common in Early Universe Jun 2 2004 - New Scientist.com New observations made by teams of scientists from the United States and Europe show that massive black holes were common in the early universe, but that most of them are buried by dust. Researchers from both areas have found hundreds of these hidden black holes by combining data from several ground-based and space telescopes including the Hubble, the Chandra X-ray, and the Spitzer infrared telescope. Scientists note a few hidden quasars have been detected before, but that this is the first time a real survey of their numbers has been made possible. NASA Telescope Finds Baby Planet May 28 2004 - CBS News “It knocked our socks off.” That’s how a University of Wisconsin astronomer is describing a trio of discoveries scientists have made with NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope. Researchers announced Thursday they have found a young planet that is a million years old. Observations made with the telescope also revealed developing stars. Scientists note the planetary construction zones around infant stars have considerable ice that could produce future oceans. Mars Rover to Begin 'Deep Sleep' Modes May 27 2004 - Boston Globe The Mars rover Opportunity will be put into a “deep sleep” mode at night. Although the move will be risky, officials working on the Mars mission said the effort would help to save energy. Opportunity has only been able to manage one or two hours of activity in recent days because it charges its batteries with solar power. By placing Opportunity into a “deep sleep,” the rover should be able to conserve an adequate amount of battery charge to manage additional hours of activity to conduct scientific operations. Meanwhile, Spirit, Opportunity’s twin continues to operate normally after suffering a software problem last week. Quasars' Humble Roots Revealed May 26 2004 - Scientific American New research has revealed that some of the most powerful quasars in the universe reside in small galaxies in addition to large ones. “It’s like finding a Formula One racing car in a suburban garage,” said the study's team leader, Scott Croom of the Anglo-Australian Observatory. Astronomers observed nine galaxies 10 billion light-years away from Earth that contain quasars to make the finding. Results of the study were presented May 25 at the first Gemini Science Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. Venus Clouds 'Might Harbour Life' May 26 2004 - BBC News American scientists claim there might be life on the planet Venus. Although the existence of life on the planet might be hard to believe, experts say microbes could survive and reproduce on the planet by floating in Venus’s thick and cloudy atmosphere with a protection of sunscreen containing sulphur compounds. Researchers have submitted a proposal to conduct a NASA space mission to test the clouds and return any other data supporting their claim. A Perfect Storm of Space Weather May 20 2004 - USA Today Dubbed the “Halloween storms,” scientists say seven solar blasts that impacted the Earth’s upper atmosphere in 2003 have set new records for extreme space weather. The blasts damaged 28 satellites, diverted airplane routes, caused power outages in Sweden, and created other problems. The impact of the blasts were also felt beyond Earth. For more information on Exploring Weather, NSTA members can refer to the May 2004 issue of Science & Children. Researchers Offer New Evidence of Rapidly Expanding Universe May 19 2004 - New York Times (Requires free registration) An international team of astronomers has discovered new evidence that shows the universe is rapidly expanding. By analyzing x-rays emitted by hot gases, researchers have been able to calculate the distance from Earth and the speed of galactic clusters and thus trace the history of the universe’s expansion during the past 10 billion years. Previous studies, including the report that led to the finding of dark energy, have used exploding stars as cosmic distance markers. Scientists not associated with the latest discovery have praised the work describing it as a promising “new tool.” Scientists Prepare for Rare Astronomical Event May 11 2004 - Yahoo-Reuters Millions of people in Europe, the Middle East, and most of Asia and Africa will witness a rare astrological event on June 8. The transit of the planet Venus across the sun has been billed as a once in a lifetime event because the last occurrence took place on Dec. 6, 1882. Those who miss the June viewing will have to wait another eight years to witness the event. The next transit of the planet will take place on June 6, 2012, but will not be visible in Britain and other parts of Europe. Scientists Find New Moon Mineral Apr 27 2004 - BBC News Scientists report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the discovery of a new lunar mineral found in a meteorite from the moon that crashed on Earth two years ago. The mineral, called Hapkeite, is named after the scientist Bruce Hapke. Although Hapke first predicted hapkeite to exist about 30 years ago, scientists say this is the first time the mineral has been visible. Probe Launched to Look for Space-Time Shift Apr 20 2004 - MSNBC A $750 million satellite designed to put Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity to the test has blasted off into space. A Boeing Delta 2 rocket carrying Gravity Probe B lifted off this morning from California’s Vandenberg Air Force Base, after high-level winds postponed an initial launch attempt. The probe will investigate whether Earth, which is known to warp both time and space with its mass, also twists those elements like tornado winds as it rotates. Scientists Seek Unknown Planets Apr 16 2004 - BBC News British scientists are spearheading an ambitious project to find unknown planets. The project, called SuperWASP, will consist of a group of astronomers using a network of cameras positioned around the world that will measure the brightness of 50 million stars every night. Scientists say data from SuperWASP will lead to “exciting progress” in several areas of astronomy, ranging from the discovery of planets around nearby stars, to the early detection of other classes of variable objects such as supernovae in distant galaxies. NASA Extends Mars Mission Apr 9 2004 - CBS News The Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, will have additional time to explore the Red Planet. NASA scientists have decided to extend the mission to Mars through September. For Opportunity, the extension should enable the rover to build on evidence it has already found that water once filled its landing site on Mars. Spirit will use the extra time to continue its quest to find evidence of water on the planet by traveling to a cluster of hills that might contain layered deposits. NASA’s decision to continue the Mars mission will carry a price tag of $15 million. Satellite to Test Einstein Theory Apr 3 2004 - BBC News NASA scientists plan to launch a satellite that will test two of Albert Einstein’s theories about space and time. Gravity Probe B will examine how space and time are distorted by the presence of the Earth, in addition to how the Earth’s rotation twists and drags space-time around with it. The mission was first proposed in 1959, but has been aborted or delayed numerous times due to technical problems. Scientists have scheduled a new launch date for April 17 from California. 'Fifty Planets' Could Have Life Apr 1 2004 - BBC News British scientists have estimated there might be approximately 50 planets in the solar system that could have life. “We would certainly expect them to be something like Earth in size and in mass, to have a reasonable atmosphere; they’ll have oceans and continents, they’ll be potential abodes of life, but the big question is—has there actually been life there?” said Barrie Jones, an astronomy professor. Scientists say it will be about 15 years before space telescopes will be capable of observing and investigating these planets to see if they support life. Methane on Mars Could Signal Life Mar 29 2004 - BBC News Scientists have discovered another clue that might signal life on Mars. Researchers report that they have found methane in the Red Planet’s atmosphere. The substance was detected by telescopes on Earth and has been confirmed through the use of equipment located on the Mars Express, the European Space Agency’s probe exploring the Red Planet. Astronomers hope to present further evidence about their discovery next month. Beach Rover Uncovers Ancient Oceans on Mars Mar 24 2004 - New Scientist.com NASA scientists say they have found the strongest evidence yet that the Red Planet may have sustained signs of life. Researchers reported at a news conference Tuesday that the landing site of the Mars rover Opportunity used to be a shallow pool of salty water. Earlier this month, mission officials said the Opportunity rover had discovered evidence of water on the planet. Scientists noted, however, it was unclear whether the water was in the soil or on the surface of Mars. Astronomers Discover 'New Planet' Mar 15 2004 - BBC News Science educators may soon be teaching their students about a new planet. Astronomers say the planet, named Sedna, is red in color, shiny in texture, and similar to the size of Pluto. Researchers first detected Sedna using California’s Mount Palomar Observatory in November. Although there will be a debate whether Sedna qualifies as a true planet, scientists say the discovery is already redefining the solar system. Spirit Findings Provide More Evidence of Martian Water Mar 9 2004 - Scientific American NASA scientists continue to report the discovery of water on the Red Planet, thanks to the two Mars rovers. Scientists say the rover named Spirit has found additional evidence of water on Mars less than a week after its twin Opportunity discovered similar findings. Officials working on the mission say the latest finding was made in a dark volcanic rock dubbed “Humphrey,” from the planet’s Gusev Crater. NASA: Liquid Water Once on Mars Mar 2 2004 - CNN.com NASA scientists say the Mars rovers have found what they were looking for: hard evidence that the red planet was once "soaking wet." The project's principal investigator for the rovers' science instruments said, "We have concluded the rocks here were once soaked in liquid water." Scientists used instruments on board the golf cart-sized rovers to study the composition of the rocks and soil on the planet. The rocks' physical appearance, plus the detection of sulfates, make the case for a watery history, and more important, an environment that could have been hospitable to life. Countdown to Comet Mission Feb 25 2004 - Nature News Scientists hope to find clues on how the solar system formed with the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission. The Rosetta will be launched into space on Feb. 26 on an Ariane 5 rocket. The rocket will then drop a probe named Philae on the surface of Churyumov-Gerasimenko in an attempt to make the first controlled landing on a comet. Scientists warn, however, Philae’s landing will be tricky since no one knows how solid the surface of the comet is. Close-ups Narrow Theories on Mars Bedrock Feb 10 2004 - NewScientist.com According to the lead scientist on the Mars Exploration Rover Mission, the latest close-ups taken by the rover Opportunity leave just two serious possibilities for the method of formation of the layered rocks it is examining: (1) the rocks are layers of volcanic ash, interspersed with droplets of molten rock spewed out by volcanoes or meteorite impacts and then frozen into glassy beads; (2) layers of ash or fine windblown dust were later penetrated by mineral-rich water, which deposited successive layers of material onto the grains, building them up into spheres. Mars Rover Tests Rock Surface Feb 6 2004 - New Scientist.com The Mars rover Spirit has started working again, after facing two weeks of computer memory trouble. NASA scientists report that the probe brushed some dust from the surface of a rock dubbed Adirondack. The rover also took microscopic and spectroscopic data off the rock’s surface. Scientists plan to use the information to decide whether Spirit should start digging into the rock’s surface or move from the site. Meanwhile, Opportunity has completed its initial trip across the Red Planet. NASA Rover to Take First Real Mars Drive Feb 5 2004 - ABC News Scientists are preparing the Mars rover Opportunity to drive across the Red Planet. Mission managers plan to send the probe to a rock formation 20 feet from its landing site so that it can continue to search for hematite, a mineral that can form in water. Scientists say the finding of geologic evidence of water would support the possibility that Mars once sustained life. Opportunity will also conduct a soil analysis during its drive across Mars. Opportunity’s twin, Spirit, is scheduled to resume work today after suffering from computer trouble in recent weeks. Hubble Spots Oxygen and Carbon in Distant Planet's Atmosphere Feb 3 2004 - Scientific American Findings to be published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters show scientists have found carbon and oxygen in the atmosphere of a planet beyond our solar system for the first time. “What is key here is that we have detected oxygen and carbon in atomic form and in the outermost layers of the planet where we would not normally expect them,” noted Gilda Ballester of the University of Arizona, the study’s co-author. Europe Joins the Race to Put a Man on Mars Feb 3 2004 - Yahoo-Reuters Scientists with the European Space Agency (ESA) plan to send humans to the moon and Mars. Franco Ongaro, project manager of the ESA’s Aurora space exploration program, said the agency believes it can have a manned mission to the moon between 2020 and 2025 and to Mars between 2030 and 2035. The announcement by the ESA comes just weeks after President Bush revealed a plan to send Americans to the moon and the Red Planet. Ongaro noted that ESA’s plans for manned Mars missions were not in competition with NASA’s plans. NASA Scans Mars Rock Data for Water Clues Jan 30 2004 - ABC News Scientists are trying to determine if the Mars rover Opportunity has located evidence of a mineral on the Red Planet that forms in water. A NASA satellite previously identified the presence of the mineral, gray hematite, at Opportunity’s landing site. Mission managers said confirmation of the discovery could take a few days. Meanwhile, Spirit, Opportunity’s twin, is expected to return to full health by Feb. 1 after software problems temporarily grounded its mission. Rovers are Getting Closer to Making Tracks on Mars Jan 29 2004 - The New York Times (Requires free registration) The two Mars rovers—Spirit and Opportunity—could start roving in the next few days, according to NASA scientists. Mission officials said a recent press conference that Opportunity could start moving from its landing site and exploring the Martian surface as early as Feb. 1. Spirit, Opportunity’s twin, will begin its explorations of the Red Planet early next week. Spirit has also started to successfully communicate again with NASA scientists after suffering from computer trouble. Martian Bedrock Revealed in Living Color Jan 28 2004 - MSNBC NASA scientists have released the first color pictures from the Mars rover Opportunity. The images show horizontal striped and fractured slabs of light red bedrock that could indicate whether the outcropping on the planet was formed by water. Scientists noted that Opportunity should be able to use its various tools to reconstruct the geologic events that resulted in the fine layers of rock. Meanwhile, Opportunity’s twin, Spirit, continues to recover after facing computer trouble. NASA Gets Half-Hour of Signals From Rover Jan 23 2004 - Yahoo-Associated Press NASA scientists are breathing a sigh of relief after hearing from the Mars rover Spirit for the first time in two days. Mission managers said the rover communicated for 10 minutes and transmitted limited data in the early morning hours on Jan. 23. Scientists, however, are still trying to figure out what caused the loss in communication. Spirit’s twin, Opportunity, is scheduled to arrive at the Red Planet on Jan. 24. First Data from Mars Express Confirms Ice Water Jan 23 2004 - NewScientist.com The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed the presence of frozen water on the Red Planet, thanks to data sent from the Mars Express. Scientists said at a press conference in Germany they were able to make their discovery through high-resolution pictures taken of the planet’s south pole. David Southwood, the ESA’s science director, called the discovery “a Eureka moment.” Previous studies have only indirectly indicated the presence of water near the surface of Mars. Anomaly Disrupts Contact With Mars Rover Jan 22 2004 - MSNBC Scientists are trying to figure out why they have lost contact with the Mars rover Spirit. Mission managers say several possibilities exist including a software glitch that caused the rover to reset itself, a power surge, a temperature-related hardware failure, or a hit by a cosmic ray. Scientists previously thought the communication failure was a result of bad weather in Australia. Spirit Prepares for Mars Observations Jan 20 2004 - ABC News The Mars rover Spirit is busy examining the surface of the Red Planet. Scientists say the rover is expected to use its microscopic imager and two spectrometers to study the minerals and other elements that make up a football-sized rock dubbed “Adirondack.” The rover will then drill into the rock to reveal its interior to scientists. After its finished with Adirondack, Spirit will examine a fine-grained patch of soil. Opportunity, Spirit’s twin, is scheduled to land on Mars Jan. 24. Hubble Obtains Deepest Space View Jan 16 2004 - BBC News Scientists plan to release a new picture of the cosmos in February taken by The Hubble Space Telescope. The Hubble Ultra Deep Field is the result of an unprecedented 80-day observation of one patch of sky and shows the universe’s “dark ages” before the first stars were formed. Scientists noted the image would be one of the scientific highlights of the decade. Mars Rover Makes Its First Tracks Jan 15 2004 - NewScientist.com NASA scientists are celebrating after learning that the Mars rover Spirit has rolled off its lander onto the Red Planet. The spacecraft can now begin its three-month mission of exploring Mars. Scientists overseeing the mission say they have adopted “a cautious policy” of not conducting more than one project with the rover on any given day. Can It Happen? Jan 15 2004 - ABC News Space experts are voicing mixed reaction to President Bush’s plan to send humans to the moon and Mars. The president’s plan calls for sending astronauts to the moon between 2015 and 2020, and to Mars in the 2020s. The plan also includes a new generation Crew Exploration Vehicle to start test flights in 2008. Critics argue Bush will have a challenging time selling his space exploration plan. Proponents claim the proposal is an investment in the future. U.S., Japanese Schools Plan Observatory Jan 13 2004 - Yahoo-Associated Press A group of American and Japanese universities plans to build an observatory in Utah with the aim of uncovering the source of high-energy cosmic rays. Construction of the Telescope Array will begin this spring. The Japanese government has promised $12 million toward the construction of the observatory. Universities in the United States hope to raise $5 million to $6 million in government grants for the project. Construction of the observatory is scheduled for completion by the year 2007. Bush Plans to Send Americans to Moon, on to Mars Jan 9 2004 - Yahoo-Reuters Science educators might soon be able to travel to the moon or Mars. President Bush plans to propose a new lunar initiative leading to a permanent American presence on the moon and a long-term mission to Mars in an announcement next week. Experts note the effort could lead to new technologies and potential new sources of energy. Experts also believe the initiative could be done without a significant increase in funding by spreading the cost over seven to 10 years. New Clues Are Detected About Planets of Other Stars Jan 8 2004 - The New York Times (Requires free registration) A report published in The Astrophysical Journal shows that astronomers have detected a magnetic field around a planet surrounding a distant star for the first time. Scientists say the discovery offers one of the first clues to the properties of any planet outside the solar system. Astronomers have located nearly 120 planets around other stars in the past 10 years. However, almost nothing is known about any of them beyond a lower limit of their masses, because the planets are detected indirectly. Hope All But Gone for Beagle 2 Jan 7 2004 - NewScientist.com Scientists with the European Space Agency are refusing to give up hope on making contact with Beagle 2. The probe was scheduled to land on Mars on Christmas Day, but never sent a signal indicating its arrival. Numerous attempts to make contact with the spacecraft have failed. Scientists say there are several possible reasons for the lander’s failure. Experts also believe the probe might have crashed on the Red Planet or burned up in the Martian atmosphere. New Beginnings for Old Galaxies Jan 6 2004 - USA Today The results of a new survey of more than 300 distant galaxies are prompting astronomers to reconsider the origins of these islands of stars. ''Our big result is that massive galaxies seem to be forming surprisingly soon after the Big Bang,'' said Roberto Abraham, co-leader of the Gemini “Deep Deep” Survey (GDDS) Team. A California astronomer who did participate in the GDDS project noted results from NASA’s Spitzer infrared space telescope would provide an even better picture within a year of how giant galaxies form. Images Begin Planning for Mars Rover's Travels Jan 5 2004 - NewScientist.com Scientists working with the Mars probe Spirit have started planning the spacecraft’s first excursions to explore the Red Planet thanks to photographs Spirit has transmitted to Earth. One possible target is a smooth, sandy-looking depression that might be an impact crater. Scientists say the crater seems to have an “exposed lip” that could reveal the layers of rock beneath the Martian surface. Photographs from the rover show images of what scientists believe is the rocky bed of an ancient lake that may have harbored life on Mars. China-EU Space Project Launched Dec 30 2003 - BBC News China and the European Space Agency (ESA) have partnered to launch a mission into space. The Double Star project will consist of two satellites that will study the Earth's magnetic field, ionosphere, and upper atmosphere. The first satellite blasted into orbit Dec. 30. The second craft will be sent into space in 2004. Officials with Xinhua News Agency noted the project marks the first time China has collaborated with the ESA. Scientists Ponder Mars Probe Problems Dec 29 2003 - The Washington Post Scientists are refusing to give up hope when it comes to figuring out why Europe’s first Mars lander has not responded after arriving on the Red Planet. The Beagle 2 was supposed to transmit a signal confirming its arrival on Mars within hours of landing on Christmas Day. Scientists say the probe may have landed off course in an area where communication is difficult. Another possibility being explored by scientists is the probe’s transmission system, which might be incompatible with that of the American-made Mars Odyssey. Alluring Red Planet Attracts a Crowd Dec 23 2003 - The Washington Post What are space scientists wishing for this holiday season? The safe landing of several probes to the planet Mars. If all goes right, Britain’s Beagle 2 is scheduled to arrive on the Red Planet Dec. 24. The probe will search for signs of life on the Martian surface. The two American spacecraft—Spirit and Opportunity—are scheduled to land on the Red Planet in January 2004. Australian Astronomers Discover Milky Way Border Dec 16 2003 - Yahoo-Reuters A recent find by Australian scientists might provide a better picture of the Milky Way Galaxy. Astronomers have found an extra cosmic arm in the Milky Way. The scientists believe this arm wraps around the outskirts of the galaxy similar to a thick gas border. “We have known there was gas out there, but we haven’t known that there was a structure out there,” noted Naomi McClure-Griffiths, a scientist with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, the group who made the discovery. Spacecraft Draw Closer to Mars Dec 12 2003 - National Geographic News Several probes from three different space missions are scheduled to land on Mars in the coming weeks. Upon arrival, the probes will investigate the Red Planet for signs of life. Mission scientists will clear a significant hurdle just to see their spacecraft reach Mars. Two out of every three missions to Mars have failed in previous years. Humans 'Could Survive Mars Visit' Dec 9 2003 - BBC News New research presented at this year’s annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union shows a human mission could survive on the planet Mars. Scientists say measurements taken by NASA’s Mars Odyssey spacecraft resulted in their finding. The Mars Odyssey has been orbiting the Red Planet for two years. Nearby Star May Have Planetary System Like Ours Dec 2 2003 - Scientific American Astronomers scanning the skies for far-flung planets have found that the area surrounding a nearby star is very familiar. A report published in the Astrophysical Journal suggests that a star 25 light-years from our sun may have an orbiting planetary system more similar to our own than any yet discovered. Although the objects cannot be observed directly, a computer model using data from the world's most sensitive submillimeter camera showed clumps in the disk of extremely cold dust orbiting Vega - a clue that the disk may contain planets. Time Running Out for Mars Mission Nov 25 2003 - BBC News Scientists are racing against the clock to fix the Nozomi spacecraft so it can orbit the planet Mars. Launched in 1998, the probe was scheduled to arrive at the Red Planet the following fall, but has faced numerous electrical problems since it was hit by a solar flare in 2002. If mission controllers cannot fix the problems, they will need to turn the probe away from Mars so it does not collide with and contaminate the planet. Return of the Leonids Nov 17 2003 - Scientific American Skywatchers on the East coast will want to mark Nov. 19 on their calendar. Astronomers note the early morning hours of that day will be the best time to watch this year’s Leonid meteor shower. Bille Cooke of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center predicts meteor hunters will be able to view more than one shooting star each minute during the celestial show. Study: Moon Does Not Have Expanses of Ice Nov 12 2003 - Yahoo News - AP Research published in the journal Nature will dash the hopes of anyone hoping to colonize the Moon: if there's water there, it's a fleck of ice here, another fleck there. "It certainly would have been nice to find some sort of lunar skating rink, or thick layers of ice, but it looks like it's just not there," said Bruce Campbell of the Smithsonian Institution's Center for Earth and Planetary Studies. Astronomy Goes to New Heights Nov 10 2003 - The Washington Times Scientists will soon have a new resource to better understand the nature of the universe. The Atacama Large Millimeter Array, located 16,500 feet above sea level atop a dessert plain in the Chilean Andes, will be Earth’s highest-altitude full-time observatory. ALMA "will see things that don't radiate visible light," explained Charles Blue, spokesman for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville, Virginia. Work on the observatory will be completed by 2011. Stargazers Await Weekend Lunar Eclipse Nov 7 2003 - Yahoo-Associated Press Stargazers will want to mark their calendars for several upcoming heavenly happenings. A lunar eclipse will be followed by a Leonid meteor shower on Nov. 8, providing an opportunity for more auroras if the sun stays active. Another eruption on the sun Nov. 11 might rank among the most intense solar events ever recorded. A total solar eclipse—visible only from Antarctica—will take place Nov. 28. Voyager Spacecraft Approaches Edge of Solar System Nov 6 2003 - Scientific American Scientists are debating whether the Voyager I space probe has encountered the “termination shock,” a zone that marks the edge of the sun’s sphere of influence. Some scientists believe the spacecraft has encountered the zone, but others believe to the contrary saying the space probe is on approach to it, according to a report in today’s issue of the journal Nature. “Neither explanation is certain and we must hope that Voyager 1, on its march ever outwards, will encounter this interesting region again soon,” observed Len A. Fisk of the University of Michigan in an accompanying commentary. Closest Known Galaxy Discovered Nov 4 2003 - MSNBC An international team of astronomers has discovered the closest known galaxy to the center of the Milky Way. The Canis Major dwarf is approximately 42,000 light-years away from the center of the Milky Way. Scientists note this finding is further evidence that the Milky Way has built its bulk by mergers and acquisitions. China Puts Its First Astronaut in Space Oct 15 2003 - National Geographic News China has successfully launched its first manned space mission. The Szenzhou 5, carrying astronaut Yang Liwei, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. Liwei’s identity and other details about the mission were not revealed until after the spacecraft was launched out of fears that a problem with the launch could generate negative publicity. Space research advocates have praised China’s entry into space. China Confirms Space Launch Plan Oct 10 2003 - CBS News China will soon become the third country in the world to put a human being into space. The country’s space agency has confirmed that it will attempt its first manned space launch sometime between Oct. 15 and 17. China’s government has not revealed who or how many astronauts will participate in the mission, but the space travelers have been described as experienced fighter pilots. The astronauts will travel aboard the Shenzhou 5, which will orbit the Earth 14 times before landing. Radar Observations Offer New View of Elusive Titan Oct 3 2003 - Scientific American Two radio telescopes have enabled scientists to obtain a new view of Saturn’s moon Titan. The observations made by scientists suggest that hydrocarbon seas might cover up to three quarters of the moon. Previous investigations conducted by researchers using other techniques had suggested the presence of methane clouds and surface water ice on Titan. For more information on Eye-Opening Technology, NSTA members can refer to the October 2003 issue of The Science Teacher. Hubble Glimpses New Moons Around Uranus Sep 29 2003 - Scientific American Scientists using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered two new moons near the planet Uranus. The moons, temporarily dubbed S/2003 U 1 and S/2003 U 2, are faint and eluded detection by the Voyager 2 spacecraft during its flyby of the planet in 1986. The discovery brings the total number of moons in the Uranian system to 24. Ariane Rocket Launches Europe's First Moon Probe Sep 28 2003 - The Washington Post Europe has launched its first mission to the moon. The SMART-1 Moon exploration probe will scan the moon for 30 months, look for water, and help scientists study the idea of building a permanent human base on the lunar surface. The SMART-1 probe is expected to reach the moon in December 2004. China Drops Hints About Space Secrets Sep 25 2003 - MSNBC China’s first manned spacecraft might be launched as early as October. Chinese scientists note that several factors including weather, solar activities, and space radiation levels around Earth will influence the exact launch date. When the Shenzhou 5 is rocketed into space, China will become the third nation capable of independently sending humans into orbit. Red Planet's Hue Due to Meteors, Not Water Sep 4 2003 - New Scientist.com Experiments conducted by a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist suggest Mars’ reddish hue came from a dusting of tiny meteors falling on its surface instead of water. Albert Yen questioned the generally accepted explanation that liquid water rusted the Red Planet’s surface after the Mars Pathfinder mission reached the planet in 1997. The mission revealed more iron and magnesium in Martian topsoil within its rocks, which suggests minerals came from small metal-rich meteors and dust particles that fell onto the planet. Asteroid Strike Ruled Out for 2014 Sep 3 2003 - MSNBC Scientists have eliminated the possibility of a catastrophic asteroid collision after sounding the alarm about a possible strike. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory experts first observed Asteroid 2003 QQ47 August 24 and based on limited data estimated there was a one and 909,000 chance the space rock would collide with Earth on March 21, 2014. Further information gathered on Sept. 1, however, enabled astronomers to plot the asteroid’s orbital course more precisely, eliminating the risk of a collision. Mars Makes Closest Pass to Earth in 60,000 Years Aug 27 2003 - The New York Times (Requires free registration) Astronomers are all smiles today after Mars made its closest pass to Earth in 60,000 years. The Red Planet is normally about 140 million miles from Earth, but its orbit brought it 34.6 million miles away reaching its closest point at 5:46 a.m. (EDT). Stargazers won’t be able to see Mars so close to Earth again until the year 2287. NASA Launches New Infrared Telescope Aug 25 2003 - Yahoo-Reuters The last of NASA’s so-called Great Observatories has been launched. The Space Infrared Telescope Facility blasted off on a Boeing Delta 2 rocket at 1:35 a.m. today from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The space observatory will help scientists to revolutionize their understanding of the universe by detecting infrared energy emitted from stars, galaxies, and planets. Mars Was 'Always Cold and Frozen' Aug 22 2003 - New Scientist.com Those who think Mars was once a warm place full of water and that could have signs of life might want to think again. New research suggests Mars has always been cold, frozen, and lifeless. The data, analyzed by Arizona State University researchers, was collected by a thermal emission spectrometer on NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor. Exploring the Hidden Universe Aug 22 2003 - BBC News NASA plans to launch a $2 billion space observatory that will study the early history of the universe. The Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) will detect heat emitted from stars, galaxies, and planets. The observatory is scheduled to be launched into space on a Boeing Delta 2 rocket on August 25 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Europe to Shoot for the Moon Aug 19 2003 - Nature News The European Space Agency plans to launch its first mission to the moon. SMART-1, a washing machine-sized craft, will test technologies for deep space exploration and return data on the moon’s origins. The $100 million SMART-1 will travel to the moon on an Ariane 5 rocket and is scheduled to blast off from Kuru in French Guyana on Sept. 4. Here Comes Mars Aug 16 2003 - The Capital Times (Madison, WI) Amateur astronomers should note August 27 on their calendars. That’s when Mars will be within 35 million miles of Earth—the closest the Red Planet has been to Earth in about 60,000 years. Those who miss this event will have to wait until the year 2287. Life-on-Mars Debate Revisited Aug 7 2003 - MSNBC A father and son science team has strengthened the case for life on Mars. Scientists with the Mars Odyssey project say the soil near the Red Planet contains large amounts of ice. Gilbert Levin, and his son, Ron, claim that ice near Mars’ surface means liquid water in its topsoil. The two scientists recently presented their findings at a meeting of the International Society for Optical Engineering in San Diego. Telescope Would Take Aim at Dark Forces Jul 31 2003 - MSNBC A group of research organizations hopes to construct a new telescope that would enable scientists to have a better understanding of dark forces and how the universe evolved. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope is scheduled to online by the year 2011. Poll: Support for Space Program Steady Jul 28 2003 - The Washington Post A new Associated Press poll shows two-thirds of Americans believe the space shuttle should continue to fly, despite two deadly accidents in 1986 and 2003. The report revealed that enthusiasm for the space exploration program was greater in young adults with more education and higher incomes. The study, however, showed a slight decline in enthusiasm for sending civilians—such as teachers—into space. The poll of 1,034 adults was conduced July 11–15, 2003. Stars with Metal Harbour Planets Jul 21 2003 - Nature News A new study has revealed that stars containing metals are more likely to have planets orbiting them. Twenty-percent of metal-rich stars have orbiting planets, according to astronomer Debra Fischer of the University of California, Berkeley, who conducted the study. She adds that stars have tended to get richer in metals since the Big Bang. “This means that stars forming today are more likely to make planets than ever before. It’s a planetary baby-boom,” Fischer observed. Icebound Telescope Probes the Universe Jul 16 2003 - BBC News Astronomers have produced the first map of the neutrino sky with a new telescope covered in ice. The Antarctic Muon and Neutrino Detector Array-2, or Amanda 2, is comprised of 677 glass optical modules set on 19 cables in ice. Researchers note the map provides scientists with their “first tantalizing glimpse of very high-energy neutrinos.” Puzzle of Empty Galaxies Jul 15 2003 - BBC News An Australian scientist claims starless galaxies inhabiting the world’s most isolated regions may be more common than previously thought. Brad Warren, a graduate researcher at the Australian National University, recently discussed his discovery of 20 gas-filled galaxies with very few stars at a meeting of the International Astronomical Union in Sydney. Warren noted he plans to conduct further research to find out why these galaxies have failed to form stars out of their hydrogen gas. Hubble Detects 'Oldest Planet' Jul 11 2003 - BBC News Astronomers claim there might be more planets in the solar system than previously thought. Scientists have come to that conclusion based on the discovery of a planet by the Hubble Space Telescope in a location where it was not expected. Astronomers note this discovery could change theories about planet formation and the evolution of life. New Surprises from Mysterious Pluto Jul 10 2003 - Scientific American A surprising atmospheric find for astronomers. Scientists say the planet Pluto is expanding as it travels away from the sun, rather than contracting as expected. Further research into this latest discovery will require a spacecraft mission, according to scientists. Both time and money for the mission, however, are in short supply. Mars Rover Finally Launched Jul 8 2003 - CBS News After several delays, NASA has finally launched the second of its two identical rovers to Mars. A rocket holding the rover named Opportunity blasted off July 7 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida. Opportunity and its sister rover, Spirit, which was launched in June, are scheduled to arrive at the Red Planet in January 2004. Fifth Delay Puts Pressure on Mars Rover Launch Jul 7 2003 - New Scientist.com NASA has delayed the launch of its Mars rover named Opportunity for the fifth time. The launch scheduled for July 6 was scrapped after a battery cell malfunctioned in the flight termination system aboard the Delta II rocket that was to carry the rover to the Red Planet. Officials have rescheduled the launch for July 7, 2003. Jupiter-Like Planet Discovered Light Years Away Jul 3 2003 - Yahoo-Reuters American, Australian, and British astronomers have discovered a planet similar to Jupiter orbiting a star resembling the sun, 90 light years away. “This is the closest we have yet to a real solar system-like planet and advances our search for systems that are even more like our own,” noted British team leader Hugh Jones of Liverpool John Moores University. Radio Telescope to Map the Universe Jul 1 2003 - MSNBC Scientists report that the world’s most sensitive listening device will be upgraded. The radio telescope at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory will receive six additional radio receivers to expand its range. After the upgrade is completed, scientists at the observatory will map the night sky for future generations. Rocket Repairs Delay Second Mars Rover Jun 30 2003 - New Scientist.com NASA has delayed the launch of its second Mars rover until July 2. The rocket that was to carry the rover, Opportunity, was originally scheduled to blast off on June 28. NASA officials, however, postponed the launch after a boat strayed into the waters below the launch path. A second launch attempt was abandoned on June 29 because of strong winds. Both rovers are scheduled to arrive at the Red Planet in January 2004. NSTA WebNews Analysis: Mars Journeys Jun 27 2003 - Kristin Collins - NSTA Although NASA has grounded its shuttle fleet in the wake of the February 2003 break-up of the space shuttle Columbia, the American space agency, along with similar organizations in Europe and Japan, is determined to investigate the planet Mars. During the month of June, NASA launched the first of two identical rovers, named Spirit, to explore the surface of Mars. The European Space Agency and Japan have also sent probes to the Red Planet. Astronomers Link Gamma-Ray Bursts to Supernovas Jun 20 2003 - The New York Times (Requires free registration) Astronomers in recent years have proposed that the flashes of high-energy radiation called gamma-ray bursts are the “yowls” of giant imploding stars. Three new papers published in the June 19 edition of the journal Nature now support that theory by astronomers. Click on the above link to learn more. Japanese Mars Probe Makes Earth Pass Jun 20 2003 - BBC News A Japanese space probe plagued by technical problems has made its final flyby of the Earth and is on its way to Mars. The $88 million probe known as Nozomi was damaged by a solar flare after it was launched in July 1998. Mission planners said they would not know for another week if Nozomi’s approach to Earth was successful. Scientists Image Sun's Surface in 3-D Jun 18 2003 - Scientific American Scientists say new three-dimensional pictures taken of the sun are twice as clear as previous photographs and show the sun’s surface to be uneven. “Until recently we thought of the solar photosphere as the relatively flat and featureless ‘surface’ of the sun, punctuated only by an occasional sunspot,” noted Tom Berger of Lockheed Martin’s Solar and Astrophysics Lab in Palo Alto, California, who directed the photo shoot. Spacewoman Anniversary Jun 18 2003 - Chicago Tribune Twenty years ago today, the first woman from America went into space. Sally Ride, a 52-year-old physicist, says despite the 1986 Challenger and the 2003 Columbia accidents, she would travel into space again if she were still in the astronaut corps. Twin Mars Rovers Ready for Lift Off Jun 6 2003 - New Scientist.com The first of two NASA Mars Exploration Rovers will blast off June 8 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida. The rovers will explore Mars for rocks and analyze them for clues to the planet’s environmental history. The first rover will be carried into space in a Delta II rocket. The second rover is scheduled for launch on June 25. Both rovers are expected to arrive at the Red Planet in January 2004. Mars Express All Set for Launch Jun 2 2003 - New Scientist.com The Mars Express, Europe’s first mission to the Red Planet, is scheduled to blast off today from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The aim of the mission will be to figure out what happened to the water scientists suspect washed over the surface of Mars and to find signs of life that could have inhabited those waters. The voyage to the Red Planet is expected to take six months. Will We Find Life on Mars? May 30 2003 - BBC News Agustin Chicarro, project scientist for Europe’s first solo mission to Mars, answers questions from BBC News Online’s Helen Briggs about the search for water and life on the Red Planet in this article. Among other things, Chicarro explains, what the mission to Mars will entail and how the Mars Express and NASA’s two rovers compare. Scientists Envision Monster Telescopes May 20 2003 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution American and European scientists have started design work on several new telescopes. The instruments will dwarf existing “big glass” telescopes with huge mirrors up to 100 meters in size. “With the instruments we are preparing to build now, we will be able to explore the time when the first stars began to form,” said Steve Strom, associate director of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory in Tucson, Arizona. Hubble Captures Neptune's Changing Seasons May 16 2003 - New Scientist.com Scientists have learned that Neptune’s southern cloud bands undergo seasonal changes. “This change seems to be a response to seasonal variations in sunlight, like the seasonal changes we see on Earth,” explained Lawrence Sromovsky, an astronomer at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Sromovsky and researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory have studied Neptune’s climate changes through images captured with the Hubble Space Telescope since 1996. How to Enjoy the Lunar Eclipse on Thursday May 13 2003 - NSTA Depending on the weather, two billion people across the globe are expected to witness a lunar eclipse during the night of May 15-16. Here are online resources to help you get the most out of it. NASA Hopes to Tap Mystery of Water on Mars May 12 2003 - The Washington Post NASA plans to send two identical spacecraft into orbit in June on a $800 million mission to determine what happened to the water scientists think once scoured the surface of Mars. The Mars Exploration Rovers, described as “wheeled robots,” will carry microscopes, spectrometers, and other equipment to map the planet’s mineralogy and gather data. The rovers are scheduled to arrive at the Red Planet in January 2004. Japan Launches Asteroid Probe May 9 2003 - BBC News Scientists will soon have rock samples to enhance their understanding of how the solar system was formed, thanks to a spacecraft launched from Japan. The Muses-C space probe will gather the rock samples from the asteroid designated 1998 SF 36. “Asteroids are known as the fossils of the solar system,” noted mission leader Junichiro Kawaguchi of Japan’s Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. “By examining them, you can find out what substances made up the solar system, including Earth, in the distant past.” Europe Ready for Mars May 6 2003 - BBC News The first European mission to Mars has been rescheduled for June 2. Officials with the Mars Express Project said the date was changed because engineers needed extra time to fix a problem in one of the probe’s electronic modules. The Mars Express will take off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and is scheduled to enter its Martian orbit on Dec. 26, 2003. New Crew Arrives at Space Station Apr 28 2003 - New Scientist.com The first space flight since the Columbia disaster on Feb. 1 has launched into orbit. American astronaut Edward Lu and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko were carried into space by a Soyuz TMA rocket before moving into the International Space Station. The two astronauts will spend their time in space conducting research projects and performing maintenance duties. Astronomers Spy Surface Ice Through Titan's Haze Apr 25 2003 - Scientific American For years, planetary scientists have been prevented from learning what lies beneath the haze on Saturn’s moon Titan. A report, however, published in today’s edition of the journal Science reveals Titan is partially covered by frozen water. Astronomers Predict Stellar Explosion Apr 16 2003 - BBC News Two scientists from Israel have predicted the explosion of a star for the first time. Arnon Dar and Alvaro de Rujula made their prediction of Supernova 2003dh thanks to a gamma-ray burst that took place in the same direction 10 days before the April 8 explosion. The scientists now plan to study why the gamma-ray burst occurred first and the explosion of the star several days later. Russia Plans Simulated Trip to Mars Apr 11 2003 - New Scientist.com Russia plans to conduct a simulated trip to Mars. The experiment will involve confining and isolating six cosmonauts in three modules for 17 months. The participants will have to cope as if they are on a real trip to Mars. “If a crew member falls ill, the other members will have to provide aid on their own,” said Dmitry Malashenkov of the Institute of Biological and Medical Problems in Moscow. A start date for the experiment has not been set. Voyage to the Asteroid Belt Apr 10 2003 - BBC News The European Space Agency has authorized a feasibility study for a project that would involve sending a group of miniature spacecraft beyond Mars to study the origin of asteroids that might pose a threat to the Earth. The 30 microsatellites would collect images and other data and send the information back to Earth through a spacecraft. Project scientist Paolo D’Arrigo said the concept is a “step change” in interplanetary exploration. 'Naked' Galaxies Found Lacking Dark Matter Shroud Apr 9 2003 - New Scientist.com An international team of astronomers has found dark matter missing from three elliptical galaxies. Scientists have measured dark matter in spiral galaxies using a bright radio signal of large gas clouds as their tracer since the 1970s. Researchers, however, had eliminated their observations of elliptical galaxies since they do not have large gas clouds. The new finding by scientists reverses the assumption that all galaxies are enclosed by dark matter halos. In a Far-Off Galaxy, Astronomers See Concurrent Star Birth, Black Hole Growth Apr 4 2003 - Scientific American After spying on a young galaxy, scientists have found evidence of new stars forming and black hole growth. “This new observation gives strong support to the idea that large numbers of stars were forming in young galaxies at the same time that their central black holes were pulling in additional mass,” said Pierre Cox of the University of Paris’ Institute for Space Astrophysics. China Works to Put Astronauts in Orbit Mar 14 2003 - The New York Times (Requires free registration) While America debates the future of additional space flights, China plans to send its first astronauts into orbit in October. Chinese scientists say they hope to exceed the United States in the number of astronauts, flight time, and complexity of operations with their first space voyage. “Space technology does not belong to the rich countries alone,” observed Zhang Houying, a scientific director of China’s space program. “In science there is only a No. 1, no No. 2. We would like to lead in contributing to mankind.” Newly Found Planet Melting, Scientists Say Mar 13 2003 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Scientists have discovered an atmosphere of hydrogen melting away from a new planet in the solar system. Astronomers from the European Space Agency and NASA said several observations made with the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed “a hot, puffed-up hydrogen atmosphere surrounding a planet orbiting the star HD 209458 in the constellation Pegasus.” Further details of the discovery are described in today’s issue of the journal Nature. Astronomers Spot New Jupiter Moons Mar 6 2003 - The Honolulu Advertiser Scientists at the University of Hawaii have discovered seven new moons that orbit the planet Jupiter. Two of the moons orbit in the same direction as Jupiter’s rotation while the remaining five moons travel in the opposite direction, according to preliminary reports. Scientists have not yet named their new discoveries. The moons, however, have been identified with numbers. Europe Opens its Deep Space Link Mar 6 2003 - New Scientist.com The European Space Agency (ESA) has opened its first deep space listening station in Australia. The 40-meter antenna will enable scientists to be less dependent on NASA’s Deep Space Network when communicating with spacecraft from Earth. “Priority for ESA missions cannot always be guaranteed using the NASA system,” added Peter Barratt of the United Kingdom’s Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. The first of three ESA missions planned for deep space—Mars Express—will launch in June 2003. A Flash From the Past: New Evidence Supports Moon Blast Mar 4 2003 - The New York Times (Requires free registration) Scientists have found new evidence to support an amateur astronomer’s observation of a bright flash on the Moon’s surface. Dr. Leon Stuart claims he saw and photographed a small asteroid hitting the Moon in 1953. Astronomers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory say they have located lunar photographs showing a fresh crater in the exact area where Stuart made his observation, and are “90 percent confident the crater was the one created by the fireball observed by Stuart.” Scientists Question the Value of Shuttle Flights Feb 24 2003 - The New York Times (Requires free registration) America’s scientists are debating the value of sending shuttle flights into space in the aftermath of the Columbia disaster. Several scientists have concluded the scientific payoffs of shuttle flights is “nowhere near enough to justify the program’s huge cost and risks.” NASA said it disagrees with the assessments made by scientists outside the space agency, noting such efforts as the International Space Station are “an astonishing capability and one that you simply can’t duplicate on Earth.” Photos Bolster Idea of Water and Possibly Life on Mars Feb 21 2003 - The New York Times (Requires free registration) A new theory and some photographs have lead scientists to believe that Mars has more water than previously thought and that life might exist on the planet in the future. Dr. Philip Christensen, a planetary scientist at Arizona State University in Tempe, recently said at a NASA briefing in Washington that melting snow deposits have likely caused the deep gullies on Mars. He added that images captured by spacecraft have shown gullies on the slopes of the planet’s craters. Mars 'Once Warm and Wet' Feb 14 2003 - BBC News Scientists claim the cap at Mars’ south pole is made from ice that comes from water instead of carbon dioxide as previously thought. Scientists at the California Institute of Technology learned of this discovery after unmanned spacecraft in orbit around the planet showed Mars’ south pole is similar to the north pole, which contains frozen water. Researchers say their findings indicate astronauts visiting Mars would not be without water. They note, however, it would be difficult to make Mars habitable in the future. NASA Rockets to Explore Northern Lights Next Week Feb 13 2003 - National Geographic NASA plans to send unmanned rockets into space that will investigate the northern lights or aurora borealis. The new mission, called the Horizontal E-region Experiment, will measure how solar winds and the resultant aurora affect communications and navigation on Earth. The launch will take place sometime between Feb. 18 and March 8 at the Poker Flat Research Range near Fairbanks, Alaska. Sharp New Portrait of the Infant Universe Feb 11 2003 - New Scientist.com Astronomers have billed NASA’s efforts to take the most comprehensive measurement of the cosmic microwave background as the most significant scientific breakthrough of 2003. The all-sky image captured by NASA officials is the most detailed picture of the universe since the Big Bang 380,000 years ago. Scientists say this finding will help to create “a standard model of cosmology that describes the origin and fate of the universe.” Columbia's Science is "Astronaut's Legacy" Feb 5 2003 - New Scientist.com From animal to plant specimens, several pieces of data from experiments aboard Columbia were lost when the space shuttle exploded Feb. 1. NASA officials, however, were able to save some of the work performed by astronauts including footage of the interaction of tiny water droplets and flames and data from an experiment that examined the behavior of granular materials under pressure. NASA says its science program in space must continue, despite calls from critics who claim funding for such projects would be more effective for research on the ground. To the Moon in a Space Elevator? Feb 4 2003 - Wired News Officials with the NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts say there might be an alternative way to reaching outer space in the near future. The space elevator could transport satellites and replacement parts for space stations at a cost of $100 per kilogram. The elevator project could become a reality in about 15 years, according to experts. Our Galaxy's Next Supernova? Feb 3 2003 - Scientific American A new report shows astronomers have located the “the best candidate yet” for our galaxy’s next supernova explosion. Scientists using the William Herschel Telescope for nine years studied the Rho Cassiopeiae, located 10,000 light years away from earth. Researchers observed the star is the “most likely to run out of fuel and meet a violent fate in the near future.” End of Universe's 'Dark Age' Spied by Astronomers Jan 10 2003 - New Scientist.com Arizona State University scientists have identified 30 of the oldest quasars in the universe. “With the Hubble Telescope, we can now see back to the epoch when stars in young galaxies began to shine in significant numbers, concluding the cosmic ‘dark ages’ about 13 billion years ago,” observed Haojing Yan, an ASU researcher. Small Molecule 2002's Major Find Dec 27 2002 - BBC News Catch up on the top science news stories of 2002! Every December, Science magazine's editors pick the highlights of the year, and it has been a vintage year for research, in their view. They say the most significant advance concerned molecules called small RNAs that control much of a gene's behavior. Other big stories involved neutrinos, the Cosmic Microwave Background, circadian retinal cells, and a very old hominid. First High-Energy Image from Black Hole Hunter Dec 19 2002 - NewScientist.com Scientists have observed the first high-energy vision of the universe, thanks to a European spacecraft designed to reveal the secrets of black holes. The Integral gamma ray observatory captured a gamma ray burst emanating from a violent cosmic event 5,000 million light years from Earth on Nov. 25. “These images and spectra prove that Integral can certainly do the job it was designed to do and more,” said Arvind Parmar, an Integral project scientist. Distant Galaxies Break Record Dec 13 2002 - BBC News Astronomers using one of the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) Units have now seen distant galaxies that were barely detected in the optical images by the Hubble Space Telescope. “The new VLT images have opened a new research domain which has not been observationally accessible before,” observed astronomer Marijn Franx of the University of Leiden. Martian Water Gone in a Flash Dec 6 2002 - BBC News A new study may explain some surface features on the Red Planet but seems to rule out the possibility of life there. If the new thinking is correct, Mars would have been wet and warm with flowing rivers for only a few years after the impacts of large asteroids and comets, which either brought water themselves or kicked up buried deposits of ice. "We envision a cold and dry planet, an almost endless winter, broken by episodes of scalding rains followed by flash floods," the researchers say. Close Up on Sunspots Nov 13 2002 - BBC News A new Swedish solar telescope in the Canary Islands has produced images of previously unseen solar features. One striking aspect of the new images is the existence of dark cores within the bright filaments of sunspots. This is an unexpected discovery and astronomers are uncertain what it signifies. Large World Found Beyond Pluto Oct 7 2002 - BBC News Online Traveling along its skewed orbit, Pluto has always been the odd planet out. Now the discovery of another large object orbiting the Sun threatens to demote Pluto from the planetary club entirely. Quaoar, as it has been dubbed, is about 1,280 kilometers (800 miles) across (about one-tenth the diameter of Earth) and circles the Sun every 288 years. Like Pluto, it lies in the so-called Kuiper Belt, a swarm of objects made of ice and rock that orbit the Sun beyond Neptune. Many astronomers have considered Pluto merely among the largest of the bunch, and not a planet in its own right. Boost for Life on Jupiter Moon Sep 30 2002 - BBC News Data from the Galileo space probe's journey to Jupiter suggests an ocean on its moon, Europa, is somewhat Earth-like. The moon's icy crust appears to be relatively thin, with cracks and vents that would allow gases, heat, and organic matter to reach what may be water beneath. Big Bang Gets a Boost from U. of C. Scientists Sep 20 2002 - Chicago Sun-Times Using radio telescopes as a kind of "time machine," scientists took advantage of the thinner air over Antarctica to peer into deep space and measure microwave radiation from 14 billion years ago, when the universe was a mere 400,000 years old. The amount that they found almost exactly matched the amount scientists working from "big bang" theory had calculated would be there. (See also this story.) Earth's New "Moon" is Space Junk Sep 12 2002 - BBC News On further analysis, scientists have concluded that the recently discovered "new moon" (see previous story) is indeed a bit of NASA hardware come home to roost. The object, which had been orbiting the Sun, is most likely from the Apollo 12 spacecraft, launched in November 1969. In April of this year it was captured when the object passed near the Earth's L1 Lagrange point, a region of space where the gravity of the Earth and Sun approximately cancel. (Scientists later predicted it will probably escape sometime next year.) New "Moon" Found Around Earth Sep 11 2002 - BBC News It may just be a piece of space junk--astronomers aren't sure yet. But it's definitely orbiting our planet. If it's not a discarded booster or other object of terrestrial origin, it will be Earth's third natural satellite. Yes, third: the second one is called Cruithne (perhaps you missed the news back in 1986, when it was discovered). Click here for a nice set of simulations of Cruithne's convoluted orbit. Scant Support for Turning Aside Doomsday Asteroid Sep 4 2002 - ABC News -- Reuters If a giant asteroid were on a collision course with Earth, would we be prepared to deal with the threat? Probably not, said scientists yesterday at a workshop on the subject. They pointed out that while the United States spends between $3.5 million and $4 million a year to track and monitor space rocks, very little is spent on strategies to get our planet out of the way in the event of an actual encounter. The good news: Scientists say we are in no pressing danger of an asteroid strike in the foreseeable future. Earth Formed Faster Than Thought, Studies Find Aug 29 2002 - Yahoo -- AP Working independently, two teams of scientists have found geological evidence that the Earth's core took shape about 30 million years after the solar system's birth. That's 30 million years earlier than previous research had estimated. The findings are also said to have implications for the genesis of Mars and the Moon, suggesting that those bodies, too, probably formed much faster than previously believed. Voyager Celebrates 25 Years of Space Discovery Aug 19 2002 - Washington Post With trips to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune under its belt, NASA's Voyager 2 space probe is widely hailed as the crowning achievement of 20th century space exploration. Or as one scientist aptly put it: "It was the mission that opened up the solar system." Now, after 25 years in space, the spacecraft remains in relatively good health, zipping along toward that unseen boundary where the solar system gives way to interstellar space. Will it make it there? As the above article reports, scientists have their fingers crossed. Space Agencies Take New Look at Moon Jul 29 2002 - BBC News Thirty years after the last lunar landing, interest in the Moon is heating up again, the above article reports. Been there, done that, you're thinking? That's not the mindset of many scientists, who believe there are plenty of good reasons for taking a new look at the Moon. Among the most compelling reasons: the chance to understand how life on Earth began. Evidence Found for Early Meteorite Bombardment of Earth Jul 26 2002 - National Geographic News It has long been suspected that the Earth and its neighboring planets were bombarded by meteorites around four billion years ago. But unlike the moon, which is scarred by giant impact craters, no record of this event has been seen in the few surviving rocks of this age on Earth. That is, until now. The discovery, reported in this week's Nature, could also have important implications for the origins of life on Earth. New Asteroid Has Long Odds for Earth Crash Jul 25 2002 - New York Times (require free registration) As has been widely reported, scientists have spotted a new asteroid, measuring more than a mile wide, that will cross Earth's path in 2019. But you shouldn't worry too much about a collision, experts advise. The odds of that happening are less than 1 in 200,000, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said yesterday, and scientists expect those odds to grow even longer as they learn more about the asteroid's orbit. NASA Puts Shuttle Flights on Hold Jul 16 2002 - Yahoo -- AP NASA's space shuttle fleet is grounded until at least September because of cracks that were detected in the fuel lines of all four ships. The concern is that the cracks, while small now, could grow and splinter into hazardous chunks of metal, perhaps ending up in a main engine during liftoff. "We're not going to fly until we're satisfied that we understand the problem," said a NASA official, who added that he did not know why the cracks were not discovered before now. National Research Council Urges Mission to Pluto Jul 12 2002 - Yahoo -- Reuters Pluto, the only planet never visited by a spacecraft, should be NASA's top priority in solar system exploration, a federal advisory committee said yesterday. The mission should also include an investigation of the Kuiper Belt, a ring of unusual cosmic objects beyond Neptune that scientists believe might yield clues to how life came to exist on Earth. Currently, however, NASA has no money in its budget for such a mission. Russia Proposes Sending Team to Mars Jul 8 2002 - Washington Post -- AP Russian space officials proposed an ambitious project last week to send a six-person team to Mars by the year 2015. According to officials, the roughly 440-day trip would cost about $20 billion and involve close cooperation with both NASA and the European Space Agency. A NASA spokesperson said that the Russians have not submitted any formal plan and that the agency would not comment on the proposed trip before then. NASA to Explore Comets With Close Encounters Jun 25 2002 - Washington Post While comets are among the most important objects in the heavens, perhaps seeding Earth with the water and carbon-based molecules needed for life, scientists admit that they know very little about these "dirty snowballs." That may soon change, however, as NASA prepares for an unprecedented investigation into comets and their role in the evolution of the solar system. Click above to find out what NASA has in store... Earth Has "Close Shave" With Passing Asteroid Jun 21 2002 - Yahoo -- AP An asteroid the size of a football field whizzed by Earth last week at a distance of only 75,000 miles -- less than a third of the distance to the moon. The rock, which was the biggest in decades to get so close, could have caused significant local damage, say scientists, who did not spot the object until three days after it sped past Earth. "Such near misses do highlight the importance of detecting these objects," one astronomer noted. Currently, NASA concentrates its search efforts on bodies bigger than 1 kilometer across, which would cause far greater devastation. Star's "Wink" May Be Clue to Creation of Planets Jun 20 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration) Astronomers announced this week the discovery of a three-million-year-old star, located some 2,400 light-years from Earth, that may be undergoing the same processes that gave rise to the planets of our solar system. If planets really are being born around a star so young (for comparative purposes, the Sun is about 4.6 billion years old), it could overturn theories about the creation of planets, which are thought to take about 10 million years to form. Scientists say they will continue to track the star closely in future years. Solar System Akin to Earth's is Discovered Jun 17 2002 - Washington Post Astronomers announced last week that they have discovered a solar system that is similar to Earth's, providing the first observational evidence that our own solar system is not entirely unique. The findings came from studying a star known as 55 Cancri, which is about 41 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cancer. Scientists are interested in finding solar systems similar to Earth's because they would most likely be the most hospitable to life. Young Asteroid Family Shows Scars of Break Up Jun 13 2002 - Nature News Scientists report in today's Nature that they have identified the youngest family of asteroids yet discovered -- a group of rock fragments that originated from a larger body that smashed apart as recently as 5.8 million years ago. Because the asteroid fragments still bear their "birthmarks," experts are hopeful that the finding will yield important insights into the dynamics of space rock collisions, such as those that led to the formation of the planets. Read more... Astronauts Set NASA Endurance Mark Jun 12 2002 - Yahoo -- AP American astronauts Daniel Bursch and Carl Walz sailed into the history books last night, breaking NASA's record for consecutive days in space (189 and counting). Still, with the pair set to return to Earth next Monday, it looks as if the all-time world record will stand for at least the foreseeable future. That record was set by Valery Polyakov, a Russian cosmonaut who spent an amazing 438 days aboard Mir in 1994 and 1995. Partial Solar Eclipse Expected June 10 Jun 7 2002 - Yahoo -- AP A partial (or annular) solar eclipse will be on display across a large part of western North America Monday. Unfortunately, most of the Eastern Seaboard will miss the eclipse entirely because it will occur after sunset there. Click above for details, or read a SPACE.com article to learn more about the science behind the June 10 event and solar eclipses generally. Repaired Space Camera Better Than Ever Jun 6 2002 - Yahoo -- Reuters The Hubble Space Telescope has its infrared vision back, and to prove the point, NASA released three test images yesterday. The camera, which was broken for more than three years, was repaired (and improved) in March, allowing scientists to once again peer through cosmic dust to uncover such seminal celestial events as the birth of stars and the collision of galaxies. Looking at the universe in infrared light also enables scientists to see more distant and older objects, perhaps approaching the time soon after the Big Bang. Click above for the news article, or click here to view the images. NASA Says Mars Assault is On May 29 2002 - BBC News If you think that the Mars Odyssey discovery of subsurface water ice on Mars is dramatic (see yesterday's story), just wait, because there is much more to come, says Dr. James Garvin, NASA's senior Mars scientist. "What we have [planned] is an unprecedented assault on Mars," he tells BBC News in the above article. What exactly does NASA have in mind for the next decade? And what are the prospects of sending humans to the planet? Click above to find out... Scientists Measuring Martian Ice Detect Oceans' Worth May 28 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration) Scientists will release a wealth of evidence this week suggesting that vast reserves of water ice lie beneath the surface of Mars, the above article reports. The findings come from NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft, which has been mapping the planet since February, and are good news for those hoping to find life on the planet. The presence of ice could also simplify a future manned mission, scientists say, supplying a source of drinking water and fuel for a return. Make sure to revisit the NSTA News Digest in coming days as more news develops. "Seeds" of Galaxy Clusters Detected May 24 2002 - Washington Post Astronomers studying the oldest light in the universe have managed to detect the first slight clumps of matter that eventually evolved into the stars and planets that exist today. The research, detailed yesterday at an NSF briefing, provides new evidence to support the theory of inflation, which states that the universe underwent a violent, ultra-rapid expansion in its first moments. "For the first time, we are seeing the seeds of galaxy clusters," thus "[placing] theories about the formation of galaxies on a firm observational footing," the lead researcher said. Read more... Study: Jupiter's Europa Has Thick Shell May 23 2002 - Nature News One of the prime candidates for extraterrestrial life is Jupiter's moon Europa, which is thought to harbor a deep ocean of water under its icy surface. But a new study offers discouraging news to those who hope to someday send a space probe to Europa to explore this watery world for life. The analysis suggests that, contrary to previous (thinner) estimates, Europa's ice crust is at least 19 kilometers thick, making a burrowing mission virtually impossible. The finding could influence NASA's next fact-finding mission to the moon. Eleven New Moons Found Circling Jupiter May 20 2002 - Nature Jupiter's entourage is growing. Astronomers at the University of Hawaii recently discovered 11 new moons orbiting the planet, bumping the tally up to 39. Only a few kilometers long and orbiting some 20 million kilometers from the planet, the new satellites are far smaller and more distant than Jupiter's main moons, scientists say. Still, increasingly sophisticated technology is allowing astronomers to picture these and other tiny moons for the first time. A Head Start on Potential Hazards for Mars Explorers May 15 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration) While a mission to Mars is not likely for at least two or three decades, it is not too soon to start worrying about the risks facing human explorers, an expert panel recently warned. One potential hazard is Martian dust, which may damage vital spacecraft systems or contain toxic, cancer-causing chemicals. Another is the prospect of microbial life, which could make astronauts sick. As one panel member succinctly put it: "It's a scary place, Mars." Click above to learn more... Astronomers to Intensify Life Search May 10 2002 - Yahoo -- AP If you're looking for life in the universe, you'd be wise to start your search by looking for a place not too far or too close to its central star; a place with liquid water and oxygen; and a place that doesn't experience too many asteroid or comet collisions. A place, in other words, kind of like Earth. How many such planets exist? "Within the next decade, we'll get some very good answers," predicts astronomer Charles Beichman. Click above to find out what Beichman and others have in mind... Hubble's New Camera Delivers Breathtaking Views May 2 2002 - Washington Post NASA unveiled this week four images from the Hubble telescope's new Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), including one remarkable image that shows light from star swarms shining a mere one billion years or so after the Big Bang. "The advanced camera gives Hubble and humanity a new window on the universe," said the lead scientist for the ACS. "This new window is the widest and clearest that Hubble has ever had." Click above for the news story, or click here to view the images. Can Earth Be Powered by Energy Beamed from Moon? Apr 29 2002 - National Geographic News Does beaming solar power to Earth via the moon seem like lunacy to you? That's not how physicist David Criswell sees things. Writing in the most recent issue of The Industrial Physicist, Criswell proposes a Lunar Solar Power System that would collect solar energy and convert it to electricity, supplying enough power to meet all the Earth's needs. Is the plan really feasible, and how much would it cost? Click above to learn more... New Model Suggests Endless Series of Big Bangs Apr 26 2002 - National Geographic News The "inflationary" model, the most widely accepted cosmological model, holds that the universe was born (and time began) some 14 billion years ago (see yesterday's story), when an unimaginably small, dense entity blew up, triggering an infinite expansion of matter and energy. Under this model, the spreading could potentially continue forever. This week, however, top theorists writing in the journal Science issued a provocative challenge to this view of the cosmos. Under their so-called "cyclic" model, the universe is locked in a perpetual series of formations ("big bangs") and contractions ("big crunches"), making the current estimated age of the universe seem like the blink of an eye. Indeed, under this new model, time has neither a beginning nor an end. Intrigued? Confused? Click above to learn more... Faded Stars Show Age of Universe Apr 25 2002 - ABC News -- Reuters How old is the universe? Astronomers measuring the last flickering light of dying stars recently came up with a new estimate: just under 14 billion years. Experts say the finding accords well with previous estimates that used completely different methods, offering confirmation that astronomers are on the right track. "It's almost as if we're saying, you always thought you knew how old you were, but you never had proof," one scientist explained. Then, "one day, you open a drawer and there's your birth certificate, and you get the same answer. That's a real triumph." South African to Be Next Space Tourist Apr 24 2002 - Yahoo -- AP How much would you pay for the chance to go to space? One million dollars? How about $20 million? That's how much South African Internet tycoon Mark Shuttleworth is paying to fly to the International Space Station via a Russian spacecraft, scheduled for launch this Thursday. If all goes well, Shuttleworth will become the world's second paying space tourist, following in the footsteps of American Dennis Tito, who visited the ISS last year. "It has been the greatest experience to have trained and worked to get to this point," Shuttleworth said today, although he admitted to "some nervousness and anxiety." Read more... Is Venus Our Future? Apr 23 2002 - ABC News.com Enshrouded in a thick layer of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid that traps heat in, Venus regularly attains surface temperatures of 800 degrees Fahrenheit. Are these inferno-like conditions a preview of what might happen on Earth under a worst-case global warming scenario? And what can Venus, sometimes called "Earth's evil twin," teach us about how to prevent such an outcome? "Venus is so hot that if we had the same run-away greenhouse effect on Earth it would snuff out all life," one scientist notes. "This isn't going to happen on Earth any time soon, but the planet gives us the big picture on long-term climate change." Read more... NASA To Send Teacher Into Space in 2004 Apr 12 2002 - NASA NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe outlined today his strategic vision for the agency's future, including plans to send teacher Barbara Morgan on a shuttle flight to the International Space Station in 2004. Morgan, who has more than ten years of elementary school teaching experience, was selected as the backup candidate for the Teacher in Space program in 1985, training alongside Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger crew. "The time has come for NASA to complete the mission -- to send an educator to space to inspire and teach our young people," O'Keefe said. "We will make Barbara's flight the first in a series of missions in the new Educator in Space program." Click here to read a NASA press release, click here to read O'Keefe's speech, or click here for Barbara Morgan's biographical information. Star Findings Suggest a New Form of Matter Apr 11 2002 - Washington Post Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have identified a pair of collapsed stars that may be composed entirely of quarks, the fundamental components of protons and neutrons. If these so-called "strange quark stars" are confirmed, they would provide the first direct proof that quarks can exist in a "free" state -- that is, independent of a more massive particle. A strange quark star would be "unlike any other ever observed...a discovery of fundamental significance," said Norman Glendenning, a scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Find out more... The Interstellar Amino Acid Test Apr 10 2002 - SPACE.com It's one of the great, unsolved mysteries: How did life get started on Earth? According to the above article, a recent experiment adds weight to the possibility "that the seeds of life may have come drizzling down from space: not as full-blown microbes, but as those infamous building blocks of biology, amino acids." If the theory is true, it might just turn out that life is "as common as planets themselves." Read more... Is a Large Asteroid Headed for Impact with Earth in 2880? Apr 9 2002 - National Geographic News As reported in the April 5 issue of Science, scientists have calculated that there is up to a one-in-300 possibility that a one-kilometer-wide asteroid will slam into Earth on March 16, 2880. But don't get too worked up over this prospect, scientists advise. Even if additional information does suggest a collision, we should have plenty of time and many ways to deflect the asteroid from its path, including making use of the so-called Yarkovsky Effect. Find out more... Five Planets Will Clump Together in April, May Apr 3 2002 - Yahoo -- Reuters Mark your calendar. The five so-called naked eye planets -- Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn -- will appear to clump together later this month, with the planets clustered closest by around May 4. It's a sight you won't want to miss -- in part, because it could be a century before it happens again. Find out more... Asteroid Passes Near Earth Mar 21 2002 - Yahoo -- AP It was a close call in space terms -- perhaps too close for comfort. A 165-foot asteroid passed within 288,000 miles of Earth on March 8, but it wasn't seen until March 12 as it hurtled away. Astronomers say the asteroid was difficult to spot because it came from the direction of the sun. A similar-sized object flattened a 20-mile wide patch of Siberian forest in 1908. Russian Company Presents "Space Plane" for Tourists Mar 19 2002 - Yahoo -- AP How much would you pay for the chance to experience three minutes in zero gravity on the edge of space, 60 miles above Earth? How about $100,000? That's what a Russian aerospace company plans to charge an adventurer for a chance to fly on the C-21, a suborbital "space plane" that planners say will be operational in three years. An actual-size mock-up of the craft was presented last week. Read more... New Satellites to Map Gravity More Precisely Mar 19 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration) How much do really know about the earth’s gravitational field – and all its subtle variations across place and time? Not nearly as much as we should, scientists say. As a result, NASA and the German Aerospace Center have launched the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (Grace). The project consists of a pair of satellites (nicknamed Tom and Jerry), which will produce a gravity map of the planet 100 times as accurate and detailed as any done before. “The Grace measurements are going to revolutionize our understanding of the earth’s structure, the oceans, and the changes going on underneath, ... changes that can affect climate and many other things,” one NASA scientist said. Astronomers Spy Distant Galaxy, Break Record Mar 15 2002 - NewScientist.com Using sophisticated optical techniques, astronomers have spied the most distant galaxy yet found -- a cluster of faint light some 13.6 billion light years away. Because its light has taken billions of years to reach Earth, astronomers are seeing the galaxy as it looked when the Universe was in its infancy, allowing them a rare glimpse into what the early Universe was like. "This galaxy is forming stars at a time speculated to be in the 'Dark Ages' of the Universe, when galaxies began to turn on," one of the researchers said. Read more... Scientists in Race to Find Cosmic Life Mar 7 2002 - SETI Institute, SPACE.com The race is on to find the first unequivocal evidence of life somewhere other than Earth. But where will it be found? On Mars or Jupiter's moon Europa? Or perhaps on an Earth-like planet in another solar system? And will life be primitive or intelligent? As the author of the above article observes, "Various researchers are looking for life, both simple and sophisticated, both nearby and at great distance. Any of their attempts might succeed, and the time frame of their efforts suggests someone will cross the finish line in the next two decades." Planning a Trip to Distant Stars Mar 5 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration) Ever since humans began to grasp the magnitude of the universe, with its millions of stars, we have wondered: How do we get there? And while a manned flight to another star still lies in the realm of fancy, scientists are nevertheless having fun thinking about how humans might pull off such a feat. For example, how long would such a mission take? How would a space ship be powered to attain maximum speed? Who would go? (One scientist has suggested a crew of multi-generational families.) What language would crewmembers speak? And perhaps most important of all, what in the world (or universe) would they eat? Click above for scientists' latest thinking on these mind-bending questions... New Satellite Will Track Earth's Health Feb 28 2002 - Nature Our planet will soon be getting the equivalent of a full-body check-up. On Friday, the European Space Agency plans to launch Envisat, the world's biggest and most expensive environmental monitoring satellite. From its vantage point 500 miles above the planet, the huge spacecraft, equipped with an array of sensors, will simultaneously check Earth's vital signs, from its surface features to its atmosphere. Of particular interest, the craft will make the first ever attempt to study global carbon dioxide levels from space. Read more... Photos Suggest "Recent" Flooding on Mars, Researchers Claim Feb 22 2002 - Space.com Huge amounts of water -- enough to fill Lake Tahoe four times -- gushed out of fissures onto the surface of Mars as recently as 10 million years ago, say scientists who analyzed images of the Red Planet taken by the Mars Global Surveyor. The study adds to other evidence suggesting that Mars harbors underground reservoirs of water, considered key to life as we know it. Other scientists remain skeptical, however, arguing that the case won't be decided until actual water is found by a surface robot or human explorer. Study Suggests Supernova Caused Ancient Mass Extinction Feb 13 2002 - Scientific American A new report suggests that cosmic rays from the explosion of a dying star precipitated a mass extinction of marine life two million years ago. According to the theory, the cosmic rays catalyzed large-scale destruction of the Earth's ozone layer, allowing the Sun's ultraviolet rays to kill off plankton and thus the marine life that lived off them. Will the theory hold up? Click above for the full article, or click here for a list of websites on supernovas approved by NSTA's SciLinks program. Looking Anew at Nuclear Power for Space Travel Feb 12 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration) Recognizing the limits of conventional power and propulsion systems, NASA last week announced a major initiative to move the agency into a new nuclear age. According to NASA officials, nuclear power would help space explorers "conquer the problems of distance and time," cutting a trip to Pluto, for example, by half the time. Officials also stressed that a major priority of the new program will be safety. "We will design these new systems for a worst-case scenario," the agency's head of space science said. Read more... NASA Launches Satellite to Study Solar Flares Feb 7 2002 - Reuters Solar flares are the biggest explosions in the solar system, erupting near sunspots with the force of a hundred million hydrogen bombs. In doing so, they can disrupt radio signals, black out entire cities, and even pose radiation poisoning dangers to astronauts in space. But while the effects of solar flares have been studied for years, their cause remains largely a mystery. Will a new NASA satellite, launched this week, help provide some insights into how these explosions work? That's what scientists are hoping. Find out more... Meteors Go Pop in the Night Feb 6 2002 - Nature Scientists have made the first recordings of an elusive sound: the crackle and pop of a meteor shower. But what causes these sounds? Experts remain baffled. Read more... Planet or No, It's On To Pluto Jan 30 2002 - New York Times (requires free registration) The smallest and farthest of the solar system's planets, Pluto is the only planet not yet visited by a spacecraft. Accordingly, many questions about Pluto remain, including whether it should even be considered a planet at all. But planet or no planet, interest in Pluto is growing--in part because it may be made of many of the same materials as the primordial solar system--and astronomers desperately want a closer look. Will Congress and NASA grant their wish? Moon Mirrors Life's Colors Jan 29 2002 - Nature Using the Moon as a giant mirror, French astronomers have become the first to measure "Earthshine": the entire spectrum of light that the Earth reflects onto the shaded part of the Moon. Experts say that scanning the heavens for similar hues could one day reveal other living planets. Scientists Hunt for Asteroids Jan 22 2002 - BBC News As reported in a previous article, a large asteroid recently whizzed past the Earth, missing the planet by only a few hours. So what are scientists doing to prevent possible future strikes--either from an asteroid or a comet? Quite a lot, the above BBC article says, although efforts should probably be stepped up in the southern hemisphere, where much of the sky goes unpatrolled. Newly Discovered Microbes Offer Model for E.T. Life Jan 17 2002 - MSNBC--Washington Post Question: What organisms could possibly live without sunshine or organic carbon as food? The answer: Archaea, tiny hydrogen-eating microbes that were recently discovered living in the darkness of a geothermal hot spring 600 feet beneath southeastern Idaho. And what's more, experts say, the existence of such ecosystems on Earth suggests they may be present elsewhere in the solar system--for example, deep beneath the chill surface of Mars. "[It's] one of the best analogues for what might exist underground outside our own planet," one scientist said. The Color of the Cosmos Jan 15 2002 - BBC News What color would you get if you mixed all the visible light in the cosmos? Something between pale turquoise and medium aquamarine, astronomers Ivan Baldry and Karl Glazebrook say. Unfortunately, there is no way to actually see the color from Earth. "The only way to see it is if you saw all the Universe from the same distance away and it was not moving," said Baldry, who described the identification of the universe's color as a "whimsical intellectual exercise." [From the Department of Corrections: the same researchers discovered a glitch in their software; upon further review, the color of the universe is something like ... a pale latte.] Bacteria Could Travel in Comfort Aboard Meteorites, Study Says Jan 14 2002 - New Scientist Could life have arrived on Earth in the form of bacteria carried on Martian meteorites? Critics of the idea have argued that cosmic rays and ultraviolet radiation from the Sun would kill any spores traveling aboard meteorites. But a new study involving the deliberate release of bacterial spores into outer space suggests that even meteorites as small as a centimeter across could safely carry life from one planet to another, if they completed the journey within a few years. Best-Ever Images Show Hubbub at Center of Milky Way Jan 11 2002 - Nature Using NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory, scientists have produced the sharpest-ever images of the most dynamic region of the Earth's home galaxy: the galactic center. The images show this fearsome region, located some 26,000 light years from Earth, to be packed with furious activity. All told, scientists detected more than 1,000 X-ray emitting objects, of which only 20 were previously known. These objects include black holes, white dwarfs, and neuron stars. First Stars Were Born Earlier Than Thought, New Study Suggests Jan 9 2002 - Washington Post How long after the Big Bang did it take for star formation to reach its peak? Astronomers have long grappled with this question, with many concluding that star formation started slowly after the Big Bang and did not peak until some 5 billion years later. But a new analysis of the most sensitive images ever taken by the Hubble Space Telescope suggests an alternative view: that the universe made a significant portion of its stars in a firestorm of activity just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang. The study shows that "the universe got its act together and started making stars almost instantly," one astronomer said. Space Rock To Hurtle Past Earth Jan 7 2002 - BBC News A 300-meter-wide asteroid discovered just a month ago is making a close approach to Earth today, passing just 510,000 miles away (considered close in cosmic terms). While there is no danger of collision, astronomers say that the giant rock's proximity reminds us just how many objects there are in space that could strike our planet with devastating consequences. Building Blocks of Life Found in Two Meteorites Dec 20 2001 - National Geographic Scientists recently detected the presence of a sugar and many sugar-related compounds during an analysis of two meteorites: the Murchison meteorite that fell in Australia in 1969 and the Murray meteorite that fell in Kentucky in 1950. (Both are thought to have been formed about 4.5 billion years ago.) The finding is significant, experts say, because it lends further weight to the theory that material from meteors may have provided some starting material for early life forms, possibly even jump-starting the origin of life itself. Hubble Telescope Spies Alien Planet's Atmosphere Nov 28 2001 - Nature Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have glimpsed the atmosphere of a planet in a solar system other than our own for the first time. While experts say the atmosphere of this particular planet--located 150 light-years from Earth--is most likely inhospitable to earthly life, the discovery is nevertheless being heralded as a breakthrough in planetary exploration that could dramatically advance the search for planets like our own. Eight New Planets Found Around Nearby Stars Oct 17 2001 - BBC News An international team of astronomers has discovered eight new extrasolar planets, bringing the total number of planets known to be circling other stars to 74. With each new discovery, astronomers say they are better able to understand the statistics and formation of planetary systems, including whether planetary systems like our own are common or rare. Zero-Gravity Hurts: What Happens to the Human Body in Space Oct 11 2001 - FirstScience.com If you’ve ever carried a heavy backpack uphill, you know that gravity can hurt. But as astronauts have experienced, a lack of gravity can hurt even more, weakening muscles and bones for long periods of time. As a result, in preparation for future space missions, scientists are experimenting with devices that mimic the body-strengthening benefits of gravity. Space Age Plan To Save Gorillas Oct 4 2001 - BBC News The European Space Agency will use satellite technology to keep an eye on the African forests where endangered gorillas live, under new plans to protect their habitat. Only about 650 mountain gorillas remain in Africa, a population that scientists fear may not be large enough to maintain genetic diversity. The Astronaut's New Clothes: Designing Space Suits for Mars Sep 27 2001 - Scientific American What would astronauts wear on a mission to the Red Planet? The question is a challenging one for engineers, experts say, as astronauts will need space suits that are lighter and offer greater mobility than those currently in use. Huge Black Hole in Milky Way