• Vote Now! Top Space Stories of the Week - Feb. 5, 2012

    Updated: 2012-02-05 14:05:06
    Colonies on the moon, fast-spinning stars and an astronaut playing an astronaut are just a few of several big stories in space for the week.

  • Best Space Photos of the Week - Feb. 4, 2012

    Updated: 2012-02-04 09:32:14
    From a stunning image of our marbled earth to city lights from space, it's been a remarkable week for space photography.

  • Jupiter-Bound NASA Probe Adjusts Course Toward Giant Planet

    Updated: 2012-02-03 22:33:22
    NASA's Juno probe is the first solar-powered spacecraft to the outer solar system.

  • Space Rock of Love: Asteroid Eros Attracts Skywatchers in Earth Flyby

    Updated: 2012-02-03 22:30:11
    The close pass of the asteroid Eros this week allows astronomy buffs to measure the size of the solar system.

  • Photos of Space Love: The Asteroid Eros Up Close

    Updated: 2012-02-03 21:31:14
    See photos of the asteroid Eros taken by NASA's NEAR space probe in 2000, and other observers.

  • Oh Eros: Valentine's Day Asteroid Makes NEAR Fly-by

    Updated: 2012-02-03 18:18:35
    The 21-mile long 'God of Love' space rock made its closest approach to Earth (15 million miles away) since 1975 on January 31st, 2012. NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous - Shoemaker (NEAR) mission landed on the asteroid on February 12, 2001.

  • Hubble Telescope Spies Milky Way Galaxy's Twin

    Updated: 2012-02-03 12:28:47
    A galaxy similar to our own Milky Way is the subject of Hubble's latest portrait.

  • Hubble Hit: Spiral Galaxy and the Quasars

    Updated: 2012-02-03 11:39:23
    The space telescope captured an amazing view of spiral galaxy NGC 1073 and three quasars that are right outside its galactic neighborhood. Located in the constellation of Cetus, the galaxy has a bar structure in the center similar to the Milky Way.

  • Earth From Space: The Secret of NASA's Amazing 'Blue Marble' Photos

    Updated: 2012-02-03 05:24:56
    NASA's Suomi NPP satellite is snapping amazing views of Earth from space, but there's a secret to the photos.

  • Russia's Manned Soyuz Space Capsule Explained (Infographic)

    Updated: 2012-02-02 22:25:16
    The workhorse Soyuz spacecraft have been flying for nearly 45 years. </a

  • Soyuz Rocket's Bumpy Ride - The History

    Updated: 2012-02-02 22:23:18
    What was once a bicycle manufacturer in in the late-19th century evolved into a plane and rocket producer by the mid-20th century. Still a mainstay today, the Soyuz rocket has launched hundreds of humans and satellites since its first flight.

  • Fireball Over Texas Caught By Police Dash Cam

    Updated: 2012-02-02 20:42:53
    A squad car from the Little River-Academy Police Department in Texas captured a fireball lighting up the night sky on its dashboard camera on February 1, 2012.

  • Dizzyingly Fast-Spinning Stars Slow Down by Flying Apart

    Updated: 2012-02-02 19:10:24
    Twirling stars called pulsars may blast material out into space to break their spins.

  • Europe's Space Program Spurring Job Growth

    Updated: 2012-02-02 18:41:57
    With the new addition, Vega, to the family of rockets coming out of Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, the need for tech-centric personnel is on the rise. Effectively doubling their yearly launch capability and increasing their value tremendously.

  • Early Universe May Have Abounded With Dark Matter-Powered Stars

    Updated: 2012-02-02 18:24:39
    Stars driven by dark matter may not be able to hide much longer.

  • NASA Report: Greenhouse Gases, Not Sun, Driving Warming

    Updated: 2012-02-02 16:13:44
    A quiet sun didn't stop the Earth from absorbing more energy than it released back into space.

  • Newfound Alien Planet is Best Candidate Yet to Support Life, Scientists Say

    Updated: 2012-02-02 15:03:32
    The planet is located in the "sweet spot" of its parent star's habitable zone.

  • On the Edge: Skywatchers Snap Photo of Slender 'Little Sombrero' Galaxy

    Updated: 2012-02-02 12:59:33
    NGC 7814 is affectionately known as "The Little Sombrero" because it looks like a smaller version of the Sombrero galaxy.

  • Habitable Zones Around Alien Suns May Depend on Chemistry

    Updated: 2012-02-02 12:54:37
    Trace elements in such stars may influence their habitable zones, where planets with life could dwell. </img

  • A Look Inside Dawn’s Grand Asteroid Adventure

    Updated: 2012-02-02 01:03:11
    By Marc Rayman As NASA’s Dawn spacecraft investigates its first target, the giant asteroid Vesta, Marc Rayman, Dawn’s chief engineer, shares a monthly update on the mission’s progress. The south pole of the giant asteroid Vesta, as imaged by the framing camera on NASA’s Dawn spacecraft in September 2011. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA | › Full image and caption [...]

  • NASA Probe Captures 1st Video of Moon's Far Side

    Updated: 2012-02-01 23:08:19
    NASA's Grail probes have returned their first view of the far side of the moon.

  • Petitioners Push for Pluto Probe Postage Stamp

    Updated: 2012-02-01 22:19:46
    The petition hopes to collect 100,000 signatures by March 13.

  • Grail Mission Snaps Far Side of the Moon - First Look

    Updated: 2012-02-01 22:06:56
    NASA's Grail Mission has delivered its first video footage of the far side of the moon. The MoonKam on the 'Ebb' spacecraft snapped the imagery on January 19th, 2012.

  • Earth's Cloudy Past Could Reveal Exoplanet Details

    Updated: 2012-02-01 21:47:01
    Two astronomers modeled the clouds of Earth's past in an effort to determine how landforms on an alien planet might appear.

  • Strange Supernova - Cold Gas Cloud Molding Space Oddity?

    Updated: 2012-02-01 21:08:34
    About 15,000 light years from Earth, star remnant G350.1+0.3 has taken shape unlike many circular shaped supernovae. Researchers believe it is expanding into a cold cloud of gas creating the phenomena.

  • Photos: NASA's Last Mission to the Hubble Space Telescope

    Updated: 2012-02-01 19:56:15
    See photos of NASA's final shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope. </a

  • Emergency Launch Escape - The Private Space Way

    Updated: 2012-02-01 19:46:50
    SpaceX has recently test fired the next generation of astronaut safeguards, the SuperDraco Engine, with the ability to catapult its Dragon capsule off the rocket and land safely on a landing pad.

  • Remembering Columbia - 'In Their Own Words'

    Updated: 2012-02-01 16:30:02
    The last crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia talk about their dreams of being astronauts and the spectacle of flying above the Earth in this retrospective. <img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/spaceheadlines/~4/veHn0pm1w_o" height="1" width="1"/

  • Skywatching Events for February 2012

    Updated: 2012-02-01 12:50:15
    In February 2012, skywatchers can enjoy views of the zodiacal light, and see Venus and Uranus together in a small telescope.

  • Glowing Nebula Looks Like Giant Human Face in New Photo

    Updated: 2012-02-01 12:30:41
    The spectacular new image was captured by one of the telescopes at the La Silla Observatory in Chile.

  • Slice of History: Surveyor 3 Camera Returned from the Moon

    Updated: 2012-01-24 20:35:04
    By Julie Cooper Each month in “Slice of History” we feature a historical photo from the JPL Archives. See more historical photos and explore the JPL Archives at https://beacon.jpl.nasa.gov/. Surveyor 3 Camera Returned from the Moon — Photograph Number P-10709B In November 1969 Apollo 12 astronauts Alan Bean and Pete Conrad landed on the moon less than 600 [...]

  • Press Release: Thirty Percent for Science: Planetary Society Calls for Increased Investment for the Future

    Updated: 2012-01-19 08:00:00
    On the Planetary Society web site: Thirty Percent for Science: Planetary Society Calls for Increased Investment for the Future

  • CoS 128

    Updated: 2012-01-16 01:49:04
    I've been busy catching up on my classes, so I haven't posted anything lately.  But, you can catch up on lots of great space-related blog posts at the 128th Carnival of Space, being hosted this week at the AARTScope Blog. -Astroprof

  • Electrostatic Radiation Shielding

    Updated: 2012-01-16 01:49:01
    Clearly carrying heavy shielding to protect astronauts from radiation in space is expensive.  If you havent' been reading my space radiation series as I've been posting, then you can look over the last several of my postings about space radiation to see some of the problems.  So, some other strategy ...

  • Cosmic Rays

    Updated: 2012-01-16 01:48:59
    Part 3 of my series on space radiation is about the radiation itself.  The term cosmic rays is generally used to describe this radiation.  Unfortunately, as often happens, the term evolved before the nature of the phenomenon being studied was known, so it may not be the best term to ...

  • Dawn Longs to be Closer to Asteroid Vesta

    Updated: 2012-01-12 21:43:39
    By Marc Rayman As NASA’s Dawn spacecraft investigates its first target, the giant asteroid Vesta, Marc Rayman, Dawn’s chief engineer, shares a monthly update on the mission’s progress. This image, one of the first obtained by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft in its low altitude mapping orbit, shows part of the rim of a fresh crater on the giant [...]

  • Viewing Times and Tips for Saturday Morning’s Lunar Eclipse

    Updated: 2011-12-09 20:20:48
    By Steve Edberg The last lunar eclipse until 2014 will grace the sky on Saturday, Dec. 10. Steve Edberg, an astronomer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, shares the best viewing times and tips. For more lunar eclipse resources and to join NASA/JPL’s “I’m There: Lunar Eclipse” event, visit http://1.usa.gov/uBfAI8. Keith Burns submitted this winning photo of the [...]

  • Getting the Lowdown on Asteroid Vesta

    Updated: 2011-12-05 18:59:40
    By Marc Rayman As NASA’s Dawn spacecraft investigates its first target, the giant asteroid Vesta, Marc Rayman, Dawn’s chief engineer, shares a monthly update on the mission’s progress. This 3-D video incorporates images from the framing camera instrument aboard NASA’s Dawn spacecraft from July to August 2011. The images were obtained as Dawn approached Vesta and circled [...]

  • Earth's Cities at Night: Photos From Space

    Updated: 2011-11-15 20:26:52
    The view of our planet from orbit can't be beat.

  • /observations version 2

    Updated: 2011-11-10 16:07:00
    Astronomy Blog You are : in Astronomy Blog archive Asteroid 2005 YU55 An astronomy blog usually but not always based in the UK . Pondering questions such as What is in an exoplanet name Asteroid 2005 YU55 Asteroid 2005 YU55 will pass the Earth and Moon over the next 24 hours or so . It is roughly 400 metres in diameter and the closest it gets to us is something like 300,000 km . The closest it will get to the Moon is roughly 240,000 km . That is a long , long way away from either despite what an excited person in my blog comments insists . It won't hit the Earth and it won't hit the Moon Although 2005 YU55 passes within the orbital distance of the Moon , it doesn't actually get between the Earth and Moon at any point . It goes past them both . Also , space has a third dimension and 2005

  • Slice of History: Advanced Ocean Technology Development Platform

    Updated: 2011-11-09 18:33:16
    By Julie Cooper Each month in “Slice of History” we feature a historical photo from the JPL Archives. See more historical photos and explore the JPL Archives at https://beacon.jpl.nasa.gov/. Advanced Ocean Technology Development Platform — Photograph Number P-23298B The Advanced Ocean Technology Development Platform (AOTDP) was developed at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the late 1970s by the [...]

  • Asteroid Vesta, All in the Details

    Updated: 2011-11-03 20:14:09
    By Marc Rayman As NASA’s Dawn spacecraft investigates its first target, the giant asteroid Vesta, Marc Rayman, Dawn’s chief engineer, shares a monthly update on the mission’s progress. NASA’s Dawn spacecraft obtained this image with its framing camera on September 20, 2011. This image was taken through the camera’s clear filter. The distance to the surface of [...]

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