Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
Phoenix Lander Takes Aim at Martian Arctic
NASA's Phoenix spacecraft is gearing up May 25 landing on Mars.
Tiny Young Galaxies "Full of Stars" Discovered
Nine distant galaxies, each small enough to fit within the central hub of the Milky Way, contain enough stars to weigh in at about 200 billion times the mass of...
Cassini finds rhythm in Saturn's rings
Two of Saturn's rings have been found by NASA's Cassini spacecraft to contain orderly lines of densely grouped, boulder-size icy particles that extend outward across the rings like ripples from...
Cassini finds mingling moons may share a dark past
Despite the incredible diversity of Saturn’s icy moons, theirs is a story of great interaction. Some are pock-marked, some seemingly dirty, others pristine, one spongy, one two-faced, some still spewing...
Scientists Discover Record Fifth Planet Orbiting Nearby Star
Astronomers have announced the discovery of a fifth planet circling 55 Cancri, a star beyond our solar system.
Spitzer Spies a Stellar Bubble Blower
A new image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows a baby star 1,140 light-years away from Earth blowing two massive "bubbles." But instead of bubble gum, this youngster, called HH...
NASA Sees Arctic Ocean Circulation Do an About-Face
PASADENA, Calif. -- A team of NASA and university scientists has detected an ongoing reversal in Arctic Ocean circulation triggered by atmospheric circulation changes that vary on decade-long time scales.
NASA Mega-Telescope Gears Up to Study Cosmos
NASA has selected three teams of scientists to begin studying disks of dust around nearby stars starting in February 2008, using the Keck Interferometer in Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
Cassini Team Recruits Next Generation of Scientists
NASA's Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn has some young new participants. A 10th-grade student in Delaware, a high school senior in California, and an 8th-grade American student in France are the...
Astronomers Rule Out Possibility of Asteroid Impact on Mars
As expected, scientists at JPL's Near-Earth Object Office have further refined the trajectory estimate for asteroid 2007 WD5 and ruled out any possibility of a Mars impact on Jan. 30.
Ulysses Spacecraft Flies Over Sun's North Pole
The Ulysses spacecraft today is making a rare flyby of the sun's north pole. Unlike any other spacecraft, Ulysses is able to sample winds at the sun's poles.
Public Invited to Celebrate Anniversary of Explorer 1
A half--century ago, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Explorer 1 spacecraft became America's first Earth-orbiting satellite when it sailed into space on Jan. 31, 1958.
NASA and the Beatles Celebrate Anniversaries by Beaming Song 'Across the Universe' Into Deep Space
For the first time ever, NASA will beam a song - The Beatles "Across the Universe" -- directly into deep space at 4 p.m. Pacific Time on Monday, Feb. 4.
NASA's Deep Impact Begins Hunt for Alien Worlds
NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft is aiming its largest telescope at five stars in a search for alien planets as it enters its extended mission, called Epoxi.
Students Paint a Window to Saturn
Art students have literally left their mark at JPL with a gigantic, multi-wall mural of the Cassini spacecraft's latest discoveries about Saturn and its moons.
Mars Rovers Sharpen Questions About Livable Conditions
Like salt used as a preservative, high concentrations of dissolved minerals in the wet, early-Mars environment known from discoveries by NASA's Opportunity rover may have thwarted any microbes from developing...
International Solar Mission to End Following Stellar Performance
The joint NASA and European Space Agency Ulysses mission to study the sun and its influence on surrounding space is likely to cease operations in the next few months.
Spitzer's Eyes Perfect for Spotting Diamonds in the Sky
Diamonds may be rare on Earth, but surprisingly common in space -- and the super-sensitive infrared eyes of NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope are perfect for scouting them.
NASA Views Landing Site Through Eyes of Future Moon Crew
NASA has obtained the highest resolution terrain mapping to date of the moon's rugged south polar region, with a resolution to 20 meters (66 feet) per pixel.
Spitzer Finds Organics and Water Where New Planets May Grow
Researchers using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope have discovered large amounts of simple organic gases and water vapor in a possible planet-forming region around an infant star, along with evidence that...
JPL Technologies Chosen for Space Technology Hall of Fame
PASADENA, CALIF. -- Two technologies developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory have been selected for the Space Foundation's 2008 Space Technology Hall of Fame.
Astronomers Detect First Organic Molecule on an Exoplanet
A team of astronomers, led by JPL's Mark Swain, has made the first detection ever of an organic molecule in the atmosphere of a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting another star.
NASA Mission Finds New Clues to Guide Search for Life on Mars
NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter has found evidence of salt deposits. These deposits point to places where water once was abundant and where evidence might exist of possible Martian life from...
High-Schoolers Go Into Overdrive at FIRST Robotics Competition
Fifty-two teams from high schools in Southern California, Arizona and New Hampshire competed in the Los Angeles FIRST Robotics Competition last Friday and Saturday.
Students Help Explore Mars through Innovative Program
High school students in three states are working with Mars researchers on observations for an instrument on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
Stardust Stars on Earth as it Does in the Heavens
While their spacecraft's journeys may have taken it more than halfway to Jupiter, members of the Stardust team have lately been doing some roaming of their own.
No Speed Limit on Mars
It's a good thing there's no speed limit on Mars, because the next parachute to fly to the red planet will deploy faster than you can legally drive on a...
NASA Spacecraft Images Mars Moon in Color and in 3D
A new stereo view of Phobos, the larger and inner of Mars' two tiny moons, has been captured by a NASA spacecraft orbiting Mars.