Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
NASA revamps, delays commercial space taxi work
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Budget cuts in a program to spur commercial space taxis will likely keep the United States dependent on Russia to fly astronauts to the International...
Geminid Meteor Shower Wows Skywatchers Despite Bright Moon
Dedicated skywatchers caught stunning views of the 2011 Geminid meteor shower despite the moon's glow.
"Slam Dunk" Sign of Ancient Water on Mars
As NASA's newest Mars rover Curiosity heads for the Red Planet, veteran rover Opportunity is still busy making discoveries. Opportunity's latest find, an apparent vein of gypsum, is a "slam...
NASA Looks to 3-D Printing for Spare Parts for Space Station
Launch $1-billion-worth of spare parts to the International Space Station, and you can keep Earth's orbital outpost going for another decade. Send up some 3D-printing devices , and you...
Astronomers Find Cosmic 'Dragonfish' Packed with Supermassive Stars
A cluster of supermassive stars within a surrounding shell of gas resembles a dragonfish.
Solar Storms Can 'Sandblast' Away Moon's Surface
Intense solar storms can strip material off the surface of the moon like a sandblaster, a new study finds.
With 'Google Earth' for Mars, explore the red planet from home
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new software tool developed by the HiRISE team in the UA's Lunar and Planetary Lab allows members of the public to download high-resolution images of the Martian...
NASA's Jason-1 achieves a one-decade landmark
(PhysOrg.com) -- On Dec. 7, 2001, NASA and the French Space Agency Centre Nationale d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) launched the Jason-1 satellite from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., embarking on a planned...
Satellite eye on Earth: November 2011 - in pictures
Cloud streets in Canada, underwater volcanoes in the Atlantic and oil sands in Alberta were among the images captured by Nasa satellites last month
Images of 'vampire' star captured
MUNICH, Germany, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- European astronomers say they've obtained the best visual images ever of a star that has lost most of its material to a "vampire"...
ESA selects Astrium to build Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite
Furthering Europe’s capacity to monitor atmospheric pollution, ESA has awarded a contract worth €45.5 million to Astrium UK to act as prime contractor for the Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite system.
Astronomers reveal a rapidly spinning core inside old stars
(PhysOrg.com) -- An international team of astronomers led by PhD student Paul Beck from Leuven University in Belgium have managed to look deep inside some old stars and discovered that...
New tool for touring Mars using detailed images
An improved tool debuts Dec. 7 for viewing channels, dunes, boulders and other features revealed in the huge image files from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on...
NASA catalogs thousands of asteroids near Earth
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - About 1,000 asteroids big enough to cause catastrophic damage if they hit Earth are orbiting relatively nearby, a NASA survey shows.
Ex-astronaut: We need to mobilize against killer rocks
Edward Lu says NASA and other space agencies need to come together to meet a common threat to the Earth
'Starquakes' Reveal Hidden Secrets Inside Stars
Seismic shivers inside stars reveal their innards are spinning surprisingly fast.
Ryerson Professor Leads Team Canada in International Experiment in Outer Space
The team is looking to space to provide answers on how to better predict the presence and extent of oil beneath the earth's surface.
Names of China's Secret Astronauts Revealed by Autographed Envelope
China's first female astronauts are among the group.
Asian Space Race Is Heating Up, US Policy Expert Warns
With China, India and Japan ramping up space activities, an unspoken space race is taking place in Asia.
Seven days: 2–8 December 2011
Seven days: 2–8 December 2011Nature 480, 156 07122011 doi: 10.1038/480156aThe week in science: Europe’s €80-billion research budget; Brazilian deforestation falls to record low; and Kepler finds a potentially habitable planet...
Biggest Solar Eruption of 2011 - Multiple Satellite Views
On June 7th, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and STEREO (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory) A & B satellites captured the solar violence. The dramatic show of force of the ensuing...
Vampire star reveals its secrets
"We can now combine light from four VLT telescopes and create super-sharp images much more quickly than before," says Nicolas Blind (IPAG, Grenoble, France), who is the lead author on...
Solar Weather Forecasting Becomes Vital as Sun Gears Up for Wild Ride
The sun is coming out of a slumber and ramping up its activity.
Voltage Increases Up to 25% Observed in Closely Packed Nanowires
Surprise voltage boosts up to 25% observed in closely packed nanowires may impact next-generation handheld devices, solar arrays, and basic science.
Dynamo maker ready to roll
Dynamo maker ready to rollNature 480, 162 07122011 doi: 10.1038/480162aSusan YoungTwo rotating spheres separated by thousands of kilograms of liquid sodium aim to mimic Earth's interior.
NASA ready to test upgraded J-2X powerpack
(PhysOrg.com) -- For engineers working on the J-2X engine program, installation of the upgraded J-2X powerpack on the A-1 Test Stand on Dec. 5 had to feel like a long-awaited...
Nobel winners pay tribute to deceased laureate
(AP) -- Two scientists who will collect this year's Nobel Prize in medicine praised late co-winner Ralph Steinman on Tuesday, saying he probably knew he was in line for...
NASA vows $8.8 bn space telescope on track for 2018
After a series of delays and billions spent over budget, the potent James Webb Space Telescope is on track to launch in 2018 at a total project cost of $8.8...