Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
Extra shuttle mission this year in doubt
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Delays in the space shuttle Discovery's mission for repairs to its fuel tank raise doubts about an extra shuttle mission this year,...
Habitable planet find doubted by B.C. scientist
An Earth-like planet discovered by U.S. researchers last September may not exist after all, says a new study by a B.C. astronomer.
NASA Says New Heavy-Lift Rocket Needs More Funding and Time
NASA says it needs more time and money to design and build a new heavy-lift rocket.
Angry suns may scorch alien life
Red dwarf stars have surprisingly frequent flare-ups, scientists say, and these solar flares' effects could be deadly to life on nearby planets.
Cross-eyed opossum is huge on Facebook
Heidi, the cross-eyed opossum, is the latest creature to rocket from Germany's front pages to international recognition, capturing the world's imagination with her bright, black eyes turned toward her pointed...
The Case Against the Moon: Why We Shouldn't Go Straight Back
Some space experts hoping the NASA most pressing goals for the future of human spaceflight look beyond the moon.
UMass Amherst astronomers' camera leads to discovery of early galaxies
An international team of astronomers including Grant Wilson and Min Yun at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has detected one of the earliest "protoclusters" of galaxies ever identified, located about...
Twinkle, Twinkle, Twinkle: Triplet Stars Found by NASA's Kepler
The lightweight stars originally looked like planets to the exoplanet-hunting observatory.
Russian PM Offers Condolences to Station Crew for Arizona Shooting
The six crewmembers aboard the International Space Station received a special call from Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin today (Jan. 11), wishing the spaceflyers a successful mission and parlaying sympathy...
Toronto astronomers among those announcing first scientific results of Planck satellite mission
University of Toronto astronomers are in Paris this week as part of an international conference announcing the first scientific results of the Plank space telescope mission. Launched in May 2009,...
ESA issues its first Sustainable Development Report
ESA is pleased to issue its first report on Sustainable Development in which the following fundamental questions have been considered: How are Sustainable Development and Space connected?
'Map of the universe' revealed
The Royal Greenwich Observatory's Marek Kukula explains the significance of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's largest ever image of the night sky.
What's in a thunderstorm? Antimatter, for one
Scientists are surprised to discover that lightning emits powerful bursts of antimatter into space.To the great surprise of physicists and meteorologists alike, NASA's orbiting Fermi gamma-ray observatory has discovered that...
Comet or Asteroid? Big Space Rock Has Identity Crisis
A huge asteroid discovered more than 100 years ago may not be an asteroid at all, but a dormant comet.
Details of the Moon's Core Revealed by 30-year-old Data
A new look at signals from seismic sensors left on the lunar surface in the 1970s have revealed new insight into the moon's core.
Great Hunter Orion Now Looms Large in the Night Sky
The well-known constellation Orion, the Hunter, is dominating the winter night sky this month.
Christmas Comes Twice for Russians in Space
Cosmonauts living on the International Space Station is taking some time to celebrate a second Christmas today.
Astronomers Flock to Seattle for Big Space Conference
Thousands of astronomers are gathering in chilly, cloudy Seattle for the annual winter meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
Jupiter, the Moon and Uranus Offer Skywatching Show
Jupiter, the moon and Uranus will over a skywatching show as the crescent moon passes north of both planets on Jan. 9 and Jan. 10.
Inside a snowstorm: Scientists obtain close-up look at Old Man Winter
In this winter of heavy snows--with more on the way this week--nature's bull's-eye might be Oswego, N.Y., and the nearby Tug Hill Plateau.
WHOI's Avery, Doney Selected AAAS Fellows
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) President and Director Susan K. Avery and Senior Scientist Scott C. Doney have been elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science...
New spacecraft could help break the climate debate gridlock
A new robotic probe is headed to the launch pad, aiming for a spot aboard what is called the A-train -- a fleet of Earth-orbiting spacecraft keeping tabs on the...
NASA tests new propulsion system for robotic lander prototype
NASA's Robotic Lunar Lander Development Project has completed a series of hot fire tests and taken delivery of a new propulsion system for integration into a more sophisticated free-flying autonomous...
Understanding life on Mars could stem from rocks
(PhysOrg.com) -- Rocks on Earth could help pave the way for new understanding of the potential existence of life on Mars.
'New lease of life' for Goonhilly Down
Science correspondent Tom Feilden reports on the reinvention of Goonhilly Down Satellite Station as a centre for space science
California’s Heavy Rains Counter La Niña’s Ways
A typical La Niña would bring dry conditions to the Southern United States. So how to explain a recent deluge in Southern California?
International Space Station begins new era of utilization
A new era of utilization for research and technology begins for the completed International Space Station. The orbiting laboratory shifts focus in 2011 from finalizing construction efforts to full-scale use...
U.S. Atom Smasher to End Quest This Fall for 'God Particle'
The search by U.S. physicists for the most coveted particle of all, the so-called...