Latest science news in Astronomy & Space
Astronomers finish galaxy map
Researchers have completed the most detailed survey of local galaxies so far, finding out where they are and where they’re going.
Space station changes command
MOSCOW, April 4 (UPI) -- Russian authorities Saturday said cosmonaut Gennady Padalka was to take control of the International Space Station from NASA astronaut Michael Fincke.
Russian Rocket Launches New Communications Satellite
A Russian Proton rocket launched a new communications satellite on Friday.
ESA delays Herschel, Planck launch date
PARIS, April 2 (UPI) -- The European Space Agency has again postponed scheduling a joint launch date for its Herschel and Planck spacecraft.
"Hidden" Planet Found in Old Hubble Image
A new image-processing method stripped away starlight to reveal the earliest known picture of a planet circling a sunlike star, astronomers have announced.
NASA in Colbert conundrum over Space Station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - NASA's outreach to the public to drum up interest in the International Space Station started innocently enough with an online contest to name the station's...
U.S. unveils Orion spacecraft to take crew to Mars
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - NASA gave visitors to the National Mall in Washington a peek at a full-size mock-up of the spacecraft designed to carry U.S. astronauts back to the moon...
Cosmic Log: Foolery goes high-tech
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: High tech and high jinks are made for each other, as evidenced by this year's crop of geeky April Fools' jokes.
Little House On The Moon? Robot Being Created For First Moon Construction Project
Scientists are planning on sending a robot to the moon to construct a house. The House on the Moon is a project that aims to put a little read cottage...
Volunteers Locked Away in Mock Mars Mission
Six volunteers locked themselves in metal tubes Tuesday in mock 105-day mission to Mars.
Space Freezer Packs Some Cool Science
A sample-filled freezer carried experiment results back to Earth on the space shuttle Discovery.
Team Finds Riches in Meteorite Treasure Hunt
(PhysOrg.com) -- Just before dawn on Oct. 7, 2008, an SUV-sized asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere and exploded harmlessly over the Nubian Desert of northern Sudan. Scientists expected the asteroid, called...
NASA to honor Astronaut James Lovell
WASHINGTON, March 31 (UPI) -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration says it will honor astronaut James Lovell Jr., for his contributions to the U.S. space program.
A new X-ray spectroscopic tool for probing the interstellar medium
Astronomy & Astrophysics is publishing the first clear detection of signatures long sought in the spectra of X-ray astronomical sources. These signatures, the so-called EXAFS standing for "Extended X-ray...
Albertans claim to have seen 'great glow' in the sky
Some early risers in Alberta have called CBC News, claiming they saw a spectacular flash in the sky that could have been a meteor.
Cracking the Crusts of Neutron Stars
New research is helping shed light on neutron stars, city-sized globs of ultra-dense matter that occasionally collapse into black holes.
Old Moon Images Get Modern Makeover
Images taken by Lunar Orbiters 40 years ago are getting a 21st century makeover.
Mars 'journey' experiment begins
Six European volunteers begin a simulated journey to Mars to see if humans could cope with the long isolation.
U.S. military vows to track 800 satellites by October 1
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Reuters) - Spurred by last month's collision of two satellites high above the Earth, the U.S. military plans to begin tracking all 800 maneuverable spacecraft currently operating...
NASA Continues to Advance International Polar Year Science
Although the International Polar Year officially came to a close in February, NASA is continuing to push the frontiers of polar science from space, the air and the surface of...
Mysterious East Coast Boom Was Falling Russian Rocket
Reports of boom, streak of light over Norfolk skies could have been rocket re-entering Earth's atmosphere.
NASA starts Arctic research mission
WASHINGTON, March 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency announced the start Monday of a monthlong Arctic research mission using aircraft to measure the thickness of Greenland's ice...
'Most Habitable Zone' on Mars Revealed
Evidence is building that the Phoenix Mars Lander plopped down on a microbe-friendly location.
"Great Balls Of Fire" Seen In Sky
Residents across the Southeast weren't singing when they called emergency and weather officials to report "great balls of fire" in the night sky.
Around the world in 80 telescopes at ESA
On 3 April, ESA astronomers will take part in ‘Around the world in 80 telescopes’, a unique live webcast which will be part of the ‘100 Hours of Astronomy’ cornerstone...
ESA space debris conference begins
DARMSTADT, Germany, March 30 (UPI) -- The European Space Agency is the host for the Fifth European Conference on Space Debris through Thursday at its Space Operations Center...
Waiting To Close Windows
Back in the old days, when TVs and radios had tubes, it took a couple minutes for a set to warm up before you could watch or listen. But even...
Starwatch: Stellar retreat
We can still catch Orion and Sirius in the SW at nightfall, but their hasty retreat into our western evening twilight means we lose them by the end