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,...
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.
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,...
'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.
Spirit Rover Remains Silent as Mars Mission Begins 8th Year
NASA's mired Spirit rover remains in a nine-month slumber as it begins the eighth year of its Mars mission, but its twin, Opportunity, keeps chugging along.
Planet Triple Feature: Venus, Saturn and Mercury Visible at Dawn This Week
Early risers this week will be treated to a spectacular display: Mercury, Venus, and Saturn will appear just before sunrise.
Lagoon Nebula's Stellar Baby Boom Seen in New Photo
A gorgeous new image from the European Southern Observatory shows the glowing, blue Lagoon Nebula - a hotbed of stellar activity - amid a backdrop speckled with bright stars.
Black Holes: Warping Space and Time
World renowned experts explain how the fabric of space is altered near black holes; and what happens to normal matter (like you and me) if we stray too near to...
Troubled Japanese Venus Probe May Get Early Shot at Redemption
Japan's Akatsuki spacecraft, which overshot Venus last month, may get a chance to redeem itself one year sooner than scientists had originally thought.
Top 10 Strangest Things in Space
The universe is a weird place. Here's a look at some of the strangest things in the cosmos.
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.
Play Nice Up There! Code of Conduct for Space Sought
There's been some pushing and shoving lately to establish an global "Code of Conduct" for outer space.
New Photos Reveal Birth and Death of Andromeda Stars
Infrared and X-ray images show our neighboring galaxy in a whole new light.
Famous Crab Nebula Shoots Off Mysterious Flares
One of the most well-known celestial objects still has some tricks up its sleeve.
Sun's Super-Hot Shell Cooked by Plasma Jets
The scorching heat of the solar atmosphere, which is millions of degrees hotter than the surface of the sun, is continuously replenished by jets of plasma that scream upwards from...
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...