Comet ISON: What's in a Name?
Credit for comet ISON's name goes to its discovers: Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novinchonok.

Noctilucent Clouds, Comets, and Meteor Showers
This summer northern skywatchers may be able to see Noctilucent or "Night Shining" Clouds. Also called PMCs (Polar Mesospheric Clouds), these apparitions are a bit of a puzzle for scientists because it is not entirely clear how they form.

Noctilucent Clouds Get an Early Start
Every summer, something strange and wonderful happens high above the north pole. Ice crystals begin to cling to the smoky remains of meteors, forming electric-blue clouds with tendrils that ripple hypnotically against the sunset sky.

Dry Ice "Snowboards" on Mars
NASA research indicates hunks of frozen carbon dioxide -- dry ice -- may glide down some Martian sand dunes on cushions of gas similar to miniature hovercraft, plowing furrows as they go.

Approaching Asteroid Has Its Own Moon
Approaching asteroid 1998 QE2 has a moon.

Planets Aligning in the Sunset Sky
The sunset of May 26th will be extra special. On that date, Venus, Jupiter and Mercury will gather in the fading twilight to form a bright triangle only three degrees wide.

See Saturn at its Best and Brightest
At the end of April, Saturn will put on a breathtaking display.

Comet ISON Meteor Shower
Anticipation is building as Comet ISON plunges into the inner solar system for a close encounter with the sun in November 2013. Blasted at point-blank range by solar radiation, the sungrazer will likely become one of the finest comets in many years.

The Long and Storied Path to Human Asteroid Exploration
Within NASA's new FY2014 budget proposal lies a project known as the Asteroid Retrieval and Utilization Mission.

NASA's Asteroid Initiative Benefits From Rich History
NASA's FY2014 budget proposal includes a plan to robotically capture a small near-Earth asteroid and redirect it safely to a stable orbit in the Earth-moon system where astronauts can visit and explore it.

NASA Celebrates Four Decades of Plucky Pioneer 11
Forty years ago, on April 5, 1973, a small, ambitious spacecraft launched from Cape Canaveral, heading towards the third-brightest point of light in the night sky.

Collision Course? A Comet Heads for Mars
A comet is heading for Mars, and there is a chance that it might hit the Red Planet in October 2014. An impact wouldn't necessarily mean the end of NASA's Mars program. But it would transform the program along with Mars itself.

Measuring Mars: The MAVEN Magnetometer
When the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) mission begins its journey to the Red Planet in 2013, it will carry a sensitive magnetic-field instrument built and tested by a team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

NASA's LRO Sees GRAIL's Explosive Farewell
Many spacecraft just fade away, drifting silently through space after their mission is over, but not GRAIL. NASA's twin GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory) spacecraft went out in a blaze of glory Dec. 17, 2012, ...

Sunset Comet
For a comet, visiting the sun is risky business. Fierce solar heat vaporizes gases long frozen in the fragile nucleus, breaking up some comets and completely destroying others.

What Exploded over Russia?
"It was a meteor strike--the most powerful since the Tunguska event of 1908," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: David Kring, Senior Staff Scientist, Universities Space Research Association, Houston; Principal Investigator, LPI-JSC
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

One Close Fly-by: DA14 - What We Learn from NEOs
On February 15, 2013, asteroid 2012 DA14, a 50-meter stony asteroid, will pass the Earth at a distance of about 27,680 kilometers (17,200 miles).

Possible Seismic Activity on Asteroid 2012 DA14
For eons, Earth has felt the tremors of asteroids striking our planet. From the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago to the felled forests around Tunguska in 1908, the space rocks keep coming. This week, Earth strikes back.

Asteroid DA14 Flyby Toolkit
Everything you need to know about Friday's historic asteroid flyby.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Julie Castillo-Rogez, Planetary Geophysicist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Mike Malin, President and Chief Scientist, Malin Space Science Systems
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

A Possible Naked-eye Comet in March
An Oort Cloud comet could be heading our way now.

State of the Solar System
As the president prepares to give his annual State of the Union Address, we offer our own update from the ongoing exploration of our cosmic neighborhood.

Asteroid 2012 DA14 - Earth Flyby Reality Check
Small near-Earth asteroid 2012 DA14 will pass very close to Earth on February 15, so close that it will pass inside the ring of geosynchronous weather and communications satellites.

Record Setting Asteroid Flyby
On Feb. 15th an asteroid about half the size of a football field will fly past Earth closer than many man-made satellites. Since regular sky surveys began in the 1990s, astronomers have never seen an object so big come so close to our planet.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Neil Gehrels, Astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Spaceflight Center
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: William Sjogren, Senior Research Scientist (Retired), Jet Propulsion Laboratory
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

Earth at Perihelion
In January, our planet made its annual closest approach to the sun. But don't expect things to warm up.

What's Next for NASA: 2013
In 2013, NASA will push ahead with an ambitious exploration program, continuing crew flights and commercial resupply missions to the International Space Station, and advancing the systems needed to send humans deeper into space.

Big Asteroid Tumbles Harmlessly Past Earth
Asteroid 4179 Toutatis is tumbling past Earth this week. Astronomers are taking advantage of the flyby to ping the space rock using NASA radars and obtain images of unprecedented clarity.

A New Meteor Shower in December?
If you're outdoors after sunset this week, be alert for meteors. Not only is the Geminid meteor shower active as Earth passes through a stream of debris from "rock comet" 3200 Phaethon, but also a new meteor shower could make an appearance.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Claudia Alexander, Project Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Anita Cochran (Assistant Director of the McDonald Observatory and a Senior Research Scientist at the University of Texas at Austin)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

MESSENGER Finds New Evidence for Water Ice at Mercury's Poles
New observations by the MESSENGER spacecraft provide compelling support for the long-held hypothesis that Mercury harbors abundant water ice and other frozen volatile materials in its permanently shadowed polar craters.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Ashley Stroupe (Robotics Software Engineer / Mars Rover Driver at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Nancy Grace Roman (Retired Chief of NASA's Astronomy and Relativity Programs at NASA Headquarters)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Jim Kasting (Distinguished Professor of Geoscience at Penn State University)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Ayanna Howard (Robotics Engineer at Georgia Tech University)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

Wide Awake in the Sea of Tranquillity
Neil Armstrong was supposed to be asleep. The moonwalking was done. The moon rocks were stowed away. His ship was ready for departure. In just a few hours, the Eagle's ascent module would blast off the Moon, something no ship had ever done before ...

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Ralph Carruth (Manager, Materials and Processes Laboratory at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Amanda Hendrix (Planetary Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

Mars Rover Curiosity in Familiar Ground
The SUV-sized Mars rover Curiosity now finds itself just where scientists wanted it: at the northern edge and rim of Gale Crater. What's remarkable is how familiar the landscape looks.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Cassie Conley (Planetary Protection Officer at NASA Headquarters)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Suzanne Dodd (Project Manager for the Voyager Interstellar Mission at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Dave Doody (Realtime Flight Operations Lead Engineer at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Paolo Bellutta (Machine Vision Group/Mars Exploration Rover Driver at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Paul Spudis (Lunar Geologist at the Lunar and Planetary Institute)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Steve Vance (Planetary Scientist/Astrobiologist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

Venus, a Planetary Portrait of Inner Beauty
A Venus transit across the face of the sun is a relatively rare event -- occurring in pairs with more than a century separating each pair. There have been all of 53 transits of Venus across the sun between 2000 B.C. and the last one in 2004.

Solar Eclipse this Weekend
On Sunday, May 20th, the Moon will pass in front of the sun, transforming sunbeams across the Pacific side of Earth into fat crescents and thin rings of light.

A New Count of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids
Observations from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have led to the best assessment yet of our solar system's population of potentially hazardous asteroids.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Yvonne Pendleton (Director at NASA's Lunar Science Institute)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: William Borucki (Science Principal Investigator for the Kepler Mission at NASA Ames Research Center)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

Rubber Chicken Flies into Solar Radiation Storm
Launching a rubber chicken into a solar storm might sound strange, but the students had good reason: They're doing an astrobiology project.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Robert Pappalardo (Project Scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Michelle Thaller (Assistant Director of Science for Communications at the Goddard Space Flight Center)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Jeff Cuzzi (Research Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: David Grinspoon (Curator of Astrobiology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

The Fireballs of February
In the middle of the night on February 13th, something disturbed the animal population of rural Portal, Georgia. Cows started mooing anxiously and local dogs howled at the sky. The cause of the commotion was a rock from space.

Solar Eclipse over the USA
Mark your calendar. On Sunday, May 20th, the sun is going to turn into a ring of fire. It's an annular solar eclipse--the first one in the USA in almost 18 years.

Comet Corpses in the Solar Wind
A paper published in today's issue of Science raises an intriguing new possibility for astronomers: unearthing comet corpses in the solar wind. The new research is based on dramatic images of a comet disintegrating in the sun's atmosphere last July.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Fran Bagenal (Professor of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado, Boulder and Co-Investigator for the New Horizons Mission)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

Kepler Discovers Earth-size Exoplanets
NASA's Kepler spacecraft has found two Earth-sized planets orbiting a distant sun-like star.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Peter Jenniskens (Research Scientist at the SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Robert Mitchell (Cassini Program Manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

50 Years of Robotic Planetary Exploration: Amy Simon-Miller (Astrophysicist at the Goddard Space Flight Center)
We asked them and here is what the experts had to say about the last 50 years of planetary robotic exploration.

Comet Lovejoy Plunges into the Sun ... and Survives
Sungrazing Comet Lovejoy has shocked astronomers by surviving its "death plunge" into the sun. Must-see movies of the comet's passage through the sun's atmosphere are featured in today's story from Science@NASA.

"Slam Dunk" Sign of Ancient Water on Mars
As NASA's newest Mars rover Curiosity heads for the Red Planet, veteran rover Opportunity continues to make discoveries. Opportunity's latest find, an apparent vein of the mineral gypsum, is a "slam dunk" sign of past water on Mars, say researchers.

Preparing for Future Human Exploration: Measuring the Radiation Environment on Mars
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) led the development of the Radiation Assessment Detector, which will measure, for the first time, the radiation environment on the surface of Mars, measuring all the relevant energetic particle species.

New NASA Missions to Investigate How Mars Turned Hostile
Two new NASA missions, one that will roam the surface and another that will orbit the planet and dip briefly into its upper atmosphere, will try to discover what transformed Mars.

Stellar Extremophiles
Back in the 1970s, biologists were amazed to discover a form of life they never expected. Tiny microorganisms with ancient DNA were living in the hot springs of Yellowstone National Park ...

Strange Hollows Discovered on Mercury
NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has discovered strange hollows on the surface of Mercury.

The Strange Attraction of Gale Crater
It sounds a little odd -- a mountain in the middle of an impact crater.

Orbital Observations of Mercury Reveal Flood Lavas, Hollows, and Unprecedented Surface Details
After only six months in orbit around Mercury, NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft is sending back information that has revolutionized the way scientists think about the innermost planet.

Venus Weather Not Boring After All, NASA/International Study Shows
At first glance, a weather forecaster for Venus would have either a really easy or a really boring job, depending on your point of view.

Help NASA Find Life On Mars With MAPPER
Would you like to participate in NASA's analog research program? Now you can with MAPPER.

NASA Plans to Visit a Near-Earth Asteroid
In a few years a NASA spacecraft will seek the building blocks of life in a shovelful of asteroid dirt. The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is targeted for launch in September 2016.

Spaceships, Meteors and Moonlight
Bright moonlight streams through your window. A nugget of space debris disintegrates in a sparkling fireball. A huge spaceship glides silently overhead. Any one of these events might be enough to get you out of bed, but all three are going to happen.

NASA Researchers: DNA Building Blocks Can Be Made in Space
NASA-funded researchers have evidence that some building blocks of DNA, the molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life, found in meteorites were likely created in space.

What Lies Inside Jupiter?
The goal of the Juno mission is to answer the question: " What lies inside Jupiter?"

Aerogels: Thinner, Lighter, Stronger
Although aerogels were first invented in the 1930s, NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland has invented groundbreaking methods of creating new types of aerogels that could change the way we think about insulation.

Does Asteroid Vesta Have a Moon?
From now until Dawn goes into orbit about Vesta every picture of the giant asteroid will be the best one ever taken. What will researchers do with this unprecedented clarity? Look for an asteroid moon.

Join NASA in Measuring an Asteroid
On July 3 at 11:05:30 p.m. EDT, 52 Europa will pass in front of star TYC 0292-00339-1. Here on Earth, astronomers can measure the exact length of time the star's light is blocked and use those calculations to help verify the size of 52 Europa.

The Long, Slow Clean-Up
The Genesis mission brought important new evidence to scientists working to understand how the solar system formed, but it also brought an unprecedented challenge.

One Step Closer to Earth's Genesis
Kevin McKeegan's announcement at the 2008 Lunar and Planetary Science Conference that the pattern of oxygen isotopes on the Sun differs greatly from that of Earth took many planetary scientists by surprise.

The Sun Under Lock and Key
Where do you think you would find the world's most valuable collection? You can make an awfully good argument for the Astromaterials Curation Labs at Johnson Space Center. That is where NASA keeps the Genesis solar wind samples, and much more.

What Are Isotopes, and Why Should We Care?
Your last drink of water contained isotopes that could help a Crime Scene Investigation unit determine where you've been living if they find a few strands of your hair.

The Big Question -- The Reason for the Genesis Mission
Where did the world come from? An immense gas cloud, peppered with atoms made by stars, squeezed itself together so tightly that its center ignited into a nuclear furnace and became our sun. The remaining bits and pieces of the cloud, known as ...

ARTEMIS Spacecraft Prepare for Lunar Orbit
They've almost arrived. It took one and a half years, over 90 orbit maneuvers, and -- wonderfully -- many gravitational boosts and only the barest bit of fuel to move two spacecraft from their orbit around Earth to their new home around the Moon.

MESSENGER Provides New Data about Mercury
After nearly three months in orbit about Mercury, MESSENGER's payload is providing a wealth of new information about the planet closest to the sun, as well as a few surprises.

A Big Surprise from the Edge of the Solar System
Voyager mission scientists say the probes have just sent back some very big news indeed: It's bubbly out there.

Timeline of Martian Volcanism
The volcanoes on Mars, though inactive, stand as proof of past volcanic activity whose timing, duration and cessation are hot topics in planetary science.

Moon's Rough 'Wrinkles' Reveal Clues To Its Past
Written on the moon's weary face are the damages it has endured for the past 4-1/2 billion years. But they only hint at the processes that once acted-and act today-to shape the surface.

Science Highlights from Mercury's Orbit
As the first spacecraft to orbit the planet Mercury, MESSENGER has the opportunity to make many observations of the solar system's innermost planet that had not previously been possible.

Spiders in Space -- The Sequel!
The very idea of spiders in space brings to mind campy, black and white horror films involving eight-legged monsters. In actuality, it is a scientific investigation called Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus Science Insert-05.

Meteors from Halley's Comet
Looking for an adventure? Get up in the wee hours of the morning May 6th and head out into the country, far from the city lights. You won't be alone. The birds will be up and singing about the coming dawn, and about the eta Aquarid meteor shower.

Solar Activity Heats Up
If you've ever stood in front of a hot stove, watching a pot of water and waiting impatiently for it to boil, you know what it feels like to be a solar physicist.

Dawn Approaches Asteroid Vesta
After 3 ½ years of thrusting silently through the void, NASA's Dawn spacecraft is on the threshold of a new world. It's deep in the asteroid belt, less than 4 months from giant asteroid Vesta.

Vesta -- Is it Really an Asteroid?
As NASA's Dawn spacecraft closes in on Vesta, researchers are wondering if the behemoth space rock is just an asteroid--or something more?

Super Full Moon
On March 19th, a full Moon of rare size and beauty will rise in the east at sunset. It's a super "perigee moon"--the biggest in almost 20 years.

Finally! NASA Prepares to Orbit Mercury
On March 17th, NASA's MESSENGER probe will become the first spacecraft to orbit Mercury. It's a seminal moment in planetary exploration. Researchers can finally take a good long look at a rocky world that is both akin to Earth and shockingly alien.

Can WISE Find the Hypothetical 'Tyche'?
In November 2010, the scientific journal Icarus published a paper by astrophysicists John Matese and Daniel Whitmire, who proposed the existence of a binary companion to our sun, larger than Jupiter, in the long-hypothesized Oort cloud.

A Solar System Family Portrait, From the Inside Out
What would our solar system look like if visitors from other worlds took a series of pictures? NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft did just that by piecing together the first portrait of our solar system from the inside looking out.

The Two Faces of Tempel 1
Whichever part of comet Tempel 1 is facing toward Stardust when the spacecraft zips by the comet tonight should provide some great new science.

Five Things About NASA's Valentine's Day Comet
Here are five facts you should know about NASA's Stardust-NExT spacecraft as it prepares for a Valentine's "date" with comet Tempel 1. Feel free to sing along!

NASA Spacecraft Closes in on Comet Tempel 1
NASA is about to discover how solar heat devours a comet as the Stardust-NExT probe closes in for a Valentine's Day encounter with Tempel 1.

Who's Who at NASA: Dr. Jim Green, Director, Planetary Science Division, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC
NASA Tech Briefs talks planetary science with Dr. James Green, the man in charge of NASA's robotic exploration of the planets, moons and bodies of our solar system.

A Fizzy Ocean on Enceladus
Evidence is mounting that Saturn's moon Enceladus harbors a bubbly subterranean ocean where conditions might be friendly to life.

Sundiving Comet Storm
2010 ended with an unprecedented flurry of small comets diving into the sun. Researchers say this could herald a much larger comet still to come.

Asteroid Itokawa Sample Return
"It's an incredible feeling to have another world right in the palm of your hand," says Mike Zolensky, Associate Curator for Interplanetary Dust at Johnson Space Center. "We're seeing for the first time, up close, what an asteroid is actually made of!"

Geminid Meteor Shower Defies Explanation
"The Geminids are my favorite," says NASA astronomer Bill Cooke, "because they defy explanation."

Most meteor showers come from comets, which spew ample meteoroids for a night of 'shooting stars.' The Geminids are different. The parent is not

The Sun Steals Comets from Other Stars
The next time you thrill at the sight of a comet blazing across the night sky, consider this: it's a stolen pleasure. You're enjoying the spectacle at the expense of a distant star.

Dead Spacecraft Walking
A pair of NASA spacecraft that were supposed to be dead a year ago are instead flying to the Moon for a breakthrough mission in lunar orbit.

Aftermath of Possible Asteroid Collision
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured rare images of a suspected asteroid collision. The snapshots show a bizarre X-shaped object at the head of a comet-like trail of material.

NASA Spacecraft Hurtles Toward Active Comet Hartley 2
NASA's Deep Impact/EPOXI spacecraft is hurtling toward Comet Hartley 2 for a breathtaking 435-mile flyby on Nov. 4th.

Saturn's Tiny Moon May Keep its Oceans Liquid by Wobbling
Saturn's icy moon Enceladus should not be one of the most promising places in our solar system to look for extraterrestrial life. But NASA's Cassini orbiter has found promising signs of liquid oceans -- a key ingredient for life.

The Year of the Solar System
To mark an unprecedented flurry of exploration which is about to begin, NASA announced today that the coming year will be "The Year of the Solar System"

Discovery of the Moon's Mysterious Mascons
While movie audiences watched scientists uncover a mystery on the Moon in 2001: A Space Odyssey, a strangely parallel story was unfolding in real life. And the first human missions to the Moon were at stake.

Raisin Mountains on Saturn's Moon Titan
Saturn's moon Titan ripples with mountains, and scientists have been trying to figure out how they form. The best explanation, it turns out, is that Titan is shrinking as it cools, wrinkling up the moon's surface like a raisin.

Spacequakes Rumble Near Earth
Researchers using NASA's fleet of five THEMIS spacecraft have discovered a form of space weather that packs the punch of an earthquake and plays a key role in sparking bright Northern Lights. They call it "the spacequake."

Interplanetary Playlist
NASA has a long tradition of wakeup calls to rouse both human and robotic explorers. The selections range from Barbara Streisand's Hello Dolly to Led Zepplin's Dazed and Confused.

2012: Doom or Hype?
The short answer? Hype. Contrary to some of the common beliefs out there, the science behind the end of the world quickly unravels when pinned down to the 2012 timeline.

Halfway to Pluto
Halfway to Pluto, NASA's New Horizons probe has woken up in 'exotic territory.' Mission controllers are taking the opportunity to give the spacecraft a thorough system's check in preparation for its Pluto flyby in 2015.

Strange Martian Spirals Explained
Using new data from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, researchers have finally uncovered the secrets of the mysterious troughs that snake through the Martian ice cap like a spiraled maze.

Jupiter Impact: Mystery of the Missing Debris
We've seen things hit Jupiter before and the flash of impact has always been followed by some kind of debris. But not this time.

Old Rover, New Tricks
3 June 2010:: A Soviet robot lost on the dusty plains of the Moon for the past 40 years has been found again, and it is returning surprisingly strong laser pulses to Earth.

Jupiter Loses a Stripe
In a surprising development that has transformed the appearance of the solar system's largest planet, one of Jupiter's two main cloud belts has completely disappeared.

Hidden Galaxy Revealed
April 2010: NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) reveals a hidden galaxy, called IC 342. This galaxy was shrouded from view by our own galaxy.

A Better Look at Icy Surfaces
New lab studies are increasing our understanding of how well current models can detect organics on icy bodies.

What is a Planet?
Our understanding about the universe and our place in it has changed over time. New information can cause us to rethink what we know and reevaluate how we classify objects in order to better understand them.

Voyager Makes an Interstellar Discovery
The solar system is passing through an interstellar cloud that physics says should not exist. In the Dec. 24th issue of Nature, a team of scientists reveal how NASA's Voyager spacecraft have solved the mystery.

Sandtrapped Rover Makes a Big Discovery
Despite being stuck, Mars Exporation Rover Spirit has made intriguing discoveries simply by spinning its wheels in deep sand.

Water on the Moon
The argument that the Moon is a dry, desolate place no longer holds water. Preliminary data from NASA's indicates water existis in a permanently shadowed crater on the Moon.

Lunar LADEE
Scientists want to take advantage of a quiet spell to study the Moon's thin atmosphere before the planned increase in human activity.

Daylight Saving Time
Spring forward. Fall back. The basic idea of Daylight Saving Time is to make the best use of daylight by shifting the clock.

Giant Ribbon Discovered at the Edge of the Solar System
NASA's IBEX spacecraft has made the first all-sky maps of the heliosphere and the results have taken researchers by surprise. The maps are bisected by a bright, winding ribbon of unknown origin.

Galileo on Galileo, Part II
What would Galileo think of the discoveries made by the spacecraft that carried his name to Jupiter? In honor of the 20th anniversary of the spacecraft's launch, Galileo science team members imagine a look back through the eyes of Galileo.

Galileo on Galileo, Part I
What would Galileo think of the discoveries made by the spacecraft that carried his name to Jupiter? As the spacecraft approached Jupiter In 1995, members of the Galileo science team imagined a look back through the eyes of Galileo.

Juno Mission to Jupiter: Unlocking the Secrets of a Giant Planet
NASA's Juno mission is preparing to embark on a mission to unlock the secrets of our solar system's largest planet.

Just For Fun
These hands-on activities are so entertaining, kids won't even know they're learning.

LRO and LCROSS: Leading the Quest to Find Water on the Moon
Two new spacecraft are carrying the most sophisticated instruments to date to the hunt for water ice on the Moon.

Active Mercury
A NASA spacecraft gliding over the surface of Mercury has revealed that the planet's atmosphere, magnetosphere, and its geological past display greater levels of activity than scientists first suspected.

Galaxies and the Distant Universe
This month's International Year of Astronomy activities go wide with a look at galaxies, including our own.

Lunar GRAIL
GRAIL is a future NASA mission that will probe the moon's gravity field.

Explore The Sky: Night & Day
In March, the celebration of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy continues with observing the sky by night and by day. Now is the perfect time to get outside and observe our celestial neighbors.

The Kepler Telescope
The Kepler Telescope, set to launch no earlier than March 6, 2009, will be the very first mission capable of finding Earth-sized planets within our own galaxy.

Surprising Saturn
Our solar system's ringed giant has been a consistent source of surprises for 400 years.

Our Solar System: Galileo's Observations of the Moon, Jupiter, Venus and the Sun
February 15th marked the 445th birthday of Galileo Galilei, whose observations of our solar system and the Milky Way revolutionized our understanding of our place in the Universe.

Titan Saturn System Mission Backgrounder
Learn more about Saturn's intriguing moon Titan and past and future efforts to explore it with robotic spacecraft.

Hot on the Trail of Cold Volcanoes
The Cassini spacecraft is revealing even more intriguing evidence for icy volcanoes on Titan through its radar-mapping instrument.

Europa Jupiter System Mission Backgrounder
Learn more about Jupiter's intriguing moon Europa and past and future efforts to explore it with robotic spacecraft.

Titan: Frozen in Time or Constantly Evolving?
Once thought to be frozen in time, new evidence hints that Saturn's giant moon Titan remains geologically active.

Our Planetary Neighborhood
Our solar system continues to deliver surprises 400 years after Galileo Galilei used his telescope to get the basics sorted out.

Gateway to the Solar System
Earth's Moon has remained one of the most fascinating objects in our solar system for centuries.

Venus Revealed
For a planet named in honor of mythology's ultimate supermodel, Venus sure is camera shy.

Tracking Global Climate Change: NASA's New Jason-2
Launched into Earth orbit June 20, 2008, OSTM/Jason-2 is producing information and maps that are already helping scientists to track and understand how and where our oceans are warming, and how our global climate may change.

Hydrologic Cycles On Earth And On Titan : A Comparable Paradigm
Studying climate-related processes on Titan can help scientists understand and predict changes in Earth's hydrological cycle.

Cassini Equinox Mission
With NASA's Cassini prime mission concluded, the Cassini Equinox Mission begins.

It's a Moon Thing
There is a shift in the way scientists are studying these outer planetary systems -- by targeting specifically their unique and mysterious moons.

Magnetospheres: Plasma of the Solar System
We often hear about magnetic fields on Earth as well as surrounding other planets. Also known as magnetospheres, what exactly are they and how do they affect our universe?

The Charged Particle Environment of Titan
Since planetary magnetospheres throughout the solar system are composed of highly charged ions and electrons, it is natural to be intrigued by the effects of that magnetosphere on the planet's satellites, such as those on Saturn's largest moon Titan.

Taking Another Look at Europa
New research and enhanced remote sensing techniques are bringing scientists closer to being able to explore Europa's tantalizing ice-covered ocean and determine its potential for harboring life.

Hyperion: Return of the Sponge Moon
Since its discovery, Hyperion had been distinguished only by its irregular shape and chaotic rotation.

The Enigma of Iapetus: "The Moon with a View"
The mysterious moon, with a walnut-shaped appearance due to its equatorial mountain ridge and brightness contrast have intrigued scientists for decades, and holds possible keys to the ancient chemical origins of the solar system.

Enceladus' Stressed out Tiger Stripes
Enceladus may contain enough interior friction to heat ice, creating huge geysers. That liquid water makes Enceladus a promising place to look for extraterrestrial life.

Life Under the Ice?
Move over, Mars. Jupiter's moon, Europa, may be the most promising site for extraterrestrial life in our solar system.

The Clues to What Lies Beneath
Considering that not a single instrument has landed on Europa, it's remarkable how much scientists have discovered about what lies under its icy surface.

Noxious Lightning
Lightning is more than light and noise: It's an intense chemical factory that affects both local air quality and global climate.

International Polar Year on Earth and Beyond
The International Polar Year is an international effort to focus attention on the Earth's polar regions.

The Asteroids and Comets They Are A-Changin'
It wasn't so long ago that Comets were comets and asteroids were asteroids. Things were simple - life was good. No longer!

Jupiter's Magnetosphere: The Largest in Our Solar System
A magnetosphere is the region of space surrounding a planet, which is dominated by its magnetic field rather than the solar wind.

Saturn's Largest Sphere
The outer planets are much more than large gaseous planets. They are highly complex systems of interacting components. However, most would not recognize the largest, yet mostly invisible part of Saturn's system, its magnetosphere.

The Mountains of Saturn's Mysterious Moon Iapetus


Observations from the Cassini spacecraft have found an Iapetus mystery.

Tohil Mons: The Ionian Mountain that Defies its Very Existence
A mysterious mountain peak named Tohil Mons - a mountain that shouldn't exist.

Discovering Mercury: The 2006 Transit
Mercury provides clues to the formation of the solar system.

Remembering Katrina - Learning and Predicting the Future
Many valuable lessons are learned from last years devastating hurricane.

Birthplace of Hurricanes
Learning the details of storm formation.

Volcanism on Io
Io exhibits volcanic activity on a global scale.

Ice In An Unlikely Place: Mercury
Evidence for ice on Mercury from Earth-based RADAR imaging.

Europa: Searching For the Ocean Deep
The search for life in our solar system continues.

Moonquakes: Understanding our Seismically-Active Neighbor
Seismic activity on the moon.

Deserts: Abundant Discoveries Despite Desolation
Deserts exist in all parts of the solar system. Some examples can be found on Mercury, Venus, Earth, our Moon, Mars, and the asteroid belt.

Get Involved with Stardust
Internet users can help search for dust grains in Stardust's aerogel.

How to Bring a Comet Home
The Stardust spacecraft finally returned to Earth with some precious cargo.

Observing Stardust's Sample Return to Earth
NASA's Stardust Sample Return Capsule and Entry Path Visible in Northwest

Beware the Mars Hoax
Earth and Mars are converging for a close encounter--but not as close as some people think.

Weather, Weather, Everywhere?
The seasons that occur on other planets are extremely different from the traditional weather that we experience here on Earth.

Explosive Volcanic Eruptions on the Moon
Dark Mantle Deposits would be ideal locations for future human colonies on the Moon.

Dirty Ice on Mars
Instruments on the Odyssey spacecraft show that a lot of dirty ice sits within a meter of the surface in the south polar latitudes of Mars.

Night of the Two Moons
Separated by more than a billion miles, Saturn's mysterious Titan and Earth's moon came together for a night in October.

Titan's Surface Revealed
Piercing the smog enshrouding Titan, new images from Cassini reveal an exotic surface covered with a variety of materials.

Blue Moon Rising
July 2004 has two full moons, which means one of them is a Blue Moon. But will it really be blue? Believe it or not, scientists say blue-colored moons are real.

James Cook and the Transit of Venus
The best reason to watch the transit of Venus on June 8, 2004 is history.

Jupiter: Mythology and Man's Early Musings
Modern science has somewhat demystified Jupiter, but our fascination with this giant world dates back thousands of years.

Was Galileo Wrong?
Could a fundamental assumptions of modern physics be wrong? Scientists are going to find out by bouncing laser beams off the Moon.

Phases of the Moon
What is the relationship between the phase of the Moon and the time it rises or sets? Can you see a crescent at midnight? For how many hours will a full Moon be visible?

Europa's Salty Surface
Pictures of Jupiter's moon Europa taken by the Galileo spacecraft during the past couple of years have suggested to scientists that there is now, or was in the past, an ocean beneath the satellite's frozen crust.

Big Mountain, Big Landslide on Jupiter's Moon, Io
Caught in a tug of war between the gravitational fields of Jupiter and the next moon out (Europa), Io is heated incessantly by tidal stresses.

Origin of the Earth and Moon
The formation of the planets was a violent process.

Uranus, Neptune, and the Mountains of the Moon
The tardy formation of Uranus and Neptune might have caused the intense bombardment of the Moon 3.9 billion years ago.

New Data, New Ideas, and Lively Debate about Mercury
A hundred scientists gathered to share new data and ideas about the important little planet closest to the Sun.

The Missing Moon of Sedna
Astronomers examining Hubble Space Telescope images

Mercury Unveiled
Mercury, the second smallest planet and the closest one to the Sun, may appear to some as a drab, colorless, heavily-cratered world. Not so.

Damage by Impact -- the Case at Meteor Crater, Arizona
Just how often does a devistating impact event occur on Earth? We'll examine the potential hazards.

INSPIRE
INSPIRE is a non-profit scientific, educational organization whose objective is to bring the excitement of observing natural and manmade radio waves in the audio region to high school students and others.

What is the Electromagnetic Spectrum? What is Infrared? How was the Infrared Discovered?
Light (or radiation) is made up of vibrating waves of electrical and magnetic fields.

Measuring Temperature Reading
Measuring length is far simpler than measuring temperature.

Rules for Identifying Ancient Life
J. William Schopf (University of California, Los Angeles) has spent many years examining ancient rocks on Earth to identify the oldest fossils.

Europa and Titan: Oceans in the Outer Solar System?
Europa and Titan are the best possible candidate locations for life in the outer Solar System.

Searching Antarctic Ice for Meteorites
Silver anniversary season: The vigorous life and times of the ANSMET team at Meteorite Hills resulted in a new set of 336 meteorites collected off the ice.

Ring Around the Black Hole
New observations are shedding light on how black holes acquire mass.

A Polarized Universe
Our universe is so cool you gotta wear polarized shades.

How to Build a Supermassive Black Hole
Recent Chandra observations suggest that monster black holes form from the merger of their smaller brethren.

Fun Times with Cosmic Rays
Who would have thought cosmic rays could be so hip?

The Gamma-Ray Burst Next Door
New evidence suggests that life-threatening explosions are closer than we thought.

Journey to the Center of a Neutron Star
Astronomers are using whatever means possible to probe the ultradense interiors of neutron stars.

Mapping the Baby Universe
NASA's MAP mission will map the cosmic microwave background in unprecedented detail.

More Hidden Black Hole Dangers
Satellite observations now strongly suggest that black holes spin and pull space along for the ride.

The Center of the Galaxy
For centuries it was believed that the Earth was the center of the universe.

Baby Stars in Orion Solve Solar System Mystery
Hyperactive young stars in the Orion Nebula may help explain exotic isotopes in the solar system.

The First Rock in the Solar System
An aggregate of corundum, hibonite, and perovskite may be among the first rocks to form in the Solar System.

Apparition of Comet Hale-Bopp
In an era where the celestial realm was the realm of the gods, the sudden appearance of an unknown object which dominated the night sky was terrifying.

Uncharted Meteors
The solar system is littered with clouds of dust--some of them uncharted. Earth might encounter one someday.

A World on the Edge
Sedna, a small planet-like object far beyond the orbits of Pluto and Neptune, may be the first sighting on an object on the edge of the mysterious Oort Cloud.

An Untold Rock Story
A shiny gray rock called hematite may help tell the story of past water on Mars. Mars Rover Opportunity is exploring a hematite-rich region of the Red Planet.

Maximum Impact
Sometimes asteroids and comets punch holes in planets - also called craters.

Infrared: Catch the Wave
Scientists and couch potatoes agree: Infrared is hot.

New Spin on Asteroids


What makes some asteroids spin in sync? Surprisingly, it's sunlight.

Sixty-Five Amazing Galileo Facts
The Galileo mission team produced this list of facts about their mission to Jupiter back in 1996. They are presented here as a historical record of an amazing, historic mission and have not been updated.

Music of the Spheres
The Galileo team has an honorable tradition of commemorating important mission events by writing songs about them. For starters, here are a few numbers that were written for a recent outer planets lunchtime event.

Io: A Volcanic Puzzle
Io is covered with hundreds of volcanic craters which continually spew forth fresh material, resurfacing the entire moon every century.

Playing Cosmic Billiards
One of the first things taught in geometry is that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. But in the case of the Galileo mission to Jupiter, the most efficient path is a six-year journey that initially headed toward Venus.