Space

Astronomy

Explosive Tales

Four hundred years after the explosion of the Kepler supernova, the last such stellar eruption in our galaxy, astronomers have examined the supernova's remnant with state-of-the-art telescopes that view it in infrared, optical, and X-ray light.

Astronomy

Extrasolar Planet News: Superplanet or brown dwarf?

New observations of an oddball planetary system 150 light-years from Earth suggest that some planets either are superheavy, more than 17 times as massive as Jupiter, or that they form from disks of gas and dust that encircle not just a single star, but two starlike objects.

Planetary Science

Ganymede May Have Vast Hidden Ocean

A combination of images, spectra, and magnetic field measurements suggests that in addition to Jupiter's moon Europa, another Jovian moon, Ganymede, may also have had—and might still harbor—an ocean.

Astronomy

Belt Tightening: Icy orbs are surprisingly small

Objects in the distant reservoir of comets known as the Kuiper belt are intrinsically much brighter, and therefore smaller, than previously thought.

Planetary Science

A Titan of a Mission

On Jan. 14, a space probe will plunge through the thick atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan, looking for insights into the origins of life on Earth.

Astronomy

First Light: Faint object may be youngest star detected

Peeking into the dusty core of a dark cloud seemingly devoid of stars, astronomers have found a faintly glowing body that could be the earliest glimmerings ever recorded from a newborn star.

Planetary Science

Riddles on Titan

Two puzzles have emerged from the Cassini spacecraft's first close flyby of Saturn's largest moon, Titan.

Astronomy

More moons for Saturn

With the discovery of two additional moons, the ringed planet now has a retinue of 24 known satellites orbiting it.

Astronomy

What a blast!

Astronomers have glimpsed a rare, long-lived neutron-star explosion that may represent the burning of carbon just beneath the surface of this superdense star.

Planetary Science

Titanic Close-up: Cassini eyes Saturn’s big moon

Using radar to penetrate the thick haze surrounding Saturn's moon Titan, the Cassini spacecraft has found evidence that the moon's surface is coated with hydrocarbons and dark patches that might be lakes of ethane or methane.

Astronomy

Renegade stars in sun’s neighborhood

Some stars in the neighborhood of the sun may be renegades from the center of our galaxy.

Planetary Science

Mars Views Hint at Early Land of Lakes

New, high-resolution images unveiled this week not only offer supporting evidence that parts of ancient Mars resembled a land of lakes but also point out prime locations to look for fossils if life ever existed on the Red Planet.