Science News
NASA Gravity Probes Prepare to Hit the Moon
Dec. 13, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
A pair of NASA spacecraft orbiting the Moon are being prepared for a controlled descent into a mountain near the lunar north pole on Monday, Dec. 17.
Big Asteroid Tumbles Harmlessly Past Earth
Dec. 12, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
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?
Dec. 11, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
Forecasters say a stream of meteoroids from Comet Wirtanen could cut across Earth's path this week, creating a new meteor shower in mid-December. If the shower materializes (a big if) it would add to the ongoing display of Geminid meteors which peaks on Dec. 13-14.
Rock Comet Meteor Shower
Dec. 9, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
The Geminid meteor shower peaks on Dec. 13th and 14th when Earth runs through a stream of debris from a strange object that some astronomers are calling a "rock comet."
Unprecedented New Images of Earth at Night
Dec. 5, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
New images from a NASA-NOAA satellite reveal the Earth at night as never seen before. Highlights include views of superstorm Sandy making landfall in moonlight, photos of Northern Lights over the Arctic, and spectacular snapshots of city lights.
Voyager 1 Tastes Interstellar Space
Dec. 3, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
Eleven billion miles from Earth, NASA's Voyager 1 spacecraft has entered a "magnetic highway" that connects our solar system to interstellar space. This could be one of Voyager 1's last steps on its long journey to the stars.
Ancient Microbes Found in Antarctic Lake
Nov. 30, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
Nearly 65 feet beneath the icy surface of a remote Antarctic lake, scientists have uncovered a community of bacteria existing in one of Earth's darkest, saltiest and coldest habitats. The finding could have implications for the possibility of life on other planets.
New Evidence for Ice on Mercury
Nov. 29, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
The planet closest to the Sun would seem an unlikely place to find ice. Nevertheless, NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft has found evidence for abundant deposits of frozen water on Mercury.
The Strange Appeal of a Cloudy Eclipse
Nov. 23, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
Eclipse chasers always hope for clear skies, but observers of last week's total solar eclipse in Australia discovered that clouds added something surprisingly beautiful to their brief minutes in the shadow of the Moon.
The Diner at the Center of the Galaxy
Nov. 22, 2012
Science@NASA Headline News — 2012
NASA's NuSTAR spacecraft has detected X-ray flares coming from the center of the galaxy--a signal that the Milky Way's supermassive black hole is having dinner.