The X-Ray SunThe X-Ray Sun
<p></p> <p>For the first time, a mission designed to set its eyes on black holes and other objects far from our solar system has turned its gaze back closer to home,
Month: December 2014
A Festive SupernovaA Festive Supernova
<p></p> <p>Most celestial events unfold over thousands of years or more, making it impossible to follow their evolution on human timescales. Supernovas are notable exceptions, the powerful stellar explosions that make
Origin of High-Latitude Auroras Has Now Been ExplainedOrigin of High-Latitude Auroras Has Now Been Explained
<p></p> <p>Auroras are the most visible manifestation of the Sun’s effect on Earth, but many aspects of these spectacular displays are still poorly understood. Thanks to ESA’s Cluster and NASA’s Image
Methane Spike on Mars Verified by CuriosityMethane Spike on Mars Verified by Curiosity
<p><a href="http://science.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2014/12/16/splash5b.jpg" target="_blank"></a></p> <p>NASA’s Mars Curiosity rover has measured a tenfold spike in methane, an organic chemical, in the atmosphere around it and detected other organic molecules in a rock-powder sample
Interstellar ‘Tsunami Waves’ Buffet Voyager 1Interstellar ‘Tsunami Waves’ Buffet Voyager 1
<p></p> <p>Since 2012, NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft has experienced three ‘tsunami waves’ in interstellar space. The most recent, which reached the spacecraft earlier this year, is still propagating outward according
Rosetta Doesn’t Tell Us Where Earth’s Water Came FromRosetta Doesn’t Tell Us Where Earth’s Water Came From
<p></p> <p>Where did our planet get its oceans? Among planetary scientists, this is one of the most important and perplexing questions about the origins of Earth.</p> <p>One popular theory holds that water
Asteroid Bigger Than Apophis to Pass Near Earth Every 3 YearsAsteroid Bigger Than Apophis to Pass Near Earth Every 3 Years
<p></p> <p>Scientists have calculated that the <a target="_blank" href="http://rt.com/news/201827-dangerous-asteroid-discovered-ur116/">2014 UR116 asteroid</a> will fly in dangerous proximity to Earth every three years. If it collides with the planet the energy of the
Space Station Viewed in a New LightSpace Station Viewed in a New Light
<p></p> <p>ESA’s fifth and last Automated Transfer Vehicle tested a new technique before docking with the International Space Station in August, at the same time revealing the orbital complex in a
Jupiter’s Southern Hemisphere as Seen by CassiniJupiter’s Southern Hemisphere as Seen by Cassini
<p></p> <p>This Cassini image shows Jupiter from an unusual perspective. If you were to float just beneath the giant planet and look directly up, you would be greeted with this striking
Clues to How Water Helped Shape Martian LandscapeClues to How Water Helped Shape Martian Landscape
<p></p> <p>Observations by NASA’s Curiosity Rover indicate Mars’ Mount Sharp was built by sediments deposited in a large lake bed over tens of millions of years.</p> <p>This interpretation of Curiosity’s finds in