SUNSET: 
A Rich Protoplanetary Soup
Infrared observations reveal a star with a protoplanetary disk infused with helpful organic compounds.
Cassini Gets a Face Full of Water
Who would have guessed that a decade after Cassini headed to Saturn, mission scientists would be flying it through an ice volcano's plume?
A Whiff of Water From the Moon
After studying the samples returned by Apollo astronauts, geochemists concluded that Moon is probably the driest place in the solar system. But a new study has turned up a tiny trace of water in some green-colored volcanic beads collected near Mare Imbrium.
What Happened to Mars?
Something happened to the Red Planet early in its history that left roughly half of it heavily cratered and the other half smooth and flat. Was this global facelift the work of a giant impact?
Genesis Finding: Earth Has a Problem
Even as the Genesis spacecraft lay in a crumpled heap on the ground after its reentry chute malfunctioned in September 2004, its scientists remained confident that they would salvage the mission and answer fundamental questions about how the solar system formed. Now they have — and the results have already sent cosmochemists back to the drawing board.
Getting To Know Mercury
Planetary scientists have gathered in Houston, Texas, to get the latest news on what NASA's Messenger spacecraft learned when it zipped past the innermost planet two months ago.
"First Light" for Twin-Eyed Telescope
The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) in Arizona achieved a milestone when both of the telescope's 8.4-meter mirrors pointed toward the spiral galaxy NGC 2770. Last week the LBT folks released the images.
Ring Around a Saturn Moon?
During a close flyby of Saturn's largest icy moon in late 2005, several instruments aboard Cassini sensed (but didn't actually "see") what appears to be a trio of thin rings and a dust disk surrounding Rhea.
A Triple Occultation by Eugenia and Its Moons
On March 8, 2008, this asteroid or one of its two moons could make a faint naked-eye star vanish briefly from the sky.
A Cloudy Comet and a Wispy Nebula
Comet Holmes is greatly dimmed from its glory days last fall, but this week it's passing the photogenic California Nebula.
Equipment: Guides & Recommendations
What's in a Name?
A well-known astronomical tool has a new name, but everything else is the same.
Four Martian Landslides Caught in the Act
A scarp along the edge of the Martian north polar cap is more active than anyone expected.
Can a Robot Draw a Map?
Scientists will need detailed geologic maps of Mars to guide their search for life there. Typically such maps are produced through painstaking human field work. But a group of scientists wants to know whether a robot could do the job instead.
Your March Audio Guide to the Heavens
Download this podcast to your MP3 player, and you'll be able to navigate the March evening sky like a seasoned stargazer. Find Mars, Saturn, Orion, the Twins of Gemini, and more! Host: S&T's Kelly Beatty. (6MB MP3 download: running time: 6m10s)
Ulysses Says Goodbye
After spending more than 17 years in space, a durable solar sentinel has lost its radio voice and its fuel lines will soon freeze solid.
Of Planets and Palace Elephants
A fourth-grader from Montana bested 800 other contestants to find a new way to remember all 11 major and dwarf planets.
S&T's Star-count Challenge!
How bad is the light pollution where you live? How many stars can you see on a dark night? Last year the GLOBE at Night project tallied 8,500 star-counting estimates from around the world. That's great — but we can do better! All it'll take is 30 minutes and a clear evening between now and March 8th.
Moon Covers Venus on Wednesday
A special event occurs on March 5th — in broad daylight. If you're in the central or western US, you can use a wide-field scope to try to see Venus disappearing behind the thin waning Moon.
Microsoft's Virtual Observatory
A new contender in astronomical software is coming from the other giant software company in the universe.
Kids' Astronomy Essay Contest
Cash prizes and meteorites are being offered for the best short essays by kids 5 to 18.
