SUNSET: 
Asteroid Apophis Pays Earth a Visit This Week
When a potentially hazardous asteroid glides safely past Earth on March 6th, astronomers will conduct a dress rehearsal for a dramatic close-miss pass in 2029.
March — A Good Time to Visit Vesta
Dip into this easy guide to seeing the brightest asteroid, Vesta, and understanding what makes it unique.
New Map of Ice on Mars Will Aid Future Crewed Missions
Scientists have made a new and improved map of possible water-ice reservoirs on Mars.
NASA’s Perseverance Arrives on Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover, now safely on the floor of Jezero crater, will soon begin its search for evidence of past life on Mars.
Chlorine and Water Are in the Air in Martian Summertime
Two studies of the Martian atmosphere are changing the way we think about its current climate and its ancient past.
Tree Rings Help Reconstruct a Millennium of the Sun's Activity
Astronomers are using tree rings as a historical record of solar activity — and they've found that the Sun was much more active in the past.
Second Earth Trojan Asteroid Discovered
A recently discovered asteroid appears to be an Earth Trojan, orbiting a gravitationally stable area with only one other known occupant.
Planets and Comets Can't Hide from SOHO's Eye
With the help of the Solar Heliospheric Observatory you can not only keep track of the planets in the daytime sky but maybe even discover a comet.
Measuring Solar Eruptions with a Rare Alignment
New analysis of a coronal mass ejection detected by the alignment of two spacecraft reveals that it experienced erosion and restructuring as it traveled.
Comet Watch 2021
If you own an 8-inch or larger telescope you might see more than a dozen new and returning comets this year, including one potential naked-eye candidate.
Amateur Astronomer Finds “Lost” Moons of Jupiter
An amateur astronomer has recovered four of five "lost" Jovian moons.
Will the Next Solar Cycle Surprise Us?
The coming months will test a new prediction that — contrary to most expectations — forecasts one of the strongest sunspot cycles on record.
The Eventual Fate of Our Solar System
Have you ever wondered about the future of our solar system? Astronomers have predicted the effect of the Sun's expansion on its planets.
Earth's New "Minimoon" May be a 1960s-Era Rocket Booster
An object set to pass near Earth next month may in fact be a relic of the early Space Age.
Leonid Meteor Shower to the Rescue
Modest but reliable, the annual Leonid meteor shower returns this week. Take an hour or two to relax and enjoy the show.
NASA's Osiris-REX Has Stowed Its Bite Out of Asteroid Bennu
NASA’s Osiris-REX successfully stowed its sample of Bennu's regolith, collected earlier this week. Images show a good haul.
Juno Discovers Sprites and Elves on Jupiter
NASA's Juno spacecraft has captured ultraviolet images of a rare atmospheric phenomenon in Jupiter's atmosphere.
Psyche: A Metal-Rock World with Iron Lava?
New observations suggest the main-belt asteroid Psyche is an intriguing world, possibly one with volcanic flows of iron on its surface.
(Very) Small Chance of Apophis Asteroid Impact in 2068
The subtle effect of sunlight may turn the near-Earth asteroid Apophis toward Earth in 2068 . . . but chances for impact remain small.
Water on the Moon Isn't Just at the Poles
Water exists even on the sunlit Moon, a new study shows — trapped in glass beads but still extractable for lunar exploration.
