SUNSET: 
Astro Image in the News:
Catching Dust Devils in the Act
Spirit sees more dust devils and Opportunity hits a snag.
Hale-Bopp: The Comet That Doesn't Quit
Eight years after Comet Hale-Bopp dazzled astronomers as it passed through the inner solar system, the dirty snowball is still detectable.
Enceladus's "Invisible" Atmosphere
Scientists using the Cassini orbiter's magnetometer have found a tenuous atmosphere around the water-ice-rich moon of Saturn.
The Rovers that Never Die
The Mars Exploration Rovers, nearly a year past the end of their primary mission, continue to amaze scientists.
Resurrecting Genesis
Scientists have salvaged solar wind particles from the Genesis spacecraft's twisted wreckage and shattered collection wafers.
Gusev Crater's True Nature
On March 10, 2005, Spirit's rear hazard-avoidance camera captured a Martian dust devil (arrowed) about 1.1 kilometers (0.7 mile) from the rover. Over the weekend, a dust devil apparently cleared off most of the dust on Spirit's solar panels, which has increased the rover's power output by about 50 percent.…
Astronomy & Observing News
Astro Image in the News:
Frozen Lakes in Mars's Midsection"}'>
Astro Image in the News:
Frozen Lakes in Mars's Midsection
Observations by the Mars Express orbiter reveal what appears to be a large frozen lake covered with a layer of volcanic ash.
Earth Safe from Asteroid 2004 MN4
We should know by February whether the Near Earth Asteroid 2004 MN4 is a real threat.
Cassini's Picture-Perfect Arrival
The Cassini orbiter survived its entry into the Saturnian system, and provided stunning up-close images of the rings to prove it.
Astronomers Discover Unique Brown-Dwarf System
Astronomers have imaged a brown dwarf system only 14 astronomical units from its companion.
Lunar Leonids Strike Again
This video frame shows a lunar impact taken by Anthony Cook from atop an 11-story building in Alexandria, Virginia. Click on the image to see an animated GIF (334 KB) of the event. Each frame represents 1/60 of a second. The Leonid impact took place at 00:18:58 Universal Time November…
Watching Dust in the Wind
A binary system has been seen shooting fountains of dust into space.
Yohkoh Loses Control
The Yohkoh spacecraft lost control when its Sun-acquiring system failed during an annular eclipse. Click on image to see what the craft saw as it failed to reacquire the Sun.Courtesy Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). On December 14, 2001, the Japanese solar observatory Yohkoh began spinning out of…
Bush Science Policy: The View from the Top
Presidential science advisor John Marburger shares with astronomers the Bush administration's views on government funding of research.
Vega's Clumpy Dust May Reveal Hidden Planet
Millimeter-wavelength observations reveal that a member of the Summer Triangle may have a planet orbiting it.
Griffith Observatory to Close for Three Years
Beginning January 6th, Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles will be closed to the public while it undergoes a $66 million facelift and expansion.Courtesy Gary Seronik. On January 6th, at 10 p.m, the venerable Griffith Observatory and planetarium in Los Angeles, California, will close its doors to the public for more…
Martian Gullies Illuminated?
The rim of this Martian scarp near the south pole bears features that appear to be recent erosion by liquid water. A study announced last week suggests that these features are due to surface melting of ground ices and subsequent debris flows during a time when Mars's tilt angle to…
Deep Space 1 Mission Ends
When launched, the Deep Space 1 spacecraft weighed 486 kg, including 82 kg of xenon to fuel its ion-drive engine. Its solar-cell 'wings' measure 11.8 meters (38.6 feet) from tip to tip.Courtesy NASA/JPL. At noon today (Pacific time), engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, officially concluded the…
Eight New Extrasolar Planets Found
The number of known extrasolar planets keeps on rising.
"Twin" Trojan Found
The Trojan asteroid 617 Patroclus is actually two asteroids, as seen in this false-color image taken with the 8.1-meter Gemini North telescope atop Mauna Kea, Hawaii.Courtesy William Merline (Southwest Research Institute), Laird Close (University of Arizona), Amanda Baker (Cardiff University). The total of known or suspected binary asteroids grew to…
