Space
We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
WISE satellite measures girth of Saturn’s widest ring
Saturn’s dark, outermost ring is about 270 times as wide as the planet itself.
- Planetary Science
Cassini gets last look at Saturn’s spongy satellite Hyperion
The Cassini spacecraft buzzed Saturn’s spongy moon Hyperion for the final time and sent back more pictures of this odd little satellite.
- Planetary Science
Pluto’s four littlest moons probably born in a crash
On the eve of the arrival of the New Horizons spacecraft, Pluto’s tiny moons hint at a common origin.
-
- Astronomy
Cosmic superlens gives telescopes a boost
A map of galaxy cluster Abell 2744 unveils how gravity magnifies and smears images of far more distant galaxies.
- Astronomy
In another universe, free-range planets could host life
If other universes exist, then those with denser galaxies might harbor a larger fraction of habitable worlds.
- Planetary Science
NASA picks nine instruments for future mission to Europa
NASA has selected nine instruments to fly on a future spacecraft to Jupiter’s ice-covered moon Europa.
- Astronomy
Brightest galaxy discovered
The brightest known galaxy is about 350 trillion times as bright as the sun, and a supermassive black hole is to blame.
- Astronomy
Peeks into early life of supernovas show how to blow up a star
Multiple supernovas show off some of the ways a star can explode.
- Planetary Science
Sea salt may stripe Europa’s surface
Salt deposits on Jupiter’s moon Europa might be responsible for brown stripes on the icy satellite’s surface.
- Planetary Science
Boulders balance on tiny tips as comet 67P zooms through space
Three boulders on comet 67P resemble balancing rocks that are seen on Earth.
- Earth
Asteroids boiled young Earth’s oceans, remnant rocks suggest
Giant asteroid impacts may have boiled Earth’s oceans around 3.3 billion years ago, snuffing out near-surface life.
