Space
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Planetary Science
Close look confirms two eyes on Venus
A spacecraft that recently arrived at Venus has confirmed that the atmosphere above the planet's south pole harbors an unusual storm feature; a giant, double vortex.
- Planetary Science
Jovian storms of surpassing beauty
A new near-infrared image of two giant, oval storms in Jupiter's southern hemisphere reveals that they are now brushing past each other closely, separated by only 3,000 kilometers.
- Astronomy
Double disks
Astronomers have confirmed that the nearby star Beta Pictoris has two disks of dust orbiting it, each of which is generated by debris likely to be left over from planet formation.
- Astronomy
Black Hole Explorations
What would it be like to orbit a black hole—or even to fall into one? You can find out by exploring the world of black holes in a Web site created by a team at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. For a fully interactive multimedia experience, click “Journey to a Black Hole” […]
- Astronomy
Recurrent Eruption: Explosive stellar saga
Six thermonuclear explosions have ripped off the outer layers of a dense, nearby star in the past 108 years.
- Planetary Science
Some deadly monikers
Two recently found small moons orbiting Pluto have now been officially dubbed Nix and Hydra.
- Astronomy
A Meteoroid Hits the Moon
This NASA Web page describes observations of a recent meteoroid impact on the moon, which created a new crater. It includes audio and a remarkable video of the impact. Go to: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/13jun_lunarsporadic.htm?list43643
- Astronomy
Explosive Aftermath: Sluggish neutron star puzzles astronomers
An X-ray–emitting object at the heart of a young supernova remnant doesn't fit the textbook view of what a stellar explosion is supposed to leave behind.
- Astronomy
Repaired Vision: Hubble’s camera sees again
The main camera on the Hubble Space Telescope is operating normally again after being blinded for 2 weeks by an electrical failure.
- Planetary Science
Lots of red dust, but not much noise
In space, no one can hear you scream, but a new analysis suggests that it's pretty quiet on Mars, too.
- Astronomy
Astronomy Gets Polarized
Studies using polarized light, an endeavor once considered astronomy's stepchild, are now elucidating the shape of supernovas as well as providing new details about the early universe.
- Astronomy
Planet-making disk has a banana split
Two banana-shaped arcs of gas and dust face each other within a newly discovered planet-forming disk that surrounds a young, nearby star.
