Astronomy
Photo: Admiring the Galaxy 
© ESO/A. Fitzsimmons
The Milky Way
It is difficult for even the most seasoned astronomer to resist taking time out of a busy observing schedule to stop and stare up at the gloriously rich southern sky. This image is a self portrait taken by astronomer Alan Fitzsimmons, who took this photo between observing sessions at ESO's La Silla Observatory.
Continue reading Photo: Admiring the Galaxy.
Astronomy
WFIRST-2.4: What Every Astronomer Should Know
The Astro2010 Decadal Survey recommended a Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) as its top priority for a new large space mission. The report of the AFTA-WFIRST Science Definition Team (SDT) presents a Design Reference Mission for WFIRST that employs one of the 2.4-m, Hubble-quality mirror assemblies recently made available to NASA.
Astronomy
Influence of Outer Solar System Architecture on the Structure and Evolution of the Oort Cloud
We study the influence of outer Solar System architecture on the structural evolution of the Oort Cloud (OC) and the flux of Earth-crossing comets. In particular, we seek to quantify the role of the giant planets as "planetary protectors".
Mars
Curiosity Drills Second Rock Target
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has used the drill on its robotic arm to collect a powdered sample from the interior of a rock called "Cumberland."
NASA Hack Space
Citizen Scientists Help Astronomers Solve Space Mystery
A University of Alberta physicist brought together backyard astronomers and professionals to confirm the mysterious behavior of two stars more than 300 light-years from Earth.
Earth
Image: Pavlof Volcano As Seen From ISS
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) photographed this striking view of Pavlof Volcano on May 18, 2013. The oblique perspective from the ISS reveals the three dimensional structure of the ash plume, which is often obscured by the top-down view of most remote sensing satellites.
Astronomy
Most Detailed Observations Ever of the Ring Nebula
Formed by a star throwing off its outer layers as it runs out of fuel, the Ring Nebula is an archetypal planetary nebula. It is both relatively close to Earth and fairly bright, and so was first recorded in the late 18th century.
Weather
Moore, Oklahoma, before and after, seen by Pleiades
The Pleiades satellites, operated and built by Astrium, number three company in the world for space technologies, have captured this image of Moore, Oklahoma, which clearly shows the devastation caused by the massive tornado that swept through the region on May 20, 2013.
Solar Physics
SDO Observes Mid-level Solar Flare
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare on the right side of the sun on May 22, 2013. This image shows light in the 131 Angstrom wavelength, a wavelength that shows material heated to intense temperatures during a flare and that is typically colorized in teal.
NASA Hack Space
Best in Class Winners for the International Space Apps Challenge
A panel of international judges from NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and other partner organizations has selected five "best in class" solutions as winners of the 2013 International Space Apps Challenge. The challenge, in which participants developed software, hardware, data visualization, and mobile or Web applications that contribute to space exploration missions and help improve life on Earth, took place at 83 locations around the world April 20-21.
More top stories from May.
Recent Press Releases
Recent Status Reports
Calendar
- 28 May: iCubeSat 2013 - the 2nd Interplanetary CubeSat Workshop
- 29 May: International Primitive Body Exploration Working Group (IPEWG) Meeting
- 29 May: Designing for User Experience, Health and Sustainability for the Next-Generation Workforce
- 29 May: Planetary Resources Media Opportunity
- 1 Jun: National Day of Civic Hacking
- 2 Jun: 222nd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society
- * Submit Your Event | More Events *
Latest Video
Featured Stories
Mars
Curiosity Drills Second Rock Target
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has used the drill on its robotic arm to collect a powdered sample from the interior of a rock called "Cumberland."
Hubble Space Telescope
NASA's Hubble Views a Cosmic Skyrocket
Resembling a Fourth of July skyrocket, Herbig-Haro 110 is a geyser of hot gas from a newborn star that splashes up against and ricochets off the dense core of a cloud of molecular hydrogen.
Astrobiology
The Detectability of Habitable Exomoons with Kepler
In this paper, the detectability of habitable exomoons orbiting around giant planets in M-dwarf systems using Transit Timing Variations (TTVs) and Transit Timing Durations (TDVs) with Kepler-class photometry is investigated. Light curves of systems with various configurations were simulated around M-dwarf hosts of mass 0.5 Msun and radius 0.55 Rsun.
Exploration
Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is soliciting the submission of multiinstitutional team-based proposals for research as participating members of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), hereafter referred to as "the Institute."
Asteroids
OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission Moves Ahead 
NASA's first mission to sample an asteroid is moving ahead into development and testing in preparation for its launch in 2016.
Mercury
Influence of an inner core on the long-period forced librations of Mercury
The planetary perturbations on Mercury's orbit lead to long-period forced librations of Mercury's mantle. These librations have previously been studied for a planet with two layers: a mantle and a liquid core.
Earth
Image: Pavlof Volcano As Seen From ISS
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) photographed this striking view of Pavlof Volcano on May 18, 2013. The oblique perspective from the ISS reveals the three dimensional structure of the ash plume, which is often obscured by the top-down view of most remote sensing satellites.
Jupiter
Herschel Links Jupiter's Water to Comet Impact
ESA's Herschel space observatory has solved a long-standing mystery as to the origin of water in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter, finding conclusive evidence that it was delivered by the dramatic impact of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in July 1994.
European Space Agency
Galaxy Zoom - A Space-Time Magnifying Glass
Bright arcs are smeared around the heart of galaxy cluster Abell S1077 in this image taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble space telescope. The arcs are stretched images of distant galaxies distorted by the cluster's enormous gravitational field.
Astronomy
WFIRST-2.4: What Every Astronomer Should Know
The Astro2010 Decadal Survey recommended a Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) as its top priority for a new large space mission. The report of the AFTA-WFIRST Science Definition Team (SDT) presents a Design Reference Mission for WFIRST that employs one of the 2.4-m, Hubble-quality mirror assemblies recently made available to NASA.
International Space Station
Expedition 35 Astronauts Land in Kazakhstan
Three members of the International Space Station Expedition 35 crew undocked from the orbiting laboratory and returned safely to Earth Monday, May 13, wrapping up a mission lasting almost five months. The departure marks the beginning of Expedition 36.
