2011
Solar Activity Heats Up
April 14, 2011
No, it's not your imagination. Solar activity really is picking up, bringing an end to a century-class solar minimum.
Dawn Approaches Asteroid Vesta
April 7, 2011
NASA's Dawn spacecraft has entered the asteroid belt and it is closing in on giant asteroid Vesta.
Spring is Fireball Season
March 31, 2011
For reasons researchers do not understand, the rate of midnight fireballs increases during the weeks around the vernal equinox. It's a beautiful display, but where do they come from? NASA's growing network of fireball cameras is scanning the heavens for answers.
Vesta--Is it Really an Asteroid?
March 29, 2011
As NASA's Dawn spacecraft closes in on Vesta, researchers are wondering if the behemoth space rock is just an asteroid or something more?
Historic First: A Spacecraft Orbits Mercury
March 18, 2011
NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft successfully achieved orbit around Mercury at approximately 9 p.m. EDT on March 17th. This marks the first time a spacecraft has orbited the solar system's innermost planet.
Super Full Moon
March 16, 2011
On March 19th, a full Moon of rare size and beauty will rise in the east at sunset. It's a super "perigee moon"--the biggest in almost 20 years.
Finally! NASA Prepares to Orbit Mercury
March 15, 2011
It's not easy to visit Mercury, but NASA is about to settle in for a long stay. The MESSENGER probe enters orbit around the innermost planet on March 17th.
See Mercury at Sunset
March 14, 2011
This week, sky watchers have a rare opportunity to see Mercury at its best as NASA's MESSENGER probe prepares to enter orbit around the innermost planet.
Researchers Crack the Mystery of the Missing Sunspots
March 2, 2011
When solar activity recently plunged into a century-class minimum, many experts were puzzled. Now a group of researchers say they have cracked the mystery of the missing sunspots.
What's Hitting Earth?
March 1, 2011
Have you ever seen a fireball streak through the night sky and gone to bed wondering, "What was that?" NASA is deploying a network of smart cameras that could have an answer waiting for you when you wake up.