Ephemeral vacuum particles induce speed-of-light fluctuations
New research shows that the speed of light may not be fixed after all, but rather fluctuates.
Mar 25th, 2013
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Surprises in the South polar vortex in Venus' atmosphere
The astronomers in the UPV/EHU's Planetary Science Group have published a study of the atmospheric vortex of the south pole of Venus, a huge whirlwind the size of Europe.
Mar 25th, 2013
Read moreElectric solar wind sailing spacecraft an important step closer
A little more than a year ago a research team started to develop a vital part of a Finnish invention - an electric solar wind sail for interplanetary journeys. Now, a prototype has been successfully manufactured and tested.
Mar 25th, 2013
Read moreRemoving orbital debris with less risk
A new article compares in-orbit debris removal options regarding their potential risk of creating new orbital debris or disabling working satellites during deorbit operation.
Mar 22nd, 2013
Read more'Sideline quasars' helped to stifle early galaxy formation
University of Colorado Boulder astronomers targeting one of the brightest quasars glowing in the universe some 11 billion years ago say "sideline quasars" likely teamed up with it to heat abundant helium gas billions of years ago, preventing small galaxy formation.
Mar 21st, 2013
Read morePlanck reveals an almost perfect Universe
Planck measures the Universe - detailed all-sky map of the cosmic background radiation confirms standard cosmological model but also finds deviations
Mar 21st, 2013
Read moreSpiral beauty graced by fading supernova
About 35 million light-years from Earth, in the constellation of Eridanus (The River), lies the spiral galaxy NGC 1637. Back in 1999 the serene appearance of this galaxy was shattered by the appearance of a very bright supernova. Astronomers studying the aftermath of this explosion with ESO's Very Large Telescope at the Paranal Observatory in Chile have provided us with a stunning view of this relatively nearby galaxy.
Mar 20th, 2013
Read moreVoyager 1 has left the solar system, sudden changes in cosmic rays indicate
Thirty-five years after its launch, Voyager 1 appears to have travelled beyond the influence of the Sun and exited the heliosphere, according to a new study appearing online today.
Mar 20th, 2013
Read moreSearching for solar systems like our own
Josh Winn's hunt for exoplanets may someday reveal habitable, Earth-like worlds.
Mar 20th, 2013
Read moreFirst light at SAAO for third 1-meter node of global telescope
The first truly global telescope came a significant step closer to completion this month with the installation and first light on three new 1-meter telescopes at the South Africa Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) near Sutherland, South Africa.
Mar 19th, 2013
Read moreTraining sessions for the Philae comet lander
The original Philae comet lander has been travelling through space since 2 March 2004. It is currently in hibernation mode, awaiting its arrival at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. But the Philae models on the ground are being put through their paces: they are being tested to breaking point and examined by the German Aerospace Center.
Mar 18th, 2013
Read moreFamous supernova reveals clues about crucial cosmic distance markers
A new study using data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory points to the origin of a famous supernova. This supernova, discovered in 1604 by Johannes Kepler, belongs to an important class of objects that are used to measure the rate of expansion of the Universe.
Mar 18th, 2013
Read moreNASA sees leaping lunar dust
Electrically charged lunar dust near shadowed craters can get lofted above the surface and jump over the shadowed region, bouncing back and forth between sunlit areas on opposite sides, according to new calculations by NASA scientists.
Mar 18th, 2013
Read moreWebb Telescope gets its wings
A massive backplane that will hold the primary mirror of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope nearly motionless while it peers into space is another step closer to completion with the recent assembly of the support structure's wings.
Mar 17th, 2013
Read moreFirst laser space communication system integrated, ready for launch
A new NASA-developed, laser-based space communication system will enable higher rates of satellite communications similar in capability to high-speed fiber optic networks on Earth.
Mar 15th, 2013
Read moreBuilding the massive simulation sets essential to Planck results
Using NERSC supercomputers, Berkeley Lab scientists generate thousands of simulations to analyze the flood of data from the Planck mission.
Mar 15th, 2013
Read moreDistant planetary system Is a super-sized solar system
A team of astronomers has made the most detailed examination yet of the atmosphere of a Jupiter-like planet beyond our Solar System.
Mar 14th, 2013
Read moreParticles and fields package integrated on upcoming Mars-bound spacecraft
The six science instruments that comprise the Particles and Fields Package that will characterize the solar wind and ionosphere of Mars have been integrated aboard NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft. The spacecraft is on track for launch later this year.
Mar 14th, 2013
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