Space

Mysterious comet spotted a decade ago revealed to be two ‘dancing asteroids’ circling each other 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 23, 2017
New Hubble images have now revealed the object is actually two asteroids.

By David Aragorn
Europe withdraws from anti-asteroid mission 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 22, 2017
An upcoming mission designed to test out the deflection of a large asteroid has hit a bit of a snag.

By David Aragorn
Scientists Find New Evidence for Surface Water Ice at Mercury’s North Pole 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 22, 2017
A new study led by Brown University planetary researchers adds three new large members to the list of water ice-filled craters near Mercury’s north pole and shows evidence that smaller-scale deposits scattered around the north pole; those deposits may be small, but they could add up to a lot more previously unaccounted-for ice.

By David Aragorn
SPACECRAFT BUZZES EARTH EN ROUTE TO ASTEROID 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 21, 2017
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is going to fly past Earth on Sept. 22nd, sling-shotting itself toward a potentially hazardous asteroid named “Bennu.”

By David Aragorn
Hubble discovers a unique type of object in the Solar System 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 21, 2017
With the help of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, a German-led group of astronomers have observed the intriguing characteristics of an unusual type of object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter: two asteroids orbiting each other and exhibiting comet-like features, including a bright coma and a long tail. This is the first known binary asteroid also classified as a comet. The research is presented in a paper published in the journal Nature today.

By David Aragorn
Nanosat fleet proposed for voyage to 300 asteroids 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 21, 2017
A fleet of tiny spacecraft could visit over 300 asteroids in just over three years, according to a mission study led by the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

By David Aragorn
Solar system Graveyard 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 20, 2017
Where spacecraft go to die

By David Aragorn
More evidence of water on Mars 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 20, 2017
New Geological Society of America Bulletin paper

By David Aragorn
SpaceX’s Dragon cargo capsule splashes down with a crew of mouse-tronauts 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 20, 2017
SpaceX’s robotic Dragon capsule was set loose from the International Space Station today and returned to Earth with more than 3,800 pounds of cargo and experiments, including a set of live mice that will be studied after their stint in zero gravity.

By David Aragorn
Discovery of boron on Mars adds to evidence for habitability 0
- From Around the Web, Space
- September 19, 2017
Boron compounds play role in stabilizing sugars needed to make RNA, a key to life.

By David Aragorn