NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft has discovered “layers” and “rifts” in the electrically charged part of the upper atmosphere of Mars. The phenomenon is common at Earth and causes unpredictable disruptions to radio communications. The unexpected discovery by MAVEN shows that Mars is a unique laboratory to better understand this disruptive phenomenon. To source
Tag Archives | solar system
NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope Ends Mission of Astronomical Discovery
After more than 16 years studying the universe in infrared light, revealing new wonders in our solar system, our galaxy, and beyond, NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope’s mission has come to an end. To source
NASA Announces Two Media Briefings on Latest Solar Mission
NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) scientists will discuss Solar Orbiter, the agencies’ collaboration set to launch next month on its journey to the Sun, during two media teleconferences on Monday, Jan. 27. To source
New Technique May Give NASA’s Webb Telescope a Way to Quickly Identify Planets with Oxygen
Researchers may have found a way that NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope can quickly identify nearby planets that could be promising for our search for life, as well as worlds that are uninhabitable because their oceans have vaporized. To source
NASA to Announce New Discoveries at Annual Astronomy Meeting
NASA researchers will present new findings on a wide range of astrophysics and other space science topics at the 235th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, Saturday, Jan. 4, through Wednesday, Jan. 8, in Honolulu. To source
NASA’s MAVEN Maps Winds in the Martian Upper Atmosphere that Mirror the Terrain Below and Gives Clues to Martian Climate
Researchers have created the first map of wind circulation in the upper atmosphere of a planet besides Earth, using NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft, helping scientists to better understand the workings of the Martian climate. To source
X Marks the Spot: NASA Selects Site for Asteroid Sample Collection
After a year scoping out asteroid Bennu’s boulder-scattered surface, the team leading NASA’s first asteroid sample return mission has officially selected a sample collection site. To source
Newfound Martian Aurora Actually the Most Common; Sheds Light on Mars’ Changing Climate
A type of Martian aurora first identified by NASA’s MAVEN spacecraft in 2016 is actually the most common form of aurora occurring on the Red Planet, according to new results from the mission. The aurora is known as a proton aurora and can help scientists track water loss from Mars’ atmosphere. To source
NASA Highlights Solar Mission, Jupiter Cyclone at AGU Meeting
NASA researchers will present new findings on a wide range of Earth and space science topics at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), Dec. 9-13 in San Francisco. To source
First NASA Parker Solar Probe Results Reveal Surprising Details About Our Sun
The Sun is revealing itself in dramatic detail and shedding light on how other stars may form and behave throughout the universe – all thanks to NASA’s Parker Solar Probe. To source
First Detection of Sugars in Meteorites Gives Clues to Origin of Life
An international team has found sugars essential to life in meteorites, supporting the hypothesis that meteorite bombardment on ancient Earth may have assisted the origin of life with a supply of life’s building blocks. To source
NASA to Live Stream Symposium on Exoplanet Science
The symposium, titled “Rocky Exoplanets in the Era of NASA’s Webb: Theory and Observation” is the second symposium hosted by the Sellers Exoplanet Environments Collaboration (SEEC) at Goddard. To source
NASA Scientist to Discuss “From the Sun to Solar Wind” at Library of Congress Lecture
The public is invited to a free lecture called ‘From the Sun to Solar Wind: The Perplexing Solar Corona and the Space Environment it Creates.’ To source