Space News | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Explore astronomy, from the latest trip to the International Space Station to alien planets outside our solar system.

Mercury's origins may differ from sister planets

Thu, Jun 16, 2011 2:58 PM by Irene Klotz, Reuters

Volcanoes may have played a large role in Mercury's formation, including its crater-covered landscape and sulfur-rich ground.
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Telescope discovers 10 new alien planets
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 12:19 PM by Space.com
Newfound planets are gassy planets of varying mass.
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Black holes tell tale of the infant universe

Wed, Jun 15, 2011 3:31 PM by Agence France-Presse

Astronomers have detected faint X-ray signals that they believe were emitted by giant black holes billions of years ago when the universe was young.
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NASA discovers 122 sets of twin stars
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 12:10 PM by Space.com
Paired stars are discovered when the brightness of one is lessened as its counterpart passes in front of it.
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Rare lunar eclipse meets full moon
Wed, Jun 15, 2011 11:30 AM by Space.com
While the eclipse won't be visible in North America, many sources will be streaming the event on the Web.
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Scientists predict rare 'hibernation' of sunspots

Tue, Jun 14, 2011 5:38 PM by Kerry Sheridan, AFP

Scientists thought the Sun would move into solar maximum in 2012, but lately a curious calm has suggested quite the opposite.
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GOP candidates debate future of NASA
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 1:51 PM by Space.com
Those candidates asked about NASA's future agree that private enterprise is the future of space flight.
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How NASA is prepping for final shuttle launch
Tue, Jun 14, 2011 1:12 PM by Space.com
Less than six weeks after the safe landing of the space shuttle Endeavour, NASA is scheduled to launch Atlantis on its own final mission, and the very last of the shuttle program. Here's a look at the major milestones that have been completed.
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Asteroid Kleopatra gives birth to twin moons
Mon, Jun 13, 2011 4:06 PM by Space.com
Large 'rubble pile' has enough gravity to maintain satellites.
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Astronauts pass one-year mark on fake mission to Mars aboard pretend spaceship
Mon, Jun 13, 2011 11:36 AM by Space.com
Project meant to study how human beings cope with the stress of confinement and flight in space for long stretches of time.
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Longest lunar eclipse occurs on June 15
Mon, Jun 13, 2011 9:33 AM by Space.com
The eclipse will last for nearly six hours, but won't be viewable from North America.
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First iPhones to be sent to space in July
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 4:09 PM by technewsdaily
Phone will launch with a SpaceLab app to aid astronauts with experiments. Earth-bound iPhone users can download the app for 99 cents.
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NASA space camera snaps 3 billionth photo
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 12:15 PM by Space.com
The CALIPSO satellite observes how clouds and particles affect Earth's climate.
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NASA spacecraft gathering data on protoplanet
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 11:50 AM by Noel Kirkpatrick
The Dawn spacecraft launched in 1997 and is just now reaching Vesta, a small protoplanet in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
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Asteroid that crashed into Earth may have planted the seeds of life
Fri, Jun 10, 2011 10:16 AM by LiveScience
Asteroid samples from a frozen lake showed variable types of amino acids and other chemicals that may have influenced the formation of life on Earth.
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