Best Space Pictures of the Week - Dec. 7, 2012
Most Distant Black Hole X-Ray Blast Discovered
The most distant X-ray jet ever observed has been discovered some 12.4 billion light years from Earth, giving astronomers a peek at the life of giant black holes not long after the Big Bang. [Full Story]
Moon Surprisingly Battered, New Lunar Gravity Map Reveals
NASA will unveil the latest discoveries from its GRAIL mission to map the moon’s gravity. The twin Grail probes have revealed a detailed view of the interior of the moon’s crust. [Full Story]
Black Marble: Stunning New Images of Earth at Night
NASA released a slew of images showing what Earth looks like from space at night. [Full Story]
Exoplanet Catalog Reveals 7 Possibly Habitable Worlds
The Habitable Exoplanets Catalog has seven candidate planets listed so far, and the pace of discovery is increasing, says its founder. [Full Story]
Glowing Nebula Photo Marks New Telescope's Inauguration
A spectacular new image of the star-forming Carina Nebula has been captured by the VLT Survey Telescope at ESO’s Paranal Observatory. [Full Story]
Galaxy Crash is a Cosmic Bullseye
Two galaxies crashed into each other in a head-on collision, creating a cosmic bullseye seen by the Hubble Space Telescope. [Full Story]
Mars Mountains Look Frosty in New Images
A European spacecraft orbiting Mars has snapped wintry-looking pictures of a mountain range on the Red Planet's southern highlands, where ridges and crater floors are dusted with carbon dioxide frost. [Full Story]
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Orion and Jupiter Shine Above Dense Fog in Stunning Photos
The constellation Orion, the hunter, and the mighty planet Jupiter are clearly visible in two night sky photos, despite a very foggy Illinois night. [Full Story]
Brown Dwarf Stars Could Host Earth-Size Planets, Study Finds
Astronomers have made observations of a brown dwarf and discovered a dusty disk with tiny solid grains commonly seen around stars. This gives rise to a new theory for planetary formation: that brown dwarfs could have rocky, Earth-like planets. [Full Story]
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