Vote Now! Best Space Stories of the Week - April 14, 2013

Black Hole Snacks, Rain on Saturn and a Mars Landing in 2017

This is a modified version of an original image, credited to NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

In the last week the sun unleashed a massive solar flare, a black hole was caught snacking and Saturn's rings cause water rain. See the top stories of the last week here.

FIRST STOP: Sun Unleashes Biggest Solar Flare of the Year Yet

Sun Unleashes Biggest Solar Flare of the Year Yet

NASA/SDO

The sun erupted with the strongest solar flare yet seen in 2013 on Thursday, April 11, 2013. See photos and video of the solar storm here. [Full Story]

NEXT: New Mars Photos May Reveal 1970s Soviet Lander

New Mars Photos May Reveal 1970s Soviet Lander

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Univ. of Arizona

The remains of the 1972 Mars 3 lander might be visible in recent Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photos. [Full Story]

NEXT: North Korea Rocket Rundown: How Far Can They Fly?

North Korea Rocket Rundown: How Far Can They Fly?

DigitalGlobe via Getty Images

A brief rundown of Pyongyang's stable of potentially dangerous rockets and missiles, based on Western experts' best guesses. [Full Story]

NEXT: For Private Manned Mars Mission, It's Make-or-Break Time

For Private Manned Mars Mission, It's Make-or-Break Time

Inspiration Mars Foundation

Progress made during the next year or so will determine whether a private manned Mars mission can get off the ground in 2018 as planned, its organizers say. [Full Story]

NEXT: Most of Mars' Atmosphere Is Lost in Space

Most of Mars' Atmosphere Is Lost in Space

NASA

New analyses by NASA’s Curiosity rover bolster suspicions that Mars did indeed lose much of its atmosphere long ago. [Full Story]

NEXT: Black Hole Caught Snacking on 'Super Jupiter' Planet

Black Hole Caught Snacking on 'Super Jupiter' Planet

ESA

Astronomers watched as a black hole swallowed a giant planet recently. [Full Story]

NEXT: A New Yorker's View of the Southern Sky

A New Yorker's View of the Southern Sky

Clara Moskowitz/SPACE.com

A New York reporter glimpses the southern hemisphere night sky for the first time, from one of the best stargazing spots on the planet. [Full Story]

NEXT: How to Brush Your Teeth in Space (Video)

How to Brush Your Teeth in Space (Video)

Canadian Space Agency/Chris Hadfield (Cmdr_Hadfield)

Canadian space man Chris Hadfield shows how astronauts brush their teeth in space without making a mess. [Full Story]

NEXT: Saturn's Dazzling Rings Make It 'Rain'

Saturn's Dazzling Rings Make It 'Rain'

This is a modified version of an original image, credited to NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

The rings of Saturn are showering the planet itself with water rain, a new study reveals. [Full Story]

NEXT: Obama Seeks $17.7 Billion for NASA to Lasso Asteroid, Explore Space

Obama Seeks $17.7 Billion for NASA to Lasso Asteroid, Explore Space

NASA/Advanced Concepts Laboratory

NASA unveiled a $17.7 billion spending plan for 2014 today (April 10) that continues major ongoing space exploration projects, while including funds to kick-start an audacious new mission to capture a small asteroid and park it near the moon so astronauts can explore it by 2025. [Full Story]

NEXT: Moon Base Over Asteroid? Lawmakers Push for Lunar Landing by 2022

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.