Vote Now! Best Space Stories of the Week - May 12, 2013

Strange Martian Mountain, Record-Setting Star Explosion & More

Last week a study suggested a mysterious Martian mountain was likely built by wind rather than water, NASA space telescopes captured a record-setting star explosion, and Buzz Aldrin said humanity's future is on Mars. See the top stories of the last week here.

FIRST STOP: Bizarre Mars Mountain Possibly Built by Wind, Not Water

Bizarre Mars Mountain Possibly Built by Wind, Not Water

The mysterious Martian mountain that beckons NASA's Curiosity rover was likely built primarily by wind rather than water, as previously believed, a new study suggests. [Full Story]

NEXT: Record-Breaking Star Explosion Is Most Powerful Ever Seen

Record-Breaking Star Explosion Is Most Powerful Ever Seen

Two NASA space telescopes captured a record-setting, incredibly bright star explosion 3.6 billion light-years from Earth. On April 27, NASA's Swift Space Telescope and the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope both caught sight of the highest-energy gamma-ray burst (GRB) — an explosion of a massive star in the last stage of its life — ever seen before. [Full Story]

NEXT: Spock vs. Spock! Leonard Nimoy & Zachary Quinto Face Off in Hilarious Ad (Video)

Spock vs. Spock! Leonard Nimoy & Zachary Quinto Face Off in Hilarious Ad (Video)

It's only logical. When you have two Spocks in the world, it makes sense to pit them against each other in a battle of the minds. [Full Story]

NEXT: Buzz Aldrin Says Humanity's Future Is On Mars (Exclusive Video)

Buzz Aldrin Says Humanity's Future Is On Mars (Exclusive Video)

The moon is not enough for Buzz Aldrin, the second man ever to walk on the lunar surface. If humanity is to truly realize its space travel potential, there is only one place it will find it: Mars. [Full Story]

NEXT: It's Time to Get Serious About Going to Mars, NASA Says

It's Time to Get Serious About Going to Mars, NASA Says

NASA must finalize some of its plans for going to Mars soon if it wants to arrive by the 2030s, space agency officials say. [Full Story]

NEXT: Will Culture Clash Cloud Hawaiian Telescope? Op-Ed

Will Culture Clash Cloud Hawaiian Telescope? Op-Ed

Construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope begins in Hawai'i, but how can scientists engage the community? [Full Story]

NEXT: Water on Earth and Moon May Have Same Source

Water on Earth and Moon May Have Same Source

Water may have existed on the moon before the planet received the giant impact that created the moon, researchers say. [Full Story]

NEXT: Spectacular 'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse Wows Skywatchers (Photos)

Spectacular 'Ring of Fire' Solar Eclipse Wows Skywatchers (Photos)

The moon blocked out part of the sun on Friday in a dazzling "ring of fire" solar eclipse that amazed lucky observers around the world, from Australia to Hawaii. See photos here.[Full Story]

NEXT: Astronauts Set for Emergency Spacewalk to Fix Space Station Leak

Astronauts Set for Emergency Spacewalk to Fix Space Station Leak

Astronauts on the International Space Station are gearing up to perform a potential emergency spacewalk Saturday (May 11) to hunt for an ammonia leak in the orbiting laboratory's cooling system. NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn and Chris Cassidy are planning to spend more than six hours outside the station to find, and possibly repair, the ammonia coolant leak. [Full Story]

NEXT: Giant Gas Clouds Found In Void Between Nearby Galaxies

Giant Gas Clouds Found In Void Between Nearby Galaxies

Clouds of hydrogen gas traveling between two neighboring galaxies may provide the necessary fuel to keep star formation running beyond the next few billion years.[Full Story]