Latest articles by Andrea Thompson
Star Devours Hottest Known Alien Planet
The hottest known planet in our galaxy is being stretched into the shape of a football and rapidly consumed by its parent star, new observations from the Hubble Space Telescope show.
Record for Longest Mars Mission Ever May be Broken
Today marks the day that Spirit takes over the record of longest-running Mars mission if she wakes up from her winter hibernation.
Mars Rovers Set to Break Red Planet Record
This week, the Mars rover Spirit could break Viking 1's record for longest-running Mars surface mission.
Earth Day at 40: Our Changing View of the Planet
Since the dawn of the space age, satellites, spacecraft and astronauts have changed mankind's view of our home planet, showing us the beauty and fragility of the Earth in images taken from space.
'Spectacular' First Images from New Solar Observatory Released
First photos from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory were released today, revealing new details of the sun.
Oldest Mars Meteorite Younger Than Thought
New age estimate for oldest known Mars meteorite suggests long-lived volcanic activity.
Mars Is a Spacecraft Graveyard
A look at the spacecraft that met their end on the red planet.
Long-Silent Mars Lander Appears to Be Officially Lost
Third and final listening attempts for Phoenix Mars Lander yield no sign of life.
New Method Could Photograph Earth-Like Planets
A new method that separates starlight from planet light could help find smaller, closer-orbiting extrasolar planets.
Study Suggests Source of Acid Waters That Shaped Mars
The acidic waters that once bathed Meridiani Planum area of Mars may have been created by interaction with atmosphere.
Dust Discs Spotted Around Stars at Earth-like Distances
New observations show rocky, dusty material circling two young stars at a distance similar to that between the Earth and sun.
Polluted Old Stars Suggest Earth-like Worlds May Be Common
White dwarf stars show contamination from rocky material suggesting rocky planets common in galaxy.
Volcanoes on Venus May be Young and Active
Volcano hotspots on Venus may have been recently active.
Mystery of Saturn's Rings May Finally Get Answer From Cassini Probe
Cassini spacecraft will help scientists determine the age and mass of Saturn's rings.
NASA Gives Frozen Mars Lander Last Chance to Phone Home
NASA begins third and final campaign to listen for signs of life from Phoenix Mars lander.
Clouds May Hold Key to Why Early Earth Didn’t Freeze Over
Solution to 'young' sun paradox proposed through thinner clouds on early Earth.
Odd Cloud on Neptune Seen Splitting Into Two
Cloud feature over Neptune's south pole is seen splitting in two, suggesting it could be similar to Saturn's polar vortex.
Newly Discovered Exoplanet May Have Water Clouds
Recently discovered plant CoRoT-9b has low enough temperatures to have liquid water.
Crippled Mars Rover is Chilled, But Still Alive
NASA's Mars rover Spirit still has power, but temperatures are getting cold.
Cassini Sees Saturn's Rough and Tumble Rings
Six years of Cassini observations shed light on Saturn's rings, magnetic shield.
Newfound Alien World Resembles Those in Our Solar System
CoRoT mission finds gas giant exoplanet that most closely resembles Jupiter, Saturn.
Early Earth's Magnetic Field Was a Weakling
Early Earth's magnetic field weaker than today, likely led to water loss from atmosphere, bigger auroras.
