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Most Powerful Known Eruption in the Universe Discovered

01/09/2005 08:00AM

Most Powerful Known Eruption in the Universe Discovered

A supermassive black hole generated this eruption by growing at a remarkable rate. This discovery shows the enormous appetite of large black holes, and the profound impact they have on their surroundings.

Gemini Observatory Welcomes 2005 with Release of Galactic Fireworks Image

01/07/2005 08:00AM

Gemini Observatory Welcomes 2005 with Release of Galactic Fireworks Image

In the image, the face-on spiral galaxy NGC 6946 is ablaze with colorful galactic fireworks fueled by the births and deaths of multitudes of brilliant, massive stars. Astronomers suspect that massive stellar giants have been ending their lives in supernova explosions throughout NGC 6946 in rapid-fire fashion for tens of millions of years...

Chroma, Chroma, Chroma , Chromelian...

01/04/2005 08:00AM

Chroma, Chroma, Chroma , Chromelian...

80's musical references aside, this week's review contest winner takes a look at the Aries Chromacor to see what can be done about that nagging purple fringe music playing havoc with your refractor views.

Mars Rovers Spot Water-Clue Mineral, Frost, Clouds

01/02/2005 08:00AM

Mars Rovers Spot Water-Clue Mineral, Frost, Clouds

Scientists have identified a water-signature mineral called goethite in bedrock that the NASA's Mars rover Spirit examined in the "Columbia Hills," one of the mission's surest indicators yet for a wet history on Spirit's side of Mars.

If It's Supernatural It Isn't Science

12/31/2004 08:00AM

If It's Supernatural It Isn't Science

Commentary on a current court case by Edward J. Larson, teacher of history of science and law at the University of Georgia and author of "Evolution: The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory" (Random House, 2004)

Amateur helps conduct symphony of colors in the Tarantula

12/29/2004 08:00AM

Amateur helps conduct symphony of colors in the Tarantula

The Tarantula is situated 170 000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) in the southern sky and is clearly visible to the naked eye as a large milky patch. Astronomers believe that this smallish irregular galaxy is currently going through a violent period in its life...

Radio Telescopes Will Add to Cassini-Huygens Discoveries

12/27/2004 08:00AM

Radio Telescopes Will Add to Cassini-Huygens Discoveries

When the Huygens spacecraft makes its plunge into the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan on January 14, radio telescopes of the National Science Foundation's National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) will help extract the maximum possible amount of irreplaceable information...

A little Christmas gift for Titan...

12/25/2004 08:00AM

A little Christmas gift for Titan...

The European Space Agency's Huygens probe successfully detached from NASA's Cassini orbiter today to begin a three-week journey to Saturn's moon Titan...

Near-Earth Asteroid 2004 MN4 Reaches Highest Score To Date On Hazard Scale

12/25/2004 08:00AM

Near-Earth Asteroid 2004 MN4 Reaches Highest Score To Date On Hazard Scale

Report by Don Yeomans, Steve Chesley and Paul Chodas, NASA's Near Earth Object Program Office December 23, 2004 with a December 24th Update...

... and to all a dark night!

12/24/2004 08:00AM

... and to all a dark night!

... from all of us here on the AstroMart staff...

Pontentially Hazardous Asteroid for Christmas

12/23/2004 12:09AM

Pontentially Hazardous Asteroid for Christmas

This Near Earth Asteroid is currently swinging past us and will be at its closest on Christmas eve at only 5 Lunar distances.

Boeing Delta IV Heavy Achieves Major Test Objectives in First Flight

12/22/2004 08:00AM

Boeing Delta IV Heavy Achieves Major Test Objectives in First Flight

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 22, 2004 – The Boeing [NYSE: BA] Delta IV Heavy made its first flight today achieving the major test objectives despite placing its demonstration satellite in a lower than expected orbit.

The Latest Asteroid Near Miss...

12/22/2004 08:00AM

The Latest Asteroid Near Miss...

Asteroid 2004 YD5 was discovered December 21, and when back-plotted it was found to have whizzed by Earth (over Antarctica) at a distance less than 22,000 miles

Cassini Mission Status Report

12/20/2004 08:00AM

Cassini Mission Status Report

The Cassini spacecraft completed a successful rendezvous with Saturn's moon Titan today. This was the last pass before the European Space Agency's Huygens probe is sprung loose from Cassini on Christmas Eve. Information gathered during this flyby will provide an opportunity to compare images from Cassini's first close Titan encounter on Oct. 26.

NASA Set to Launch First Comet Impact Probe

12/19/2004 08:00AM

NASA Set to Launch First Comet Impact Probe

Launch and flight teams are in final preparations for the planned Jan. 12, 2005, liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., of NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft. The mission is designed for a six-month, one-way, 431 million kilometer (268 million mile) voyage. Deep Impact will deploy a probe that essentially will be "run over" by the nucleus of comet Tempel 1 at approximately 37,000 kilometers per hour (23,000 miles per hour).