The Herschel Space telescope has discovered a massive merging of two galaxies that took place when the universe was roughly 3 billion years old. The galaxies, collectively called HXMM01, are churning out the equivalent of 2,000 suns a year. Pasadena, California – A massive and rare merging of two galaxies has been spotted in images [...]

NASA’s Curiosity rover has completed the drilling of the second rock sample on Mars and should deliver portions of the sample in coming days to laboratory instruments inside the rover. Pasadena, California – NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has used the drill on its robotic arm to collect a powdered sample from the interior of a [...]

NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope captured this new image of Messier 94, also known as NGC 4736, which is located about 17 million light-years away. How many rings do you see in this new image of the galaxy Messier 94, also known as NGC 4736? While at first glance one might see a number of them, [...]

Using data from the Cassini spacecraft, researchers have created the first global topographic map of Saturn’s moon Titan. Scientists have created the first global topographic map of Saturn’s moon Titan, giving researchers a valuable tool for learning more about one of the most Earth-like and interesting worlds in the solar system. The map was just [...]

Asteroid 1998 QE2, which is believed to be about 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) in size, is set to sail past Earth at a distance of roughly 3.6 million miles (5.8 million kilometers) away, its closest approach to Earth for at least the next two centuries. On May 31, 2013, asteroid 1998 QE2 will sail serenely [...]

Scientists have chosen the second drilling site for the Curiosity rover on Mars. Pasadena, California — The team operating NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover has selected a second target rock for drilling and sampling. The rover will set course to the drilling location in coming days. This second drilling target, called “Cumberland,” lies about nine feet [...]

A large team of astronomers has discovered the earliest starburst galaxy ever observed. Occurring just 880 million years after the Big Bang, HFLS3 is a dust-filled, massive galaxy generating the mass equivalent of 2,900 suns per year. Pasadena, California — Smaller begets bigger. Such is often the case for galaxies, at least: the first galaxies [...]

Based on Cassini data, scientists believe that Titan’s methane-based hydrocarbon features may be passing phenomena, the after-effects of a gigantic outburst of methane released from Titian’s interior eons ago. By tracking a part of the surface of Saturn’s moon Titan over several years, NASA’s Cassini mission has found a remarkable longevity to the hydrocarbon lakes [...]

In a new study, researchers assessed the amount of sulfate hydrates (compared with relatively pristine water) in the surface ice in five widely distributed areas of Europa, finding that the concentration of frozen sulfuric acid on the surface varies greatly. The surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa exposes material churned up from inside the moon and [...]

Researchers have detected an ice cloud taking shape over Titan’s south pole. This is a sign of winter weather on Titan and the first time this particular kind of ice cloud has been seen somewhere other than the north pole. An ice cloud taking shape over Titan’s south pole is the latest sign that the [...]

NASA’s new budget proposal includes a plan to capture a small near-Earth asteroid so they can safely study and explore it. The below video shows a short animation of the Asteroid Retrieval Initiative. NASA’s FY2014 budget proposal includes a plan to robotically capture a small near-Earth asteroid and redirect it safely to the Earth-Moon system, [...]

New data from NASA’s Curiosity rover helped reveal changes in the Martian atmosphere, providing the most precise measurements ever made of isotopes of argon. Vienna — Mars has lost much of its original atmosphere, but what’s left remains quite active, recent findings from NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity indicate. Rover team members reported diverse findings today [...]