Asteroids - NASA / JPL Copyright (c) 2009 NASA / JPL All rights reserved. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/index.cfm asteroids Asteroids and comets are believed to be ancient remnants of the earliest years of the formation of our solar system more than four billion years ago. Visit JPL's Asteroid Watch website for more information. en-us Thu, 10 May 2012 11:54:19 GMT 5 Asteroids - NASA / JPL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch/index.cfm http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcast/planets-300.jpg <![CDATA[ NASA Dawn Mission Reveals Secrets of Large Asteroid ]]> NASA / JPL vesta| dawn| moon| asteroid| institute| earths| system| mission| solar| spacecraft| basin| scientists Mineral Diversity at Vesta's South Pole

NASA's Dawn spacecraft provides the first orbital analysis of the giant asteroid Vesta, yielding new insights into its creation with terrestrial planets and Earth's moon.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA to Hold News Conference on Dawn Mission Results ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| -- | institute| university| streamed| pasadena| event| information| investigator| agencys| live| member This artist's concept shows NASA's Dawn spacecraft orbiting the giant asteroid Vesta.

NASA will host a news conference on Thursday, May 10, at 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT) to present a new analysis of the giant asteroid Vesta using data from the agency's Dawn spacecraft.



]]> <![CDATA[ Dawn Reveals Secrets of Giant Asteroid Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| surface| asteroid| vestas| layers| images| asteroids| giant| space| vesta| mission| minus Aquilia Area in Color

Findings from Dawn reveal new details about the giant asteroid Vesta, including its varied surface composition, sharp temperature changes and clues to its internal structure.



]]> <![CDATA[ Fireball Over California/Nevada: How Big Was It? ]]> NASA / JPL object| earth| size| near| office| space| program| north| calif| objects| fireball| atmosphere A meteor in the sky above Reno, Nevada on April 22, 2012. Image credit: Lisa Warren

Scientists have a size estimate for an impressive fireball that was witnessed over California's Central Valley Sunday (4/22).



]]> <![CDATA[ Dawn Gets Extra Time to Explore Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| mission| vesta| scientific| time| pasadena| altitude| orbit| additional| allows| extension| ceres Dawn Orbiting Vesta

NASA's Dawn mission has received official confirmation that 40 extra days have been added to its exploration of the giant asteroid Vesta.



]]> <![CDATA[ Dawn Sees New Surface Features on Giant Asteroid ]]> NASA / JPL vesta| dawn| surface| material| dark| bright| were| some| space| deposits| mission| materials Bright Rays from Canuleia Crater

NASA's Dawn spacecraft has revealed unexpected details on the surface of the giant asteroid Vesta.



]]> <![CDATA[ Asteroid 2011 AG5 - A Reality Check ]]> NASA / JPL earth| near| 0| million| observations| space| program| object| orbit| rock| asteroid| impact The orbit of asteroid 2011 AG5 carries it beyond the orbit of Mars and as close to the sun as halfway between Earth and Venus.

Asteroid 2011 AG5 has been receiving a lot of attention lately because of a very unlikely scenario which would place it on an Earth-interception course 28 years from now.



]]> <![CDATA[ Vesta Likely Cold and Dark Enough for Ice ]]> NASA / JPL water| vesta| surface| dawn| vestas| stubbs| degrees| average| space| mission| near| institute The south pole of the giant asteroid Vesta

Roughly half of the giant asteroid Vesta is expected to be so cold, with so little sunlight, that water ice could have survived there for billions of years.



]]> <![CDATA[ Dawn Obtains First Low Altitude Images of Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| mission| images| institute| orbit| framing| science| vesta| surface| altitude| camera| seen Closer and Closer to the Vesta Surface

NASA's Dawn spacecraft has sent back the first images of the giant asteroid Vesta from its low-altitude mapping orbit.



]]> <![CDATA[ New NASA Dawn Visuals Show Vesta's 'Color Palette' ]]> NASA / JPL vesta| dawn| mission| images| institute| spacecraft| surface| reveal| italian| camera| space| science This image using color data obtained by the framing camera aboard NASA's Dawn spacecraft

New color data from NASA's Dawn mission give scientists an inside look at the chemical composition of giant asteroid Vesta.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Deep Impact Spacecraft Eyes the Future ]]> NASA / JPL impact| deep| mission| comet| spacecraft| burn| second| tempel| 0| rocket| pasadena| keep Artist's concept of the Deep Impact spacecraft

NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft completed a 140-second firing of its onboard rocket motors on Thursday, Nov. 24.



]]> <![CDATA[ Dawn Soars Over Asteroid Vesta in 3-D ]]> NASA / JPL vesta| dawn| mission| video| images| spacecraft| july| dawns| orbit| science| center| institute Still from a 3-D video incorporating images from NASA's Dawn spacecraft

Glide over the giant asteroid Vesta with NASA's Dawn spacecraft in a new 3-D video.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Releases Updated Radar Movie of Asteroid 2005 YU55 ]]> NASA / JPL goldstone| earth| 0| asteroid| yu55| observations| near| images| movie| asteroids| data| calif This radar image of asteroid 2005 YU55 was obtained on Nov. 7, 2011, at 11:45 a.m.

NASA Scientists working with the Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif., have released a second, longer, more refined movie clip of asteroid 2005 YU55.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Releases Radar Movie of Asteroid 2005 YU55 ]]> NASA / JPL earth| 0| asteroid| yu55| space| radar| near| goldstone| images| time| generated| movie This radar image of asteroid 2005 YU55 was obtained on Nov. 7, 2011, at 11:45 a.m. PST

Scientists working with the 230-foot-wide (70-meter) Deep Space Network antenna at Goldstone, Calif., have generated a short movie clip of asteroid 2005 YU55.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Captures New Images of Large Asteroid Passing Earth ]]> NASA / JPL earth| asteroid| radar| space| closest| information| close| calif| approach| near| time| online This radar image of asteroid 2005 YU55 was obtained on Nov. 7, 2011, at 11:45 a.m. PST

NASA's Deep Space Network antenna in Goldstone, Calif. has captured new radar images of Asteroid 2005 YU55 passing close to Earth.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA in Final Preparations for Nov. 8 Asteroid Flyby ]]> NASA / JPL earth| asteroid| space| radar| yu55| 0| goldstone| rock| asteroids| scientists| deep| arecibo This radar image of asteroid 2005 YU55 was generated from data taken in April of 2010 by the Arecibo Radar Telescope in Puerto Rico.

NASA scientists will be tracking asteroid 2005 YU55 with antennas of the agency's Deep Space Network at Goldstone, Calif., as the space rock safely flies past Earth slightly closer than the moon's orbit on Nov. 8.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Says Comet Elenin Gone and Should Be Forgotten ]]> NASA / JPL comet| elenin| earth| comets| yeomans| near| solar| system| internet| close| dust| million Trajectory of comet Elenin.

Latest indications are this relatively small comet has broken into even smaller, even less significant, chunks of dust and ice.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Telescopes Help Solve Ancient Supernova Mystery ]]> NASA / JPL supernova| spitzer| space| star| infrared| science| remnant| would| cavity| type| wise| observations All Eyes on Oldest Recorded Supernova

A mystery that began nearly 2,000 years ago, when Chinese astronomers witnessed what would turn out to be an exploding star in the sky, has been solved.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Dawn Science Team Presents Early Science Results ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| vesta| mission| spacecraft| surface| | southern| july| science| findings| scientists| hemisphere Capturing the Surface of Asteroid Vesta

Scientists with NASA's Dawn mission have provided details about the southern hemisphere of Vesta, which boasts one of the largest mountains in the solar system.



]]> <![CDATA[ New View of Vesta Mountain From NASA's Dawn Mission ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| mission| image| institute| south| spacecraft| vesta| center| polar| pasadena| laboratory| meeting Oblique View of Vesta's South Polar Region

A new image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft shows a mountain three times as high as Mt. Everest, amidst the topography in the south polar region of the giant asteroid Vesta.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Begins New Vesta Mapping Orbit ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| vesta| orbit| spacecraft| mission| science| data| asteroid| vestas| survey| surface| days In this image of Vesta north is up and the upper right corner is to the northeast.

NASA's Dawn spacecraft has completed a gentle spiral into its new science orbit for an even closer view of the giant asteroid Vesta.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Space Telescope Finds Fewer Asteroids Near Earth ]]> NASA / JPL earth| asteroids| near| size| wise| neowise| population| infrared| light| results| found| objects NEOWISE observations indicate that there are about 20,500

New observations by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, show there are significantly fewer near-Earth asteroids in the mid-size range than previously thought.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA to Host News Conference on Asteroid Search Findings ]]> NASA / JPL nasa| earth| wise| near| object| panelists| live| mission| space| headquarters| information| center Artist's concept of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

NASA will hold a news conference at 1 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. PDT) on Thurs., Sept. 29, to reveal near-Earth asteroid findings and implications for future research.



]]> <![CDATA[ Origin of Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Remains a Mystery ]]> NASA / JPL asteroid| baptistina| infrared| main| earth| size| light| family| belt| asteroids| into| wise Searching for the Origins of the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid

The family of asteroids some believed was responsible for the demise of the dinosaurs is not likely the culprit according to new observations.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Dawn Collects a Bounty of Beauty from Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL vesta| dawn| institute| mission| science| video| above| vestas| determine| dawns| darkness| named Viewing the South Pole of Vesta

A new video from NASA's Dawn spacecraft takes us on a flyover journey above the surface of the giant asteroid Vesta.



]]> <![CDATA[ Meteor Likely Cause of Southwest U.S. Light Show ]]> NASA / JPL meteor| yeomans| atmosphere| bright| light| object| fireballs| asteroids| orange| colors| blue| green This photo illustration of a different fireball was taken in 1966 by astronomer Jim Young.

A meteor is the most probable cause of a bright, colorful fireball witnessed by people in a wide swath of the southwestern United States.



]]> <![CDATA[ Comet Elenin Poses No Threat to Earth ]]> NASA / JPL comet| elenin| earth| nasa| million| object| comets| yeomans| brown| dwarf| solar| closer Trajectory of comet Elenin.

Comet Elenin, like most comets, is harmless. NASA scientists share the facts about Elenin, which will pass at a safe 22 million miles from Earth in October.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Asteroid Photographer Beams Back Science Data ]]> NASA / JPL orbit| dawn| vesta| science| survey| spacecraft| mission| surface| institute| hamo| space| center 3D Image of Vesta's Equatorial Region

NASA's Dawn spacecraft is now in its first science-collecting orbit at Vesta.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Begins Science Orbits of Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL vesta| dawn| asteroid| dawns| mission| ceres| orbit| spacecraft| surface| earth| july| giant Full-Frame Image of Vesta

NASA's Dawn spacecraft, the first ever to orbit an object in the main asteroid belt, is spiraling towards its first of four intensive science orbits.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Dawn's Spacecraft Views Dark Side of Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| institute| vesta| image| framing| hemisphere| science| planck| camera| northern| california| mission NASA's Dawn spacecraft obtained this image with its framing camera on July 23, 2011

NASA's Dawn mission, in orbit around Vesta, captures a new image from a distance of 3,200 miles (5,200) kilometers from the giant asteroid.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's WISE Finds Earth's First Trojan Asteroid ]]> NASA / JPL earth| orbit| asteroids| wise| million| mission| near| earths| neowise| trojans| asteroid| planet Earth's New Trojan Friend

Astronomers studying observations taken by NASA's WISE mission have discovered the first known "Trojan" asteroid orbiting the sun along with Earth.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Beams Back New Photo ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| vesta| institute| planck| framing| images| research| surface| mission| center| orbit| night NASA's Dawn spacecraft obtained this image with its framing camera on July 18, 2011.

NASA's Dawn mission, in orbit around Vesta, captured the latest image from a distance of about 6,500 miles (10,500 kilometers) kilometers from the giant asteroid.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Dawn Spacecraft Returns Close-Up Image of Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| vesta| orbit| spacecraft| mission| space| asteroid| data| solar| second| system| image Latest Image of Vesta captured by Dawn on July 17, 2011

NASA's Dawn spacecraft has returned the first close-up image after beginning its orbit around the giant asteroid Vesta.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Dawn Spacecraft Enters Orbit Around Asteroid Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| orbit| spacecraft| asteroid| mission| gravity| vesta| time| institute| system| science| vestas NASA's Dawn spacecraft, illustrated in this artist's concept, is propelled by ion engines.

NASA's Dawn spacecraft on Saturday became the first probe ever to enter orbit around an object in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.



]]> <![CDATA[ Comet Hartley 2 Leaves a Bumpy Trail ]]> NASA / JPL comet| hartley| trail| mission| infrared| farther| science| carbon| show| ball| golf| particles This visitor from deep space, seen here by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

Comet Hartley 2 is a little bit like Hansel and Gretel, leaving behind a trail of ice crumbs as it circles the sun.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Spacecraft to Enter Asteroid's Orbit on July 15 ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| spacecraft| orbit| vesta| mission| july| image| into| approximately| asteroid| engineers| solar Asteroid Vesta

On July 15, NASA's Dawn spacecraft will begin a prolonged encounter with the asteroid Vesta, making the mission the first to enter orbit around a main-belt asteroid.



]]> <![CDATA[ Dawn Team Members Check out Spacecraft ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| mission| spacecraft| institute| june| instrument| vesta| propulsion| spacecrafts| were| time| system NASA's Dawn spacecraft, illustrated in this artist's concept, is propelled by ion engines.

Mission managers for NASA's Dawn spacecraft are studying the spacecraft's ion propulsion system after Dawn experienced a loss of thrust on June 27.



]]> <![CDATA[ Small Asteroid to Whip Past Earth on June 27, 2011 ]]> NASA / JPL earth| asteroid| 0| earths| near| would| ring| surface| monday| passes| size| atmosphere The path of a near-Earth object expected to make a pass by Earth June 25 and 26, 2011.

An asteroid designated 2011 MD will safely pass Earth in the early morning hours.



]]> <![CDATA[ Dawn Nears Start of Year-Long Stay at Giant Asteroid ]]> NASA / JPL vesta| dawn| orbit| surface| science| spacecraft| mission| dawns| images| vestas| approximately| mapping Dawn Approaching Vesta

NASA's Dawn spacecraft is on track to begin the first extended visit to a large asteroid.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Hosts Preview of Visit to Large Asteroid ]]> NASA / JPL | nasa| dawn| pasadena| visit| vesta| event| media| must| -- | reporters| live NASA's Dawn spacecraft, illustrated in this artist's concept, is propelled by ion engines.

NASA will host a news briefing at 11 a.m. PDT (2 p.m. EDT) on Thursday, June 23, to discuss the Dawn spacecraft's year-long visit to the large asteroid Vesta.



]]> <![CDATA[ Science Paper Details NASA Epoxi Flyby of Hyper Comet ]]> NASA / JPL comet| epoxi| hartley| mission| comets| spacecraft| carbon| deep| dioxide| hyperactive| little| extrasolar Introducing Comet Hartley 2

NASA's EPOXI mission found that Comet Hartley 2 is a hyperactive little comet, spewing out more water than most other comets its size.



]]> <![CDATA[ Dawn Captures Video on Approach to Asteroid Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| images| institute| framing| video| spacecraft| vesta| mission| nasa| camera| planck| information Vesta's surface comes into view

Scientists working with NASA's Dawn spacecraft have created a new video showing the giant asteroid Vesta as the spacecraft approaches this unexplored world in the main asteroid belt.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Dawn Captures First Image of Nearing Asteroid ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| vesta| asteroid| orbit| framing| science| mission| surface| spacecraft| dawns| approximately| around unprocessed image of the asteroid Vesta

NASA's Dawn spacecraft has obtained its first image of the giant asteroid Vesta, which will help fine-tune navigation during its approach.



]]> <![CDATA[ Comet Elenin: Preview of a Coming Attraction ]]> NASA / JPL comet| earth| elenin| million| yeomans| near| comets| system| here| solar| influence| object Trajectory of comet Elenin.

A visitor from the outer reaches of our solar system might sound ominous. But comets do this all the time.



]]> <![CDATA[ Dawn Reaches Milestone Approaching Asteroid Vesta ]]> NASA / JPL dawn| vesta| spacecraft| asteroid| around| dawns| approach| phase| mission| orbit| scientists| institute NASA's Dawn spacecraft, illustrated in this artist's concept, is propelled by ion engines.

NASA's Dawn spacecraft has reached its official approach phase to the asteroid Vesta and will begin using cameras for the first time to aid navigation.



]]> <![CDATA[ Spacecraft Earth to Perform Asteroid 'Flyby' This Fall ]]> NASA / JPL earth| radar| space| asteroids| yu55| asteroid| goldstone| 0| arecibo| near| objects| images This radar image of asteroid 2005 YU55 was generated from data taken in April of 2010 by the Arecibo Radar Telescope in Puerto Rico.

NASA spacecraft have already flown past comets and asteroids, and now Earth itself will "fly by" an object that will provide NASA scientists a unique observing opportunity.



]]> <![CDATA[ Fast-Rotating Asteroid Winks For Astronomer's Camera ]]> NASA / JPL earth| object| gp59| near| asteroid| 0| minutes| space| objects| april| program| discovered Asteroid 2011 GP59 as imaged on the night of April 11, 2011 by amateur astronomer Nick James of Chelmsford, Essex, England.

An amateur astronomer's video of a newly discovered near-Earth object shows the space rock to be tumbling at a fast rate.



]]> <![CDATA[ When is an Asteroid Not an Asteroid? ]]> NASA / JPL vesta| dawn| mission| planets| objects| spacecraft| dawns| asteroid| scientists| belt| body| solar When is an Asteroid Not an Asteroid?

When it's Vesta! On the anniversary of Vesta's discovery day, NASA's Dawn mission celebrates this extraordinary hunk of rock.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Stardust: Good to the Last Drop ]]> NASA / JPL stardust| spacecraft| burn| fuel| mission| million| next| expected| minutes| comet| engines| stardusts Artist's concept of Stardust spacecraft

NASA's most traveled comet hunter goes out in style with one final burn of its rocket motors.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Releases Images of Man-Made Crater on Comet ]]> NASA / JPL stardust| mission| next| spacecraft| comet| tempel| images| cometary| deep| impact| particles| crater Tempel 1 Impact Site

NASA's Stardust spacecraft returned new images of a comet showing a scar resulting from the 2005 Deep Impact mission.



]]> <![CDATA[ Comet Hunter's First Images on the Ground ]]> NASA / JPL images| mission| stardust| pasadena| spacecraft| available| next| manages| tempel| comet| approach| calif NASA's Stardust-NExT mission transmitted the first image it took during its approach to comet Tempel 1 at 8:35 p.m. PST (11:35 p.m. EST) on Feb. 14, 2011, from a distance of approximately 2,462 kilometers (1,530 miles)

JPL Mission controllers have begun receiving the first of 72 anticipated images of comet Tempel 1 taken by NASA's Stardust spacecraft.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Stardust Spacecraft Completes Comet Flyby ]]> NASA / JPL spacecraft| mission| comet| stardust| tempel| pasadena| earth| closest| approach| next| manages| time Artist's concept of NASA's Stardust-NExT mission, which will fly by comet Tempel 1 on Feb. 14, 2011.

Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., watched as data downlinked from the Stardust spacecraft indicated it completed its closest approach with comet Tempel 1.



]]> <![CDATA[ The Two Faces of Tempel 1 ]]> NASA / JPL comet| stardust| tempel| next| rotation| spacecraft| mission| comets| orbit| belton| impact| light Artist's concept of NASA's Stardust-NExT mission, which will fly by comet Tempel 1 on Feb. 14, 2011.

Whichever part of comet Tempel 1 is facing toward Stardust when the spacecraft zips by the comet tonight should provide some great new science.



]]> <![CDATA[ Five Things About NASA's Valentine's Day Comet ]]> NASA / JPL stardust| tempel| comet| spacecraft| next| mission| strongthe| time| flyby| scientists| comets| samples Artist's concept of a comet-themed box of chocolates

Here are five facts about NASA's Stardust-NExT spacecraft as it prepares for a Valentine's "date" with comet Tempel 1. Feel free to sing along!



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Stardust-NExT: Valentine's Night Comet Flyby ]]> NASA / JPL spacecraft| mission| stardust| tempel| next| comet| approach| images| closest| coverage| time| point This composite image was taken by NASA's Stardust spacecraft 42 hours before its encounter with comet Tempel 1.

As of about 10 p.m. PST (1 a.m. EST on Feb. 15), NASA's Stardust spacecraft has turned to point its high-gain antenna at Earth and started downlinking data through that antenna.



]]> <![CDATA[ Heading Into the Bonus Round -- in Space ]]> NASA / JPL comet| stardust| spacecraft| mission| tempel| fuel| | space| next| deep| launched| dust Artist's concept of NASA's Stardust-NExT mission, which will fly by comet Tempel

Stardust-NExT, history's most traveled comet hunter, has a rich legacy of space firsts.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Hosting Events for Valentine's Night Comet Encounter ]]> NASA / JPL stardust| next| mission| nasa| live| coverage| spacecraft| tempel| video| commentary| comet| close Artist rendering of Stardust-NExT spacecraft. Image credit: NASA/JPL

NASA will host several live activities for the Stardust-NExT mission's close encounter with comet Tempel 1.



]]> <![CDATA[ Stardust Celebrates Twelve Years With Rocket Burn ]]> NASA / JPL stardust| spacecraft| next| comet| tempel| mission| spacecrafts| path| nasa| surface| target| information NASA's Stardust-NExT mission will fly past comet Tempel 1 on the evening of Feb. 14, 2011

NASA's Stardust-NExT mission team on Earth marked the spacecraft's 12th anniversary in space with a flight path correction maneuver.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Stardust Adjusts Flight Path for Comet Meetup ]]> NASA / JPL comet| stardust| spacecraft| mission| next| tempel| nasa| flight| were| deep| path| spacecrafts NASA's Stardust-NExT mission will fly by comet Tempel 1 on Feb. 14, 2011.

NASA's Stardust spacecraft has executed a rocket burn to refine its flight path toward a Valentine's Day comet encounter.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's NEOWISE Completes Scan for Asteroids and Comets ]]> NASA / JPL neowise| asteroids| wise| data| objects| infrared| mission| asteroid| belt| comets| observations| main A Family Portrait

NASA's NEOWISE mission has completed its survey of small bodies, asteroids and comets, in our solar system.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Comet Hunter Spots Its Valentine ]]> NASA / JPL stardust| comet| images| tempel| spacecraft| mission| next| million| comets| surface| nasa| deep The first image of comet Tempel 1 taken by NASA's Stardust spacecraft is a composite made from observations on Jan. 18 and 19, 2011.

NASA's Stardust spacecraft is closing in on a Valentine's Day date with comet Tempel 1.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Spacecraft Prepares for Valentine's Day Comet Rendezvous ]]> NASA / JPL mission| spacecraft| stardust| comet| next| tempel| approximately| comets| orbit| encounter| images| earth Artist rendering of Stardust-NExT spacecraft. Image credit: NASA/JPL

NASA's Stardust-NExT spacecraft is nearing a celestial date with comet Tempel 1 at approximately 8:37 p.m. PST (11:37 p.m. EST), on Feb. 14.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Radar Reveals Features on Asteroid ]]> NASA / JPL radar| goldstone| asteroids| asteroid| earth| 0| images| network| deep| system| arecibo| solar A radar image of asteroid 2010 JL33, generated from data taken by NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar on Dec. 11 and 12, 2010.

This 36-frame video, from NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar, depicts the rotation of asteroid JL33 - an irregular, elongated object roughly 1.8 kilometers (1.1) miles wide.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Spacecraft Burns for Another Comet Flyby ]]> NASA / JPL stardust| comet| mission| next| spacecraft| tempel| path| flight| nasa| second| spacecrafts| maneuver STARDUST Launch Artist rendering of Stardust-NExT spacecraft. Image credit: NASA/JPL

NASA's Stardust spacecraft fired its rockets to adjust its flight path today, Nov. 22, to set itself up for a flyby of comet Tempel 1 next February.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Spacecraft Sees Cosmic Snow Storm During Comet Encounter ]]> NASA / JPL comet| spacecraft| epoxi| hartley| water| particles| scientists| mission| jets| carbon| dioxide| comets Hartley 2, Close Up

The EPOXI mission's recent encounter with comet Hartley 2 provided the first images clear enough for scientists to link jets of dust and gas with specific surface features.



]]> <![CDATA[ How to See the Best Meteor Showers of the Year: Tools, Tips and 'Save the Dates' ]]> NASA / JPL meteor| meteors| activity| peak| constellation| viewing| 2011br| showers| active| time| radiant| origin A Geminid meteor

There are several major meteor showers to enjoy every year at various times, with some more active than others.



]]> <![CDATA[ Flight of the Comet ]]> NASA / JPL spacecraft| epoxi| mission| flyby| comet| taken| hartley| comets| time| observations| during| image Close-up view of comet Hartley 2

This video clip was compiled from images taken by NASA's EPOXI mission spacecraft during its flyby of comet Hartley 2 on Nov. 4.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA EPOXI Flyby Reveals New Insights Into Comet Features ]]> NASA / JPL comet| epoxi| spacecraft| mission| deep| hartley| impact| images| science| flyby| extended| successfully Montage of images showing comet Hartley 2 during EPOXI's flyby

Scientists say initial images from today's flyby of comet Hartley 2 provide new information about the comet's volume and material spewing from its surface.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Mission Successfully Flies by Comet Hartley 2 ]]> NASA / JPL mission| spacecraft| epoxi| hartley| observations| deep| missions| calif| comet| closest| images| encounter Introducing Comet Hartley 2

NASA's EPOXI mission successfully flew by comet Hartley 2 at about 7 a.m. PDT (10 a.m. EDT) today, and the spacecraft has begun returning images. Hartley 2 is the fifth comet nucleus visited by a spacecraft.



]]> <![CDATA[ Epoxi Flyby of Comet Hartley 2 Underway ]]> NASA / JPL spacecraft| mission| epoxi| comet| data| approach| spacecrafts| autonav| closest| images| mode| nucleus Close-up view of comet Hartley 2

Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., have relayed final instructions to their comet-bound spacecraft today, Nov. 3.



]]> <![CDATA[ The Man Behind Comet Hartley 2 ]]> NASA / JPL hartley| comet| mission| comets| would| epoxi| nasa| spacecraft| very| never| list| extended Malcolm Hartley, comet discoverer

Malcolm Hartley has seen a whole lot of the universe over the last 40 years, but he'd never had a close-up view of a comet named after him.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Spacecraft on Final Approach Toward Comet ]]> NASA / JPL comet| spacecraft| epoxi| mission| flyby| deep| hartley| impact| planet| extended| extrasolar| observations EPOXI navigation team members and engineers in mission control at JPL

NASA's EPOXI mission spacecraft steadily approaches its target, comet Hartley 2, as it completes its final flight-path adjustment.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA to Host Live Events for November 4 Comet Encounter ]]> NASA / JPL epoxi| comet| hartley| nasa| mission| lecture| flyby| information| extended| visit| pasadena| online Artist's concept of the Deep Impact spacecraft

NASA will hold a series of news and educational events about the EPOXI mission's close encounter with comet Hartley 2, scheduled to occur at approximately 7 a.m. PDT (10 a.m. EDT) on Thursday, Nov. 4.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's Comet Mission May Face Multiple Jets Nov. 4 ]]> NASA / JPL spacecraft| mission| epoxi| comet| hartley| jets| impact| science| comets| deep| ahearn| observations Jets emanating from comet Hartley 2

Images from NASA's EPOXI mission shows jets emanating from comet Hartley 2.



]]> <![CDATA[ Space Radar Provides a Taste of Comet Hartley 2 ]]> NASA / JPL comet| epoxi| mission| observations| hartley| radar| arecibo| planet| earth| scientists| extrasolar| spacecraft Twelve radar images of the nucleus of comet Hartley 2

A massive space-radar dish in Puerto Rico is providing an appetizing glimpse at a cometary target for a Nov. 4 encounter by NASA's EPOXI mission.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Spacecraft Preps for Comet Flyby ]]> NASA / JPL spacecraft| mission| epoxi| deep| hartley| comet| extended| extrasolar| planet| observations| science| missions Epoxi team members in mission control

NASA's EPOXI mission has successfully performed one of its final maneuvers as it prepares for a comet flyby on Nov. 4.



]]> <![CDATA[ Countdown to Comet Flyby Down to Nine Days ]]> NASA / JPL spacecraft| comet| mission| epoxi| encounter| hours| hartley| time| deep| images| observations| science Artist's concept of the Deep Impact spacecraft

NASA's EPOXI mission continues to close in on its target, comet Hartley 2, at a rate of 12.5 kilometers (7.8 miles) per second.



]]> <![CDATA[ New Cometary Phenomenon Greets Approaching Spacecraft ]]> NASA / JPL observations| comet| epoxi| hartley| ahearn| deep| mission| spacecraft| cyanide| phenomenon| during| impact Artist's concept of EPOXI headed toward comet Hartley 2

Scientists expected the unexpected during NASA's EPOXI mission flyby of comet Hartley 2. They just didn't expect the unexpected quite so unexpectedly.



]]> <![CDATA[ The Comet Cometh: Hartley 2 Visible in Night Sky ]]> NASA / JPL comet| hartley| epoxi| mission| close| extended| deep| dark| impact| planet| extrasolar| observations comet Hartley 2

A comet that makes its closest approach to Earth this Wednesday, Oct. 20, will be scrutinized even more closely by a NASA spacecraft in a little over two weeks.



]]> <![CDATA[ Small Asteroid to Pass Within Earth-Moon System Tuesday ]]> NASA / JPL earth| distance| asteroid| 0| td54| earths| surface| planet| asteroids| size| would| near A newly-discovered car-sized asteroid will fly past Earth early Tuesday.

A small asteroid will fly past Earth early Tuesday within the Earth-moon system.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Mission to Asteroid Gets Help from Hubble ]]> NASA / JPL vesta| images| dawn| mission| asteroid| hubble| scientists| between| pasadena| surface| later| expected Hubble Space Telescope snapped these images of the asteroid Vesta in preparation for the Dawn spacecraft's visit in 2011.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured images of the large asteroid Vesta that will help refine plans for the Dawn spacecraft's rendezvous with Vesta in July 2011.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's WISE Mission Warms Up but Keeps Chugging Along ]]> NASA / JPL wise| mission| infrared| science| survey| objects| brown| dwarfs| data| asteroids| earth| galaxies The Hottest Photos from WISE

After completing its primary mission to map the infrared sky, NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has reached the expected end of its onboard supply of frozen coolant.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's EPOXI Mission Sets Up for Comet Flyby ]]> NASA / JPL spacecraft| epoxi| mission| comet| hartley| maneuver| time| extended| deep| calif| planet| observations Artist's concept of EPOXI headed toward comet Hartley 2

NASA's EPOXI mission successfully performed a trajectory correction maneuver today. The maneuver refined the spacecraft's orbit for a flyby of comet Hartley 2 on Nov. 4.



]]> <![CDATA[ Tally-Ho! Deep Impact Spacecraft Eyes Comet Target ]]> NASA / JPL spacecraft| deep| hartley| comet| impact| mission| extended| epoxi| science| missions| instruments| extrasolar This NASA EPOXI/DIXI Mission image, 60 days from Encounter with comet 103P/Hartley 2

NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft has beamed down the first of over 64,000 images it will be taking of Comet Hartley 2.



]]> <![CDATA[ Two Asteroids to Pass by Earth Wednesday ]]> NASA / JPL earth| within| pass| asteroids| near| distance| lunar| meters| objects| estimated| 0| morning Two small asteroids in unrelated orbits will pass within the moon's distance of Earth on Wed. Both should be observable with moderate-sized amateur telescopes.

Two asteroids, several meters in diameter and in unrelated orbits, will pass within the moon's distance of Earth on Wednesday, Sept. 8.



]]> <![CDATA[ Heavy Metal Rock Takes Center Stage ]]> NASA / JPL rosetta| asteroid| lutetia| spacecraft| instruments| flyby| space| instrument| time| close| project| science Asteroid Lutetia and Saturn

The European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft, with NASA instruments aboard, did a close flyby of asteroid Lutetia on Saturday, July 10.



]]> <![CDATA[ Small Near-Earth Object Probably a Rocket Part ]]> NASA / JPL object| earth| near| pasadena| program| orbit| nasa| office| observations| calif| 0| objects Graphic depicting the trajectory of near-Earth object 2010 KQ

Scientists have determined that a small object that safely passed Earth on May 21 is more than likely an upper-stage of a rocket.



]]> <![CDATA[ WISE Makes Progress on Its Space Rock Catalog ]]> NASA / JPL wise| asteroids| infrared| near| comets| objects| light| earth| mission| dark| asteroid| center NEOWISE principal investigator Amy Mainzer describes the ongoing tally of space rocks and comets amassed

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, is busy surveying the landscape of the infrared sky, building up a catalog of cosmic specimens -- everything from distant galaxies to "failed" stars, called brown dwarfs.



]]> <![CDATA[ Asteroid Caught Marching Across Tadpole Nebula ]]> NASA / JPL wise| image| light| asteroid| infrared| stars| center| space| tadpole| frames| jens| 0 Tadpole nebula

A new infrared image from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, showcases the Tadpole nebula, and asteroids that just happened to be cruising by.



]]> <![CDATA[ Radar Clicks Asteroid's Pic ]]> NASA / JPL earth| near| 0| object| radar| yu55| program| space| office| able| impact| scientists asteroid 2005 YU55

Near-Earth asteroid 2005 YU55 was "imaged" by the Arecibo Radar Telescope in Puerto Rico on April 19.



]]> <![CDATA[ Scientists Say Ice Lurks In Asteroid's Cold Heart ]]> NASA / JPL earth| asteroid| asteroids| water| near| university| based| object| rivkin| systems| research| only artist's concept of an asteroid belt

Scientists using a NASA funded telescope have detected water-ice and carbon-based organic compounds on the surface of an asteroid.



]]> <![CDATA[ Wisconsin Fireball Caught On Tape ]]> NASA / JPL fireball| atmosphere| earth| near| space| earths| object| asteroids| meteor| into| light| frequency meteor over southwestern Wisconsin

A rooftop webcam at the University of Wisconsin-Madison captured the final seconds of a fireball's Wednesday, April 14 descent into the atmosphere.



]]> <![CDATA[ How to See the Best Meteor Showers of the Year: Tools, Tips and 'Save the Dates' ]]> NASA / JPL meteor| meteors| peak| activity| viewing| constellation| showers| time| active| radiant| velocity| moon A Geminid meteor

Insider tips on 2010 and 2011's meteor showers and how to make the most of each opportunity to watch a visitor from space take that final dive.



]]> <![CDATA[ Meteor Showers: Shooting for Shooting Stars ]]> NASA / JPL meteor| space| comet| each| know| shower| showers| yeomans| brbr| particles| solar| into Meteor from Kappa Cygnid Meteor Shower.

Meteor showers - one of the many benefits to living on a planet with an atmosphere.



]]> <![CDATA[ Asteroid to Fly by Within Moon's Orbit Thursday ]]> NASA / JPL earth| near| 0| object| asteroid| approach| office| pasadena| time| orbit| objects| closest Orbit of asteroid 2010 GA6

A newly discovered asteroid, 2010 GA6, will safely fly by Earth this Thursday at 7:06 p.m. Pacific (2:06 U.T.C.).



]]> <![CDATA[ Get Set for a Possible Glimpse of an Asteroid ]]> NASA / JPL asteroid| vesta| opposition| night| earth| belt| visible| wednesday| point| seen| dawn| binoculars Asteroid Vesta as seen by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope

The most prominent asteroid in the sky is currently yours for the perusing with binoculars -- and perhaps even the naked eye.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA's WISE Eye Spies Near-Earth Asteroid ]]> NASA / JPL earth| wise| near| light| asteroid| object| objects| infrared| mission| system| data| space near-Earth asteroid discovered by NASA's Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has spotted its first never-before-seen near-Earth asteroid, the first of hundreds it is expected to find during its mission to map the whole sky in infrared light.



]]> <![CDATA[ Asteroid To Fly By Earth Wednesday Is a Natural ]]> NASA / JPL orbit| asteroid| earth| earths| near| size| nearly| within| period| meters| close| space Orbital diagram depicts the trajectory of asteroid 2010 AL30 during its flyby of Earth in the early morning hours of Jan. 13.

Asteroid 2010 AL30 will fly safely past Earth on Jan. 13. There are those who say it may be a used rocket stage. Not so fast says NASA's Near-Earth Object Office.



]]> <![CDATA[ Best (Meteor) Shower of 2009 - No Towel Required ]]> NASA / JPL december| meteor| phaeton| peak| geminids| meteors| near| yeomans| during| earth| shower| geminid The Perseid meteor shower

Bundle up and get ready to watch a fiery lightshow stirred up by dead comets in Earth's upper atmosphere during the cold of winter in the dead of night.



]]> <![CDATA[ NASA Refines Asteroid Apophis' Path Toward Earth ]]> NASA / JPL earth| apophis| asteroid| near| information| data| encounter| 0| science| updated| object| asteroids Asteroid Apophis

Using updated information, NASA scientists have recalculated the path of a large asteroid.



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