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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
The 4th MSL Landing Site Workshop: Day 2 - Eberswalde
The final site of the four that we discussed yesterday was Eberswalde, which of course is interesting because of the big delta that is preserved in the western part of the crater.
The 4th MSL Landing Site Workshop: Day 2 - Holden
The second site that we discussed yesterday was Holden Crater, a 155 kilometer crater that formed right in the middle of a huge drainage system.
Fourth MSL Landing Site Workshop: Day 1 notes: Introduction, biosignatures, and mineralogy
I apologize in advance for the expanse of text, but I hope that some of you will find the details interesting.
4th MSL Landing Site Workshop: Day 1
Today was the first of a three day workshop in which the Mars science community gathers together and hashes out what we know and what we don't know about the four finalist MSL landing sites.
Fourth MSL Landing Site Workshop: A review
Today, tomorrow, and Wednesday, about 200 scientists and engineers will sit in an over-air-conditioned room in Monrovia, California to participate in what is officially titled the
Voyager Mission Status Bulletins: Jupiter and Saturn
Last week I posted a stack of Voyager Mission Status Bulletins, which were once the main resource for space enthusiasts to follow the dramatic events and photos of an in-flight space mission.
The 4th MSL Landing Site Workshop
Well folks, I'm off to Pasadena to help the Mars community decide where to send its next rover.
Venus: Not so neat and tidy as we thought
Pioneer Venus discovered a stable
Opportunity rolls up to Oileán Ruaidh
Opportunity is continuing to make tracks toward Endeavour crater, but just because she's got a goal for her road trip doesn't mean she won't stop and smell the flowers from time to time. Er, did I say
Deep Impact approaching Hartley 2
The Deep Impact spacecraft team has released a third image from their approach to comet Hartley 2, and for me, three images is an invitation to make an animation!
Pretty picture: Europa and Jupiter
Photos like this always make me think about how unimportant size is in determining whether one of the worlds of the solar system is an exciting place.
It's International Observe the Moon Night
Hey everybody, go out and look up at the Moon! It's International Observe the Moon night.
An unusual Hubble photo of Mars
Amateur image magician Ted Stryk dug up this lovely view of Mars, captured on May 9, 2003 by the Hubble Space Telescope. This photo is unusual for its relatively high phase.
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter press briefing: silicic volcanoes on the Moon
I'm listening to a press briefing from several members of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter science team, regarding three papers published today in Science.
Gale Crater Geomorphology Paper - Published!
Big news folks! The huge paper that I've been working on for the last couple years is finally, unbelievably, published!
Opportunity's rocky road ahead, good news for an aging rover
What a difference a couple of months of driving make. Here's the sort of view of the Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity's road ahead that I'm accustomed to, taken two months ago.
Mars As Art
Attention Mars data trawlers! NASA Headquarters is looking for community input on an exhibition and book of
The Voyager Mission Updates
We take for granted now the ability to get detailed mission updates in a timely fashion via the Web. But How did people get their mission status before the Web?
Mars Exploration Challenge Launches Today
The explorers who will someday walk on Mars are in school today. Exactly who they are, we don't yet know. But we do know that they are among the students who are captivated by the wonders of science and the challenges of engineering.
365 Days of Astronomy Podcast: The Flight of Hayabusa
Today the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast aired my contribution, The Flight of Hayabusa, a recap of that dramatic mission.