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Small BodiesStories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.
A podcast, a space carnival, and a New Horizons Planetary Radio Q and A
A podcast, a space carnival, and a New Horizons Planetary Radio Q and A
App review: Moon Globe and Mars Globe: Five stars!!
App review: Moon Globe and Mars Globe: Five stars!!
DPS: The amazing wound-up C ring, by Josh Colwell
DPS: The amazing wound-up C ring, by Josh Colwell
MESSENGER is fine
The caption to today's image release from the MESSENGER team concerns their long-term campaign to study Mercury's brightness through a range of phase angles.
Apophis is less scary than it used to be
Based on analyses of previously unstudied telescopic data, NASA scientists have released new predictions for the path of the 300-meter-diameter asteroid Apophis.
Prizes for Steve Squyres, Toby Owen, Kelly Beatty, and Sarah Stewart-Mukhopadhyay
Prizes for Steve Squyres, Toby Owen, Kelly Beatty, and Sarah Stewart-Mukhopadhyay
The September-October 2009 issue of The Planetary Report is out
The September-October 2009 issue of The Planetary Report is out
Changes in Titan's southern lakes
Today's science press release out of the Division of Planetary Sciences meeting concerns changes in lakes near Titan's south pole observed during Cassini's mission. In brief, repeat Cassini RADAR observations of the same spots during different Titan flybys turned up places where there appeared to be dark lakes in earlier images and dry lakes in later images.
Mars Science Laboratory Instruments: MARDI
Next up in my series of posts about the instruments on MSL is the Mars Descent Imager (MARDI).
Another possible piece of evidence for a Rhea ring
Another possible piece of evidence for a Rhea ring
2008 TC3: One year later (a 365 Days of Astronomy podcast)
2008 TC3: One year later (a 365 Days of Astronomy podcast)
Massive MESSENGER Mercury Mosaic
Massive MESSENGER Mercury Mosaic
It would appear that Opportunity has stumbled upon another meteorite
I wonder if this came from the same original body as Block Island, or if Meridiani is the kind of slowly deflating landscape that accumulates meteorites at its surface, like the ANSMET meteorite hunting spots in Antarctica?
MESSENGER gets two planets for the price of one
Here's a pretty shot of Mercury taken by MESSENGER on approach...but wait, what's that tiny little speck in the lower left corner of the photo?
What's up in the solar system in October 2009
What's up in the solar system in October 2009
Third Time's No Charm: MESSENGER's Third Gravity Assist Successful, But "Safe Mode" Interrupts Science
Third Time's No Charm: MESSENGER's Third Gravity Assist Successful, But "Safe Mode" Interrupts Science
MESSENGER went into safe mode before closest approach
MESSENGER went into safe mode before closest approach
Another lunar lander photographed: Surveyor 1!
Another lunar lander photographed: Surveyor 1!
Mars Science Laboratory Instruments: MAHLI
Last time, I talked about the MastCam color cameras on MSL, so it only makes sense to continue with one of the other cameras: The Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI).
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Embedded Spirit Waits Exit Approval, Opportunity Celebrates New Mars Year with New Record
From notable achievements and new discoveries to trials and tribulations and harbingers of hope, the Mars Exploration Rovers seemed to experience the gamut on the Red Planet this September, their 69th month on an expedition that originally set out back in 2004 for a three-month tour.