The Night Sky in 2014: 11 Must-See Celestial Events (Infographic)
Skywatchers will get a glimpse of some truly amazing night sky events in 2014, from an asteroid zooming past one of the night sky's brightest stars to amazing full moons and Martian meteor showers. [See the Infographic.]
Vernal Equinox: First Day of Spring Seen from Space (Photo)
Spring has sprung in the Northern Hemisphere and NASA is celebrating with a dazzling new view of the Earth from space today (March 20). [See the amazing Earth view here.]
Photos and Images: Asteroid 163 Erigone Eclipses Bright Star in Rare Celestial Event
On March 20, 2014, the bright asteroid Regulus will "wink" out when it is eclipsed (or "occulted") by the huge asteroid 163 Erigone. It is an extremely rare celestial event only visible from a slim track across North America. In this gallery, see photos and images of the rare cosmic sight. In this image: The asteroid 163 Erigone is seen near the bright star Regulus on March 17, 2014, just days ahead of its March 20 occultation.[See Photos]
Hubble Telescope Spies Amazing Star Factory Inside Space Monkey Head (Photo, Video)
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured an amazing view of a distant starbirth factory to celebrate the upcoming 24th anniversary of the iconic instrument's launch.[See the video]
Brilliant Fireball Over Canada Sparks Meteorite Hunt (Video)
Researchers at Western University are seeking meteorites in the wake of a basketball-sized meteor that created a fireball in southwestern Ontario. [Full Story]
High-Tech Telescope 'MUSE' Creates 3D Views of the Universe (Video, Images)
An innovative 3D spectrograph on the ESO's Very Large Telescope has successfully observed distant galaxies and bright stars during successful initial test observations. [See the video]
NASA HD Moon Map Reveals Lunar North Pole Like Never Before (Photo)
Scientists, using cameras aboard NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), have created the largest high resolution mosaic of our moon’s north polar region. [Full Story]
Satellite Images Show Possible Debris from Malaysia Flight 370 (Photos)
In what may be the first break in the case of the mysterious March 8 disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, satellite images from DigitalGlobe now show possible plane debris in the Southern Indian Ocean. [Full Story]
Chinese Satellite Spies Possible Malaysia Jet Debris (Photo)
A Chinese satellite orbiting Earth has captured a new photo of possible debris from the missing Malaysian Airlines jet that disappeared with 239 people aboard earlier this month. [Full Story]
See the World Spinning ’Round
Astrophotographer Tim Crippin sent in an image of star trails over Medford, Oregon. He writes in an e-mail message to Space.com that he "took about 200 shots to create this image using a Canon T3i and a 18mm lens at f/4.5 … camera settings were ISO 400, 30 second exposures." Image submitted March 12, 2014. [Full Story]
Got Milk?
The Milky Way galaxy appears to arc through the clear night sky in this panoramic image taken at the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. Those living in crowded, light-polluted cities rarely get the chance to enjoy such a sight. The Ancient Greeks thought that our home galaxy, as it appeared in the sky, resulted from the work of the gods. Their legends told that this cloudy streak represented the breast milk of Hera, wife of Zeus. The Ancient Greeks also created the name “Milky Way.” The Hellenistic phrase Γαλαξίας κύκλος, pronounced galaxias kyklos, means “milky circle”, providing the root for the modern name. ESO Photo Ambassador Gabriel Brammer took this image. At the right side, an unidentified astronomer visiting Paranal stands and admires the view with a bit of a blurry head. [Full Story]
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