Astronomy, features and articles | Educational Science

Dec 24, 2012

Jupiter, Moon Align in Christmas Skywatching Treat

As darkness falls on Christmas night, check out the east-southeast sky. Shining brilliantly to the upper left of the bright, nearly full moon will be a silvery star with a steady glow. But that's not a star, or Santa returning to the North Pole. Rather, it's the largest planet in...

Jan 20, 2013

See Jupiter and Moon Shine Dazzlingly Close Together Monday

Stargazers looking up as darkness falls on Monday (Jan. 21) will notice an eye catching pairing-off between two of the brightest objects in the nighttime sky, weather permitting. The moon, appearing as a waxing gibbous phase, 78 percent illuminated, will appear to stand close below a very bright, non-twinkling, silvery...

Jan 22, 2013

Close Encounter of Jupiter and Moon Wows Stargazers

A night sky meeting of Jupiter and the moon, called a conjunction, amazed skywatchers around the world last night (Jan. 21). The waxing gibbous moon and Jupiter — the two brightest objects in last night's sky — appeared to be almost touching for part of the night before the moon...

Mar 6, 2013

On Jupiter's Moon Europa, Underground Ocean Bubbles Up to Surface

The huge ocean sloshing beneath the icy shell of Jupiter's moon Europa likely makes its way to the surface in some places, suggesting astronomers may not need to drill down deep to investigate it, a new study reports. Scientists have detected chemicals on Europa's frozen surface that could only come...

Mar 16, 2013

See Jupiter and Moon Pair Up on St. Patrick's Day

On Sunday evening, revelers can cap their St. Patrick’s Day by enjoying a view of a rendezvous involving two of the brightest objects in the night sky: the moon and the planet Jupiter. About 45 minutes after sunset on Sunday (March 17), the eye-catching celestial duo will be visible in...

Mar 19, 2013

Jupiter's Atmosphere Has Weird Hot Flashes

Though Jupiter is shrouded in swirling clouds, its atmosphere has some mysterious clear patches that scientists call hot spots. Now researchers say they have found more evidence about where these hot flashes come from by stitching together images taken by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. This is the first time anybody has...

Apr 5, 2013

Volcanoes on Jupiter's Moon Io Are All Wrong, NASA Says

The hundreds of volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io aren't where they're supposed to be, scientists say. Io's major volcanic activity is concentrated 30 to 60 degrees farther east than models of its internal heat profile predict, a recent study reports, suggesting that the exotic, volcanic Jupiter moon Io is even...

Apr 6, 2013

Ingredient for Life Common on Jupiter's Icy Moon Europa

A potential energy source for life appears to be common on Jupiter's icy moon Europa, a new study suggests. An analysis of infrared observations of Europa revealed that hydrogen peroxide is abundant on the ice-covered Jovian moon. If the hydrogen peroxide finds a way beneath Europa's surface and mixes with...

May 20, 2013

Jupiter's Haze | Space Wallpaper

The dark hot spot in this false-color space wallpaper from NASA's Cassini spacecraft is a window deep into Jupiter's atmosphere. All around it are layers of higher clouds, with colors indicating which layer of the atmosphere the clouds are in. The bluish clouds to the right are in the upper...

Sep 25, 2013

Was Ancient Earth Like Jupiter's Super-Volcanic Moon Io?

Anybody wondering what Earth was like 4 billion years ago should cast an eye toward Jupiter's hypervolcanic moon Io, a new study suggests. Io is the most volcanically active object in the solar system, dissipating its massive stores of internal heat via intense eruptions that cover the entire moon with...

Oct 22, 2013

NASA Spacecraft Snaps Amazing Photo of Earth En Route to Jupiter

When NASA's Jupiter-bound Juno spacecraft zipped around Earth earlier this month, it peered back at our planet for a photo op. The $1.1 billion Juno mission, which launched in 2011, is taking a long circuitous route to the largest planet in our solar system. The space probe's flyby of Earth...

Dec 5, 2013

40 Years Ago: NASA's Pioneer 10 Snaps 1st Up-Close Look at Jupiter (Photo)

On Dec. 4, 1973, exactly 40 years ago this week, NASA's Pioneer 10 probe beamed the first up-close images of Jupiter back home. After traveling away from Earth for more than a year and navigating a risky route through the asteroid belt, Pioneer 10 became the first spacecraft to reach...

Dec 9, 2013

Hidden Oceans on Jupiter's Icy Moon Europa May Explain Strange Terrain

Churning seas beneath the icy surface of Jupiter's moon Europa might explain the chaotic jumble of cracks and ridges around its equator, scientists say. These findings hint Europa may be even more habitable for alien life than previously thought, researchers added. Europa is nearly the size of Earth's moon. Under...

Dec 11, 2013

'Starship View' of Earth and Moon Captured by NASA Jupiter Probe (Video)

NASA's Juno spacecraft captured an amazing starship-like view of Earth and the moon as it made a speedy flyby past our planet on its way to Jupiter in October. If Captain Kirk of the USS Enterprise said, 'Take us home, Scotty,' this is what the crew would see, Scott Bolton,...

Feb 13, 2014

First Map of Jupiter's Giant Moon Ganymede Unveiled (Photos, Video)

The largest moon in the solar system has finally received its cartographic due. Scientists have created the first global geological map of Jupiter's huge, ice-covered moon Ganymede, more than 400 years after its discovery by Galileo Galilei. The map, created using observations by NASA's twin Voyager probes and Galileo orbiter,...