Studies Tackle the Question of the Moon's Origin

Medicine & Technology Apr 09, 2015

For years scientists have struggled to determine the origin of our Moon that lights the night sky faithfully every single night. Now, many believe that the moon may have been formed by a collision between the Earth and another object that happened to be strikingly similar in composition to our own planet.

Lava Tubes Could Be Shelter for Expedition to Moon

Apr 06, 2015

Lava tubes that are large enough to contain entire cities are now believed to exist on the moon, and scientists believe that they could one day provide shelter from the cosmic radiation associated with space exploration.

Total Solar Eclipse 2015—Were You Underwhelmed?

Mar 20, 2015

It’s the start to the spring today, and with the vernal equinox came a celestial event unlike those in common occurrence. But while flocks of sky-watchers and astronomers ventured north into the Arctic, where a total solar eclipse would be visible for the last time until 2026 in continental Europe, many were left disappointed at the less than “thrilling” display.

Solar Eclipse Guide March 2015—How To Watch it Tonight From Anywhere on Earth

Mar 19, 2015

A rather rare occurrence, happening once every year or two, a total eclipse of the sun is a pretty big deal in the sky-watching community. Not only is it special because the sun’s disk entirely covered by the moon, but also because it’s a cosmic occurrence right in our back yard. But for those not living in the Arctic or on the Faroe Islands archipelago between Norway and Iceland, tonights events may be a little hard to see.

Moon of Saturn Could Provide Answers to the Search for Life Beyond Earth

Mar 12, 2015

If life can exist in these types of conditions here on Earth, the possibility that it also exists elsewhere in our solar system increases dramatically. For instance, what could lie beneath the ice of Jupiter's moon Europa or perhaps Saturn's moon Enceladus?

Methane Based Life Could Exist on Saturn’s Moon, Titan

Feb 28, 2015

In a new study published this week by researchers from Cornell University, the team of researchers has modeled a new methane-based life form that can metabolize and reproduce, similar to the oxygen-based life forms here on Earth. And more than that, the researchers say that these life forms could flourish in the harsh, cold environment of Saturn's moon, Titan. Titan's surface is filled with seas of liquid methane that researchers believe could harbor these methane-based cells.

VIDEO—How Antiquated Technology May Reveal the Secrets of Titan’s Seas

Feb 15, 2015

Beneath the glaring surface and choppy waves, many secrets are hidden here in the oceans of Earth. The vast depths hide species unknown to men, lost treasures at the seafloor and perhaps even a cryptid or two. And while terrestrial studies of planets may have been interesting in the 20th century, space agencies are looking to aquatic surveys which may one day reveal the origins of life even farther out in space.

Neil Armstrong's Apollo 11 Artifacts Stowed Away For More Than 40 Years

Feb 10, 2015

As NASA researchers from the Goddard Space Flight Center revealed this week what lies on the dark side of the moon, the National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC reveals that space artifacts from that region of the moon may have been hiding here on Earth since the return of Apollo 11. In what appears to be yet another giant leap in the Apollo 11 mission, it turns out that the first man to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong, also brought home with him a bag full of keepsakes from his adventure. And they were hidden in his cupboard for more than 40 years.

What Lies On the 'Dark Side' of the Moon?

Feb 10, 2015

The recent full moon isn’t the only lunar news to come out of the woodworks this week. It appears that its hidden face is also making headlines here on Earth too. Though historically shrouded in mystery, even with NASA astronauts and other space agencies touching down on the surface of the moon, it appears that researchers are now able to reveal what lies on the “dark side” of the moon thanks to five years of mapping data collected courtesy of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Thanks To Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter NASA Reveals What Lies on the Dark Side of the Moon

Feb 09, 2015

Ever wonder what lies on the dark side of the moon? It’s a perspective unlike any that humans have ever seen, and it has been a question that researchers and civilizations have asked for thousands of years. But now, thanks to data collected by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, NASA is showing us exactly what lies on the dark side of the moon, and the view of our solar system whirling around it.

Three Moons Cast Shadow on Striped Gas Giant—Jupiter

Feb 05, 2015

Though researchers have studied the four natural satellites orbiting around Jupiter, a new set of images courtesy of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope reveals a rare new view of three of the moons in action. In a rare, and short-lived event, three of the moons moved across the striped face of the gas giant, casting shadows on the planet below.

China’s Space Program Reaches New Milestone on the Moon

Jan 13, 2015

China's space program has achieved a new milestone with its missions to the moon, as its latest spacecraft service module has entered orbit around the moon, months after being used in the country's test flight that sent a prototype sample-return capsule on a flight around the moon and back to Earth.

Saturn’s Titan Was Likely Sculpted by Rogue Winds Gusting on the Moon

Dec 11, 2014

While researchers have long known of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, and its sandy surface, new research presented this week in two separate studies published in the journal Nature reveals that the 300 foot sand dunes on the moon’s surface may have originated from very different circumstances than those on Earth. Titan, which is much like the Earth, is one of the most intriguing moons our solar system has come to offer. But while it is the only other celestial body that has standing reservoirs of liquid on its surface and fields of dunes like those of the Sahara desert, astronomers are now finding that the events leading to Titan’s surface are far unlike what happened here on Earth.

A Kickstarter That’ll Send Memories to the Moon

Nov 23, 2014

In a time when space missions take the cover pages of nearly every news source, and the headlines pull readers in, the general public would be shocked to learn that many government space agencies are struggling to keep their satellites and spacecrafts up in the sky. And knowing the financial struggle all too well, a group of British researchers from the Lunar Mission Trust, a non-profit think-tank for astronomers and space buffs alike, have decided to crowd-fund their newest adventure to the moon. And with only 24 days left to go, many are questioning whether the team will be able to reach their lofty goals.

Lunar Mission To Take Remnants of Earth’s Culture to Space

Nov 22, 2014

For centuries now, since the dawn of man, early scientists have sought out remnants of space rock and interstellar interactions here on Earth. Legends of moon stones and pieces of stars have abounded in nearly every culture, but now that astronomers have the technology to leave their own mark on distant planets and satellites, one company is looking to leave a piece of Earth on our very own moon. If all goes according to plan, and the company can be funded by interested parties, a decade from now a spacecraft from the Lunar Mission One will land on the South Pole/Aitken Basin of the moon and create a new history for mankind.