NASA gives go-ahead to $438 million Mars mission led by University of Colorado-Boulder

Mars mission led by Univ. of Colorado approved

Supreme Court grapple with NASA’s need for background checks versus employee privacy

Supreme Court grapples with NASA privacy questions

NASA sky-mapping craft runs out of coolant, enters new phase of mission

NASA sky-mapping telescope runs out of coolant

China launches 2nd unmanned lunar probe, mission to test technology for future moon landing

China’s space program launches lunar probe

China space ambitions forge ahead with plan to launch second lunar probe this weekend

China to launch second lunar probe this weekend

Congress backs Obama plan to revamp NASA spaceflight program, while extending space shuttle

Congress backs Obama plan on NASA’s future

Scientists find nearby ‘Goldilocks’ planet: not too hot, not too cold, just right for life

Could ‘Goldilocks’ planet be just right for life?

Asteroid that will come within 4M miles of Earth discovered by telescope in Hawaii

Hawaii telescope discovers asteroid

HONOLULU — An asteroid that will come within 4 million miles of Earth in mid-October has been discovered by a University of Hawaii telescope.

VP’s official residence at DC’s Naval Observatory getting $1.7M security upgrade

VP’s official residence getting security upgrade

Jupiter making closest approach to Earth in nearly 50 years, just 368 million miles away Mon.

Jupiter making closest approach in nearly 50 years

2 newly discovered asteroids to make harmless pass by Earth

2 asteroids to whiz harmlessly past Earth

PASADENA, Calif. — NASA says two small asteroids discovered just days ago will zip harmlessly past Earth on Wednesday, a double flyby that should be visible through a telescope.

Emmy Countdown: Fans wait in bleachers to see stars

Emmy Countdown: Fans wait to see stars

LOS ANGELES — Those who glide down the Emmy Awards’ red carpet are in designer dresses, designer jewelry and designer shoes, or tuxedos.

Good news for satellites, and bad, as low sun activity shrinks thermosphere

Study: Upper layer of atmosphere shrinking

Astronomers find star with up to 7 planets; 1 could be smallest found outside solar system

Experts: Exoplanet could be smallest ever found

European astronomers find star system with at least 5 Neptune-like planets, suspect more

Scientists find system with 5 Neptune-like planets

‘Avatar’ returns to theaters Friday with extra footage; director says he has plans for sequels

‘Avatar’ returns to 3-D theaters worldwide Friday

Jack Horkheimer, host of ‘Star Gazer’ who popularized naked-eye astronomy, dies at 72

‘Star Gazer’ host Jack Horkheimer dies at 72

Study: It’s only a shrinking moon _ but no, it won’t be disappearing any millennium soon

Moon may be shrinking, but very, very slowly

China plans to launch 1st module of space station next year after tests, changes to rocket

China tests space station module to launch in 2011

Atlas rocket carrying military satellite that transmits in real time launches into orbit

Advanced military satellite launches into orbit

Neutron star discovered by researchers using home computers to analyze massive data

Home computers aid in discovery of neutron star

Morningstar: Fees a slightly better predictor of mutual fund success than its star rankings

Fund investors: Consider fees first, then stars

Minor solar storms could bring colorful northern light show a bit farther south than usual

Sun storms may bring northern lights farther south

Minor solar storms could bring colorful northern light show a bit further south than usual

Sun storms may bring northern lights further south

Obese in outer space: Scientists discover massive star born 300 times as heavy as the sun

Scientists find most massive star ever discovered

NASA telescope made in Utah State University lab set to finish sky survey

NASA telescope made in Utah set to finish survey

25,000 new asteroids plus brown dwarfs, galaxies found by NASA sky-mapping telescope

25,000 new asteroids found by NASA’s sky mapping

Senate panel extends life of space shuttle, compromises with Obama on NASA’s future

US President Barack Obama
more images

European Space Agency taking a close look at asteroid Lutetia far out in space

European Space Agency looking closely at asteroid

European Space Agency preparing for close look at asteroid Lutetia far out in space

ESA preparing for close look at asteroid

BERLIN — The European Space Agency is preparing to take the closest look yet at asteroid Lutetia in an extraordinary quest some 280 million miles in outer space between Mars and Jupiter.

Total eclipse of the sun occurs this weekend, but few can see it

Weekend total solar eclipse visible to lucky few

Scientists say Japanese spacecraft may have collected first samples from asteroid

Japanese spacecraft may have dust from asteroid

Scientists say Japan probe may have collected first samples from asteroid

Japanese probe may have dust from asteroid

‘Eclipse’ rises to $82.5M over holiday weekend, ‘Airbender’ follows with $53.2M

‘Eclipse’ rises to $82.5M over holiday weekend

‘Twilight’ rises to $161 million but falls sharply from huge opening day

‘Twilight’ falls sharply but makes it to $161M

‘Twilight’ eclipses another box office record with $68.5M, largest ever for Wednesday debut

‘Twilight’ eclipses record with $68.5M debut

Skygazing treat: Partial lunar eclipse visible in western skies, Pacific and eastern Asia

Partial lunar eclipse visible in western skies

New telescope in Hawaii has world’s largest digital camera to search for killer asteroids

New Hawaii telescope searches for killer asteroids

Scientists recover Japanese space probe with possible asteroid clues to solar system creation

Scientists retrieve capsule, seeking asteroid dust

Scientists hunt for Japanese space probe with possible asteroid clues to solar system creation

Hunt on for asteroid dust and solar system secrets

Japanese space probe returns to Earth after 7-year journey to collect asteroid material

Space probe returns to Earth from trip to asteroid

Scientists waiting in Australian Outback for Japanese space capsule that visited asteroid

Scientists wait in Outback for Japanese spacecraft

NASA flying observatory to track return of Japanese asteroid sampling spacecraft

NASA aircraft to track spacecraft re-entry

Amateur astronomer who discovered collision scar on Jupiter spots another hit

Amateur astronomer spots another Jupiter strike

8 scientists winners of lucrative Kavli Prizes in astronomy, neuroscience and nanoscience

8 scientists share lucrative Kavli Prizes

OSLO, Norway — Eight scientists from the U.S., Britain and Germany shared three awards worth $1 million each on Thursday for work that has helped humans explore distant corners of the universe and the tiniest particles on Earth.

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