Talk about a big year. 2011 turned out to be a banner year for NASA's Kepler mission, with the promise of even more exciting results to come in 2012. PlanetQuest reviews some of Kepler's 2011 highlights.
Read more | PlanetQuest web site
Two extremely bright stars illuminate a greenish mist in this and other images from the new "GLIMPSE360" survey from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.
Galaxy Evolution Explorer
Uses ultraviolet wavelengths to measure the history of star formation 80 percent of the way back to the Big Bang.
› Mission home page
Keck Interferometer
Links two 10-meter (33-foot) telescopes, which form the world's most powerful optical telescope system.
› Telescope home page
Kepler Mission
The Kepler Mission will search for Earth-like planets with the "transit" method.
› Kepler home page
Palomar Observatory
A joint effort between JPL and the California Institute of Technology, the Palomar Observatory houses a collection of famous telescopes.
› Palomar home page
Spitzer Space Telescope
Uses infrared technology to study celestial objects that are too cool, too dust-enshrouded or too far away to otherwise be seen.
› Mission home page
Voyager to the Outer Planets
Voyager 1 and 2 flew past Jupiter and Saturn. Voyager 2 also flew by Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 1 is now approaching interstellar space.
› Mission home page
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE)
WISE is mapping the entire sky in infrared light, uncovering the coolest stars, the universe's most luminous galaxies and some of the darkest near-Earth asteroids and comets.
› Mission home page
|
JPL to Lead U.S. Science Team for Dark Energy Mission
The European Space Agency has selected three NASA-nominated science teams to participate in their planned Euclid mission, including one led by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
|
|
NASA Telescopes Discover Strobe-Like Flashes in Young Stars
Two of NASA's great observatories, the Spitzer and Hubble space telescopes, have teamed up to uncover a mysterious infant star that behaves like a strobe light.
|
|
Kepler Data Suggest Earth-size Planets May Be Next Door
Astronomers using data from NASA's Kepler space telescope estimate that six percent of red dwarf stars in the galaxy have Earth-size planets in their habitable zones.
|
|
What's Up for September 2012?
Inspired by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter's mission to scout the moon, the annual International Observe the Moon Night is an event that you do not want to miss. |
|
WISE Finds Few Brown Dwarfs Close to Home
NASA's WISE telescope has discovered that there are fewer brown dwarfs in our solar neighborhood than previously thought. |
|
Super Earth Reveals Itself to Spitzer
This artist's animation depicts 55 Cancri e as it orbits its star. |
Read more