moon

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Nagging Dark Side of Moon Question Answered

Scientists figure out why 'maria' is largely absent from far side

(Newser) - A lunar mystery that has persisted since 1959 has been solved, according to Penn State astrophysicists. That was the year in which a Soviet spacecraft captured the first images of the dark side of the moon—the side that always faces away from Earth. While the side we see features...

Finally, Evidence of Other World That Helped Form Moon

Lunar rocks bolster a long-held theory about how the moon was created

(Newser) - A new analysis of three lunar rocks brought back by Apollo astronauts in the '60s breathes new life into an old theory some thought too simple: that the moon was created when another planet, Theia, crashed into Earth billions of years ago, leaving behind molten debris that eventually cooled...

Meet Peggy, New Saturn Moon
 Meet Peggy, New Saturn Moon 
in case you missed it
Apr 19, 2014 7:00 PM CDT

Meet Peggy, New Saturn Moon

Scientists think they've spotted a tiny one being formed

(Newser) - Astronomers think they're seeing a first—the birth of a Saturn moon. NASA's Cassini spacecraft spotted what the LA Times describes as a "fuzzy blob" near one of the planet's rings, though astronomers may not know for sure whether the maybe-moon they've nicknamed "Peggy"...

NASA Orbiter Smashes Into Moon (on Purpose)

LADEE ends short mission by disintegrating

(Newser) - A $280 million orbiter crashed into the moon and disintegrated yesterday, and NASA couldn't be happier about it. The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer met its end after completing a mission to orbit the moon and observe its atmosphere that began in September, reports the AP . In fact,...

Get Ready for &#39;Blood Moon&#39;
 Get Ready for 'Blood Moon' 
in case you missed it
Apr 6, 2014 7:00 PM CDT

Get Ready for 'Blood Moon'

Total lunar eclipse takes place night of April 14

(Newser) - Sky watchers get a treat later this month in the form of a total lunar eclipse, reports Universe Today . It takes place the night of April 14—technically, things will get under way about 1:20am April 15 for the East Coast, reports USA Today . The total eclipse is the...

Moon Gets a New Birthday
 Moon Gets a New Birthday 
Apr 3, 2014 1:36 AM CDT

Moon Gets a New Birthday

Formation happened later than thought, study says

(Newser) - The cataclysmic event that formed the moon happened much later than previously believed, according to researchers who have shifted the satellite's "birthday" forward around 60 million years. New computer simulations and analysis of elements in the Earth's crust suggest that the moon formed 95 million years after...

Moon Struck by 'Extraordinary' Asteroid Blast

Spanish astronomer spotted the dramatic strike last year

(Newser) - A car-sized asteroid smashed into the moon last year and left the longest-ever afterglow for a lunar impact ever seen—one big enough to be spotted by the naked eye under good viewing conditions, a Spanish astronomer said Monday. Jose Maria Madiedo said he witnessed the blast while working two...

China's Moon Rover 'Back From the Dead'

Jade Rabbit survives lunar night

(Newser) - Zombie on the moon: China's Jade Rabbit lunar rover has shown signs of life despite earlier reports that it had died following mechanical difficulties in the extreme cold of the lunar night. The rover—which signed off with the ominous words "Goodnight humanity" at the end of January—...

China's Moon Lander May Die in Lunar Night

Jade Rabbit hits snag thanks to 'complicated lunar surface'

(Newser) - China's moon rover Jade Rabbit has "experienced a mechanical control abnormality" that might scuttle its mission entirely. The problem came due to the "complicated lunar environment," the state-run Xinhua news service reported on Saturday, just before the rover went into sleep mode for the lunar night....

Dark Side of the Moon Is ... Turquoise?
 Dark Side of Moon 
 Is ... Turquoise 
new research
Jan 13, 2014 1:08 AM CST

Dark Side of Moon Is ... Turquoise

Astronomers say they've seen its true color for 1st time

(Newser) - Pink Floyd fans take note: The side of the moon referred to as the "dark side" is actually turquoise, astronomers say. Researchers found that the moon's far side is lit by faint blue light reflected from Earth that becomes turquoise as it is reflected back once again, the...

Why China's Moon Mission Matters

It could learn a lot about what we don't know about

(Newser) - Last month China became the third country to "soft land" on the moon, and as the Los Angeles Times points out, most residents of the second country to do so (that would be America) didn't bat an eyelash. But Chang'e 3 is blowing away one group: lunar...

China's Moon Rover Sends Back First Pics

Mission declared 'complete success'

(Newser) - China has declared the first rover mission to the moon in more than 40 years a "complete success," with the first photos sent back from its Jade Rabbit rover, the BBC reports. The rover—photographed by the lander after it separated from the vehicle yesterday —sent back...

And It's Off: Beijing's Moon Rover Sets Out

'Jade Rabbit' separates from landing vehicle, begins exploration

(Newser) - China's first moon rover has touched the lunar surface and left deep traces on its loose soil, several hours after the country successfully carried out the first soft landing on the moon in nearly four decades. The 300-pound "Jade Rabbit" rover separated from the much larger landing vehicle...

Astronaut Calls Kid, 6, Who's Fighting to Save NASA

Moon-walker Gene Cernan likes the boy's White House petition

(Newser) - A 6-year-old Denver boy is such a big fan of outer space that he created an online petition on the White House's We the People website when he heard that Congress might slash NASA funding. Connor Johnson still has a long way to go—about 85,000 signatures—to...

China Sends First Probe to Moon

Would be 3rd country to successfully 'soft-land'

(Newser) - The US and Soviet Union are the only countries to pull off a successful "soft landing" on the moon—but that could be about to change. China has launched its first lunar probe, CNN reports. Its Jade Rabbit lunar rover, which reportedly has six wheels, two legs, and four...

Moon Maybe Not as Old as Previously Thought

New research suggests it's 100M years younger

(Newser) - No wonder the moon has such a youthful complexion (well, it vaguely resembles a teenager's spotty face)—new research suggests it isn't quite as old as previously thought. The standard theory was that the moon formed some 4.56 billion years ago, after another planet slammed into Earth....

NASA Lunar Launch Has Minor Tech Glitch

Agency says it won't affect flight to moon

(Newser) - NASA's newest robotic explorer ran into some technical trouble after last night's launch , but the agency says it's nothing to worry about. The LADEE spacecraft remains on track for the moon, though officials acknowledged the problem needs to be resolved in the next two to three weeks....

Watch NASA&#39;s Moon Launch Tonight
 NASA Launches  
 Moon Mission 
Sep 6, 2013 10:51 PM CDT

NASA Launches Moon Mission

Unmanned spacecraft to explore lunar atmosphere

(Newser) - NASA's newest robotic explorer rocketed into space late tonight in an unprecedented moonshot from Virginia. The LADEE spacecraft, which is charged with studying the lunar atmosphere and dust, soared aboard an unmanned Minotaur rocket about 11:30 Eastern. It was a change of venue for NASA, which normally launches...

NASA's New Quest: Solve Mystery of 'Horizon Glow'

Former ballistic missile set to launch from Virginia island

(Newser) - NASA scientists are setting their sights on the moon once again, with a launch due Sept. 6—the agency's first-ever deep-space mission to blast off from Virginia's Eastern Shore, the Virginian-Pilot notes. It's also the first mission for the US Air Force Minotaur V, a ballistic missile-turned-spacecraft....

Rare Blue Moon Fills Night Sky
 Rare Blue Moon Fills Night Sky 
Aug 21, 2013 6:50 AM CDT

Rare Blue Moon Fills Night Sky

Won't be back until 2015

(Newser) - Photographers were out in force last night to capture a rare blue moon. No, blue moons aren't actually blue (although there have been moons that were blue, most recently in 1950); rather, the term refers to the second full moon in a month, USA Today reports. But wait, you...

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