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Hot Topic
Solar System
Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids
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Clues From Vesta
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
08/11/07 |
| Tiny crystals in a meteorite are shedding light on the formation of planetesimals – small objects in space that can eventually become planets. The findings are teaching researchers about the history and evolution of the Earth and the early Solar System. |
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Life of a Comet Hunter
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
07/16/07 |
| The name Messier is synonymous with the deep sky. Charles Messier, an 18th century French astronomer, changed the course of astronomy with his catalogue of "Star Clusters and Nebulae", as well as the discovery of over 20 comets. But what did Messier make of the alien life debate? |
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Dynamic Duo
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
07/08/07 |
| Two NASA spacecraft now have new assignments after successfully completing their missions. Stardust and Deep Impact will now use their flight-proven hardware to make new observations of comets and characterize extrasolar planets. |
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STONEs in Space
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
05/10/07 |
| Can life travel from planet to planet? From Astrobiology Magazine, European Edition comes a story about the possibility of Panspermia. This theory says that meteorites could act as miniature spaceships, carrying microorganism passengers. But a new study has found that photosynthetic life probably wouldn´t survive the journey. |
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EPOXI to Stick with Deep Impact
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
04/10/07 |
| In 2005, the Deep Impact spacecraft released a probe that blasted a crater in comet Tempel 1 and revealed clues about the composition of comets and their life on Earth. Now, the spacecraft may be used to make additional scientific discoveries, including observing the atmospheres of alien worlds and visiting another comet. |
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Tossing the Football
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
03/23/07 |
| New research shows that the current shape a major Kuiper-belt object is the result of a massive impact that occurred about the same time the Earth was forming. The findings can tell us a lot about how objects far from Earth interact and even how these events can result in comets that travel into the inner Solar System. |
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Sampling Origins with OSIRIS
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
03/13/07 |
| In a mission called OSIRIS, NASA plans to take a sample of an asteroid and return it to Earth. "It's a treasure trove of organic material, so it holds clues to how Earth formed and life got started," said Joseph Nuth of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. |
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Sun-Spun Asteroids
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
03/10/07 |
| For the first time, astronomers have witnessed how the Sun can affect the rotation of asteroids. Heating from the Sun, and the subsequent energy release from asteroids, can ultimately change their orbits and affect their potential for crossing the orbit of Earth. |
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Laser Guided Asteroids
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
03/07/07 |
| A team of researchers is developing unique methods for characterizing and deflecting asteroids that could pose a threat to Earth. |
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Rosetta Locks on Target
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| Topic: Meteorites, Comets and Asteroids |
01/28/07 |
| ESA's Rosetta spacecraft has caught its first glimpse of an asteroid it will be studying later during its primary mission. The asteroid 21-Lutetia is one target that may yield information about the origin of our Solar System. |
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