Topic: Pluto (Dwarf Planet)

School-bus-sized asteroid to buzz Earth Friday, nearer than moon

While the near-Earth asteroid won't hit Earth, it may offer seasoned amateur astronomers a great show — if they are in the right viewing location and have good equipment.  

Mars rover gets 'engine' upgrade: Curiosity fueled by nuclear power

The next Mars rover, Curiosity, is scheduled to launch Saturday. It's the first Mars rover to jettison solar panels for nuclear power, meaning it can go places and do things others couldn't. 

Where did life exist on Mars? NASA chooses landing site for Curiosity rover

Curiosity rover, formally known as the Mars Science Laboratory, will land at the foot of an 18,000-foot mountain in Gale crater, NASA announced Friday. The mount is expected to yield unparalleled information on where and when life might have existed on Mars.

Pluto moon discovery hints at future surprises for NASA probe

Pluto moon: The tiny new moon — announced July 20 and called P4 for now — brings the number of known Pluto satellites to four.

In a NASA first, NanoSail-D spacecraft to set sail on the sunlight

NASA's NanoSail-D is expected to test a type of propulsion that taps the momentum of photons in sunlight. Advocates say solar sails provide the best way toward interstellar travel.

"How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming" made Mike Brown a lot of enemies

Cal Tech astronomer and author Mike Brown helped to demote Pluto from planethood – and got a lot of hate mail as a result.

Should Pluto be restored as a planet? Experts weigh in.

New calculations indicate that Pluto might be the largest object in the outer solar system. Does it now deserve to be called a planet again?

Moon's got water, yeah. But it's got other resource goodies, too.

Besides water, frigid craters at the moon's poles hold other resources that astronauts might be able to use to sustain lunar bases. There's even a bit of silver.

Rare failed star found circling sun-like star

The newfound failed star, known as a brown dwarf, has been dubbed PZ Tel B. It is separated from its sun-like companion star, PZ Tel A, by a distance similar to that between Uranus and the sun in our solar system.

This month, a rare view of dwarf planets Ceres and Pluto

Ceres and Pluto will come into opposition with the sun, offering a rare view of these two dwarf planets.

New telescopes could revolutionize astronomy, but at what price?

The case for adding new ground-based telescopes is compelling, astronomy experts say. But they cost $700 million to $1 billion apiece just to build.

Kids: Name your own minor planet

Children are being given the chance to name their own minor planet in a competition to mark the 80th anniversary of the discovery of Pluto. Space scientists' ruling body the International Astronomical Union has promised to consider the winning entries for real worlds now being discovered.

New Hubble images reveal Pluto's dynamic surface

The most detailed images yet of Pluto, taken by the Hubble Telescope, reveal a yellow-black sphere whose surface appears to be among the most dynamic in the solar system.

What's the buzz on the Orionid meteor shower last night?

Peak viewing time for the Orionid meteor shower occurred late last night and early this morning.

Comet Lulin arrives tonight - break out your telescopes

The Pluto Files

A lively account of the ‘exile’ of Pluto, everyone’s favorite ex-planet.

Across the Milky Way, more planet Earths?

Two new discoveries suggest that sunlike solar systems like ours – with life-hosting planets – are more common than previously thought.