Space and Telescope

Welcome to Space-and-Telescope.com. With up-to-the-minute space news, useful astronomical utilities and information, amateur images and much more in the fields of astronomy and space science. Including news updates from space agencies such as NASA and ESA, and links to live images of the Earth, Moon and Sun. The place for people with a general interest in space and also the amateur astronomer who wants to discuss and share their discoveries with others.

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Check out Amateur Astronomy - Images for the latest pictures including the lunar eclipse. Also I have just purchased a Coronado PST check out the new solar images as they get posted up.

News

ESA

Fri, 16 Jan 2015 08:49:00 UT
Beagle-2 lander found on Mars
The UK-led Beagle-2 Mars lander, which hitched a ride on ESA's Mars Express mission and was lost on Mars since 2003, has been found in images taken by a NASA orbiter at the Red Planet.
Thu, 15 Jan 2015 15:00:00 UT
New web pages for Hubble's birthday
Celebrations for Hubble's 25th year in orbit begin and new web pages are launched.
Wed, 14 Jan 2015 14:10:00 UT
Huygens: the top 10 discoveries at Titan
Ten years ago, ESA's Huygens probe entered the history books by descending to the surface of Titan, Saturn’s largest moon. Humanity's first successful attempt to land a probe on another world in the outer Solar System took place at 13:34 CET (12:34 GMT) on 14 January 2005.
Mon, 05 Jan 2015 18:07:00 UT
Andromeda in HD - Hubble captures the sharpest ever view of neighbouring spiral Galaxy [heic1502]
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured the sharpest and biggest image ever taken of the Andromeda galaxy - otherwise known as Messier 31. The enormous image is the biggest Hubble image ever released and shows over 100 million stars and thousands of star clusters embedded in a section of the galaxy's pancake-shaped disc stretching across over 40 000 light-years.
Mon, 05 Jan 2015 17:01:00 UT
Revisiting an icon - Hubble captures the Pillars of Creation twenty years on [heic1501]
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has captured many breathtaking images of the Universe, but one snapshot stands out from the rest: the Eagle Nebula's Pillars of Creation. In 1995 Hubble's iconic image revealed never-before-seen details in the giant columns and now the telescope is kickstarting its 25th year in orbit with an even clearer, and more stunning, image of these beautiful structures.
Fri, 19 Dec 2014 13:15:00 UT
XMM-Newton spots monster black hole hidden in tiny galaxy
First impressions can be deceptive – astronomers have used ESA's X-ray satellite XMM-Newton to find a massive black hole hungrily feeding within a tiny dwarf galaxy, despite there being no hint of this black hole from optical observations.
Fri, 28 Nov 2014 08:35:00 UT
Pre-announcement of the issue of a joint call for missions from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the European Space Agency (ESA)
The European Space Agency's (ESA) Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration (ESA-SRE) and the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) intend to issue in January 2015 a Call for Missions for the selection of a scientific mission to be jointly implemented by the ESA Science Programme and the Chinese National Space Science Centre (NSSC) under the CAS.
Tue, 19 Aug 2014 13:38:00 UT
Call for a Medium-size mission opportunity in ESA's Science Programme for a launch in 2025 (M4)
Through this Call for Missions the Director of Science and Robotic Exploration solicits from the broad scientific community proposals for the competitive selection of mission concepts to be candidate for the implementation of a medium-size, or M-class, mission (M4) for launch in 2025.
Wed, 14 May 2014 11:48:00 UT
Rosetta instruments ready for action
It's official, Rosetta instruments are ready for action! The Rosetta team had a commissioning 'close out' review on 13 May where each of the orbiter and lander instruments were given a formal 'go' for routine science operations.
Tue, 08 Apr 2014 08:56:00 UT
No. 266 - Continuation of quadrature operations, temporary star tracker outage, start of the sixteenth occultation season, and entire thirteenth Atmospheric Drag Experiment Campaign
Report for the period 13 October to 9 November 2013This reporting period covers four weeks of Venus Express operations. It includes the continuation of quadrature operations, a temporary star tracker outage, start of the sixteenth occultation season, continuation of the first sulphur dioxide campaign, and the entire thirteenth Atmospheric Drag Experiment Campaign.
Fri, 04 Apr 2014 11:37:00 UT
No. 265 - End of the twenty-fifth eclipse season, continuation of the first sulphur dioxide campaign, start of quadrature operations
Report for the period 15 September to 12 October 2013.This reporting period covers four weeks of Venus Express operations. It includes the end of the twenty-fifth eclipse season, continuation of the first sulphur dioxide campaign, and the start of quadrature operations.
Mon, 08 Jul 2013 17:58:00 UT
Herschel Status Report - June 2013
Report for period 3 June to 1 July 2013 On 17 June 2013 Herschel operations were concluded, following the last manoeuvre to deplete the spacecraft's fuel and the final passivation of the spacecraft. Herschel has been switched off and is in its final heliocentric orbit. The mission is now in its post-operations phase.

NASA

Fri, 16 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
NASA TV Coverage Set for Launch of Newest Earth-Observing Mission
NASA is preparing for a Thursday, Jan. 29, launch of the first U.S. Earth-observing satellite designed to collect global observations of surface soil moisture. The agency’s Soil Moisture Active Passive mission (SMAP) will lift off from Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 9:20 a.m. EST (6:20 a.m. PST) on a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket.
Fri, 16 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
NASA, NOAA Find 2014 Warmest Year in Modern Record
The year 2014 ranks as Earth’s warmest since 1880, according to two separate analyses by NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists.
Thu, 15 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft Begins First Stages of Pluto Encounter
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft recently began its long-awaited, historic encounter with Pluto. The spacecraft is entering the first of several approach phases that culminate July 14 with the first close-up flyby of the dwarf planet, 4.67 billion miles (7.5 billion kilometers) from Earth.
Wed, 14 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
Astronaut Twins Available for Interviews about Yearlong Space Station Mission, Health Study
NASA will host an opportunity for media to conduct in-person interviews with astronaut Scott Kelly and his twin brother, former astronaut Mark Kelly, Monday, Jan. 19.
Wed, 14 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
NASA, NOAA to Announce 2014 Global Temperature, Climate Conditions
Climate experts from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will announce the release of new data on 2014 global temperatures during a media teleconference at 11 a.m. EST Friday, Jan. 16.
Sat, 10 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
NASA Cargo Launches to Space Station aboard SpaceX Resupply Mission
More than two tons of supplies and NASA science investigations are on the way to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. The spacecraft launched Saturday on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 4:47 a.m. EST.
Fri, 09 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
RS-25 Engine Testing Blazes Forward for NASA's Space Launch System
The new year is off to a hot start for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS). The engine that will drive America's next great rocket to deep space blazed through its first successful test Jan. 9 at the agency's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
Fri, 09 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
NASA Awards Information Technology, Multimedia Services Contract
NASA has exercised the second option of its Information Technology and Multimedia Services (ITAMS) contract with DB Consulting Group, Inc., Silver Spring, Maryland, to provide information technology, multimedia, information management and external relations support services at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Thu, 08 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
Space Station Crew Available for Interviews Live from Orbiting Laboratory
Crew members of Expedition 42, currently aboard the International Space Station, are available for live interviews with media and social media during their mission aboard the orbital laboratory.
Thu, 08 Jan 2015 12:00:00 EDT
NASA Satellite Set to Get the Dirt on Soil Moisture
A new NASA satellite that will peer into the topmost layer of Earth's soils to measure the hidden waters that influence our weather and climate is in final preparations for a Jan. 29 dawn launch from California.