Vote Now! Top Space Stories of the Week - Nov. 18

Page 1 of 2:

Page 1

Solar Eclipse Over Australia, Tracking Space Junk and the Mystery of Tycho Brahe's Death

Eclipse Seen Over Cairns, Australia — Matt Burton

Last week we saw a total solar eclipse over Australia, tested a new way to track space junk and found a galaxy 13.3 billion light years from Earth. See the top stories of the last week here.

FIRST STOP: 'Orphan' Alien Planet Found

'Orphan' Alien Planet Found

Nearby 'Orphan' Alien Planet — ESO/L. Calçada/P. Delorme/Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org)/R. Saito/VVV Consortium

Astronomers have discovered a lonely planet wandering though space without a star to orbit.[Full Story]

NEXT: Farthest Galaxy in the Universe Discovered

Farthest Known Galaxy in the Universe Discovered

The farthest known galaxy MACS0647-JD is 13.3 billion light-years from Earth and was born 420 million years after the Big Bang. — NASA, ESA, and M. Postman and D. Coe (STScI) and CLASH Team

Astronomers have discovered a candidate for the farthest galaxy yet found in our universe, a galaxy 13.3 billion light years from Earth that formed just 420 million years after the Big Bang.[Full Story]

NEXT: Nuclear One-Two Punch Could Knock Out Dangerous Asteroid

Nuclear One-Two Punch Could Knock Out Dangerous Asteroid

World Action Plan Emerging to Combat Asteroid Threat — ESA

Humanity could knock out a dangerous asteroid using a one-two combination that ends with a nuclear explosion, some scientists say. [Full Story]

NEXT: Tycho Brahe Died from Pee, Not Poison

Tycho Brahe Died from Pee, Not Poison

Two years after Tycho Brahe was exhumed from his grave in Prague, chemical analyses of his corpse show that mercury poisoning did not kill the prolific 16th-century astronomer. The results should put to bed rumors that Brahe was murdered when he most likely died of a burst bladder. [Full Story]

NEXT: Astronauts Could Survive Mars Radiation

Astronauts Could Survive Mars Radiation

Curiosity Rover's Hi-Res Self-Portrait — NASA/JPL-Caltech/Malin Space Science Systems

Radiation levels at the Martian surface appear to be roughly similar to those experienced by astronauts in low-Earth orbit, NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has found. [Full Story]

NEXT: DARPA Enlists Amateurs to Track Space Junk

US Military Enlists Amateurs to Track Space Junk

Space Junk Orbiting Earth — Melrae Pictures/Space Junk 3D

The U.S. military is launching a far-out neighborhood watch. But instead of warding off burglars, these amateur watchdogs are tracking orbital debris and possible satellite collisions in Earth orbit. [Full Story]

NEXT: Rare Total Solar Eclipse Over Australia, South Pacific

Rare Total Solar Eclipse Darkens Skies Over Australia, South Pacific

The moon blocked out the sun in a total solar eclipse today, briefly turning dawn back into night over parts of northern Australia and the southern Pacific Ocean. [Full Story]

NEXT: Planet-Hunting Mission Goes Into Overtime

NASA's Prolific Planet-Hunting Mission Goes Into Overtime

NASA's Kepler mission is searching for Earth-like planets by looking for them to cross the face of alien stars. — NASA

NASA’s prolific planet-hunting Kepler Space Telescope has entered the extended phase of its mission. [Full Story]

NEXT: Mars Ripe for 'Cold Springs'

Mars Ripe for 'Cold Springs'

Arctic Spring Site on Axel Heiberg Island — Melissa Battler

How findings of cold springs in the Arctic, and sulfur isotopes on Devon Island, relate to environments on Mars. Results to be presented at Canadian Space Summit. [Full Story]

NEXT: Rare Meteorites Born In Asteroid Crashes

Rare Meteorites Born In Asteroid Crashes

The Esquel meteorite, consisting of iron-nickel and olivine, was discovered in central Argentina. It — Arlene Schlazer

Rare, gem-studded meteorites that resemble stained-glass windows when backlit may have come from magnetic asteroids that splintered apart in ancient collisions, scientists say. [Full Story]

NEXT: Inside NASA's New Spaceship for Asteroid Missions

Current page: Page 1

Next Page Page 2

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.