ASTRONOMICAL NEWS

 

Study Reveals Young Mars Was A Wet World

The most comprehensive study ever conducted of minerals on Mars' surface reveals the planet has undergone three distinct geological eras throughout its history, with water playing a progressively lesser role in each.

To read the article, go to Space.com

 
 

SOME EAST COAST STATES HAVE DRIEST MARCH EVER, SEVERE DROUGHT CONTINUES IN SOUTHWEST, SOUTHERN PLAINS, RECORD RAINFALL IN HAWAII

It was the driest March on record for five East Coast states and the wettest month in parts of the Hawaiian Islands, according to scientists at the NOAA National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. March 2006 also was warmer than usual, with an average temperature of 44.0 degrees F, or 1.5 degrees above the 1895-2005 statistical mean.

To learn more, visit NOAA

 
 

CloudSat and Calipso Sunday Morning Launch Postponed

The Sunday morning launch of NASA's CloudSat and Calipso from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., has been postponed. Mission managers are reviewing the next available launch opportunity. The refueling aircraft required to maintain the radar tracking plane was unavailable to support a launch attempt on Sunday.
 
  To learn more go to NASA's site.


 
 
 
 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEEK'S SKY

What's happening in the sky this week?
For details, see This Week's Sky at a Glance and Planet Roundup:
Thanks to Sky & Telescope for this article.
© 2005 Sky Publishing Corp.
used by permission