On Thursday, NASA released findings that indicate magnetic explosions about one-third of the way to the moon cause the northern lights, or aurora borealis, to burst in spectacular shapes and colors, and dance across the sky.    The findings should help scientists better understand the more powerful but less common geomagnetic storms that can knock out satellites, harm astronauts in orbit and disrupt power and communications  ( Full Story)

Our galaxy cranks out about 10 new stars per year. Now astronomers have found one near the beginning of time that's generating a whopping 4,000 a year. At that rate, the galaxy needs only 50 million years to grow into one equivalent to the most massive ever observed.  In the so-called Hierarchical Model of galaxy formation, galaxies are supposed to slowly bulk up their stars over time by absorbing tiny pieces of galaxies, rather than in one big burst.       ( Full Story)

 Scientists said today they have "found proof" of water ice on Mars away from the polar ice caps, a discovery made by NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander.The finding is a crucial first step toward learning whether the ground on Mars is hospitable, because all life as we know it requires water. Now scientists can get on with the business of studying the chemistry of Mars dirt in more detail.  (Full Story))

 ST. LOUIS — There's a new extrasolar planet on the block: a mini-orb likely covered with a deep ocean. And it takes the record for the lowest mass exoplanet to orbit a normal star, astrophysicists announced today. The li'l planet — weighing in at three times Earth's mass ­— grabs the lightweight title from a five Earth-mass planet just announced in April.  The super-Earth is called MOA-2007-BLG-192Lb, after its host star MOA-2007-BLG-192L, which is located about 3,000 light-years from Earth. (A light-year is the distance light travels in one year, or about 5.88 trillion miles. (Full Story)

Venus is made of the same stuff of Earth, but is bone-dry, hot enough to melt lead and has a chokingly thick atmosphere. It even spins backwards.  Astronomers have spent decades trying to explain Venus' mysterious properties. Now one scientist thinks the planet's formation may explain all: Two huge, protoplanetary bodies collided head-on and merged to form our planetary neighbor, but obliterated nearly all water in the process.              (Full Story)

Decatur Area Astronomy Club, in cooperation with  the Macon County Conservation District will host  a public viewing session Wednesday, February 20, 2008 of the total lunar eclipse.   This will be the last total eclipse of the moon visible from the United States until  until December 2010.  Viewing begins at 7:00 pm at Rocks Spring Center in Decatur Il.  (For More Details Click Here))

Astronomers have announced that a mystery object orbiting a star 170 light-years from Earth might have formed from the collision and merger of two protoplanets. The object, known as 2M1207B, has puzzled astronomers since its discovery because it seems to fall outside the spectrum of physical possibility            (Full Story)

The moon formed after a nasty planetary collision with young Earth, yet it looks odd next to its watery orbital neighbor. Turns out it really is odd: Only about one in every 10 to 20 solar systems may harbor a similar moon   (Full Story)

 On Wednesday a faint comet way out between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter suddenly became a naked-eye "star." It's still an easy naked-eye sight, despite the moonlight...t. (Full Story)

Obital Diagram of Comet Holmes click here

 Decatur Area Astronomy Club is proud to announce that ViewSpace, the internet-fed self-updating, permanent exhibit from the Space Telescope Science Institute, home of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope and its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, is now open to the public...   (Full Story)

. The Cassini spacecraft will perform its closest flyby ever of Saturn's ice-spewing moon Enceladus early next year, moving directly into its icy polar geyser for a deep-space shower. (Full Story)

NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory has revealed an X-ray jet blasting away from a neutron star in a binary system. This discovery may help astronomers understand how neutron stars as well as black holes can generate powerful beams of relativistic particles. (Full Story)

 Thursday, May 31 brings us the second of two full Moons for North Americans this month. Some almanacs and calendars assert that when two full Moons occur within a calendar month, that the second full Moon is called the "Blue Moon."   (Full Story)

 Astronomers have laid down the cosmic equivalent of yellow 'caution' tape around super hot stars, marking the zones where cooler stars are in danger of having their developing planets blasted away.       (Full Story)

  In a galaxy far, far away, a massive star suffered a nasty double whammy. On Oct. 20, 2004, Japanese amateur astronomer Koichi Itagaki saw the star let loose an outburst so bright that it was initially mistaken for a supernova. The star survived, but for only two years. On Oct. 11, 2006, professional and amateur astronomers witnessed the star actually blowing itself to smithereens as Supernova 2006jc.   (Full Story)

It's been business as usual on the Red Planet this month as the Mars Exploration Rovers investigated new areas on their ever-moving missions to explore Gusev Crater and Meridiani Planum. Both Spirit and Opportunity chalked up yet another productive month of field geology as they roved onward in their fourth year on location.      (Full Story)

One of the most bizarre weather patterns known has been photographed at Saturn, where astronomers have spotted a huge, six-sided feature circling the north pole.  Rather than the normally sinuous cloud structures seen on all planets that have atmospheres, this thing is a hexagon.      (Full Story)