European Association for Astronomy Education

Source: ESA

Credits: N. Reul, IFREMER/CATDS.

Over a dozen radio signals that have hindered data collection on ESA’s SMOS water mission have been switched off. The effort also benefits satellites such as NASA’s Aquarius mission, which measures ocean salinity at the same frequency. (read more)

Source: NASA Science Casts

Source: ESA/Hubble Science Release heic1209

Stellar flare hits HD 189733b (artist's impression) .
Image credits: NASA, ESA, L. Calçada

Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have seen dramatic changes in the upper atmosphere of a faraway planet. Just after a violent flare on its parent star bathed it in intense X-ray radiation, the planet’s atmosphere gave off a powerful burst of evaporation. The observations give a tantalising glimpse of the changing climates and weather on planets outside our Solar System.(read more)

Source: ESA

Excavating water-rich rocks.
Image credits: Mars Express HRSC, ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum);
NASA/MOLA Science Team; D. Loizeau et al.

By studying rocks blasted out of impact craters, ESA’s Mars Express has found evidence that underground water persisted at depth for prolonged periods during the first billion years of the Red Planet’s existence.(read more)