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Comet

interstellar visitor

In a first, scientists spotted an ‘interstellar visitor’ in our solar system

Science

The quarter-mile-wide hunk of space rock is affectionately being called “A/2017 U1.”

Comet Lovejoy has probably passed through the inner solar system at least once already—we just weren't alive to see it.

Look hard and you can see Comet Lovejoy lighting up the night sky

Science
An artist's concept of NASA's MAVEN spacecraft approaching Mars. The probe entered Mars orbit on September 21.

A NASA spacecraft reaches Mars just in time to see an unexpected guest

Science
Thanksgiving Obamacare

Obama’s having trouble fitting his turkey into the oven this year

Global Scan

The Living on Earth Almanac

The World

Profile of a Scientist: Lucy McFadden

Despite the advances women have made in the sciences, few women have entered the field of astronomy. Lucy McFadden is one of them. The NASA scientist is trying to discover the make-up of comets and asteroids. The answers may provide clues to the beginnings of our solar system and earth itself.

The World

Hunting asteroids before they hunt earth

Environment

This morning, The Takeaway talks with Dr. Timothy B. Spahr about the asteroid tracking system and a new article in Nature that reports on the composition of the asteroid he recently tracked: it landed in Sudan.