Project News

Origin of Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Remains a Mystery

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • September 19th, 2011

Observations from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission indicate the family of asteroids some believed was responsible for the demise of the dinosaurs is not likely the culprit, keeping open the case on one of Earth's greatest mysteries.

NASA'S Wise Mission Discovers Coolest Class of Stars

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • August 23rd, 2011

Scientists using data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have discovered the coldest class of star-like bodies, with temperatures as cool as the human body.

NASA's WISE Finds Earth's First Trojan Asteroid

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • July 27th, 2011

Astronomers studying observations taken by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission have discovered the first known "Trojan" asteroid orbiting the sun along with Earth. Trojans are asteroids that share an orbit with a planet near stable points in front of or behind the planet....

WISE Delivers Millions of Galaxies, Stars, Asteroids

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • April 14th, 2011

Astronomers across the globe can now sift through hundreds of millions of galaxies, stars and asteroids collected in the first bundle of data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission.

Can WISE Find the Hypothetical 'Tyche'?

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • February 18th, 2011

In November 2010, the scientific journal Icarus published a paper by astrophysicists John Matese and Daniel Whitmire, who proposed the existence of a binary companion to our sun, larger than Jupiter, in the long-hypothesized "Oort cloud" -- a faraway repository of small icy bodies at the edge of...

NASA's NEOWISE Completes Scan for Asteroids and Comets

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • February 1st, 2011

NASA's NEOWISE mission has completed its survey of small bodies, asteroids and comets, in our solar system. The mission's discoveries of previously unknown objects include 20 comets, more than 33,000 asteroids in the main belt between Mars and Jupiter, and 134 near-Earth objects (NEOs).

Runaway Star Plows Through Space

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • January 24th, 2011

A massive star flung away from its former companion is plowing through space dust. The result is a brilliant bow shock, seen in a new image from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. The star, named Zeta Ophiuchi, is huge, with a mass of about 20 times that of our sun. In this...

Partner Galaxies Wildly Different In New WISE Image

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • Project News • January 13th, 2011

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer has captured a new view of two companion galaxies -- a somewhat tranquil spiral beauty and its rambunctious partner blazing with smoky star formation. The unlikely pair, named Messier 81 and Messier 82, got to know each other a lot better during an...

Origin of Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Remains a Mystery

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • September 19th, 2011

Observations from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission indicate the family of asteroids some believed was responsible for the demise of the dinosaurs is not...

NASA'S Wise Mission Discovers Coolest Class of Stars

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • August 23rd, 2011

Scientists using data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) have discovered the coldest class of star-like bodies, with temperatures as cool as the human body.

NASA's WISE Finds Earth's First Trojan Asteroid

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • July 27th, 2011

Astronomers studying observations taken by NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) mission have discovered the first known "Trojan" asteroid orbiting the sun along...

WISE Delivers Millions of Galaxies, Stars, Asteroids

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • April 14th, 2011

Astronomers across the globe can now sift through hundreds of millions of galaxies, stars and asteroids collected in the first bundle of data from NASA's Wide-field Infrared...

Can WISE Find the Hypothetical 'Tyche'?

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • February 18th, 2011

In November 2010, the scientific journal Icarus published a paper by astrophysicists John Matese and Daniel Whitmire, who proposed the existence of a binary companion to our...

NASA's NEOWISE Completes Scan for Asteroids and Comets

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • February 1st, 2011

NASA's NEOWISE mission has completed its survey of small bodies, asteroids and comets, in our solar system. The mission's discoveries of previously unknown objects include 20...

Runaway Star Plows Through Space

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • January 24th, 2011

A massive star flung away from its former companion is plowing through space dust. The result is a brilliant bow shock, seen in a new image from NASA's Wide-field Infrared...

Partner Galaxies Wildly Different In New WISE Image

Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer • January 13th, 2011

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer has captured a new view of two companion galaxies -- a somewhat tranquil spiral beauty and its rambunctious partner blazing with smoky...