Editor's blog

A year ago today saw the launch of Herschel - the European Space Agency's infrared observatory. First results from the mission are now beginning to both online and in a special edition of the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, has mysteriously lost its southern equatorial belt. The belt is typically seen as a dark band just above the great red spot.

Jupiter, Before and After Anthony Wesley

The latest in a line of social science projects, Moon Zoo, has gone online today. As the website puts it....

ESA will provide live video streaming tomorrow (Thursday) of the Herscel results press conference.

The media day will concentrate on the unprecedented study of star formation that Herschel is making in our Galaxy and across the Universe. The initial stages of star birth have largely been shrouded in darkness, obscured by the thick clouds of dust and gas that incubate the youngest stars and Herschel sees through these clouds, revealing the dark side of star formation in unique detail.

In addition, a series of new images will also be released.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft recently completed a 26-hour gravity observation of Saturn's moon Enceladus, sending back data scientists will use to understand the moon's interior composition and structure. The flyby took Cassini through the water-rich plume flaring out from Enceladus' south polar region, with a closest approach of about 100 kilometers (60 miles).