Vote Now! Best Space Stories of the Week - March 31, 2013

Mini-Supernovas, Green Meteorites and A Game of Thrones Planet

Christine Pulliam (CfA)

In the last week, astronomers discovered mini-supernovas, saw a comet dance with the northern lights and studied a green meteorite. See the top stories of the last week here.

FIRST STOP: Mars vs. Comet in 2014: Scientists Prepare for Red Planet Sky Show

Mars vs. Comet in 2014: Scientists Prepare for Red Planet Sky Show

Kim Poor

The close passage by Mars next year of comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) is providing both opportunity and some anxiety in scientific circles. Discussion is in the early stages to put together a comet-watching campaign using orbiters circling the red planet as well as rovers on the martian surface. [Full Story]

NEXT: NASA Spacecraft Snaps New Photo of Potential 'Comet of the Century'

NASA Spacecraft Snaps New Photo of Potential 'Comet of the Century'

NASA/Swift/D. Bodewits, UMCP

NASA’s Swift satellite caught a new photo of Comet ISON as it makes its way towards the inner solar system. Some scientists expect that the comet will brighten brilliantly by the time it passes by the Earth in November. [Full Story]

NEXT: Seasons on 'Game of Thrones' Planet: How They Work

Seasons on 'Game of Thrones' Planet: How They Work

HBO (via Facebook as Game of Thrones

With the premier of the third season of Game of Thrones just around the corner, the SPACE.com staff was wondering: What kind of planet do the characters live on? [Full Story]

NEXT: Is NASA Seeking $100 Million for Wild Asteroid Capture Mission?

Is NASA Seeking $100 Million for Wild Asteroid Capture Mission?

Rick Sternbach/Keck Institute for Space Studies

NASA's budget request for the 2014 fiscal year may include plans for an ambitious mission to send a robotic probe into deep space, capture and asteroid and haul it back within the reach of astronaut explorers, according to a press report. [Full Story]

NEXT: SpaceX's Dragon Capsule 2.0 Looks Like 'Alien Spaceship,' Elon Musk Says

SpaceX's Dragon Capsule 2.0 Looks Like 'Alien Spaceship,' Elon Musk Says

SpaceX

The newest version of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will look like an “alien spaceship” according to the company’s founder, Elon Musk. [Full Story]

NEXT: Green Meteorite May Be from Mercury, a First

Green Meteorite May Be from Mercury, a First

Stefan Ralew/sr-meteorites.de

Scientists may have discovered the first meteorite from Mercury. The green rock found in Morocco last year could be the first known visitor from the solar system's innermost planet, a meteorite specialist suggests. [Full Story]

NEXT: New US-Russian Crew Docks at Space Station After Super-Fast Flight

New US-Russian Crew Docks at Space Station After Super-Fast Flight

NASA TV

A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying an American astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts is set to dock with the International Space Station at 10:32 p.m. ET, six hours after its launch. This is the first-ever one-day rendezvous in space for a new crew. [Full Story]

NEXT: UFO Memo Is FBI's 'Most Wanted' Record

UFO Memo Is FBI's 'Most Wanted' Record

FBI

The FBI says its most viewed public record is a memo from 1950 recounting a strange story someone told an agent about three "flying saucers" that were allegedly recovered in New Mexico. [Full Story]

NEXT: Mars Rover Curiosity's 7 Biggest Discoveries (So Far)

Mars Rover Curiosity's 7 Biggest Discoveries (So Far)

NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

The top seven accomplishments of NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity to date. [Full Story]

NEXT: Astronaut's Home Videos Show How to Cook in Space

Astronaut's Home Videos Show How to Cook in Space

Canadian Space Agency/Chris Hadfield (Cmdr_Hadfield)

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, the charismatic commander of the space station, has made a point of showing just what living in space is like by posting amazing photos, videos and even sounds of his work in orbit online for the public to enjoy. His latest videos are how to cook in space. [Full Story]

NEXT: Comet and Northern Lights Dance Together in Dazzling Video

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Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.