Planetary Astronomy

Book on Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact - Call for photographs and pictures

Bureau des Longitudes ( BdL )

The BdL publishes ephemerides and performs research activities related to solar system objects, celestial mechanics and astrometry.

California Institute of Technology Planetary Sciences

Center for Advanced Space Studies ( CASS )

The Center for Advanced Space Studies is a major research and conference facility built by Universities Space Research Association (USRA) in 1991 in Houston, Texas. Since the completion of the CASS facility in December 1991, it has housed the four Houston activities of USRA: Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), Exploration Science Institute (ESI), Division of Space Life Sciences (DSLS), Division of Educational Programs (DEP).

Center for Earth and Planetary Studies ( CEPS / RPIF )

Center for Earth and Planetary Studies and its Regional Planetary Image Facility (RPIF) located at the National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution are pleased to announce the availability of its WWW server. The purpose of this NASA supported RPIF is to act as a reference library providing planetary science researchers with access to the extensive collection of image data from planetary missions. Currently we are in the process of placing some of the 300,000 photographs and images of the planets and their satellites in our collection online.

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 Collision with Jupiter (NASA-GSFC)

Daily Martian Weather Report

The Daily Martian Weather Report is produced by the Mars Global Surveyor Radio Science Team (MGS RST). When the MGS mapping sequence begins, the page will contain a daily weather report for the planet Mars based on radio occultation measurements of the temperature and pressure profiles of the Martian atmosphere. Currently, the site contains information about the MGS mission and the Radio Science Team, the radio occultation technique for study of planetary atmospheres, profiles of the atmosphere of Venus acquired during occultations of the Magellan spacecraft, and information for K-12 educators interested in e-mail communications between their classes and members of the MGS RST.

Darwin ( Space IR Interferometry Mission )

Darwin is a proposal for a European infrared interferometer in space. Its first aim is to detect Earth-like planets around nearby stars, and then to search for a signature of life, ozone in an atmosphere.

It would also be capable of being used as a general-purpose infrared observatory.

Darwin was proposed to the European Space Agency (ESA) for a Cornerstone Mission in its Horizon 2000 Plus plan. In October 1995, ESA decided to study such an infrared interferometer as an option for its Interferometer Cornerstone. The Darwin and Edison teams have combined to promote the selection by ESA of this option. The Darwin advocacy team members are also members of the International Working Group on Space Interferometry , a pressure group for this type of mission.

Department of Planetary Sciences and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory ( LPL )

Exploration of Neighboring Planetary Systems ( ExNPS )

NASA's plan for the Exploration of Neighboring Planetary Systems (ExNPS) consists of a long term program of continuous scientific discovery and technological development leading ultimately to the detection and characterization of Earth-like planets around nearby stars.

Icarus ( the International Journal of Solar System Studies )

ICARUS is the official publication of Division of Planetary Sciences and is dedicated to reporting the results of new research-- observational, experimental, or theoretical-- concerning the astronomy, geology, meteorology, physics, chemistry, biology, and other scientific aspects of our solar system or extrasolar systems. It is published monthly by Academic Press, Inc. Of primary interest to researchers is the list of papers submitted to Icarus, similar to the Astrophysical Journal's " yellow pages." We plan on updating this list every 4-6 weeks. This server also contains information for authors planning to submit papers to Icarus and subscription information.

Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics ( LASP )

The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics is an institute of the Graduate School of the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado. Members of LASP conduct basic experimental and theoretical research into fundamental questions in the areas of planetary science, atmospheric composition and processes, and solar physics. Members of LASP also explore the potential uses and development of space operations and information systems as well as develop scientific instrumentation.

Life on Mars ?

Information about the results published by a NASA research team pointing to the possibility that a primitive form of microscopic life may have existed on Mars.

McGill University - Earth and Planetary Science

The Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences of McGill University have available an interactive Atlas of impact craters and coronae structures of Venus. The Face of Venus, enables browsers to interactively access a geographical database of these features. Craters or coronae can be selected by size, type, and name status to create user-generated maps of the selected features, as well as a text listing. A dynamic ISMAP is created with clickable areas where users can obtain more information about any feature viewed on the map, or directly from the text list. Users may also elect to examine the distribution of their selected features by using hierarchical cluster analysis to generate a dendrogram of any groupings.

NASA Planetary Data System ( PDS )

The Planetary Data System (PDS) archives and distributes digital data from past and present NASA planetary missions, astronomical observations, and laboratory measurements. The PDS is sponsored by NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications to ensure the long-term usability of data, to stimulate research, to facilitate data access, and to support correlative analysis. Subnodes include: MIT Microwave Subnode , Infrared Subnode , among others. There is a telnet_pds_guest_account at JPL.

Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking ( NEAT )

NEAT is an autonomous celestial observatory located at the USAF/Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) site on Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii. It is designed to complete a comprehensive search of the sky for near-Earth asteroids and comets.

North Carolina State University - Mars Mission Research Center

Co-located at North Carolina State University in Raleigh (NCSU) and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro (A&T), the Mars Mission Research Center (M2RC) is one of eight University Space Engineering Centers established by NASA in 1988. The goal of the Center is to focus on research and educational technologies necessary for planetary exploration, especially transportation to and from Mars.

Planetary Science Institute ( PSI )

The Planetary Science Institute (PSI) is a non-profit organization ( a division of San Juan Institute) that conducts a wide variety of basic research in planetary science and allied fields. Established in Tucson, Arizona, in 1972, the Institute has a number of multi-faceted research programs in planetary astronomy, lunar and planetary geology, and planetary geophysics and dynamics. PSI's Astrophysics Group conducts research on cataclysmic variables, CCD observational techniques and instrumentation, multi-wavelength observations, faint object photometry, and extra-Solar planet searches. PSI currently emphasizes Mars, satellites, asteroids , and comets, as well as the origin of planets. Our scientists have participated in NASA spacecraft missions, such as Mariner 9, Viking, and Mars Observer, and are presently involved in the Galileo Mission to Jupiter and the NEAR Mission to Eros.

Planetry Society

In 1980, Carl Sagan and Bruce Murray founded The Planetary Society to promote the exploration of our solar system (and others) and the search for extraterrestrial life. In its first year, the Society became the fastest growing nonprofit membership organization of the decade. We now number over 100,000 members around the world--the largest nongovernmental space organization on Earth.

Saturn Ring Plane Crossings of 1995-1996 ( JPL )

During 1995 and 1996, the rings of Saturn will be seen edge-on from the Earth's perspective on three ocassions, and from the Sun's perspective once. This is a rare event that only occurs every 15 years. The triple ring plane crossings are particularly favorable in providing astronomers a unique opportunity to observe Saturn's rings and moons.

Shaukat on Moon Sighting ( Earliest Crescent Moon Sighting )

Earliest visibility of moon across the globe, calculated by the latest criterion developed by Shaukat

The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopedia

This resource, maintained by Jean Schneider (Observatoire de Paris), provides updated information about the search for extrasolar planets.
It includes a Catalog of Extrasolar Planets and a list of meetings.

Universities Space Research Association ( USRA )

The Universities Space Research Association (USRA) is a private, nonprofit corporation organized in 1969 by the National Academy of Sciences at the request of NASA. Upon incorporation, the Association was vested in a consortium of universities. That consortium now consists of seventy-eight member universities.The Association is chartered to provide a means through which universities and other research organizations may cooperate with one another, with the government of the United States and with other organizations toward the development of knowledge associated with space science and technology. The Association is further chartered to acquire, plan, construct and operate laboratories and other facilities for research, development and education associated with space science and technology.

University of California, LA - Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics ( IGPP )

University of Maryland - Planetary Data System ( PDSSBN )

This node is currently located in the Astronomy Department of the University of Maryland, College Park. It supports the publicly accessible files for the Planetary Data System Small Bodies Node, and the Shoemaker-Levy 9 Bulletin Board.

University of Melbourne - School of Physics: Astrophysics Group

USGS Flagstaff Space Mission Support

Browse the Solar System - Information about the Solar System and products created by the USGS. Current Activities, NASA Missions - Some of the NASA missions and other projects on which our scientists are currently working. Databases - Space mission databases maintained by USGS Flagstaff Field Center.