from © Express Science News

May 1, 2000

One year ago this week killer tornadoes raged across Oklahoma. Now, NASA scientists are figuring out how to predict such storms using lightning data from Earth-orbit.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast01may_1 m.htm

Spotting Tornadoes from Space

May 2, 2000

The eta Aquarid meteor shower, caused by bits of debris from Halley's Comet, will peak on May 5-6, 2000. Lunar observers will be watching the Moon on the nights after the shower for possible signs of meteorite impacts.

FULL STORY at

http://www.spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast02may_1.htm

5/5/2000: The Meteor Shower

May 3, 2000

A team of explorers including astrobiologist Richard Hoover and astronauts Jim Lovell and Owen Garriott traveled to Antarctica in January 2000 to search for meteorites and extreme-loving microbes. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast03may_1m.htm

A Mid-summer's Microbe Hunt

May 9, 2000

The Sun appeared nearly featureless this weekend as the sunspot area dropped 10 times below its average value. Nevertheless, scientists say Solar Max is still on the way. FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast09may_1m.htm

Solar Ups and Downs

May 11, 2000 Images made by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory show for the first time the full impact of the actual blast wave from Supernova 1987A. The observations are the first time that X-rays from a shock wave have been imaged at such an early stage of a supernova explosion.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast11may_1m.htm

Impact! Chandra images a young supernova blast wave

May 12, 2000

NASA scientists have discovered unexpected spiral-shaped flames on Earth. By studying these peculiar flames, researchers hope to mitigate fire hazards on spacecraft and gain new insights about complex systems in nature.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast12may_1.htm

Not Just Another Old Flame

May 16, 2000

The planets Venus and Jupiter will pass less than 42 arcseconds apart on May 17. Because the pair is so close to the Sun, only the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory will have a good view of the close encounter, which is similar to the "Christmas Star" conjunction of 2 BC.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast16may_1.htm?list

A Christmas Star for SOHO

May 15, 2000

A black hole binary star system called XTE J1550-564 has recently become one of the brightest sources in the x-ray sky. Astronomers are fascinated by fluctuations in the x-ray emission from this source, which if converted to sound waves would feel like the deep rumbling vibrations from a bass speaker at a rock 'n roll concert. FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast15may_1m.htm

The Humming Black Hole

May 17, 2000

Students from around the country will take control of a prototype Mars rover named FIDO as it explores a western Nevada desert. The FIDO rover is a testbed for future missions, including the proposed Mars Mobile Lander that is currently under study for a possible launch in 2003.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast17may_1.htm?list

Heel, FIDO, Heel!

May 18, 2000

Just last month, scientists were predicting that current La Niña conditions would persist, but now data from Earth-orbiting satellites show that it may be on the decline. Is it too soon to revise the 2000 hurricane forecast?

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast18may_1m.htm

To Be or Not to Be, La Niña?

May 19, 2000

This weekend NASA's Galileo spacecraft will pass 808 km above the surface of our solar system's largest moon, Ganymede. The spacecraft will hunt for signs of mysterious "cryptovolcanoes" and collect new data on Ganymede's unique magnetic field. This story includes plasma wave audio sounds from Ganymede's magnetosphere recorded during a previous flyby.

FULL STORY at

http://spacescience.com/headlines/y2000/ast19may_1.htm

Great Ganymede!

May 19, 2000

The latest images of Io from NASA's Galileo spacecraft reveal a bizarre world of hot volcanoes, sulfurous snowfields, and slip-sliding mountains.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2000/ast19may_2.htm?list

The Secret Lives of Alien Volcanoes

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