In a cosmic hit-and-run, icy Saturn moon may have flipped

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Enceladus -- a large icy, oceanic moon of Saturn -- may have flipped, the possible victim of an out-of-this-world wallop. While combing through data collected by NASA's Cassini mission during flybys of Enceladus, astronomers have found the first evidence that the moon's axis has reoriented, according to new research published in Icarus.
via Science Daily
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X-ray pulses create 'molecular black hole'

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Scientists have used an ultra-bright pulse of X-ray light to turn an atom in a molecule briefly into a sort of electromagnetic black hole. Unlike a black hole in space, the X-rayed atom does not draw in matter from its surroundings through the force of gravity, but electrons with its electrical charge -- causing the molecule to explode within the tiniest fraction of a second. The study provides important information for analyzing biomolecules using X-ray lasers.
via Science Daily
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Frost on moon's surface: New evidence

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Scientists using data from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter have identified bright areas in craters near the moon's south pole that are cold enough to have frost present on the surface.
via Science Daily
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Giant ringed planet likely cause of mysterious eclipses

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A giant gas planet -- up to 50x the mass of Jupiter, encircled by a ring of dust -- is likely hurtling around a star over 1000 light years away from Earth, according to international team of astronomers.
via Science Daily
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Peek into your genes: NASA one-year mission investigators identify links to vision problems

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Coinciding with May -- Healthy Vision Month, NASA's One-Year Mission investigators are peering into their new findings to help address astronaut vision issues.
via Science Daily
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Approaching the Bubble Nebula

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What would it look like to approach the Bubble Nebula? Blown by the wind and radiation from a massive star, this bubble now spans seven light-years in diameter. The hot star inside is thousands of times more luminous than our Sun, and is now offset from the nebula's center. The visualization starts with a direct approach toward the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) and then moves around the nebula while continuing the approach. The featured time-lapse visualization is extrapolated from images with the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and the WIYN telescope on Kitt Peak in Arizona, USA. The 3D-computer model on which this visualization is based includes artistic interpretations, and distances are significantly compressed.

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