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Mars rover briefing
Officials discuss the extended missions for the Mars rovers and present the latest pictures at this briefing from Thursday, April 8. (34min 10sec file)
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Gravity Probe-B preview
Scientists and mission officials preview the Gravity Probe-B project in this pre-flight news briefing from Friday, April 2. (62min 25sec file)
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NEW! X-43A in infrared
This newly-released infrared video, captured by a U.S. Army aircraft tracking the launch, shows the X-43A research vehicle flying away from its Pegasus rocket booster.
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NEW! Aboard Pegasus
A camera mounted on the Pegasus rocket booster shows the X-43A research vehicle separating to perform its scramjet experiment over the Pacific Ocean.
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This date in history
On April 5, 1991, space shuttle Atlantis lifted off from Kennedy Space Center carrying the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory -- NASA's second Great Observatory. (3min 15sec file)
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SOHO sees its 750th comet
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY NEWS RELEASE
Posted: April 11, 2004

On March 22, the ESA/NASA SOHO solar observatory spacecraft discovered its 750th comet since its launch in December 1995.


Here the comet is seen by SOHO LASCO C3. The LASCO coronagraph on SOHO, designed for seeing outbursts from the Sun, uses a mask to block the bright rays from the visible surface. Credits: ESA/NASA
 
SOHO comet 750 was discovered by the German amateur astronomer Sebastian Honig, one of the most successful SOHO comet-hunters. It was a part of the Kreutz family of "sungrazing" comets, which usually evaporate in the hot solar atmosphere.

The LASCO coronagraph on SOHO, designed for seeing outbursts from the Sun, uses a mask to block the bright rays from the visible surface. It monitors a large volume of surrounding space and, as a result, has become the most prolific 'discoverer' of comets in the history of astronomy. Its images are displayed on the internet.

More than 75% of the discoveries have come from amateur comet hunters around the world, watching these freely available SOHO images on the internet. So, anyone with internet access can take part in the hunt for new comets and be a "comet discoverer!"


Here the comet is seen by SOHO LASCO C2 when somewhat closer to the Sun. The LASCO coronagraph on SOHO, designed for seeing outbursts from the Sun, uses a mask to block the bright rays from the visible surface. Credits: ESA/NASA
 
SOHO spacecraftSOHO is a mission of international co-operation between ESA and NASA, launched in December 1995. Every day SOHO sends thrilling images from which research scientists learn about the Sun's nature and behaviour. Experts around the world use SOHO images and data to help them predict 'space weather' events affecting our planet.