Space and astronomy

• Japanese science faces deep cuts - Premium content

  The government's election promises vowed more support for science, but so far budgets look set to shrink.

  17 November 2009

• Lunar impact tosses up water and stranger stuff - Premium content

  NASA claims definitive detection of Moon water in the Solar System's 'attic'.

  13 November 2009

• Lithium loss may be the planet-hunter's gain - Premium content

  Depletion of the element in stars might be linked to the existence of extrasolar planets.

  11 November 2009

• Mars rover plans its escape - Premium content

  Crunch time approaches for a decision on how to free Spirit from a sand trap.

  5 November 2009

• Supernova mystery solved? - Premium content

  Sooty neutron star could lie at the heart of Cassiopeia A.

  4 November 2009

• Satellite launches to track the world's water - Premium content

  Soil moisture and ocean salinity set to be monitored from space.

  2 November 2009

• Planet hunt delayed - Premium content

  Noise confounds NASA mission to find an Earth twin.

  30 October 2009

• Most distant gamma-ray burst spotted - Premium content

  Observations suggest the early Universe is ripe for exploration.

  28 October 2009

• An intergalactic race in space and time - Premium content

  A burst of γ-rays lets scientists test quantum theories of gravity.

  28 October 2009

• Dark energy rips cosmos and agencies - Premium content

  An international space mission to study an astronomical mystery is foundering.

  27 October 2009