1. Near-Earth Asteroid 2004 MN4 Reaches Highest Score To Date On Hazard Scale
It may sound like an Urban Legend, but it's not. A recently rediscovered 400-meter Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) is predicted to pass near the Earth on 13 April 2029. The flyby distance is uncertain and an Earth impact cannot yet be ruled out. New impact monitoring results indicate that the impact probability for April 13, 2029 has risen to about 1.6%, which for an object of this size corresponds to a rating of 4 on the ten-point Torino Scale.2. SpaceShipOne Captures X Prize - First Successful Private Space Ship
With an announcement posted on the X Prize website, Scaled Composites's SpaceShipOne has completed its second required flight and secured the $10 million Ansari X Prize. Blasting to an altitude of 364,000 feet (70 miles) aboard SpaceShipOne, eight miles beyond what was needed, pilot Brian Binnie "made history," in the words of Peter Diamandis, co-founder of the X Prize Foundation, whose $10 million award was intended to spur civilian spaceflight.3. Progress Cargo Craft Docks to International Space Station
Just when it looked like the crew of the International Space Station might have to abandon ship, an unpiloted Russian cargo carrier docked to the International Space Station December 25 with a Christmas delivery of 2.5 tons of food, fuel, oxygen, water, supplies and gifts for Commander Leroy Chiao and Cosmonaut Salizhan Sharipov.4. Total Lunar Eclipse: October 27-28, 2004 - Last Eclipse of 2004
The last lunar eclipse of 2004 occured on the evening of Wednesday, October 27 (in Europe, it occured during the early morning hours of Thursday, October 28). This event was a total lunar eclipse (Moon eclipse) which was visible from North & South America as well as Europe, Africa & Antarctica. During such an eclipse, the Moon's disk can take on a dramatically colorful appearance from bright orange to blood red to dark brown & (rarely) very dark gray.5. NASA Space Pioneer John Young Retires - Astronaut Without Equal
Space pioneer John Young, who flew twice to the moon, walked on its surface & commanded the first Space Shuttle mission, is retiring.His achievements during his 42-year career at NASA are unmatched. The 1st human to fly in space 6 times & launch 7 times, 6 from Earth & 1 from the moon. The only astronaut to pilot 4 different types of spacecraft, flying in the Gemini, Apollo & Space Shuttle programs. The longest serving astronaut in history, his retirement from NASA is effective Dec. 31, 2004.
6. Cassini Uncovers Two New Saturn Moons
With eyes sharper than any that have peered at Saturn before, the Cassini spacecraft uncovered 2 moons, which may be the smallest bodies so far seen around Saturn.The moons are: approximately 3 km and 4 km across, smaller than the city of Boulder, CO; located 194,000 km and 211,000 km from the planet's center, between the orbits Mimas and Enceladus. They are provisionally named S/2004 S1 and S/2004 S2.
7. Opportunity Rover Finds Strong Evidence Meridiani Planum Was Wet
Scientists have concluded the part of Mars that NASA's Opportunity rover is exploring was soaking wet in the past.Evidence the rover found in a rock outcrop led scientists to the conclusion. Clues from the rocks' composition, such as the presence of sulfates, and the rocks' physical appearance, such as niches where crystals grew, helped make the case for a watery history.
8. Evidence Of Meteor Impact Found Off Australian Coast
An impact crater believed to be associated with the "Great Dying," the largest extinction event in the history of life on Earth, appears to be buried off the coast of Australia.NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded the major research project headed by Luann Becker, a scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).
9. President Ronald Reagan Honored From Space
This year, we lost the 40th president of the United States, Ronald Reagan. Astronaut Mike Fincke and cosmonaut Gennady Padalka paid tribute to President Ronald Reagan during a video downlink message from the International Space Station. This article include text from that message.10. Venus Transit 2004
On June 8, 2004, a very rare astronomical event took place. A Transit, or passage of a planet in front of the Sun, could be considered a special kind of eclipse. Unlike the events we normally call eclipses, though, a planetary transit does not block a very large portion of the Sun's light.This was the first chance to see one since 1882. The next time we'll see one will be in 2012.
