A false-color image taken by Opportunity shows the rover's tracks.

Those amazing Mars rovers are still at it after their 5th birthday. Although it was a dark and dusty winter for Spirit, the rover appears to still be alive and may have a new destination, since more sunlight is available to power the rover during Martian spring and summer. Opportunity is already off to its new adventure at Victoria Crater, six miles (10 km) away.

• NASA's Mars Rover Web site.

The Magellan spacecraft took this image of Venus.

Venus has graced the evening sky for months now, and in the next few weeks it approaches its highest (Jan. 14) and brightest (Feb. 20) in evening sky. Venus is always brighter than the brightest stars — bright enough to be seen even in the middle of the day, if you know where to look. On dark nights, it can be bright enough to cause shadows. Look toward the southwest sky after sunset, and Venus appears above where the Sun has set. It will look like a brilliant white star.

• Solar Views information on Venus.
• Sky & Telescope This Week's Sky at a Glance.
• Planet Venus on observing Venus.

The Sun sets on Mars in this image taken by the Spirit rover.

Mars has an extremely thin atmosphere compared to Earth’s. But scientists think the red planet once had a thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide. Where did it go? Scientists now think it’s possible that Mars’ uneven magnetic field may have contributed to the stripping away of the atmosphere by the solar wind.

• Science Daily on the solar wind question.
• Science@NASA on the solar wind and magnetic fields of Mars.

An ATIC probe descends via parachute. Credit: LSU/ATIC

A series of balloon flights over Antarctica was designed to count up the kinds of cosmic rays that shower through the solar system from distant regions of the galaxy. These cosmic rays are usually produced by violent events such as supernovae explosions. The Advanced Thin Ionization Calorimeter (ATIC) detectors did indeed find lots of high energy particles, but many more high energy electrons than expected. This is curious because it is hard for the electrons to travel over large distances — they usually hit something along the way. So they must have come from nearby. But from what?

• Space.com on cosmic rays and dark matter.
• The ATIC Web site.

Artist's concept of the Titan orbiter. Credit: OPFM/NASA

A proposal to learn more about Saturn’s fascinating moon, Titan, involves three parts: an orbiting spacecraft, a hot air balloon, and a surface probe. The landing probe could be fitted with a helicopter rotor that would help transport it from area to area, and a scoop to pick up soil and analyze it. The orbiter would map the surface. And the balloon would examine the hazy atmosphere, potentially similar to that of primordial Earth.

• The Titan Saturn Systems Mission
• Space.com on the potential mission.

Starburst galaxy NGC 1569

Why does a small, nearby, isolated galaxy pump out stars faster than any other galaxy in our local neighborhood? The secret is in the details. Maybe this puzzling galaxy, the loner starburst galaxy NGC 1569, is not as nearby as we thought. Hubble discovered new information about the galaxy using the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 and Advanced Camera for Surveys. Detailed analysis is important for determining accurate distances to galaxies, and therein lies the clue to this mystery.

• HubbleSite news release.

Charged particles emanate from the Sun. Credit: Goddard Space Flight Center

Future astronauts could benefit from a magnetic “umbrella” that deflects harmful space radiation around a spacecraft. The Sun is a constant source of charged particles that stream into space and pose significant threat to astronauts on any long-duration mission, such as to Moon or Mars. Now researchers have come up with a way to avert these dangerous particles and protect traveling space crews.

• BBC quick report on the magnetic shield
• Longer BBC report on the shield.
• NASA asks whether people can go to Mars.

The International Space Station could be in danger from orbiting debris.

Humanity has filled the space near Earth with satellites — and debris. The flotsam, ranging from large satellite pieces to small nuts and bolts, can impact and severely damage functioning satellites and the International Space Station. What can be done? Since satellites are launched by nations, commercial companies and other private entities, all these organizations need to come together globally to look at how to map and control debris.

• Space.com on regulating space "traffic."
• The Google Earth Blog shows space debriws from a destroyed satelllite.