nasa

Via NASA:

Open star cluster NGC 7380 is still embedded in its natal cloud of interstellar gas and dust popularly known as the Wizard Nebula. Seen with foreground and background stars along the plane of our Milky Way galaxy it lies some 8,000 light-years distant, toward the constellation Cepheus.

From MNN:

NASA scientists took time on Wednesday (Nov. 28) to soothe 2012 doomsday fears, warning against the dark side of Mayan apocalypse rumors — frightened children and suicidal teens who truly fear the world may come to an end Dec. 21. These fears are based on misinterpretations of the Mayan calendar. On the 21st, the date of the winter solstice, a calendar cycle called the 13th b'ak'tun comes to an end. Although Maya scholars agree that the ancient Maya would not have seen this day as apocalyptic, rumors have spread that a cosmic event may end life on Earth on that day.

The solar-electric propulsion thruster pictured above ditches burning chemical fuel for xenon ions accelerated by an electric field generated using solar panels. This provides a steady stream of ions that can slowly nudge a spacecraft to high speeds with minimal fuel, making it a good choice for long-range missions.

Check the Wired link below to get the full story--definitely worth the read.

In an effort to emphasize how goddamn tiny we are relative to the rest of the universe, NASA released this composite image of the night sky to the public. Composed of more than a billion stars and 2.7 million images, it serves as a constant reminder of how little of the universe we've explored. Short version: Fund NASA please.

Above we have Neil deGrasse Tyson's address at the 28th National Space Symposium. If you have a free hour in your day I highly recommend watching the whole thing, as deGrasse Tyson addresses everything from Newt Gingrich's proposed moon base to the way space travel is a pervasive force in our everyday culture.