News Flash: It's Snowing on Mars! (really!)

1. Snow has been detected falling from clouds on Mars with the Phoenix lander. None has been seen hitting the ground, although this will be monitored. Phoenix's onboard laboratory has detected molecules on Mars that indicate past presence of liquid water (and life??). Ice is now at the landing site about 3 inches under the surface.

2. On the Hubble Space Telescope, a serious computer glitch has stopped transmission of data to the ground. A transfer to a backup system is currently being attempted, although the next shuttle, STS-125, has been delayed until next year. This is because, if this backup ever fails, the Hubble is out of commission, and another backup may be sent via this flight.

3. Yesterday, October 2, is the 400th birthday of the invention of the telescope by Hans Lippershey. A few months later, Galileo used an early telescope to look at the heavens for the first time. As a result, next year has been declared the International Year of Astronomy.

4. NASA was 50 years old on October 1.

5. 51 years ago tomorrow (October 4), the former Soviet Union shocked the world by launching the first satellite into space, Sputnik 1.