Space Science

The brightness of a star is measured several ways: how it appears from Earth, how bright it would appear from a standard distance and how much energy it emits.

BOSTON (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks kept taking the lead until there were no more chances for Boston to come back and tie it.

James Gandolfini, who won three Emmy Awards for his indelible role as mob boss Tony Soprano in HBO's "The Sopranos," died while on vacation in Italy at age 51. While Tony Soprano was a larger-than-life figure, Gandolfini was exceptionally modest and obsessive — he described himself as "a 260-pound Woody Allen." HBO called the actor a "special man, a great talent, but more importantly a gentle and loving person who treated everyone, no matter their title or position, with equal respect."

MINEOLA, N.Y. (AP) — Former investigators are pushing to reopen the probe into the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800, saying new evidence points to the often-discounted theory that a missile strike may have downed the jumbo jet.

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Bruins came from behind to tie the Chicago Blackhawks for the third time and sent Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals into overtime with the teams even 5-5 on Wednesday night.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Gandolfini, whose portrayal of a brutal, emotionally delicate crime boss in HBO's "The Sopranos" was the brilliant center of one of TV's greatest drama series and turned the mobster stereotype on its head, died Wednesday in Italy. He was 51.

BOSTON (AP) — Jonathan Toews broke a scoring slump in Chicago's three-goal onslaught in the second period against previously stingy goalie Tuukka Rask, and the Blackhawks led the Boston Bruins 4-3 through two periods in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals on Wednesday night.

Moon, Mars, or Asteroids, Which is the Best Destination for Solar System Development?, Dennis Wingo "The Moon!, no Mars!, no Asteroids! Here we are in the second decade of the 21st century and in the NASA, space advocacy, and commercial space worlds one of these three destinations are being touted (largely to the exclusion of others) for their value to science, human exploration, and economic development, but which one of them is the most valuable, the most deserving, of our attention? This argument is taking place today in the vacuum of space policy that we currently live in without any unifying principles or policy to inform our decisions. Without a guiding policy and sense of purpose that encompasses more than narrow interests and singular destinations it is exceedingly likely that the human exploration and development of the solar system will continue to be an expensive and futile exercise. We must develop a firm moral, technological, and fiscal foundation for this outward move that will attract capital investment, spur technology development, and encourage innovation in a manner that people can understand, believe in, and thus financially support."

The death in Italy of James Gandolfini, who played Mafia boss Tony Soprano on the popular HBO show "The Sopranos," was part of an unusual convergence of mob-related news making headlines this week. Here's a look:

The death in Italy of James Gandolfini, who played Mafia boss Tony Soprano on the popular HBO show "The Sopranos," was part of an unusual convergence of mob-related news making headlines this week. Here's a look: