Editing 2002 in science (section)

==Astronomy and space science==
* February 19 – [[NASA]]'s ''[[2001 Mars Odyssey]]'' [[space probe]] begins to map the surface of [[Mars]] using its thermal emission imaging system.
* May 26 – The ''Mars Odyssey'' finds signs of huge water ice deposits on the planet Mars.
* June 4 – The ringed [[dwarf planet]] [[Quaoar]] is discovered by astronomers [[Chad Trujillo]] and [[Michael E. Brown|Michael Brown]] at the [[Palomar Observatory]].<ref name=jpldataquaoar>{{cite web |type=2023-08-31 last obs |title=JPL Small-Body Database Browser: 50000 Quaoar ({{mp|2002 LM|60}}) |work=NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory |url=https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=Quaoar |access-date=5 July 2024 }}</ref>
* June 6 – [[2002 Eastern Mediterranean event]]: An object with an estimated diameter of 10 meters impacts with Earth's atmosphere over the Mediterranean and detonates in mid-air.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spacedaily.com/news/deepimpact-02s.html|title=Near-Earth Objects Pose Threat, General Says|last=Bosker|first=A. J.|date=2002-09-17|website=Space Daily|accessdate=2016-06-04}}</ref>
* June 10 – [[Solar eclipse of June 10, 2002]]: Annular solar [[eclipse]].
* September 25 – 2002 Vitim event: Possible [[bolide]] impact in [[Irkutsk Oblast]], Russia.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2009/09/0925vitim-meteorite/|title=Mysterious Meteorite Dazzles Siberia|last=Alfred|first=Randy|date=2009-09-25|magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|access-date=2016-06-04}}</ref>
* December 4 – [[Solar eclipse of December 4, 2002]]: Total solar eclipse.