Saturday 3 December 2011
Jovian Chronicles: December 3-4, 2011 | Astronomy.FM
Jovian Chronicles: December 3-4, 2011 | Astronomy.FM: by Ricky Ford ~ Keeping an eye on Jupiter, with dates and times for transit events of Jupiter's Great Red Spot and four Galilean moons! December
Best Space Photos of the Week Dec. 3, 2011 | Space.com
Best Space Photos of the Week Dec. 3, 2011 | Space.com: From the photo of the birth of a solar system to the Curiosity mission launch, see the most amazing images from space this week.
Lunar mountain range: The Appenines
Via Flickr:
Montes Appeninus is a rugged (30-degree slopes, on average!) mountain range, with peaks running from about 9,600 to well over 16,000 feet high. This mosaic was produced by AutoStitch from two sets of MAP (9-pt) files from two different 450-frame AVIs. Using the MAP technique provides sharp definition across the whole frame, rather than just at the main point of interest. The dark-ish area just right of center is Palus Putredinis and the triangular gap in the mountains there is Hadley Plain, where Apollo 15 landed. The diagonal distance shown in this image is about 600 miles.
Wide Field Image of the Jewel Box - ESO Images
This image of the well-known NGC 4755 cluster or Jewel Box was taken with the Wide Field Imager (WFI) on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory. It highlights the cluster and its rich surroundings in all their multicoloured glory. The field of view is 20 arcminutes across. The picture is based on images obtained through B, V and I filters.
Credit:
ESOComet Hale-Bopp - ESO Images
Comet C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp, on March 14, 1997. On this photo obtained with a telelens, the dust tail fans out to the right, while the bright, well separated blue ion tail is pointing straight away from the Sun.
Credit:
ESO
Mars in 2010
Via Flickr:
Mars reached apparition (closest approach) on 27-Jan-2010, when it was 0.664AU (about 61.7 million miles away. It is now rapidly receding, and it will reach its furthest distance (this cycle) in January-2011, when it will be as far as 2.4 AU.
The images shown here are the best from the given nights, using equivalent processing techniques. In the first image, Mars has an angular size of roughly 14.1 Arcsec; in the last image, only 8.3 Arcsec... and shrinking. For reference, the moon is about 31 Arcminutes (> 100x larger), and Jupiter is about 40 Arcsec.
IC 1848 Soul Nebula - AAPOD 3 Dec 2011
By: Juan Antonio Torres (Juanan), Mutxamel -Alicante (Spain), October 23 2011
As Above, So Below - Nasa APOD: 3 Dec 2011
Image Credit & Copyright: Boris Štromar
Explanation: A single, long exposure captured these star trails above a remarkably colorful sea of clouds. As seen from Medvednica mountain, the surrounding peaks and lights illuminating the clouds from below are north of Zagreb, Croatia. Near the center of the also colorful star trail arcs, the North Celestial Pole is off the upper right edge of the frame. Even though this is the age of the digital camera, the well composed skyscape was recorded using color slide film in a medium format camera. The dreamlike scene's starry sky and ephemeral ocean could be reminiscent of an older age still, when the Pannonian Sea covered this part of central Europe some 10 million years ago.
Supernova SN 2011ii in PGC 20555 Narrowfield IR - Nov 27
Via Flickr:
Technical information:
Total exposure 110 min (11 x 10 min, infrared filter > 700 nm; binned 2x2, scale 1.01 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.27.675
Astrometry: Not done
Photometry: 17.2 +/- 0.1 IR > 700 nm (Jmag as ref)
These data were collected by Joseph Brimacombe using a 42-cm
RCOS and STL6K camera at Coral Towers Observatory, Cairns, Australia.
Technical information:
Total exposure 110 min (11 x 10 min, infrared filter > 700 nm; binned 2x2, scale 1.01 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.27.675
Astrometry: Not done
Photometry: 17.2 +/- 0.1 IR > 700 nm (Jmag as ref)
These data were collected by Joseph Brimacombe using a 42-cm
RCOS and STL6K camera at Coral Towers Observatory, Cairns, Australia.
Measuring a Tiny, Yet Mighty, Black Hole : Discovery News
Measuring a Tiny, Yet Mighty, Black Hole : Discovery News: Astronomers have measured the vital statistics of the black hole living in the famous Cygnus X-1 binary system to a very high precision. The mass and physical
Friday 2 December 2011
Mercury Globe: North Pole - Nasa Messenger Image: Release Date 2 Dec 2011
| Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) and Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) Resolution: 2.5 km/pixel Scale: Mercury's diameter is 4880 kilometers (3030 miles) Map Projection: orthographic Center Latitude: 90° Of Interest: The above image shows an orthographic projection of this global mosaic centered on Mercury's north pole. 0° longitude is down in this image. The black area at the center of this view represents the only remaining image coverage gap of Mercury when using both Mariner 10 and MESSENGER data. The north polar region of Mercury includes a vast area of smooth plains. Hokusai crater is visible just down from center, although its tremendous rays are not prominent under these lighting conditions. | |
| Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington |
Mercury Globe: South Pole - Nasa Messenger Image: Release Date 2 Dec 2011
| Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) and Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) Resolution: 2.5 km/pixel Scale: Mercury's diameter is 4880 kilometers (3030 miles) Map Projection: orthographic Center Latitude: -90° Of Interest: The above image shows an orthographic projection of this global mosaic centered on Mercury's south pole. 0° longitude is up in this image. The area around and including the south pole has been extensively monitored by MDIS. | |
| Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington |
Artist's conception of the Liberty Launch Vehicle: NASA Media Item
PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is an artist's conception of the Liberty Launch Vehicle under development by Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) of Promontory, Utah, for NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP). In 2011, NASA and ATK entered into an unfunded Space Act Agreement during Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) activities to mature the design and development of a crew transportation system with the overall goal of accelerating a United States-led capability to the International Space Station. The goal of CCP is to drive down the cost of space travel as well as open up space to more people than ever before by balancing industry’s own innovative capabilities with NASA's 50 years of human spaceflight experience. Six other aerospace companies also are maturing launch vehicle and spacecraft designs under CCDev2, including Blue Origin, The Boeing Co., Excalibur Almaz Inc., Sierra Nevada Corp., Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), and United Launch Alliance (ULA). For more information, visit www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial
Exoplanets: I’ll Stop the World and Melt With You | Life, Unbounded, Scientific American Blog Network
Exoplanets: I’ll Stop the World and Melt With You | Life, Unbounded, Scientific American Blog Network: Gas giant planets are among the most beautiful and awe-inspiring worlds. In our own solar system we've long gazed at Jupiter's extraordinary swirling atmosphere, where stormy ...
Spaceport America Showcases Private Space Industry's Half-Built Dream | Private & Commerical Spaceflight Industry | Spaceport America New Mexico |
Spaceport America Showcases Private Space Industry's Half-Built Dream | Private & Commerical Spaceflight Industry | Spaceport America New Mexico | Space.com: SPACE.com reporter Clara Moskowitz visits the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport, Spaceport America, in New Mexico. The spaceport is the future home of Virgin Galactic.
Photos: Take a Tour of Spaceport America | First Commercial Spaceport | Home of Virgin Galactic Private Space Plane Fleet | Space.com
Photos: Take a Tour of Spaceport America | First Commercial Spaceport | Home of Virgin Galactic Private Space Plane Fleet | Space.com: SPACE.com's Clara Moskowitz visited Sapceport America near Truth or Consequences, N.M. Spaceport America, home to Virgin Galactic's new private spaceplane fleet, is to be the world's first commercial spaceport.
Smoky Sun: Skywatcher Captures Partial Solar Eclipse Through Chimney Smoke | Solar Eclipse Photos | Skywatching & Night Sky Images | Space.com
Smoky Sun: Skywatcher Captures Partial Solar Eclipse Through Chimney Smoke | Solar Eclipse Photos | Skywatching & Night Sky Images | Space.com: This partial eclipse photo shows the first of four eclipses to occur in 2011. The partial solar eclipse is seen here through chimney smoke.
Station’s Orbit Raised; Science and Orientation for Crew | International Space Fellowship
Station’s Orbit Raised; Science and Orientation for Crew | International Space Fellowship: With tracking data alleviating any further concerns over a possible conjunction with a piece of Russian Cosmos satellite debris, the thrusters on the Zvezda service module were fired for 62
Mars Science Laboratory - Course Excellent, Adjustment Postponed | International Space Fellowship
Mars Science Laboratory - Course Excellent, Adjustment Postponed | International Space Fellowship: PASADENA, Calif. - Excellent launch precision for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory mission has forestalled the need for an early trajectory correction maneuver, now not required for a month or
ESA Portal - ESA's space weather box Proba-2 tracks stormy Sun
ESA Portal - ESA's space weather box Proba-2 tracks stormy Sun: Researchers gathered for European Space Weather Week have been presented with the latest results from ESA’s own space weather station: the Proba-2 microsatellite.
Enceladus Gives Cassini Some Radar Love
Enceladus Gives Cassini Some Radar Love: Cassini’s done it again! Soaring over Saturn’s moon Enceladus back on November 6, the spacecraft obtained the highest-resolution images yet of the moon’s south polar terrain, revealing surface details with visible, infrared and radar imaging that have never been seen
Bringing You There: Atlas V with Curiosity Rover Thunders to Mars
Bringing You There: Atlas V with Curiosity Rover Thunders to Mars: This past Saturday, an Atlas V carrying NASA’s MSL Curiosity Mars rover thundered off the launch pad on the way to Mars. Ever wondered what the rocket launch is like from the roof of the massive VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building)
Skylive - Astrostoria - 2 Dicembre 1993 Programma Space Shuttle: la NASA lancia lo Space Shuttle Endeavour
Skylive - Astrostoria - 2 Dicembre 1993 Programma Space Shuttle: la NASA lancia lo Space Shuttle Endeavour: per una missione di riparazione di un difetto del telescopio spaziale Hubble... - <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 6.0px 0.0px; font: 13.0px Helvetica">è un telescopio posto negli strati esterni dell'atmosfera terrestre, a circa 560 chilometri di altezza, in orbita attorno alla Terra
Possible Supernova PSN J03130662+2837566 in UGC 2593 plus Probable integrated flux nebula in Aries Widefield L - Nov 30
<i>Via Flickr:</i>
Technical information:
Total exposure 200 min (10 x 20 min, luminance filter; binned 1x1, scale 3.5 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.30.255
Astrometry: Not done
Photometry: 19.4 +/- 0.1 L (from Narrowfield data)
These data were collected remotely using a 10.6 cm
FSQ and STL11K camera at New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, New
Mexico by Joseph Brimacombe, Coral Towers Observatory,
Cairns, Australia.
by Joseph Brimacombe
Possible Supernova PSN J03130662+2837566 in UGC 2593 plus probable integrated flux nebula. Narrowfield Color - Nov 30
<i>Via Flickr:</i>
Technical information:
Total exposure 210 min (LRGB 160/10/20/20 min; binned 2x2, scale 0.91 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.30.267
Astrometry: Not done
Photometry: 19.4 +/- 0.1 L
These data were collected remotely using a 51 cm
RCOS and STL11K camera at New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, New
Mexico by Joseph Brimacombe, Coral Towers Observatory,
Cairns, Australia.
by Joseph Brimacombe
Possible Supernova PSN J03213648+2233461 in PGC 1672321 Narrowfield L - Dec 1
<i>Via Flickr:</i>
Technical information:
Total exposure 28 min (56 x 0.5 min, luminance filter; binned 3x3, scale 1.37 asec/px)
Time: 2011.12.1.475
Astrometry: RA 03 21 36.49 Dec 22 33 45.7
Photometry: 18.2 +/- 0.2 L
These data were collected remotely using a 51 cm
RCOS and STL11K camera at New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, New
Mexico by Joseph Brimacombe, Coral Towers Observatory,
Cairns, Australia.
by Joseph Brimacombe
Mercury Globe: 0°N, 270°E - Nasa Messenger Image: Release Date 1 Dec 2011
| Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) and Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) Resolution: 2.5 km/pixel Scale: Mercury's diameter is 4880 kilometers (3030 miles) Map Projection: orthographic Center Latitude: 0° Center Longitude: 270° Of Interest: The above image shows an orthographic projection of this global mosaic centered at 0°N, 270°E. Beethoven basin is visible towards the southwest. Kuiper crater appears brighter than its surroundings towards the eastern edge near the equator. | |
| Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington |
Mercury Globe: 0°N, 180°E - Nasa Messenger Mission Image: Release Date 1 Dec 2011
| Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) and Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) Resolution: 2.5 km/pixel Scale: Mercury's diameter is 4880 kilometers (3030 miles) Map Projection: orthographic Center Latitude: 0° Center Longitude: 180° Of Interest: The above image shows an orthographic projection of this global mosaic centered at 0°N, 180°E. Caloris basin is prominently featured in this view, dominating the northern hemisphere. Just south of Caloris lies the 225-km-diameter basin, Mozart. Towards the center of the globe, Tolstoj is visible with an annulus of low-reflectance material. Beethoven basin is just visible along the eastern edge of the globe. | |
| Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington |
NASA Declares SolarSail-D 'Mission Complete'
NASA Declares SolarSail-D 'Mission Complete': Over a year after launch, NASA's mission that studied the effects of orbital decay comes to an end.
Best Space Pictures of 2011: Editors' Picks
Best Space Pictures of 2011: Editors' Picks: An arcing aurora, a blood-red eclipse, and a warped galaxy feature among Nat Geo News's picks for the best space pictures of the year.
Thursday 1 December 2011
Space 'Never Got Old,' NASA Astronaut Says | International Space Station & Expedition 29 | NASA Astronauts & Soyuz Ride | Space.com
Space 'Never Got Old,' NASA Astronaut Says | International Space Station & Expedition 29 | NASA Astronauts & Soyuz Ride | Space.com: NASA astronaut Mike Fossum spent nearly six months in orbit, living and working aboard the International Space Station.
Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd Widefield L - Nov 24
Via Flickr:
Taken from New Mexico Skies using an FSQ 106 refractor at F/5 and STL11K camera.
Time: 01h 34m UT
Exposure: 1 x 20 min
Scale: 3.5 asec/px
Supernova SN 2011GU in NGC 7485 Narrowfield L - Nov 28
Via Flickr:
Technical information:
Total exposure 50 min (5 x 10 min, luminance filter; binned 2x2, scale 0.91 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.28.100
Astrometry: Not done
Photometry: 20.3 +/- 0.1 L
These data were collected remotely using a 51-cm
RCOS and STL11K camera at New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, New
Mexico by Joseph Brimacombe, Coral Towers Observatory,
Cairns, Australia.
Possible Supernova PSN J22024445+3141491 in PGC 67911 Narrowfield L - Nov 30
Possible Supernova PSN J22024445+3141491 in PGC 67911 Narrowfield L - Nov 30, a photo by Joseph Brimacombe on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
Technical information:
Total exposure 90 min (9 x 10 min, luminance filter; binned 2x2, scale 0.91 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.30.150
Astrometry: RA 22 02 44.44 Dec 31 41 48.5
Photometry: 16.7 +/- 0.1 L
These data were collected remotely using a 51 cm
RCOS and STL11K camera at New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, New
Mexico by Joseph Brimacombe, Coral Towers Observatory,
Cairns, Australia.
Possible Supernova PSN J10430295-3621524 in NGC 3354 Narrowfield L - Nov 30
Possible Supernova PSN J10430295-3621524 in NGC 3354 Narrowfield L - Nov 30, a photo by Joseph Brimacombe on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
Technical information:
Total exposure 20 min (4 x 5 min, luminance filter; binned 3x3, scale 1.37 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.30.522
Astrometry: RA 10 43 02.98 Dec -36 21 51.4
Photometry: 15.5 +/- 0.6 L
These data were collected remotely using a 51 cm
RCOS and STL11K camera at New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, New
Mexico by Joseph Brimacombe, Coral Towers Observatory,
Cairns, Australia
Apollo 17 Splashdown - Nasa Image of the Day Gallery
The Apollo 17 spacecraft, containing astronauts Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, and Harrison H. Schmitt, glided to a safe splashdown at 2:25 p.m. EST on Dec. 19, 1972, 648 kilometers (350 nautical miles) southeast of American Samoa.
The astronauts were flown by recovery helicopter to the U.S.S. Ticonderoga slightly less than an hour after the completion of NASA's sixth and last manned lunar landing in the Apollo program.
The astronauts were flown by recovery helicopter to the U.S.S. Ticonderoga slightly less than an hour after the completion of NASA's sixth and last manned lunar landing in the Apollo program.
Image Credit: NASA
Mercury Globe: 0°N, 90°E - Nasa Messenger Image: Release Date 30 Nov 2011
| Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) and Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) Resolution: 2.5 km/pixel Scale: Mercury's diameter is 4880 kilometers (3030 miles) Map Projection: orthographic Center Latitude: 0° Center Longitude: 90° Of Interest: The above image shows an orthographic projection of this global mosaic centered at 0°N, 90°E. The peak-ring basin Rachmaninoff can be seen in the northwest portion of the globe, Rembrandt basin can be seen towards the south, and Eminescu and Raditladi can be seen just east of center. The edge of the Caloris basin is just visible along the eastern edge of this globe. | |
| Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington |
Caparronia crater covered with ejecta and small, secondary crater: Nasa Dawn Mission Image of the Day 1 Dec 2011
This Dawn FC (framing camera) image is dominated by Caparronia impact crater. Caparronia crater is approximately 55 km in diameter and has a mostly fresh, irregularly shaped rim. It also has a curved, linear mound running across most of its base. For all of these reasons Caparronia is a distinctive crater and this is why it was chosen to name the quadrangle in which it is situated. The smooth region around Caparronia crater is most likely fine impact ejecta, which were thrown out from the crater at the time of its formation. Other impact related features are the linear chains of small, less than 1km, secondary craters that occur throughout the image. Some particularly distinctive crater chains are in the bottom part of the image. Secondary crater chains are formed when relatively large debris are ejected from an impact and skip along the surface, much like a stone skipping across a lake. There are also some linear scars running diagonally across the image, which are due to debris scouring across the surface.
This image is centered in Vesta’s Caparronia quadrangle and the center latitude and longitude of the image is 52.5°N, 149.2°E. NASA’s Dawn spacecraft obtained this image with its framing camera on October 23, 2011. This image was taken through the camera’s clear filter. The distance to the surface of Vesta is 700 km and the image has a resolution of about 70 meters per pixel. This image was acquired during the HAMO (High Altitude Mapping Orbit) phase of the mission.
Image Credit: NASA/ JPL-Caltech/ UCLA/ MPS/ DLR/ IDA
A clear view
A clear view: Above me, the night sky is velvety black. Against it, the pathway of our home galaxy — the Milky Way — is so brilliant it’s as if one of the ancient gods just tossed handfuls of stars across the heavens. And as the moon rises, my eyes adjust while its silvery light becomes a pathway to the heavens, reflected on Pyramid Lake. Suddenly, silhouettes of the surrounding evergreen forest appear, and once again I am humbled by nature’s beauty. Here in Jasper National Park, 416 kilometres north of Calgary via the Icefields Parkway, the advance of winter promises a stunning backdrop for ongoing astronomical observations.
WHAT'S UP IN DECEMBER: 5 major planets will put on show | The Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME
WHAT'S UP IN DECEMBER: 5 major planets will put on show | The Kennebec Journal, Augusta, ME: The winter solstice will arrive at exactly 12:30 a.m. Dec. 22. This marks the longest night of the year for us in the Northern Hemisphere as the sun reaches its lowest point in our sky. There are several interesting highlights in December if you can
Kepler Discovers Super-Earth Hot Rod : Discovery News
Kepler Discovers Super-Earth Hot Rod : Discovery News: A planet about 1.6 times the radius of Earth has been found closely circling the sun-like star Kepler-21, one of the 100,000 stars under scrutiny by NASA's
Unexpectedly Heavy Stars from Long Ago Puzzle Astronomers | Star Formation & Early Universe | Supernova Explosions & Heavy Elements | Space.co
Unexpectedly Heavy Stars from Long Ago Puzzle Astronomers | Star Formation & Early Universe | Supernova Explosions & Heavy Elements | Space.com: Some ancient stars in our Milky Way galaxy are surprisingly rich in some of the heaviest chemical elements. Astronomers found that these heavy elements likely came from early supernova blasts that spread heavy elements throughout space.
5-Planet Alien Solar System Stands on Head | Alien Planets & Solar Systems | Binary Stars & Orbital Mechanics | Space.com
5-Planet Alien Solar System Stands on Head | Alien Planets & Solar Systems | Binary Stars & Orbital Mechanics | Space.com: Gravitational forces cause alien planets in the binary star system 55 Cancri to tip over sideways, and even upside-down, a new study suggests.
NASA's Mars Rover Curiosity Had Planetary Protection Slip-Up | MSL Mars Rover Curiosity | Biological Cross-Contamination on Other Planets | Space.com
NASA's Mars Rover Curiosity Had Planetary Protection Slip-Up | MSL Mars Rover Curiosity | Biological Cross-Contamination on Other Planets | Space.com: Engineers building NASA's Mars rover Curiosity (MSL) missed a step in the planetary protection procedures designed to prevent carrying biological cross-contamination to Mars.
Wednesday 30 November 2011
A Galaxy Full of Surprises — NGC 3621 is bulgeless but has three central black holes: ESO Image
This image, from ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), shows a truly remarkable galaxy known as NGC 3621. To begin with, it is a pure-disc galaxy. Like other spirals, it has a flat disc permeated by dark lanes of material and with prominent spiral arms where young stars are forming in clusters (the blue dots seen in the image). But while most spiral galaxies have a central bulge — a large group of old stars packed in a compact, spheroidal region — NGC 3621 doesn’t. In this image, it is clear that there is simply a brightening to the centre, but no actual bulge like the one in NGC 6744 (eso1118), for example.
NGC 3621 is also interesting as it is believed to have an active supermassive black hole at its centre that is engulfing matter and producing radiation. This is somewhat unusual because most of these so-called active galactic nuclei exist in galaxies with prominent bulges. In this particular case, the supermassive black hole is thought to have a relatively small mass, of around 20 000 times that of the Sun.
Another interesting feature is that there are also thought to be two smaller black holes, with masses of a few thousand times that of the Sun, near the nucleus of the galaxy. Therefore, NGC 3621 is an extremely interesting object which, despite not having a central bulge, has a system of three black holes in its central region.
This galaxy is located in the constellation of Hydra (The Sea Snake) and can be seen with a moderate-sized telescope. This image, taken using B, V, and I filters with the FORS1 instrument on the powerful VLT, shows striking detail in this odd object and also reveals a multitude of background galaxies. A number of bright foreground stars that belong to our own Milky Way are also visible.
Credit:ESO
Master Supernova in PGC 1354027 Narrowfield L - Nov 28
Via Flickr:
Technical information:
Total exposure 50 min (5 x 10 min, luminance filter; binned 2x2, scale 0.91 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.28.059
Astrometry: RA 23 02 47.61 Dec08 48 08.4
Photometry: 16.6 +/- 0.1 L
These data were collected remotely using a 51 cm
RCOS and STL11K camera at New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, New
Mexico by Joseph Brimacombe, Coral Towers Observatory,
Cairns, Australia.
Possible Supernova PSN J23510228+4643217 in UGC 12809 Narrowfield L - Nov 29
Possible Supernova PSN J23510228+4643217 in UGC 12809 Narrowfield L - Nov 29, a photo by Joseph Brimacombe on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
Technical information:
Total exposure 50 min (5 x 10 min, luminance filter; binned 2x2, scale 0.91 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.29.083
Astrometry: RA 23 51 02.37 Dec 46 43 21.8
Photometry: 17.1 +/- 0.1 L
These data were collected remotely using a 51 cm
RCOS and STL11K camera at New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, New
Mexico by Joseph Brimacombe, Coral Towers Observatory,
Cairns, Australia.
Possible Supernova PSN J03130662+2837566 in UGC 2593 Narrowfield L - Nov 29
Possible Supernova PSN J03130662+2837566 in UGC 2593 Narrowfield L - Nov 29, a photo by Joseph Brimacombe on Flickr.
Via Flickr:
Technical information:
Total exposure 120 min (6 x 20 min, luminance filter; binned 2x2, scale 0.91 asec/px)
Time: 2011.11.29.358
Astrometry: RA 03 13 06.66 Dec 28 37 57.2
Photometry: 19.4 +/- 0.2 L
These data were collected remotely using a 51 cm
RCOS and STL11K camera at New Mexico Skies, Mayhill, New
Mexico by Joseph Brimacombe, Coral Towers Observatory,
Cairns, Australia.
Astronaut Tests SAFER Backpack - Nasa Image of the Day Gallery
Astronaut Mark Lee tests the new backpack called Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER), a system designed for use in the event a crew member becomes untethered while conducting an EVA. The Lidar-In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE) is shown in the foreground. The LITE payload employs lidar, which stands for light detection and ranging, a type of optical radar using laser pulses instead of radio waves to study Earth's atmosphere. Unprecedented views were obtained of cloud structures, storm systems, dust clouds, pollutants, forest burning, and surface reflectance. The STS-64 mission marked the first untethered U.S. EVA in 10 years, and was launched on September 9, 1994, aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Discovery.
Image Credit: NASA
Curiosity Mars Rover Launch Gallery – Photos and Videos
Curiosity Mars Rover Launch Gallery – Photos and Videos: NASA’s Curiosity Mars Science Lab (MSL) rover is speeding away from Earth on a 352-million-mile (567-million-kilometer) journey to Mars following a gorgeous liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at 10:02
How an Energy-Efficient Spacecraft Could Revolutionize Space Travel [Video]: Scientific American
How an Energy-Efficient Spacecraft Could Revolutionize Space Travel [Video]: Scientific American: In a Skype interview, Damon Landau and Nathan J. Strange of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory talk about the radical mission proposal they laid out in the December issue of Scientific American
How to See the Stars on the Longest Winter Nights | Winter Constellations & Solstice Observing | Skywatching Tips Stars & Constellations | Spa
How to See the Stars on the Longest Winter Nights | Winter Constellations & Solstice Observing | Skywatching Tips Stars & Constellations | Space.com: Skywatching on long winter nights allows observation of stars and constellations from all the seasons except summer, including two unusual "morning stars": Mars and Saturn.
NASA confiscates web-auctioned rocket engine - space - 30 November 2011 - New Scientist
NASA confiscates web-auctioned rocket engine - space - 30 November 2011 - New Scientist: The 1960s RL-10 engine was put up for sale on an internet auction site, highlighting security concerns at the space agency
Station Crew Conducts Emergency Drill | International Space Fellowship
Station Crew Conducts Emergency Drill | International Space Fellowship: The International Space Station’s Expedition 30 crew – Commander Dan Burbank and Flight Engineers Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin – performed science experiments and participate
Mercury Globe: 0°N, 0°E - Nasa Messenger Mission Image - Release Date 29 Nov 2011
| Instrument: Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) and Wide Angle Camera (WAC) of the Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) Resolution: 2.5 km/pixel Scale: Mercury's diameter is 4880 kilometers (3030 miles) Map Projection: orthographic Center Latitude: 0° Center Longitude: 0° Of Interest: The above image shows an orthographic projection of this global mosaic centered at 0°N, 0°E. The rayed crater Debussy can be seen towards the bottom of the globe and the peak-ring basin Rachmaninoff can be seen towards the eastern edge. The MESSENGER spacecraft is the first ever to orbit the planet Mercury, and the spacecraft's seven scientific instruments and radio science investigation are unraveling the history and evolution of the Solar System's innermost planet. Visit the Why Mercury? section of this website to learn more about the key science questions that the MESSENGER mission is addressing. During the one-year primary mission, MDIS is scheduled to acquire more than 75,000 images in support of MESSENGER's science goals. | |
Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington |
Curiosity Rover Lifts Off for Mars - Nasa APOD 30 Nov 2011
Image Credit: NASA
Explanation: Next stop: Mars. This past weekend the Mars Science Laboratory carrying the Curiosity Rover blasted off for the red planet atop an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA, as pictured above. At five times the size of the Opportunity rover currently operating on Mars, Curiosity is like a strange little car with six small wheels, a head-like camera mast, a rock crusher, a long robotic arm, and a plutonium power source. Curiosity is scheduled to land on Mars next August and start a two year mission to explore Gale crater, to help determine whether Mars could ever have supported life, and to help determine how humans might one day visit Earth's planetary neighbor.
Canary Islands Antenna Being Modified to Boost Signal to Struggling Russian Mars Probe
Canary Islands Antenna Being Modified to Boost Signal to Struggling Russian Mars Probe: Editor’s note: Dr. David Warmflash, principal science lead for the US team from the LIFE experiment on board the Phobos-Grunt spacecraft, provides an update on the mission for Universe Today. As part of an effort to improve communication with the
How Tiny Worms Could Help Humans Colonize Mars | Mars Exploration & Settlement | Nematodes, Microgravity & Radiation | Space.com
How Tiny Worms Could Help Humans Colonize Mars | Mars Exploration & Settlement | Nematodes, Microgravity & Radiation | Space.com: Researchers studying C. elegans roundworms on the International Space Station found that they grow and reproduce well for long periods in space. Sending the worms to Mars or on other deep space missions may be the next step.
Communicating with aliens through an interstellar beacon.
Communicating with aliens through an interstellar beacon.: This is the second half of a two-part article on Earth's legacy and the search for extraterrestrial life. (Read Part 1.) Somewhere in the cosmos, 36 light years away from us in the direction of the Hercules constellation, a series of electromagnetic waves stretching across 30 million miles of space...
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Could Curiosity Determine if Viking Found Life on Mars?
Could Curiosity Determine if Viking Found Life on Mars?: One of the most controversial and long-debated aspects of Mars exploration has been the results of the Viking landers’ life-detection experiments back in the 1970s. While the preliminary findings were consistent with the presence of bacteria (or something similar) in
The Human Cost of Russia’s Lost Spacecraft
The Human Cost of Russia’s Lost Spacecraft: It hasn’t been a great year for Roscosmos, the Russian Federal Space Agency. In the last twelve months, it has lost four major missions on top of the aerospace industry’s failure to produce its planned number of spacecraft. For the
Forget Asteroids—Send a Manned Flyby Mission to Venus | Observations, Scientific American Blog Network
Forget Asteroids—Send a Manned Flyby Mission to Venus | Observations, Scientific American Blog Network: Recently, I received a press release from the American Museum of Natural History on their excellent exhibit about the future of space exploration. I did ...
Photos: Atop NASA's Huge Mobile Launch Tower | NASA & Space Launch System | Space Exploration & Human Spaceflight | Space.com
Photos: Atop NASA's Huge Mobile Launch Tower | NASA & Space Launch System | Space Exploration & Human Spaceflight | Space.com: An up-close look at NASA's $500 million, 355-foot-high mobile launcher. It will be used with NASA's new heavy-lift rocket, known as the Space Launch System, and perhaps other rockets as well.
Young Stellar Grouping in Cygnus X: Nasa Image of the Day Gallery
Cygnus X hosts many young stellar groupings. The combined outflows and ultraviolet radiation from the region's numerous massive stars have heated and pushed gas away from the clusters, producing cavities of hot, lower-density gas.
In this 8-micron infrared image, ridges of denser gas mark the boundaries of the cavities. Bright spots within these ridges show where stars are forming today.
In this 8-micron infrared image, ridges of denser gas mark the boundaries of the cavities. Bright spots within these ridges show where stars are forming today.
Credit: NASA/IPAC/MSX
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