Featured Posts
The Planetary Society Blog
11 Oct 2010, 16:20 UTC
Let's count how many amazing things there are about this photo. 1) Theo Ramakers and Frank Garner caught the Space Station transiting Venus. In the whole wide sky, these two tiny objects were right next to each other. 2) Venus was at a magnitude of -4.2, the Station much less bright at -1.2. 3) The pass was at 4:38 p.m. Yes, in daylight. 4) The Sun was still 33 degrees above the horizon. 5) Venus was only 30 degrees away from the Sun at the ....
Space Station transit of Venus
11 Oct 2010, 16:20 UTC
Let's count how many amazing things there are about this photo. 1) Theo Ramakers and Frank Garner caught the Space Station transiting Venus. In the whole wide sky, these two tiny objects were right next to each other. 2) Venus was at a magnitude of -4.2, the Station much less bright at -1.2. 3) The pass was at 4:38 p.m. Yes, in daylight. 4) The Sun was still 33 degrees above the horizon. 5) Venus was only 30 degrees away from the Sun at the ....
The Space Review
11 Oct 2010, 16:00 UTC
Fifty years ago this month the era of planetary exploration began with the first attempts by the Soviet Union to launch probes to Mars. Andrew LePage recounts the ultimately failed attempts by the Soviets to send spacecraft to the Red Planet.
The beginnings of planetary exploration
11 Oct 2010, 16:00 UTC
Fifty years ago this month the era of planetary exploration began with the first attempts by the Soviet Union to launch probes to Mars. Andrew LePage recounts the ultimately failed attempts by the Soviets to send spacecraft to the Red Planet.
Alien Life
11 Oct 2010, 15:00 UTC
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:g Abodes - A new study could broaden the search for planets in other solar systems by changing the way we think about orbiting bodies. The findings could increase the opportunities for the discovery of new planets. See article.g Message - What are the chances that an alien signal has been sent our way just at the right moment to splash upon our antennas during that brief interval? If the extraterrestrials beam their broadcasts to the whole galaxy (or at least a big chunk of it), the chances are 100 percent. See article. This article is from 2006.g Cosmicus - The human space program may be adrift (see last week’s view), but the robots have their act together. Several spacecraft are working at Mars, a major mission is being readied for launch there next year, one more in the following opportunity, and a new phase of international planning for a series of missions is underway. Even the long-sought Mars sample return is looking more realistic. See article.g Aftermath - As you probably know, a couple of weeks ago the Pope ...
Broadening the search for exoworlds and lots of robot missions to Mars
11 Oct 2010, 15:00 UTC
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:g Abodes - A new study could broaden the search for planets in other solar systems by changing the way we think about orbiting bodies. The findings could increase the opportunities for the discovery of new planets. See article.g Message - What are the chances that an alien signal has been sent our way just at the right moment to splash upon our antennas during that brief interval? If the extraterrestrials beam their broadcasts to the whole galaxy (or at least a big chunk of it), the chances are 100 percent. See article. This article is from 2006.g Cosmicus - The human space program may be adrift (see last week’s view), but the robots have their act together. Several spacecraft are working at Mars, a major mission is being readied for launch there next year, one more in the following opportunity, and a new phase of international planning for a series of missions is underway. Even the long-sought Mars sample return is looking more realistic. See article.g Aftermath - As you probably know, a couple of weeks ago the Pope ...
Space Fellowship
11 Oct 2010, 13:27 UTC
The beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 406 was discovered in 1834 by John Herschel and is here imaged in great detail by the Hubble Space Telescope. Located some 65 million light-years away, in the southern constellation of Tucana (the Toucan), NGC 406 is about 60 000 light-years across, roughly half the diameter of our galaxy, the Milky Way. In a moderate-sized amateur telescope NGC 406 would appear as a faint hazy blob, like thousands of others across the sky, and none of the spectacular fine d [...]
Picture of the Day - A Cosmic Whirlpool in Tucana
11 Oct 2010, 13:27 UTC
The beautiful spiral galaxy NGC 406 was discovered in 1834 by John Herschel and is here imaged in great detail by the Hubble Space Telescope. Located some 65 million light-years away, in the southern constellation of Tucana (the Toucan), NGC 406 is about 60 000 light-years across, roughly half the diameter of our galaxy, the Milky Way. In a moderate-sized amateur telescope NGC 406 would appear as a faint hazy blob, like thousands of others across the sky, and none of the spectacular fine d [...]
Space Fellowship
11 Oct 2010, 10:41 UTC
A small asteroid will pass very close to Earth this Tuesday. Astronomers are still tracking the object, now designated as 2010 TD54, and various estimates say it could possibly come within anywhere from 52,000 km (33,000 miles) to 64,000 km (40,000 miles) on October 12, with closest approach at approximately 11:25 UT. Information on the IAU Minor Planet Center website lists the object as coming with 0.0003 AU. The size of the object has not been determined, but estimates say it is likely s [...]
An Asteroid Will Pass Very Close to Earth Tomorrow
11 Oct 2010, 10:41 UTC
A small asteroid will pass very close to Earth this Tuesday. Astronomers are still tracking the object, now designated as 2010 TD54, and various estimates say it could possibly come within anywhere from 52,000 km (33,000 miles) to 64,000 km (40,000 miles) on October 12, with closest approach at approximately 11:25 UT. Information on the IAU Minor Planet Center website lists the object as coming with 0.0003 AU. The size of the object has not been determined, but estimates say it is likely s [...]
collectSPACE.com: Today In Space History
11 Oct 2010, 00:22 UTC
Virgin Galactic on Sunday conducted the first piloted free flight glide of SpaceShipTwo, named the VSS Enterprise. Lofted to an altitude of 45,000 feet under its carrier VMS Eve, the suborbital passenger spacecraft dropped from the WhiteKnightTwo aircraft and, piloted by Pete Siebold with co-pilot Mike Alsbury, glided back to Mojave Air and Space Port in California. The flight lasted 11 minutes. Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, commented that it was "one of the most exciting days in the whole history of Virgin," beginning the process of "pushing beyond to the final frontier of space itself."
Free Enterprise
11 Oct 2010, 00:22 UTC
Virgin Galactic on Sunday conducted the first piloted free flight glide of SpaceShipTwo, named the VSS Enterprise. Lofted to an altitude of 45,000 feet under its carrier VMS Eve, the suborbital passenger spacecraft dropped from the WhiteKnightTwo aircraft and, piloted by Pete Siebold with co-pilot Mike Alsbury, glided back to Mojave Air and Space Port in California. The flight lasted 11 minutes. Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, commented that it was "one of the most exciting days in the whole history of Virgin," beginning the process of "pushing beyond to the final frontier of space itself."
The Daily Galaxy
9 Oct 2010, 17:30 UTC
Saturn's moon Titan has many of the components for life without no liquid water. But the orange hydrocarbon haze that shrouds Saturn's largest moon could be creating the molecules that make up DNA without the help of water – an...
Is Saturn's Titan Producing DNA in its Atmosphere Without Water? Experts Say "Yes"
9 Oct 2010, 17:30 UTC
Saturn's moon Titan has many of the components for life without no liquid water. But the orange hydrocarbon haze that shrouds Saturn's largest moon could be creating the molecules that make up DNA without the help of water – an...
NASA Watch
9 Oct 2010, 04:06 UTC
Make Magazine: 10 Do-It-Yourself Space Projects "MAKE blasts into orbit and beyond with our DIY SPACE issue. Put your own satellite in orbit, launch a stratosphere balloon probe, and analyze galaxies for $20 with an easy spectrograph! We talk to... Make Magazine: 10 Do-It-Yourself Space Projects "MAKE blasts into orbit and beyond with our DIY SPACE issue. Put your own satellite in orbit, launch a stratosphere balloon probe, and analyze galaxies for $20 with an easy spectrograph! We talk to the rocket mavericks reinventing the space industry, and renegade NASA hackers making smartphone robots and Lego satellites. Of course, as usual, we've got a full payload of other cool DIY projects, from a helium-balloon camera that's better than Google Earth, to an electromagnetic levitator that shoots aluminum rings, to a simple stroboscope that takes the most amazing freeze-frame photos. Plus: party-pleasing automated photo booth that prints out photo strips, MythBusters' Adam Savage teaches you hard-shell moldmaking, and much more. MAKE Volume 24, on sale October 26. Short listing of articles: ..."
10 Do-It-Yourself Space Projects
9 Oct 2010, 04:06 UTC
Make Magazine: 10 Do-It-Yourself Space Projects "MAKE blasts into orbit and beyond with our DIY SPACE issue. Put your own satellite in orbit, launch a stratosphere balloon probe, and analyze galaxies for $20 with an easy spectrograph! We talk to... Make Magazine: 10 Do-It-Yourself Space Projects "MAKE blasts into orbit and beyond with our DIY SPACE issue. Put your own satellite in orbit, launch a stratosphere balloon probe, and analyze galaxies for $20 with an easy spectrograph! We talk to the rocket mavericks reinventing the space industry, and renegade NASA hackers making smartphone robots and Lego satellites. Of course, as usual, we've got a full payload of other cool DIY projects, from a helium-balloon camera that's better than Google Earth, to an electromagnetic levitator that shoots aluminum rings, to a simple stroboscope that takes the most amazing freeze-frame photos. Plus: party-pleasing automated photo booth that prints out photo strips, MythBusters' Adam Savage teaches you hard-shell moldmaking, and much more. MAKE Volume 24, on sale October 26. Short listing of articles: ..."
Lunar Networks
9 Oct 2010, 01:17 UTC
Simulated view over the interior of Eratosthenes, LROC WAC local late afternoon observation draped over the low-resolution digital elevation model available at this location on the Moon in Google Earth. The central peak and slumped interior walls of the crater, detail below, are seen in this view, seen from 27.5 km overhead. The crater is buttressed against the southwestern terminus of the 978 km-long Montes Apenninus, which seem concentric to the Mare Imbrium impact but may, instead, be the outer rim of a more ancient impact. Kaguya ground-penetrating radar in parts of Imbrium may confirm the existence of basalt flows buried by the primary Imbrium event, 3.9 billion years ago. At upper right, 3500 meter high Mons Wolff is the first of Apenninus' high peaks, as the chain curves further north by northeast over the horizon [NASA/GSFC/ASU/Google].Like many complex craters on the Moon, Eratosthenes (14.5°N, 348.7°E) exhibits terraces within its rim. Terraces form as interior walls of the crater slump over time, creating a landslide while leaving the upper portion of the wall intact. LROC Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) image M119924207R; LRO orbit 2807, February 4, 2010; alt. 38.5 km, resolution 0.61 cm, phase angle 53.15° field of view = ...
