Year: 2012
A trio of twisters captured on Mars in a single image.
A trio of twisters captured on Mars in a single image.
A space tug to bring secondary commercial payloads to different orbits.
The commercial space industry continues to heat up: A space tug to bring secondary commercial payloads to different orbits.
Richard Rogers – Edelweiss
An evening pause: From The Sound of Music (1965). The context: The Nazis have taken over Austria, and plan to arrest Captain Georg Ludwig von Trapp and his family at the end of this concert. This lovely song, Edelweiss, is initially sung by von Trapp as a farewell to his nation. As the song unfolds, however, it becomes instead a song of defiance against the Nazis, by the von Trapps and the audience.
Always, always, we must stand for freedom.
The Sun fizzles in April
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center today posted its monthly update of the ongoing sunspot cycle of the Sun. I have posted the new graph for April below the fold.
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Astronomers now believe that Type 1a supernovae — used to discover dark energy — can be produced in two different ways.
The uncertainty of science: Astronomers now believe that Type 1a supernovae — used to discover dark energy — can be produced in two different ways.
Type Ia supernovae are known to originate from white dwarfs – the dense cores of dead stars. White dwarfs are also called degenerate stars because they’re supported by quantum degeneracy pressure. In the single-degenerate model for a supernova, a white dwarf gathers material from a companion star until it reaches a tipping point where a runaway nuclear reaction begins and the star explodes. In the double-degenerate model, two white dwarfs merge and explode. Single-degenerate systems should have gas from the companion star around the supernova, while the double-degenerate systems will lack that gas.
For astronomers, this possibility raises several conflicting questions. If two different causes produce Type 1a supernovae, could their measurement of dark energy be suspect? And if not, why is it that these two different causes produce supernovae explosions that look so much alike?
Massachusetts state officials are restricting the kinds of foods that can be sold at bake sales.
We’re here to help you: Massachusetts state officials are restricting the kinds of foods that can be sold at bake sales.
Bake sales, the calorie-laden standby cash-strapped classrooms, PTAs and booster clubs rely on, will be outlawed from public schools as of Aug. 1 as part of new no-nonsense nutrition standards, forcing fundraisers back to the blackboard to cook up alternative ways to raise money for kids.
Scientists have found that a solar Grand Minimum 2800 years ago might have caused a period of cooling in Europe
Scientists have found that a solar Grand Minimum 2800 years ago might have caused a period of cooling in Europe.
The evidence for this link is at this moment slim, based upon a single data point from a lake in Germany. Nonetheless, it is further evidence that the Sun’s production of sunspots is more important to global climate than climate scientists had previously believed.
Antonin Dvorak – From the New World, Symphony #9, 2nd movement
An evening pause: The most beautiful melody from the second movement of Antonin Dvorak’s 9th Symphony, “From the New World,” performed here by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andris Nelsons.
SpaceX launch to ISS has now been rescheduled for May 19.
The SpaceX test launch of Dragon to ISS has now been rescheduled for May 19.
Shanthi the elephant plays the harmonica.
An evening pause: An elephant playing an harmonica? As Shakespeare said, “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio,/Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”
Carol Burnett and Robin Williams – The Funeral
An evening pause: “Thank you so much for coming.”