How Close to the Sun could we get?
How close to the Sun could we get?
How close to the Sun could we get?
Tag: astronomy
How Close to the Sun could we get?
New Scientist story: Expect Earth’s twin planet
According to a statistical analysis, scientists predict the discovery of Earth’s twin in 2011.
Note that I reported this story three months ago, on September 13!
According to a statistical analysis, scientists predict the discovery of Earth’s twin in 2011.
Note that I reported this story three months ago, on September 13!
Ten Years On the way to Pluto
Alan Stern, project scientist of NASA’s mission to Pluto, New Horizons, gives his perspective ten years after the start of the project.
Alan Stern, project scientist of NASA’s mission to Pluto, New Horizons, gives his perspective ten years after the start of the project.
Kepler data now available for anyone to study
Want to discover an exoplanet? A portion of the data being gathered by Kepler is now available online for anyone to peruse.
Want to discover an exoplanet? A portion of the data being gathered by Kepler is now available online for anyone to peruse.
Scientist makes the first measurements of the magnetic field at the Earth’s core
A scientist has made the first measurements of the strength at the Earth’s core of its magnetic field. What’s most fascinating is that he used the Moon and distant quasars to do it! First he used radio observations of the quasars to get very precise measurements of the Earth’s rotation axis and how the Moon was tugging at that axis and thus affecting its magnetic field. Then,
By calculating the effect of the moon on the spinning inner core, Buffett discovered that the precession makes the slightly out-of-round inner core generate shear waves in the liquid outer core. These waves of molten iron and nickel move within a tight cone only 30 to 40 meters thick, interacting with the magnetic field to produce an electric current that heats the liquid. This serves to damp the precession of the rotation axis. The damping causes the precession to lag behind the moon as it orbits the earth. A measurement of the lag allowed Buffett to calculate the magnitude of the damping and thus of the magnetic field inside the outer core.
A scientist has made the first measurements of the strength at the Earth’s core of its magnetic field. What’s most fascinating is that he used the Moon and distant quasars to do it! First he used radio observations of the quasars to get very precise measurements of the Earth’s rotation axis and how the Moon was tugging at that axis and thus affecting its magnetic field. Then,
By calculating the effect of the moon on the spinning inner core, Buffett discovered that the precession makes the slightly out-of-round inner core generate shear waves in the liquid outer core. These waves of molten iron and nickel move within a tight cone only 30 to 40 meters thick, interacting with the magnetic field to produce an electric current that heats the liquid. This serves to damp the precession of the rotation axis. The damping causes the precession to lag behind the moon as it orbits the earth. A measurement of the lag allowed Buffett to calculate the magnitude of the damping and thus of the magnetic field inside the outer core.
Amino acids found on meteorite that crashed in the Sudan
Dead alien life arrives on Earth! Not really but still exciting anyway: Scientists have found the remains of space-born amino acids — essential to life — in the meteorite that crashed in the Sudan in 2008. Key quote:
“This meteorite formed when two asteroids collided,” said Daniel Glavin of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. “The shock of the collision heated it to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit [1,093 degrees Celsius], hot enough that all complex organic molecules like amino acids should have been destroyed, but we found them anyway.”
The discovery is further evidence that the basic elements of life can form in even the most hostile of environments.
Dead alien life arrives on Earth! Not really but still exciting anyway: Scientists have found the remains of space-born amino acids — essential to life — in the meteorite that crashed in the Sudan in 2008. Key quote:
“This meteorite formed when two asteroids collided,” said Daniel Glavin of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. “The shock of the collision heated it to more than 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit [1,093 degrees Celsius], hot enough that all complex organic molecules like amino acids should have been destroyed, but we found them anyway.”
The discovery is further evidence that the basic elements of life can form in even the most hostile of environments.
Kepler glitch stops science observations for 13 hours
A software glitch prevented Kepler from making science observations for 13 hours this week.
A software glitch prevented Kepler from making science observations for 13 hours this week.
Cyclone lasting more than 5 years is detected on Saturn
A cyclone on Saturn has now lasted more than five years, since scientists started tracking it closely in 2004 with the arrival of Cassini in orbit around Saturn.
A cyclone on Saturn has now lasted more than five years, since scientists started tracking it closely in 2004 with the arrival of Cassini in orbit around Saturn.
Cassini Spots Potential Ice Volcano on Saturn Moon
Scientists have used data from Cassini to identify what they think are ice volcanoes on Titan. The two volcanoes, each about 3000 feet high, are located near the equator and appear to resemble the volcanoes on Earth, with a central crater on top of cone-like peak and finger-like flows coming down the sides from the crater. The lava here, however, is not molten rock, but water.
Scientists have used data from Cassini to identify what they think are ice volcanoes on Titan. The two volcanoes, each about 3000 feet high, are located near the equator and appear to resemble the volcanoes on Earth, with a central crater on top of cone-like peak and finger-like flows coming down the sides from the crater. The lava here, however, is not molten rock, but water.
The last remant of a supernova
Time for some astronomical sightseeing! This image, produced from data taken by both the Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-ray Observatory, shows what astronomers call a supernova remnant. The bubble, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud 160 thousand light years away, is thought to be 23 light years across and expanding about 11 million miles per hour. It is thought that the supernova itself took place around 1600. That we have no record of it is probably because it was only visible in the southern hemisphere, where few records of such events were being kept at that time. More here, including the image using only Hubble data as well as a video animation that is quite stunning.
Voyager 1 sees evidence it is about to enter interstellar space
After a 33 year journey, Voyager 1 has detected evidence that it is about to enter interstellar space.
After a 33 year journey, Voyager 1 has detected evidence that it is about to enter interstellar space.
An astronomer is suing the University of Kentucky, claiming he was denied a job running its observatory because of his Christian faith
Freedom of religion alert! An astronomer has sued the University of Kentucky, claiming he was denied a job running its observatory because of his Christian faith. More here.
Freedom of religion alert! An astronomer has sued the University of Kentucky, claiming he was denied a job running its observatory because of his Christian faith. More here.
the violent origin of Saturn’s rings
Scientists have created a computer simulation describing the violent origin of Saturn’s rings, with moons being stripped of their ice as they death spiral into Saturn.
Note that this is only a theory, illustrated by a computer model. Though it is fascinating however!
Scientists have created a computer simulation describing the violent origin of Saturn’s rings, with moons being stripped of their ice as they death spiral into Saturn.
Note that this is only a theory, illustrated by a computer model. Though it is fascinating however!
Venus Has a Moon?
Venus has a Moon?
Venus has a Moon?
First carbon-rich exoplanet discovered
The first carbon-rich exoplanet discovered.
The first carbon-rich exoplanet discovered.
The Crab Nebula burps!
Build a warning system for asteroids
Astronomers are proposing that an early-warning system be built to warn us a week in advance should an asteroid be heading our way.
Astronomers are proposing that an early-warning system be built to warn us a week in advance should an asteroid be heading our way.
Airplane telescope flies its first observation mission
The telescope in an airplane flew its first observation mission today.
The telescope in an airplane flew its first observation mission today.
Three times more stars exist than previously thought
There are more stars in heaven and earth than have been dreamt of by scientists, three times more it turns out. And they are all dwarves!
There are more stars in heaven and earth than have been dreamt of by scientists, three times more it turns out. And they are all dwarves!
A Steamy Super-Earth?
Cassini Finds Warm Cracks on Enceladus
Cassini pinpoints the hot spots in the cracks on Enceladus.
Cassini pinpoints the hot spots in the cracks on Enceladus.
How One Astronomer Became the Unofficial Exoplanet Record Keeper
How one astronomer became the unofficial exoplanet record keeper.
How one astronomer became the unofficial exoplanet record keeper.
Jupiter’s stripe is coming back.
Jupiter’s south equatorial stripe appears to be reappearing.
Jupiter’s south equatorial stripe appears to be reappearing.
Brian Marsden, 1937-2010
Saving NASA’s astrophysics budget and Webb
The struggle to find $1.5 billion to save NASA’s astrophysics budget as well as the overbudget James Webb Space Telescope. Note that this article once again allows a variety of NASA managers and scientists push the false story that Webb is a replacement for Hubble. It is not. Hubble looks at the universe mostly in optical wavelengths, as our eyes do. Webb will be an infrared telescope. It will do wonderful things, but different things than Hubble.
The struggle to find $1.5 billion to save NASA’s astrophysics budget as well as the overbudget James Webb Space Telescope. Note that this article once again allows a variety of NASA managers and scientists push the false story that Webb is a replacement for Hubble. It is not. Hubble looks at the universe mostly in optical wavelengths, as our eyes do. Webb will be an infrared telescope. It will do wonderful things, but different things than Hubble.
500th exoplanet found
The numbering ain’t really that precise, but today scientists announced the discovery of the 500th extrasolar planet.
The numbering ain’t really that precise, but today scientists announced the discovery of the 500th extrasolar planet.
Pluto a planet?
Scientists are once again debating whether Pluto really is a planet.
Scientists are once again debating whether Pluto really is a planet.
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
A glimpse at the universe before the Big Bang?
It came from another galaxy
It came from another galaxy.
It came from another galaxy.
Brian Marsden dies
Astronomer and comet/asteroid tracker Brian Marsden has died. Marsden was the kind of gentleman that makes writing astronomy articles so much fun. Even when I was a newby science writer back in the early 90s he was always willing to answer any of my questions, and give me blunt and honest answers to boot. R.I.P.
Astronomer and comet/asteroid tracker Brian Marsden has died. Marsden was the kind of gentleman that makes writing astronomy articles so much fun. Even when I was a newby science writer back in the early 90s he was always willing to answer any of my questions, and give me blunt and honest answers to boot. R.I.P.