What's Up? The Space Place

Hey Space Placers! For those of you in the Northern Hemisphere that are enjoying the Fall season, here is a really cool pic of the Earth taken by NASA: Here is the accompanying caption by NASA that explains how we get these wonderful colors this time of year: A few days after autumn showed up on the calendar in the Northern Hemisphere, it showed up on the landscape of North America. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this view of fall colors around the Great Lakes on Sept. 26, 2014. The changing of leaf color in temperate forests involves several causes and reactions, but the dominant factors are sunlight and heat. Since temperatures tend to drop sooner and sunlight fades faster at higher latitudes, the progression of fall color changes tends to move from north to south across North America from mid-September through mid-November. In late summer and autumn, tree and plant leaves produce less chlorophyll, the green pigm...

Hey Space Placers! Three new research articles show that the conditions for life as we know it here on Earth exist in the Universe. Research has shown that water is a byproduct of stellar formation .  A significant portion of the water here on Earth has been found to predate the formation of our Sun. We know how old the Sun is and the study shows that a lot of the water here on Earth is older which means that it had to come from the giant gas cloud that our Sun formed from.  We can extrapolate this to other stars and planets that form in the same manner as ours and rightfully conclude that water must be present in those star-exoplanet systems as well. There is some thought that much of the planet's water came from the impact of asteroids and comets. Each of these left overs from the formation of the solar system were formed from the same gas cloud that made the Sun and the Solar System. Water Through Time Bill Saxton, NSF/AUI/NRAO Astronomers have also found a new ...

Hey Space Placers! November 12, 2014. Mark your calendars to tune in that date for watching space history made as the European Space Agency's (ESA) Rosetta spacecraft launches its Philae lander. The intrepid lander will attempt a landing on Comet 67/P at 'Site J' which I blogged about previously. This will be a tricky attempt that if successful will give a great view and data on the comet as it approaches the Sun and begins to sublimate or evaporate its surface and volatiles into space. Rosetta will continue to orbit 67/P during this time. I'll have more as we get closer. Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! Take a quick trip to space watching this video . It is quite stunning as it is 52 images taken by the astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and then combined together by   Hugh Carrick-Allan, a 3D Animator/VFX artist living in Sydney Australia  to make the video. You'll be glad you took a look ;-) Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! A new crew to the International Space Station (ISS) , Expedition 41, launched safely today. They have LOTS to do in the way of scientific research which is good for all of us here in Terra Firma. Get all of the details here . Sky Guy in Still Cloudy VA

Hey Space Placers! Congratulations to India for their Mars Orbital Mission (MOM) spacecraft safely reaching Mars AND entering Martian orbit . This is no easy feat as the U.S. and former U.S.S.R. can tell you from the destroyed spacecraft that tried. Here is the NASA Administrator's statement on MOM. So we now have 4 spacecraft orbiting Mars NASA MAVEN NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter ESA Mars Express ISRO MOM and two operating on the surface NASA Curiosity NASA Opportunity More unmanned missions will follow in the years to come and NASA is taking the necessary steps for a manned mission to the Red Planet with its "The Next Giant Leap" initiative. The two biggest obstacles to getting humans to Mars are the human body and political will. We will be able to overcome the former with all of the biomedical research being done on the International Space Station (ISS)   but the latter is a different story. Perhaps a truly international collaboration of spac...

Hey Space Placers! Want to learn something about the Sun? WIth the recent solar activity that we have had NASA has published a video that explains the difference between two types of solar activity - solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs). You can also get more NASA info on the Sun and space weather here . Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers, A GREAT night on the mountain at Shenandoah National Park talking about James Webb Space Telescope . MAVEN made it into orbit around Mars  http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/september/nasa-s-newest-mars-mission-spacecraft-enters-orbit-around-red-planet/#.VCCAnEv3XUk         and http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2014-318 . But the biggest space news today is the announcement about the results of the Planck spacecraft's mapping of the dust in the Milky Way Galaxy .  These findings are essential to the announcement  earlier this year about the discovery of gravitational waves by the BICEP2 telescope team . In another blog I  provided a link to a "Nature" article about the discovery. Now Nature has provided an updated article on how the Planck data affects the BICEP2 results.    The bottom line is that the Planck data shows that the BICEP2 team made its observations in an area of the sky that contai...

Hey Space Placers! It's not everyday you can have a live ringside seat to a spacecraft entering robot around another planet. Tune in tonight, 9/21/14, at 9:30 p.m. EDT on the Internet to follow live coverage of NASA's MAVEN ( Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution)   spacecraft   entering orbit around Mars. Of course there is a time lag in the distance between Earth and Mars and the feedback to Mission Control will be shared live as it happens. The spacecraft will be on its own to perform all of the necessary actions to slow down and be captured by the gravity well of the Red Planet. NASA MAVEN will orbit Mars to learn about the atmosphere of the Red Planet and how it has evolved. It also hopes to answer questions about how the loss of volatiles in martian atmosphere has modified the planet. MAVEN was launched on November 18, 2013 and is expected to explore Mars for at least one year. God Speed MAVEN……. Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! Here is another discovery about galaxies   and their formation. The new research shows how galaxies like our own Milky Way Galaxy, a spiral/disk galaxy can merge with another galaxy and produce a disk galaxy in the process. Previously astronomers thought that such mergers would lead to the formation of an elliptical galaxy - that is one without spiral arms. Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! The Universe never ceases to amaze me. NASA-ESA Artist's Concept Astronomers have just announced the discovery of a SUPERMASSIVE black hole   (SMBH)   that is FIVE times larger than our own Milky Way Galaxy's (MWG) SMBH in a dwarf galaxy 1/ 500th the size  of the MWG. That is impressive. Astronomers are pretty sure that supermassive black holes (SMBH) reside at the center of larger galaxies like the MWG. Some of these SMBHs are millions or even billions of times the mass of our Sun. It is not known which comes first, the SMBH or the galaxy but it is pretty certain that the two are connected to the lives and evolution of galaxies. But to discover a SMBH this large in such a small dwarf galaxy only 300 light years across is a major find. The SMBH in M-60 UCD-1 makes up 15% of the dwarf galaxy's mass; there are an estimated 140 million stars in the galaxy. This discovery will help in the search for more SMBHs in the cores of other dwarf...

Hey Space Placers! The waning crescent Moon and bright Jupiter will be visible near one another for the next few days - 9-19 to 9-20 - in the east before dawn. The two will form a pretty pair easily visible to city and suburban dwellers alike. The motion of the Moon relative to Jupiter will be obvious over the two days and Earthshine should be present on the Moon. Earthshine is the dark portion of the Moon that is visible due to the reflection of sunlight off of our planet's clouds and oceans. This phenomena was explained by none other than  Leonardo da Vinci . If viewers have binoculars they can see the four main moons of Jupiter as small "stars" just as Galileo did when he discovered them with his crude telescope. Binoculars will also enhance the view of the Moon and Earthshine. Let's hope it is clear! Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! Still mad about Pluto's demotion to minor planet status? Want to learn more about the whole "what is a planet" debate? Tonight at 7:30 p.m. EDT is you chance as the  HARVARD-SMITHSONIAN CENTER FOR ASTROPHYSICS (CfA) hosts an Internet debate. Here are the details from the CfA  press release: CFA TO HOST DEBATE ON “WHAT IS A PLANET?” In 2006, when the International Astronomical Union (IAU) voted on the definition of a “planet” and booted Pluto out of the club, confusion resulted. Was a “dwarf planet” a small planet or something else? Was a “dwarf fruit tree” a small tree or something else? Almost eight years later, most astronomers and the public are still as uncertain about what a planet is as they were back then. On September 18th, three different experts in planetary science will present each of their cases as to what a planet is or isn’t. Science historian Dr. Owen Gingerich, who chaired the IAU planet definition committee, will present the hi...

Hey Space Placers! Ever looked up at the night sky and wondered how many stars you could see? Here is a GREAT article that tells you the answer. And remember, astronomers think there are about 10 planets on average orbiting each star! Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! UPDATED: NASA has announced it has selected Boeing and Space-X for the Commercial Crew Transportation Program. Get details here . This is a very important date in American spaceflight history as it sets America on the path to having its own access to space since 2011. The first manned flight for both companies is scheduled for 2017. ------------------------------------------------ Tune in today, 9-16-14 at 4 pm EDT to hear who NASA will select as the winner of NASA's Commercial Crew Transportation Program . This will be  interesting to watch   live from Kennedy Space Center, Florida as NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and his senior leaders make the announcement. This is a MAJOR announcement as it will decide between Boeing, Sierra Nevada or Space-X, or a combination of these three, as to who will win the contract to deliver U.S. astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The selection will allow the winner(s) to go full speed ...

Hey Space Placers! The cross marks the spot for Rosetta's Philae Lander - or Site J as ESA calls it (See yesterday's blog). This was one of five sites selected from a larger list that ESA had compiled and studied. ESA has just announced its selection   of the landing site and it will be a combination of safe landing probabilities and high science return for Philae. The landing will take place in November 2014. Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! The European Space Agency (ESA) will announce on 9-15-14  at 5 a.m. EDT where its Philae lander which is currently attached to the Rosetta spacecraft, will put down on  Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko . ESA will chose the final landing site from 5 candidate sites. The landing will take place some time in November. You can watch the announcement here . Comet 67/P has no visible ice/water patches on its surface and is darker than charcoal. A NASA instrument aboard Rosetta has made some observations of the comet that can be read about here . The Rosetta spacecraft took a GREAT selfie: This is going to be a fantastic mission to follow in the year to come. WIth the Philae lander making observations from the surface and the Rosetta spacecraft orbiting the comet while it swings around the Sun we will get data that will add greatly to our knowledge of these icy leftovers from our solar system's formation. More to come. SKy Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! A LOT going on at NASA regarding the new manned Orion spacecraft  and SLS. I have included the links so you can read as much as you like. Orion: http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/september/nasa-s-orion-spacecraft-nears-completion-ready-for-fueling/ http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/OrionMonthlyNewsletterAugust2014print.pdf SLS: http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/september/nasa-unveils-worlds-largest-spacecraft-welding-tool-for-space-launch-system/#.VBMuOEv3XUk http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/sls_highlights_august_2014.pdf Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! You may want to follow these links to get the latest on space weather-possible auroras that could be impacting our planet the next few days: http://spaceweather.com http://origin-www.swpc.noaa.gov More info on the event: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2014/09/10/aurora-watch-cme-could-provide-brilliant-northern-lights-show/?wpisrc=nl_buzz&wpmm=1 Hoping for auroras (Northern Lights) in VA as I last saw them in 2004: Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! Isn't she a BEAUTY!!! The first space-rated Orion spacecraft built: NASA  Photo Go to this link to see the full hi-res version and get more information. We are less than 90 DAYS away from the scheduled launch of Exploration FLight Test-1 (EFT-1) on December 4th. I can hardly wait. I will be at sea when the launch is scheduled but will be watching on the Internet. NASA is making steady progress towards getting back into the manned spaceflight business. The Space Launch System    NASA's new rocket it is building to launch Orion and other spacecraft into deep space. Go NASA! Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! The Internet is lit up over a reported meteorite impact in Nicaragua that left a crater. CNN http://news.yahoo.com/meteorite-smashes-nicaraguan-capital-230034550.html http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-29106843 http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/08/tech/innovation/nicaragua-meteorite/ Some news reports are indicating that this ALLEGED impact was caused by asteroid 2014 RC ( see my blog from yesterday ) IT WAS NOT.  Here is the latest from NASA on 2014 RC and the alleged impact event. The crater will have to be studied using proven scientific techniques to confirm if this was in fact a meteorite impact event. There are several factors to me that are working against this as being a meteorite impact event: There should have been reports of a fireball in the day or night sky by witnesses from a population area of over 1 million people; Meteorites should have been visible in the immediate area surrounding the crater as the energy released by t...

Hey Space Placers! Tonight - 9/8-9/14 - is a Super Harvest Moon! LOTS going on with Luna tonight as this will be the 3rd Supermoon since July and it coincides with the Harvest Moon. Supermoon is a non-astronomical term that has become part of our cultural vocabulary. Astronomically speaking when the Full Moon occurs within 24 hours of being closest to the Earth (perigee) for the Moon's monthly orbital cycle astronomers call it a perigee Full Moon . You may not have known that each month's Full Moon has a name associated with it that stems from different cultures. In the U.S. the Full Moon names trace back to Indian tribes and our farming heritage. The Full Moon that occurs closest to the Autumnal Equinox in September is named the Harvest Moon . That is because in times past farmers could use the extra light provided by the Full Moon to bring in their crops. Because tonight is a Super Harvest Moon the Full Moon will be a little bigger and brighter as it rises in the...

Hey Space Placers! At 2:15 p.m. EDT today, 9/7/14, a 60-foot space rock (asteroid) named 2014 RC will make its closest approach to the Earth at a mere 25,000 miles. The space rock will safely pass below Earth and our geosynchronous satellites as can be seen in this NASA JPL graphic: NASA JPL GRAPHIC 2014 RC was discovered initially on August 31 by  the Catalina Sky Survey near Tucson AZ, and independently detected the next night by the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope, located on the summit of Haleakala on Maui, Hawaii. Astronomers will study 2014 RC as it passes by to add to our knowledge of these roamers of the solar system. The orbit of the asteroid will also be refined so that it can be monitored for any future potential threat to Earth. 2014 RC will be visible to observers with telescopes in the Southern Hemisphere so we should get some pictures of this cosmic interloper. This asteroid is about the same size as the asteroid that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia on 2/15/1...

Hey Space Placers! Today, 9/6/14 is "International Observe the Moon Night" .  This annual world-wide event is dedicated to getting people outside to look at the Moon. Events around the world are taking place as part of the event and be sure to check the website to see if any are in your area. The DMV has several events taking place, especially at NASA facilities - so be sure to check. The Moon is approaching Full phase and will be another Supermoon on the night of 9/8-9/14 as well  as the Harvest Moon. I'll have more on that next week, But go outside tonight and look at the Moon. We did this last night at Big Meadows Shenandoah National Park as part of my "Let's Talk About Space" program. We go out and observe the sky if it is clear after my talk, which last night was on "The Sky IS Falling-Space Rocks and You". I'd like to share with you the main points about the Moon that I gave to the 25+ people last night. The Moon is big. It wo...

Hey Space Placers! Here's another GREAT opportunity from NASA: Please share this opportunity announcement far and wide… Solar System Ambassadors Program Accepting Applications The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Solar System Ambassadors Program (SSA), a nationwide network of space enthusiast volunteers, will accept applications from   September 1 through September 30, 2014 . Highly motivated individuals will be given the opportunity to represent NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as volunteer Solar System Ambassadors to the public for a one-year, renewable term beginning  January 1, 2015 . While applications will be sought nationwide, interested parties from the following states are especially encouraged to apply: Alaska, Delaware, Iowa, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Wyoming and the District of Columbia. SSA hopes to add 100 new volunteers to the program in 2015. To learn more about the Solar System Ambassador Program, visit  http...

Hey Space Placers! Direct from NASA HQ: NASA is inviting the worldwide public to submit short messages and images on social media that could be placed in a time capsule aboard a spacecraft launching to an asteroid in 2016. Called the Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security- Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx), the spacecraft will rendezvous with the asteroid Bennu in 2019, collect a sample and return the cache in a capsule to Earth in 2023 for detailed study. The robotic mission will spend more than two years at the 1,760-foot (500-meter)-wide asteroid and return a minimum of 2 ounces (60 grams) of its surface material. Topics for submissions by the public should be about solar system exploration in 2014 and predictions for space exploration activities in 2023. The mission team will choose 50 tweets and 50 images to be placed in the capsule. Messages can be submitted  Sept. 2 - 30 . "Our progress in space exploration has been nothing short of amazing,"...

Hey Space Placers! You really have to read this press release , see the graphics and watch the video regarding our newly identified galactic supercluster - Laniakea, which means "immense heavens" in Hawaiian. We live in the Milky Way Galaxy (MWG) . It is part of a local cluster of galaxies called the Local Group .  The Local Group is connected to Laniakea which comprises 100,000 galaxies spread out over 500 million light years and containing the mass of over 100 million billion Suns! Wow. Astronomers continue to define the Universe and our place in it with new instruments, detectors and more powerful computers. But great mysteries remain such as Dark Energy and Dark Matter . Stay tuned! Sky Guy in VA

Hey Space Placers! The European Space Agency (ESA) is deciding where Philae, the lander carried by the Rosetta spacecraft , will land on Comet 67/P. ESA had narrowed the field down to 5 landing sites on the comet and today held a live session that you can see here . ESA plans to land Philae on 67/P sometime in November 2014. More as the story develops. Sky Guy in VA