Space News for February 9, 2010

Answer for Last Week's WITU Challenge

I was late posting last week's Where In the Universe Challenge, and now am even later in posting the answer. But find it back on the original post. Hopefully I'll be able to have a new challenge for you in a couple of days! © nancy for Universe Today, 2010. | Permalink | No [...]

Caught in the Act! Merging Galaxies Create a Binary Quasar

Excellent teamwork by astronomers working in two different wavebands – x-ray and optical – has lead to the discovery of a binary quasar being created by a pair of merging galaxies. "This is really the first case in which you see two separate galaxies, both with quasars, that are clearly interacting," says Carnegie astronomer John Mulchaey [...]

Sky on Fire as Endeavour Blasts to Space

(Editor's Note: Ken Kremer is in Florida for Universe Today covering the launch of Endeavour.) Night literally turned to day as shuttle Endeavour roared off the pad early this morning Feb.8 at 4:14 AM beginning a 2 day chase to link up with the International Space Station and commence the STS 130 mission. It was [...]

If the Earth is Rare, We May Not Hear from ET

If civilization-forming intelligent life is rare in our Milky Way galaxy, chances are we won't hear from ET before the Sun goes red giant, in about five billion years' time; however, if we do hear from ET before then, we'll have lots of nice chats before the Earth is sterilized. That's the conclusion from a recent [...]

Awesome Shot! STA Over the Launchpad

During the early morning countdown for the launch of space shuttle Endeavour today, it was back and forth, yes and no, red and green, no and no-go. And all because of weather. As per standard procedure, an astronaut flies the Shuttle Training Aircraft to monitor weather conditions around the launchpad. Today it [...]

LAUNCH!

I am still shaking and still awestruck! I just witnessed my first rocket launch and my first space shuttle launch which also happens to be the last night launch for the space shuttle program. It was absolutely the most amazing thing I have ever witnessed. When the SRB's lit, night literally turned [...]

Universe to WMAP: ΛCDM Rules, OK?

The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) science team has finished analyzing seven full years' of data from the little probe that could, and once again it seems we can sum up the universe in six parameters and a model. Using the seven-year WMAP data, together with recent results on the large-scale distribution of galaxies, and an [...]

Satellite View of "Snowmageddon"

Did you live through what has been called “snowmageddon” or “snowpocalypse?” Here's a satellite's-eye view of the exceptionally severe winter storm in the Eastern US that dropped several feet of snow on Feb. 6 and 7. Reports of crashed and abandoned cars and hundreds of cancelled flights were interspersed with stories of [...]

Astronomy For Kids: Orion – The Star Hunter

If you've been peeking out the windows at night, or maybe looked up while walking the dog before bedtime or taking out the trash after dinner, perhaps you've seen three fairly bright stars in a row. Depending on how early or late you look, you may see them lined up side-by-side above the horizon, [...]

Launch Scrub for STS-130

The launch of space shuttle Endeavour was scrubbed about 9 minutes before the scheduled 4:39 am EST (9:49 GMT) liftoff due to low clouds that moved into the area. Mission managers have scheduled space shuttle Endeavour's next launch attempt for Monday, Feb. 8 at 4:14 a.m. EST (9:14 GMT) The Mission Management Team will meet [...]

Tough Times Could Be Ahead for Kennedy Space Center

The cancellation of the Constellation program compounds an already bleak picture for the Kennedy Space Center and those who work there. 7,000 shuttle workers are expected to lose their jobs by the time the shuttle program comes to an end by late 2010 or early 2011. So far, NASA has not provided an [...]

Mars, Messier 44 and the Ecliptic Plane…

Have you been watching the sweet movements of Mars as it cruises across the starry nights? Perhaps, like many of us, you're snowed in right now and could use a little mental and visual inspiration. If so, then step inside and let's take a look at what it's like to enjoy clear, dark [...]

Orion can Launch Safely in 2013 says Lockheed

(Editor's Note: Ken Kremer is in Florida for Universe Today covering the upcoming Endeavour launch attempt.) “We can fly Orion in 2013”, says John Karas, the VP and General Manager of Human Space Flight for Lockheed Martin. Lockheed is the prime contractor for NASA’s Orion capsule. “There is no doubt in my mind we can [...]

RSS Rollback: Watch Endeavour Appear Before Your Eyes

This morning I had the opportunity to see up close the rollback of the Rotating Service Structure for space shuttle Endeavour on the launchpad for the STS-130 mission. The RSS protects the shuttle from any inclement weather while it is being readied for launch out on the pad. The rollback is the first big [...]

Astronomy Without A Telescope – Let’s Go Around The Room

My dog keeps me in touch with the universe. There are important reasons why he has to go out into the backyard about 9pm and then again around 5.00am – and at both times there are stars out. He has this very particular sound, the canine equivalent of ahem, to let me know it’s time.(...)Read [...]

Bolden: Heavy Lift Will Be International Effort and Not Until 2020-2030

NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden spoke with reporters Saturday at Kennedy Space Center on the eve of the launch of the STS-130 mission, answering questions that focused mainly on the new 2011 NASA budget and the cancellation of the Constellation program. The big question in many people's minds is, with no Ares rockets, how will [...]

Movies of Spirit's Last Moves Before Winter

Even though the Spirit rover is stuck in a Martian sandtrap, the rover drivers were actually able to move her quite a bit, and therefore improving her chances of surviving the winter. This video shows recent drives by the Spirit rover from Jan. 14 to Feb. 4, 2010 (Sols 2145 to 2165), where the [...]

Russian Cargo Freighter Docks at ISS; 1 Day to Endeavour launch

(Editor's Note: Ken Kremer is in Florida for Universe Today covering the upcoming Endeavour launch attempt.) A Russian cargo robot carrying 2 ½ tons of food, fuel and essential supplies carried out an automated docking at the International Space Station (ISS) late Thursday at 11:26 PM EST following a 2 day orbital chase. The unmanned [...]

Where In The Universe #90

Oh, heavens! I've been so busy at Kennedy Space Center with pre-launch activities this week for the STS-130 that I totally forgot about this week's Where In The Universe Challenge! Thanks to UT reader William928 for reminding me. Since this week is completely different for me, I decided to make the WITU [...]

Will NASA Send Robots to the Moon with "Project M?"

This video surfaced today on NASA Watch, but there's not a lot of details about Project M. According to the America Space website, Project M is a program being developed out of the Johnson Space Center Engineering Directorate to put a lander on the moon with a robot. Supposedly, the mission could [...]

Glowing Plants Helps Biological Studies on ISS

Glowing plants from space? Sounds like science fiction or the next B-horror movie. But glowing plants, willow trees, potential biofuels and more are being studied on the International Space Station and are part of key research in biotechnology, physiology, life sciences, and physical sciences going on in space. "This is not your grandfather's [...]

Video, Images of Ireland Fireball?

So far, no images or video have surfaced of the huge fireball that was reported in the skies over Ireland on February 3, 2010. The Daily Mail posted a video, but it appears to be one from a year ago, maybe earlier. They write that meteorite hunters are on the look-out for fallen [...]

Weekend SkyWatcher's Forecast: February 5-7, 2010

Greetings, fellow SkyWatchers! If you're not about to get buried under a blanket of snow, then why not spend some time out under blanket of stars with this weekend's stellar project? This four star adventure is sure to warm you up. Need more? Then I'll show you were to look for [...]

R2 the Space Robot Does Detroit

Not sure if it speaks Bocce or understands the binary language of moisture evaporators, but the next generation of NASA's Robonaut is about to move into the workforce in the automotive and aerospace industries. Engineers and scientists from NASA, General Motors and Oceaneering Space Systems of Houston have worked together to build a new [...]

New Hubble Images Show Pluto is Changing

Pluto-philes (and astronomers, too) have always bemoaned the fact that the best image of the principal dwarf planet wase just a fuzzy, pixelized haze. Bemoan no more. The most detailed look to date of the entire surface of Pluto has been constructed from hundreds of images taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. The images [...]

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