Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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"Six more fast radio bursts have been discovered coming from the same mystery cosmic source

Repeating FRBs came from same location far beyond the Milky Way where 10 had previously been detected. ..."

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/six-more-fast- ... yptr=yahoo
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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Making you feel small ...

Taking the Measure of Nothing in the Universe
Scale-of-the-Universe.jpg
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/outth ... JKy8Bt96Ul
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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Seven Alien 'Earths' Found Orbiting Nearby Star
Seven rocky planets orbiting a nearby star may be roughly the size of Earth and could even be right for water—and maybe life—to adorn their surfaces, researchers announced Wednesday.

The planets, which circle a star called TRAPPIST-1 just 39 light-years away, are tucked together so tightly that they routinely spangle each others’ skies, sometimes appearing as shimmering crescents and at other times as orbs nearly twice as large as the full moon.

“The spectacle would be beautiful,” says the University of Cambridge’s Amaury Triaud, coauthor of a study describing the otherworldly heptad that appears in the journal Nature.


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017 ... e-science/
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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"NASA Considers Magnetic Shield to Help Mars Grow Its Atmosphere

Image

The Planetary Science Vision 2050 Workshop is happening right now at NASA headquarters in Washington DC. The workshop is meant to discuss ambitious space projects that could be realized, or at least started, by 2050.

One of the most enticing ideas came this morning from Jim Green, NASA's Planetary Science Division Director. In a talk titled, "A Future Mars Environment for Science and Exploration," Green discussed launching a "magnetic shield" to a stable orbit between Mars and the sun, called Mars L1, to shield the planet from high-energy solar particles. The shield structure would consist of a large dipole, or a pair of equal and oppositely charged magnets to generate an artificial magnetic field.

Such a shield could leave Mars in the relatively protected magnetotail of the magnetic field created by the object, allowing the Red Planet to slowly restore its atmosphere. About 90 percent of Mars's atmosphere was stripped away by solar particles in the lifetime of the planet, which was likely temperate and had surface water about 3.5 billion years ago.

Image

According to simulation models, such a shield could help Mars achieve half the atmospheric pressure of Earth in a matter of years. With protection from solar winds, frozen CO2 at Mars's polar ice caps would start to sublimate, or turn directly into gas from a solid. The greenhouse effect would start to fill Mars's thin atmosphere and heat the planet, mainly at the equator, at which point the vast stores of ice under the poles would melt and flood the world with liquid water.

"Perhaps one-seventh of the ancient ocean could return to Mars," said Green.
Image

This is some truly futuristic stuff, reminiscent of Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars trilogy. But it is theoretically possible, and it just might, maybe, be a step toward terraforming Mars for human inhabitation in the next century."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/nasa-conside ... 59524.html
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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The race to destroy space garbage

"Millions of pieces of man-made trash are now orbiting the Earth. Some are tiny, others are large enough to be seen with a telescope, but all pose a risk to space craft and satellites.

And according to experts the threat is growing as space becomes more and more crowded.

Some 23,000 pieces of space junk are large enough to be tracked by the US Space Surveillance Network. But most objects are under 10cm (4in) in diameter and can't be monitored. Even something the size of a paper clip can cause catastrophic damage."......

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-39521406
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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Cassini probe heads towards Saturn 'grand finale'

"Cassini has used a gravitational slingshot around Saturn's moon Titan to put it on a path towards destruction.
Saturday's flyby swept the probe into an orbit that takes it in between the planet's rings and its atmosphere.
This gap-run gives the satellite the chance finally to work out the length of a day on Saturn, and to determine the age of its stunning rings.
But the manoeuvre means also that it cannot escape a fiery plunge into Saturn's clouds in September.".....


http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39672263
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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This will make you feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things...

"Countless galaxies billions of light-years away shine in new Hubble photo"

Image

https://www.yahoo.com/news/countless-ga ... 07583.html
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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"New ‘cold spot’ discovery could prove existence of a parallel universe

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Scientists believe they have moved a step closer to proving the existence of a parallel universe with the discovery of a mysterious ‘cold spot’.

This cool patch of space, that was first spotted by the NASA WMAP satellite in 2004, is part of the radiation that was thought to have been produced during the formation of the universe some 13 billion years ago.

However, research conducted by Professor Tom Shanks from Durham University has uncovered a new theory – that the Cold Spot was formed when universes COLLIDED.

Professor Shanks theorises that this is ‘the first evidence for the multiverse – and billions of other universes may exist like our own”. ..."

https://www.yahoo.com/news/new-cold-spo ... 51056.html
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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"Nasa: Humans Have Inadvertently Created Artificial Barrier Around Earth

NASA space probes have discovered an artificial barrier around Earth created through human activity—showing we are not only responsible for shaping the environment on land, but that we are now having an impact on space too.

The barrier, which comes and goes, is the result of very low frequency radio communications interacting with particles in space, which results in a sort of shield protecting Earth from high energy radiation in space.

This, scientists say, is potentially very good news, as we could use the barrier to protect Earth from extreme space weather resulting from events like coronal mass ejections—huge explosions on the sun, where plasmas and magnetic field are ejected from its corona, the outermost part of its atmosphere. These ejections can result in geomagnetic storms, which have the potential to knock out communication satellites and power grids. ..."

http://www.newsweek.com/nasa-barrier-ea ... her-611356
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30316830 (Slides at link)

June will be another interesting month in astronomy, with three remarkable events waiting to be enjoyed.

Coming up on Friday, June 9, is the annual “micro-moon”, the full moon coinciding with the lunar body’s furthest distance from the Earth.

The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand is inviting people to take advantage of the telescopes being set up around the country to observe Saturn Opposition on June 15. Saturn will be in opposition to the Sun and at its closest to Earth on June 15 and thus visible all night, weather conditions permitting.

And, of course, June 21 is the summer solstice, the longest day of the year, with its own intriguing phenomena to observe.

The institute will have telescopes available for public use on June 15 at Chiang Mai’s Maya Lifestyle Shopping Centre and its two HM the King Rama IX’s 7th Cycle Anniversary Observatory Domes, in Nakhon Ratchasima and Chachoengsao. Its network members will have their own equipment set up at 265 locations across the country.
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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Giant Roc rolls out

http://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/20 ... rolls-out/

The world’s largest aircraft by wingspan left its construction hangar this week in California’s Mojave Desert.

The Stratolaunch is a twin-fuselage aircraft using recycled parts from two Boeing 747-400s that has been designed to lift a rocket (or rockets) weighing up to 227 tonnes and launch it into low Earth orbit.

Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s company Vulcan Aerospace is behind the project, which aims to revolutionise the satellite launch industry.

The composite aircraft was nicknamed the Roc during its development, after the mythical giant bird, according to the Seattle Times. It has a wingspan of 117.4 metres (385 feet), twin fuselages 72.5 metres long and twin vertical stabilisers 15 metres high. Its maximum take-off weight of 589 tonnes is slightly less than the world’s heaviest aircraft, the Antonov An225. Its six Pratt and Whitney engines are ex-Boeing 747 units, as are its cockpit windows and flight deck (it will be flown by a three-person crew from the right fuselage; the left fuselage is unpressurised). The aircraft has a relatively short operational range of about 2000 nautical miles, sufficient however to launch up to three rockets in a single flight

The aircraft will now undergo ground testing, engine runs, and taxi tests before its first flight, Stratolaunch chief executive Jean Floyd said. ‘Over the coming weeks and months, we’ll be actively conducting ground and flight-line testing at the Mojave Air and Space Port.’

‘This is a first-of-its-kind aircraft, so we’re going to be diligent throughout testing and continue to prioritise the safety of our pilots, crew and staff,’ Floyd said.

He also confirms the Stratolaunch is on track to perform its first launch demonstration ‘as early as 2019’.

However, since the project was founded in 2011, advances in microelectronics have led to the development of so-called ‘cubesat’ and ‘nanosat’ satellites that are much smaller than previous versions and do not require large rockets to launch them.
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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Nice to see this newest giant aircraft roll out, I hope its test phase is totally a success and
it can launch lots of rockets in the future. The Roc.
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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Is anyone coming to the USA for the August 21st 2w017, Solar eclipse. If so there will only be a few million of us other
people some where along the path. I may be spotted in Idaho or Wyoming along with a few hundred or so
other Canadians, in amongst the thousands of American amateur astronomers and sun eclipse chasers.
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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^ The path of totality is coming within a 45 minute drive of my home so I will probably go there to see it. Already bought my viewing glasses.
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Re: Astronomy, cosmology and space thread

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The beginning of another incredible journey and certainly something to look forward to............ patience required though! :wink:

BepiColombo: Joint Mercury mission ready for 'pizza oven'

"The two satellites that make up the BepiColombo mission to Mercury were presented to the media on Thursday.
This joint European-Japanese venture has been in development for nearly two decades, but should finally get to the launch pad in 15 months' time.
The two spacecraft will travel together to the baking world but separate on arrival to conduct their own studies.
Thursday's event in the Netherlands was the last chance for journalists to view the so-called "flight stack".
This is the edifice that goes on top of the rocket and comprises Europe's Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and Japan's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (MMO), as well as the propulsion module to control their path towards the world that circles closest to the Sun.
As a single item, the stack has just finished a series of important tests, but it will shortly be taken apart so that the individual components can continue with their own preparations. The structure will not be reassembled until all equipment reaches the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.
The double mission is due to blast away from Earth on an Ariane rocket in October 2018. Everyone will have to be patient, however. It is going to take seven years for the satellite duo to get to their destination.
The gravity of the Sun pulls hard on any spacecraft travelling into the inner Solar System, and Bepi will have to fire thrusters in the direction of travel to ensure it does not overshoot Mercury.
"Mercury is the least explored of the rocky planets, but not because it is uninteresting," said Prof Alvaro Giménez Cañete, the director of science at the European Space Agency (Esa).
"It's because it's difficult. It's difficult to get there; it's even more difficult to work there."
Temperatures on the surface of the diminutive world go well above 400C - hot enough to melt some metals, such as tin, zinc and lead."


Full Article: - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-40513818

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