NASA urges people to wave at moon during Aug. 21 eclipse

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently confirmed the presence of the “Great American Eclipse,” which will engulf the skies across the United States on Aug. 21.

A grand phenomenon of this magnitude certainly deserves to be documented, which is why the space agency is using its Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to capture its essence.

According to a recent NASA press release, people along the line of “totality” are urged to wave their hands and cheer as the LRO’s camera captures an image of the Moon’s shadow on Earth.

“I’m really excited about this campaign because it is something so many people can be a part of,”  Andrea Jones, LRO public engagement lead at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said. “So much attention has been focused on the lucky folks who will get to experience eclipse totality, but everyone in an entire hemisphere of the Earth can wave at the Moon as LRO takes our picture!”

NASA also made it known that the Moon will be far enough from Earth during the eclipse, which will make the resolution of the images at only 2.5 miles per pixel.

“While people should not expect to see themselves in the images, this campaign is a great way to personalize the eclipse experience,” said Noah Petro, LRO deputy project scientist at Goddard. He added that the camera wouldn’t be able to capture people or buildings, but would still cover continents, clouds and large surface features.

Although people are invited to celebrate the extremely rare occurrence, NASA advised those who will be in the 70-mile-wide path to use proper eclipse glasses when staring at the Sun—even as it begins to vanish.  Khristian Ibarrola  /ra

source: technology.inquirer.net

Buzz Aldrin, second man on moon, evacuated from South Pole

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Former American astronaut Buzz Aldrin, one of the first men to walk on the moon, has been evacuated by plane from the South Pole for medical reasons, officials said Thursday.

Aldrin, 86, was visiting the South Pole as part of a private tourist group when his health deteriorated, the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators said on its website.

It said he was taken as a precaution on the first available flight to McMurdo Station, a US research center on the Antarctic coast. It described his condition as stable.

The National Science Foundation, which manages the US Antarctic program, described Aldrin as “ailing” and said he was being flown on a ski-equipped LC-130 cargo plane to McMurdo. From there, he would be flown to New Zealand, it said on its website.

Aldrin became the second man to walk on the moon in 1969 as part of the US Apollo 11 mission.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

NASA Mars rover finds clear evidence for ancient, long-lived lakes

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida  - Three years after landing in a giant Martian crater, NASA's Curiosity rover has found what scientists call proof that the basin had repeatedly filled with water, bolstering chances for life on Mars, a study published on Thursday showed.

The research offered the most comprehensive picture of how Gale Crater, an ancient, 87-mile (140-km) wide impact basin, formed and left a 3-mile (5-km) mound of sediment standing on the crater floor.

Early in its mission, Curiosity discovered the gravel remnants of streams and deposits from a shallow lake.

The new research, published in the journal Science, showed that the crater floor rose over time, the result of sediments in water settling down, layer after layer, for what may have been thousands of years, California Institute of Technology geologist John Grotzinger said.

"We knew that we had a lake there, but we hadn't grasped just how big it was," Grotzinger said.

Water from north of the crater regularly filled the basin, creating long-lasting lakes that could have been a haven for life. Scientists suspect the water came from rain or snow.

"If one discovers evidence of lakes, that's a very positive sign for life," Grotzinger said.

Eventually, the crater filled with sediments. Then the winds took over and eroded the lakebed, leaving behind just a mound at the center. That mound, named Mount Sharp, is why Curiosity was sent to Gale Crater to look for ancient habitats suitable for microbial life.

Scientists have learned that Mars had all the ingredients thought to be necessary for life.

Exactly how Mars managed to support long-lived surface water is a mystery. Billions of years ago, the planet lost its global magnetic field, which allowed solar and cosmic radiation to gradually blast away its protective atmosphere. Under those conditions, liquid water evaporates quickly.

"If you have a body of standing water that lasts more than hours to days without boiling off, that is a huge surprise," Grotzinger said.

Current computer models of Mars fall well short of an atmospheric blanket thick enough to support the long-lived lakes, the researchers noted.

Grotzinger suspects that Mars may have had greenhouse gases or some other chemistry that so far has gone undetected.

Last week, another team of scientists published research showing that trickles of briny water seasonally flow on present-day Mars, carving narrow streaks into cliff walls throughout the equator. The source of the water is not yet known.  — Reuters

NASA scientists answer questions about alien life and water on Mars

To mark the discovery of liquid water on Mars, scientists from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) held an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session on reddit where they answered questions from the public.

Just a leaky faucet's worth of water

Just how much water are we talking about here? According to the scientists, it’s just a small amount—comparable to the amount that drips from your faucet if you don’t close it tightly. “We think this is a very small amount of water—maybe just enough to wet the top layer of the surface of Mars,” they said. “Think of this as a ‘seep’ not a flow.”

At present, NASA’s rovers can’t approach the regions where they suspect water is present because they’re considered “special regions.” To enter the area, extra precautions are required to prevent contamination by Earth life.

Preventing contamination by Earth life

Scientists are keenly aware of the possibility of microscopic alien life, and are very careful to make sure that Earth life doesn't contaminate and overrun the potentially fragile Martian ecosystem.

For one thing, rovers need additional sterilization before they can come closer. Scientists also take samples of microbes on the spacecraft before launch for comparison with any future discoveries.

Other Mars-related projects NASA has in mind are InSight in 2016—a lander designed to detect Mars-quakes—and a rover in 2020.

The AMA took place from 2-3 p.m. ET (2-3 a.m. Tuesday in the Philippines). Scientists who participated were Rich Zurek, Chief Scientist of NASA’s Mars Program Office and Project Scientist at the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter project; Leslie K. Tamppari, Deputy Project Scientist, MRO; Stephanie L. Smith, NASA-JPL social media team; and Sasha E. Samonchina, NASA-JPL social media team. — TJD, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

SpaceX cargo ship reaches International Space Station

 

SpaceX's unmanned Dragon cargo ship arrived Monday at the International Space Station, carrying 2.6 tons of food and supplies for the astronauts at the orbiting research laboratory.

 

"We have captured Dragon," NASA commentator Rob Navias said as the space station's robotic arm, operated by commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore, grappled the spacecraft at 5:54 am (1054 GMT), according to NASA's television broadcast.

 

Wilmore was assisted by European Space Agency flight engineer Samantha Cristoforetti as they used the station's 17.6-meter (57.7-foot) robotic arm to reach out and capture the Dragon spacecraft.

 

The rendezvous was "flawless," Navias said.

 

Dragon was bolted onto the station's Earth-facing Harmony node at 8:54 (1354 GMT).

 

The cargo ship launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Saturday. It marked the fifth of at least 12 planned official missions for SpaceX which has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA to supply the space station.

 

The equipment on board includes a NASA-developed system known as the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) for measuring tiny particles called aerosols in the atmosphere.

 

Ready-made meals, science experiments, an IMAX camera and tools to help astronauts during spacewalks are also in the payload.

 

Astronauts may begin unloading the spacecraft as early as Monday afternoon.

 

Dragon will spend about a month there before returning to Earth with over 3,600 pounds (1,600 kilograms) of cargo that is no longer needed by the crew in space, as well as computer equipment and science experiments that need further analysis on Earth.

 

The spaceship is the only cargo vessel in the world that can return to Earth intact. Other supply ships burn up on re-entry to Earth's atmosphere.

 

It will head back to Earth for an ocean splashdown on February 10, NASA said. — Agence France-Presse

 

source: gmanetwork.com

Leonids meteor shower to start peaking Monday evening

If the weather cooperates, skywatchers could get to see the Leonids meteor shower peak starting Monday evening, state astronomers from PAGASA said.

While PAGASA said this year's Leonids may not be as prolific as in past years, stargazers could still see about 10 meteors per hour during this time.

"One of the most prolific meteor showers is the Leonids. Its radiant is in the constellation of Leo and meteors from this shower can be seen over a period of about two days centered on approximately the early morning hours of November 18 in the eastern section of the sky," acting administrator Vicente Malano said.

He noted the Leonids meteor shower is created by debris left by the repeat passages through the inner solar system of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle.

Relatively clear view

EarthSky.org said there could be a relatively clear view of the meteor shower as the "rather unobtrusive waning crescent moon won’t really dampen the view on the shower’s peak night."

It said that with no Leonid storm expected this year, there could be "about 10 to 15 meteors per hour at the peak, in the darkness before dawn."

"As with most meteor showers, the best time to watch the Leonids is usually between the hours of midnight and dawn. The expected peak night is November 17-18, and fortunately, the waning light of the lunar crescent moon won’t seriously jeopardize the view of this year’s production in the morning hours," it said.— Joel Locsin /LBG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Meteor shower on Monday night, but bright moon may spoil view

An expected bright moon threatens to spoil stargazers' view of a meteor shower Monday night, state astronomers said.

PAGASA space sciences and astronomy section head Engineer Dario dela Cruz said the Perseids meteor shower may peak starting Monday night with up to 120 meteors per hour.

But dela Cruz, in an interview on dzBB radio, said only about 30 meteors per hour may be visible due to the interference from the bright moon.

"Mamaya sa silangan bago mag-hatinggabi hanggang magdamag inaasahan natin itong shower na ito na magbibigay ng 120 meteors per hour. Pero dahil sa maliwanag ang buwan, posibleng makakita tayo ng 30," he said.

He said that while the meteor show will continue on Tuesday night, there will not be as many meteors visible by then.

Earlier, PAGASA said the bright moon can "cast an interfering glare across the nights of maximum activity, reducing visibility from 120 meteors per hour (the typical Perseid peak rate) to less than 30."

Similarly, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration said the "nearly full moon" may "upstage the show" by the Perseids.

NASA said the Perseids are active from July 17 to Aug. 24 this year.

"The Perseid meteor shower is known as one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing fast and bright meteors that frequently leave trains, but in 2014, a nearly full moon will upstage the show," it said.

Perseids are considered to be the best meteor shower of the year as the meteors are "very fast and bright" and often leave long "wakes" of light and color.

NASA added Perseids are known for their fireballs, larger explosions of light and color.

"This is due to the fact that fireballs originate from larger particles of cometary material. Fireballs are also brighter, with magnitudes brighter than -3," it said.

NASA suggested that stargazers view the Perseids in the Northern Hemisphere before dawn or as early as 10 p.m.

"Find an area well away from city or street lights. Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing northeast and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible. After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors," it said. —Joel Locsin/KG, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Massive 'Godzilla of Earths' discovered

A giant planet previously thought impossible to exist has just been discovered by astronomers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA).

 

Kepler-10c, located 560 light-years from us, is 17 times heavier than the Earth. It was previously believed that such a world couldn't exist, because its mass would attract hydrogen atoms and form a "gas giant" such as Jupiter in our own solar system.  

 

 

 

 

 

Planet Godzilla

 

It is the biggest "super-Earth" yet discovered, prompting scientists to dub it a "mega-Earth".

 

"This is the Godzilla of Earths! But unlike the movie monster, Kepler-10c has positive implications for life," said CfA researcher Dimitar Sasselov, director of the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative, in a press release.

 

Further analysis showed that the planet is likely composed of dense rock and other solids, and is capable of sustaining an atmosphere. 

 

"Kepler-10c didn't lose its atmosphere over time. It's massive enough to have held onto one if it ever had it. (The planet) must have formed the way we see it now," said Xavier Dumusque, who led the data analysis and made the discovery.

 

The world as we know it

 

The planet has also caused scientists to re-assess what we know about the history of the universe.

 

At 11 billion years old, Kepler 10-c was formed less than 3 billion years after the Big Bang—a time when the heavier elements that make up everything else in the universe, from people to planets, weren't believed to have existed yet.

 

"Finding Kepler-10c tells us that rocky planets could form much earlier than we thought. And if you can make rocks, you can make life," says Sasselov.

 

First spotted by NASA's Kepler spacecraft, Kepler-10c orbits a sunlike star in the Draco constellation once every 45 days. The star system is also home to Kepler 10-b, a "lava world" three times the mass of Earth with a 20-hour orbit. — GMA News

 

source: gmanetwork.com