Category Archives: Space

Electric moondust

We’ve been to the moon. Driven around, even hit golfballs. Been there, done that. Faced with the prospect of returning, and setting up a permanent outpost, however, NASA is studying the place all over again and finding things never imagined. Moondust, for instance. It made a mess of the Apollo astronauts, clinging to their spacesuits and their equipment. Now there’s speculation that it could even be electrifying, at least during a full moon. That’s when the moon flies through the tail of Earth’s magnetic bubble. None of the Apollo landings took place during a full moon, so no one knows for sure, but future explorers may need to ground themselves against a shocking experience, at least once a month.

Your hotel room in space

Genesis 2, faintly visible these nights, is a prototype space hotel room–no kidding! It was launched by Bigelow Aerospace as a test to see if inflatable satellites can be orbited and eventually connected together to create a sprawling space hotel. There are currently two modules in orbit: Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. They are easy to notice with the unaided eye because of their motion across the sky. For viewing times and where to look, go here. For pictures and video visit the Bigelow Aerospace web site.

Today’s pretty picture

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The southern view of my favorite constellation, Orion. The hunter’s three-star belt is in the upper left. The whole thing is moving out of easy nighttime view as we leave winter behind for another year. 

Today’s pretty picture

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The Horsehead Nebula’s neighborhood. That’s the horsehead, the little black thing below center and just to the left. A mere 1,500 light years away. Only take a few months with a good star drive, though the folks at home would all be gone by the time you came back. Minor detail. 

Today’s pretty picture

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Next time you notice the Big Dipper, think of this spiral galaxy in its northern part–an island universe some 50 million light years away. 

Gamma Ray glow

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The afterglow of the farthest Gamma Ray burst ever seen by the unaided eye–measured by the Very Large Telescope in Chile, and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope in far West Texas, at 7.5 billion light years away.  

The first day of spring

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As seen from low orbit on the International Space Station. Almost over, if you wait until midnight. Already past if you prefer sundown.