Source: ESA
Impact crater South of the Huyghens Crater that measures 78 km in length,
opens from just under 10 km wide at one end to 25 km wide at the other, and
reaches a depth of 2 km. Image credit: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum).
ESA's Mars Express has returned new images of an elongated impact crater in the southern hemisphere of Mars. Located just south of the Huygens basin, it could have been carved out by a train of projectiles striking the planet at a shallow angle. (read more)
Source: ESA
Artist's impression of GOCE in its orbit.
Credits: ESA /AOES Medialab
ESA's GOCE satellite has reached its ambitious goal of mapping Earth's gravity with unprecedented precision. In two short years, the sophisticated satellite has collected the measurements needed to record the 'geoid' reference shape of our planet.(read more)
Source: NASA News
NASA began testing a new multi-capability microscope this week on the International Space Station. It will help scientists study the effects of the space environment on physics and biology aboard the orbiting laboratory. The microscope is isolated from vibrations on the station, allowing it to obtain clear, high-resolution images. Using high-resolution magnification, scientists can examine microorganisms and individual cells of plants and animals, including humans.
The microscope will allow real-time study of the effects of the space environment without the need to return samples to Earth. Any living specimens returned to Earth must endure the effects of re-entry through the atmosphere. The ability to use the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) on station will enable scientists to study data unaffected by reentry.(read more)
Source: NASA News
NASA's Glory mission launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California Friday at 5:09:45 a.m. EST failed to reach orbit.
Telemetry indicated the fairing, the protective shell atop the Taurus XL rocket, did not separate as expected about three minutes after launch.
Children from St Cronans Stargazers draw moon phases
The Big Moon Ball Project – A work in progress
The Moon? The Moon? How on Earth do you explain the Moon to small children? In many other talks I had done so in graphic from and with images but wanted to try something different. I figured I would have a go at an interactive workshop in a field, as one would of course.
Made me a Moon ball and put it on a stand, borrowed a super two million candle torch, put it on a stand. Then I invited my new astronomy group St Cronans Stargazers to join me at our usual place. As it was midterm a small but smiling group turned up, perfect for a first run! We pretended the torch was the sun and the children were the Earth and I became the Moon. For the first orbit of the Earth I spoke about the phase they see from the Earth as they looked at me (the Moon Ball) moving from New to First Quarter, then Full, then Last Quarter, then back to New.
The children got the idea very quickly as the sun (torch) illuminated the phases while they (the Earth) turned in unison in the field at the end of my road. The Big Moon Ball beamed the moons phases into their eyes. Clip boards and paper were provided for the second orbit of the Earth .The children sketched the four main Moon phases as they happened and wrote down the names. The parents were very helpful, standing at the points of the phases and also helping the children see their clipboards and their drawings in the dark.
Of course this workshop would be so much more powerful if the Moon was in the sky at the same time. I am continuing to develop the activity; it suits the Irish cloudy sky syndrome and is also an indoor workshop. Every child wanted to hold the Moon Ball and help put it in the car afterwards. A whole bunch of fun was over in a blink the children had lovely practical drawings for their folders, and were on their way to understanding the Moons movements.
The Big Moon Ball Project was welcomed by Engineers Ireland as part of Engineers Week Ireland
Huge thanks to my husband Bernard for help with the sun and for taking the photographs.
The Moon Ball is getting an upgrade, the far side is being painted in now and the near side is developing more details, craters, rays and mountains. More images on my website here
Cool News / Hot Stuff
NASA Solar System Exploration Page I am really delighted and honoured to have my Solar Dynamics Observatory inspired painting on the site for the month of March ,check it out. !!
Deirdre Kelleghan
Source: ESA
EGNOS sharpens GPS accuracy over Europe. Credit: ESA.
Today, the EGNOS Safety-of-Life signal was formally declared available to aviation. For the first time, space-based navigation signals have become officially usable for the critical task of vertically guiding aircraft during landing approaches.(read more)
Source: ESO Photo Release eso1107
Wide Field Imager view of the spiral galaxy NGC 247. Credit: ESO.
This image of NGC 247, taken by the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile, reveals the fine details of this highly inclined spiral galaxy and its rich backdrop. Astronomers say this highly tilted orientation, when viewed from Earth, explains why the distance to this prominent galaxy was previously overestimated.(read more)
Source: NASA News
Artistic cutaway view of the Sun, were the Great Conveyor Belt appears
as a set of black loops connecting the stellar surface to the interior.
Credit: Andrés Muñoz-Jaramillo of the Harvard CfA.
When solar activity recently plunged into a century-class minimum, many experts were puzzled. Now a group of researchers say they have cracked the mystery of the missing sunspots.(read more)
Source: NASA News
Glory will fly in a low-Earth orbit of 705 km of altitude. Credit: NASA
NASA's Glory spacecraft is scheduled for launch on Friday, March 4. Technical issues with ground support equipment for the Taurus XL launch vehicle led to the scrub of the original Feb. 23 launch attempt. Those issues have been resolved.
The March 4 liftoff from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., is targeted for 5:09:43 a.m. EST, in the middle of a 48-second launch window. Spacecraft separation occurs 13 minutes after launch.
Data from the Glory mission will allow scientists to better understand how the sun and tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols affect Earth's climate. The Taurus XL also carries the first of NASA's Educational Launch of Nanosatellite missions. This auxiliary payload contains three small satellites called CubeSats, which were designed and created by university and college students.
Link:
Glory Mission Homepage
Source: ESA
Diego Urbina during 'Marswalk'. Credit: ESA
Now that the Mars500 crew has been united, when the Marswalkers, 'returned' from the surface of the Red Planet to join the 'orbital' trio, Diego has again had time to send his thoughts. This diary was written on 21 February, before the last egress to the simulated martian surface.(read more)
Source: NASA Science News
A Southern Delta Aquarid fireball streaks over one of the
network cameras in July 2010: see movie. Credits: NASA.
Have you ever seen a fireball streak through the night sky and gone to bed wondering, "What was that?" NASA is deploying a network of smart cameras that could have an answer waiting for you when you wake up. (read more)
