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St. Petersburg astronomers control spotted one condescending planet spinning a star in the Alpha Centauri system desirable 4.36 light-years dazed from the Cosmological Custom. The discovery was announced on Wednesday at a nominal conference Journees-2014 detained at the Pulkovo Observatory in St. Petersburg. The new plant cannot be seen blunt at the same time as a drop - astronomers think its grueling site by statistical methods. It is positioned liberated the alleged habitable zone, or the orbital region around a star in which an Earth-like planet can influence reduce water on its part and imaginably put up with life. "We swallow that this planet may be positioned at a split of 80 astrophysical units [a unit of array, a propos the split from the Hollow out to the Sun, which is 150 million kilometers] and is orbiting around the centre of the fold up star system Alpha Centauri AB together with an orbital period of about 100 existence," Ivan Shevchenko, the head of the laboratory of planets and unimportant bodies dynamics at the Pulkovo Observatory, told ITAR-TASS.
It is a small well-known planet in the Alpha Centauri system. The first one was found in 2012 nearest Alpha Centauri B by the Harps marionette at the European Southern Observatory's La Silla facility in Chile. As of now, astronomers control bare 1,791 exoplanets in 110 planetary systems liberated our Cosmological Custom.
Pulkovo Observatory in St. Petersburg. Credit: ITAR-TASS/Ruslan Shamukov
Best of exoplanets were detected by the alleged transit tidiness, which is based on the remark of a star's unimportant pour in light, that occurs in the same way as the command of one of the star's planets passes /"transits"/ in forerunner of the star, Shevchenko thought, toting up that this tidiness was not compulsory by Otto Struve /1897-1963/, one of the most not paid astronomers of the 20th century.
Inoperative together with the transit tidiness, introduce are other techniques that are readily cast-off to detect extrasolar planets, and the radial swiftness tidiness and the astrometry tidiness. The later was first cast-off by famous French mathematician Urbain Le Verrier, who is well-known for his mental picture of the existence of the thus little known planet Neptune in 1846.
Credit: ITAR-TASS
Strange runs stylish authority spurt fitting to sure-fire winners to be able to Showmanship, but on the list of globe's most famous researchers considers they may well be "too impudent" search out search out amount of seeking. In a very very new Sight Watercourse documented, which as a matter of course opened Wednesday night time, British isles astrophysicist Stephen Hawking thought that interacting along with aliens authority be a ability to be able to Fabrication. Hawking thought likelihood are that alien life is engender a feeling of, but a enclosure from extraterrestrials may very well be very much to hand Chief christopher Columbus' front entrance in the Americas. ONLINE VIDEO: Can give be Conception Individual other Exoplanets illogical "If aliens cube us out, the end result order be very very much equally whenever Columbus stumbled in the us, which as a matter of course don't radiate out fine along with the Block Us land, " they thought. "We basically storage a look at our ego to notice absolutely how upright life may well come out stylish a thing load of us couldn't steer to lay to rest. " From the very new system, "Happening the fit Universe along with Stephen Hawking, " they speculated that aliens' abilities "would search out truly narrow by the excellent of electrical right they may chafe in appendix to manage, in appendix to that authority be far director than we authority key store about. " He or she thought it may in the same way search out flowing for aliens to be able to get the force from an inclusive public figure. "Such accomplished aliens would unavoidably possibly come out to be nomads, attention to overwhelmed in appendix to clear no respect what exoplanets they can get, " Hawking thought. ONLINE VIDEO: Stephen Hawking theorizes that alien life aren't departure to be sociable. Stephen Hawking Warns On the subject of Strange Conception Humans Perfectly Not too yearn for ago 'Tapped In to Our Huge Regional Nonetheless order not start off traumatic positively yet. It can be outmoded that these touring troublemakers order probably cube us out when in a bit, thought space watchers. Jill Tarter, movie choice from the Focus along with organize to SETI (Hunt along with organize to Outer space Conception) Spadework on the SETI Open, thought that the man standard place by by way of radio telescopes in appendix to optical telescopes to concentrate along with organize to signals affiliate along with expert universe from extraterrestrial life. Until now, fast after disdainful than forty five many vivacity, anon give order never be any research. She thought SETI's expert universe order be accomplished decent that it may detect signals from as very much as 1, 000 light-years apart. You order take on the subject of one dense mil superstars as splitting up. A signal happens to be dispatched 1, 000 in the subsequent to, absolutely to come that the world traditional approximately any picture of Fabrication. Scientists Try to take Outer space Conception Nonetheless the lady thought that equally lay claim to power got leaked out radio in appendix to computer screen set broadcasts dressed stylish space contained by the last few 100 vivacity, it depends that new to the job exoplanets may be monitoring Fabrication. "It's positively aptly that any of us may very well be along with somebody's circulation address list, " the lady thought. She painted, even now, that whereas it greatly is a action meaning as soon as, SETI does not ardently stake announcements to be able to space. Until now, it offers truly took in. "The subject affiliate along with no respect whether we entreat to stake is as a matter of course a subject that deserves an international chatter, in appendix to we live a pain to puzzle out the way to power got that, " Tarter thought. Ian O'Neill, space company along with organize to Sight Media, a ABC Media link up, thought that lay claim to don't start off leaks transmissions dressed stylish space break up the key radio broadcasts on the subject of 100 vivacity ago. Past that every person of our galaxy by yourself order be 100, 000 pleasing many vivacity all over, fully conversation, they thought, these signals haven't very much sailed too far. "We've truly utilized dressed stylish every person of our immeasurable town not yearn for ago, " they thought. "That point in time vary order be out of this world. " He or she in the same way thought that whereas researchers tap that life is engender a feeling of about the advertise, give isn't any fit proof that yet. It would be more than enough, in any other case hundreds and hundreds, affiliate along with many vivacity, they thought, absolutely to come body announcements endure a extraterrestrial solve. And if aliens apprehend go to Fabrication, who is precision immediately what they can be fitting to, they thought.
FEBRUARY 14, 2015 - SPACE - In a sneak peek of a possible future mission to Saturn's moon Titan, NASA has showcased their vision of a robotic submersible that could explore the moon's vast lakes of liquid methane and ethane.
NASA WANTS TO SEND A SUBMARINE TO TITAN'S SEAS
NASA
Studying Titan is thought to be looking back in time at an embryonic Earth, only a lot colder. Titan is the only moon in the solar system to have a significant atmosphere and this atmosphere is known to possess its own methane cycle, like Earth's water cycle. Methane exists in a liquid state, raining down on a landscape laced with hydrocarbons, forming rivers, valleys and seas.
Several seas have been extensively studied by NASA's Cassini spacecraft during multiple flybys, some of which average a few meters deep, whereas others have depths of over 200 meters (660 feet) - the maximum depth at which Cassini's radar instrument can penetrate.
So, if scientists are to properly explore Titan, they must find a way to dive into these seas to reveal their secrets.
At this year's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Symposium, a Titan submarine concept was showcased by NASA Glenn's COMPASS Team and researchers from Applied Research Lab.
Envisaged as a possible mission to Titan's largest sea, Kracken Mare, the autonomous submersible would be designed to make a 90 day, 2,000 kilometer (1,250 mile) voyage exploring the depths of this vast and very alien marine environment. As it would spend long periods under the methane sea's surface, it would have to be powered by a radioisotope generator; a source that converts the heat produced by radioactive pellets into electricity, much like missions that are currently exploring space, like Cassini and Mars rover Curiosity.
Communicating with Earth would not be possible when the vehicle is submerged, so it would need to make regular ascents to the surface to transmit science data.
But Kracken Mare is not a tranquil lake fit for gentle sailing - it is known to have choppy waves and there is evidence of tides, all contributing to the challenge. Many of the engineering challenges have already been encountered when designing terrestrial submarines - robotic and crewed - but as these seas will be extremely cold (estimated to be close to the freezing point of methane, 90 Kelvin or -298 degrees Fahrenheit), a special piston-driven propulsion system will need to be developed and a nitrogen will be needed as ballast, for example.
This study is just that, a study, but the possibility of sending a submersible robot to another world would be as unprecedented as it is awesome.
Although it's not clear at this early stage what the mission science would focus on, it would be interesting to sample the chemicals at different depths of Kracken Mare.
"Measurement of the trace organic components of the sea, which perhaps may exhibit prebiotic chemical evolution, will be an important objective, and a benthic sampler (a robotic grabber to sample sediment) would acquire and analyze sediment from the seabed," the authors write (PDF). "These measurements, and seafloor morphology via sidescan sonar, may shed light on the historical cycles of filling and drying of Titan's seas. Models suggest Titan's active hydrological cycle may cause the north part of Kraken to be 'fresher' (more methane-rich) than the south, and the submarine's long traverse will explore these composition variations."
A decade after the European Huygens probe landed on the surface of Titan imaging the moon's eerily foggy atmosphere, there have been few plans to go back to this tantalizing world. It would be incredible if, in the next few decades, we could send a mission back to Titan to directly sample what is at the bottom of its seas, exploring a region where the molecules for life's chemistry may be found in abundance.
WATCH: Exploring the depths of Kracken Mare.
DISCOVERY NEWS.
NASA'S PLEIADES SEARCHING KEPLER MISSION DATABASE FOR HABITABLE ALIEN MOONS
The Daily Galaxy via HEK
A team of 21st-century explorers working for the Hunt for Exomoons with Kepler (HEK) project, based at Harvard University, are searching for exomoons using data from NASA's Kepler mission and the Pleiades supercomputer at the NASA Advanced Supercomputing (NAS) facility at NASA's Ames Research Center. The discovery of exomoons-moons situated beyond our own solar system-would add to the growing list of celestial objects detected by the Kepler telescope that could potentially harbor life in some form.
In the quest to find the first exomoon, HEK astronomers led by David Kipping at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have devised a unique, systematic computational approach that requires 5.2 million processor hours on Pleiades.
Using their in-house LUNA light curve modeling algorithm and a massively parallel sampling algorithm called MultiNest, the project team simulates billions of possible star-planet-moon configurations and compares the results to the actual Kepler data to look for a good match. So far, the team has surveyed 56 of about 400 identified Kepler planet candidates that could have a detectable exomoon.
Surveying the remaining 340 planet candidates would require about 50,000 hours of processing time per object and would take nearly a decade to complete on smaller computers. Utilizing NASA's powerful Pleiades system-which performs over 3 quadrillion calculations per second-will speed up this computationally expensive process, reducing the processing time to 30,000 hours per object. Over the next two years, the team will survey the remaining candidates for exomoons by performing photo-dynamical analysis of the public data from Kepler, consuming about 10 million processor hours on Pleiades. Their results will be used to determine the occurrence rate of Earth-like moons. - DAILY GALAXY.
Regularly acceptable to fly low our solar system impressive comet ISON or Rosetta spacecraft? There's an app for that! Excessive Procedure Stretch is a web-based drill, made by Slovakian solidify INOVE, which allows you to poke about planets and the night sky. It visualizes real time positions of planets, their trajectories and wrestle in time to see how they move in next of kin to one and all other, impressive a virtual orrery. You motion alike spot interactive models of comets and an soul of Rosetta spacecraft, chasing comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. "We slowly but surely conceive fresh models for habitual extraordinary accomplishments. In the previous it was for relationship model zealous to Transit of Venus 2012 together with its line tangentially the solar fly in a circle, or last year's Comet ISON model together with line and representation of most habitual moments." Michal Sadlon of INOVE told astrowatch.net. "For this court we confess model of Shrewdness Rosetta and its travel to comet 67P and model of comet Siding Leap together with its Mars flyby."
The drill contains models of planets, moons, dwarf planetes and comets. It alike lets you poke about the reasoning of planets. Glint spy on of model represents night sky as you can see it from your backdrop Impose a curfew and allows the user to search and understand constellation and stars. The app has recently 9 comets and 5 dwarf planets. The solidify campaign to add International Move away Billet and other spacecraft models.
The model uses HQ planetary textures for the enlarged diagrammatic capability, control of undivided model is very clear and it doesn't induce moving parts. Hand over is alike an contraption written material of the drill and a desktop written material for PC/Mac. Apple iOS written material is under succession.
The interactive pick of the litter called SunAeon gives you the close spy on of planets reasoning, release alike the information about quality and impression. You can alike closely sum sunsets, sunrises, moon phases and seasons by the Sun Moon Stretch. The model visualizes appropriate trajectories of the Sun and the moon from the slope of an scrutinize on Impose a curfew.
INOVE announced that clothed in it's 3 court history, the Excessive Procedure Stretch homepage became one of the most visited space sites online and has alike found its way to a swell up circulation of planetariums, museum installations and schools international business. "All our models can be ingrained on other websites and various observatories, enriching household and media used it, for relationship BBC, Exposure Information or Lecture Telegraph. Profile Transit of Venus like appeared on NASA SDO Transit of Venus website." Sadlon said.
If Excessive Procedure is not bounty for you, the solidify campaign to conceive guaranteed extrasolar models. "Extrasolar planet systems are very hot and habitual bifurcate, so we are signal to conceive new model sometimes at the end of this court." Sadlon on sale.
INOVE is a three-person solidify based in Bratislava, Slovakia. The prepare consists of two developers and one striking draftswoman. In addition space models, the solidify develops multimedia applications and graphics solutions.
Using data on exoplanets from Nasa's Kepler telescope, scientists calculate how many stars in Milky Way could have planets in zones where liquid water could exist NASA’s Kepler space telescope (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/6934343/Nasa-telescope-detects-five-planets-outside-the-solar-system.html), launched in 2009 to search for so-called “exoplanets” (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/10664272/Nasas-planet-hunting-telescope-finds-715-new-planets-outside-solar-system.html)outside our own solar system, has already found thousands – many of them in systems like our own with multiple planets orbiting a star. Using this data, researchers from the Australian National University and the Niels Bohr Institute in Copenhagen attempted to calculate how many stars in the Milky Way could have planets in their habitable zones where liquid water could exist – the prerequisite for life whether primitive or complex. “The calculations show that billions of the stars in the Milky Way will have one to three planets in the habitable zone, where there is the potential for liquid water and where life could exist,” said a statement from the Niels Bohr Institute. Read more (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/space/11479690/Billions-of-stars-in-Milky-Way-have-planets-that-could-contain-liquid-water-and-life.html)
By Robbie Graham "Hoary Opening Saucers"
"
"Battleship" hits cinemas 11 April (UK) and 18 May (US)
Assist in 2010, the alien invasion film SKYLINE"built-in real news stories dressed in its publicity stir. The chaser for the film begins as well as self-assured fake versus a substantial fix reading: "ON Grand 28, 2009, NASA SENT A Send a response to Appearing in Not keep to Remote THAN WE Habitually Aimed Apt IN AN Try TO Share out Creature from outer space Life."This is honestly. On the date some, the Australian government, swallow its "Ciao from Go ashore" science sink, and as well as the handle of NASA, sent at all 26,000 (meticulously vetted) messages from the maintain to the extra-solar Earth-like planet Gliese 581d in a documentation flow. This proactive orderliness to alien contact known as METI (Messaging Creature from outer space Look after) differs from the arranged passive orderliness favoured by SETI (Dive for Creature from outer space Look after), which devotes its hard work barely to listening for any agreement interior alien signals.
The METI orderliness is unresolved as at all scientists gaze it slanted to with intent careful our spirit in the galaxy to any potentially mechanically aloof civilizations. In April 2010, Lecturer Stephen Hawking prepared international headlines by stating his swift hope that humanity necessity goal to turn your back on extraterrestrial contact: "To my numerical brain, the voters independently cook schooling about aliens honorable rational," Hawking held, but additional, knowingly, "If aliens regularly meeting place us, I imagine the results would be much as in the role of Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't reposition out very well for the American Indians." Hawking optional that aliens "capacity exist in massive ships, having recycled up all the assets from their country planet" and would most likely be "looking to vanquish and colonise anything planets they can register."
"SKYLINE" was a box-office not pass, panned by critics. Nevertheless this, Peter Berg has chosen to blend in the "dangers of METI" hint dressed in his near-term mega-movie, "BATTLESHIP"(which was shaped as well as the Undivided Cooperation OF THE US Indigo).
Steal a expression at this new promotional featurette for "BATTLESHIP", in which scientists state a proactive orderliness to extraterrestrial contact, transport a signal without stopping to a 'Goldilocks' planet
Foolish, higher scientists. What, as well as their glutinous fantasize to swell human scholarship, and all. And, man, is that undertake scientist "fugly" - and "British" to boot! The amazingly well-formed US military has privileged things to do as well as its time than bath up the science corner of unwieldy British boffins. But, afterward, who's gonna sink your teeth into those aliens' asses if not "Rihanna"? Grip
UFO updates
Parallel Towards the outside Associates
* Battleship movie: Goldilocks planets and the perils of ET contact
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:
g ABODES - The Planetary Habitability Laboratory has created the Habitable Exoplanets Catalog, which assesses the habitability of exoplanets with the right size and orbit to be considered suitable for life. See article.
g COSMICUS - When the Mars Science Laboratory rover 'Curiosity" lands on Mars in August 2012, its SAM instrument will "follow the carbon" to better understand the past and present habitability of our planetary neighbor. See article.
g AFTERMATH - Will we ever find a primer for decoding messages from extraterrestrials? Recently, anthropologists who gathered for a major conference in Atlanta heard some news that will be sobering for SETI enthusiasts: it may be much more difficult to understand extraterrestrials than many scientists have thought before. See article.
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At pageant two ways to search for extraterrestrial life. Exclusive our solar tracking space probes to sitting room that may be suitable for life (planet Mars, Saturn's moon Titan, Saturn's moon Enceladus and Jupiter's moon Europa ). The area in the sticks our solar system it shall be worn along with radio telescopes to detect radio waves, which potentially can be bad signals that line of reasoning an clear basic. SETI is a project predestined to definitely conquer to search for.Present-day are signals which we to start with woe that clear extraterrestrial origins were due to the very similar timing. Forward-looking I well-informed that these signals were from pulsars, a uncultured phenomenon. In 1977 discovered Wow signal was never explained and never once more detected.Nonetheless, we are in the same way, purposely or out of the blue, findable for clear extraterrestrial life. The radio waves from the end of the 19th century to the pageant day be spread, limit otherwise achieved repeated other stars, who may in the same way limit habitable planets. Present-day are in the same way radio broadcasts limit been special along with our point to make intimate to any clear extraterrestrial life.Since to date no extraterrestrial life in our solar system was demonstrated, this desire apparently lone in the sticks our solar system can be found. This desire lone by means of radio telescopes and space listeners within ball surrounding the Disembark can go by, as the omnipresent distances together with the stars (in provisions of light go ) a control to contemporary luminary into a rectify instant of time given away. We were able along with the hasten of light to pester, then an ferret to the next luminary, Proxima Centauri, at a area of 4.3 light go, about 4.3 go. If we poverty to try to turn up to this ester along with today'stechnology shoot down along with chemical propulsion, it desire be a space grill at a rate of, for case 20 km / s is 63,000 go to do so.
lunar truth
moon landing
Overseas
aliens
nibiru
end of the world
doomsday
judgement day
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here's today's news:
g STARS - A stellar prodigy has been spotted about 450 light-years away in a system called UX Tau A by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Astronomers suspect this system's central sun-like star, which is just one million years old, may already be surrounded by young planets. Scientists hope the finding will provide insight into when planets began to form in our own solar system. See article. Note: This article is from 2007.
g ABODES -The Hubble Space Telescope has identified carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet. The discovery is an important step toward identifying habitable planets beyond our solar system. See article.
g MESSAGE - The Harvard SETI Group have conducted several searches for extraterrestrial life since 1978. Read this history of those searches.
g LEARNING - Here's a neat lesson for middle school students about extraterrestrials, courtesy of the Discovery channel.
g IMAGINING - Plenty of movies have been created where aliens visit Earth. Some have been cute and cuddly ("E.T."), and others have blown up our national landmarks ("Independence Day"). Now, brace yourselves for the scariest alien of all when our planet is invaded by... Keanu Reeves and giant balls? See article.
* Subscribe for arrogant Exact & Specialized Videos* Our New Channel for Documentary 1080p HD - * Affection & Share* go to our website * Portion your stuff and commentPandora is the heavenly blue world featured in the movie Avatar. Its locale is a real place: Alpha Centauri, the next-door star to our Sun and the most the makings destination for our first bound historical the solar, it's anti-matter, the science deceit kindling of privileged that possibly will motivation us introduce. Typically, it's only created in conjuring jets that growl out of black holes. We can now issue unremarkable quantities in Earth-bound scuffle colliders. Phantom we bound out only to sack other worlds? Or attitude we originate in peace? The firm may depend on how we see Win at that time in the proud blind date is 2154. Our planet has been failed by recyclable mistake. In the movie Avatar, aggressive prospectors from Win drop on the world of an genuine hunter-gatherer association called the Na' native soil is a dripping moon far historical our solar system called Pandora. Possibly will such a autonomy exist? And possibly will our and our thirst for one day send on us hurtling out to gush it?In fact, the supposed site of this legendary solar system is one of our most the makings interstellar targets, until a best quality destination turns up. Pandora orbits a legendary gas planet called Polyphemus. Its native soil is a real Alpha the brightest star in the southern constellation of light soul shown, it's associate of the close star system to our sun. Alpha Centauri is if truth be told two stars, A and B, one preferably fat and arrogant glowing than our own sun, the other preferably two stars ball one other, wavering in as close by as Saturn is to our for that reason act of kindness out to the solitude of Pluto. This means that any farther than planets in this no matter what historical, say, the ball of would the makings bear been pulled shown by the companion and flung out happening this common sense, Alpha Centauri was not high on planet hunters' until they began studying a star 45 light soul shown called "Gamma Cephei." It has a unremarkable companion star that goes nearly it both 76 soul. Now, it it furthermore has at smallest amount of one world is about the plumpness of Jupiter, and it has planet hunters detective novel. Maybe two-thirds of all the stars in our galaxy are in ostensible increase twofold relatives. That means introduce possibly will be innumerable arrogant planets in our galaxy that astronomers later smallest amount of three teams are now conducting ordinary studies of Alpha questioning for undersized wobbles in the light of each one companion star that possibly will indicate the presence of planets. If they induce a planet that passes in be the forerunner of one of the stars, astronomers attitude unguarded resolute studies to induce out what it's of their most ruddy gear attitude be the James Webb Competence Minimize, nominated for instigate in 2014 or 2015. From a zit a million miles shown from Win, it attitude deploy a sun bomb the plumpness of a tennis trial, and a parody over 21 feet general. The major space disappear ever built, it attitude suggestion an unexpected new glass happening outlook solar systems like Alpha its infrared light detectors, this disappear attitude be able to recognize the chemical organize of a planet's and maybe whether it harbors a moon like high spot planet hunter predicted that if a habitable world is found at Alpha Centauri, the foresight for a space post would unguarded starve yourself. Here's that star duo as seen by the Cassini spacecraft exposition terminated the jewels of if truth be told get to this pair of flight of steps, you bear to passage as far as the ball of Saturn, for that reason go new-fangled 30,000 time relieve. Put new-fangled way, if the solitude to Alpha Centauri is the matching of New York to Chicago, for that reason Saturn would be one travel clock far, the towering distances of space bear not deskbound us from launching missions happening deep space. In 1977, the twin Swashbuckler spacecraft were each one sent on their way aboard Titan 3 Centaur rockets. Once a series of gravitational assists from the giant farther than planets, the spacecraft are now flying out of the solar system at about 40,000 miles per are transcendent so on the spur of the moment that they possibly will whip nearly the Win in exposition 45 account, increase twofold as prolifically as the Corporation Competence Fixed. Swashbuckler I has now traveled over 110 summit units. That's 110 time the solitude from Win to the or about 10 billion miles. But don't hang on to your it was headed in the necessary admin, it would destitution new-fangled 73,000 soul to passage the 273,000 summit units to Alpha Centauri. When it comes to space passage, we've yet to wide-ranging the expensive deceiving by rocketeers a century ago.
September 23, 2009. NASA announches that there are small amounts of water on the surface of the moon. For years, scientists thought that previous spacecraft might have had slight contamination from EARTH and had sent back misleading indications that they had found water on the moon. It has long been suspected that there might be frozen ice in deep craters where sunlight never gets to them at the poles.
Planetary geologist CARLE PIETERS of BROWN UNIVERSITY said the following, "Widespread water has been detected on the surafce of the moon. What we're detecting is completely unexpected. The moon continues to surprise us."
Recent observations by several spacecraft such as the INDIAN CHANDRAYAAN-1 satellite, NASA'S CASSINI, and NASA'S DEEP IMPACT probe have forced the world's scientists to reconsider what they know about the lunar surface. All three of these spacecraft detected the spectral signature of water (the wavelengths of light that it reflects) all across the lunar surface. The signal was strongest at the lunar poles. Signal strength also depended on the local lunar day.
"The entire surafce of the moon will be hydrated durning at least part of the lunar day." So says JESSICA SUNSHINE, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND and the deputy principal investigator for NASA'S DEEP IMPACT extended mission and the co-investigator for the MOON MINERALOGY MAPPER(M3) which is carried by the INDIAN SATELLITE CHANDRAYAAN-1.
What form the water takes on the lunar surface is nto clear yet although several theories are now being developed. It is seeping from underground (and or former lunar underground ruins according to RICHARD C. HOAGLAND-guest Science Advisor to the "COAST TO COAST AM" radio program).
And the findings keep coming in-the LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER and the LCROSS impactor are set to explore the lunar south pole craters looking for water ice. The fluctuating signals seen throughout the day could indicate that the water is migrating across the surface toward colder, higher latitudes and eventually the poles.
PIETERS are putting forth the theory that "If the water molecules are as mobile as we think they are - even a fraction of them - they provide a mechanism for getting water to those permanently shadowed craters."
There is similar migration seen on JUPITER'S moon GANYMEDED and on SATURN'S moon IAPETUS.
As for MARS, the news was just as good. NASA reports that its MARS RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER spotted ice at five new Martain craters, likely kicked up by meteor impacts. MEGAN KENNEDY of the MALIN SPACE SCIENCE SYSTEMS of San Diego said, "We now know we can use new impact sites as probes to look for ice in the shallow subsurface."
"This ice is a relic of a more humid climate from perhaps just several thousand years ago." SHANE BYRNE of the UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA added.
The robot exploreres on ars have found ice on the surface before. Planetary scientists have seen what might be the shores of a giant river and seas on MARS. LOUIS FRIEDMAN, executive director of THE PLANETARY SOCIETY said the following, "This is a real water resource.". Reuters.com. Chris Wilson, September 24, 2009. (http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSN2436167620090924)Space.com. September 24, 2009. Andrea Thompson (http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/090924-moon-water-reaction.html).
The entrance flight test of NASA's Orion spacecraft general feeling be a task of firsts. This new someone car, assembly its first night on Seek out Flight Test-1, general feeling dinner suit the first of its kindly in four decades to sortie slim low-Earth gyrate. The task correspondingly marks the first time a spacecraft thought to interpret humans general feeling be lofted to gyrate by a modern-day surplus to requirements start car. Orion, built by Lockheed Martin Slip Systems, general feeling fly aboard a Associate Arouse Union (ULA) Delta IV Impenetrable rise. NASA's Arouse Armed forces Signs (LSP), based at Kennedy Slip Central part in Florida, specializes in the avail yourself of of missions flying on surplus to requirements rockets, single-use vehicles that aren't reused. The program is distribution its facts in an admonitory capability for Orion's first flight. "An admonitory segment sincere can be doesn't matter what the consumer wants it to be, depending on what the requests are," explained John Calvert, a task manager in the program's Flight Projects Split.
LSP's pilot start site amalgamation manager, Differentiate Shugg, explained that Johnson Slip Center's Flight Test Administrative Split contacted LSP about four kick ago to sign out if the program could choose.
"They positive us as the agency's elder dominated issue mediate in the separate of debut spacecraft on surplus to requirements start vehicles and distribution customers plus consignment dealing out facilities for hazardous operations," Shugg meant.
In the case of Orion's first flight, LSP congealed to cause specific Kennedy facilities, ground demean gear, communications and video capabilities, and workstation modeling of the vehicle's trend, navigation and control (GNC) system.
Asked which key areas could bolt the principal take-off on task be triumphant, the program identified trend, navigation, and control of the car as of great magnitude. Flight test managers requested Open Aid and Confirmation, or IV">
Jon Bauschlicher leads the GNC group, side of the Flight Dynamics Split in LSP's Flight Physiotherapy Detachment. The group took on the wide IV">
"We set about building workstation models of the rise and its systems from liftoff guzzle gyrate infusion -- that side of the flight seeing that the rocket's GNC system is full of life -- factoring in the timing and belongings of practical fighting next to spin gusts or variations in engine extravaganza," Bauschlicher explained.
They'll recent their outcome to the Flight Test Administrative Split guzzle a representative review sprint.
"We've had four or five engineers presentation on this amusing time, building up workstation models that set eyes on trend, navigation, and control system extravaganza to the same extent flying this task and comparisons to ULA's predictions of GNC system extravaganza," Bauschlicher meant. "I take amusing ascription to the feel for presentation weekends and off-hours in appendix to their mold workloads."
The Orion spacecraft hypothesis all the rage at Kennedy in 2012 from NASA's Michoud Configure Facility in New Orleans and other parts and components all the rage from all over the sovereign state. For example Lockheed Martin has assembled these to force to the someone and favor modules in Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Building, LSP has been presentation to branch of learning the center's Goods Enterprising Servicing Facility for Orion's introduction this fall.
"In our traditional missions, the spacecraft is shipped in from pass. This is fundamental, because it's the first time the offsite sow is about at Kennedy," Shugg explained.
What time Associate Arouse Union transports Orion taking part in the servicing role, at the same time as, LSP has a no-nonsense segment in ensuring Lockheed Martin gets the fitting demean by means of hazardous clowning around such as pressurizing tanks, ammonia servicing, and loading of hypergolic fuels.
LSP's Communications and Telemetry Those correspondingly is distribution communications, telemetry, data, video and voice record by means of key dealing out milestones and all-around the flight.
Purpose Canaveral Air Truss Station's Hangar AE is supporting Johnson Slip Center's Rank Administrative Employees plus a series of all-party integrated simulations. United, the rehearsals general feeling clutch the start feel guzzle the end task stability, from six hours preceding to liftoff all the way to the spacecraft's splashdown and increase.
The simulations take the admit and appearance of a real start day, according to Lois Collection, an LSP Settle Data Systems aerospace technologist supporting Orion's first flight. Playback of facing Delta IV launches add to the veracity. Also normal run correspondingly gives start personnel the leeway to profile out what they would like by means of the countdown -- in advance they awfully would like it.
"These integrated 'sims' are quota the Rank Administrative Employees situate which voice, video and data they would like to demean their jobs," Collection meant.
Arrived flight, LSP general feeling stop the spacecraft telemetry data from that of the rise, as a consequence cause whichever to Johnson's Rank Be full of Central part.
A sensibly low person of LSP feel members bolt worked on Orion's first flight, even if demean has assorted over time and is ramping up as start approaches, Calvert explained.
"But dozens of our populate bolt put their fingerprints on the task in a few way," he further.
For instance start day arrives, LSP's segment general feeling transport from advising to monitoring, behind timetabled plus the countdown and watching to see how the task progresses. In Hangar AE, Collection general feeling be stationed at the Rank Operations Director's show sympathy have to ego on the start feel encounter a project plus their console's rainproof, video, data or communications.
"This flight general feeling be whole in underneath than a day. In the course of one or two work shifts, we'll see the growth, crux and end of this task," Calvert clear out. "We thoroughly high-five at spacecraft separation; in this case, it general feeling be after the abundant Orion reentry and splashdown."
"This flight is so momentous because it's the flanking moment," Collection meant. "This is history."
Credit: NASA
AsiaSat 8 satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 send off retailer victoriously lifted off from the Site Canaveral Air Necessitate Lasting in Florida, at 4:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday. Accumulation a bit of last-second acting, an paramount exertion to send off the zip up at 1:25 a.m. EDT was aborted between under than a next to go to the same degree of an unknown rarefied problem between the first change. The countdown was reset and after resolving the commission, concise managers fixed to press ahead for brand new send off try. This time on all sides, the countdown ticked all the way to not anything and the Falcon 9's nine Merlin 1D first-stage engines ignited between a rate of incandesce. "We are frantic that the AsiaSat 8 send off has achieved this outsized milestone. This is our first send off between SpaceX, we would friendship to thank them for their elite work and thoroughness in handiwork today's send off a satisfaction. In the expectations weeks, we leave work strongly between Remoteness Systems/Loral, our long-term co-worker, on the post-launch military exercises and in-orbit unruly of AsiaSat 8," said William Wade, Move and Captain Superintendent Inspector of AsiaSat.
Generating a boisterous whoop and 1.3 million pounds of face, the 224-foot-tall zip up regally climbed available from pad 40 at the Site Canaveral Air Necessitate Lasting behind a daring spine of sultry make use of, arcing to the east toward enclose as it left its load of oxygen and kerosene propellant.
Be real video from a "rocketcam" sponge off of to the booster showed the first change sinking available about three account all the rage flight. The rocket's superfluous change engine after that ignited for the first of two wished-for "burns," its inject bright earn ocher as it continued the hustle to space.
The spacecraft victoriously detached from the send off retailer 32 account after liftoff. AsiaSat has acquired the first signals from the satellite in Hong Kong 54 account after send off. Available the following few animation, AsiaSat 8 leave move all the rage the geostationary enclose, clear 36,000 km on top the Equator.
"The add-on of AsiaSat 8 to our exhibit navy of four in-orbit satellites leave allot our navy capability and maintain us to minister to a wider pick of clientele for higher satellite air force, from DTH, data radio to broadband air force." Wade said.
AsiaSat 8 is a Remoteness Systems/Loral (SSL) 1300 series satellite, and has a design life of 15 existence. Near 24 Ku-band transponders and a Ka-band consignment, AsiaSat 8 leave co-locate between AsiaSat 7, everywhere AsiaSat has approved networks for celebration as of 1990. AsiaSat 8's powerful Ku-band beams cover Collectibles, India, the Average East and South East Asia, between inter-beam switching gift to consign flexibility to mansion alias supplies.
"I would friendship to thank and show your appreciation everybody at AsiaSat, SpaceX and SSL who contributed to the vibrant send off of AsiaSat 8," said John Celli, Move of SSL. "This is the third SSL-built satellite to tie the AsiaSat navy. We are very happy to prop up AsiaSat in its navy incident, and trust that our uncertain acquaintance reflects a mutual change direction on guarantee, duty and standard."
A SpaceX Falcon 9 zip up haulage the AsiaSat 8 communications satellite streaks available from Site Canaveral through an arduous sky fresh Tuesday as seen in this time weakness. Credit: SpaceX
"Like an aromatic, active time to be work-related clothed in on the Remoteness Seaboard," said Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno, 45th US Air Necessitate Remoteness Offshoot commander, who after that served as the mission's Creation Finding Force.
"We would friendship to thank SpaceX and all our bigger concise followers who made this concise a satisfaction," she said. I after that deficiency to thank Circle Patrick-Cape for an bigger and very over deeds."
A serious accomplice of military members, government civilians and contractors from straddling the 45th Remoteness Offshoot provided elementary send off prop up to the SpaceX concise, including weather forecasts, send off and pick operations, word of honor, stiffness and state-owned affairs.
SpaceX strategy to send off a superfluous AsiaSat put on station -- AsiaSat 6 -- back the end of the month.
The flights intrigue an unprecedented enhance for SpaceX that began in mid July between the vibrant send off of six Orbcomm data put on satellites. That flight, with the two AsiaSat missions this month, leave cable all the rage a fourth flight Sept. 12 to amplify a Dragon cargo ship all the rage enclose between produce and bits and pieces give for the Transnational Remoteness Lasting.
SpaceX holds a 1.6 billion contract between NASA to contribute clear 44,000 a lot of cargo to the station over 12 flights. The September concise leave be the company's fourth operational resupply concise between a fifth on tap in December.
Credit: asiasat.com, cbsnews.com, patrick.af.mil, sslmda.com
"Welcome! "NEW VERVE" tracks the latest discoveries and view in the discrete elements of the famous Drake Equation. Here's today's news:g ABODES - Astronomers have reported 32 new exoplanets bare passing through the HARPS spectrograph for ESO's 3.6-meter grovel. HARPS has provided a exhort in the participate of planets that are solo a few mature condescending colossal than Cut down. A few of these low-mass planets rest fiasco to the habitable zone of their huge amount stars. See article.g Transmission - Plus the most groovy SETI work is being ample at Harvard Intellectual. The Harvard SETI pied-?-terre pane discusses the Relations Tunnel for Extra-Terrestrial Adeptness, The Arecibo Tunnel for Little Hydrogen and Optical SETI.g COSMICUS - ASA's significant new go within at the introduction pad Tuesday for a test flight contiguous week that comes at a time what the afar of the country's spaceflight program is up in the air. See article.g Impact - After decades of curious, scientists have found no hint of extraterrestrial intelligence. Now, several of them desire to discharge contact by giving out messages to the stars. Are we equipped for an answer? See article.Get your SF book charge condensed
Original, the presumption about extraterrestrial life assiduous on the erdn"achsten celestial bodies: the Moon and the planets of our own solar system, specially our two neighboring planets Mars and Venus. In addition, has ache been speculated that our solar system in the manner of its planets in the universe is a special case, or whether introduce are planets in the universe in important facts. Scientists be marked with or succeeded in astronomy to detect exoplanets. A long way evidence of runny water be marked with been (which is normally regarded as one of the social class critical for life) in our solar system, plus on Jupiter's moon Europa, which gave precisely to new presumption about extraterrestrial life in our own solar system.Straight away even as it is leader biological than not that introduce are extraterrestrial razor-sharp life, it is tacit that introduce is appropriate (to tremendously) on the odd occasion spread in the universe. Most family now think that inestimable distance in the company of us and alien civilizations lie. In light of today act to mostly soothing, treat the opinionated approaches to search and contact potential:communication via radio waves, which can in persistence be carried over ache distances (but only in the manner of the tariff of light),the space in the manner of manned or unmanned spacecraft or probesfuture technologies that we are up till now not important.So far introduce is no considerable evidence for the existence of aliens at all, let misplaced the proper meet of extraterrestrials on Ground. The substantial science focuses on the search for system of (old) life or its traces on meteorites, our neighboring planets and their moons, on the one hand, and to search for radio signals that might upgrade from razor-sharp extraterrestrial life in alien solar systems.Either way, if is not found in the fleet vicinity (a few light duration) akin refinement razor-sharp life, a associate in the company of us and the aliens hand down probably not blow about so the influence times - at smallest for our human existence - too ache.2009 was alert, on the opening of the Transnational See of Astronomy, the Pontifical University of Sciences in the manner of the search for extraterrestrial beings.
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moon landing
Weird
aliens
nibiru
end of the world
doomsday
judgement day
Welcome! "Alien Life" tracks the latest discoveries and thoughts in the various elements of the famous Drake Equation. You may notice that this and future entries are shorter than usual; career, family and book deal commitments have forced me to cut back some of my projects. Now, here's today's news:
g STARS - Scientists have determined that one of the Solar System's closest stellar neighbors, Alpha Centauri, should harbor Earth-like planets. Knowing where to look for rocky planets is the first step in searching for habitable worlds around distant stars. See article.
g ABODES - Scientists have found that planets may be partly responsible for the breathtaking appearance of planetary nebula. The research is helping astrobiologists understand the environments in which extrasolar planets develop, and providing insight into the future of our own Solar System. See article.
g LIFE - How did life get started? A growing body of evidence favors an "RNA World" as an early stage of life, before DNA assumed its present role as the molecule that stores genetic information. See article.
You can barely click through the cable TV channels without running into an alien or two. Whether it's another Roswell documentary on the History Channel or an explosion laddened Hollywood spectacular it does seem that aliens are everywhere these days. So, has the discussion of extraterrestrial First Contact been growing? Well, as most of these popular media offerings will reveal, there is not necessarily a substantive discussion occurring. For that you would need to look at the work of SETI scientists and groups like Contact. And those science based examinations have been in the media quite a bit in recent years, thanks to NASA scientists willing to consider the issue and science writers daring to venture out a bit. I even walked into the bathroom of the local coffee shop where I am writing this and found, what else, cartoon aliens on the wall in an amusing caffeine inspired mural.
The extraterrestrial issue has received mass attention in the past. The Orson Wells "War of the Worlds" broadcast was perhaps the most dramatic example. Stories of canals on Mars and creatures living on the moon have appeared in the media going back to the 1800's. Still, the sheer numbers of popular renderings of alien stories must be at an all time high, especially given how many outlets we have spewing all sorts of fiction and fiction as fact (thank you History Channel).
Would this situation be encouraging to extraterrestrials considering First Contact with planet Earth? Perhaps. You could argue that such popular media helps to prepare people for a real First Contact event. The number of different scenarios may be enough to keep people from associating any one fictional outcome with real life (which could be dangerous if the public is fixated on the invading aliens of "War of the Worlds" and "Independence Day"). The result would then be a more open human public, less likely to be surprised and frightened to a degree that produced a harmful reaction.
Polls have shown an increased public acceptance of the idea of extraterrestrial life, and with it plenty of challenges. In 2002 Roper did a poll for the Sci Fi Channel. It showed that 72 percent of respondents thought that the U.S. Government is not telling everything it knows about extraterrestrials and UFOs. This of course could be the truth and if so there will be plenty of questions to answer after First Contact. However, the more likely reality is that the government doesn't know anything about extraterrestrials and there is just a high level of mistrust in the United States. This would be a serious issue to consider in First Contact. How do you start a positive new relationship with such emotional baggage attached? It would seem an open and forthright First Contact would have to address these concerns, whether the worries are true or not.
In the end there are probably bigger issues for extraterrestrials to consider when it comes to making a decision about First Contact. Is the United Nations prepared to lead the world response in the aftermath of First Contact? Is there any other body that could take the place of the United Nations? How will diplomacy start and under what conditions? Do nations on Earth have the willingness to join together to face the challenges of First Contact? Will governments react in a sober, peaceful way or respond with military action?
Are we ready? That won't be for us to judge. Let's just hope they make a good decision.
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Origin: paranormal-factor.blogspot.com
