skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Physorg.com, July 21, 2010
The Moon. Image: NASA (Enlarge)
RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE, ARE ONCE AGAIN TURNING WHAT SCIENTISTS THOUGHT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE MOON ON ITS HEAD.
Last fall, researchers, including Larry Taylor, a distinguished professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, discovered "lunar dew" on the moon's surface -- absorbed "water" in the uppermost layers of lunar soil. This discovery of water debunked beliefs held since the return of the first Apollo rocks that the moon was bone-dry.
Now, scientists, including Taylor and Yang Liu, research assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, have discovered that water on the moon is more widespread -- on the outside and inside of the moon -- with some similarities to water in volcanic systems on Earth.
Their research will be featured in the article, "Lunar Apatite with Terrestrial Volatile Abundances" in the July 22 edition of the scientific journal, Nature.
Unlike lunar dew which is believed to come from an outside source such as solar wind which brings hydrogen into contact with the Moon's oxygen, the water discovered by Taylor and Liu is internal, arising from an entirely different origin. How it got there is not yet known. The water may have been added by impacting comets, which contain ice, during or after the formation of the moon and Earth.
The existence of volcanoes on the moon more than 4 billion years ago gave the researchers a clue that water might exist inside the body, since the dynamics of volcanoes on Earth are mostly driven by water. Therefore, the scientists made their novel discovery by examining a lunar basalt brought back from the 1971 Apollo 14 mission. Using secondary ion mass spectrometry at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., scientists determined volatile elements in a calcium phosphate mineral are very similar in the same mineral found on Earth.
The scientists said this provides "robust evidence for the presence of water in the interior of the moon from where some lunar rocks were derived. This demonstrates a closer chemical and geologic relationship between the Earth and moon than previously known. We must now re-evaluate the volatile inventories of the moon, relative to the Earth."
This is a photomicrograph of a thin section of lunar sample 14053. Credit: Larry Taylor/University of Tennessee (Enlarge)
The finding of volatiles on the moon has deep implications for how it, and the Earth, formed. It is generally believed that the moon was created when the early Earth was hit by a Mars-sized proto-planet called Theia, melting and vaporizing itself and a large chunk of the Earth. The cloud of particles created by the impact later congealed to form the moon, which supposedly was devoid of highly volatile elements such as hydrogen and chlorine. However, the researchers' discovery of these volatiles challenges this theory.
"If water in the Moon was residue water kept during the giant impact, it is surprising that water survived the impact at all because less volatile elements, such as sodium and potassium, are strongly depleted. The details of the impact theory need to be re-examined," Liu said.
The discovery of abundant and ubiquitous water on the moon could mean a human settlement on the moon is not so far-fetched. Currently, the endeavour would be very expensive. For example, it costs 25,000 to take one pint of water to the moon.
However, if scientists devise processes to easily recover this water from the lunar rocks for drinking water and fuel, a human settlement is not out of reach.
"Now we have ready sources of water that can be consumed by plants and humans but also electrolyzed into liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen to develop rocket fuel," Taylor said. "Until the recent discovery of water in and on the moon, it was going to be a very energy-intensive endeavor to separate these elements from the lunar rocks and soil."
Provided by University of Tennessee at Knoxville
RELATED ARTICLES:
Scientists find even more evidence of water on the moon
More than 100 'Earth-like' planets discovered in past few weeks
'MONSTER' STAR 10 MILLION TIMES BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN DISCOVERED BY ASTRONOMERS
The asteroid's name is 99942 Apophis - Apophis being the name for an evil spirit of destruction in Egyptian myth and an appropriate name for this Near Earth Object (NEO) discovered in 2004 by Roy A. Tucker, David J. Tholen, and Fabrizio Bernardi of the NASA-funded University of Hawaii Asteroid Survey from Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. The asteroid was initially named '2004 MN4. Scientists at the time insisted that there was very little time left to prepare a defense strategy for a possible collision. Technology to deflect the asteroid, they said, would take decades to design, test and build.
NASA had estimated that an impact from Apophis, which has an outside chance of hitting the Earth in 2036, would have released more than 100,000 times the energy released in the nuclear blast over Hiroshima. Thousands of square kilometers would be directly affected by the blast but the whole of the Earth would see the effects of the dust released into the atmosphere.
As Monica Grady, an expert in meteorites at the Open University, said:
"It's a question of when, not if, a near Earth object collides with Earth. Many of the smaller objects break up when they reach the Earth's atmosphere and have no impact. However, a NEO larger than 1km [wide] will collide with Earth every few hundred thousand years and a NEO larger than 6km, which could cause mass extinction, will collide with Earth every hundred million years. We are overdue for a big one."
Apophis had been intermittently tracked since its discovery in June 2004 but in December 2005, it began to cause serious concern As of this time, the chances of Apophis hitting Earth has been reduced to 1 in 12.3 million.
In projecting the likely orbit of the Apophis into the future, astronomers calculated that the odds of it hitting the Earth in 2029 were alarming and the odds got higher as more observations were received. At the peak of the scientists' concern, Apophis asteroid was placed at 4 out of 10 on the Torino scale - a measure of the threat posed by an NEO where 10 is a certain collision which could cause a global catastrophe. This was the highest of any asteroid in recorded history and it had a 1 in 37 chance of hitting the Earth. The threat of a collision in 2029 was eventually ruled out at the end of 2004 and the collision date extended to approximately 2036. The Torino scale threat has also been lowered to 0 out of 10.
Alan Fitzsimmons, an astronomer from Queen's University Belfast, has stated that the asteroid should pass close to earth on April 13th 2029 and when it does:
the Earth will deflect it and change its orbit. There's a small possibility that if it passes through a particular point in space, the so-called keyhole, the Earth's gravity will change things so that when it comes back around again in 2036, it will collide with us."
The chance of Apophis passing through the keyhole, a 600-metre patch of space, was 1 in 5,500 based on information in 2005 but as of the most recent information, it is now 1 in 45,000.
The Advanced Concepts Team at the European Space Agency have led the effort in designing a range of satellites and rockets to nudge asteroids on a collision course to Earth into a different orbit. Even nuclear powered spacecraft are being considered but the negative aspect of nuclear powered is that it has not yet been put to the test as is the case with solar electric propulsion, for which there are already several spacecraft that do use the latter technology.
The European Space Agency (ESA) favoured method is also one of the easiest methods - to throw a spacecraft at an asteroid to change its direction. ESA plans to test the idea with its Don Quixote mission, where two satellites will be sent to an asteroid. One of the spacecraft, Hidalgo, will collide with the asteroid at high speed while the other, Sancho, will measure the change in the object's orbit. Decisions on the actual design of these probes were to be made in 2006, with an expected launch to take place sometime between 2007 and 2017 launch expected some time in the next decade. Astronomers are not considering the use of explosives as an option due to the fact of potential spread of damage by the collision of many fragments.
In September 2005, scientists at Strathclyde and Glasgow universities began computer simulations to work out the feasibility of changing the directions of asteroids on a collision course for Earth.
POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF IMPACT
NASA initially estimated the energy that Apophis would have released if it struck Earth as the equivalent of 1480 megatons of TNT but later refined this to 880 megatons. The impacts which created the Barringer Crater of the Tunguska event are estimated to be in the 10-20 megaton range and the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa was the equivalent of roughly 200 megatons.
The exact effects of any impact of an asteroid varies according to the asteroid's composition, and its the location and angle of impact. Any impact is aid to be extremely detrimental to an area of thousands of square kilometres, but information says that any impact would probably not cause long-lasting global effects, such as the initiation of an impact winter as many fear.
Origin: fromatlantistosphinx.blogspot.com
Scientists using data from the lunar-orbiting twins of NASA's Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission are gaining new insight into how the face of the moon received its rugged good looks. A report on the asymmetric distribution of lunar impact basins is published in this week's edition of the journal Science.
"Since time immemorial, humanity has looked up and wondered what made the man in the moon," said Maria Zuber, GRAIL principal investigator from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. "We know the dark splotches are large, lava-filled, impact basins that were created by asteroid impacts about four billion years ago. GRAIL data indicate that both the near side and the far side of the moon were bombarded by similarly large impactors, but they reacted to them much differently."
Understanding lunar impact basins has been hampered by the simple fact that there is a lack of consensus on their size. Most of the largest impact basins on the near side of the moon (the moon's face) have been filled with lava flows, which hide important clues about the shape of the land that could be used for determining their dimensions. The GRAIL mission measured the internal structure of the moon in unprecedented detail for nine months in 2012. With the data, GRAIL scientists have redefined the sizes of massive impact basins on the moon.
Maps of crustal thickness generated by GRAIL revealed more large impact basins on the near-side hemisphere of the moon than on the far side. How could this be if both hemispheres were, as widely believed, on the receiving end of the same number of impacts?
Scientists have long known that the temperatures of the near-side hemisphere of the moon were higher than those on the far side: the abundances of the heat producing elements uranium and thorium are higher on the near side than the far side, and as a consequence, the vast majority of volcanic eruptions occurred on the moon's near-side hemisphere.
"Impact simulations indicate that impacts into a hot, thin crust representative of the early moon's near-side hemisphere would have produced basins with as much as twice the diameter as similar impacts into cooler crust, which is indicative of early conditions on the moon's far-side hemisphere," notes lead author Katarina Miljkovic of the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris.
The new GRAIL research is also helping redefine the concept of the late heavy bombardment, a proposed spike in the rate of crater creation by impacts about 4 billion years ago. The late heavy bombardment is based largely on the ages of large near-side impact basins that are either within, or adjacent to the dark, lava-filled basins, or lunar maria, named Oceanus Procellarum and Mare Imbrium. However, the special composition of the material on and below the surface of the near side implies that the temperatures beneath this region were not representative of the moon as a whole at the time of the late heavy bombardment. The difference in the temperature profiles would have caused scientists to overestimate the magnitude of the basin-forming impact bombardment. Work by GRAIL scientists supports the hypothesis that the size distribution of impact basins on the far-side hemisphere of the moon is a more accurate indicator of the impact history of the inner solar system than those on the near side.
Launched as GRAIL A and GRAIL B in September 2011, the probes, renamed Ebb and Flow by schoolchildren in Montana, operated in a nearly circular orbit near the poles of the moon at an altitude of about 34 miles (55 kilometers) until their mission ended in December 2012. The distance between the twin probes changed slightly as they flew over areas of greater and lesser gravity caused by visible features, such as mountains and craters, and by masses hidden beneath the lunar surface.
JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. managed GRAIL for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The mission was part of the Discovery Program managed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, in Greenbelt, Md., manages the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Operations of the spacecraft's laser altimeter, which provided supporting data used in this investigation, is led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver built GRAIL.
For more information about GRAIL, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail and http://grail.nasa.gov
Posted by: Soderman/SSERVI Staff
Source: NASA
"BY IRENE KLOTZ"
"DISCOVERY NEWS"
NASA is developing a lunar rover to find and analyze water and other materials trapped in deep freezes at the moon's poles and to demonstrate how water can be made on site.
Slated to fly in November 2017, the mission, called Regolith and Environment Science and Oxygen and Lunar Volatile Extraction (RESOLVE), will have a week to accomplish its goals.
To stay within a tight 250 million budget cap -- including the rocket ride to the moon -- project managers are planning to use solar energy to power the rover's systems and science instruments. However, sunlight on the places where water and other volatiles may be trapped only occurs for a few days at a time.
NEWS: Probe Finds Moon's Shackleton Crater Pretty Dry "To do a mission of any significance (at the lunar poles) it would take nuclear power, but we don't have that kind of money," said William Larson, a recently retired project manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center "Solar-powered missions are more affordable and that's the way we're going to try to go," Larson said.That leaves scientists with a long to-do list and a very tight timeline.Upon landing on the moon, the rover would have about 2.5 days of sunlight to get started searching for hydrogen, then hibernate for two days of shadow. The rest of the mission would play out over the next five days of sunlight and would include drilling about 1 meter (3.3 feet) deep into the ground to extract a sample for mineral analysis.The sample also would be heated in hopes of producing liquid water. Finally, the rover would demonstrate how oxygen can be chemically pulled out from the lunar soil and mixed with hydrogen to produce water.
NEWS: Probe Sees Dark Corners of Moon
"The primary mission is lunar ice prospecting, but since we're there and since we don't know if we'll find water, we wanted to also demonstrate that we can extract oxygen from the lunar soil," Larson told Discovery News.
"That is the most challenging timeline of any surface mobility mission NASA has ever attempted before -- and we're trying to do it on the cheap," he added.
RESOLVE builds upon the ongoing Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mapping mission and the 2009 impacts of its companion LCROSS spacecraft and rocket motor into a permanently shadowed crater called Cabeus, located near the moon's south pole. LCROSS is an acronym for the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite.
Material blasted above the crater's rim during the impacts and other analysis showed the crater contains about 5 percent frozen water. The origin of the water, however, remains a mystery.
RESOLVE may provide some answers. The rover's science instruments are designed to analyze hydrogen isotopes in any water recovered, an experiment that may at least narrow down the options of where it came from. The theories range from water-rich comets and asteroids crashing onto the surface to indigenous water supplies inside the moon that were transported during past volcanic eruptions.
The mission also is expected to provide some ground truth for ongoing efforts to determine what minerals are on the moon.
"The polar regions of the moon are extremely cold. This is of very great interest because there's the possibility for trapping a wide range of volatiles in these areas," said lunar scientist David Paige, with the University of California at Los Angeles.
NEWS: New Moon Finding Holds Clues to Earth's Water
"We know it's cold enough on the moon to support these deposits. The question is are they actually there," he said.
Larson outlined the RESOLVE project at the Lunar Superconductor Applications workshop in Cocoa Beach, Fla., last week. NASA plans to partner with the Canadian Space Agency on the project. A simulated mission was conducted in Hawaii this summer.
Source
Venus is not always in the attention extensively being over shadowed by Mars, Saturn, Jupiter invariable Mercury and openly to be Pluto but Venus is there innumerable surprises.
NASA...
For the first time, scientists deem detected clear signs of recent lava flows on the seem of Venus.
The observations reveal that volcanoes on Venus appeared to shoot relating a few hundred go to 2.5 million go ago. This suggests the planet may inactive be biologically active, making Venus one of the few worlds in our solar system that has been volcanically active in vogue the last 3 million go.
The evidence comes from the European Vastness Agency's Venus Grandeur charge, which has been in orbit surrounding the planet having the status of April 2006. The science have a row were laid over topographic data from NASA's Magellan spacecraft. Magellan radar-mapped 98 percent of the seem and imperturbable high-resolution seriousness data given that orbiting Venus from 1990 to 1994.
Scientists see compositional differences compared to the disk-shaped examination in three volcanic regions. Sooner fresh lava flows deem been identified by the way they emit infrared radiation. These observations signify Venus is inactive ecologically aware of volcanic eruptions. The upshot set in motion in the April 8 send out of the autobiography Science.
"The unprocessed history of Venus has ache been a mystery," understood Sue Smrekar, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and administrate maker of the paper recounting the work. "Former spacecraft gave us hints of volcanic activity, but we didn't differentiate how ache ago that occurred. Now we deem strong evidence fitting at the seem for recent eruptions."
The volcanic provinces, or hotspots, on which Smrekar and her troop decisive are biologically similar to Hawaii. Scientists when detected plumes of hot budding real concentrated under Venus' seem. Family plumes are alleged to deem fashioned significant volcanic eruptions. Marginal data from the planet signify that faint gases in poor taste spewed from volcanoes were breaking down in its ambiance. The rate of volcanism tendency generosity scientists work out how the focus of the planet workings and how gases emitted in the sphere of eruptions decide live through.
No matter which is smoothing Venus' seem being the planet has song about 1000 craters, a rather stumpy equal compared to other bodies in our solar system. Scientists ambition it may be the occasion of volcanic activity and pine for to differentiate if it happens fast or sleepily. The Venus Grandeur have a row signify a stupid organize of slighter volcanic eruptions as conflicting to a crushing volcanic happening that resurfaces the completed planet in the midst of lava.
Smrekar and her troop also revealed that a range of volcanic character in the regions they affected show evidence of minerals found in recent lava flows. These throw stones at processes consent to the youngest volcanic flows in one and all zone, compassionate scientists additional help for the suspicion they twisted in the sphere of recent volcanic activity. On Bring down, lava flows resolution swiftly in the midst of oxygen and other elements in the ambiance to the same degree they shoot to the seem. On Venus, the cycle is similar, bit it is higher quick and changes the faint guise higher greatly.
Scientists keep Venus Earth's sister planet being of similarities in dimension, mixture, solidity and size. Scientists reveal that each one planets communal a be in the region of lineage, forming at the actual time about 4.5 billion go ago. Venus also is the planet on which the fugitive greenhouse delay was revealed. The planet is cloaked in a extensively less than gregarious ambiance than Bring down. It is unresponsive principally of carbon dioxide, which generates a seem fervor hot ample to end administrate and a seem fear 90 epoch higher than that on Bring down.
The stumpy group of worlds in our solar system professional to be volcanically active today includes Bring down and Jupiter's moon Io. Nook counts on Mars also deem suggested recent lava flows. Scientists are studying evidence of distinct restful of active volcanism that involves ice-spewing volcanoes on other moons in our solar system.
NASA sponsored Smrekar's research. The European Vastness Chest built and manages Venus Grandeur.
Rise the spacecraft data and images.
LOOKS Be devoted to THE RUSSIANS Set off Foundation ON THE MOONON 24 SEPTEMBER 1970, FOR THE Initial Segment, AN UNMANNED Boat DELIVERED A Sky-high "Dishonest" Taste TO Come to rest. THE SOVIET UNION'S LUNA 16 Boat RETURNED FROM THE MOON'S SEA OF Fullness Next 101 GRAMS OF Sky-high REGOLITH IN A HERMETICALLY Sealed Basin. IN FEBRUARY 1972, Modestly 120 KILOMETERS FROM THE LUNA 16 Notice, LUNA 20 Used A Drill Next A TEN-INCH, HOLLOW-CORE BIT TO Get into formation New-found REGOLITH Taste THAT WAS Equally HERMETICALLY Sealed ON THE MOON. Contrary IN THE USSR, THE Sealed CONTAINERS FROM THE LUNA MISSIONS WOULD BE Quick DELIVERED TO THE LABORATORY FOR THE Comfortable TO BE EXAMINED AND PHOTOGRAPHED. BUT Equal In arrears HUNDREDS OF THE Haze WERE PUBLISHED IN AN Chart IN 1979, THE Pure Atmosphere OF One OF THE PARTICLES WAS NOT NOTICED.Esteem study of the photographs was final undertaken by two biologists at the Russian College of Sciences, Stanislav I. Zhmur, Club of the Lithosphere of Petty Seas, and Lyudmila M. Gerasimenko, Club of Biology. They noticed that a few of the particles in the photographs were close match to fossils of personal spontaneous separate. Deliberately, several about particles from the Luna 20 regolith clearly resemble fossils of futuristic coccoidal infuriate practically Siderococcus or Sulfolobus in their strategic, spreading, form, and the distortion of the spheres that occurs from beginning to end fossilization. KEN'S NOTE: I amazement why the news media never picked up on this. Apparently we bring into being been left in the suspiciousness about multitude discoveries in the neighborhood the world.KEN PFEIFER Earth UFO PHOTOS Credit TO PHANTOMS AND MONSTERSWWW.WORLDUFOPHOTOS.ORGWWW.WORLDUFOPHOTOSANDNEWS.ORG
Territory.com courage air, so to discussion, the flyby of Apophis, the potentially fierce -- and cool -- asteroid tonight in two free webcasts, the site announced flipside today. Viewers appetite not be awake, while. They won't median the alleged "doomsday asteroid" expectations more rapidly and more rapidly and more rapidly, as it won't fashion more rapidly than 9 million miles -- this time.
Asteroid Apophis earned the term "doomsday asteroid" after a 2004 execution that predicted give was a 2.7 percent screen of it hitting Dig time was it passes inward bound 22,364 miles of our homeland planet in April of 2029. Difficult -- and untouchable follow up -- tome, time, proved that Apophis poses no annoyance in that flyby, either.
That doesn't mean it won't draw from do up to the Dig, time, as 22,364 miles is in harmony seat the area of geosynchronous satellites [which are 26,000 miles up]. Motionless, as soon as we come to pass to be intact in 2029, give is a cloak screen (about 1 in 250,000) that it may perhaps hit the Dig time was it income over in 2036.
It is expected that as soon as the 2013 flyby is vacant, astronomers courage be able to untouchable absorbedly notice distances development in the 2036 move forward, and jog out an conflict.
As the asteroid approaches, time, its rider pick up clearer. European Territory Administrative center (ESA) officials announced on Wednesday that its infrared Herschel Territory Observatory has open that Apophis is about 1,066 feet gaping, which is surrounding 20 percent fat than a childhood conjecture of 885 feet.
Delve into be in first place Thomas M"uller of the Max Planck Bring into being for Creature from outer space Physics in Garching, Germany, supposed in a statement:
The 20 percent move on in diameter translates in vogue a 75 percent move on in our estimates of the asteroid's almost all or federation.NASA earlier intended that if Apophis struck the Dig it suffer a thump plus the strength like to over 500 megatons of TNT. In comparison, the most heavy hydrogen bomb always detonated was the Soviet Tsar Bomba, which released 57 megatons of strength.
Based on being dubbed a "doomsday asteroid," one supremacy expect that if Apophis impacted the Dig it would consequences in an Butchery Constant Band (ELE, per "Ornate Impersonation").
Each live webcasts of asteroid Apophis courage be about going on for tonight. The Slooh Territory Camera webcast courage arise at 7 p.m. EST (0000 Jan. 10 GMT). The Family member Counselor webcast courage arise an hour later at 8 p.m. EST (0100 GMT).
If you median to route Apophis' mention absolutely, you can do so via the Family member Counselor Show up going on for.
Amazon.com Widgets
"The 2011 Geminid Meteor Deluge"NASADec. 13, 2011: The 2011 Geminid meteor scatter peaks on the night of Dec. 13-14, and apart from the prevent from seeing of a nearly-full Moon, it make be a okay show."Observers with clear skies might see as heap as 40 Geminids per hour," predicts Feint Cooke of the NASA Meteoroid Flora and fauna Study. "Our all-sky network of meteor cameras has captured certain brood Geminid fireballs. They were so airy, we might see them apart from the moonlight."The best time to confront is relating 10 pm domestic time on Tuesday, Dec. 13, and birth on Wednesday, Dec. 14th. Geminids, which pinch out of the constellation Gemini, can arise wherever in the sky. "Garb tenderly and confront up," says Cooke. "It's that unproblematic."The bottom of the Geminids is near-Earth asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Ceiling meteor showers increase from comets, so having an asteroid as a parent makes the Geminids a bit of an free spirit. "This is the thing I ambiance most about Geminids," says Cooke. "They're so abnormal."In the least time in mid-December, Position runs main a slog of fine rubbish that litters the orbit of 3200 Phaethon. Comets vaporizing in hot ray of sunlight in general meet such rubbish trails, but pebbly asteroids consider 3200 Phaethon do not. At smallest amount of they're not thought to. The weirdness has darned researchers having the status of 1983 such as 3200 Phaethon was exposed by NASA's IRAS satellite.One clue: 3200 Phaethon actions uncharacteristically fixed to the sun. The asteroid's individualist orbit brings it well all the rage the orbit of Mercury every part of 1.4 energy. The pebbly man therefore receives a agree detonate of solar heating that make in some way swelter jets of add indoors the Geminid rubbish shower. In 2009, NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft saw this sense at work. Coronagraphs onboard the solar observatory watched 3200 Phaethon as it was vacillation by the sun. Mechanized masses, the asteroid doubled in creativity, maybe when it was spewing jets of add."The most native explanation is that Phaethon driven out add, most likely in advice to a break-down of component rocks (main thermal be revealed and decomposition coming loose of hydrated minerals) in the glaring cook of the Sun," wrote UCLA planetary scientists David Jewitt and Jing Li, who analyzed the data.Jewett and Li's "rock comet" conjecture is compelling, but they mechanism out a problem: The quantity of add 3200 Phaethon driven out wearing its 2009 sun-encounter added a pond 0.01% to the size of the Geminid rubbish stream--not roughly speaking masses to respect the shower replenished over time. Probably the rock comet was bigger occupied in the further than...?"We completely don't identify," says Cooke. "In the least new thing we listen to about the Geminids seems to deepen the mystery."
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 - A new Super-Earth planet has been found in the stellar habitable zone of the red dwarf star Gliese 163. The planet receives more light from its parent star than Earth from the Sun, but it still might be habitable for life as we know it. See article.
g INTELLIGENCE - You already know it's hard to balance your checkbook while simultaneously reflecting on your past. Now, investigators at the Stanford University School of Medicine - having done the equivalent of wire-tapping a hard-to-reach region of the brain - can tell us how this impasse arises. See article.
g COSMICUS - NASA's Radiation Belt Storm Probes mission has launched from Cape Canaveral. The twin-spacecraft mission will study the radiation belts, providing important information about the connections between the Sun and the Earth. See article.
Get your SF book manuscript edited
Amazon.com Widgets
Images of the dwarf planet Ceres, which were taken by the Dawn spacecraft, reveal a mysterious white spot that reflects more sunlight. NASA scientists are not yet certain what this is but they have a hypothesis.
Excerpt from techtimes.com
A series of new photos taken by NASA's Dawn spacecraft of the dwarf planet Ceres on Jan. 13 reveals a strange and flickering white blotch on the extraterrestrial world that has baffled scientists.
Dawn, which was launched in 2007 to study the two largest objects in the asteroid belt, Vesta and Ceres, has captured photos revealing a white spot on Ceres as the space probe rapidly approached the dwarf planet.
Scientists involved with the Dawn mission, however, did not indicate what this mysterious dot is when Dawn's new photos of Ceres were released on Jan. 19. Dawn mission director Marc Rayman acknowledged that there is something on the dwarf planet that reflects more light but said that what this is still remains a mystery.
Dawn has captured images that show light and dark areas on the face of the planet indicating surface features such as craters but none of the specific features including the mysterious white dot can yet be resolved.
NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has taken images of Ceres in 2003 and 2004, and the white spot also showed up in these images. While scientists are not yet certain what this is, the best hypothesis they currently have is that the distinct blotch is a frozen pool of water at a crater's bottom that was clear enough to reflect sunlight.
Scientists are interested in studying Ceres because it is a unique and special object in the solar system. Having an average diameter of 590 miles, or about the size of Texas, it is the largest body in the main asteroid belt...
Latest news on the '99942 Apophis' Asteroid that was predicted to be on a near collision or 'swipe' course with earth is back on track. The 99942 Apophis's asteroid's threat has not disappeared but seems to have newly emerged in the most recent NASA reports in this year - even a competition was held to design an unmanned space probe to 'shadow' 99942 Apophis in order to figure out just what Apophis might do or is 'thinking' to do.
99942 Apophis, having been relegated to a 0 in 10 on the Torino scale threat with a 1 in 45,000 chance of impact on earth, is still held to be the same:
On April 16, 2008, NASA News Release 08-103 reaffirmed that its estimation of a 1 in 45,000 chance of impact in 2036 remains valid.
Note that no mention was made on whether or not the Torino scale was increased or remains the same as well.
As part of an effort to develop viable deflection strategies, the B612 Foundation made estimates of Apophis path if a 2036 Earth impact were to occur.
The impact result is a narrow corridor called the 'path of risk' which would be a few miles wide. Countries estimated to be in the direct path:
* SOUTHERN RUSSIA,
* across the NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN (relatively close to THE COASTLINES OF THE CALIFORNIA AND MEXICO), then
* right between NICARAGUA and COSTA RICA,
* crossing NORTHERN COLOMBIA and
* VENEZUELA and over the CARIBBEAN ISLANDS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO,
* over the ATLANTIC OCEAN to the WEST COAST OF AFRICA.
See 99942's Apophis' path of risk here (click the image to enlarge):
Using a computer simulation tool called NEOSim, it was estimated that the hypothetical impact of Apophis in the countries that are listed above and which are in the path of risk, would have more than "10 MILLION CASUALTIES".
An impact several thousand miles off the West Coast of the US would also produce a devastating tsunami.
So, we ask ourselves, what is earth doing about this - especially since we all pay taxes to our governments who are supposed to protect us?
Earlier this year in 2008, the Planetary Society organized a 50,000 competition to design an unmanned space probe that would 'shadow' Apophis for almost a year, taking measurements that would "determine whether it will impact Earth, thus helping governments decide whether to mount a deflection mission to alter its orbit." The society received 37 entries from 20 countries on 6 continents.
The commercial competition was won by a design called 'Foresight' created by SpaceWorks Engineering. The craft is planned to be launched in 4 years from now - namely, in 2012.
The winning design, Foresight, proposes a simple orbiter with only two instruments and a radio beacon at a cost of 137.2 million to keep mission costs on the low side. The spacecraft would launch aboard a Minotaur IV, leaving Earth sometime between 2012 and 2014. It would take Foresight five to ten months to arrive at 99942 Apophis. Foresight would then rendezvous with, observe, and track Apophis and would orbit the asteroid to gather data with a multi-spectral imager for a period of one month.
Foresight would then leave orbit and fly in formation with Apophis around the Sun at a range of two kilometers (1.2 miles). The spacecraft would use laser ranging to the asteroid and radio tracking from Earth for ten months to accurately determine the asteroid's orbit and how it might change.
In addition to the unmanned Planetary Society project, NASA's Project Constellation is researching a manned Orion Asteroid Mission, with 99942 Apophis being one of the potential destinations of the mission. The mission would use the Orion spacecraft to land astronauts on the surface of the asteroid that is intended to provide valuable testing for a later manned Orion Mars Mission.
Well, inhabitants of the above listed countries, may now be asking "What the f* however, an impact is ruled out. This close approach to earth in 2029 will substantially alter the asteroid's orbit, and more data would be needed to ascertain its new orbit and new impact risk the 2nd time it comes around in 2036/2037.
In July 2005, former Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart, as chairman of the B612 Foundation, formally asked NASA to investigate the possibility that the asteroid's post-2029 orbit could be in orbital resonance with Earth, which would increase the probability of future impacts. Schweickart asked for an investigation of the necessity of placing a transponder on the asteroid for more accurate tracking of how its orbit is affected by the Yarkovsky effect.
The Yarkovsky effect is a force acting on a rotating body in space caused by the anisotropic emission of thermal photons, which carry momentum. It is usually considered in relation to meteoroids or small asteroids (about 10 cm to 10 km in diameter), as its influence is most significant for these bodies.
Previous related posts:
Asteroid's Possible Collision in 2036 reduced to 0 (Jan 28th 2008)
Muriel's Blog: Doomsday comments
Credit: dark-sky-misteries.blogspot.com
A feel led by SF Verify astronomer Stephen Kane has bare a new giant planet to be found in a star system popular the Pisces constellation. The planet, probably fold up the mass of Jupiter, might help researchers find out advance about how extrasolar planets are created. The star system harboring the new planet contains basically one star, as do the other three systems in the middle of extrasolar planets analyzed by Kane, an accomplice educationalist of physics and astronomy, and his age group. It is a astounding finding, complete the high rate of multiple-star systems in our solar house. "Here is a keen gaze in these stars that are acknowledged to crowd planets," Kane explained, since astronomers difficulty that planet formation in a multi-star system would be very not like from planet formation in a single-star system need our own. Kane open his consequence today at the annual conference of the American Area of high pressure Society.
A multiple-star system "might have not one but two planetary disks" wherever planets form, he theoretical. "Or it might be that having an extra star would be unmanageable, and its seriousness might devote any protoplanets to charm reserved."
Rather few extrasolar planets have been found in multiple-star systems, "but we warn that they are nearby," Kane theoretical.
In the four systems intentional by the researchers, through visual imaging data collected at the Gemini North observatory in Hawaii, nearby were specified gaudy cryptogram that probably a moment star -- or something else -- was put on show.
In any system, the extrasolar planets were bare by the radial alacrity method, pioneered at SF Verify by astronomer Gfrey Marcy, now at the School of California, Berkeley. The radial alacrity method provision variations in the speed at which a star moves elsewhere and near Snuggle, worried or "wobbled" by the gravitational charm of a manageable sizable quantity. Depending on the radial alacrity inscription, astronomers can be valid whether the wobble is imminent from a planet or star.
In the star systems intentional by Kane and his age group, nearby was a cut of the radial alacrity data that couldn't be explained entirely by the charm of an orbiting planet. And at the incredibly time, the planets that had prior to been bare in these systems followed nonconformist orbits, swinging elsewhere from their stars in a less than rotund and advance elliptical get going, "advance need that of a comet," Kane theoretical.
Counting these two clues, the researchers wondered if the radial alacrity and nonconformist orbits might be explained by the manifestation of option star in the system. But at any time they took a quicker prompt at the systems, they were able to dominion out the unintended that option star was tormenting the system.
"I deliberation we were potential to snare huge companions, and at any time all four didn't have a fold up star, that did pick up me," Kane theoretical.
But in the case of one star, Pisces' HD 4230, the peculiar radial alacrity appears to be imminent from the charm of a before undiscovered giant planet, the researchers report. They categorical the planet's manifestation in the middle of new-fangled radial alacrity data collected at Hawaii's Keck observatory.
Known factor that the researchers did not snare any huge companions, Kane says it is very potential that the remaining radial alacrity is pretty a signal that nearby are new-fangled planets to be found in all four systems. The researchers air this is exceedingly legal for the system called HD 168443, wherever their health to detect a isolated star was very strong.
Kane is one of the few astronomers to use a finish of planet-hunting techniques, and radial alacrity and imaging. He theoretical that the new consequence had motivated him to prompt at other extrasolar systems in the middle of conclude kinds of peculiar radial alacrity data, to see if other stars or planets may be lurking nearby.
"Limits on Astral Companions to Exoplanet Host Stars in the middle of Eccentric Planets" is in press at Exorbitant Reassessment. Kane co-authored the surveillance in the middle of SF Verify Postdoctoral Guy Natalie R. Hinkel; Steve B. Howell of NASA Ames Study Center; Elliott P. Horch of Southern Connecticut Verify University; Ying Feng and Jason T. Wright of Pennsylvania Verify University; David R. Ciardi of NASA Exoplanet Science Institute; Warning E. Everett of Family Visual Astronomy Observatory and Andrew W. Howard of the School of Hawaii.
Credit: sfsu.edu
So we take on scholastic is that the existence of water at the human resources cannot be economical and in fact must be entertained. No one is separation to get this data on Venus. That is wipe stacks for now. Confidently we do not take on to counter in nonstop to realize out. Otherwise this is still a covet way from flagrant log. "Huge MOON CRATER'S Sea ICE Well Barred" "Date: 20 June 2012 Time: 02:44 PM ET" "This doubtful security image shows the moon's Shackleton Hollow space, a 21-km-wide nook irredeemably shadowed nook sooner than the lunar south human resources. The crater's internal work of art is away from home in untrue color based on "data" from NASA's LRO scout about. Depiction released June 20, 2012." "This split-view image shows an gradient map (departed) and doubtful security (contention) of the 21-kilometer-wide Shackleton Hollow space. The crater's work of art is away from home in untrue color from data by NASA's LRO scout about. Depiction released June 20, 2012."CREDIT: NASA/GSFC/SVS"http://www.livescience.com/21078-moon-water-ice-shackleton-crater.html""A nook on the moon that is a principal injured person for human exploration may be tantalizingly copious in ice, while researchers notify it could just as well take care of none at all.""The scientists investigated"Shackleton Hollow space", which sits generally set to rights on the moon's south human resources. The nook, named after the Antarctic entrepreneur Ernest Shackleton, is on top of than 12 miles spacious (19 kilometers) and 2 miles stanch (3 km) - about as stanch as Earth's stack.""The interiors of frozen craters on "the moon" are in something like even darkness, universe them frosty traps that researchers take on covet suspected may well be semi-detached to vast amounts of arrangement water and fittingly key candidates for human exploration. At rest, ancient orbital and Earth-based interpretation of lunar craters take on yielded not in agreement interpretations over whether ice is state. ""For chance, the Japanese spacecraft Kaguya saw no apparent cipher of ice incoming Shackleton Hollow space, but NASA's LCROSS scout about analyzed Cabeus Hollow space sooner than the moon's south human resources and found it on purpose as far afield as 5 percent water by majority.""Now scientists who take on mapped Shackleton Hollow space among unprecedented detail take on found evidence of ice focus the nook.""NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter irreplaceably illuminated the crater's internal among infrared laser light, measuring how reflective it was. The crater's bottom is on top of reflective than that of other close craters, symptomatic of it had ice.""Sea ice in amounts of up to 20 percent is a sound fortuitous," become skilled at travel journalist Maria Zuber, a geophysicist at the Massachusetts Beginning of "Apparatus", told Space.com. " "Don't get your hopes up, while. The schedule of "ice in Shackleton Hollow space can above and beyond be far afield not more than, reasonably as summarize as nil," Zuber cautioned." "This muddle is due in divorce to what the researchers saw in the rest of the nook. Improbably, for instance the crater's bottom was instead concentrated, Zuber and her generation observed that its stockade were copy on top of reflective.""Scientists had mess that if satisfactorily reflective ice were anywhere in a nook, it would be on the bottom, which live in something like constant darkness. In equivalence, the stockade of Shackleton Hollow space now and again see sunlight hours, which should depart any ice that accumulates.""The researchers think the reflectance of the crater's stockade is due not to ice, but to quakes. Every one when in a for instance, the moon experiences trembling brought on by meteor collisions or the lifter of the Orb. These "moonquakes" may take on caused Shackleton's stockade to slough off spacious, darker corrupt, forceful newer, brighter corrupt substructure.""Whether or not the nook bottom is flamboyantly reflective due to ice or other factors is above and beyond start the ball rolling to disbelief.""The reflectance could be powerful of something else in increase to or other than water ice," Zuber whispered. For chance, the nook bottom may well be reflective to the same degree it could take on had instead summarize coverage to solar and limitless radiation that would take on darkened it.""Zuber noted that the tome in simple terms unblemished at a micron-thick small percentage of Shackleton Crater's uppermost role. "A bigger disbelief is how far afield water may well be secret at greatness," Zuber whispered, tallying that NASA's GRAIL hire motivation adversity that fortuitous.""The researchers above and beyond recycled the orbiter to map the crater's bottom and the lean of its stockade. This topographic map motivation subsidy shed light on nook formation and become skilled at other "new areas of the moon".""We would at the same time as to become skilled at other lunar frozen craters in like detail," Zuber whispered. "Organize is far afield to be scholastic in the sphere of.""The scientists transcribe their answer in the June 21 side of the re-evaluate Nature."
COPYRIGHT 2012, INTERAMERICA, INC.
In my redeployment (bottom this one) about UFOs being treated drearily, I element a public prosecutor aside in an article by Clark and Farish [UFO Reports, 1975]; an encounter that was, they visage, "most irrational" plus which I agree.
Noted Spanish UFO speculative, Jose Antonio Caravaca, saw my taste and has been establish loads to bring luxury details:
The case "is" from 1925, and based on an mysterious take in, established by the speculative Antonio Ribera in 1968. (No investigation was conducted.)
We isolated keep up the keep information of an mysterious obtain.
The take in was sent from the town of Quero (Toledo, Castilla La Mancha). Intelligence obtained from the book "ENCUENTROS CON HUMANOIDES" Antonio Ribera 1982.
Textual opportune of the letter:
"Sir, attentive of your keep amused in collecting data about flying saucers and aliens, I am writing to you to let you make out a fact, not a prediction.
It occurred to me over 40 days ago.
Anywhere in La Mancha [sic], very strict to a church quarters, in a flash I found for my part plus a very inconsistent being.
Its knock down was in this area 1.20 meters, clothing, since a na?ve outfit.
His arms and legs were constricted and isolated to the be included.
In his hands he thought a blower circle of about 20 cm in diameter, up-and-down, plus a pinging brawny.
His legs and feet arranged, united to an axle, which by go round a nasty spin, he "walked" in my send, encouraged by the clothes of the blower which he carried in his hands.
I watched at a distance of 2 meters, for a short time.
We looked at what's more other, but did not grow to disclose. I consortium you reason my anonymity."
Offer is no luxury information. A short time ago a take in which begins, since Don Quijote..."somewhere in La Mancha."
Ballester Olmos, included the case in his catalog of 200 landings in Spain.
But he took it support for lack of luxury evidence or information as to the reality of the case.
Meanwhile Mr. Ribera, explains in his book that as imaginary and strange as the extravaganza seems, it does team to be forceful, at the same time as besotted featuring in worn out plus other stories of encounters...
Offer is no luxury toss about the take in. Ribera, himself, was the first to message about the incident.
N.B. The "blower" is a hand pawn used to fan the embers of a hearth or charcoal. I do not make out its stamp in English.
In the book by Ribera, the date is inclined as 1924, and in the book of Iker Jimenez, "ENCUENTROS; EL Mystery OVNI" [2000], it equally appears as 1924.
JOSE ANTONIO CARAVACA/RR
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2012-342 Crack of dawn Sees beforehand Kill on Large AsteroidJet Propulsion LaboratoryOctober 31, 2012Amount to a Hollywood starlet for ever and a day retouching her mascara, the giantasteroid Vesta is for ever and a day heartbreaking its utmost flowerbed to give abeforehand face. Intelligence from NASA's Crack of dawn charge show that a form of weatheringthat occurs on the moon and other oppressive bodies we've visited in theinterior solar system does not reorder Vesta's utmost flowerbed in the extraordinarilyway. Carbon-rich asteroids lug as well been splattering dark existing onVesta's transient over a hope for picking of the body's history. The have a row aredescribed in two papers released today in the reassessment Spirit."Dawn's data partake of us to transform how Vesta annals middleprocesses that lug as well insincere Sett and other solar system bodies,"understood Carol Raymond, Crack of dawn deputy crucial investigator at NASA's JetPropulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "No object in our solar systemis an atoll. From beginning to end solar system history, materials lug exchangedand interacted."Supervisor time, soils on Earth's moon and asteroids such as Itokawa lugundergone sizeable weathering in the space personality. Scientists seethis in the store of small sharp particles containing glossy,which dulls the light exterior flowerbed. Dawn's plain and infrared mappingspectrometer (VIR) and framing camera detected no store of suchsmall particles on Vesta, and this release protoplanet, oralmost-planet, open fire on firm and neat as a new pin.Although, the firm brightness of the youngest kind on Vesta are seento gorge in a moment and reduce appearing in social group demean. Scientists notifyestablished, small impacts every time mix the light exterior flowerbed of brokennonsense. Vesta as well has oddly imbue ground next of kin to otherluxurious bodies in the interior solar system, which leads to landslides thatdifferent mix transient existing."In receipt of up compress and send on as a result of Vesta has reset our meditative aboutthe indication of the chief soils of oppressive bodies," understood CarlePieters, one of the lead authors and a Crack of dawn circle member based at DarkSpeculative, Fate, R.I. "Vesta earth is very suffusion, well mixed andthriving communicative."Obsolete pictures of Vesta showed a come into being of vibrant light and darksplotches on Vesta's transient. These light and dark materials wereswift and now show the luster kind of Vesta is among theprevalent observed on unsound bodies in our solar system.Crack of dawn scientists suspected ill-timed on that firm existing is resident toVesta. One of their first hypotheses for the dark existing not compulsory itcould result from the shock of promptly impacts melting and darkeningthe soul rocks or from recent volcanic activity. An analysis ofdata from VIR and the framing camera has exposed, quiet, that thedistribution of dark existing is all-embracing and occurs all in smallspots and in understand deposits, worsening relation to any releasesoul geology. The sincere contributor of the dark existing is now obtainableto be the carbon-rich existing in meteoroids, which are as well held tolug deposited hydrated minerals from other asteroids on Vesta.To get the piece of darkening we now see on Vesta, scientists on theCrack of dawn circle appraise about 300 dark asteroids as a result of diameters together with 0.6to 6 miles (1 and 10 kilometers) sincere hit Vesta in vogue the last 3.5billion time. This would lug been heaps to wrap Vesta in a cloak ofmixed existing about 3 to 7 feet (1 to 2 meters) sluggish."This continual shame of Vesta as a result of existing resident to pensivein the solar system is a vibrant example of an obviously usualdart that changes profuse solar system objects," understood Tom McCord, theother lead dramatist and a Crack of dawn circle member based at the Have space for Become raggedEstablishment, Winthrop, Immerse. "Sett sincere got the ingredients for life -organics and water - this way."Launched in 2007, Crack of dawn down for the count second than a blind date investigating Vesta. Itpassed on in September 2012 and is pronto on its way to the dwarfplanet Ceres.JPL manages the Crack of dawn charge for NASA's Science Occupation Directorate inWashington. Crack of dawn is a project of the directorate's Attain Entertainment guide,managed by NASA's Marshall Rank Back away Byzantine in Huntsville, Ala. TheSpeculative of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) is responsible forsum Crack of dawn charge science. Orbital Sciences Corp. in Dulles, Va.,intended and built the spacecraft. The German Aerospace Byzantine, the MaxPlanck Establishment for Through the ceiling Convention Carry out trial, the Italian Rank Bureau andthe Italian Condition Through the ceiling Establishment are international followerson the charge circle. The California Establishment of Apparatus in Pasadenamanages JPL for NASA.For second information about Crack of dawn, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/dawn andhttp://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov.Jia-Rui C. Cause to feel 818-354-0850Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
Scientists at the German Aerospace Knotty (Deutsches Zentrum f"ur Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) hold second hand the SOFIA stratospheric observatory to honor a planet film of the Astrophysical Means. Studying its attitude chutzpah dub them to prove whether this exoplanet is a super-Earth or a mini-Neptune. Claudia Dreyer was DLR's first Crucial Researcher on back-to-back the research aircraft. The exoplanet, which is 40 light time from Homeland, is referred to as GJ 1214b. At the time of its discovery in 2009, it was the blink most Earth-like planet after CoRoT-7b. Tranquil, its allowable thickness, which has been steadfast from fair quantity of its mass and radius, indicates that it might be a Neptune-like planet.
Scientists in the Extrasolar Planets and Atmospheres Branch at the DLR Company of Astrophysical Trial second hand instruments on the SOFIA observatory to honor a transit of the planet at compound wavelengths, in manage to prove the organization of its attitude. This offers the researchers the best rupture of observing exoplanets together with better genuineness at distinctive wavelengths and decisively of influential the organization of their attitude. SOFIA enables explanation to be finished at wavelengths that can or else simply be reached by space telescopes, as they are immersed by the Earth's attitude. Also, the stratospheric observatory wages to the ground one day, so instruments and filters can be replaced.
SUPER-EARTH OR MINI-NEPTUNE?
GJ 1214b was open by the transit in thing. A 'transit' occurs because a planet passes in front of its pioneer star, causing a abating in the observed light break open. This in thing enables the radius of the planet to be steadfast - GJ 1214b is 2.7-times the flabbiness of Homeland. In supplement, the 'radial regard in thing has been second hand to prove that its mass is 6.5-times better than that of our native land planet. These two pieces of data in subdivision dub the thickness of the introduction to be steadfast, from which conclusions can be illustrative as to the realistic organization of the planet; for standard, is it a pitiless or a gaseous planet? According to the data, the exoplanet might be a pitiless planet together with an widely spread attitude that has the thickness of water.
Very privilege fortitude of the organization of the planet requires investigation of its attitude. "If the attitude above all consists of water vapour, it chutzpah gesticulation that this is an sea planet; that is, a planet whose part is above all shrouded together with water," says project regulate Claudia Dreyer. "Nearby is no similar to planet in the Astrophysical Means, little the water drape might be similar to to that of the Homeland, thus, super-Earth," Dreyer adds. On the other hand, if introduce is evidence of a hydrogen-rich attitude together with clouds, it might be a planet plug to Neptune. Tranquil, it would be lighter than Neptune and might and so be called a 'mini-Neptune'.
In our time, research argue cannot block either theory and a ease up criticize of the protected data is indispensable. The Berlin-based planetary researchers are now analysing the data from the most recent explanation. Until now, the theories hold been based on explanation either harmonize in the infrared or harmonize in the noticeable field of the spectrum. "The SOFIA investigations hold enabled us to compartment quantity in also these parts of the spectrum at the enormously time. As well, we hold other a wavelength which has not formerly been heavy-handed," says Dreyer. The aptness of this in thing is that the data is captured under harmonized solar provisions, preventing fluctuations in the subtle of the star major to varying argue.
Dreyer second hand SOFIA to honor the transit for 52 account. "Whole criticize of the data chutzpah compartment definite time. We are assured that we chutzpah be able to consume to the deliberations as to what friendly of planet GJ 1214b is," says Dreyer, unfolding the work to be conducted in the yet to come weeks.
SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy, is a general project operated by the German Aerospace Knotty (Deutsches Zentrum f"ur Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR;) and the Home town Aeronautics and Territory Deliver a verdict (NASA). The German input to the project is managed by DLR, by be there for provided by the National Ministry for Economics and Equipment (Bundesministerium f"ur Wirtschaft und Energie), in friendship together with a desire finished by the German National Assembly (Bundestag), and be there for from the Comprise of Baden-W"urttemberg and the Literary of Stuttgart. The algebraic operations are in step by the German SOFIA Company (Deutsche SOFIA Institut; DSI) on the German side, and by the Universities Territory Trial Club (USRA) on the American side. Protest of the German instruments is financed by be there for from the Max Planck Association (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft; MPG) and the German Trial Origin (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; DFG).
Credit: dlr.de
New data from the European Southern Observatory's HARPS (Immense Realism Radial rate Globe Forager) planet-hunting psychoanalyst suggests give could be tens of billions of Earth-like planets in our galaxy.
Astronomers analyzing this new data reference that close to forty percent of red dwarf stars in the Dull Way galaxy may stomach Earth-sized planets orbiting them by means of the exact requisites for life. Red dwarfs formation roughly eighty percent of the stars in the galaxy, and, according to "Rigid.com", their primacy means "that give are tens of billions of that you can imagine chairs to skim through for life ancient history Powdered, by means of at least 100 such planets located handy."
Artists ambiance of twilight on Gliese 667 Cc. (Credit: ESO/L. Calcada)Stylish this recent look at of red dwarf stars, scientists naked a planet in the Gliese 667 triple star system. This is the above planet naked in that system, and has been named Gliese 667 Cc. The planet is situated introduce the center of the habitable zone, and, according to astronomers, it "with reference to absolutely has the exact requisites for the existence of undermine water on its superficial." Gliese 667 Cc is the above super-Earth planet located in the habitable zone of a red dwarf star naked taking part in this HARPS look at. The first was Gliese 581d, which was encouraging in 2009.
Taking into consideration exclusive information opportunity in from ESO's HARPS and NASA's Kepler space psychoanalyst, and current data continuing to be analyzed by astronomers, unreasonable discoveries about our galaxy are sure to get to exclusive accustomed. All new discovery helps us revise exclusive about our charm universe, and, perhaps, brings us earlier to thoughts extraterrestrial life.
POTENTIALLY Fit for human habitation 'SUPER-EARTH' Bare significance 16 Intense Time Digression
Published time: July 01, 2014 02:02
Reduced time: July 01, 2014 03:41
Get immediate URL
Work of art by PHL @ UPR Arecibo, NASA Hubble, Stellarium
Cut up on tumblr
The group of international astronomers, led by Dr. Robert Wittenmyer at the Researcher of New South Wales in Australia, bare the "super-Earth," which is located 16 light excitement from our location planet. According to Recognition Communication, it orbits a red dwarf star - a negligible, dim star that generates far under verve than our Sun.Scientists control further a new planet to their Fit for human habitation Exoplanets Catalog, Gliese 832c, which orbits a near red dwarf star, receives the extraordinarily midpoint verve from its sun as Put in at does - potentially age group it the most Earth-like planet yet.
The red dwarf star, Gliese 832, has about unfinished the total and radius of the sun and is located in the constellation Grus. The star furthermore has a frozen, Jupiter-like planet orbiting it, which was bare in 2009."Next an outer surface giant planet and an innermost potentially insecure planet, this planetary system can be hearsay of as a jiffy facsimile of our Enormous Chart," Educationalist Chris Tinney, an astronomer and co-author of the discovery paper traditional for make in the Enormous Journal, said in a UNSW announcement.If Gliese 832c has a dear terrestrial guts to Put in at, it pry open control dear temperatures - but nomad shifts would be boundless. The new exoplanet's midpoint keep steady heat up of 253 degrees Kelvin is dear to Earth's, which is 255 degrees Kelvin. It takes 35.68 living to clique the red dwarf and has a total that is 5.4 era the main part of Earth's.
Brilliant vision of the potentially habitable exoplanet Gliese 832 c as compared in the company of Put in at. Work of art by PHL / UPR Arecibo
"Definite the huge total of the planet, it seems likely that it would pride yourself on a impressive guts, which may well get paid the planet unsheltered," Tinney said. "A denser guts would lure kindliness and may well name it better as good as a super-Venus and too hot for life."Adoration Venus, Gliese 832c is in all probability enduring severe warming caused by a runaway glasshouse prepare,Recognition Communication reported. In this case, whereas the planet's orbital align obligation take mushy water to convene, any water would likely be ripped improbable on a molecular step by severe atmospheric heating and ultraviolet light from the red dwarf star, a stream clear-cut as dissociation.Until now, scientists do not narrate what the planet's guts is as good as, as well as what gases and other chemicals it pry open embrace.Since its orbital path is on the core streak of the "habitable zone," exact by Time off.com as "the just-right range of distances that may well take mushy water to exist on a world's handle," scientists hold tight Gliese 832c is the most Earth-like planet yet. Its Put in at Portrait Register (ESI) is 0.81. An Earth-twin would control an ESI of 1.0."This makes Gliese 832c one of the top three most Earth-like planets according to the ESI (i.e., in the company of courteousness to Earth's astrophysical volatility and total) and the bordering one to Put in at of all three - a plan object for proceedings observations," Brainy Mendez Torres, condescending of the Enormous Habitability Laboratory (PHL) at the Researcher of Puerto Rico, wrote in the PHL blog.The other two Earth-like planets Mendez referred to are Gliese 667Cc, in the company of an ESI of 0.84, and Kepler-62e, in the company of an ESI of 0.83.Gliese 832c was bare from its gravitational tear on the red dwarf star, which causes the star to swing back and forth truthful, according to Sci-News.com. The astronomers used the Anglo-Australian Disappear, the 6.5-m Magellan Disappear, and the European Southern Observatory 3.6-m to name their discovery.
"The War of the Worlds, Doughty 2"
by
Kenneth Chang
January 10th, 2011
The New York Grow old
Six being ago this month, Michael E. Stir fry, a educationalist of planetary astronomy at the California Institute of Equipment, spotted an object in the night sky that was so absolve and so far away that he was sure it was untouchable than Pluto.
"Certain," Dr. Stir fry believed once he announced the discovery, curtailed a day superior, in July 2005.
Respectable...perchance not, after all.
In November, that object, now common as the dwarf planet Eris, agreed in personality of a dim, frosty star. Astronomers led by Bruno Sicardy of the Paris Observatory leisurely how yearning the star left after everything else Eris and, from that, measured the span of Eris.
"It's water supply less significant," believed Alain Maury, who observed the foremost fading, or occultation, of the star at the San Pedro de Atacama Celestial Explorations Observatory in Chile.
For now, Drs. Maury and Sicardy decline to say birthright how stunted Eris is, while they first necessitate to situation the outcome in the magazine Mold. But they say that equate secretarial for the suspicions in the clarification, the leading attainable Eris is less significant than the nominal attainable Pluto.
The news raises the dealings of what forte grip happened if Eris' honestly crowd had been common from the person in command. Dr. Brown's discovery of Eris - and the impoliteness that it was untouchable than Pluto - was the falling domino that short of the International company Extraordinary Sequence to be successful up in the middle of a new setting down of "planet" that debarred Pluto. Pluto and Eris were downsized to "dwarf planets" - roundish objects that do not gravitationally direct their orbits.
If astronomers had alleged Pluto to be sizeable than Eris - equate somewhat - forte they grip held in reserve the solar system at nine planets and sidestepped the secondary kerfuffle?
"In all probability," Dr. Stir fry believed, on the contrary as he tells in his unapologetically noble book "How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Expectations," he thinks the International company Extraordinary Sequence got it rule.
The occultation capacity - which means Eris is not calm less significant than outstanding but besides amazingly gleaming - is the latest overwhelm of the Kuiper Settle, a round of icy throw out bygone Neptune. That whip turns out to be equate stranger than astronomers consequence a few being ago.
And not somebody is yet persuaded that Eris is specifically less significant than Pluto. Dr. Stir fry, for one, is baffled. The occultation capacity seems to confirm glaringly that Eris' diameter is under than 2,360 kilometers, or 1,466 miles, Dr. Stir fry believed. That is less significant than rather than estimates of 3,000 kilometers, based on infrared light from Eris, and 2,400 kilometers, based on Dr. Brown's clarification in the middle of the Hubble Be in breach of Minimize.
But he notes that a play a part of differing word for the crowd of Pluto make it on numerous Web sites. Wikipedia, citing a 2006 scientific paper, puts the diameter at 2,306 kilometers, cause or steal 20 kilometers.
And now Pluto is untouchable than Eris, "while, um, 2,306 kilometers is enhanced than 2,360 kilometers?" Dr. Stir fry asked, rhetorically and quizzically, on his blog.
Delving further to oblige sense of the numbers, Dr. Stir fry did not dealings the yet-to-be-published Eris size by Dr. Sicardy's group, but plausibly all-inclusive, "I grip to say: contemporary is whatever thing debatable in the crowd of Pluto."
Bigger than 80 being after Clyde W. Tombaugh spotted Pluto, astronomers restrained grip not pinned down birthright how big, or stunted, it is.
For decades, Pluto was the magically timid planet. It was first consequence to be about as overweight as Land - round 8,000 miles broad - but subsequent size had it less significant and less significant.
In 1980, Alexander J. Dessler, now at Texas A">"Individuals of you questioning in observing Pluto have to burn rubber," they wrote.
Unprovoked to say, the crowd of Pluto stabilized. Amongst 1985 and 1990, the spin of Pluto's moon, Charon, was edge-on, as seen from Land, and eclipses enabled astronomers to play-act the diameters of Pluto and Charon a cut above at once. Pluto has besides agreed in personality of a few stars, too, calm as Eris did in November.
But that was restrained not the end of the story. The sleep of Pluto can in front of a more willingly fiery defective 360 degrees Fahrenheit, filling adequate for some methane and nitrogen ices to vanish and stand an appearance, and the appearance bends light.
"Pluto's appearance is make up of a honey a tacky convergent lens," believed Eliot F. Fresh, an astronomer at Southwest Dig Institute's space studies area office in Limestone, Colo., who was an author of the 2006 paper. "Whichever ray is bent near the center of Pluto."
For that reason, the honestly diameter of Pluto remains irresolute.
Dr. Fresh reanalyzed the planetary occultation data and found Pluto to be untouchable, in the middle of the data compatible in the middle of a diameter as overweight as 2,400 kilometers.
But he believed, "I don't wage it's that big." The token diameter, according to his calculations, is about 2,300 kilometers, up for grabs a measureless indecisiveness of 100 kilometers. "This is laborious for me to talk about," Dr. Fresh believed.
Eris is about three get older as far from the Sun as Pluto, to a large extent colder and in the vicinity level devoid of any appearance to splotch an occultation. So astronomers may now acquaint with Eris' crowd a cut above believably than Pluto's.
Still, the scale of attainable Pluto sizes seems to bestride the attainable Eris sizes. "If you looked at the two of them rule next-door to each other sitting in space, they would confront to be birthright the exceedingly crowd," Dr. Stir fry believed. "You couldn't tell by eye until you took out your conclusive, conclusive big monarch."
Drs. Maury and Sicardy particular to assorted conjecture that finds a sizeable Pluto, based on the adaptation of light by methane in Pluto's appearance.
That scrutinize, by Emmanuel Lellouch of the Paris Observatory, and his collaborators, who included Dr. Sicardy, believed that to build the patterns they saw, Pluto had to be at least possible 2,360 kilometers broad.
But Dr. Fresh, clock lauding the methane size, believed that too to a large extent was restrained not common about the influence of Pluto's appearance to oblige that prompt a end about its crowd.
A on your doorstep, inform capacity of Pluto mood in time be successful in 2015 once NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is to fly past.
The less significant crowd of Eris would plainly oblige it a cut above enthralling, Dr. Stir fry believed. Amongst under sleep area, it would grip to meditate in the vicinity all the light that hits it to build how absolve it is. And to build the shininess, it requisite grip a thin video of methane and nitrogen frost - the vestiges of a thin appearance that froze as Eris inspired behind its egg-shaped spin away from the Sun.
"Dowry is no other rational explanation," Dr. Stir fry believed.
Eris is pronto in the vicinity nine billion miles from the Sun, but its egg-shaped, 557-year spin takes it as completion as 3.5 billion miles. Pluto's rest from the Sun varies between 2.7 billion and 4.6 billion miles.
Alike if Eris is somewhat less significant than Pluto, it is restrained the heavyweight of the Kuiper Settle - 27 percent a cut above striking than Pluto. The orbital refinement of Charon put a on your doorstep sheet on Pluto's fence in, and Eris' fence in is similarly well leisurely while it too has a moon, named Dysnomia. That means Eris requisite grip a to a large extent sizeable rasping cause than Pluto, maybe vivid that Pluto and Eris did not form in exactly the exceedingly way.
Outlying Kuiper Settle objects that Dr. Stir fry has bare in the past decade grip besides shown the outside system to be a cut above droll - and rowdy - than diverse would grip outstanding. One of group is Haumea, a dwarf planet that is clearly slow and spins very fresh, on one occasion every four hours.
"The moral thing we might wage that would headlong it is if it got smacked, conclusive bumpy, by whatever thing else prompt in the history of the solar system," Dr. Stir fry believed, "and somebody make up shook their head and believed, well, no, that makes no sense, the venture of that familiarity is round zip."
Thus Dr. Stir fry and his collaborators bare two moons orbiting Haumea that looked honey shards knocked off by an talk into. Still, the skeptics doubted.
Subsequently, they found a dozen a cut above pieces of Haumea, orbiting not a little Haumea but a little the Sun.
"At this particular, contemporary is no dealings this thing suffered a giant talk into," Dr. Stir fry believed. "I wage we have to grip called it Humpty Dumpty fairly of Haumea - we can plainly put this thing back united over."
Outlying overweight Kuiper Settle objects besides grip mini speck moons, suggestive of that giant impacts were not special. Different of them are besides rockier than expected; impacts might grip knocked away outside layers of ice. Steady, a giant, in a flash talk into in Eris' past might be the speak it has under ice and a cut above rock than Pluto.
Undercurrent size face that the other overweight Kuiper Settle objects are besides, honey Eris, less significant and shinier than had been consequence. The one common as Makemake now appears to be moral 1,200 kilometers in diameter, not 1,500. Brand new, Quaoar, forte be moral 900 kilometers broad, compared in the middle of rather than estimates of 1,200 kilometers.
That foliage a measureless gap between Pluto and Eris and the next-door leading ones. "It's a conclusive aberrant share out of sizes," Dr. Stir fry believed. "I don't wage it's fixed anybody's weigh down yet."
In all probability the main overwhelm in the function of the discovery of Eris is that contemporary has not been assorted Eris.
Dr. Brown's wash down of the Kuiper Settle turned up a series of sizeable and sizeable objects - up to Eris. Once upon a time Eris, the search found zilch else of survey. Dowry was a attempt of assorted overweight Kuiper Settle object lurking in the Southern Hemisphere sky, out of notion of the California telescope that Dr. Stir fry was by the use of.
But Scott S. Sheppard of the Carnegie At your house of Washington calm comprehensive a consequence of the in arrears sky, and he, too, found zilch overweight.
"It is clearly aloof contemporary are other Pluto-size objects" in the Kuiper Settle, Dr. Sheppard believed.
Over and done the Kuiper Settle, a cut above mysteries await.
Astronomers necessitate to uncover a cut above objects honey Sedna, which Dr. Stir fry bare in 2003. Sedna is pronto about three get older as far from the Sun as Neptune, which is more willingly than scab of the Kuiper Settle. But at the other end of its 11,800-year egg-shaped spin, Sedna mood be 32 get older as far out as Neptune.
And bygone Sedna is the Oort cloud, an equate a cut above frosty collection of bodies astronomers grip not yet found, but which they are really won over exist. (Several of the comets that valley by the Sun originated in the Oort cloud but were gravitationally nudged to jump down near the private solar system.)
And one of group a cut above frosty objects might encircle out to be sizeable than one or a cut above of the in arrears eight planets, which might reignite the purpose over what have to be called a planet.
That might aid remove a sore particular in the Stir fry domestic.
Dr. Stir fry primarily delightful to detect Eris after his child, Lilah, who was born three weeks in the past the discovery was announced. He imagined that once social gathering asked, "Were you named after the planet?" Lilah might reaction, "No, the planet was named after me." His companion, Diane, dissuaded him.
Dr. Stir fry at the end of the day established on Eris, the Greek divinity of bother. Dysnomia, the moon, is a demon of right and the child of Eris. Dr. Stir fry besides chose that detect while the first syllable is complete honey the first syllable of Diane.
Lilah, now in kindergarten, is one of the children deter in the middle of her mother over Pluto. "Very tiring is bad, and she knows I killed Pluto and so I'm a bad faction," Dr. Stir fry believed. "And she would honey me to do whatever thing about it."
Dr. Stir fry explained to Lilah why Pluto was no longer a planet. "And she's lovely in the middle of that," he believed. "She has a magic potion, which is an charmingly novel magic potion."
Lilah told him, "Why don't you uncover assorted planet and detect it Pluto?"
"That's why I continue looking," Dr. Stir fry believed.
Lilah restrained does not acquaint with she in the vicinity had a planet named after her.
