PHYSORG.com: NASA team obtains the 'unobtainium' for next space observatory

Yesterday I came across a very interesting article on PHYSORG.com regarding the James Webb Space Telescope, and I thought I would share it with the readers of this blog.

This article "NASA team obtains the 'unobtainium' for next space observatory" is about the development of a new composite material and the testing involved to prove that the material could withstand the super-cold temperatures it would encounter when the observatory reached its orbit 1.5-million kilometers (930,000 miles) from Earth.

It's a very good read, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did ~ Jim Cox

Bright Fireball Rivals the Harvest Moon + a Big Solar Event

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 22, 2010: http://spaceweather.com

GLOBAL ERUPTION ON THE SUN: This morning between 0230 UT and 0600 UT, the northern hemisphere of the sun erupted in a tumult of activity. There was a solar flare, a coronal mass ejection, and at least two dark magnetic filaments lifting off the stellar surface. The event appears to be a smaller-scale version of the global blast in early August that sparked auroras over some US states. As before, NASA spacecraft recorded the action in detail. Visit http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.

SOUTHWESTERN FIREBALL RIVALS THE HARVEST MOON: Last night, sky watchers in the southwestern United States witnessed a brilliant fireball. It was almost as bright as the full Harvest Moon and caused a loud sonic boom over parts of New Mexico. A movie of the event is highlighted on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

SPACE WEATHER ALERTS: With the coming of northern autumn, aurora season is underway. Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms erupt at your latitude? Sign up for Space Weather Phone: http://spaceweatherphone.com

Watch Out for the Super Harvest Moon

Source - NASA Science News for Sept. 22, 2010

For the first time in almost 20 years, northern autumn is beginning on the night of a full Moon. The coincidence sets the stage for a "Super Harvest Moon" and a must-see sky show to mark the change of seasons.

FULL STORY at

https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/22sep_harvestmoon/

Solar Storms can Change Directions, Surprising Forecasters

Source - NASA Science News for Sept. 21, 2010

Researchers using data from NASA's STEREO spacecraft have found that solar storms don't always travel in a straight line. This adds a surprising new twist to the science of space weather forecasting.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/21sep_zigzag/

Are We Alone News - No new podcasts for a while

I have been informed that due to a recent office move, and several other technical issues there will most likely not be any new Are We Alone podcasts for the next few weeks.

The next post was supposed to be "What Makes Us Human Part II: Adaptability" which is an encore presentation as were the next few podcasts, but it has yet to be posted.

Check out the Are We Alone archives for past podcasts to listen to until the new podcasts are posted, and be sure to check out Are We A Blog?, the companion blog to the radio show.

This notice will be reposted each Monday until the problems are resolved and/or new podcasts are posted.

Cheers ~ Jim Cox

Close Encounter with Jupiter

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 20, 2010: http://spaceweather.com

JUPITER AT ITS BEST: Tonight, Sept. 20-21, Earth and Jupiter converge for their closest encounter in decades. The giant planet will soar across the sky at midnight, outshining everything except the Moon itself. Although big, bright Jupiter will remain close to Earth for weeks to come, tonight is the closest of all. Check http://spaceweather.com for images and more information.

SPACE STATION RADAR ECHO: Over the weekend, the International Space Station flew through the radar beam of the US Air Force Space Surveillance System in Texas. The echo was strong enough to be heard by amateur radio operators across the southern USA. A sample echo is highlighted on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com .

SPACE WEATHER ALERTS: With the coming of northern autumn, aurora season is underway. Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms erupt at your latitude? Sign up for Space Weather Phone: http://spaceweatherphone.com

Planetary Society: Voyager Mission Status Bulletins

A friend of mine recently brought to my attention the article and URL referenced below regarding the Voyager Mission Status Bulletins, and I thought I should share it with the readers of this blog.

I have since The Planetary Society to the links and blogs listings on the sidebar (I could swear I added them a long time ago)

I hope you enjoy the article. Cheers ~ Jim


Here is a quote from the article at: http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/voyager/msb.html

"From 1977 to 1990, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory kept scientists and space enthusiasts informed about the status of the twin Voyager spacecraft through an intermittently printed newsletter that ran to 99 issues. Space fan (and pack rat!) Tom Faber kept his collection and, in 2010, scanned them and sent them to the Planetary Society. We are delighted to host these important historical documents here, and thank Mr. Faber for his patience in scanning them."

More information can be found on the The Planetary Society's blog: The Voyager Mission Updates

Closest Encounter with Jupiter until 2022

Source - NASA Science News for Sept. 15, 2010

Jupiter and Earth are converging for their closest encounter in more than a decade. Only the Moon itself is outshining the giant planet in the midnight sky, and the view through a telescope is dynamite.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/15sep_jupiter/

Are We Alone for 09/13/10 - What Makes Us Human Part I: Others

Are We Alone - What Makes Us Human Part I: Others

ENCORE: Are humans unique or do we just do some things a little better than other species? In the first of our two-part series on the nature of humanity: how the influence of others has shaped our evolution.

Find out how baby talk gave root to human language and why social isolation can make us sick. Plus, the joke’s on us – new research says we’re not the only laughing species: meet your giggling gorilla cousins.

And, what a writer’s visit to a chimp retirement center revealed about human discomfort with our animal ancestry.

• Dean Falk – Anthropologist at Florida State University and author of Finding Our Tongues: Mothers, Infants, and the Origins of Language
• John Cacioppo – Director of the Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience at the University of Chicago and co-author of Loneliness: Human Nature and the Need for Social Connection
• Lori Marino – Biologist at Emory University
• Kathryn Denning – Anthropologist at York University
• Charles Siebert – Author of The Wauchula Woods Accord: Toward a New Understanding of Animals
• Marina Davila-Ross – Psychologist at the University of Portsmouth in the U.K.

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/What_Makes_Us_Human_Part_I_Others

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Are We A Blog?, the companion blog to the radio show.

And be sure to check out the Are We Alone iPhone/iPad app: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/are-we-alone-make-contact/id374968004?mt=8

This Planet Smells Funny

Source - NASA Science News for Sept. 13, 2010

An alien world in the constellation Leo is breaking the rules of giant-planet chemistry, prompting researchers to re-think the make-up of exoplanet atmospheres.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/13sep_funnyplanet/

Arctic Aurora Watch

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 12, 2010: http://spaceweather.com

ARCTIC AURORA WATCH: A magnetic filament on the sun erupted during the late hours of Sept. 10th, hurling a bright coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. The CME is not heading directly for Earth, but the cloud's southern flank could deliver a glancing blow to our planet's magnetic field on Sept. 12th or (more likely) Sept. 13th. People in Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Greenland and Scandinavia should be alert for Northern Lights in the nights ahead. Check http://spaceweather.com for updates and movies of the eruption that prompted this alert.

Fireballs Light Up Jupiter

Source - NASA Science News for Sept. 9, 2010

In a paper published today in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, a group of professional and amateur astronomers announced that Jupiter is being hit by small asteroids, lighting up the giant planet's atmosphere with frequent fireballs.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/09sep_jovianfireballs/

Spectacular Eruption: Earth dodges another bullet from the Sun

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 9, 2010: http://spaceweather.com

SPECTACULAR ERUPTION: Just as sunspot 1105 was turning away from Earth on Sept 8th, the active region unleashed a spectacular eruption of plasma and extreme ultraviolet radiation. Earth was not in the line of fire--this time. Must-see movies from the Solar Dynamics Observatory and other spacecraft are highlighted on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

SPACECRAFT FLYBY ALERT: This is a good week for satellite watchers in the USA and Canada. Both the International Space Station and the US Air Force X-37B space plane are making a series of favorable passes over North American towns and cities. The spacecraft are easy to find using our Simple Satellite Tracker--an app for iPhones and Android. Visit http://simpleflybys.com for downloads and more information.

Are We Alone for 09/06/10 - Light, the Universe, and Everything

Are We Alone - Light, the Universe, and Everything

What’s it all about? And we mean ALL. What makes up this vast sprawling cosmos? Why does it exist? Why do we exist? Why is there something rather than nothing? Ow, my head hurts!

For possible answers, we travel to the moment after the Big Bang and discover all that came into being in those few minutes after the great flash: time, space, matter, and light. Plus, the bizarre stuff that makes up the bulk of the universe: dark energy and dark matter.

Also, what we set in motion with the invention of the light blub. How artificial light lit up our homes, our cities and – inadvertently – our skies.

Guests:

• Sean Carroll – Theoretical physicist at California Institute of Technology
• Leonard Susskind – Theoretical physicist, Stanford University
• Jane Brox – Author of Brilliant: The Evolution of Artificial Light
• Peter Fisher – Physicist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/Light_the_Universe_and_Everything

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Are We A Blog?, the companion blog to the radio show.

And be sure to check out the Are We Alone iPhone/iPad app: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/are-we-alone-make-contact/id374968004?mt=8

Solar eruption misses Earth, auroras likely anyway

SOLAR ACTIVITY: On Sept. 4th around 1600 UT, a magnetic filament erupted, hurling a bright coronal mass ejection (CME) off the sun's northwestern limb. Today's edition of http://spaceweather.com features a close-up view of the blast from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. The CME is not expected to hit Earth. Nevertheless, auroras are possible in the nights ahead. A solar wind stream flowing from a coronal hole is heading our way, due to arrive on Sept. 5th or 6th. NOAA forecasters estimate a 50% chance of high-latitude geomagnetic activity when the solar wind hits. With the approach of northern autumn, Arctic nights are getting dark again--dark enough to see the Northern Lights. People in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia should keep an eye on the night sky this weekend.

SPACE WEATHER ALERTS: Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms erupt at your latitude? Sign up for Space Weather Phone: http://spaceweatherphone.com

Solar Probe+ to Plunge Directly into Sun's Atmosphere

Source - NASA Science News for Sept. 2, 2010

NASA's daring plan to visit the sun took a giant leap forward today with the selection of five key science investigations for the Solar Probe+ spacecraft.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/02sep_spp/