A Rare Eclipse of the Midnight Sun

Source - NASA Science News for May 31, 2011

A solar eclipse in the middle of the night? Yes, it can happen. Sky watchers in the Arctic will witness such an event on June 1st when the Moon partially eclipses the midnight sun.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/31may_midnightsun/

Double Flyby Alert: Last Chance to See Space Shuttle Endeavour

Source - Space Weather News for May 30, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

DOUBLE FLYBY ALERT: Space shuttle Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station on Sunday evening, May 29th, at 11:55 pm EDT. This sets the stage for a series of beautiful double flybys: The shuttle and station will soar through the night sky side-by-side in advance of Endeavour's final landing on June 1st. Check the Simple Satellite Tracker to see if you are favored with an apparition: http://spaceweather.com/flybys

BONUS: You can also turn your cell phone into a shuttle tracker. Our "Simple Flybys" app works on both iPhone and Android devices. Details at http://simpleflybys.com

Are We Alone for 05/30/11 - Remembers Only

Are We Alone - Remembers Only

You must remember this… wait, wait… I had it… on the tip of my tongue… (Memory is a tricky thing and most of us would like to improve it)… oh, yes: Discover the secrets of stupefying, knock-your-socks-off recall by a U.S. Memory Champion.

Also, almost everything we know about memory comes from the life of one man born in 1926 and known as H.M., the world’s “most unforgettable amnesiac.”

Plus, the sum total of the global data storage capacity in hard drives, thumb drives, the Internet, you name it… guess how many exabytes it comes to?

Guests:

• Larry Squire – Professor of psychiatry and neurosciences and psychology at the University of California, San Diego and a scientist at the VA Medical Center in San Diego
• Jacopo Annese – Neuroanatomist and Director of the Brain Observatory at the University of California, San Diego
• Joshu Foer – Author of Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything
• Martin Hilbert – Economist and social scientist, University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

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

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.

Geomagnetic Storm: May 28, 2011

Source - Space Weather News for May 28, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field on May 27-28, sparking a moderate geomagnetic storm and auroras in both hemispheres. At the time this alert is being composed (1500 UT on May 28), naked-eye Southern Lights are dancing in the skies over Tasmania and New Zealand. If forecasts are correct, geomagnetic activity should remain at elevated levels for the next 24 to 48 hours. Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates and images of the ongoing storm.

SOLAR ACTIVITY INTENSIFIES: The recently-quiet sun is waking up. New sunspots are emerging across the solar disk, and at least one of them is crackling with C-class solar flares. Even stronger eruptions appear to be in the offing. If you would like alerts notifying you of solar flares and magnetic storms the instant they happen, please consider signing up for Space Weather Phone: http://spaceweatherphone.com .

Encore post - ScienceCasts: NanoSail-D

Given yesterday's post regarding flashes produced by NASA's NanoSail-D I thought it would be appropriate to post this video that was originally posted at ScienceAtNASA on Feb 18, 2011

"High overhead, out of the darkness, a bright light surges into view. For 5 to 10 seconds it outshines the brightest stars in the sky, mimicking a supernova, perhaps even casting faint shadows at your feet. The silence is broken by your own excited shouts. Could this happen to you? It could, if you happen to be outside when NanoSail-D flies by."



Visit http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/01feb_solarsailflares/ for more information.

You can find more information on flybys at http://spaceweather.com/flybys/

Flashes of Light in the Night Sky from NASA's NanoSail-D

Source - Space Weather News for May 27, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR SAIL FLASHES: NASA's Nanosail-D, the first solar sail to orbit Earth, is flashing as it glides through the night sky. Observers in Europe report luminous peaks as bright as a 1st magnitude star. The irregular period of the flashes suggests that the sail might be tumbling, although no one is certain at this moment what is causing the phenomenon. Sky watchers are encouraged to check the Simple Satellite Tracker for local flyby times and watch this unique spacecraft strobe overhead: http://spaceweather.com/flybys

DON'T FORGET THE SPACE SHUTTLE: Meanwhile, space shuttle Endeavour and the ISS are putting on a show of their own. The docked spacecraft are making a series of brilliant dawn flybys over North America and Europe, providing early risers with a chance to see Endeavour one last time before it returns to Earth for retirement. Tracking them is easy; just use your cell phone: http://simpleflybys.com.

Comet Fragment Disintegrates over North America

Source - Space Weather News for May 24, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

COMET FIREBALL: Bright fireballs appear somewhere on Earth every day. Most are caused by rocky asteroids. On Friday, May 20th, however, a less common object struck. Sky watchers in the southeastern USA watched a big but fragile piece of comet break apart in Earth's atmosphere. The resulting fireball was the brightest meteor observed in nearly 3 years by NASA's all-sky network of meteor cameras. Videos and more information are featured on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com

HOLD A METEORITE IN YOUR HAND: Certified authentic meteorites are now available in the Space Weather Store. Details at http://www.shopspaceweather.com/meteorite-sets.aspx

Are We Alone for 05/23/11 - [Rectangular Container] Thinking

Are We Alone - [Rectangular Container] Thinking

By thinking different, scientists can make extrordinary breakthroughs. Learn about the creative cogitation that led to the discovery of dark matter and the invention of a.c. power grids, disinfectant, and the Greek “death ray.” Also, whether one person’s man of genius is another’s mad scientist.

And, the scientist who claims pi is wrong and biopunks who tinker with DNA – in their kitchens and on the cheap.

Plus, from string theory to the greenhouse effect – how metaphor sheds light on science. Discover why your brain is like a rain forest (that’s a simile!).

Guests:

• Anil Ananthaswamy – Corresponding editor for New Scientist magazine in London and author of The Edge of Physics: A Journey to Earth’s Extremes to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe
• Marcus Wohlsen – Reporter for the Associated Press, and author of Biopunk: DIY Scientists Hack the Software of Life
• John Monahan – Author of They Called Me Mad: Genius, Madness, and the Scientists Who Pushed the Outer Limits of Knowledge
• Michael Hartl – Physicist, creator of “Tau Day”
• James Geary – Author of I Is an Other: The Secret Life of Metaphor and How It Shapes the Way We See the World

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

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.

ScienceCasts: Superflares

Source - ScienceAtNASA: May 19, 2011

Something is exploding in the Crab Nebula ten billion times more powerful than a solar flare. These "superflares" are baffling astronomers who haven't yet figured out the source of the blasts.



Visit http://science.nasa.gov/ for more!

Super Storm on Saturn

Source - NASA Science News for May 19, 2011

A storm of rare power has formed in Saturn's northern hemisphere. Wreaking havoc for months, it now stretches around the entire planet and can be seen through backyard telescopes.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/19may_saturnstorm/

Free-Floating Planets May Be More Common Than Stars

Source - NASA Science News for May 16, 2011

Astronomers have discovered a new class of planets floating alone in the dark of space. These lone worlds are probably outcasts from developing planetary systems and, moreover, they could be twice as numerous as the stars themselves.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/18may_orphanplanets/

ScienceCasts: Space-Time Vortex

Source - ScienceAtNASA: May 12, 2011

NASA has announced the results of an epic physics experiment which confirms the reality of a space-time vortex around our planet.



Visit http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/04may_epic/ for the full story.

Unique Space Image of Alabama Tornado Tracks

Source - NASA Science News for May 16, 2011

NASA has released a unique satellite image tracing the damage of a monster EF-4 tornado that tore through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on April 27th.

FULL STORY at: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/16may_groundtracks/


(Image copyright NASA)

Endeavour Launches for ISS on This Week @NASA

Source - NASAtelevision on May 16, 2011

Space shuttle Endeavour lifted off Monday from the Kennedy Space Center for the International Space Station and STS-134. Commander Mark Kelly and his five crewmates began their mission with a picture-perfect launch at 8:56 a.m. Eastern. An electrical problem that scuttled the last STS-134 launch attempt, on April 29, has since been corrected.

Also, Dawn breaks new ground; spring flood imagery; Discovery crew visits HQ; two new Webbys; two new Astro Hall of Famers; and, NASA at Kings Dominion.

Endeavour Lifts Off with Dark Matter Physics Experiment

Source - Space Weather News for May 16, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

Endeavour has left the planet. The space shuttle lifted off this morning at 8:56 am EDT on a two week mission to the International Space Station. There it will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer--a $1.5 billion cosmic ray detector that could reveal the nature of dark matter and find whole galaxies made of antimatter. Links to more information are available at http://spaceweather.com.

This is Endeavour's final flight as the shuttle program winds down. During the mission, Endeavour will make numerous passes over North America, Australia, and other places. Would you like to see it one last time? You can turn your cell phone into a field tested shuttle tracker by downloading our Simple Flybys app. Details at http://simpleflybys.com

Are We Alone for 05/16/11 - Physics Phrontiers

Are We Alone - Physics Phrontiers

ENCORE Physics means getting physical if you’re tackling the biggest, most mysterious questions in the universe. Stoic scientists endure the driest, darkest, coldest spots on the planet to find out how it all began and why there’s something rather than nothing. From the bottom of an old iron mine to the top of the Andes, we’ll hear their stories.

Plus, Steven Weinberg on this weird stuff called dark energy, and Leonard Susskind sees double, no, triple, no, …infinite universes.

Guests:

• Anil Ananthaswamy – Corresponding editor for New Scientist magazine in London and author of The Edge of Physics: A Journey to Earth’s Extremes to Unlock the Secrets of the Universe
• Steven Weinberg – Nobel Prize-winning physicist at University of Texas at Austin and author of Lake Views: This World and the Universe
• Leonard Susskind – Professor of theoretical physics, Stanford University
• André de Gouvêa – Associate professor of physics, Northwestern University

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

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.

Spectacular Planet Gathering on Wednesday, May 11

Source - Space Weather News for May 10, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

MORNING PLANETS: Set your alarm for dawn on Wednesday morning May 11th. Jupiter and Venus will be in conjunction, shining through the eastern twilight only half a degree apart. It's a spectacular way to begin the day. Visit http://spaceweather.com for photos and more information.

Better than Coffee: Planets Align at Dawn

Souce - NASA Science News for May 9, 2011

No coffee? No problem. To wake up any morning this week, all you need to do is look out the window for a beautiful dawn conjunction of planets.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/09may_morningplanets/

Are We Alone for 05/09/11 - Thanks for the Memories

Are We Alone - Thanks for the Memories

ENCORE Memories are slippery things – some are crystal clear, others more like a muddy pool, and some… well, they seem to vanish completely.

Scientists admit that memory is all very complicated, but one piece of the puzzle lies in how we age – we’ll hear the latest research.

Meanwhile, meet the man who digitally logged his every waking moment – and why maybe the secret to happiness isn’t in remembering but in forgetting.

Plus, the case for deleting data from your hard-drive… and from your brain itself.

Guests:

• Adam Gazzaley – Director of the Neuroscience Imaging Center at University of California, San Francisco
• Gordon Bell – Principal researcher at Microsoft Research
• Jim Gemmell – Senior researcher at Microsoft Research
• James McGaugh – Neurobiologist at the University of California, Irvine
• Viktor Mayer-Schönberger – Director of the Information and Innovation Policy Research Center at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and the author of Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age
• Todd Sacktor – Neurologist, SUNY Downstate Medical Center

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

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.

ScienceCasts: Morning Planet Show

Source - ScienceAtNASA: May 5, 2011

The Great Morning Planet Show of May 2011 is underway. Wake up before sunrise any day this month to see a shape-shifting alignment of heavenly lights.



Visit http://science.nasa.gov/ for more.

A Story from the Tornado Zone

Source - NASA Science News for May 6, 2011

On Wednesday, April 27th, Science@NASA writer Dauna Coulter found herself near ground zero as a super-outbreak of tornadoes ripped through north Alabama. This is the story about the event she wrote and submitted from within the disaster zone.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/06may_tornado/

NASA Announces Results of Epic Space-Time Experiment

Source - NASA Science News for May 4, 2011

Today, NASA announced the results of an epic physics experiment which confirms the reality of a space-time vortex around our planet.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/04may_epic/

Geomagnetic Storm on April 30th

Source - Space Weather News for April 30, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field during the early hours of April 30th, sparking a G1-class geomagnetic storm. Northern Lights descended as far south as Michigan in the United States. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras (http://spaceweatherphone.com) tonight as the solar wind continues to blow. Photos of the April 30th display are highlighted on today's edition of http://SpaceWeather.com.

TRACK THE SPACE SHUTTLE: Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to lift off from the Kennedy Space Center on Monday, May 2nd, on a two-week mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle and station will make many visible passes over Europe and North America during the mission--the trick is knowing when to look. You can turn your cell phone into a field tested shuttle tracker by downloading our Simple Flybys app. Details at http://simpleflybys.com