The Sky Tonight

September 12, 2014

Where to grab space debris
Boston MA (SPX) Sep 12, 2014
Objects in space tend to spin - and spin in a way that's totally different from the way they spin on earth. Understanding how objects are spinning, where their centers of mass are, and how their mass is distributed is crucial to any number of actual or potential space missions, from cleaning up debris in the geosynchronous orbit favored by communications satellites to landing a demolition crew on a comet. In a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Field Robotics, MIT researchers will describe a new ... read more

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Unprecedented X-ray View of Supernova Remains The destructive results of a powerful supernova explosion reveal themselves in a delicate tapestry of X-ray light, as seen in this image from NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the European Space ... more		Mysterious quasar sequence explained Quasars are supermassive black holes that live at the center of distant massive galaxies. They shine as the most luminous beacons in the sky across the entire electromagnetic spectrum by rapidly acc ... more		PPPL scientists take key step toward solving a major astrophysical mystery Magnetic reconnection can trigger geomagnetic storms that disrupt cell phone service, damage satellites and black out power grids. But how reconnection, in which the magnetic field lines in plasma s ... more
				NASA Research Gives Guideline for Future Alien Life Search Astronomers searching the atmospheres of alien worlds for gases that might be produced by life can't rely on the detection of just one type, such as oxygen, ozone, or methane, because in some cases ... more		Lurking bright blue star caught! A team led by Gaston Folatelli at the Kavli IPMU, the University of Tokyo, has found evidence of a hot binary companion star to a yellow supergiant star, which had become a bright supernova. The exi ... more

Tempur-Pedic Mattress Comparison & Memory Foam Mattress Review

'Hot Jupiters' provoke their own host suns to wobble These large, gaseous exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) can make their suns wobble when they wend their way through their own solar systems to snuggle up against their suns, according to ... more		This star cluster is not what it seems The Milky Way galaxy is orbited by more than 150 globular star clusters, which are balls of hundreds of thousands of old stars dating back to the formation of the galaxy. One of these, along with se ... more		Sierra Space clears design milestone for missile tracking satellites in SDA Tranche 2 Top diplomats of North Korea, China agree to oppose 'hegemonism' Elbit secures 120 million order for Hermes 900 maritime surveillance UAS		Two-dimensional electron liquids Truly two-dimensional objects are rare. Even a thin piece of paper is trillions of atoms thick. When physicists do succeed in producing 2D systems, quantum interactions can lead to new phenomena and ... more
				12th Batch of Messenger Data Released; Water Ice Exploration Tool Unveiled Data collected during MESSENGER's 31st through 36th month in orbit around Mercury were released to the public by the Planetary Data System (PDS), an organization that archives and distributes NASA's ... more		A Map of Rosetta's Comet High-resolution images of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko reveal a unique, multifaceted world. ESA's Rosetta spacecraft arrived at its destination about a month ago and is currently accompanying the ... more

Startup in the Land of the Rising Sun; A Japanese Solar Venture - by Bradley L. Bartz

Reports of Meteorite Strike in Nicaragua and Update on Asteroid 2014 RC Reports in the media over the weekend that a small meteorite impacted in Nicaragua have yet to be confirmed. A loud explosion was heard near Managua's international airport Saturday night, and photo ... more		Hubble Finds Supernova Companion Star after Two Decades of Searching Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered a companion star to a rare type of supernova. The discovery confirms a long-held theory that the supernova, dubbed SN 1993J, occurred ... more		The first animals on Earth may have been sea sponges, study suggests Small Satellite Contracted to Probe Climate Effects of Space Radiation Fengyun satellite strengthens China global weather forecasting capacity		Check out the massive solar flare the sun had today The sun was pretty active Wednesday, unleashing a huge solar flare toward the Earth. ... more
First evidence for water ice clouds found outside solar system A team of scientists led by Carnegie's Jacqueline Faherty has discovered the first evidence of water ice clouds on an object outside of our own Solar System. Water ice clouds exist on our own gas gi ... more		Interactive dark matter could explain Milky Way's missing satellite galaxies Scientists believe they have found a way to explain why there are not as many galaxies orbiting the Milky Way as expected. Computer simulations of the formation of our galaxy suggest that there shou ... more		NASA EPSCoR to fund planetary seismology research at NMSU New Mexico NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) has awarded a grant of $749,893 to New Mexico State University astronomers for research to be conducted over the next ... more		Large space object slams Nicaragua's capital as asteroid passes Earth A blast that filled Nicaragua's 1.2 million capital Managua with dismay on Sunday night is most probably a meteorite that left a 12-meter crater near the city's airport. The space rock might be a fr ... more

	NRL Scientist Explores Birth of a Planet Dr. John Carr, a scientist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), is part of an international team that has discovered what they believe is evidence of a planet forming around a star about 335 ... more		Evidence of 'Diving' Tectonic Plates on Jupiter's Moon Europa Scientists have found evidence of plate tectonics on Jupiter's moon Europa. This indicates the first sign of this type of surface-shifting geological activity on a world other than Earth. Researcher ... more

Worlds most powerful centrifuge begins operations in China

Breakthrough in UAV swarm intelligence as SRI redefines topology mapping

China factory activity shrinks in September for sixth straight month

Bright Clumps in Saturn Ring Now Mysteriously Scarce		God Particle could destroy universe, according to Hawking		Space Traffic Control Architecture		Officials expand space-tracking website		Scientists review new ways to process and analyze Big Data
Rice wireless experts tap unused TV spectrum		Meteorite strikes near Nicaragua's capital		Rosetta Comet is Darker than Charcoal		Year's final supermoon is a Harvest Moon		Co-flowing liquids can stabilize chaotic 'whipping' in microfluidic jets

DNA May Have Had Humble Beginnings As Nutrient Carrier

How NASA's New Carbon Observatory Will Help Us Understand Alien Worlds

Hubble Sees Spiral in Serpens

Dot Against the Dark

Comet to pass Earth close enough for binoculars

Cosmic forecast: Dark clouds will give way to sunshine

Hawaii scientist maps, names Laniakea, our home supercluster of galaxies

Small Asteroid to Safely Pass Close to Earth Sunday

Researcher advances a new model for dark matter

Researchers Discover New Clues to Determining the Solar Cycle

Surface level ultraviolet spectra of comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko obtained

How much gravity is enough?

Say hello to Laniakea, our cosmic neighbourhood

Titan's subsurface reservoirs modify methane rainfall

Single laser stops molecular tumbling motion instantly

Historic comet landing site to be unveiled on Sept 15

NASA Invites Public to Submit Messages for Asteroid Mission Time Capsule

Cool Calculations for Cold Atoms

Russia Considers Meteor Impact Prevention Project

Japan space agency unveils asteroid hunting probe

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