CosmoBC.com AstroBlog

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-05-13

Paul — Sun, 13 May 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Io9 Backgrounder: Could Helium-3 really solve Earth's energy problems? – @io9 http://t.co/IxddGG6i # AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-05-11: A massive alien planet that may have been ripped into… http://t.co/yRyAW6ze # This week I recommend to follow @sky_watching … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-05-11

Paul — Fri, 11 May 2012 16:14:48 +0000

A massive alien planet that may have been ripped into Earth-size chunks by its dying parent star is offering a unique glimpse into the evolution of other worlds and their stars, scientists say. Continue reading →

Monthly Stargazing Calendar for May 2012

Paul — Tue, 08 May 2012 00:15:24 +0000

On May 5, 6 we witnessed the Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. It is a a light shower, usually producing about 10 meteors per hour at the peak. The full moon ruined the show this year, washing out all but the brightest meteors with its glare. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-05-06

Paul — Sun, 06 May 2012 11:30:00 +0000

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-05-04: A newly unveiled company with some high-profile backers –… http://t.co/J3zBdpE6 # This week I recommend to follow @badas_tweets for interesting tweets from the Blackpool & District Astronomical Society. #FollowFriday #FF # The … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-05-04

Paul — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:10:01 +0000

A newly unveiled company with some high-profile backers -- including filmmaker James Cameron and Google co-founder Larry Page -- is set to announce plans to mine near-Earth asteroids for resources such as precious metals and water. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-04-29

Paul — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

9 Concepts for Cleaning up Space Junk : TreeHugger http://t.co/5LQd9atm via @TreeHugger # AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-04-27: Several million stars are vying for attention in this… http://t.co/CjE18Ga9 # This week I recommend to follow @ISS_NatLab for … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-04-27

Paul — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 03:25:01 +0000

Several million stars are vying for attention in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of a raucous stellar breeding ground in 30 Doradus, located in the heart of the Tarantula nebula. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-04-22

Paul — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Discovery of the Musket Ball Cluster, a system of colliding galaxy clusters http://t.co/VM5gGJJW via @sciencedaily # NASA to fly atomic clock to improve space navigation http://t.co/nM10icHG via @sciencedaily # NASA's WISE mission sees skies ablaze with blazars http://t.co/uJMUZ9Ej via @sciencedaily … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-04-20

Paul — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 02:23:41 +0000

Some space advocates argue that private property rights on the Moon and other bodies are essential to the future of space development. Is there a way to accept property claims under the current treaty regime? Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-04-15

Paul — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-04-13: A group of European astronomers has discovered an ancient… http://t.co/N8x4vAtH # This week I recommend to follow @darkmatter111 an amateur astronomer and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. #FollowFriday #FF # … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-04-13

Paul — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 02:43:52 +0000

A group of European astronomers has discovered an ancient planetary system that is likely to be a survivor from one of the earliest cosmic eras, 13 billion years ago. The system consists of the star HIP 11952 and two planets, which have orbital periods of 290 and 7 days, respectively. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-04-08

Paul — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

The Space Review: Brazil in space: http://t.co/vsqeeiAv via @jeff_foust # Why we fall for the hype: contextualizing our thought on space warfare: http://t.co/3t7z50lQ via @jeff_foust # The Space Review: Fighting for Mars: http://t.co/QjDZFXN7 via @jeff_foust # New theory on size … Continue reading →

Monthly Stargazing Calendar for April 2012

Paul — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 03:09:23 +0000

On April 15 the planet Saturn will be at Opposition. The ringed giant will be at its closest approach to the Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be the best time to view … Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-04-01

Paul — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Mercury Surprises: Tiny Planet Has Strange Innards and Active Past http://t.co/ApQczjZ1 via @SPACEdotcom # NASA Resurrects Saturn Science Tool on Cassini Spacecraft http://t.co/vpZalVRh via @SPACEdotcom # Excitement Builds for 1st Private Spaceship Flight to Space Station http://t.co/bgB4cTE4 via @SPACEdotcom # … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-03-30

Paul — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 02:29:57 +0000

The clearest view yet of the famous Apollo 11 landing site on the moon was captured by a NASA spacecraft in orbit around our planet's natural satellite. The agency's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter zeroed in on Mare Tranquillitatis, or the Sea of Tranquility -- the place where humans first touched down on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-03-25

Paul — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-03-23: With President Barack Obama proposing a relatively flat… http://t.co/88PufMnw # This week I recommend to follow @glxp for interesting tweets from the official Google Lunar X PRIZE account. #FollowFriday #FF # #scifi … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-03-23

Paul — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 00:52:49 +0000

With President Barack Obama proposing a relatively flat budget for NASA in 2013, a group professional astronomers is urging the White House and Congress to find a better balance between the space agency's planetary science and exploration needs. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-03-18

Paul — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Icarus experiment measures neutrino speed: Even neutrinos are not faster than light http://t.co/dZ4Gad0S via @sciencedaily # Oxygen detected in atmosphere of Saturn's moon Dione: http://t.co/BLKrCGcE via @sciencedaily # Lofty Goal for Private Spaceflight: 1,000 Launches a Year by 2019 http://t.co/ADCUXTDW … Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-03-11

Paul — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-03-09: Scientists are keeping a close eye on a big asteroid that… http://t.co/GmabuEPV # This week I recommend to follow @NASAKepler for news from NASA's Earth-size planet hunter. #FollowFriday #FF # New model … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-03-09

Paul — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 02:06:44 +0000

Scientists are keeping a close eye on a big asteroid that may pose an impact threat to Earth in a few decades. The space rock, which is called 2011 AG5, is about 140 meters wide. It may come close enough to Earth in 2040 that some researchers are calling for a discussion about how to deflect it. Continue reading →

Monthly Stargazing Calendar for March 2012

Paul — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 23:28:52 +0000

On March 3, Mars was at opposition. The Earth passed Mars as the two planets wheeled around the sun in their respective orbits. This time the opposition was an unfavorable one because Mars was at aphelion on February 15, which … Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-03-04

Paul — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Massive Asteroid to Hit Earth in 2040? : Discovery News http://t.co/D0XUhXWB # AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-03-02: Observations by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have… http://t.co/R1r4xjiH # This is an obvious one, but if you don't already, … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-03-02

Paul — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 01:15:34 +0000

Observations by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have come up with a new class of planet, a waterworld enshrouded by a thick, steamy atmosphere. It's smaller than Uranus but larger than Earth. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-02-26

Paul — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

X-rays illuminate the interior of the Moon: http://t.co/NZlZrcYq via @sciencedaily # NuSTAR Mated to its Rocket: http://t.co/Ex16OgqA via @sciencedaily # AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-02-24: This week I recommend to follow @newscientist for tweets… http://t.co/2xqnHfbw # This … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-02-24

Paul — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:34:40 +0000

NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer, or Galex, was placed in standby mode Feb. 7, 2012 as engineers prepare to end mission operations, nearly nine years after the telescope's launch. The spacecraft is scheduled to be decommissioned -- taken out of service -- later this year. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-02-19

Paul — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Putting the squeeze on planets outside our solar system: http://t.co/u7pmD3H7 via @sciencedaily # New views show old NASA Mars landers: http://t.co/VfJvmiBl via @sciencedaily # NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer in standby mode: http://t.co/55SZ3tOu via @sciencedaily # Currently reading http://t.co/kWfWSkEV # NASA … Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-02-15

Paul — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-02-10: This week I recommend to follow @AsteroidWatch for tweets… http://t.co/T3RLD8pT # This week I recommend to follow @AsteroidWatch for tweets from NASA about tracking potentially hazardous asteroids. #FollowFriday #FF # @Angelshymn Glad … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-02-10

Paul — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:53:24 +0000

NASA's solar-powered Juno spacecraft successfully refined its flight path Feb. 1 with the mission's first trajectory correction maneuver. The maneuver is the first of a dozen planned rocket firings that, over the next five years, will keep Juno on course for its rendezvous with Jupiter. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-02-05

Paul — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Monthly Stargazing Calendar for February 2012: The best chance to see Mercury will be from February 20 to March 12…. http://t.co/NzAyHX1S # Habitable Zones Around Alien Suns May Depend on Chemistry http://t.co/aX3amwjb via @SPACEdotcom # Astronomers Spot Fourth Potential Habitable … Continue reading →

Monthly Stargazing Calendar for February 2012

Paul — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:54:02 +0000

The best chance to see Mercury will be from February 20 to March 12. The planet will, from our point of view, have moved far enough from the Sun's glare to be visible shortly after sunset. Mercury will reach greatest elongation from the Sun on March 5, reaching a relatively bright magnitude of about -1. Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-02-03

Paul — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:46:05 +0000

Scientists help define structure of exoplanets. Using models similar to those used in weapons research, scientists may soon know more about exoplanets, those objects beyond the realm of our solar system. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-29

Paul — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

How the Apollo 1 Fire Changed Spaceship Design Forever http://t.co/MiLpV8kd via @SPACEdotcom # @zauberwort @cinnamon_carter @AstroMillennium @SquallPL @Deniseselmo Thank you all for the RTs! # Ron Paul: I don't think we should go to the moon. I think we maybe … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-01-27

Paul — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 01:42:40 +0000

In 1995, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope took an iconic image of the Eagle nebula, dubbed the "Pillars of Creation," highlighting its finger-like pillars where new stars are thought to be forming. Now, the Herschel Space Observatory has a new, expansive view of the region captured in longer-wavelength infrared light. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-22

Paul — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

@cinnamon_carter @cinnamonshelper @RyukyuMike Thank you for the RTs! I really appreciate it # AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-01-20: Astronomers using the partially completed ALMA observatory… http://t.co/SNDidp1Y # This week I recommend to follow @NASA_Astronauts to hear from … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-01-20

Paul — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 02:08:17 +0000

Astronomers using the partially completed ALMA observatory have found compelling evidence for how star-forming galaxies evolve into 'red and dead' elliptical galaxies, catching a large group of galaxies right in the middle of this change. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-15

Paul — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Cartoon Laws of Physics http://t.co/WJxuyOYP via @CosmoBC_jokes # RT @LuisMThen Stars forming. #StarWalk picture of the day. #Hubble telescope. #Astronomy http://t.co/Ayk1uQyg # Astronomers release unprecedented data set on celestial objects that brighten and dim: http://t.co/HpWZJm32 via @sciencedaily # RT @BoeingDefense … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-01-13

Paul — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:31:24 +0000

Astronomers using data from NASA's Kepler mission have discovered the three smallest planets yet detected orbiting a star beyond our sun. The planets orbit a single star, called KOI-961, and are 0.78, 0.73 and 0.57 times the radius of Earth. The smallest is about the size of Mars. Continue reading →

Antennae Galaxies – Astronomy Picture of the Week

Paul — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:59:10 +0000

This beautiful image of two colliding galaxies has been released by NASA’s great observatories. The Antennae galaxies are located about 62 million light-years from Earth. They take their name from the long antenna-like “arms,” which were produced by tidal forces … Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-08

Paul — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

15 Things You Didn’t Know About Outer Space [Infographic]: Since the dawn of history, outer space has always caught… http://t.co/PXcX8uGp # AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-01-06: The moon may look lonely, but it is far from alone. … Continue reading →

15 Things You Didn’t Know About Outer Space [Infographic]

Paul — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 02:14:17 +0000

Since the dawn of history, outer space has always caught the imagination of people across the continents and different cultures. However most of what we currently know about space has been discovered since the beginning of the space age over … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2012-01-06

Paul — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:39:19 +0000

The moon may look lonely, but it is far from alone. Small asteroids too dim to detect seem to stray into Earth's orbit quite frequently and stay for short periods of time. We may even be able to bring one of these moonlets back to Earth for study. Continue reading →

Dark Matter Map in Galaxy Cluster Abell 1689 – Astronomy Picture of the Week

Paul — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:16:19 +0000

This image represents the inner region of galaxy cluster Abell 1689 and the distribution of dark matter around it. Abell 1689 is an immense cluster of galaxies located 2.2 billion light-years away. Continue reading →

Monthly Stargazing Calendar for January 2012

Paul — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 23:19:29 +0000

On the night of January 3 to 4 the Quadrantids meteor shower will peak. It is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at the peak. The near first quarter moon will interfere with the show … Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-01-01

Paul — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 12:30:00 +0000

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2011-12-30: No matter how exciting your plans are for New Year's, two… http://t.co/932pZsLw # This week I recommend to follow @DESERT_RATS a NASA group aiming to develop human-robotic systems for space exploration. #FollowFriday … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2011-12-30

Paul — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:08:04 +0000

No matter how exciting your plans are for New Year's, two NASA spacecraft have you beat - they've got a date with the moon. After more than three months of spaceflight, NASA's twin Grail probes are set to start orbiting the moon this weekend, with Grail-A arriving Saturday (Dec. 31) and Grail-B following on Sunday (Jan. 1). Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-25

Paul — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 12:30:00 +0000

@NASA_EDGE You're welcome! and thanks for the great tweets in reply to NASA_EDGE # AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2011-12-23: Astronomers on Tuesday (Dec. 20) announced the discovery… http://t.co/LJDECcql # This week I recommend to follow @NASA_EDGE, the … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2011-12-23

Paul — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:13:58 +0000

Astronomers on Tuesday (Dec. 20) announced the discovery of the first two Earth-size alien planets - a historic find for sure, but the newfound worlds didn't exactly receive historic names. The two alien planets are officially known as Kepler-20e and Kepler-20f, a nod to the instrument that detected them, NASA's prolific Kepler space telescope. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-18

Paul — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 12:30:00 +0000

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2011-12-16: NASA's Kepler mission has confirmed its first planet in… http://t.co/vfCMNS8H # This week I recommend to follow @NASAGoddard for interesting tweets from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. #FollowFriday #FF # Twitter Weekly … Continue reading →

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2011-12-16

Paul — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 23:00:47 +0000

NASA's Kepler mission has confirmed its first planet in the "habitable zone," the region around a star where liquid water could exist on a planet's surface. Kepler also has discovered more than 1,000 new planet candidates, nearly doubling its previously known count. Continue reading →

Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-11

Paul — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 12:30:00 +0000

AstroBlog Follow Friday & Weekly Stumbles For 2011-12-09: Excellent launch precision for NASA's Mars Science… http://t.co/uWPSi0uH # This week I recommend to follow @NASAAmes for interesting tweets from NASA's Ames Research Center. #FollowFriday #FF # Twitter Weekly Updates for 2011-12-04: … Continue reading →