Space Spin

MESSENGER images - December 12-16, 2011

Space Spin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:15:43 +0000

The following new featured images taken by the MESSENGER spacecraft are now available:

A Small Pond (Released 12 December 2011)
This image shows a small pond of impact melt that was ejected from a crater just out of view.
Rays of Light Material (Released 13 December 2011)
The ejecta of this fresh 20-km impact crater swept the surface, leaving beautiful bright rays.
Conquest of the South Pole (Released 14 December 2011)
This image above shows a portion of Fram Rupes, a long scarp (cliff) formed by compressive forces generated as the planet's interior cooled and contracted.
Inside Eminescu (Released 16 December 2011)
This oblique view shows a portion of the rim of the crater Eminescu.

Mars Odyssey THEMIS images - December 12-16, 2011

Space Spin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:12:24 +0000

The following new images taken by the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft are now available:

Windstreak (Released 12 December 2011)
This windstreak is location on the volcanic flows of Daedalia Planum.
Reull Vallis (Released 13 December 2011)
This VIS image shows Reull Vallis where it cuts through the rim of Lipik Crater.
Channel (Released 14 December 2011)
This unnamed channel drains part of Margaritifer Terra.
Daedalia Planum (Released 15 December 2011)
Extensive lava flows originating from Arsia Mons created Daedalia Planum.
Samara Valles (Released 16 December 2011)
This VIS image shows a portion of Samara Valles.

RXTE detects 'heartbeat' of smallest black hole candidate

Space Spin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:08:42 +0000

An international team of astronomers has identified a candidate for the smallest-known black hole using data from NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE).

The evidence comes from a specific type of X-ray pattern, nicknamed a "heartbeat" because of its resemblance to an electrocardiogram. The pattern until now has been recorded in only one other black hole system.

Young star rebels against its parent cloud

Space Spin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:32:30 +0000

Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 has captured this image of a giant cloud of hydrogen gas illuminated by a bright young star.

The image shows how violent the end stages of the star-formation process can be, with the young object shaking up its stellar nursery.

HiRISE images for December 14, 2011

Space Spin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:58:18 +0000

The following new images taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft are now available:

Faults in Ius Chasma
Ius Chasma is one of many steep-sided interconnected depressions that comprise Valles Marines, the largest canyon system in the Solar System.
Spring Fans Bursting from Cracks in Ice
In the springtime the ice on the dunes in the North polar region cracks, often in polygonal patterns.
Layering in Central Candor Chasma
This area also has a high abundance of hematite, a mineral that can precipitate out of water.
Fresh Crater North of Tharsis Region
The ejecta blanket--remnants of the material from the original impact--is still visible indicating that the crater may be very fresh.

Chandra: A galaxy cluster gets sloshed

Space Spin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:51:19 +0000

Like wine in a glass, vast clouds of hot gas are sloshing back and forth in Abell 2052, a galaxy cluster located about 480 million light years from Earth.

X-ray data (blue) from Chandra shows the hot gas in this dynamic system, and optical data (gold) from the Very Large Telescope shows the galaxies. The hot, X-ray bright gas has an average temperature of about 30 million degrees.

Fermi shows that Tycho's star shines in gamma rays

Space Spin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:26:44 +0000

In early November 1572, observers on Earth witnessed the appearance of a "new star" in the constellation Cassiopeia, an event now recognized as the brightest naked-eye supernova in more than 400 years.

It's often called "Tycho's supernova" after the great Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, who gained renown for his extensive study of the object. Now, years of data collected by NASA's Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope reveal that the shattered star's remains shine in high-energy gamma rays.

Dawn images - December 12-13, 2011

Space Spin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:15:31 +0000

The following new featured images taken by the Dawn spacecraft are now available:

Topography and Albedo Image of Numisia Crater (Released 12 December 2011)
These Dawn Framing Camera (FC) images show the ~20km diameter Numisia crater, after which Numisia quadrangle is named.
Topography and Albedo Image of Oppia Crater (Released 13 December 2011)
These Dawn FC images show Oppia crater, after which Oppia quadrangle is named.

Hubble: Standing out from the crowd

Space Spin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:12:48 +0000

The compact nature of globular clusters is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, having so many stars of a similar age in one bundle gives astronomers insights into the chemical makeup of our galaxy in its early history.

But, at the same time, the high density of stars in the cores of globulars also makes it difficult for astronomers to resolve individual stars.

WISE: Ancient supernova revealed

Space Spin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:52:39 +0000

About 3,700 years ago people on Earth would have seen a brand-new bright star in the sky.

As it slowly dimmed out of sight, it was eventually forgotten, until modern astronomers found its remains -- called Puppis A. Seen as a red dusty cloud in this image from WISE, Puppis A is the remnant of a supernova explosion.

Dawn images - December 5-11, 2011

Space Spin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 08:43:08 +0000

The following new featured images taken by the Dawn spacecraft are now available:

Topography and Albedo Image of Bellicia Crater (Released 5 December 2011)
These Dawn Framing Camera (FC) images are dominated by the 35km diameter Bellicia crater, after which Bellicia quadrangle is named.
Topography and Albedo Image of Claudia Crater (Released 6 December 2011)
These Dawn FC images show Claudia crater (marked by an arrow) and its surroundings.
Topography and Albedo Image of Domitia Crater (Released 7 December 2011)
These Dawn FC images are dominated by the 45km diameter Domitia crater, after which Domitia quadrangle is named.
Topography and Albedo Image of Floronia Crater (Released 8 December 2011)
These Dawn FC images show the 12km diameter Floronia crater, after which Floronia quadrangle is named.
Topography and Albedo Image of Gegania Crater (Released 9 December 2011)
These Dawn FC images show Gegania crater, after which Gegania quadrangle is named. Gegania crater is the large, ~15km diameter crater, at the bottom of the image.
Topography and Albedo Image of Lucaria Tholus (Released 10 December 2011)
These Dawn FC images show Lucaria Tholus, after which Lucaria quadrangle is named.
Topography and Albedo Image of Marcia Crater (Released 11 December 2011)
These Dawn FC images show Marcia crater, after which Marcia quadrangle is named.

MESSENGER images - December 5-9, 2011

Space Spin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:45:32 +0000

The following new featured images taken by the MESSENGER spacecraft are now available:

Mercury QuickMap Mosaics Available in High Resolution (Released 5 December 2011)
The mosaics that can be explored interactively using ACT-REACT QuickMap are now also available for download.
A Peek at the Peaks of Chao Meng-Fu (Released 6 December 2011)
Located very near Mercury's south pole, the crater Chao Meng-Fu receives only grazing sunlight.
Behold Bartok (Released 7 December 2011)
This oblique view of Bartok accentuates the central peaks and terraced walls of this complex crater.
Close-up Shot of To Ngoc Van (Released 8 December 2011)
Prominent near the center of the degraded crater To Ngoc Van is an irregularly shaped pit.
The Bright Rays of Mena (Released 9 December 2011)
The young rays of Mena crater contrast brightly against the surrounding surface, though the rays will gradually fade with time.

Mars Odyssey THEMIS images - December 5-9, 2011

Space Spin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:44:23 +0000

The following new images taken by the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft are now available:

Wind Erosion (Released 5 December 2011)
The power of the wind is undeniable in this VIS image of the surface of Mars.
Mass Wasting (Released 6 December 2011)
Dark streaks mark the slopes of craters and hills in this region of Amazonis Planitia.
Wind Erosion (Released 7 December 2011)
Wind erosion has created this complex surface south of Olympus Mons.
Fractures (Released 8 December 2011)
Arcuate and linear fractures cut the volcanic materials of Echus Montes.
Naktong Vallis (Released 9 December 2011)
This VIS image shows a portion of Naktong Vallis in Terra Sabaea.

HiRISE images for December 7, 2011

Space Spin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:23:47 +0000

The following new images taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft are now available:

Frosty Northern Dunes
It is early spring in the Northern hemisphere of Mars, and these barchan dunes are covered with a layer of seasonal carbon dioxide ice.
Crater Features
At HiRISE resolution, we can better see the hollows and pits, along with the shapes of alcoves of gullies that are now filled up.
Meanders and Tributaries in Ridge Form in the Zephyria Region
This was once a river bed that meandered due to changes in topography.
Interacting Fossae Segments East of Athabasca Valles
Understanding the possible volume and flux of water in the ancient past may help in learning how the flood channel formed.

Opportunity finds mineral vein deposited by water

Space Spin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:34:11 +0000

Opportunity has found bright veins of a mineral, apparently gypsum, deposited by water.

Analysis of the vein will help improve understanding of the history of wet environments on Mars.