Space News
Jupiter and Saturn --"Delivered Components for Life to Form on Earth"
The Daily Galaxy - 3 Feb 2016 19:49
Not only is the "Jupiter as shield" concept, implying that the planet shields Earth from comet impacts, not true, but perhaps Jupiter's most important role in fostering the development of life on Earth was just the oppos...
Russians go spacewalking to collect experiments, test glue
Phys.org - 3 Feb 2016 16:08
Two Russians took a spacewalk Wednesday to install fresh experiments outside the International Space Station and gather biological samples stuck outside for years.
50 Years Ago We Got Our First Picture from the Moon
Universe Today - 3 Feb 2016 23:59
On this date half a century ago the Soviet Luna 9 spacecraft made humanity's first-ever soft landing on the surface of the Moon. Launched from Baikonur on Jan. 31, 1966, Luna 9 lander touched down within Oceanus Procella...
Japan puts military on alert over North Korean satellite launch
Space News - 3 Feb 2016 22:21
Japan put its military on alert on Wednesday to shoot down any North Korean rocket that threatens it, while South Korea warned the North it would pay a "severe price" if it goes ahead with a satellite launch that South K...
Earth's Long-Term Temperatures Predictable --"Unless Affected by Human Impact" (NASA/JPL)
The Daily Galaxy - 3 Feb 2016 22:02
New evidence may finally help put the chill on skeptics' belief that long-term global warming occurs in an unpredictable manner, independently of external drivers such as human impacts. By examining how Earth cools itsel...
Strange, Dense Matter: The Power of Neutron Stars [Video]
Scientific American - 3 Feb 2016 22:00
A live Webcast Wednesday evening will discuss the latest science of neutron stars—some of the densest and weirdest objects in space --
Astronomy Cast Ep. 401: Predictions for 2016 and Beyond
Universe Today - 3 Feb 2016 21:52
What do Pamela and Fraser think will happen or be discovered in 2016? What would they like to see in the near future? Visit the Astronomy Cast Page to subscribe to the audio podcast! We record Astronomy Cast as a live Go...
ALMA Finds Unexpectedly Cold Grains in Planet-forming Disc
SpaceRef - 3 Feb 2016 21:50
The international team, led by Stephane Guilloteau at the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux, France, measured the temperature of large dust grains around the young star 2MASS J16281370-2431391 in the spectacular Rh...
Russian Spacewalkers Maintain Experiments, Launch Ceremonial Flash Drive Into Space
SPACE.com - 3 Feb 2016 19:34
Two cosmonauts completed a spacewalk today (Feb. 3) to retrieve, install and adjust experiments on the outside of the International Space Station and to jettison a ceremonial flash drive into space.
Russian spacewalk marks end of ESA's exposed space chemistry
PTTU - 3 Feb 2016 19:32
ESA Top News:
'Bigger Than Chelyabinsk' Asteroid To Skim By Earth | Orbit Animation
SPACE.com - 3 Feb 2016 19:24
2013 TX68 (100 feet in diameter) will fly-by Earth on March 5th, 2016 no closer than 11,000 mi. But, due to a lack of precise observational data, the distance could be as much a 9 million mi.
Luxembourg's ultimate offshore investment: space mining
Phys.org - 3 Feb 2016 19:20
Luxembourg positioned itself Wednesday to pioneer the potentially lucrative business of mining asteroids in space for precious metals such as gold, platinum and tungsten.
Science Ranch 2016
Bad Astronomy - 3 Feb 2016 19:13
If you love science (and yes, you do), meeting other people who also love science, and being outdoors in a spectacular setting, then do I have something for you. My wife and I run a company called Science Getaways, where...
New study challenges Jupiter's role as planetary shield, protecting Earth from comet impacts
Phys.org - 3 Feb 2016 18:52
Not only is the "Jupiter as shield" concept, implying that the planet shields Earth from comet impacts, not true, but perhaps Jupiter's most important role in fostering the development of life on Earth was just the oppos...
NASA: "Death Star" Black Hole Shooting a Massive Beam Into Intergalactic Space
The Daily Galaxy - 3 Feb 2016 18:34
The Star Wars franchise has featured the fictitious "Death Star," which can shoot powerful beams of radiation across space. The Universe, however, produces phenomena that often surpass what science fiction can conjure. T...
Dark Matter Nixed as Source of Massive Bursts from Milky Way's Center
The Daily Galaxy - 3 Feb 2016 17:52
"Either we find hundreds or thousands of millisecond pulsars in the upcoming decade, shedding light on the history of the Milky Way, or we find nothing. In the latter case, a dark matter explanation for the gamma ray exc...
JWST instruments are coming in from the cold
Phys.org - 3 Feb 2016 17:30
After being tested at extremely low temperatures for more than two months, the four instruments of the James Webb Space Telescope are preparing to come in from the cold. First indications from the NIRSpec and MIRI teams ...
NASA Picks Tiny Satellites to Ride on Giant Rocket's First Flight
Scientific American - 3 Feb 2016 17:30
When the Space Launch System launches in 2018, its passengers will be 13 small cubesats off to explore the solar system --
Sentinel-3A fully tanked
ESA - 3 Feb 2016 17:21The forgotten moon landing that paved the way for today's space adventures
Phys.org - 3 Feb 2016 17:20
Crashing into a planet is seldom a good idea. If you're trying to travel to another world, you're likely to land at tens of kilometres per second unless you do something serious to slow down. When Neil Armstrong famously...
"The Flying Saucer" --New Discovery in a Spectacular Star-Forming Region
The Daily Galaxy - 3 Feb 2016 17:19
The international team has measured the temperature of large dust grains around the young star 2MASS J16281370-2431391 in the spectacular Rho Ophiuchi star formation region, about 400 light-years from Earth, surrounded b...
'Stars Wars: The Force Awakens' Gets Lego Game Treatment | Trailer
SPACE.com - 3 Feb 2016 17:18
Lucasfilm Ltd. partnered with Lego Group to deliver an 'Episode VII' game. Hitting stores on June 28th, 2016.