Voyager 1 &#8211; Jupiter Broadcasting

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Show Notes:

Coma patient auditory function

New research suggests a coma patient’s chances of surviving and waking up could be predicted by changes in the brain’s ability to discriminate sounds
The low down
Recovery from comas has been linked to auditory function before, but it wasn’t clear whether function depended on the time of assessment
Previous studies tested patients several days or weeks after comas set in, in this new study looks at the critical phase during the first 48 hours
At early stages, comatose brains can still distinguish between different sound patterns
This ability progresses over time can predict whether a coma patient will survive and ultimately awaken which is very promising tool for prognosis
Significance
The study was led by neuroscientist of the University of Lausanne in Switzerland who studied 30 coma patients who had experienced heart attacks that deprived their brains of oxygen
All the patients underwent therapeutic hypothermia, a standard treatment to minimize brain damage, in which their bodies were cooled to 33* Celsius for 24 hours
They then played sounds for the patients and recorded their brain activity using scalp electrodes
Once in hypothermic conditions during the first 24 hours of coma then again a day later at normal body temperature
The sounds were a series of pure tones interspersed with sounds of different pitch, duration or location
The brain signals revealed how well patients could discriminate the sounds, compared with five healthy subjects
All the patients whose discrimination improved by the second day of testing survived and awoke from their comas
Many of those whose sound discrimination deteriorated by the second day did not survive
These results suggests that residual auditory function itself does not predict recovery, rather it’s the progression of function over time that is predictive.
The study couldn’t distinguish whether auditory function initially was preserved due to the hypothermia treatment or was related merely to the early stage of coma
Scientists speculate that distracting neural jabber may have been reduced during the hypothermia, making it easier for the patients’ brains to separate sounds
Of Note
Scientists are now running a follow-up study with 120 coma patients and whether the results can be replicated in a bigger population
The tests could eventually give information about patients who will survive during the first two days of coma
Further Reading / In the News
Auditory test predicts coma awakening | Body & Brain | Science News

— NEWS BYTE —

Water on Mercury?!

The low down
There has been speculation about water ice on Mercury dates back more than 20 years
In 1991, Earth-bound astronomers fired radar signals to Mercury and received results showing there could be ice at both poles
The speculations were reinforced by 1999 measurements using the more powerful Arecibo Observatory microwave beam in Puerto Rico
Radar pictures beamed back to New Mexico’s Very Large Array showed white areas that researchers suspected was water ice.
Temperatures on Mercury can reach 800 F [427 C] around the north pole, in areas permanently shielded from the sun’s heat
Significance
Confirming decades of suspicion, a NASA spacecraft has spotted vast deposits of water ice on the planet closest to the sun
Although the laser is weak, about the strength of a flashlight, but just powerful enough to distinguish bright icy areas from the darker, surrounding Mercury regolith
Messenger’s neutron spectrometer spotted hydrogen, which is a large component of water ice. But the temperature profile unexpectedly showed that dark, volatile materials – consistent with climes in which organics survive – are mixing in with the ice
Organic materials are life’s ingredients, though they do not necessarily lead to life itself the presence of organics is also suspected on airless, distant worlds such as Pluto
Messenger spacecraft found a mix of frozen water and possible organic materials
There is evidence of big pockets of ice is visible from a latitude of 85 degrees north up to the pole and smaller deposits scattered as far away as 65 degrees north.
Researchers also believe the south pole has ice, but Messenger’s orbit has not allowed them to obtain extensive measurements of that region yet
Of Note
Is is suspected that Mercury’s water ice is coated with a 4-inch (10 centimeters) blanket of “thermally insulating material
In the near future NASA will direct Messenger’s observation toward that area in the coming months — when the angle of the sun allows — to get a better look
Messenger will spiral closer to the planet in 2014 and 2015 as it runs out of fuel
Multimedia
YouTube | MESSENGER Confirms Water Ice in Abundance at Mercury’s Poles | NASAtelevision
Further Reading / In the News
MESSENGER finds new evidence for water ice, organic material at Mercury’s poles | phys.org
Water Ice Found at Mercury’s North Pole | Space.com

Subglacial Life

In one of the most remote lakes of Antarctica, nearly 65 feet beneath the icy surface, scientists have uncovered a community of bacteria
Last time on SciByte
SciByte 33 | Sub Glacial Lakes & Updates [February 14, 2012]
The low down
Lake Vida, the largest of several unique lakes found in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, contains no oxygen, is mostly frozen and possesses the highest nitrous oxide levels of any natural water body on Earth
At approximately six times saltier than seawater the average temperature is minus 8 degrees Fahrenheit
The brine harbors a surprisingly diverse and abundant variety of bacteria that survive without a current source of energy from the sun
Previous studies of Lake Vida dating back to 1996 indicate the brine and its inhabitants have been isolated from outside influences for more than 3,000 years.
Significance
Collaborators developed stringent protocols and specialized equipment for their 2005 and 2010 field campaigns to sample from the lake brine while avoiding contaminating the pristine ecosystem
To sample unique environments such as this, researchers must work under secure, sterile tents on the lake’s
surface
The tents kept the site and equipment clean as researchers drilled ice cores, collected samples of the salty brine residing in the lake ice and assessed the chemical qualities of the water and its potential for harboring and sustaining life
Analyses suggest chemical reactions between the brine and the underlying iron-rich sediments generate nitrous oxide and molecular hydrogen which may provide the energy needed to support the brine’s diverse microbial life.
Additional research is underway to analyze the abiotic, chemical interactions between the Lake Vida brine and its sediment
Of Note
This finding expands our knowledge of environmental limits for life and how life can sustain itself in these extreme environments, it also helps define new niches of habitability
The best analog we have for possible ecosystems in the subsurface waters of Saturn’s moon Enceladus and Jupiter’s moon Europa
Further investigation of the microbial community by using different genome sequencing approaches
Further Reading / In the News
Ancient Microbes Found Living Beneath the Icy Surface of Antarctic Lake | dri.edu
NASA – NASA Researchers Discover Ancient Microbes in Antarctic Lake | NASA.gov

— TWO-BYTE NEWS —

60-day Bread?!

The low down
Using microwave technology, one company says it can make bread last for two months
The claim
The claim is that it can preserve at least some of our food for longer, by zapping it with microwaves, with nuked bread can last up to 60 days
The equipment, which looks like a CT scanner for food, was originally developed to kill organisms like multi-resistant staph bacteria and salmonella
The developers realized it also kills bread mold in about a 10-second zap.
It works much like a home microwave, but the waves are produced in various frequencies, which allows for uniform heating
The same technology could also preserve fresh food like poultry, produce and more
Of Note
This technology is far more complex that microwaves that are commercially accessible.
Do not assume “nuking” you food in the microwave at home with make your bread last longer
Further Reading / In the News
Mmmmm? Scientists Make Bread Last 60 Days | Popular Science
MicroZap

– SPACECRAFT UPDATE –

Voyager 1, inch by inch

The low down
Data from two onboard instruments that measure charged particles showed the spacecraft first entered this magnetic highway region on July 28, 2012
Scientists refer to this new region as a magnetic highway for charged particles because our sun’s magnetic field lines are connected to interstellar magnetic field lines
They infer that this region is still inside our solar bubble because the direction of the magnetic field lines has not changed
The magnetic region is unlike it has been in before—about 10 times more intense than before the termination shock—but the magnetic field data show no indication we’re in interstellar space
The magnetic field data has turned out to be the key to pinpointing when Voyager 1 crossed the termination shock.
Multimedia
YouTube | Voyager’s Ride on the Magnetic Highway | JPLnews
Social Media
NASA Voyager @NASAVoyager
Further Reading / In the News
Voyager 1 encounters new region in deep space, NASA says | phys.org

– CURIOSITY UPDATE –

Mission Notes
After several weeks of being stationary at the Rocknest site Curiosity began driving again on Sol 100
A significant milestone on the mission has now reached about a 0.3mi [0.5km] of total driving distance on the surface of Mars
The Curiosity team is now going to be moving to the East to a place called Point Lake while looking for a target to perform our first ever drill on Mars
Surface Radiation Levels
Average yearly dosage on Earth is .004 Sievert, Head CT scan is 0.002 Sv and a chest CT scan is 0.007 Sv
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station experience an average daily dose between 0.4 and 1.0 millisieverts
On it’s way to Mars its radiation data was around 1.9 millisieverts per day during the flight
Astronauts on the surface on Mars would receive an average dose of about 0.7 millisieverts per day
A mission consisting of a 180-day outbound cruise, a 600-day stay on Mars and another 180-day flight back to Earth would expose an astronaut to a total radiation dose of about 1.1 sieverts, unit of radiation
While 1 Sievert is 100 rem and I’ve seen numbers for CT scan from 0.01–0.06 sievert the ESA caps an astronauts lifetime exposure to 1 sievert
1.1 Sv ~ 275 years on Earth ~ 4.8 years on the Space Station
Radiation Dose Chart | xkcd.com
My Hypotheses from Last Week
Surface Radiation Levels
Chace for organic compounds, most likely a simple hydrocarbon
Much less likely chance would be the announcement of nitrogen
The “de-Hype”
While many people had assumed that Curiosity had detected organic compounds in the Martian soil later statements said that’s it was not the case
Statements made mid to later last week stated that at this point in the mission, the instruments on the rover have not detected any definitive evidence of Martian organics
Announcement
No final results have yet been released on the surface radiation levels
Water and sulfur and chlorine-containing substances, among other ingredients, showed up in samples Curiosity’s arm delivered to an analytical laboratory inside the rover
There is still no definitive detection of Martian organics at this point
SAM tentatively identified the oxygen and chlorine compound perchlorate
Perclorate is a reactive chemical previously found in arctic Martian soil by NASA’s Phoenix Lander
Perchlorates are the salts derived from perchloric acid and most are soluble in water
Natural perchlorate on Earth is in arid environments possibly from the oxidation of chlorine species involving ozone or its photochemical products
Reactions with other chemicals heated in SAM formed chlorinated methane compounds, one-carbon organics that were detected by the instrument
The chlorine is of Martian origin, but it is possible the carbon may be of Earth origin, carried by Curiosity and detected by SAM’s high sensitivity design
Analysis
While they are going to announce the final data for surface radiation levels that was not THE BIG announcement as I had thought
While the chlorine is of Martian origin, it is possible the carbon may be of Earth origin, carried by Curiosity and detected by SAM’s high sensitivity design
Multimedia
YouTube | Curiosity Rover Report (Nov. 29, 2012): Curiosity Roves Again
Image Galleries at JPL and Curiosity Mulimedia
New Rover?
Rumors about a 2020 mission leaking out
Social Media
Curiosity Rover @MarsCuriosity
Further Reading / In the News
Curiosity rover: No big surprise in first soil test | phys.org
NASA – Curiosity Roves Again | NASA.gov
Everybody Chill, NASA Says: No Martian Organics Found | UniverseToday.com
Radiation Dose Chart | xkcd.com
Astronauts Could Survive Mars Radiation for Long Stretches, Rover Study Suggests | Space.com
No Huge Discovery by Mars Rover Curiosity Yet | Space.com

SCIENCE CALENDAR

Looking back

Dec 11 1790 : 222 years ago : Aurora Borealis : the first recorded sighting of the Aurora Borealis took place in New England. The report said that a mysterious face seemed to appear in the atmosphere. It caused considerable alarm, as being regarded by many as a precursor of the last judgment. Most aurora borealis displays occur in September and October and again in March and April. The green, red, and frost-white light displays occur most frequently when there is a great deal of sunspot activity. “This evening, about eight o’clock there arose a bright and red light in the E.N.E. like the light which arises from a house on fire … which soon spread itself through the heavens from east to west, reaching about 43 or 44 degrees in height, and was equally broad.”

Looking up this week

Keep an eye out for …
Thurs, Dec 6 | Middle of the night | The last-quarter Moon rises moving to the Eastern sky by morning
Mercury, Venus, and Saturn | SE at Dawn | They form a diagonal line with Venus by far the brightest, with Saturn to the upper right and Mercury to the lower left.
Mars | Twilight | Low in the SW sky
Jupiter | Sunset to Sunrise | Rises in the E, moving to higher in the Southern sky around midnight and setting in the West around sunrise. This is because it is at opposition on Dec 2–3
Further Reading and Resources
Sky&Telescope
SpaceWeather.com
StarDate.org
For the Southern hemisphere: SpaceInfo.com.au
Constellations of the Southern Hemisphere : astronomyonline.org
Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand : rasnz.org.nz
AstronomyNow
HeavensAbove

The post Curiosity & Subglacial Life | SciByte 73 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

Nobel & Stratos | SciByte 67

chris — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 21:04:57 +0000

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We take a look at the 2012 Nobel award in Physics, Felix Baumgartner’s jump, exoplanets, dentists, spacecraft and Curiosity updates and as always take a peek back into history and up in the sky this week.

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Show Notes:

2012 Nobel in Physics

2012 Nobel Prize in Physics
American physicist David Wineland and French physicist Serge Haroche were named winners of the 2012 Nobel Prize in physics “for groundbreaking experimental methods” that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems
Their experiments on quantum particles have already resulted in ultra-precise clocks and may one day help lead to computers many times faster than those in use today.
Their research is inventing methods to peer into the bizarre quantum world of ultra-tiny particles, work that could help in creating a new generation of super-fast computers
Quantum computers could radically change people’s lives in the way that classical computers did last century, but a full-scale quantum computer is still decades away
In a quantum computer, an individual particle can essentially represent a zero and a one at the same time
If scientists can make such particles work together, certain kinds of calculations could be done with blazing speed.
Why not Higgs?
There is a remote possibility that the new particle is not the Higgs, although this would be an even more ground shaking announcement.
Originally six physicists, each building on the work of others, published a flurry of papers on aspects of the theory within four months of each other back in 1964.
The first were Belgians Robert Brout, who died last year, and Francois Englert.
Followed by Higgs, who was the first to say only a new particle would explain the anomalies of mass
Further complicating the issue is that thousands of physicists worked in the two labs at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider near Geneva where Higgs experiments were conducted independently of each other.
Another question is whether theoreticians or experimentalists—or both—should get the glory.
At most three names, although they can include organisations, can share a Nobel and a prize cannot be given posthumously.
The Nobel will “eventually” go to the Higgs but it is not yet certain that the particle is indeed the Higgs Boson
The Nobel Peace Prize has often been awarded to organisations. But in the science prizes they have tried to “find the most prizeworthy individuals”
Of Note
The prizes are always handed out on Dec. 10, the anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896.
Although they are announced before the Dec 10 anniversary
Further Reading / In the News
Official website of the Nobel Prize
Frenchman, American win Nobel for quantum physics (Update 6) | phys.org
‘God particle’ discovery poses Nobel dilemma | phys.org

— NEWS BYTE —

Red Bull Stratos

Predicted Descent
Expected freefall of 5 minutes, 35 seconds or more
Felix will deploy his parachute at 5,000 ft [1,524 m], after which it will take 10–15 minutes before reaching the ground
The total time in the air from the edge of space to Earth is estimated at about 15–20 minutes
The combined parachute system components – Felix’s overall rig – will weigh about 60 lbs./27 kg. In comparison, a typical skydiving rig weighs about 20 lbs./9 kg., and a BASE jumping rig weighs 10 to 12 lbs./4 to 5 kg.
Preliminary figures (awaiting official record data)
Altitude reached: 128,097 ft
Total time from jump to landing: 9 min. 3 seconds
Freefall duration: 4 min. 19 seconds
Speed: 706.5 mph [1137 kph]
“To the edge of space”?
The jump on Oct 4th was from 128,097 ft [39,014m] or 24 miles [39 km]
Baumgartner got to 48% of the altitude that NASA awards pilots astronaut wings [50 mi / 80.5 km]
He only got to 40% of what is generally scientifically accepted as “space” [60mi/96.6km]
While it does test high altitude descents that could be used in case of emergency it was only 12% of the orbit of the space station
Joseph Kittinger and Project Excelsior
In 1959/1960 he made his jumps from open gondola
His first jump on Nov 16, 1959 from 76,400 ft [23,300 m] had an equipment failure that caused him to get into a spin of 120 rpm
The rapid spinning was calculated to be over 22G, this caused him to black out luckily he had an automatic parachute opener which saved his life
On his final jump pressurization on his right glove failed causing his hand to swell to twice it’s normal size
Of Note
Baumgartner October 14th jump occurred on the 65th anniversary of Chuck Yeager breaking the sounds barrier
Multimedia
YouTube Felix Baumgartner’s supersonic freefall from 128k’ – Mission Highlights | redbull
YouTube Mission Accomplished – Red Bull Stratos – World Record Freefall | redbull
YouTube Free Fall Jump Aborted Cancelled due to High Winds | Red Bull Stratos Felix Baumgartner Upset | TheRobotCinema
Interactable Mission Timeline | RedBullStratos.com
Image Gallery RedBullStratos.com
Image Joseph Kittinger’s Stargazer Gondola
Social Media
Red Bull Stratos @RedBullStratos
Further Reading / In the News
Why RedBull’s Stratos Jump Was Just a Publicity Stunt—and Only Partially Successful | blogs.discovermagazine.com
Astronauts Hail Skydiver Felix Baumgartner’s Record-Breaking Supersonic Jump | Space.com
Record Breaking Freefall Attempt Won’t Be Until October 14 | UniverseToday

— TWO-BYTE NEWS —

Exoplanet

The low down
The news is coming out that citizens utilizing Kepler data from PlanetHunters have found a planet in a 4-star system!
Also an Earth-sized exoplanet has been discovered about the nearest star
More information on this in next weeks SciByte!

Musical Dental Drill

The low down
A dental surgeon in the Indonesian city of Purworejo has connected an MP3 player to a dental drill that plays music loud enough to drown out the distinctive whine of the instrument
He discovered that many patients, especially children were not afraid of the dentist; instead, they were afraid of the drill
Patients are able to control its volume by opening and closing their mouths the wider they open, the louder the music grows which means the dentist doesn’t have to continually urge patients to open wider for better access to back teeth
It took Dr. Gustiana a year of research, effort, and 6 million rupiah (approximately $595) to configure the drill
He has been using it in his practice since 2006 and has noted that many adults also prefer the musical drill to the standard model.
Patients can make requests though he does try to limit the choices to songs that calm the nerves
Of Note
Doctor Gustiana presented his modified drill to attendees at the International Dental Congress held in Greece earlier this year.
Multimedia
YouTube Dentist Creates Singing Dental Drill to Ease Fears | NTDTV
Further Reading / In the News
Dental surgeon adds music to drill to appease patients | MedicalXpress.com

– SPACECRAFT UPDATE –

Shuttle Endeavour moves into new home

The low down
Endeavour reached the threshold of the hangar at about 2 p.m. PDT (5:00 p.m. EDT; 2100 GMT), October 14 where it was set to enter through the building’s temporarily removed rear wall
Endeavour will be hoisted vertical and exhibited with a pair of solid rocket boosters and a replica external fuel tank to recreate how the space shuttle looked before liftoff.
Multimedia
YouTube STS–134 – The final launch of Endeavour – Full Launch in HD – YouTube | spacevidcast
YouTube Endeavour lands at KSC for STS–127 (HD) | spacevidcast
Mission 26: The Big Endeavour – Google Maps
Further Reading / In the News
Space Shuttle Endeavour Arrives at Museum Home | Space.com
Shuttle passes obstacle, heads toward LA museum | Phys.org
Space Shuttle Endeavour Towed by Toyota Truck Over L.A.’s 405 Freeway | Space.com
Why Did the Space Shuttle Cross the Road? | UniverseToday
Space Shuttle Endeavour Taking Cross-Country Flight for Display | Space.com

Return of “Voyager 1 in Interstellar space?”

Inch by inch to interstellar space
Voyager team has said they have been seeing two of three key signs of changes expected to occur at the boundary of interstellar space
A jump in the level of high-energy cosmic rays originating from outside our Solar System and a drop in particles from the Sun
A third key sign would be the direction of the magnetic field
New tantalizing data
Scientists are now analyzing the data to see whether the magnetic field has, indeed, changed direction
Of Note
Complicating the issue is the fact we don’t really know what to expect, in fact data from 2010 broke what working models we had
The entire team will come to a resolute consensus before any announcement is made
Social Media
NASAVoyager2 @NASAVoyager2
Further Reading / In the News
Did NASA’s Voyager 1 Spacecraft Just Exit the Solar System? | Space.com
Voyager 1 may have left the solar system | Phys.org

Orbcomm

Last time on SciByte
Red Bull Stratos & SpaceX | SciByte 66 – Red Bull Stratos [October 9, 2012]
The low down
The Orbcomm satellite, launched Oct. 7 into a bad orbit by a Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket
It has however provided enough data to proceed with the launch of the full constellation starting next year.
In a statement, Orbcomm suggested that it had enough access to the satellite in less than four days in orbit to validate the performance of its major subsystems.
Also that had its satellite been the primary payload on SpaceX’s Oct. 7 flight, the mission would have been a success
The solar array and communications antenna deployments were successful
OG2 satellite bus systems including power, attitude control, thermal and data handling were also tested to verify proper operation
Orbcomm had requested that SpaceX carry one of their small satellites on this flight so that they could gather test data before we launch their full constellation next year.
Further Reading / In the News
Satellite Left Stranded by SpaceX Rocket Falls From Space | Space.com

Opportunity Rover

The low down
Opportunity is conducting science campaign at a location where orbital observations show the presence of clay minerals
The rover is positioning near a large, light-toned block of exposed rock outcrop, called “Whitewater Lake.”
On Sol 3092 (Oct. 4, 2012), the rover moved, likely the smallest amount ever, with less than an inch (1 centimeter) of total motion in order to position the robotic arm favorable on a dark-rind surface target
On Sol 3094 (Oct. 6, 2012), Opportunity performed a 15-minute brush of a surface target with the Rock Abrasion Tool (RAT
followed with the collection of a Microscopic Imager (MI) mosaic
then the placement of the Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) for an overnight integration
The total distance travelled during the mission is 21.78 miles (35,050.07 meters)
Multimedia
Image [Exposed rock outcrop, called Whitewater Lake(https://twitter.com/MarsRovers/status/256907735189299201/photo/1)
Social Media
Spirit and Oppy | @MarsRovers
Further Reading / In the News
Mars Exploration Rover Mission: The Mission | marsrover.nasa.gov

– CURIOSITY UPDATE –

First Rock (Jake Matijevic)
The first Martian rock NASA’s Curiosity rover has reached out to touch presents a more varied composition than expected from previous missions
It is like an unusual but well-known type of igneous rock found in many volcanic provinces on Earth
On Earth rocks of this nature typically come from processes in the planet’s mantle beneath the crust, from crystallization of relatively water-rich magma at elevated pressure.
Foreign Object Debris
Closer analysis of the “Shiny Object” looks to be plastic or a piece of shrink tube.
It could either be from the rover or from a part of the descent stage
One scoop at a time
The first scoop was deposited to the side of the rover
The second scoop at “Rocknest” was taken and like the first is simply for ‘cleaning’ the interior surfaces
Second “Rocknest” Scoop
Was intentionally discarded due to concern about particles of bright material seen in the hole dug by the scooping
Since other “Bright Object” seen in the area have labeled as spacecraft debris there were concerns about the integrity of the sample
Third “Rocknest” Scoop
Since bright particles have been seen in clods of Martian regolith the third scoop was given the go-ahead
Further investigations of the bright particles are planned
Multimedia
YouTube Curiosity Rover Report (Oct. 12, 2012) Here’s the Scoop!
Image Foreign Object Debris / “Shiny Object”
Image Bright Particle of Martian Origin in Scoop Hole
Image Galleries at JPL and Curiosity Mulimedia
Social Media
Curiosity Rover @MarsCuriosity
Further Reading / In the News
Mars Rock Touched By NASA Curiosity Has Surprises | mars.jpl.nasa.gov
Curiosity Preparing for Second Scoop | mars.jpl.nasa.gov
Rover’s Second Scoop Discarded, Third Scoop Commanded | mars.jpl.nasa.gov

SCIENCE CALENDAR

Looking back

October 18, 1962 : 50 years ago : Nobel Prize for DNA : Dr. James D. Watson of the U.S., Dr. Francis Crick and Dr. Maurice Wilkins of Britain won the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology for their work in determining the double-helix molecular structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).

Looking up this week

Keep an eye out for …
Thurs | OCt 18 | Twilight | Mars and Antares will be close to the lower right of the Moon, while Antares will be slightly brighter Mars will be the higher
Sat | Oct 20 | Fading Twilight | Mars and Antares will be only 3.5* apart in the SW with Mars ro the upper right of Antares
Mercury | ~30 after sunset | Low in the W-SW
Venus | ~1 hour before sunrise| rising high in the E sky by dawn
Mars | Evening Twilight | Low in the SW to the left or lower left of orange Antares
Jupiter | ~9am | Rises in the E-NE
Further Reading and Resources
Sky&Telescope
SpaceWeather.com
StarDate.org
For the Southern hemisphere: SpaceInfo.com.au
Constellations of the Southern Hemisphere : astronomyonline.org
Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand : rasnz.org.nz
AstronomyNow
HeavensAbove

The post Nobel & Stratos | SciByte 67 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

Future Olympic Tech & Fast Cheetahs | SciByte 58

chris — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 21:50:33 +0000

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We take a look at the possibilities for future Olympic technology, land speed records not at the olympics, discoveries from Flickr, spacecraft updates, Curiosity update and as always take a peek back into history and up in the sky this week.

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Show Notes

A horse is a horse

The low down
The first successfully cloned horse was born in 2003
Today, there are only a few hundred equine clones, created mainly for breeding
In 2007 the FEI’s general assembly decided that cloning was "potentially against the spirit of sport in that it was unfair
Significance
July 2012 the Féderation Equestre Internationale (FEI) lifted a ban on cloned horses and their progeny competing in the Olympic Games
The FEI has been careful to emphasize that cloning is a breeding technique only
A key factor in the decision was the high price of cloning, which has since come down
The federation determined that the clones were only 98 percent copies of the originals, the 2 percent margin was what ultimately caused the FEI to overturn the ban
Currently the American Quarter Horse Association won’t allow clones, neither does the Jockey Club, which registers thoroughbreds in North America
A key factor in the decision was the high price of cloning, which has since come down
The federation determined that the clones were only 98 percent copies of the originals, the 2 percent margin was what ultimately caused the FEI to overturn the ban
Currently the American Quarter Horse Association won’t allow clones, neither does the Jockey Club, which registers thoroughbreds in North America
A top stallion for in vitro fertilization can go for tens of thousands of dollars
The cloning process can cost more than a hundred thousand U.S. dollars, and there are no guarantees that the clone will match the talent of the original
The most common use for cloned horses is to perpetuate genetic material, while the original horse can travel and compete
Most male horses in high-level competitions are geldings and a mare can bear only so many foals
Of Note
In the end only 300-odd horses compete in the Olympics, and clones would have to battle their way to the top just as traditionally bred horses do.
Needless of any cloning ruling it is widely agreed that environment, training, nutrition, and relationship with the rider have an incalculable impact on the horse’s performance
Multimedia
IMAGE Prometea the world’s first cloned horse with her mother in 2003 | National Geographic, Photograph by Giovanna Lazzara, AP
Further Reading / In the News
Cloned Horses Coming to the Olympics? | National Geographic

— NEWS BYTE —

Possible Olympic tech for the future

_{Credit: John MacNeill | Credit: John MacNeill}

Holographic Obstacles
In Olympic equestrian events 100 riders are injured in eventing falls every year, and when a multi million-dollar horse goes down, even a minor injury like a twisted ankle can end its career
Line-of-sight infrared beams could monitor the edges of the obstacles; if the horse breaks the beam, the system would instantly alert the judges, and the crowd, to the fault
Smart Landing Pads
Scoring the exact length of a long or triple jump can be imprecise and time-consuming when landing in a sand pit
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a 2,016-pressure-sensor array to map where an athlete hits the ground
Underneath the sand in the landing pit, a dozen or so of the mats could record the exact point of touchdown where computer could automatically calculate the length of the jump
Head-up Goggles
During events swimmers are not able to see where they stand in the event
With an integrated head-up display could broadcast a live view of the competition and help racers to better pace themselves
Automatic Goalkeeper
German researchers have developed an automated goal-tracking system for american soccer (football)
Actuators around the net generate a magnetic field across the face of the goal.
When the ball passes through that field, a chip embedded in the ball sends a signal to the ref’s watch within one tenth of a second.
Retractable Diving Board
On a good day, a diver’s head misses the board by a couple of inches
In the one second a typical diver is airborne above the plane of the board, it could retract as much as three feet
Multimedia
IMAGE | PopSci.com Credit :John MacNeill
Further Reading / In the News
Summer Olympics: 2020 – How technology is going to make the 2020 Olympics better, safer, and more exciting | PopSci.com

Land speed record

_{YouTube channel : NationalGeographic | Credit: Ken Geiger, National Geographic}

The low down
At the Cincinnati Zoo five cheetahs each complete several sprints a day, bolting out of the back of one of the zoo’s vans and chasing fluffy toy dogs as they were pulled across a meadow on a high-speed cord.
They used to long sprints regularly running for zoo crowds on a USA Track & Field-certified course
It’s not only good for the individual cats, who get much-needed exercise, but good for the species as well
The zoo’s track-star cheetahs have helped raise over a million U.S. dollars for conservation
Significance
Olympian Usain Bolt’s made a new world record of 9.58 seconds in a standing 100-meter dash
On June 20, Sarah an 11-year-old cheetah was radar-timed at up to 61 miles (98 kilometers) an hour in a standing 100-meter dash
The June 20 sprint is the fastest timed 100 meters ever run by anything on the planet
Of Note
Even though this record was broken almost certain that cheetahs in the wild—lean, hungry, chasing down antelopes for their own survival or that of their cubs – have run considerably faster.
Multimedia
YouTube Cincinnati Zoo Cheetah Sets New World Speed Record in 100 Meter Run | CincinnatiZooTube
YouTube Cincinnati Zoo Cheetah Sets New World Speed Record in 100 Meter Run | NationalGeographic
Social Media
Cincinnati Zoo @CincinnatiZoo
Further Reading / In the News
Cincinnati Zoo
Cheetah Breaks Speed Record—Beats Usain Bolt by Seconds | news.NationalGeographic.com

— TWO-BYTE NEWS —

New species on Flickr

The low down
While randomly flipping through images posted on the online database an entomologist spotted a previously unknown species of lacewing
The new lacewing, which has a 30-millimeter wingspan, were taken in a forested park north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by an amateur photographer and then posted online
The entomologist suspected the creature was an undescribed species; however, the the photographer had released the insect after taking its picture
Researchers had to wait until the shutterbug revisited the area and collected a specimen before they could officially write up their discovery
Multimedia
IMAGE New Lacewings species, Semachrysa jade | Credit: Guek Hock Ping
Further Reading / In the News
ScienceShot: New Species Discovered, Thanks to Flickr | https://news.sciencemag.org

– SPACECRAFT UPDATE –

Slowly but surely inch by inch Voyager 1 eyes the edge of the Solar System

Last time on SciByte
Habitable Planets & Chimps | SciByte 24 – Voyager 1 – Update [December 7, 2011]
Talking Robots & Voyager 1 | SciByte 51 – Voyager 1 takes one step closer to interstellar space [June 19, 2012]
The low down
Researchers are eyeing three key parameters for signs that Voyager 1, which launched in 1977, has escaped into interstellar space
Two of these three parameters are now changing faster than at any other time in the last seven years
A single day (July 28), the probe measured a 5-percent jump in the level of high-energy cosmic rays coming from outside our solar system, researchers
The last 5-percent increase Voyager 1 observed took place over a full week in May
Three days later, however, both measurements had returned to near their previous levels
Further Reading / In the News
Signs Changing Fast for Voyager at Solar System Edge | NASA.gov
Voyager 1 Spacecraft Zooms Ever Closer to Solar System’s Edge | Space.com
Winds of Change at the Edge of the Solar System | UniverseToday.com
Signs changing fast for Voyager at solar system edge | Phys.org

Morpheus setback

The low down
The Morpheus project is what one former project manager called “Home Depot engineering”
They are designed as low-budget projects using off-the-shelf parts to build something very quickly that gets 80 percent of the answer and allows the project to keep moving forward
These type of projects partner with non-traditional aerospace companies
Significance
The Morpheus is designed to deliver about 1,100 pounds (500 kg) of cargo to the moon, burn liquid oxygen and methane fuel
Designed and built by engineers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the insect-like vehicle, had previously made several flights attached to a crane before the attempted free-flight on August 9, 2012
The engines, appeared to ignite as planned, lifting the vehicle into the air. But a few seconds later, Morpheus rolled over on its side and plummeted to the ground.
Of Note
An investigation is currently underway to determine the cause
Multimedia
YouTube Morpheus Landing Explodes on First KSC Free Flight Test | SpaceVidsNet
Social Media
Morpheus Lander @MorpheusLander
Further Reading / In the News
Project Morpheus
Morpheus Lander Crashes and Burns | UniverseToday.com
NASA’s Morpheus lander in fiery crash at Cape Canaveral | Reuters.com

– CURIOSITY UPDATE –

Curiosity Rover Update

_{Credit: JPLnews | Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech}

Last time on SciByte
Curiosity Rover & Interview with Dr. Robert Zubrin | SciByte 57 – Curiosity Rover [August 7, 2012]
Mayan Calendar & Cancer Research | SciByte 46 – Curiosity Rover [May 15, 2012]
Mayan Calendar & Cancer Research | SciByte 46 – Curiosity Rover [May 15, 2012]
Sub Glacial Lakes & Updates | SciByte 33 – The future of space [February 14, 2012]
Spacecraft Updates | SciByte 23 – NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory “Curiosity” Rover : Updates and more [November 30, 2011]
Curiosity Rover | SciByte 22 – Launching This Week : NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory “Curiosity” Rover [November 22, 2011]
Landing accuracy
The rover touched down about one-and-a-half miles (2.4 kilometers) from the point it was targeting
Zeroing in on Rover’s Landing Site | mars.jpl.nasa.gov/
**Curiosity’s Location
Curiosity Cradled by Gale Crater | mars.jpl.nasa.gov
A Whole New World for Curiosity | mars.jpl.nasa.gov
Sky crane crash caught on film?
An image from NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has been annotated to show the relative positions between NASA’s Curiosity rover and the impact site of its sky crane, or descent stage.
This image was used to determine whether the rover was pointed in the right direction to have captured an image of the plume from the crash of the descent stage
Witnessing the Descent Stage Crash?
Inspecting Curiosity’s Descent Stage Crash Site | mars.jpl.nasa.gov/
All the colorful images
Previous rovers, like Spirit and Opportunity took color images by combining black & white images taken through colored filters
Curiosity’s Mastcam takes color pictures in the exact same manner that consumer cameras acquire color images.
The color images we receive are what a cell phone or camcorder would record
First High-Resolution Color Mosaic of Curiosity’s Mastcam Images | Mars.JPL.NASA.gov
White Balancing
Scientists can re-balance the colors of an image to better represent how the terrain colors would look on Earth
Exposed by Rocket Engine Blasts (Color) / White-Balanced | mars.jpl.nasa.go
A look at the landing area
An area excavated by the blast of the Mars Science Laboratory’s descent stage rocket engines shows details of the underlying materials
Of particular note is a well-defined, topmost layer that contains fragments of rock embedded in a matrix of finer material.
Exposed by Rocket Engine Blasts | mars.jpl.nasa.gov/
Landings on Mars have become more and more precise over the years
Landing Accuracy on Mars: A Historical Perspective | mars.jpl.nasa.gov/
Software Update
The software update will occur during a series of steps Aug. 10 through Aug. 13, and will install a new version of software on both of the rover’s redundant main computers
The rovers software was made to be upgraded as needed for the different phases of the mission
The new software versions key capability is image processing to check for obstacles
The software update completed without any complications Aug 14
Drivers License
There are plans to test the steering actuators on Sol 13
Engineers are hoping drive forward a couple of meters, and then maybe turn and back up
Multimedia
YouTube Mars Curiosity Rover Report (Aug.10, 2012) | JPLnews
Image Galleries
Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity Rover | JPL.NASA.gov
Jet Propulsion Laboratoty Photojournal
Social Media
Curiosity Rover @MarsCuriosity
Further Reading / In the News
Mars Rover Curiosity Survives ‘Brain Surgery,’ Set for 1st Drive | Space.com
First High-Resolution Color Mosaic of Curiosity’s Mastcam Images | Mars.JPL.NASA.gov
This Week in the Future, August 6–10, 2012 | PopSci.com
Photo mystery solved? Mars rover snapped pic of rocket stage crash, NASA says | Phys.org
Curiosity Mars rover installing smarts for driving | Phys.org
Mystery Cloud in Mars Rover Landing Photo Solved | Space.com
NASA Primes Mars Rover Curiosity for Software Upgrade | Space.com
First High-Resolution Color Mosaic of Curiosity’s Mastcam Images | NASA.gov

SCIENCE CALENDAR

Looking back

Aug 19, 1887 : 125 years ago : Eclipse by baloon : Mendeleeff observes eclipse | Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev (1834–1907) used a balloon to ascend above the cloud cover to an altitude of 11,500 feet (3.5 km) to observe an eclipse in Russia. He made the solo ascent above Klin without any prior experience. While his family was rather concerned, he paid no attention to controlling the balloon until after he had completed his observations, at which time he worked out how to land it. Mendeleev is the Russian chemist known for the ordering of the Periodic Table of the Elements. Yet, he was interested in many fields of science. He studied problems associated with Russia’s natural resources, such as coal, salt, metals, and the petroleum industry. In 1876, he visited the U.S. to observe the Pennsylvania oil fields.

Looking up this week

Did you see …
Perseid Meteor shower
Keep an eye out for …
Wednesday | Aug 15 | Around Twilight | In the West you can see Spica, Mars and Saturn again if you missed it earlier this week. Spica is the highest point, Saturn is to the right, and Mars is the nearest the horizon
Thursday | Aug 16 | First light of Dawn | Orion is starting to come up in the east-southeast, to the right of Venus
Friday | Aug 17 | Early morning | Mars, Saturn and Spica are again visible
Friday | Aug 17 | New Moon
Venus and Jupiter | Dawn | In the east before and during dawn
Further Reading and Resources
Weekly SkyWatcher’s Forecast: August 13–19, 2012 | UniverseToday.com
Sky&Telescope
SpaceWeather.com
StarDate.org
For the Southern hemisphere: SpaceInfo.com.au
Constellations of the Southern Hemisphere : astronomyonline.org
Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand : rasnz.org.nz
AstronomyNow
HeavensAbove

The post Future Olympic Tech & Fast Cheetahs | SciByte 58 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

Talking Robots & Voyager 1 | SciByte 51

chris — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 22:44:05 +0000

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We take a look at what robots teach us about language, helping find exoplanets, emergency stretchers, Chinese space program, sugar powered implants, space telescopes, the pitcher plant, Voyager 1 and as always take a peek back into history and up in the sky this week.

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Teaching a robot to talk

_{Credit: Professor Chrystopher Nehaniv and Dr Joe Saunders}

The low down
In an attempt to replicate the early experiences of infants, researchers in England have created a robot that can learn simple words in minutes just by having a conversation with a human.
The robot named DeeChee is three-feet-tall [1 m] knew no words at the start of the study but was built with the ability to pronounce and syllable in the English language
The programming was built to put together those syllables and store them in memory
It was also designed to recognize words of encouragement, like “good” and “well done”
Significance
Human volunteers were used to try and teach DeeChee simple shapes and colors,
The words that were learned were ranked by how often they came up in conversation
The feedback from the volunteers helped transform the robot’s babble into coherent words, sometimes in as little as two minutes.
Words that form the connective tissue of our language – words like “at,” “with” and “of” – are spoken in hundreds of different ways, making them difficult for newbies to recognize
While more concrete words like “house” or “blue” tend to be spoken in the same way nearly every time
Of Note
DeeChee was programmed to smile when it was ready to pay attention to its teacher and to stop smiling and blink when it needed a break
Although it was designed to have a gender-neutral appearance, humans tended to treat it as a boy
There is a theory on how comfortable humans are with the realism of robots
Multimedia
YouTube | robotcan learn simple words by conversing with humans | NhanTech12
Further Reading / In the News
British researchers create robot that can learn simple words by conversing with humans (w/ Video) | phys.org
Uncanny Valley robots essay resurfaces 42 years later | phys.org
Uncanny valley | wikipedia.org

— NEWS BYTE —

Eye spy an exoplanet

The low down
One of the ways exoplanets are detected is by repeating dips in the light of a star
Trying to identify these scientists have acquired huge amounts of data to process
A research team at Yale University is using over 150,000 volunteers to help sort through the publicly released data from Kepler
Significance
The project has led to the discovery of several new planets while also confirming many findings made by Kepler scientists
Earlier this year they announced two new exoplanet candidates that NASA’s computer data crunching failed to detect
While some updated programs are getting better at detecting the dips in light, scientists still view the citizen volunteers’ contributions invaluable
Of Note
Volunteers are very good at identifying large potential exoplanets
Algorithms are still better at finding tiny dips in light from smaller planets when visual detection isn’t sensitive enough.
Social Media
The Zooniverse @the_zooniverse
Further Reading / In the News
Planet Hunters
Participate in Science | Zooniverse
Zooniverse
Amateur scientists find niche in locating new planets | phys.org

— TWO-BYTE NEWS —

Student Design : Emergency Stretcher

The low down
A student working on a final year Product Design has created a Rapid Evacuation Stretcher (RES) device made of the same heat resistant materials the fire services use
The prototype stretcher, rolls up so that it could be strapped up alongside the firefighter’s breathing apparatus
Unrolled the RES could be strapped to an injured person, then carry handles could be used to move them
Further Reading / In the News
Student’s ‘emergency stretcher’ invention could prove a lifesaver | phys.org

Chinese Space Program

The low down
China sent its first person into space in 2003
Significance
June 16, 2012 china launched its fourth manned space mission from the Gobi desert (NW china)
They docked two spaceships in orbit for the first time Monday, June 18
On board are 3 taikonauts , 1 who has been to space twice and China’s first female astronaut, a fighter pilot
The mission will last 13 days and perform a manual space docking the Chinese Spacelab Tiangong–1 which was launched late last year
Of Note
China hopes to have its own space station in orbit in 2020
Multimedia
YouTube : [[China] Launch of Manned Shenzhou 9 Spacecraft on Long March 2F Rocket | SpaceVidsNet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvwKB2jblwk)
YouTube : [[China] Crew Enter Tiangong–1 Space Lab | SpaceVidsNet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaDJCr–5T1U)
Further Reading / In the News
China sends its first woman astronaut into space (Update) | phys.org
Shenzhou 9 Launches With First Chinese Woman | UniverseToday.com
China Successfully Docks Manned Space Capsule at Orbiting Module | space.com

Sugar to power medical implants!?

The low down
MIT engineers have developed a fuel cell that runs on glucose, the same sugar that powers human cells
The silicon wafer consists of glucose fuel cells of varying sizes; the largest is 64 by 64 mm
Significance
This glucose fuel cell could be used to drive highly efficient brain implants of the future, which could help paralyzed patients move their arms and legs again
So far, the fuel cell can generate up to hundreds of microwatts — enough to power an ultra-low-power and clinically useful neural implant.
In the 1970s, scientists showed they could power a pacemaker with a glucose fuel cell, but the idea was abandoned in favor of lithium-ion batteries, which could provide significantly more power per unit area than glucose fuel cells
Glucose fuel cells also utilized enzymes that proved to be impractical for long-term implantation in the body, since they eventually ceased to function efficiently
The new twist is that it is fabricated from silicon, using the same technology used to make semiconductor electronic chips
These new silicon chips have no biological components, that consists of a platinum catalyst that strips electrons from glucose
Of Note
The work is a good step toward developing implantable medical devices that don’t require external power sources.
New ultra-low-power electronics, have pioneered such designs for cochlear implants and brain implants
Further Reading / In the News
New energy source for future medical implants: sugar | phys.org

Space Telescope Donations

The low down
A pair of space telescopes that were donated to NASA from the secretive National Reconnaissance Office could be repurposed for a wide variety of science missions
The two spy satellite telescopes were originally built but they were never used and are currently being stored in Rochester, N.Y., in facilities belonging to the hardware’s manufacturer
Significance
Given budget projections for the next several years it will likely be years before the agency’s budget can accommodate them.
The cost to keep them in storage is about $70,000 a year, which is not insignificant, but it’s not something that’s unmanageable
NASA does not anticipate being able to dedicate any funding to the newly acquired telescopes until the James Webb Space Telescope successfully launches
The two telescopes have main mirrors that measure nearly 8 feet wide (2.4 meters), making them comparable to the veteran Hubble Space Telescope
Of Note
In the meantime, NASA is investigating different uses for the telescopes, and hopes to have input from the scientific community to guide the decision-making process
Further Reading / In the News
Spy Satellite Telescopes Donated to NASA ‘Came Out of the Blue’ | Space.com

Pitcher plants capturing their food

The low down
Pitcher plants (Nepenthes) rely on insects as a source of nutrients, enabling them to colonise nutrient-poor habitats where other plants struggle to grow
Prey is captured in specialised pitcher-shaped leaves with slippery surfaces on the upper rim and inner wall similar to the ‘aquaplaning’ effect of a car tire on a wet road.
If an insect tries to walk on the wet surface, its adhesive pads (the ‘soles’ of its feet) are prevented from making contact with the surface and instead slip
Significance
Scientists simulated ‘rain’ with a hospital drip and recorded its effect on a captive colony of ants that was foraging on the nectar under the lid
During heavy rain, the lid of the pitchers acts like a springboard, catapulting insects that seek shelter on its underside directly into the fluid-filled pitcher
Further research revealed that the lower lid surface of the N. gracilis pitcher is covered with highly specialised wax crystals
The surface seems to provide just the right level of slipperiness to enable insects to walk on the surface under ‘calm’ conditions but lose their footing when the lid is disturbed (in most cases, by rain drops).
Further Reading / In the News
Pitcher plant uses power of the rain to trap prey (w/ Video) | phys.org

SPACECRAFT UPDATE

Voyager 1 takes one step closer to interstellar space

_{Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech}

Last time on SciByte
Habitable Planets & Plant Power | SciByte 32 [Feb 7, 2012] | Voyager 1 – Update
Curiosity Rover | SciByte 22 [Nov 22, 2011] | Voyager tune up
The low down
Voyager 1 now lies about 11.1-billion-mile (17.8-billion-kilometer) away from the Earth traveling at 6 miles per second
Data from NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft makes the journey in 16-hour–38 minutes
There has been a slow decline in the measurements of energetic particles generated inside the heliosphere, the bubble of charged particles the sun blows around itself
The data now indicates that the venerable deep-space explorer has encountered a region in space where the intensity of charged particles from beyond our solar system has markedly increased
Significance
Cosmic energetic particles were generated when stars in our cosmic neighborhood went supernova.
From January 2009 to January 2012, there has been a gradual increase of about 25 percent in the amount of galactic cosmic rays [average of 0.7% per month]
Beginning on May 7, the cosmic ray hits have increased five percent in a week and nine percent in a month [about a 100-fold increase]
During this past year, Voyager’s magnetometer also detected a doubling in the intensity of the magnetic field
The definitive data that will indicate the cross over into interstellar space is then the magnetic field lines orient in a more north-south direction vs the east-west within the heliosphere.
The magnetic field data analysis will take weeks.
Of Note
Although Voyager will become the first human-made object to enter interstellar space, but we still do not know exactly when that someday will be
At the rate of decay, the Voyager spacecraft won’t have sufficient electric power to its instruments sometime by the mid–2020
Social Media
NASA Voyager @NASAVoyager
NASAVoyager2 @NASAVoyager2
Further Reading / In the News
Voyager mission page | nasa.gov
Data From NASA’s Voyager 1 Point to Interstellar Future | jpl.nasa.gov
NASA’s Voyager Hits New Region at Solar System Edge | nasa.gov
Data from Voyager 1 point to interstellar future | phys.org
Deep Space Network | jpl.nasa.gov
Voyager 1 Entering Interstellar Space | redorbit.com

SCIENCE CALENDAR

Looking back

June 21, 1893 : 119 years agg : Ferris wheel : The first Ferris wheel premiered at Chicago’s Columbian Exposition, America’s third world’s fair. It was invented by George Washington Ferris, a Pittsburgh bridge builder, for the purpose of creating an attraction like the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Each of the 36 cars carried 60 passengers, making a full passenger load of 150 tons. Ferris didn’t use rigid spokes: instead, he used a web of taut cables, like a bicycle wheel. Supported by two 140 foot steel towers, its 45 foot axle was the largest single piece of forged steel at the time in the world. The highest point of the wheel was 264 feet. The wheel and cars weighed 2100 tons, with another 2200 tons of associated levers and machinery.
June 22, 1978 : 34 years ago : Charon discovered : Evidence of the first moon of Pluto was discovered by astronomer James W. Christy of the Naval Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz. when he obtained a photograph of Pluto that showed the orb to be distinctly elongated.. Furthermore, the elongations appeared to change position with respect to the stars over time. After eliminating the possibility that the elongations were produced by plate defects and background stars, the only plausible explanation was that they were caused by a previously unknown moon orbiting Pluto at a distance of about 19,600 kilometers (12,100 miles) with a period of 6.4 days. The moon was named Charon, after the boatman in Greek mythology who took the souls of the dead across the River Styx to Pluto’s underworld.

Looking up this week

Keep an eye out for …
Wed, June 20 : Summer Solstice for the Northern Hemisphere. Longest Day and Shortest Night; sun reaches its most Northern point in the sky. While the Southern Hemisphere winter begins [shortest day/longest night]
Thurs. June 21 : Mercury is very low in the East-Northeast as twilight starts. It looks like a bright star to the upper right of the crescent Moon, but will be hard to spot because of its short distance to the horizon.
Fri. June 22 : Venus is visible low in the Eastern sky at early dawn, with Jupiter to its upper right. The coming weeks will bring both higher in the sky.
Fri. June 22 : At twilight will be a slender crescent Moon, with Mercury to the West
Sat. June 23 : Mercury will still be barely visible in the W horizon, it will be left (S) of a a pair of bright stars Castor and Pollux.
Sat. June 23 : By the moon will be the star Regulus 1 fist-width to the E/SE and Mars is 2 hand-spans to the SE, another 2 hand-spans will get you to Spica and Saturn

More on what’s in the sky this week
Sky&Telescope
SpaceWeather.com
StarDate.org
For the Southern hemisphere: SpaceInfo.com.au
Constellations of the Southern Hemisphere : astronomyonline.org
Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand : rasnz.org.nz
AstronomyNow
HeavensAbove

The post Talking Robots & Voyager 1 | SciByte 51 first appeared on Jupiter Broadcasting.

Habitable Planets & Chimps | SciByte 24

chris — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:23:14 +0000

We take a look at new extra-solar planet discoveries, chimps, supernova, Alzheimer’s, Mars, Cables, updates on New Horizons spacecraft and Voyager 1 and as always take a peek back into history and up in the sky this week.

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