Observatory | Observations in Astronomy

Predicting the Weather Gets Even Harder With Giant Rocks in the Way

The asteroid (4) Vesta and the dwarf planet (1...

Asteroids are just the latest element to make predicting the weather difficult. Specifically there are two asteroids, Ceres and Vesta, which are large enough to wreak havoc in earth’s atmosphere. These giant asteroids are large enough to interact with the other planets in Earth’s solar system and in turn this affects the weather. It also makes predicting the weather difficult as shifts in these asteroids flight path may cause weather patterns to change.

In addition to changing weather patterns, asteroids could have a huge effect on the planet if absorbed improperly into Earth’s orbit. A worst case scenario involving an asteroid would entail a direct impact with the Earth. A giant asteroid could cause mass extinction shortly after contact with the planet; a problem much more serious than weather forecasts. The impact from an asteroid would likely cause either a cooling of the globe or an extreme heating of the world. In either case, many lives would likely be lost and there would be impending fallout after the first death toll.

In addition, there would be ground shocks and dust kicked into the atmosphere could make air difficult to breathe. There would also likely be mass fires and tremendous atmospheric pressure. Luckily, there is little fear from astronomers of a direct asteroid hit that would harm the planet. We will likely only be inconvenienced by inaccurate weather forecasts caused by the shifting of these two major asteroids and don’t need to fear an asteroid destroying the planet and life as we know it.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Comets and Asteroids, Observatory Tagged With: Asteroid, Ceres, Solar System

Living With a Star: The Glory Mission

NASA continues to study the sun in the newest introduction to the Living With a Star program, the Glory mission. This mission will study aerosols and the sun, delving into the affects of aerosol products on the Earth.
The Living With a Star Program
Introduced in 2010, the Living With a Star Program measures and studies different aspects of the sun as it relates to Earth, to people, and to the existence of life. The hope in the program is to gain an understanding of the sun to better predict space weather, Earth’s weather, and the climate.
The Glory Mission
Glory, NASA’s sun and aerosol mission, will measure how solar energy and aerosols affect the Earth’s energy budget (the balance of energy entering and exiting the Earth’s atmosphere).
Historically, Earth has been an excellent energy budgeter: the amount of energy entering Earth and exiting Earth have been close to equal. However, scientists wish to study this phenomenon more closely to determine aerosol’s affects on the budget.
As the scientists study the energy budget and aerosols, they expect to be able to predict the climate’s future changes. This will further translate into a study of how these effects may affect human life.
Contributors
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is responsible for Glory’s project management, but Kennedy Space Center (FL) is in charge of the launch management. The launch service provider and satellite builder is Orbital Sciences Corp. (VA).
Liftoff
Liftoff is scheduled for February 23, 2011, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The space launch complex will launch Glory at 5:09 a.m. EST, and the liftoff will be completed in a 48-second launch window.
The Taurus XL rocket will carry both the Glory spacecraft and three ELaNa nanosatellites, all of which will be released from Taurus 13 minutes after launch.
As NASA scientists move forward with research into the sun and aerosols, they should soon discover aerosols affect Earth’s energy budget.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Observatory, Planets Tagged With: Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, Vandenberg Air Force Base

Solar Dynamic Observatory: Studying the Sun and Space Weather

The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is a spacecraft designed to study the sun and the sun’s influence on space weather. The five-year unmanned spacecraft mission is twofold: to study the space weather and to study the sun (through the Living With a Star program).
Space Weather
By studying the sun and the space weather phenomenon, NASA scientists can better understand the sun’s affects on power grids, satellites, global positioning systems, airplanes and other technologies subject to the sun’s ionizing radiation — which occasionally causes these systems to fail.
Coronal Mass Ejections, Solar Flares, High Speed Streams in the Solar Wind, Geomagnetic Storms and Galactic Cosmic Rays will be the most-studied space weather phenomenons. Coronal Mass Ejections occur when a propulsion above the sun’s surface bursts and sends a bubble of radiation toward Earth, and Solar Flares send the radiation toward Earth in intense bursts of light.
High Speed Streams in the Solar Wind radiate from fixed holes in the sun’s surface, and occasional high speed streams can produce inter-planetary shock. Geomagnetic Storms allow for a temporary decrease in the Earth’s magnetic field, and Galactic Cosmic Rays occur constantly but only occasionally penetrate Earth’s magnetosphere.
Although each of these space weather occurrences are produced by different events, they all produce radiation that can cause some of our electronic systems to fail. Therefore, scientists will continue to study their affects through the SDO.
Living With a Star Program
The powerful SDO can also give scientists insight into the sun’s surface, variability and internal processes in a program called Living With a Star. This will help scientists understand the sun’s affects on people and places on Earth, life, and society.
As the scientists begin to understand both space weather and the sun, they will be able to combine this information to predict space weather, understand how space weather affects Earth’s weather, and understand the Earth’s atmospheric climate.

Filed Under: Observatory, Planets Tagged With: Coronal mass ejection, Solar Dynamics Observatory, Solar flare

The International Space Station: Preparation for a Mission to Mars

International Space Station
Since its human-test introduction in 2000, the International Space Station has tested the limits of the human-space experience. In November 2000, the first set of astronauts to call the Space Station home arrived for six months of space living. Since then, the station has been continuously inhabited by astronauts from various countries, with each set of astronauts living in the Space Station for six month stays.
The Space Station Basics
The station is equipped with all of the benefits of a space home: the spacecraft docking station, the living quarters and the research areas. However, the Space Station does not equip visitors with Earth’s standby — gravity — often. Instead, astronauts are tested on the psychological and physical affects procured during a lengthy non-gravity stay. Gravity is available when necessary.
While the astronauts are being tested on their responses to gravity-free living, they complete repairs, upgrades and scientific tests. Each six-month mission is planned to include some spacewalks to repair and upgrade materials aboard the station. These spacewalks enable the astronauts to test their own human reactions to walking in space and to working on items during a spacewalk.
Scientific tests, on the other hand, may be completed in the laboratories or during spacewalks. Each of these tests can center around many laboratory experiments. For example, the astronauts may grow food, test materials or experiment with medical tests (to name a few).
The Future
As NASA and international space programs move forward in the experiments, the new technologies tested will be used in future explorations, farther from Earth. For now, scientists prefer to test the technologies in an environment closer to home. In the future, these tests will be used in missions to Mars and other missions farther from Earth.
Additionally, the Space Station tests completed on the astronauts will identify the problems that could be encountered in longer flights. Any psychological or physical problems encountered in lengthy space stays are better discovered now (240 miles above Earth) than later (34.6 million miles from Earth).

Filed Under: Astronomy, Observatory Tagged With: Earth, International Space Station, NASA

Russian Spacewalk Planned as Part of NASA Experiment

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A spacewalk, schedule for February 16, at 7:15 a.m. CST, is planned for Russian cosmonauts Dmitry Kondratyev and Oleg Skripochka. The flight engineers have been on the International Space Station for over a month as part of Expedition 26.
The spacewalk will be televised on NASA-TV, beginning at 6:45 a.m. CST, and will take place from the Russian Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station.
This newest installment of the expedition — the second spacewalk in four weeks (the first completed on January 21, 2011 — will last almost six hours. In that time period, the cosmonauts will complete numerous tasks during their extravehicular activity (EVA), including installing two experiments, retrieving part of one experiment, and deploying a radio satellite transmitter, each which are examined in more detail below.
Installing Two Experiments
First, the cosmonauts will install two experiments. One experiment will be used to collect information, which can then be used in predicting earthquakes and forecasting seismic activity. The other experiment will examine lightning and thunderstorms in space, and will give scientists invaluable information about gamma splashes and optical radiation.
Retrieving an Experiment
Next, the Russian astronauts will retrieve an experiment: the pair of panels placed on the space station to test materials to be used in future spacecrafts. The panels should identify the best long-duration spacecraft building materials.
Deploying the Radio
Finally, the cosmonauts will deploy a ham radio transmitter. The nanosatellite will be used to transmit educational and congratulatory messages about the first human space launch. This educational satellite will mark the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s launch 50 years ago and is being presented by RAC-Energia, the Amatuer Radio on the International Space Station working group, Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. and the NASA Office of Educational International Space Station National Lab Project
The satellite will transmit the educational messages for three to six months, enabling ham radio operators a chance to connect with space and time.

Filed Under: Observatory, Satellites Tagged With: Extra-vehicular activity, International Space Station, Oleg Skripochka

New Space Buckyballs

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Recently, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, also known as the JPL, said it has been able to use NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope to discover a large amount of buckyballs in space. Buckyballs are clouds formed when dying stars release, or shed, material. Buckyballs shaped like soccer balls and have a molecular structure of 60 carbon atoms linked together. The name comes from architect Buckminster Fuller, whose designs include geodesic domes. Some researchers call Buckyballs by the more scientific-sounding name fullerences.

Researchers discovered buckyballs in 1985, but it took until July 2009 to confirm the existence of buckyballs using the advanced astronomical tool Spitzer. When scientists came across the first group, they were unable to determine whether the buckyballs would be rare or more common, as more research comes in from the latest batch of NASA space telescopes.

This last group of buckyballs is floating between three stars, similar to the sun, that are dying. The planetary nebulae is in the Milky Way galaxy. The Spitzer also detected a batch of buckyballs near a fourth dying star in the Small Magellanic Cloud, which is a nearby galaxy. Researchers called the amount staggering. To be a quantitative measurement to that, JPL reported the mass to be equal to about 15 of Earth’s moons.

Based on these findings, researchers, like Letizia Stanghellini with Tucson’s National Optical Astronomy Observatory, are leaning toward the idea that buckyballs will be more common than originally expected. As Spitzer continues to reveal more collections of buckyballs, researchers will begin to study them to determine more information about these molecular collection.

Some hypothesize that buckyballs may be seeds for life. This theory uses the concept that buckyballs are in pockets high in hydrogen. Even the presence of hydrogen is different from previous hypotheses. With new tools and a better understanding of buckyballs, researchers may learn more about the universe.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Observatory, Telescopes Tagged With: Buckminster Fuller, Fullerene, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Milky Way, NASA, National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Small Magellanic Cloud, Spitzer Space Telescope

Earth-Like Planet Lectures Come to UC Santa Cruz

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From the moment man took an interest in the stars, people have wondered what else space might hold. Is there another planet capable of sustaining human life? With new developments in astronomical tools, NASA and other space researchers are learning more now than they ever had.

That’s why Greg Laughlin, an astrophysics and astronomy professor with UC Santa Cruz, will be hosting a free public lecture on November 17. The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. at Santa Cruz’s Rio Theater, and the topic will be “The Search for Other Earths.”

The lecture is free to the public as part of the Halliday Lecture Series, which uses donor gifts to the UCSC astronomy and astrophysics department to fund public awareness events, such as Laughlin’s lecture. The professor is a recognized expert in detecting extrasolar planets. He has degrees in physics and astronomy.

In his lecture, Laughlin will present information regarding UCSC’s research to find planet with conditions like Earth’s. Many believe these habitable planets may be as close as the nearest neighbors to the sun. Researchers are using new tools, such as NASA’s Kepler space telescope and the Automated Planet Finder Telescope to learn more about these Earth-like planets. These tools are producing more data than researchers have been able to collect in a decade-long period.

Laughlin’s own research projects include studying orbital dynamics, modeling hydrodynamics and atmospheres, observing the search for plants using the newer tools, and using the latest photometric transit techniques.

In addition to teaching, Laughlin maintains a Systemic blog, where he updates the public on the latest developments in astronomy and astrophysics. Laughlin co-authored “Five Ages of the Universe: Inside the Physics of Eternity,” which is a book investigating the long-term fate of the universe, the galaxy, the Earth, and the solar system.

Those who can’t attend this lecture can check the Halliday schedule for the next free lecture.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Observatory, Telescopes Tagged With: Astronomy, Astrophysics, Earth, Greg Laughlin, Kepler Mission, NASA, University of California Santa Cruz, W. M. Keck Observatory

Writing to Reach Amateur Astronomers

: Image by Len not Lenny via Flickr

A person with a journalism or English degree can be just as useful to astronomy as an astronomy or physics degree. Doing the actual science is vital to astronomy, obviously, but so is the dissemination of the information and conclusions drawn from the research.

Many people without official astronomy training have made contributions through the written word. Robert Burnham’s three-volume “Burnham’s Celestial Handbook” is recognized as one of the most comprehensive astronomy guides ever created. In 2,138 pages, Burnham included a multitude of charts, photographic plates, diagrams and tables, as well as the history and easy-to-understand explanations of the different concepts in the book. “Burnhams’s Celestial Handbook” taught amateur astronomers just about everything they needed to know to study the objects in the sky. Even more impressive, Burnham did not receive any formal schooling past high school.

Walter Scott Houston earned an English degree from the University of Wisconsin. He combined his diploma with this boyhood hobby of astronomy to write the “Deep-Sky Wonders” column for Sky and Telescope magazine. Houston contributed these articles for 50 years. It inspired many amateurs to go beyond the typical stars, moon and planets, and instead observe galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. In addition to his columns in Sky and Telescope, Houston wrote and published The Great Plains Observer, a regional newsletter for amateur astronomers.

Like Houston, Robert Cox wrote an article for Sky and Telescope magazine. His column, “Gleanings for ATMs,” (Amateur Telescope Makers), ran for 21 years. His aim was to not only get amateurs to make telescopes, but to help them design and create high-quality telescopes that provided good images of the heavens.

Although Burnham, Houston and Cox became fascinated with astronomy when they were boys, they were still amateurs. Their main contribution was furthering the interest in the science communicating with the public through the written word.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Observatory Tagged With: Amateur, Amateur astronomy, Astronomy, Beginners, Houston, Magazines, Sky & Telescope, Walter Scott Houston

Too Much Light Affects More Than Just Astronomy

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It is a well-known fact that it is harder to practice astronomy in a big city. The millions of lights make the it almost impossible to view and study the night sky. Increased technology has been both a boon and a bane to astronomers. Technological advances have increased the ability of equipment, but it has likewise increased the size and brightness of non-rural areas. Usually, an astronomer can’t just go out on his porch and study the celestial objects above him.

The effect created by the lights of populated areas is called skyglow. To prevent this glow from hindering astronomy, the surroundings of most observatories are controlled in an attempt to prevent light pollution from eliminating the crucial contrast in the night sky.

Light pollution harms more than just the observational astronomy prospects of both amateurs and professionals. It can also be a danger to the health of humans and detrimental to the environment.

Too much light, called over-illumination, can cause headaches, fatigue, high blood pressure and increased stress in humans, as well as effect their mood and attention to detail. Being over-exposed to light in the night time can hold back melatonin production, thereby increasing the risk of breast cancer in women.

Excessive lighting creates a clutter that makes driving a car less safe. It has a tendency to blind drives for a moment. It usually lasts only a small amount of time, but it is enough time to cause an accident with another vehicle or put the lives of cyclists and pedestrians in danger.

Light pollution wastes massive amounts of energy. It is believed that over-illumination uses up over 2 million barrels of oil per day. It also affects the natural instincts of animals and plants.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Observatory Tagged With: Astronomer, Astronomy, Earth, Environment, Light pollution, Night sky, Regulation, Skyglow

Fun Facts About Comets

: Image by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center via Flickr

If you’ve ever seen a shooting star, it’s most likely actually a comet or even an asteroid. Not many people understand what comets are, or even know much about them at all. There are some interesting facts about comets. Because of how a comet looks, the word comet actually comes originally from the word for hair in Greek. Comets are composed of rocky debris, ice, and dust. It’s believed that most comets come from some of the farthest areas of our solar system. In fact, they are so far out that even the orbit of Pluto doesn’t reach them. They are still in our solar system, though.

There is a chance that at some point in our futures a comet could hit earth and cause major destruction, but you are much more likely to win at your favorite sports betting sites than die from a comet crashing into the planet.

It was once believed that comets were a show of power from the gods. They were also seen by many as a curse, or a warning that something bad was about to happen. Others believe that a comet is the device which angels are carried through heaven.

You may see Halley’s comet again in your life, depending on your current age. It only comes around every 76 years. The next time it is estimated to come near our planet again is in the year 2061. There is at least a few meteor showers every year. In fact, the Perseid shower happens in August of each year.

Comets have been seen throughout recorded history. Some people have revered them, while others were terrified. We know today what comets are, and can track them through the skies. The orbits of comets are similar to earth’s orbit; an egg shape. Usually, these flying bits of rock and ice have a much, much larger orbit than earth.

Filed Under: Astronomy, Comets and Asteroids, General, Observatory Tagged With: Astronomy, Comet, Halley's Comet, Meteor shower, Meteoroid, NASA, Pluto, Solar System