Space and Astronomy Megathread (MERGED) - Part 1

[Dr.]

Proxima Centauri shoots out humongous flare, with big implications for alien life | Live Science

Interesting. But this feature of red dwarfs (more generally) has been known for some time. Specifically: because red dwarfs are so small and cool, their so-called habitable zones are much closer in. And while this proximity would be conducive to liquid water — and possible life — on a planet, it would also subject the planet to excessive levels of radiation and stellar flares — which is not conducive to life as we know it.

Habitability of red dwarf systems - Wikipedia

It seems the ideal star to orbit is one like ours: a reasonably safe distance away and yet still hot enough.

 

[InCali]

Interesting. But this feature of red dwarfs (more generally) has been known for some time. Specifically: because red dwarfs are so small and cool, their so-called habitable zones are much closer in. And while this proximity would be conducive to liquid water — and possible life — on a planet, it would also subject the planet excessive levels of radiation and stellar flares — which is not conducive to life as we know it.

Habitability of red dwarf systems - Wikipedia

It seems the ideal star to orbit is one like ours: a reasonably safe distance away and yet still hot enough.

Whoda thunk? I was also reading that having large planets outside the orbit of earth (like Saturn and Jupiter) play a role in lessening the chance of planets in the inner orbits being hit by large objects. So, it seems that having an asteroid smash into your planet is also not conducive to life.

 

[Micromind]

NASA's Perseverance rover creates history, extracts oxygen from Mars surface

 

[:eek:]

In photos: NASA's SLS megarocket core stage arrives in Florida for 1st Artemis moon mission | Space

 

[Dr.]

Canada not doing too well with COVID. But at least it's safe from falling rockets.

 

[:eek:]

'Spaghettified' star wrapped around a black hole spotted for the first time | Space

 

[Dr.]

First pic (finally!) from Chinese Mars lander:

Zhurong and the flat landscape of Utopia Planitia.

 

[Dr.]

Space station robotic arm hit by orbital debris in 'lucky strike' (video) | Space

Better the arm than the crew cabin (!).

 

[Marvolo]

Hubble Images a Galaxy in Dazzling Detail

This image features the spiral galaxy NGC 691, imaged in fantastic detail using Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). This galaxy is a member of the NGC 691 galaxy group named after it, which features a group of gravitationally bound galaxies that lie about 120 million light-years from Earth.

Hubble observes objects such as NGC 691 using a range of filters. Each filter only allows certain wavelengths of light to reach Hubble’s WFC3. The resulting filtered images are colored by specialists who make informed choices about which color best corresponds to the wavelengths of light from the astronomical object that are transmitted by each filter. Combining the colored images from individual filters creates a full-color image. This detailed process provides us with remarkably good insight into the nature and appearance of these objects.

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2021/hubble-images-a-galaxy-in-dazzling-detail

That image alone contains countless galaxies and trillions of stars and planets as they existed 120 million years ago. The amount of possible life and death captured in a single frame is staggering. Whats really amazing is that in all that there could be some being looking at an image of the milky way thinking the same thing.

 

[Dr.]

Italy's "Astro Sam" will return to the ISS as commander.

First female European astronaut will command the ISS (brusselstimes.com)

 

[Dr.]

Group photo of Chinese Zhurong rover and the Tianwen-1 lander at Utopia Planitia, taken by a remote camera dropped by Zhurong.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Group photo of Chinese Zhurong rover and the Tianwen-1 lander at Utopia Planitia, taken by a remote camera dropped by Zhurong.

We can still do absolutely amazing things.

 

[:eek:]

World's largest radio telescope to be built after almost 30 years of planning | Space

 

[Dr.]

After several attempts at a fix, Hubble still not working.

NASA still trying to identify what took Hubble offline | Ars Technica

 

[Micromind]

Amazing view, there's a long history of design and development of the Spaceship and the aircraft by Burt Rutan at Scaled Composites.

 

[Micromind]

 

[Micromind]

 

[:eek:]

NASA prepares 1st moonbound Orion spacecraft to receive its launch abort system | Space

 

[GunBlade]

Hubble Images a Galaxy in Dazzling Detail

This image features the spiral galaxy NGC 691, imaged in fantastic detail using Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3). This galaxy is a member of the NGC 691 galaxy group named after it, which features a group of gravitationally bound galaxies that lie about 120 million light-years from Earth.

Hubble observes objects such as NGC 691 using a range of filters. Each filter only allows certain wavelengths of light to reach Hubble’s WFC3. The resulting filtered images are colored by specialists who make informed choices about which color best corresponds to the wavelengths of light from the astronomical object that are transmitted by each filter. Combining the colored images from individual filters creates a full-color image. This detailed process provides us with remarkably good insight into the nature and appearance of these objects.

https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2021/hubble-images-a-galaxy-in-dazzling-detail

That image alone contains countless galaxies and trillions of stars and planets as they existed 120 million years ago. The amount of possible life and death captured in a single frame is staggering. Whats really amazing is that in all that there could be some being looking at an image of the milky way thinking the same thing.

Beautiful.

 

[Micromind]

 

[Dr. Evil]

 

[Dr.]

Hubble working again.

Hubble Returns to Full Science Observations and Releases New Images | NASA

 

[Dr.]

Russian Module Unexpectedly Fires Thrusters After Docking to ISS (gizmodo.com)

Oops.

 

[Dr.]

If you've got a year to spare...

Mars on Earth: Apply for NASA's simulated Martian mission - CNN

But it looks like you'll need near-astronaut level qualifications — e.g., a graduate degree in a STEM field — to apply.

 

[Morg]