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Category: space – Page 17

Earth and Space for Educators

This FREE features Inspiration4 astronaut Chris Sembroski and educator Erin Duncan-Sembroski, along with your hosts, planetary scientist Dr. Kirby Runyon and space educator Dr. Mark Wagner. The high-energy one-hour session is focused on providing an overview of the three-day Earth and Space Experience coming up on November 7–9, 2025. Register now to learn about the geology at specific locations in Southern New Mexico, and how these sites are analogs for the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere in the solar system. Time is also allocated for a Q&A opportunity with all four speakers… come ready with questions! Participation in this also includes access to free space education resources that you can take back to share with your students or others in your community.

Note: This is appropriate for educators, industry professionals, and space enthusiasts from all walks of life. Space education is for everyone!

Chris “Hanks” Sembroski is a commercial astronaut, U.S. Air Force veteran, and passionate advocate for space exploration and STEM education. Best known for his role as Mission Specialist on the historic Inspiration4 mission in 2021, Sembroski spent three days in space, completing 47 orbits as part of the first all-civilian crew. With degrees in aeronautics and a career dedicated to advancing aerospace innovation, he has contributed to groundbreaking projects like Blue Origin’s New Glenn program and teaches as an adjunct faculty member at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Chris’s journey reflects a lifelong passion for human spaceflight, from launching model rockets in college, leading teams through simulated missions at U.S. Space Camp, to advocating for space policy in Washington, D.C. He continues to inspire the next generation through his work as a speaker, educator, and industry leader, embodying the spirit of generosity and exploration.

Astronomers capture giant planet forming 440 light-years from Earth

Astronomers may have caught a still-forming planet in action, carving out an intricate pattern in the gas and dust that surrounds its young host star. Using ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), they observed a planetary disc with prominent spiral arms, finding clear signs of a planet nestled in its inner regions. This is the first time astronomers have detected a planet candidate embedded inside a disc spiral.

“We will never witness the formation of Earth, but here, around a young star 440 light-years away, we may be watching a planet come into existence in real time,” says Francesco Maio, a doctoral researcher at the University of Florence, Italy, and lead author of this study, published on July 21 in Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Complex organic molecules found in young star’s disk hint at cosmic origins of life

Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a team of astronomers led by Abubakar Fadul from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) has discovered complex organic molecules—including the first tentative detection of ethylene glycol and glycolonitrile—in the protoplanetary disk of the outbursting protostar V883 Orionis.

Scientists find Uranus is surprisingly warm, heating up the case for a new planetary mission

Scientists have found that Uranus is emitting its own internal heat — even more than it receives from sunlight — and this discovery contradicts observations of the distant gas giant made by NASA’s Voyager 2 probe nearly four decades ago.

Scientists led by Xinyue Yang of the University of Houston analyzed decades of readings from spacecraft and computer models to find that Uranus emits 12.5% more internal heat than the amount of heat it receives from the sun. However, that amount is still far less than the internal heat of other outer solar system planets like Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune, which emit 100% more heat than they get from the sun.

Pacific Northwest tech pioneers team up in quantum realms and on the space frontier

BELLEVUE, Wash. — Quantum physics and outer space may seem as different as two tech frontiers can be, but the challenges facing Pacific Northwest ventures that are aiming to make their fortune on those frontiers are surprisingly similar.

Amid the current turbulence on the national political scene, it’s getting harder to capture the attention — and gain the support — of the federal government, which has historically been the leading funder of research and development. And that means it’s more important than ever for researchers, industry leaders and local officials to join forces.

“Think of it as a triad,” said Jason Yager, executive director of the Montana Photonics and Quantum Alliance, which is one of the beneficiaries of a $41 million Tech Hub grant awarded by the federal government a year ago. “If all of these pieces are working together, then where they meet is socio-economic growth, and then you’re ready to bring in the additional funding to launch that.”

Brightest gamma-ray burst hints at hidden layers in cosmic jet formation

The international CTAO LST Collaboration has released remarkable findings from observations of GRB 221009A—the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) ever recorded.

The results were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The publication presents in-depth observations conducted in 2022 with the Large-Sized Telescope (LST) prototype, the LST-1, during its commissioning phase at the Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on the CTAO-North site in La Palma, Spain. The observations revealed a hint of an excess in the gamma-ray flux, which helps provide new insights into the enigmatic and complex nature of GRBs at very high energies.

Observations reveal the properties of a nearby cold brown dwarf

Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the Gemini Observatory, European astronomers have observed a nearby cold brown dwarf known as WISE 1738. Results of the observational campaign, published July 16 on the arXiv preprint server, deliver important insights into the physical properties and atmospheric chemistry of this object.

I Tried the World’s First Tesla Diner (11 Hour Wait)

Questions to inspire discussion.

🍳 Q: What can diners expect in terms of food quality? A: The diner emphasizes local sourcing, natural ingredients, and fresh in-house preparation, with a menu designed by Eric Greensman, a professional chef.

Unique Offerings.

🤖 Q: What unique attractions does the Tesla diner offer? A: The diner showcases a fully functional Optimus robot on display and offers Tesla merchandise for purchase.

🍗 Q: Are there any special menu items or services? A: The diner features a self-service club with fried chicken and waffles, a souvenir cup for purchase, and a Tesla burger on the menu.

Practical Amenities.

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