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Archive for the ‘space’ category: Page 653

Mar 3, 2019

Beautiful First Image Captured by a new telescope in the Chilean desert

Posted by in categories: robotics/AI, space

The Atacama Desert in Chile has been a hotbed of astronomical activity of late. Not only is it the site of Martian environmental simulations to test rover capabilities, it is also home to an project called SPECULOOS (Search for habitable Planets EClipsing ULtra-cOOl Stars).

SPECULOOS is part of the ESO, the European Southern Observatory, and involves the use of four robotic telescopes for planet hunting. In particular, the telescopes look near to ultracool stars and brown dwarfs to search for Earth-sized exoplanets which can then be investigated in more detail by another telescope such as ESO’s forthcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT).

The four telescopes of SPECULOOS are named after Jupiter’s moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, and each has a one meter primary mirror with cameras that are sensitive to near-infrared wavelengths. This accords with the type of light given off by the ultracool stars and brown dwarfs which are the telescopes’ targets.

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Mar 3, 2019

Vast underground ocean discovered on Jupiter’s largest moon

Posted by in category: space

Circa 2015


In this artist’s concept, the moon Ganymede (right) orbits the giant planet Jupiter. NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope observed aurorae (lights) on the moon generated by Ganymede’s magnetic fields. A saline ocean under the moon’s icy crust best explains shifting in the auroral belts measured by Hubble. (credit: NASA/ESA)

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has the best evidence yet for an underground saltwater ocean on Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon. The subterranean ocean is thought to have more water than all the water on Earth’s surface.

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Mar 3, 2019

What our civilization needs is a billion-year plan

Posted by in categories: government, policy, solar power, space, sustainability

Circa 2012


Enlarge | +

Artist’s concept of a Kardashev Type 2 civilization (credit: Chris Cold)

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Mar 3, 2019

Crew Dragon Successfully Docks to International Space Station

Posted by in category: space

Docking occurred slightly ahead of schedule at 5:51 EST (10:51 UTC).

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Mar 1, 2019

The tallest building in California will be a 77-story ‘supertall’ skyscraper in Los Angeles

Posted by in categories: futurism, space

  • Los Angeles could be getting a brand-new skyscraper that’s taller than the Wilshire Grand — the tallest tower in California.
  • The planned skyscraper is 77 stories high and features a mixture of condos, hotel rooms, and commercial space.
  • The future development represents a growing trend of supertall construction as cities compete to have the most impressive skylines.

Los Angeles has endured endless criticism for its low-lying slab buildings, flat-topped towers, and mismatched design aesthetics.

In 2013, the former architecture critic at Los Angeles magazine, Greg Goldin, lamented the city’s “dull” and “mediocre” landscape.

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Mar 1, 2019

Astronomers Predict Planet Nine Has 5x the Earth’s Mass

Posted by in category: space

They’re optimistic we’ll have an image of Planet Nine within 10 years.


They’re unraveling some of the mystery surrounding Pluto’s…

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Mar 1, 2019

NASA finds China and India made the world greener than 20 years ago

Posted by in category: space

The grass really IS greener…in part because of tree-planting programs 💚.

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Feb 28, 2019

China’s Get-Rich Space Program

Posted by in categories: economics, space

Unlike other nations, China’s space ambitions are centered on wealth creation through a space-based economy.

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Feb 26, 2019

NASA’s Johnson Space Center

Posted by in categories: education, space

LIVE: It’s Space Day at the Texas Capitol! From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., we will be celebrating human space exploration with interactive exhibits for the public featuring NASA Astronauts, the International Space Station, the NASA Commercial Crew Program, NASA’s Orion Spacecraft, NASA JSC Education’s High School Aerospace Scholars (HAS) program, and legislative proclamations highlighting achievements in human exploration throughout Texas.

Ask your questions in the comments!

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Feb 25, 2019

Jeff Bezos: In the Future, We’ll Live In “Giant Space Colonies”

Posted by in categories: futurism, space

Very few people are going to want to leave this planet permanently — it’s just too amazing.


“Ultimately what will happen, is this planet will be zoned residential and light industry,” he said. “This is the gem of the Solar System. Why would we do heavy industry here? It’s nonsense.”

Bezos also referenced the work of physicist Gerard O’Neill, who came up with the idea of a cylinder-shaped space settlement design known as an “O’Neill cylinder,” in which two counter-rotating cylinders would provide gravity for human settlers while mitigating gyroscopic effects.

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