May 2010
1 post
Chinese cyber attackers hit Optus →
September 2009
1 post
Astronauts Take a Break From Busy Space Mission →
thestor:
The 13 astronauts aboard the International Space Station and shuttle Discovery took some time off Friday.
August 2009
22 posts
Warum nicht?
Das britische Verlagshaus Albertas startet ein einjähriges Experiment. In einer Reprint-Reihe werden Blätter von 1933 bis 1945 neu aufgelegt. Historiker vertrauen auf die demokratische Urteilskraft der Leser.
Lesen mehr
:-(
I received notification today (11 Aug 2009) that I was selected as one of the winners of the USA green card lottery. I almost fell on my knees in gratitude. My heart was pounding. It felt like someone had thrown a lifeline to me. I danced all the way home.
Then I looked at the date.
I won LAST year.
The notification was sent on the 18th of May 2008, and only got here today. It took 15 months...
Space Invaders
Most of Earth’s clouds get their start in deep space. That’s the surprising conclusion from a team of researchers who argue that interstellar cosmic rays collide with water molecules in our atmosphere to form overcast skies.
As common as clouds are on Earth, the processes that produce them are not well understood. Scientists think particles of dust or pollen can serve as nuclei for...
Stadd found guilty →
thestor:
It took a federal jury less than two hours Thursday to convict Courtney Stadd on ethics charges stemming from a brief stint he had at NASA in 2005. As noted earlier this week, the defense argued…
Astronomy & Economy
A few years ago (in fact in 2006) I considered the issue of how the support for astronomy in any country depends on its economy. It’s an interesting question, but the problem is how to measure an index of astronomical vitality in a country.
The very simplest and crudest measure is just to count the number of International Astronomical Union (IAU) members present in any country. The IAU is...
Get one
The Galileoscope™ is a high-quality, low-cost telescope kit developed for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 by a team of leading astronomers, optical engineers, and science educators. No matter where you live, with this easy-to-assemble, 50-mm (2-inch) diameter, 25- to 50-power achromatic refractor, you can see the celestial wonders that Galileo Galilei first glimpsed 400 years ago and that...
Romania!
Romanian IYA2009 enthusiasts are rightfully proud of two initiatives which have proved to be very successful.
Source
Space shuttle Endeavour returns home →
thestor:
Space shuttle Endeavour glided to a smooth landing Friday morning at Kennedy Space Center, completing a successful 16-day mission to upgrade the international space station.
July 2009
55 posts
Scotty was right!
Oxford scientists have created a transparent form of aluminium by bombarding the metal with the world’s most powerful soft X-ray laser. ‘Transparent aluminium’ previously only existed in science fiction, featuring in the movie Star Trek IV, but the real material is an exotic new state of matter with implications for planetary science and nuclear fusion.
I can do it, captain!
Reading Brains
It is widely known that the brain perceives information before it reaches a person’s awareness. But until now, there was little way to determine what specific mental tasks were taking place prior to the point of conscious awareness.
Source
NASA patches space station's air-purifying system →
thestor:
A space station air purifier was working again Sunday after it shut down at the worst possible time, when the shuttle Endeavour’s crew was still visiting and had swollen the on-board crowd to a…
New Look at a Colossal Cosmic Collision →
thestor:
New photos show galaxies’ growing pains
By Jupiter!
An unseen comet or possibly an icy asteroid apparently crashed into Jupiter’s atmosphere near the giant planet’s south pole sometime during the last few days, creating a “gargantuan” blemish easily visible from Earth. The presumed impact, discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley July 19 and confirmed by NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility at Mauna...
All Eyepieces on Jupiter After a Big Impact →
thestor:
An amateur astronomer in Australia took one last look through his telescope and discovered the site of a new comet strike on Jupiter.
New View of the Iconic Eagle Nebula →
thestor:
New Photos show the violent beginnings of young stars.
4 tags
Go Vikings!
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – The 15th century Vinland Map, the first known map to show part of America before explorer Christopher Columbus landed on the continent, is almost certainly genuine, a Danish expert said Friday.
Controversy has swirled around the map since it came to light in the 1950s, many scholars suspecting it was a hoax meant to prove that Vikings were the first Europeans to land in...
What?
Jason Brown speaks fluent French and has a Masters Degree in International Business. He is an avid golfer, snowboarder, skier, and dirt biker. He is also wanted for murder and armed robbery in Phoenix, Arizona. During November of 2004, Brown allegedly shot and killed an armored car guard outside a movie theater and then fled with the money.
Apparently in this loser’s case, education does...
1 tag
Foam
July 16, 2009 — Space shuttle Endeavour rocketed toward the international space station Thursday as engineers on Earth pored over launch pictures that showed debris breaking off the fuel tank and striking the craft.
Mission Control told the astronauts late Wednesday that the damage looked less extensive at first glance than what occurred on the last shuttle flight, but it will take days...
BREAKING NEWS 16 July 1969: PICTURES & VIDEO:... →
thestor:
Apollo 11’s three astronauts lifted off today at 09:32 local time aboard their Saturn V rocket on the historic mission to make the first manned landing on the Moon
STC Forum Being Retired 31 July →
Why is it that whenever something is actually useful, some committee decides to stop it?
Tolkien read
An excerpt of the first 4 stanzas of...
Damage eyed as shuttle heads toward space station →
thestor:
Space shuttle Endeavour rocketed toward the international space station Thursday as engineers on Earth pored over launch pictures that showed debris breaking off the fuel tank and striking the craft.
Birds do, bees do it, stars do it
It’s usually nice to have a companion. And in the lonely, dark expanse of the early universe, even some of the first stars had soul mates, new simulations reveal.
Previous studies had indicated that the first stars were extraordinarily massive — at least 100 times as heavy as the sun — but were also loners (SN: 6/8/2002, p. 362). Now, more detailed modeling, including a careful consideration of...
Endeavour Launch a “Go” - Weather Permitting →
thestor:
NASA MISSION UPDATE
Teams met this morning and a “GO” was given for tanking of Endeavour’s external tank. Tanking officially began at 9:33 a.m. EDT and liquid hydrogen started flowing…
Falcon I launch set for this week →
thestor:
The SpaceX Falcon I launch of the Malaysian RazakSat satellite is set for Tuesday, July 14th local time at Kwajalein while the window opens July 13th at 7 p.m. EDT: Razaksat Prepares For Lift Off…