Ian O'Neill, Author at Universe Today

April 3, 2008December 24, 2015 by Ian O'Neill

Rocks Roll on Mars Too: New Images From HiRISE

The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) on board NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) has done it again. When the instrument caught a Mars avalanche in action in March, we were able to witness a fairly common terrestrial event on a different planet. The impact was huge; we were all fascinated by the slide of rock and ice for weeks. Now looking on the very small-scale, HiRISE has picked up a seemingly mundane terrestrial occurrence: a rock rolling down a hill. But this rock rolled down a crater side on Mars, leaving a track in the Martian regolith big enough to be spotted by the MRO…

These new pictures were observed by the HiRISE instrument onboard the MRO currently orbiting the Red Planet. Since its orbital insertion in 2006, the orbiter, a multi-purpose satellite, has returned some of the highest resolution images ever seen of the surface of Mars. Back in March, the HiRISE instrument took pictures of an escarpment in the north polar region of the planet. Along this scarp, HiRISE captured four separate avalanches occurring hundreds of kilometres apart. Never before had such a geologically dynamic event been captured by a Mars orbiter.

And now for the lowly rock. Looking at these new HiRISE images (taken on March 6th), it appears that rocks roll on Mars too. It’s not that we didn’t already know this, but this is the first time we’ve been able to resolve recently disturbed surface debris after it has rolled some distance down a slope on Mars (objects measuring ~167 cm across are resolved). What is really special are the very clear tracks from the rolling rocks imprinted in the regolith. In one example (pictured top) a large boulder (about 4 meters in diameter) had rolled down the crater side, picked up speed, hit a mini crater, skipped and bounced down the slope until coming to a stop. Taking a rough estimate, the rock in the image possibly rolled for a few hundred meters. These images were taken around the southern branch of Shalbatana Vallis, where it links with Chryse Planitia.

It is thought that the boulders were disturbed in some way, breaking them loose from the crater edge (possibly a meteorite impact or other tremor) as there are several tracks in the regolith pointing in two directions. It also seems possible that they might be the ejecta from another meteorite impact in the area.

Either way, it’s great to see the small-scale geological activity in action as well as huge Mars avalanches…

Source: HiRISE

April 3, 2008December 24, 2015 by Ian O'Neill

There is No Sun-Link with Global Warming

The connection between solar activity and global warming has been a contentious issue for a long time. The idea that cosmic rays create global cloud cover just doesn’t seem to be working out; even the highest estimates of cloud cover variation caused by cosmic ray flux predict the effect to be very small. Now UK scientists have stepped into the debate, producing scientific evidence that there is no link between global warming, cosmic rays and solar activity. Sorry global warming sceptics, we might have to cut back on the emissions after all…

The connection between solar activity and global warming is thought to go like this: The Sun experiences massive changes in energy output throughout the 11-year solar cycle. At its peak (at solar maximum), the Sun’s influence over local space is at its highest. Its massive magnetic field will envelop the Earth and spiral into interplanetary space. As it does so, the immense and large-scale solar wind will deflect high energy cosmic rays. So, counter-intuitively, when the Sun is at its most active, cosmic ray collisions with the atmosphere is at its lowest. It is has been predicted by scientists such as Henrik Svensmark at the Danish National Space Center (DNSC) that these high energy cosmic rays will impact the Earth’s atmosphere, create droplets of water, thus generating cloud cover. So, following this logically, we should have a global decrease in cloud cover during periods of high solar activity (when cosmic rays are not deflected by the solar wind), causing global warming (as there will be less clouds to reflect the solar radiation). Many of the climate problems we are having at the moment can then be attributed to the Sun and not human activity.

But there’s a problem. As previously reported by the Universe Today, research groups will often publish conflicting results about the cosmic ray effect on cloud production. In one of the most definitive results to come out of this area of study has just been announced by UK scientists, and guess what? The Sun/cosmic-ray theory has no measurable effect on the climate change we are currently experiencing.

Dr. Svensmark’s idea was central to the science behind the documentary “The Great Global Warming Swindle” where the human impact on global climate change was brought into question. This theory has been under fire since its conception by highly regarded scientists such as Mike Lockwood from the UK’s Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory. Svensmark stands by his work. So with this in mind, Dr. Terry Sloan from Lancaster University set out to prove Svensmark’s hypothesis. But the results aren’t pretty.

“We tried to corroborate Svensmark’s hypothesis, but we could not […] So we had better carry on trying to cut carbon emissions.” – Dr. Terry Sloan

In a separate study, Giles Harrison from Reading University, also studied the effect of cosmic ray flux on the amount of cloud cover, stating it is an important area of research, “…as it provides an upper limit on the cosmic ray-cloud effect in global satellite cloud data“. Although restricted to the atmosphere above the UK, Harrison’s study also returns the verdict that there is only a very weak cosmic ray effect on cloud production.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a report last year pointing the finger at human activity as the root cause behind global warming. There are very strong correlations between carbon emissions and global warming since the 1970s, so the IPCC has strongly recommended that the international community make radical cuts to their carbon emissions. What’s more the IPCC point out that the contribution from greenhouse gas emissions outweighs the effect of solar variability by a factor of 13 to one.

“…as far as we can see, he has no reason to challenge the IPCC – the IPCC has got it right.” – Dr. Terry Sloan

Source: BBC

April 2, 2008December 24, 2015 by Ian O'Neill

Source of the Slow Solar Wind Found (Video)

The solar wind comes in two modes: fast and slow. Solar astronomers have a good idea as to where the fast solar wind comes from: polar coronal holes of open magnetic field lines, blasting solar particles at speeds of over 3 million km/hr. But what about the slow solar wind which fires particles into space at a pedestrian 1.5 million km/hr? We know it comes from the streamer belt above equatorial regions of the Sun, but we have never been able to look lower. But now, with the help of the Hinode observatory, stunning high-resolution images and video have been captured showing solar dynamics previously overlooked. The point at which the Sun ejects slow wind particles into space can now be studied in unparalleled detail to help us understand the dynamics of space weather and solar storms.

The Sun is a complex, magnetic body. Its magnetic field is highly dynamic, varying in activity throughout the 11-year solar cycle. We have just witnessed the Sun entering “Solar Cycle 24” (although some old sunspots from the previous cycle have just been seen) and it will gradually build in energy before reaching “solar maximum” in a few years time (looks like the solar storms will be bigger than 2003’s flare excitement).

This time of relative calm (known as “solar minimum”) allows solar physicists to study the less explosive dynamics in the lower corona (the Sun’s atmosphere), chromosphere and photosphere. It is in this region that magnetic field lines (or magnetic flux) are pushed through the photosphere and the plasma from the solar interior is guided by the magnetic flux high into the corona. These hot and bright arcs of magnetism and superheated plasma are known as coronal loops, the scene of rapid reconnection events, sometimes sparking flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). But this time the Hinode science team have observed a steady release of solar plasma, venting from the solar interior around a cluster of bright coronal loop footpoints. The location of this steady release of plasma forms the origin of the slow solar wind.

“It is fantastic to finally be able to pinpoint the source of the solar wind – it has been debated for many years and now we have the final piece of the jigsaw. In the future we want to be able to work out how the wind is transported through the solar system.” – Prof. Louise Harra, University College London, Mullard Space Science Laboratory.

See the Hinode video of the region generating solar wind particles…

These dazzling images were captured by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board the Japanese Hinode solar observatory. The observatory, which orbits the Earth, constantly looking at the Sun, has given us unrivaled observations of the Sun in X-ray and EUV wavelengths. Launched by Japan, the project also has collaborators in the UK and US.

These new discoveries are of vast importance to us. The solar wind carries a stream of highly energetic particles from the Sun and into space. The solar wind bathes the Earth in a radioactive stream, carrying the remnants of the solar magnetic field with it. The magnetic field can interact with the Earth’s magnetic field, allowing solar particles to rain down on our Polar Regions, creating vast light displays: the Aurora. However, these particles are also highly dangerous to any unprotected astronaut or sensitive satellite orbiting our planet. It is of paramount importance that as we venture further and further into space that we forecast the characteristics of the solar wind before it hits us. These new observations will aid our understanding of the conditions at the solar wind source and greatly improve our space weather-predicting ability.

Source: ESA

April 2, 2008December 24, 2015 by Ian O'Neill

A Black Hole Observed in the Heart of Mysterious Omega Centauri

Omega Centauri is a strange thing. It’s been classified as a star, then a nebula, then a globular cluster and now it’s thought to be a dwarf galaxy missing its outer stars. Why is it in such a mess? How can this oddball galaxy be explained? New research suggests it has an intermediate-black hole living in its core,Â giving astronomers the best idea yet as to where supermassive black holes come from. Omega Centauri might hold one of the most profound secrets asÂ to how the largest objects in the observable universe are born…

Two thousand years ago, Omega Centauri was classified as a single star by Ptolemy. Edmond Halley studied this “star” but thought it looked a bit diffuse and re-classified it as a nebula in 1677. Then, in the 1830s, John Herschel was the first astronomer to realize this “nebula” was actually a galaxy, a globular cluster galaxy. But now, new observations by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) reveal that this “globular cluster” isn’t what it seems… it’s actually a dwarf galaxy, stripped of its outer stars, some 17,000 light years away.

See an observation video zooming into the location of Omega Centauri in the constellation of Centaurus.

So what led to astronomers thinking there was something strange about this cosmic collection of stars? It rotates faster than other globular clusters, it is strangely flat and it contains stars of many generations (globular clusters usually contain stars of one generation). These reasons plus the fact Omega Centauri is ten times bigger than the largest globular clusters have led scientists to believe that this was no ordinary galaxy.

The main theory is that this unlucky galaxy may have crashed into the Milky Way in the distant past, shedding its outermost stars during the collision. This explains the lack of stars in its outer region. But why is it rotating so quickly, especially in the center?

These stunning images were taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, which continues to do amazing science after 18 years in orbit. Combined with ground-based observations by the Gemini South telescope in Chile, astronomers have been able to deduce that a black hole may be at the root of a lot of the anomalies seen in Omega Centauri.

The research carried out at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (in Garching, Germany), headed by Eva Noyola, shows stars near the center of Omega Centauri orbiting something very fast. In fact, this something is invisible for a reason. Calculating this invisible object’s mass, it is most likely that the group are observing an intermediate-size black hole with the mass of 40,000 solar masses. They have investigated other possibilities, perhaps the fast-orbiting stars could be accelerated by the collective mass of small, weakly radiating bodies such as white dwarves, or the orbiting stars’ have highly elliptical orbits and the point of closest approach is currently being observed, giving the impression they are going faster. However, the intermediate-size black hole theory appears to fit the situation far better.

This is a highly significant discovery, as so far there has been little linking theÂ smaller, stellar black holes with the supermassive ones that sit in the center of large galaxies such as our own. There have been many theories put forward about how these huge black holes may have formed, but to find an intermediate-sized black hole may be the missing link and will help astrophysicists understand how supermassive black holes are “seeded” in the first place.

“This result shows that there is a continuous range of masses for black holes, from supermassive, to intermediate-mass, to small stellar mass types […] We may be on the verge of uncovering one possible mechanism for the formation of supermassive black holes. Intermediate-mass black holes like this could be the seeds of full-sized supermassive black holes.” – Eva Noyola.

Source: SpaceTelescope.org

April 2, 2008December 24, 2015 by Ian O'Neill

Lumpy Neutron Stars can Generate Gravitational Waves

A new simulation of neutron stars suggest they may not be as smooth as predicted. The rapidly spinning exotic bodies may have significant topological features like mountains. These “lumps” on the star’s surface may cause fluctuations in space-time as the variation of the huge gravitational field varies on each spin. This fluctuation may generate gravitational waves, propagating into the cosmos, and could be detected here on Earth…

Neutron stars are the remnants of massive stars after they have exploded as supernovae. The dense core remains behind, spinning fast and composed of only neutrons. They have immense gravitational fields and thought to have as much mass as our Sun, but measuring only 20 kilometres across. As they conserve the angular momentum of their massive sun predecessor, as they are so small, they are expected to spin hundreds of times per second.

But how can these strange objects be detected? Well, for one, they may be seen as highly radiating pulsars (or, possibly, “magnetars“), flashing a beam of radiation past the Earth asÂ they spinÂ like a lighthouse, beams of high energy photons emitted from the neutron star’s poles. But what about the effect they have on space-time? Can these massive bodies create gravitational waves? (Note: A gravitational wave is a totally different creature from an atmospheric “gravity wave“.)

To picture the scene: Imagine spinning a perfectly spherical ball in a swimming pool. If the ball is perfectly stationary (not bobbing up and down and not drifting), only spinning on its axis, no ripples in the pool will be seen. Therefore, any instrument measuring ripples in the pool will not detect the presence of the spinning ball. Now spin an object not spherical (like a rugby ball, or an American football) in the pool. As this object spins, the irregularities on the surface (i.e. the pointed ends) will produce a wave on each revolution of the irregular object. The ripple instrument will detect the presence of the ball in the pool.

This is the issue facing scientists trying to detect gravitational waves from neutron stars. If they are smooth objects (perhaps spherical, or slightly flattened due to the spin), they cannot produce ripples in space-time and therefore cannot be detected. If, on the other hand, they are irregularly-shaped spinning bodies, with inhomogeneities (lumps or “mountains”) on the surface, gravitational waves may be generated. The lump will sweep out a fluctuation in space-time on each rotation. This is fine, but are neutron stars lumpy?

Well, the outlook isn’t very good. The space-time “ripple” detectors set out to observe gravitational waves have so far not detected any sign of these rapidly spinning neutron stars. This could either mean that the technology we are using is not sensitive enough to detect gravitational waves or that neutron stars are naturally smooth and cannot produce gravitational waves in the first place.

Matthias Vigelius and Andrew Melatos, researchers from University of Melbourne in Australia, think they have new hope that some types of neutron star might be detected as they are naturally lumpy. Using a new computer modelling technique, the pair believes that even a small variation in the neutron star surface will produce detectable gravitational waves. But how do these lumps form? Often, stars evolve as part of a binary system (i.e. two stars orbiting a common centre of gravity), should one die as a supernova, leaving a neutron star behind, the intense gravitational field will strip its companion star of its gases. As the gas is funnelled into the neutron star, the intense magnetic field will give structural support to the incoming gas, creating an electron-proton mix of superheated plasma sitting on top of the neutron star surface. The lumps formed at the neutron star’s magnetic poles will be a long-living feature, sweeping around the star each time it rotates. Vigelius and Melatos think that detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) may be able to detect this characteristic signature of an irregularly shaped neutron star…. in time.

As yet, these “lumpy” neutron stars have not been detected, but through continued observation (exposure time), it is hoped that Earth-based gravitational wave observatories may eventually receive the signal.

Source: RAS, New Scientist

April 1, 2008December 24, 2015 by Ian O'Neill

So, What Does an Anti-Satellite Weapon Actually Look Like?

In February, the Universe Today followed the sad tale about a dead US satellite called US-193, lifelessly floating around in orbit, possibly threatening the world by dumping hazardous fuel onto a city somewhere. This was the perfect time for the US Navy to launch their Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) into space, smashing US-193 to tiny bits. It worked and it worked well.

Although we’ve seen loads of pictures of the rocket being launched, and the pinpoint accuracy it accomplished by detonating in low Earth orbit, but what technology goes into the actual warhead that takes out the satellite? Well, in an article just published, images of an older generation “Kinetic Energy” anti-satellite weapon are on display. And to be honest, it doesn’t look that scary…

There’s more than one way to kill a satellite. You can make it self destruct by firing its thrusters, sending it in a deadly descent through the atmosphere. But say if you don’t have communication with the craft? You could capture it in orbit using a robotic or manned spaceship. But this would be prohibitively expensive and dangerous. You could simply shoot it down… now this idea (although far from beingÂ “simple”) is the most popular and effective method to get rid of a satellite from orbit.

The anti-satellite (ASAT) idea has been around since the Cold War, as far back as the 1960’s, but very little information is available. In fact, according to Dwayne Day’s article in The Space Review on the 31st March, since the Cold War nobody has been bothered to write much about American ASAT technology development, policy, and doctrine. It is unclear if this is down to the military being (understandably) secretive, or whether people simply lost interest in the “Star Wars” program proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1983.

But there are some clues as to the US anti-satellite capabilities back in the 1990’s, namely a cool-looking mock-up of one of Lockheed’s proposals for a kinetic energy anti-satellite warhead (or KE-ASAT, pictured left), the author discovered at the Aerospace Legacy Foundation’s offices located at the former North American Aviation Downey factory. The owner, a Dr. Jim Busby showed off a low fidelity mock-up of a Lockheed KE-ASAT, which he acquired in the early 1990s, when a previous owner discarded it.

It’s a strange-looking device, resembling a mini-spaceship capsule (although, from the images and description, it is unclear how big it is) that would have sat on top of a rocket booster to send it from the ground and into space to hit its satellite target. This type of anti-satellite does not explode on impact; it relies on huge velocities and a high mass to generate enough kinetic energy to destroy the target on impact.

Some variations on this theme may have included a Kevlar “fly swatter” that would expand on impact, making it easier to hit the satellite and destroy it.

It is obvious from the images that the mass of the warhead is packed in the red cone at the front of the weapon; the infrared heat-seeker targeting system would also be housed there. There is also a main thruster (that would fire to life once the rocket boosters had carried it into space), and attitude controls at the rear to guide the high velocity projectile to its target. A similar method was used by the February 20th US spy satellite intercept, so the proposed technology this KE-ASAT is built on is not far from the current method employed by the US Navy.

Alas, the KE-ASAT never made it to the production line as Lockheed’s bid for use in an anti-satellite program was beaten by the Rockwell company in July 1990, the US Army opted for a far different-looking design, not dissimilar to the ASAT used today. Personally I think the Lockheed concept looked better, but would have been very scary, causing a huge mess…

Source: The Space Review

April 1, 2008April 26, 2016 by Ian O'Neill

NASA to Burn Sponsor Logos into the Surface of Mars

NOTE: This was the Universe Today’s contribution to April Fools Day (April 1st), but it isn’t all a joke… International efforts in space are being seriously hindered by budget cuts, forcing agencies to think up alternative methods to raise money. The following article could be a possibility…

In an effort to raise additional funds, NASA has announced new partnerships with corporate sponsors. It is becoming increasingly difficult for government-backed space agencies to support the vast range of missions currently exploring the solar system, so urgent measures are being taken. Planetary missions in particular, such as the Mars Exploration Rover project, have fallen on tough times. As already demonstrated by research groups in the UK, funds from private companies are essential for survival and some weird and wonderful methods to capture public interest have already been exploited.

Now it is the perfect time for the biggest marketing stunt yet: tattoo Mars with corporate logos for orbiting spacecraft and ground-based telescopes to observe…

With millions of dollars being injected into the commercial space market, companies such as Virgin Galactic, Astrium and XCOR are all beginning to dominate the fledgling space flight industry. Where government space agencies such as NASA and ESA have spearheaded technological advancement, the void left behind is slowly being filled by space tourism companies all competing for short trips into space and, eventually, tours to the Moon with the prospect of Mars in a few decades time.

But what about all the robotic missions exploring the solar system now? Who pays for them? Well, that is up to government funding and initiatives. As recently highlighted by the UK’s Â£80 million ($160 million) research budget shortfall, and the attempt to cut $4 million from the NASA Mars rovers, there appears to be international pressure on government-funded groups to think “out of the box” where money is concerned. After all, scientific research (on the whole) is not political, but scientific funding is.

So, in an unprecedented move, UK astronomers carried out an unorthodox measure and transmitted Doritos ads into space to help fund the beleaguered Jodrell Bank Telescope in Cheshire currently under threat from closure due to funding cuts. This might sound silly, but the undisclosed advertising revenue was much needed.

Although there is a slim-to-no-chance of aliens picking up the interstellar ad, NASA was obviously paying attention. Today, the space agency has announced an offbeat plan of their own: to burn sponsor logos into the surface of Mars. It’s not quite as reckless as it sounds, but existing technology on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) will be used to etch sponsor logos into the top layers of the Martian regolith. The stunt is expected to have minimal effect on the planet, as winds and dust storms will erase the ads within a couple of sols (Martian days).

“Just think, 3 years ago, we wouldn’t have the optical capabilities to spot an advertisement from orbit. But now, with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and its ability to resolve objects as small as half a meter, we’ll be able to see our sponsors ads clearly etched into the Martian surface.” – Dr. Francis Rae, NASA Outreach Spokeswoman.

The MRO has a laser-ranging instrument on board that usually takes highly accurate measurements of landscape features. Scientists have modified the laser to emit a higher powered beam so small areas of Martian regolith can be fused together. It is expected to use the surplus power available from the ultra-efficient solar panels on the satellite. After a few orbits, corporate logos and other ads may be constructed, creating logos spanning small 5Ã—5 meter areas of Mars plains and crater bottoms. Of course, the logos created will be crude, and will only be available in shades of red, but the marketing and psychological impact will be huge. It is hoped the advertising revenue will follow suit.

This is only for starters. If all goes well, huge areas of the surface may be used, possibly allowing Earth-observable logos. Doritos, famed with the UK’s ad transmission into space, has already backed NASA’s plans and fully intends to support any marketing campaign carried out by the robotic explorers. An excerpt from a Pepsi Co, Inc. statement reads, “…the Doritos snack division of our corporation is always looking for new and novel ways to promote our products, branding an alien planet with our logo will not only be historic, it will revolutionize product marketing.” They add at the bottom of the press release, “Besides, it will be very cool.” An artists impression of a huge Doritos logo next to a crater observed by the MRO (HiRISE instrument) has also been released (pictured).

Other Mars missions are now being evaluated for their potential marketing skills, and an obvious mission that comes to mind are the Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity. Easier than tattooing the planet from orbit, the rovers could quickly create tire tracks into shapes that can be observed from space.

When asked whether the Phoenix lander had any such capability, Rae commented, “I really wish we’d thought that through better.” The lander will only be able to dig crude shapes into the regolith should it be called into fund-raising action. It seems doubtful that sponsors would be interested in this mission which is arriving at the Red Planet in May.

This leads to the question: Will a NASA mission be measured more for its revenue building ability, or for its scientific merit? “I doubt it will come to that, we’re not a private enterprise, science is our priority,” Rae added.

Other marketing tools are at mission planners’ fingertips. Some fun options include:

Physically moving rocks around the Martian landscape by future advanced rovers to assemble messages, take photos and send them back to Earth – the ultimate personal postcard message!
The future of terraforming the planet could include growing lichen in the shape of sponsor logos (imagine how much Pizza Hut would pay to have the very first life on Mars growing in the shape of their hut logo!)
Send a personal item on aÂ Mars-bound mission and get the lander to place it on the planet, take a photo andÂ pay for the pleasure of seeing something you own in the Martian dirt! Just don’t expect it back… (An orbital version has already been done by Bigalow Aerospace…)

Source: NASA Press Release

March 31, 2008December 26, 2015 by Ian O'Neill

What is Phoenix? It’s a Mars Mission Question on Jeopardy!

The answer was: “A NASA Mars lander has this mythic name because it was made of parts from a scrapped 2001 mission,” and the correct question was “What is Phoenix?“. The Mars mission currently en-route to Mars hasn’t only set the science world alight, it appears to be growing into the public mindset. Appearing as the subject for one of the questions on the highly popular US gameshow Jeopardy! before it has even arrived at Mars, I wonder how popular it will become when the mission actually begins…

It seems that even gameshows consider the next Mars mission to be significant enough for their contestants to answer.

Getting space science missions into the public domain is never an easy task – there needs to be a certainÂ balance between how much science and information is released to make the mission accessible to non-specialists. Personal experience of this includes giving my first public outreach lecture on physics and astronomy in the Arctic where I chatted all about the “cool” physics we were doing up there (including plasma physics, particle dynamics and some magnetohydrodynamic interactions in the magnetosphere thrown in for good measure… eh?). I later found out that I hadn’t connected with my audience at all (surprise), just because I found it exciting didn’t mean everyone else would. In future presentations I focused on what you could see up there (I mean, a huge picture of the aurora was a good starting point) and the fact we had to travel to the frozen observatories with rifles (not to hijack the telescope, but to protect us from polar bears) engaged my audience far more effectively. The science could then be related much better, giving it a meaning and an importance.

So this brings me to NASA’s Phoenix Mars mission. Not only does the mission have one of the best research/mission websitesÂ out thereÂ (hosted not by NASA but by the University of Arizona, Phoenix), I’ve noticed with each news release there is a genuine and informed effort to get people excited about this superb mission. And people not familiar with planetary missions are taking note.

One indicator is that the long-running US TV show Jeopardy! featured a question on the Phoenix mission due to arrive at Mars on May 25th. The clue was “A NASA Mars lander has this mythic name because it was made of parts from a scrapped 2001 mission,” and the answer was “What is Phoenix?” (note: forÂ those outside the US orÂ those not familiar with the show, the “answer” is stated and the “question” to that “answer” must be guessed by the contestants).

It’s not clear from the Phoenix news release whether it was answered correctly or not, but what is significant is that it was chosen as a question on a non-specialized TV show (a prime-time show at that) in the first place. Obviously the Phoenix mission public outreach guys are doing a great job, beginning to make the Phoenix Mars Mission a household name…

Roll on May 25th!

Credit: Phoenix Mars Mission

March 30, 2008December 26, 2015 by Ian O'Neill

Deepest Canyon on Mars: New Images from the Mars Express

379-260208-2149-6-3d-2-01-hebeschasma_l.thumbnail.jpg

This breathtaking 3D landscape was constructed with high definition images taken by the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on board ESA’s Mars Express orbiter. The new observations show Hebes Chasma, a strange mountain region nested inside the canyon, with channel-like fingers reaching out into the Martian landscape. The imaged region shows features down to a resolution of 15 meters per pixel, an awe-inspiring view… in stereo!

The HRSC is currently looking down onto the Red Planet’s surface, taking shots of the planet in full colour, in 3D and with a maximum resolution of two meters. The camera design allows it unrivalled pointing accuracy by combining images at different resolutions at each orbital pass. By imaging the landscape at three different wavelengths (i.e. three colours), a stereoscopic view of Mars features give observers an insight to how the canyon will look from different angles, in 3D models.

Hebes Chasma is a very prominent Mars feature just north of the huge Valles Marineris system (a.k.a. the “Grand Canyon of Mars”). Hebes is described as an enclosed trough, with a high, flat-top mountain range right in the centre. The canyon is over 8 km deep in places, and the central mountain ascends to this height, at the same level as the surrounding plains. There is evidence to suggest that liquid water once flowed here, possibly creating a vast moat around the mountain, leaving its top isolated when the canyon was full of water. If this natural formation was found on Earth in medieval times, I couldn’t think of a better defended castle if it was built on the apex of this 8 km high range…

A number of huge images have been released, and here are links to a few of the best:

I can’t wait to see more Mars features in stunning 3D projections…

Source: ESA

March 28, 2008April 26, 2016 by Ian O'Neill

The Mysterious Case of Two Spheres Falling to Earth in Australia and Brazil

On the March 24th, a story hit the web from Brazil asking for help identifying a mysterious-looking sphere found in farmland. The black, shiny object appeared to be wrapped in fibrous material and it was hot to the touch. Immediately thoughts of extra-terrestrial origin came to mind…

Today, several news sources covered the discovery of a mysterious spherical object found in the Australian outback last year. The farmer who made the discovery has only just started to make enquiries into what the object actually is.

So are the two objects connected in some way? Are they indeed from outer space?

The answer is “yes”, and “yes”. But don’t go getting too excited, they’re not bits from a broken alien spacecraft.

Before their origins are explained, a bit of background: The first story to be released was from Brazil on Monday. Just a small story on Daniel Drehmer’s blog, asking “a space geek from Digg” (Digg.com being the social bookmarking site)Â for help to identify this strange object found by SebastiÃ£o Marques da Costa who described the orb as being hot to the touch. Either it has been heated by the Sun, or it had just crashed to Earth. On seeing the object, it does make for good science fiction material. It’s a very strange looking thing, one meter in diameter, contrasting with the green countryside.

I was so intrigued by the story, I kept an eye on the blog. The following day, the Second Wave reported that an answer had been found. Obviously the geeks on Digg had been paying attention and identified the object as a Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel (or COPV). Put very basically, it’s a high pressure container for inert gases. The space shuttle carries COPVs and it seems likely that these containers will be used for a variety of space missions. They are built with a carbon fibre or Kevlar overcoat to provide reinforcement against the vast pressure gradient between the inside and outside of the container.

If the COPVs are so reinforced, it seems reasonable that they may survive re-entry through the Earth’s atmosphere.

So what about our Australian farmer? Looking at the picture, the strange object in the Australian outback has some striking similarities to the Brazilian orb (only a lot more damaged).

Today many news sites picked up on the Australian find (well, last year’s find), and call me suspicious, but the timing couldn’t be better. The Australian farmer, James Stirton, who found the object made the surprising statement to the Reuters news agency:

“I know a lot of about sheep and cattle but I don’t know much about satellites. But I would say it is a fuel cell off some stage of a rocket.”

That’s one very well informed guess. Perhaps he’s a Digg reader…?

Either way, it would be interesting to find out to what space mission these COPVs belonged to, as it appears they are highly efficient at not only storing fuels being flown into space, they also crash to Earth pretty much intact.

Sources: Reuters, The Second Wave