Posted on by Tammy Plotner

Free LIVE Broadcast of Comet Garradd On Universe Today – August 22, 2011

Example Of LIVE Image From Bareket Observatory - Viewer Located Inside This Article

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Are you ready for some excitement? How would you like to watch a LIVE broadcast of Comet C2009 P1 Garradd right here on Universe Today?! Thanks to our good friends at Bareket Observatory and clear skies in Israel, we can do just that! Step inside to our virtual observatory…

Before you get upset and think there’s something wrong, there are a few things you must remember about watching a live telescope broadcast. If there are clouds – you will see no image. If the camera isn’t turned on and broadcasting – you will only see the blue “frame” below where the image is meant to be. Because the data load is so huge from the incoming images, it limits itself to refreshing about every 30 to 60 seconds. This means the image will appear static, then reset itself. If you watch for a period of perhaps 10 minutes or so, you will notice appreciable movement against the background stars. The tracking is set on the nucleus of the comet, so the comet won’t appear to move – the background stars will each time it refreshes. There can also be unforeseen glitches, (such as viewer overload) so please be patient! Last… There will be no image until the broadcast time. You don’t have to click anywhere else – when the broadcast is happening it will be right here where you see the frame below.

The live broadcast of Comet Garradd will take place on Monday, August 22 – 2100-0300 local Israel time (UTC+3). To give you some help figuring times, here’s a very brief listing that’s in absolutely no particular order:

  • Shanghai – Tue 2:00 AM – Tue 8:00 AM
  • Sydney – Tue 4:00 AM – Tue 10:00 AM
  • Zurich – Mon 8:00 PM – Tue 2:00 AM
  • Moscow – Mon 10:00 PM – Tue 4:00 AM
  • Rome – Mon 8:00 PM – Tue 2:00 AM
  • London – Mon 7:00 PM – Tue 1:00 AM
  • New York – Mon 2:00 PM – Mon 8:00 PM
  • Mexico City – Mon 1:00 PM – Mon 7:00 PM
  • Vancouver – Mon 11:00 AM – Mon 5:00 PM
  • Honolulu – Mon 8:00 AM – Mon 2:00 PM
  • New Delhi – Mon 11:30 PM – Tue 5:30 AM
  • Johannesburg – Mon 8:00 PM – Tue 2:00 AM
  • Tokyo – Tue 3:00 AM – Tue 9:00 AM
  • Denver – Mon 12:00 Noon – Mon 6:00 PM
  • San Francisco – Mon 11:00 AM – Mon 5:00 PM
  • San Juan – Mon 2:00 PM – Mon 8:00 PM
  • Anchorage – Mon 10:00 AM – Mon 4:00 PM

That having been said, the frame right below these words will be your virtual eyepiece!



Feel free to “take” any images you want and stitch together a video – or post ’em to your favorites sites. If you enjoyed the broadcast, won’t you take a few minutes and thank the hardworking, generous crew at Bareket Observatory? I am very sure they would appreciate it!

Other broadcast footage you might enjoy watching again are: Solar eclipse 2011 Solar Eclipse 2011, Lunar Eclipse 2011 Including Hands-on Activities, and NASA Deep Space Webcast.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Now Available: 30 Free Lectures by Noted Astronomers

We just received a note from Andrew Franknoi and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific that they are making available, free of charge, 30 audio and video podcasts from talks given by distinguished astronomers on the latest ideas and discoveries in the field. Speakers include:

* Frank Drake, who began the experimental search for intelligent life among the stars,
* Mike Brown, who discovered most of the dwarf planets beyond Pluto (and whose humorous talk is entitled “How I Killed Pluto and Why it Had it Coming”),
* Natalie Batalha, project scientists on the Kepler Mission to find Earths around other stars,
* Alex Filippenko (national professor of the year) on finding black holes.

Recent topics added to the offerings include: multiple universes, Saturn’s moon Titan (with an atmosphere, rivers, and lakes), our explosive Sun, and whether we should expect doomsday in 2012.

The talks are part of the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures, jointly sponsored by NASA’s Ames Research Center, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the SETI Institute, and Foothill College.
They are available via the web and ITunes. For a complete list and to begin listening, go to:
http://www.astrosociety.org/education/podcast/

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

First Live 3-D Video From Space

If you’re a space buff, you’ve probably seen IMAX movies like Space Station 3-D or IMAX Hubble 3-D. Those movies require huge, cumbersome cameras to be sent to space and back again, along with lots of editing and processing to create the 3-D effect you can only see in theaters. Now, with a new camera on board the ISS, astronauts can stream live 3-D video back to Earth, showing what it’s like to live and work in space like never before, and it can be seen on your computer screen or television.
Continue reading “First Live 3-D Video From Space”

Posted on by Jason Rhian

JPL’s ‘Muscle Car’ – MSL – Takes Center Stage

JPL's 'Hot Wheels' - The Mars Science Laboratory or 'Curiosity' is being prepared to launch to mars this November. Photo Credit: Alan Walters/awaltersphoto.com

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA is experiencing what could be dubbed a “summer of planetary exploration.” With the Juno mission to Jupiter on its way as of Aug. 5, NASA is prepping not one but two more missions – this time to terrestrial bodies – specifically the Moon and Mars.

On Sept. 8 NASA is planning to launch GRAIL (Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory). This mirror image spacecraft consists of two elements that will fly in tandem with one another and scan the Moon from its core to its crust. This mission will serve to expand our understanding of the mechanics of how terrestrial bodies are formed. GRAIL will provide the most accurate gravitational map of the Moon to date.

The aeroshell that will cover both the MSL rover and its jetpack landing system. Photo Credit: Alan Walters/awaltersphoto.com

When it comes to upcoming projects that have “celebrity” status – few can compete with the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) or Curiosity. The six-wheeled rover was part of a media event Friday Aug. 12 that included the “Sky-Crane” jetpack that is hoped will safely deliver the car-sized rover the Martian surface. Also on display was the back half of the rover’s aeroshell which will keep the robot safe as in enters the red planet’s atmosphere.

Numerous engineers were available for interview, one expert on hand to explain the intricacies of how Curiosity works was the Rover Integration Lead on the project, Peter Illsley.

One fascinating aspect of MSL is how the rover will land. As it pops free of the aeroshell, a jet pack will conduct a powered descent to Mars’ surface. From there the rover will be lowered to the ground via wires, making Curiosity look like an alien spider descending from its web. Once the rover makes contact with the ground, the wires will be severed and the “Sky-Crane” will fly off to conduct a controlled crash. Ben Thoma, the mechanical lead on this aspect of the project, described how he felt about what it is like to work on MSL.

MSL is slated to launch this November atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 541 rocket. If everything goes according to plan the rover will begin exploring Mars’ Gale Crater for a period of approximately two years. In every way Curiosity is an upgraded, super-charged version of the rovers that have preceded her. The Pathfinder rover tested out many of the concepts that led to the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity and now MSL has incorporated lessons learned to take more robust scientific explorations of the Martian surface.

The "Sky-Crane" jetpack that will be used to slowly lower the MSL rover to the Martian surface. Photo Credit: Alan Walters/awaltersphoto.com
Posted on by Jason Rhian

In Their Own Words: Experts Talk Juno

Several scientists and experts discussed the Juno mission to Jupiter with Universe Today. Photo Credit: Alan Walters/awaltersphoto.com

CAPE CANAVERAL Fla. – Many experts took time out of their hectic schedules to talk with Universe Today in the day leading up to the launch of the Juno spacecraft. Some even took the time to talk to us just minutes before the probe was scheduled to be launched on its mission. Check out what they had to say below:

Juno Project Scientist Steve Levin was at Kennedy Space Center to watch the Juno probe begin its five-year journey to Jupiter. He took a few minutes of his time to talk about what his expectations are for this mission.

Levin has been with JPL since 1990, one of the previous projects he worked on is the Planck mission which launched in 2009.

Levin believes that Juno could fundamentally change the way we view Jupiter. He was one of many VIPs that descended on Kennedy Space Center to watch as Juno thundered to orbit atop at Atlas V rocket.

Sami Asmar is part of the science team that is working on the Juno project. He was at the rollout of the Atlas rocket to the pad. Here is what he had to say about the mission (note the Atlas rocket moving out behind him).

Bill Nye the Science Guy was a very busy man while at Kennedy Space Center. He still took the time to chat with Universe Today about his views on this mission. Unfortunately, with little time to spare, we had to conduct the interview within minutes of the first launch attempt. A good chunk of Nye’s interview – was drowned out by the lead up to the countdown!

The usual launch of an Atlas consists of the launch team coming in, pushing a button and going home – the launch vehicle is that reliable. This day, things occurred quite differently. A technical issue coupled with a wayward boat that had drifted too close to the launch pad saw the launch time slip from 11:34 a.m. EDT to 12:25 p.m. When the rocket did take off however it was a spectacular sight to behold, faster than other iterations of the Atlas, it roared off the pad, sending Juno on its way to Jupiter.

Posted on by Jason Rhian

Chasing Rockets, Chasing History: One Journalist’s Video Reflections

Following the space program is an exhausting business - but one that provides for amazing images and memories. Photo Credit: Jason Rhian

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CAPE CANAVERAL Fla. – As one might imagine covering the space program is a exciting vocation. Some professionals focus on writing articles or taking pictures others work with television stations or online media outlets to provide video and commentary. I have selected to attempt to do all of the above. This can be rather challenging. During the final launch of Atlantis for example, I conducted interviews with a variety of guests up until the launch, from there I operated two camcorders and a DSLR camera (for stills).

Doing things this way provides outlets with a wealth of different types of content to choose from. This also means that a lot of material is not used. This article will cover some of the things that ended up on the cutting room floor. What was not used – might surprise you.

SpaceX Surprises

Of the NewSpace organizations that have made their presence known out at Kennedy Space Center – Space Exploration Technologies or SpaceX has had the most significant impact. Lately the firm has worked to get the media out, as much as possible, to see what the company is doing. NASA and many of the established aerospace companies have a hands off approach – essentially you report on what they allow you to report. SpaceX? They allowed this reporter to climb underneath the Falcon 9 and even have it spun on command. Check it out:

Shuttle Memories

Trying to accurately record and report the historic nature of what took place at Kennedy Space Center this summer was challenging. I took every opportunity I could to record what was happening and then relay that to the public. What I will always remember from this time was how open the members of NASA were and how they really tried to work with you to get the story out. To get a taste of what it was like, check out this compilation of shuttle videos from STS-133 through STS-135:

Launches

Whilst following the shuttle, the last two years have been punctuated by a number of awesome unmanned flights as well (not including the launch of the Falcon 9 which you can see above). The second OTV space plane, SBIRS, AEHF-1 and an impressive night launch of a Delta IV Heavy all helped to keep me on the road to Cape Canaveral:

Memorable Interviews

I’ve been privileged to interview many important people within the space community. That however does not mean that their interviews will stick out in my mind. Some of the ones that I remember best are from people that have always been a joy to work with. Stephanie Stilson is one of those people, she always has a kind word and a great quote. Greg Johnson is another, bombastic and easy-going, he has no problem whatsoever veering off of the official NASA script. To separate the two interviews I included a clip of the media being escorted up onto LC39A. Click below to watch:

Experiencing History

It is not every day that one gets to train along with the astronauts. I had the opportunity to do so on STS-135. I flew in the back of the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) as Commander Chris Ferguson practiced landing the shuttle. To date, this has to be the high point of my career:

Over the last two years I have been bombarded by folks stating that I should report things “their” way. Some want me to go hyper-technical, so that only an engineer could understand what I was saying. While I’m sure some folks wouldn’t mind breaking out a flight manual to keep up with the jargon – that really isn’t what I’m trying to accomplish. Others tell me to keep it as simple as possible and to never state anything that could be construed as negative – but that doesn’t reflect reality. I try to come in somewhere in the middle. The public should know that this is a highly technical endeavor – but they should also know that it is exciting, that this tale is not one without issues and that I try to show it all, the good, the bad and the awesome.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

One Last Time: The Shuttle “Belly Flip”

“Poetry in motion, as Atlantis conducts the last RBAR Pitch Maneuver in shuttle program history,” says NASA TV commentator Rob Navais. Piloted by Space Shuttle commander Chris Ferguson, Atlantis moves through this 9-minute, 360-degree rotation directly beneath the International Space Station. Commonly called the “Belly Flip,” only about 90 seconds of actual high-resolution photography is taken during the entire maneuver. It enables the ISS crew to photograph Atlantis’ Thermal Protection System for engineers on the ground to check for any damage to the heat resistant tiles.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

The Question of Life on Mars Still Intrigues Us


QUEST on KQED Public Media.

Is there — or was there ever — life on Mars? And will we ever definitively find out? After multiple unmanned missions to Mars, we still can’t answer those questions, but the possibility of life on the Red Planet has intrigued us for decades and our interest in Mars still runs high. Here’s a video produced by the PBS affiliate in San Francisco, California, KQED and their science and environment series QUEST. It looks at our past fascination of Mars and how NASA scientists are hoping the Mars Science Lab rover will help them solve the mysteries of Mars.