Making the jump into full-frame camera systems is never a decision to be taken lightly, mainly because, most of the time, it involves investing in a full-frame lens setup as well as purchasing the camera body. For this reason, you want to make sure you’re buying into the right brand to avoid buyer’s regret later down the line. Here we’re looking at Sony and Canon’s smallest full-frame cameras, comparing their specs and how we found them when we tested them. So, if you’re in the market for your first full-frame…
Read MoreMonth: March 2024
Dark Energy Camera captures record-breaking image of a dead star’s scattered remains
This billowing mass of dust filaments and gas tendrils stretching across 100 light-years of space like delicate lace is the Vela supernova remnant — scattered ashes of a star that exploded about 11,000 years ago. The image was acquired by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam), which is mounted on the Victor M. Blanco 4-Meter Telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile. DECam was originally designed to conduct a survey of distant galaxies to measure the strength of dark energy as it accelerates the universe’s expansion and draws those…
Read MoreApollo 9 Crew Comes Home
NASA Fifty-five years ago today, NASA astronauts James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, and Russell L. Schweickart splashed down 4.5 nautical miles from the USS Guadalcanal, concluding a successful 10-day Earth-orbital mission in space. In this image from March 13, 1969, a recovery helicopter hovers above the Apollo 9 spacecraft; the astronauts were still inside the command module. Apollo 9 was the first crewed flight of the command/service module along with the lunar module. The mission’s three-person crew tested several aspects critical to landing on the Moon including the lunar…
Read MoreNASA’s Space Tech Prize Bolsters Diversity, Inclusivity Champions
Credits: NASA NASA selected the first winners of the agency’s Space Tech Catalyst prize to expand engagement with underrepresented and diverse individuals in the space technology sector as part of the agency’s broader commitment to inclusivity and collaboration. The winners are receiving $25,000 each to create more inclusive space technology ecosystems. “As NASA continues to explore the unknown, making the impossible possible, we are committed to engaging talents from all backgrounds to advance exploration,” said Shahra Lambert, NASA senior advisor for engagement. “By providing funding to this space technology community,…
Read More8 Must-Have NASA Resources for Science Teachers in 2024
3 min read 8 Must-Have NASA Resources for Science Teachers in 2024 No one can bring the excitement of Earth and space science to the classroom like NASA! Launch your lessons to the next level with these eight essential resources for K-12 teachers: Experience the Total Solar Eclipse Whether you’re on or off the path of totality (find out here!), we’ve put together this guide to help you explore live and virtual opportunities from NASA’s Science Activation Program for safely enjoying the eclipse and even contributing as a volunteer to…
Read MoreWater-themed plaque to fly on Europa Clipper to Jupiter’s icy ocean moon
A NASA spacecraft dedicated to studying a small ocean world will carry with it a metal plaque etched with the ripples created by the many ways humans say “water.” The Europa Clipper Vault Plate was revealed by NASA on Friday (March 8) at the opening session of the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Texas. Lori Glaze, NASA’s director of planetary science, joined U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón on stage to discuss the intersection of space and art, as well as again hear Limón recite her ode, “In Praise…
Read MoreNASA Expanding Lunar Exploration with Upgraded SLS Mega Rocket Design
A final round of certification testing for production of new RS-25 engines to power the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, beginning with Artemis V, is underway at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Block 1B will also be built to house new-production RS-25 core stage engines that will operate routinely at 111% of their rated power versus the Block 1 RS-25 engines that operate at 109%, providing almost 2,000 more pounds of payload to the Moon. NASA By: Martin Burkey As NASA prepares for its first crewed…
Read MoreSpaceX stacks Starship ahead of 3rd test flight (photos)
SpaceX’s latest Starship megarocket is poised for its highly anticipated liftoff. SpaceX has stacked the 400-foot-tall (122 meters) vehicle on the pad at its Starbase site in South Texas, the company announced via X today (March 12). That post also included two photos of the newly stacked Starship, the biggest and most powerful rocket ever built. Stacking is a big step toward launch, which SpaceX has said could occur as soon as Thursday (March 14). Related: SpaceX fuels up massive Starship megarocket in test for 3rd launch (photos) Another shot…
Read MoreA rare nova ignites a ‘new star’ in the sky this year. Here’s how to see it
A nova outburst visible to the naked eye is expected to decorate the night sky this year, offering a rare skywatching opportunity. The star system offering us this opportunity is known as T Coronae Borealis (T CrB). It’s located some 3,000 light-years away from Earth and consists of a red giant star and a white dwarf that orbit each other. When the white dwarf steals enough stellar material from its red giant companion, it ignites a brief flash of nuclear fusion on its surface, triggering what is known as a…
Read MoreTech Today: Suspended Solar Panels See the Light
2 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System is an example of a concentrated solar power plant, which works by having hundreds of reflective panels heating up a central tower. The problem of keeping sunlight directed at the receiver throughout the day brought Jim Clair to request NASA’s help in validating the suspended design now used in Skysun solar power systems. Credit: Cliff Ho/U.S. Department of Energy In the 80 years since the shocking collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in…
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