Category: The Moon

Our moon

Black hole singularities defy physics. New research could finally do away with them.

NeRD

Black holes are some of the most enigmatic objects in the universe, capable of deforming the fabric of space around them so violently that not even light can escape their gravitational grip. But it turns out, much of what scientists know about these mysterious objects could be wrong. According to new research, published in April in the journal Physical Review D, black holes could actually be entirely different celestial entities known as gravastars. “Gravastars are hypothetical astronomical objects that were introduced [in 2001] as alternatives to black holes,” study co-author…

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This Week In Space podcast: Episode 112 —Mars on Pause?

NeRD

On Episode 112 of This Week In Space, Rod and Tariq talk with Rob Manning, Chief Engineer Emeritus of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, about Mars exploration and, in particular, Mars Sample Return. As we discussed in episode 107, that project is in a bit of trouble. Rob was the Chief Engineer of every Mars rover up through Perseverance and the overall Chief Engineer on Perseverance, and he has some unique insights on how we have explored Mars, why it matters, and what the future holds… especially with regard to returning…

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Towel Day 2024: What’s the deal with towels in ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?’

NeRD

Today is Towel Day, that officially recognized revelry of rags that breaks out each year on May 25 amid the quirky fandom of author Douglas Adams and his satirical 1979 sci-fi masterpiece, “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” If you don’t understand all this fuss about towels, don’t panic! We’ve got you covered. This special occasion is meant to honor Adams’ life and the legacy of laughs he left behind in the wake of that most irreverent of all interstellar reference materials,  “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” The 1979…

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A billionaire hopes to upgrade the Hubble Telescope on a private SpaceX mission, but could it really happen?

NeRD

NASA’s iconic Hubble observatory still has years of life left in it, and there are ideas in the works to perhaps keep it going for longer — but those proposals may be facing uphill battles. The Hubble Space Telescope, launched in 1990, has been serviced five times by astronauts and remains in good health. But the telescope is aging and slowly falling toward Earth through natural drag from the atmosphere, so billionaire entrepreneur and private astronaut Jared Isaacman helped spearhead a proposal to send a maintenance mission to the telescope…

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How can we protect satellites in Earth-moon space? This new software could help

NeRD

As the space around Earth becomes increasingly cluttered with human-made junk, scientists are ramping up their efforts to safeguard satellites in real time. The latest in that effort are new algorithms being developed at the University of Central Florida (UCF) to automatically monitor and protect spacecraft from bumping into satellites and asteroids in cislunar space — the realm between Earth and the moon, which is under the gravitational influence of both celestial bodies.  Because cislunar space is so vast, tracking and predicting the orbits of satellites, spent rocket stages and…

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‘The first time I read the script … I sobbed.’ ‘Atlas’ stars Jennifer Lopez and Sterling K. Brown on AI paranoia and their film’s emotional core’ (exclusive)

NeRD

Strap in for a heavy metal romp of interstellar proportions as Netflix’s big budget sci-fi spectacle, “Atlas,” stomps onto the streaming service starting today (May 24).  “Atlas” is directed by Brad Peyton (“San Andreas,” “Rampage”) and stars Jennifer Lopez, Sterling K. Brown, Simu Liu and Mark Strong. Centered around the hunt for a rogue android terrorist named Harlan (Liu) who flees Earth after a devastating attack on humanity, this $100 million action flick features an AI specialist named Atlas Shepherd (Lopez) who insists on joining the seek-and-destroy mission alongside gung-ho…

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Asteroid-bound Psyche spacecraft fires up ion thrusters, starts cruising through space

NeRD

NASA’s mission to the metal-rich asteroid 16 Psyche has fired up its ion engines and is now cruising across the solar system under the power of solar-electric propulsion. The launch of the spacecraft, which is also called Psyche, on October 13, 2023 gave it enough of an initial boost to take it across more than 190 million miles (300 million kilometers) of space, which is beyond the orbit of Mars.  Now, however, its onboard ion engines have taken over the job of acceleration. They work by converting sunlight into electricity…

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1st astronaut launch of Boeing’s Starliner capsule now targeted for June 1

NeRD

Boeing is now targeting June 1 for the first crewed launch of its Starliner capsule, though that date is far from set in stone. The flight date for the mission, called Crew Flight Test (CFT), has been in considerable flux recently. It had been scheduled to lift off on May 6 atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, but that try was called off about two hours before launch due to a misbehaving valve in the rocket’s upper stage.  ULA…

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See May’s Full Flower Moon blossom in the night sky tonight

NeRD

The full moon of May 2024 rides the Scorpion’s back across the night sky tonight. The Full Flower Moon will be in the Scorpius constellation tonight (May 23), rising in the southeast just after sunset. Because full moons occur when the sun and the moon are completely opposite one another in the sky, the moon will rise at sunset and set with the sunrise the following morning. Because of its location in the sky tonight, the Full Flower Moon makes for an excellent guide to help you learn the stars…

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Telescope deal: Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ now under $200

NeRD

If you’re new to astronomy, getting the Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ telescope for under $200 could be ideal for you. It’s well-suited for beginners and this price point is cheaper than a lot of the best telescopes. Save $40 and get the Celestron StarSense Explorer LT 114AZ for under $200 on Amazon.  Celestron is an industry leader when it comes to optics and this is apparent with this scope as it features a 114mm aperture with reflective coatings on the primary mirror. The telescope works in tandem with the…

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