With its batteries depleted and not enough sunlight available to
recharge, Philae has fallen into 'idle mode' -- a possibly long silence.
In this mode, all instruments and most systems on board are shut down.
"Prior to falling silent, the lander was able to transmit all science
data gathered during the First Science Sequence," says DLR's Stephan
Ulamec, Lander manager, who was in the main control room at ESOC
tonight.
Read more
Saturday 15 November 2014
Sunday 9 November 2014
Rosetta / Philae Live coverage 10 - 13 November 2014
Times in SAST. (Click to enlarge image)
ESA TV News: http://www.esa.int/esatv/
Livestream: http://new.livestream.com/
Rosetta Mission page: http://rosetta.esa.int/
Emily's blog at TPS: http://www.planetary.org/
Source: Auke Slotegraaf
Tuesday 4 November 2014
Seven Mars spacecraft attempted observations of comet Siding Spring.
Seven Mars spacecraft attempted observations of comet Siding Spring. How did they go?
Posted by Emily Lakdawalla
Tuesday 28 October 2014
"Discover!" and "ConCards"
Click on image to enlarge!
Updates for our popular introductory star charts are now available for free download from the ASSA website.
The short "Discover!" workbook is perfect for getting to know the southern constellations. (Tip: Use the workbook in conjuction with the "Southern Star Wheel" for a complete solution.)
To delve deeper into the constellations, and to explore their deep-sky treasures, get your copy of the updated "ConCards".
Thursday 16 October 2014
Sunday 12 October 2014
Rosetta mission - Philae’s descent and science on the surface
The European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission will deploy its lander, Philae, to the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko on 12 November.
Philae’s landing site, currently known as Site J, is located on the smaller of the comet’s two ‘lobes’, with a backup site on the larger lobe. The sites were selected just six weeks after Rosetta arrived at the comet on 6 August, following its 10-year journey through the Solar System
In that time, the Rosetta mission has been conducting an unprecedented scientific analysis of the comet, a remnant of the Solar System’s 4.6 billion-year history. The latest results from Rosetta will be presented on the occasion of the landing, during dedicated press briefings.
The main focus to date has been to survey 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko in order to prepare for the first ever attempt to soft-land on a comet.
Read more...
After the Blood Moon comes the Pumpkin Sun
Click to enlarge!
On October 7, 2014 [Manila time], active regions on the sun gave it the
appearance of a jack-o'-lantern. This image is a blend of 171 and 193
angstrom light as captured by the NASA-Solar Dynamics Observatory.
NASA/GSFC/SDO
Source: GMANews
It looks like the Moon isn't the only heavenly body giving the skies a creepy feel this month.
After last Wednesday's "Blood Moon" comes the "Pumpkin Sun" as captured by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration last Wednesday, October 8.
Last Wednesday, the moon took on a blood-colored appearance during a total lunar eclipse.
"Active regions on the sun combined to look something like a jack-o-lantern’s face on Oct. 8, 2014. The active regions appear brighter because those are areas that emit more light and energy – markers of an intense and complex set of magnetic fields hovering in the sun’s atmosphere, the corona," NASA's Goodard Space Flight Center said.
After last Wednesday's "Blood Moon" comes the "Pumpkin Sun" as captured by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration last Wednesday, October 8.
Last Wednesday, the moon took on a blood-colored appearance during a total lunar eclipse.
"Active regions on the sun combined to look something like a jack-o-lantern’s face on Oct. 8, 2014. The active regions appear brighter because those are areas that emit more light and energy – markers of an intense and complex set of magnetic fields hovering in the sun’s atmosphere, the corona," NASA's Goodard Space Flight Center said.
The Bermuda Triangle of Space: The High-Energy South Atlantic Anomaly Threatens Satellites
Click to enlarge!
Source: DefenceNews
Shortly after launch, the satellite passed over the South Atlantic, and things went awry. The satellite was hit by radiation that sent the sensors reeling and knocked out an electronics board payload. Suddenly, the expensive, specially-designed satellite could no longer do what it was built for.
Read more...
Thursday 2 October 2014
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