Blogs
Guest blogs from 2014
Why Cosmos should matter, especially to Hollywood
Posted by Taryn O'Neill on 2014/03/07 01:52 CST | 2 comments
For a town dependent on Stars, there are far too few people here who look up at the sky. But come this Sunday, March 9, the epic series of science, space and humanity will return: Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. Why does it matter for Hollywood, specifically? I'll tell you why it will. And then why it should.
Hypervelocity Cratering and Riding Out the Risk
Posted by ESA Mars Express Team on 2014/03/06 07:34 CST
Today's update from the Mars Express team contains the realisation that, for some of the risks associated with October's Siding Spring flyby, there may not be much the team can do.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Cruises Through Winter Solstice, Into Year 11
Sols 3564 - 3590
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/03/05 01:32 CST
The Mars Exploration Rover mission put its 10th anniversary in the rear view mirror in February and roved on into its 11th year of surface operations at Endeavour Crater.
Space is really, really big – except sometimes it isn’t
Posted by ESA Mars Express Team on 2014/03/04 11:19 CST
Here's the next installment in the continuing story of how the Mars Express team is preparing for Comet Siding Spring flyby, 19 October 2014. This week: introducing the spacecraft's subsystems and structure – and wondering how we can absorb impacts.
Eyes and stopwatch are all that are needed to help measure an invisible asteroid
Posted by Ted Blank on 2014/03/03 01:04 CST
Would you like to be part of one of the largest citizen-science efforts in the history of astronomy? The International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA) invites you to join in the campaign to observe and time the best and brightest asteroid occultation ever predicted to occur over a populated area – and no telescope is required!
Dawn Journal: Maneuvering Around Ceres
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/03/03 06:00 CST | 2 comments
Continuing its daring mission to explore some of the last uncharted worlds in the inner solar system, Dawn remains on course and on schedule for its rendezvous with dwarf planet Ceres next year.
Comet Siding Spring Mars encounter: Why orienting Mars Express is the heart of the challenge
Posted by ESA Mars Express Team on 2014/02/28 12:25 CST
Today's post continues where we started last week with an update from the Mars Express Flight Control Team at ESOC on their preparations for the 19 October Comet Siding Springs flyby. Today: defining the challenge!
Reflecting on NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement mission, launching today
Posted by J. Marshall Shepherd on 2014/02/27 11:31 CST | 2 comments
Former deputy project scientist and current science team member J. Marshall Shepherd tells us why missions like NASA's Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) are vital to our way of life.
Mars Express team readies for Siding Spring
Posted by ESA Mars Express Team on 2014/02/26 01:31 CST | 3 comments
On Sunday, 19 October 2014, at around 18:30 UTC, comet C/2013 A1 – known widely as 'Siding Spring' after the Australian observatory where it was discovered in January 2013 – will make a close fly-by of Mars.
Field Report From Mars: Sol 3572 – February 10, 2014
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/02/25 12:49 CST | 5 comments
Opportunity is still exploring an outcrop high up on Murray Ridge as the winter solstice on Mars approaches. At this location the tilts are good, so Opportunity is getting excellent solar input on its solar panels.
Field Report From Mars: Sol 3556 – January 24, 2014
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/02/25 12:18 CST
Today is the tenth anniversary of Opportunity's landing on Mars. Here at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, we just opened a tenth anniversary exhibit.
Field Report From Mars: Sol 3519 - December 18, 2013
Posted by Larry Crumpler on 2014/02/25 11:55 CST
Opportunity arrived at the location that has been the target of all this climbing since late last (Earth) summer. We will settle in for some detailed work on the outcrop here since this appears to be something different from the impact breccias that we have been seeing along the ridge crest.
A Spin Through the Inner Solar System
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/02/24 09:57 CST | 1 comments
Animated maps of the planets show the spheres in motion.
Sand Waves in the Desert
or “Pet Peeves and Deciphering Climate Change in the Solar System”
Posted by Lori Fenton on 2014/02/21 03:19 CST | 1 comments
I have a pet peeve: the words dune and ripple are often used interchangeably, although they are quite distinct from one another. So what’s the difference between aeolian dunes and ripples? And why should anybody care?
Mission to a Metallic World: A Discovery Proposal to Fly to the Asteroid Psyche
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/02/19 07:45 CST | 1 comments
Imagine flying deep within the asteroid belt to study the most unreachable location in the solar system: the deep core of a terrestrial world.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/02/17 02:45 CST | 2 comments
Upcoming deep space missions will venture right to the heart of the Solar System.
Posted by Daniel Macháček on 2014/02/13 10:03 CST | 7 comments
Cassini flew past Phoebe on June 11, 2004, on its way to entering Saturn orbit. The flyby was almost perfect but overexposure of some images have prevented color mosaics from being produced. Even though Phoebe's body is gray and dull in color, the absence of color images always provoked me. By using VIMS data, I have now produced color mosaics.
Posted by Craig Hardgrove on 2014/02/12 04:19 CST | 3 comments
Planetary scientist Craig Hardgrove takes a look at what NASA really does for humanity.
Behind-the-scenes story of Yutu: Promoting space exploration in China
Posted by Quanzhi Ye on 2014/02/11 12:24 CST
Promoting the story of Yutu to the Chinese public through social media: a successful case of science outreach.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/02/10 08:04 CST | 1 comments
Exploring a set of newly named hills on Mars reveals tantalizing clues to the planet's story.
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/02/08 08:36 CST | 5 comments
To paraphrase Forrest Gump, the Discovery program is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re going to get. The creativity of the scientific community has given us a wide assortment of missions in the past and is likely to surprise and delight us again.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Opportunity Finds Mystery Rock, Mission Celebrates 10 Years
Sols 3534 - 3563
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/02/07 01:22 CST
In the storied history of the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) mission, January 2014 will likely be remembered as one of the most memorable months of all.
Curiosity update, sols 521-533: Assessing Dingo Gap
Posted by Ken Herkenhoff on 2014/02/04 05:08 CST | 3 comments
While continuing to perform regular wheel health assessments, Curiosity took a sharp right turn and headed for Dingo Gap. On sol 533, they performed a "toe dip" that parked the rover atop the dune with a good view down into the valley.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/02/03 10:49 CST | 5 comments
Portraits of a planet.
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/02/01 10:58 CST | 4 comments
The majority of Dawn's time in the Ceres approach phase will be devoted to continuing ion-powered flight. Let’s take another look at how this remarkable technology is used to deliver the adventurer to the desired orbit around Ceres.
A new comet observing campaign for C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring)
You thought you were rid of us...but we're baa-aaack!
Posted by Karl Battams on 2014/01/27 11:22 CST
You thought you were rid of us...but we're back! Following the spectacular and, quite frankly unprecedented, success of the Comet ISON Observing Campaign, we are launching a similar venture for another unique cometary encounter that's happening this year. In October 2014, comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) will pass extremely close to Mars.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/01/27 01:23 CST | 3 comments
Striking terrain discovered by the MESSENGER probe.
New Horizons: Updates From the January 2014 Science Team Meeting, Part 2
Posted by Ted Stryk on 2014/01/24 01:16 CST | 3 comments
Ted Stryk reports on the status of the New Horizons mission from the mission's latest Science Team Meeting. Updates include the status of the Kuiper Belt target search and the use of ALMA to refine Pluto's ephemeris.
New Horizons: Updates From the Science Team Meeting, Part 1
Posted by Ted Stryk on 2014/01/23 06:15 CST | 1 comments
Ted Stryk reports on the status of the New Horizons mission from the mission's latest Science Team Meeting.
Russia's Ambitious Planetary Exploration Goals
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/01/22 11:58 CST | 5 comments
Roscosmos has ambitious planetary exploration plans in the coming decades, including a series of solo lunar missions and joint missions to Mars with the European Space Agency.
Curiosity update, sols 488-520: Steady driving while watching the wheels
Posted by Ken Herkenhoff on 2014/01/22 03:38 CST | 1 comments
In the last month, Curiosity put 222 meters on the odometer in 12 short drives, while regularly assessing the wheels for damage. The rover performed touch-and-go analyses of rocks including Oneida and Kodak, and also took some ChemCam RMI mosaics of rocks near the base of Mount Sharp.
Rosetta update from mission control
Posted by Daniel Scuka on 2014/01/21 01:37 CST | 3 comments
We spoke with (a slightly tired but hugely happy) Rosetta Spacecraft Operations Manager Andrea Accomazzo earlier this afternoon and he reports the spacecraft is doing fine!
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/01/20 12:03 CST | 3 comments
The latest postcards from Mars Express feature cloudy skies.
Dry Ice Snowfall at the Poles of Mars
Posted by Paul Hayne on 2014/01/16 11:23 CST | 1 comments
Paul Hayne takes a look at the mysterious polar caps of Mars, and what it would be like to ski there.
Do you want to learn more about the Universe?
Posted by Matthew Francis on 2014/01/15 12:08 CST
CosmoAcademy — a project from the CosmoQuest educational and citizen-science group — is offering three new online classes: Introduction to Dark Matter, Introduction to Astronomy via Color Imaging, and Life Beyond Earth: Introduction to Astrobiology.
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/01/13 12:46 CST | 5 comments
When sent from deep space, even imperfect images can inform and amaze.
Europa New Frontiers Mission? (Or why I like the Europa Clipper concept even more now)
Posted by Van Kane on 2014/01/07 05:14 CST | 3 comments
Europa remains a top priority for a future mission to explore whether it could host life. While the Europa Clipper mission, remains the current front runner, a senior NASA manager has suggested that the agency may look at still lower cost options. Van Kane looks at what those options might be.
Mars Exploration Rovers Update: Mission Nears 10-Year Milestone, Oppy Roves On, We Look Back on 2013
Sols 3503–3533
Posted by A.J.S. Rayl on 2014/01/07 02:00 CST
Opportunity wrapped a landmark year in December, sending home more evidence of ancient habitable environments at Endeavour Crater as the Mars Exploration Rovers (MER) mission geared up to celebrate an historic milestone – the completion of 10 years of surface operations on the Red Planet.
The Last Flight of the Original Space Ranger
Posted by Bill Dunford on 2014/01/06 07:13 CST | 10 comments
Remembering the Moon's first extreme close-up.
Dawn Journal: Planning for the Ceres Approach Phase
Posted by Marc Rayman on 2014/01/01 10:43 CST | 4 comments
Now more than halfway through its journey from protoplanet Vesta to dwarf planet Ceres, Dawn is continuing to use its advanced ion propulsion system to reshape its orbit around the sun. Now that the ship is closer to the uncharted shores ahead than the lands it unveiled astern, we will begin looking at the plans for exploring another alien world.
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