I know I'm not the only one who likes to read about new planet discoveries and other Space intrigue.  We have a new candidate for life-supporting planets, and like all the others, it's the "best one yet."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/exoplanet-alien-life-search-for-found-habitable-zone-new-earth-20-signs-cetus-sea-monster-a7691576.html

Pretty exciting, really.

6 minutes ago, Atomic said:

I don't think they are necessarily looking for headlines.  The actual scientists will of course publish their findings and do include the fact that much of what they "observe" is based on assumptions and calculations rather than hard evidence.  But by the time the message gets to ordinary people, its been twisted into headlines and soundbites that don't necessarily capture the whole story.

makes sense, youre probably right.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/asteroid-close-flyby-2012-tc4-1.4347501

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Astronomers around the world will turn their eyes to the sky Thursday as a roughly 20-metre-wide asteroid will fly well within the moon's orbit, about 50,000 kilometres above Earth.

While this asteroid currently poses no threat to Earth, scientists are hoping to gather information to refine its orbit. With government agencies, they are also preparing for a day when a similarly sized asteroid could enter Earth's atmosphere.

We're all doomed!!!

https://www.space.com/38444-mars-thruster-design-breaks-records.html

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A thruster that's being developed for a future NASA mission to Mars broke several records during recent tests, suggesting that the technology is on track to take humans to the Red Planet within the next 20 years, project team members said.

Now that's an exciting development!

https://gizmodo.com/scientists-just-found-the-perfect-spot-to-build-an-unde-1819658831

Quote

No doubt, these caverns would be perfect for aspiring lunar colonists. Inside these large holes, humans would be protected from the Sun’s dangerous rays, and other hazards. The Moon has no atmosphere to speak of, so these “instant” shelters would be extremely advantageous.

Interesting news in regard to future hospitable sites on the Moon.

On 02/10/2017 at 12:22 PM, Atomic said:

I don't think they are necessarily looking for headlines.  The actual scientists will of course publish their findings and do include the fact that much of what they "observe" is based on assumptions and calculations rather than hard evidence.  But by the time the message gets to ordinary people, its been twisted into headlines and soundbites that don't necessarily capture the whole story.

Even though it was from the big bang theory, I think they nailed a good point that certain scientific fields need the headlines from time to time to garner more funding otherwise it looks like a stand still and no real reason to keep pushing forward.  They may try to sensationalize their findings or what they are looking for to interest the average person with no real connection to it all but in the end it has to be a sell job to someone

My crew just did the first livefire of a new giant-ass rocket engine. 550K lbs of thrust, designed to change the heavy launch game.

Still a long long way to go before  we can bolt this baby onto a vehicle, but this was the cumulation of years of work and so we are pumped.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/10/blue-origin-has-successfully-tested-its-powerful-be-4-rocket-engine/

Edited October 21, 20178 yr by johnzo

http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/27/us/mystery-object-solar-system-trnd/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4967050/Failed-Beagle-2-lander-Isidis-region-Mars.html

12 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4967050/Failed-Beagle-2-lander-Isidis-region-Mars.html

That's pretty crazy and unfortunate.  probably cost a pretty penny to send, makes it but because signal gets lost it's deemed a failure.  I would have sent a person or 2 along for the ride just to ensure maintenance is maintained 

5 hours ago, Taynted_Fayth said:

That's pretty crazy and unfortunate.  probably cost a pretty penny to send, makes it but because signal gets lost it's deemed a failure.  I would have sent a person or 2 along for the ride just to ensure maintenance is maintained 

lol and how do they get back home???

1 hour ago, Atomic said:

lol and how do they get back home???

Hey if Matt Damon can do it, it should be easy for someone at NASA! ?

4 hours ago, Atomic said:

lol and how do they get back home???

i dunno have one person stay in the orbit craft and once everything is hunky dory with the lander, grab what you can and get back to the ship. Im sure a long enough chord could be hooked up to a little ridable probe that can be towed back to the orbiting ship too if there's concerns with a mars launch to get back.  I'd get candidates that are prepared not to come back at all,  but the plan should be a safe return. It only takes apparently 300 days to fly to mars so your looking at a 2-3 year expedition ultimately

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/astronomers-interstellar-visitor-1.4410477

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Astronomers say they've learned more about the first known object to enter our solar system from deep space, including its size and colour. 

New data from the European Southern Observatory's telescopes and others around the world have revealed that the asteroid — spotted last month, already speeding away from the sun —  is rocky, cigar-shaped and about 400 metres long.

It's believed the interstellar interloper could be one tenth as wide as it is long. 

The researchers were even able to determine its colour: it has a reddish hue.

The discovery was an exciting one for the astronomical community as it was the first recorded visitor from beyond our solar system.

 

it came from Klandathu.... a bug planet.

On 7/17/2017 at 1:10 PM, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Astronomers have detected 'strange signals' that may come from a star 11 light-years away.

https://www.businessinsider.com.au/ross-128-red-dwarf-radio-signals-mystery-2017-7?r=US&IR=T

Whoda thought Ross 128 would make a return to our forums?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/exoplanet-earth-like-temperature-quiet-star-1.4400440

The interesting part to this story is that this star is traveling at a relatively high speed and in the 79000 years will be closer to us then our current closest star. Guess whose coming for dinner?

On a related note Space Nuts is my recommended podcast show for all things out there.

Bring some extra water just in case.

https://mars.nasa.gov/news/recurring-martian-streaks-flowing-sand-not-water/

Edited November 25, 20178 yr by FrostyWinnipeg

Voyager 1 keeps kicking ass.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/12/after-37-years-voyager-has-fired-up-its-trajectory-thrusters/

Its control team just fired up some secondary maneuvering thrusters that have been dormant for 37 years and they responded perfectly.  

This adds 2-3 more years to the V1 mission .. the main thrusters that have kept V1's antennas aligned with Earth so far are starting to crap out, but now they have an alternative.

I think I'm going to throw a wake for V1 when it disappears into the void...

 

 

Edited December 2, 20178 yr by johnzo

3 hours ago, johnzo said:

I think I'm going to throw a wake for V1 when it disappears into the void...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbQ7SMSpSto

 

On ‎11‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 11:29 AM, SPuDS said:

it came from Klandathu.... a bug planet.

Buenos Aires better watch out!

On ‎12‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 5:06 PM, johnzo said:

Voyager 1 keeps kicking ass.

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/12/after-37-years-voyager-has-fired-up-its-trajectory-thrusters/

Its control team just fired up some secondary maneuvering thrusters that have been dormant for 37 years and they responded perfectly.  

This adds 2-3 more years to the V1 mission .. the main thrusters that have kept V1's antennas aligned with Earth so far are starting to crap out, but now they have an alternative.

I think I'm going to throw a wake for V1 when it disappears into the void...

 

 

hey man that stuff they made in the 1970's was built to last, not like the crappy space exploring stuff they are building today....

 

Nobody panic but there may be aliens on the way to visit us.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/technology/news/article.cfm?c_id=5&objectid=11959103

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Could this finally be our first close encounter, the visit from ET we have waited our whole lives for?

Scientists led by Stephen Hawking are today using high-tech scanners to discover if a huge, cigar-shaped space object hurtling through our solar system was sent by an alien civilisation.

The object in question, christened "Oumuamua", is about 400m long, 80m wide and travelling at 315,000km/h. And although it could just be an asteroid, barmy as it may seem, researchers are taking seriously the possibility that it could be a spaceship, according to the Daily Mail.

 

 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/what-to-expect-space-2018-1.4456510

Another exciting year ahead for star gazers!