This is indeed a remarkably close approach for an asteroid this size. We estimate that an asteroid of this size passes this close to the Earth only once every few decades.Paul Chodas, research scientist for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory • Speaking on DA14, a 150-foot wide asteroid which is expected to make the closest flyby of the planet Earth on record. Estimated for 2:24 PM EST on February 15th, the asteroid will pass us, cosmically speaking, by a razor-thin margin – it’ll be ten times closer to Earth than the orbit of the Moon. Researchers assure there won’t be a collision, however – the asteroid will pass over the Indian Ocean, near Sumatra. source
We think so. Now that we think about it, maybe Mercury is Cookie Monster, or his distant cousin maybe (?), and it’s circling the Sun in hopes of om nom noming some space cookies or something.
Okay, maybe not.
Anyway NASA, thanks for thinking of us.
I’m a scientist. I verify this is accurate. It’s Cookie Moonster.
Dear Jim Henson: Mercury did this in your honor.
Jupiter may have “saved Earth from a devastating cosmic collision” on Monday when it took a hit from what may have been a massive asteroid, resulting in a 100-mile-wide fireball large enough to be caught on film from Earth.
This is the third time since 2009 observers have seen an impact flash on Jupiter’s surface, and some astronomers think the big planet’s gravitational pull serves as a sort of “cosmic shield” for the inner rings of planets — including Earth — “sweeping up incoming objects that would have a deadlier effect” if they were to crash into us. A few scientists think that without Jupiter’s protection, life on Earth wouldn’t have been able to develop.
Watch the collision on Jupiter
Remember folks, it always pays to have a cosmic bodyguard.
I LOOK GOOD A mosaic of photos taken by an imager on NASA’s Curiosity rover shows the underside of the rover and its six wheels, with Martian terrain stretching back to the horizon. The four circular features on the front edge of the rover are the lenses for the left and right sets of Curiosity’s hazard avoidance cameras, or Hazcams. Because of the different perspectives used for different images, some of the borders of the photos don’t line up precisely. (Photo: ASA / JPL via NBC News)
Considering he’s on Mars all by himself, I don’t think we can judge Curiosity for the incomplete camera work.
Listen to the first song from Mars
Hip-hop musician Will.i.am’s “Reach for the Stars” officially became the first song broadcast from Mars today, thanks to a signal beamed from NASA’s Curiosity rover.
“This is the first time that a song’s ever come from another planet,” Leland Melvin, NASA’s associate administrator for education and a former astronaut, told students at an educational event at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
You know, if the aliens come, we should be promoting our highest artistic work. Not the Black Eyed Peas. It’s like introducing Martians to our cinematic history through “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.” I mean, how hard would it have been to put on some John Cage for these folks? You wouldn’t even have had to broadcast anything!
Watch Curiosity land on Mars in full, glorious HD.
There’s a little noise reduction, color balance and sharpening, but this is all Mars, baby. Now that the MARDI descent imager has sent home its full collection of 1600 by 1200 images, NASA could piece together a video of the landing. Missing frames were interpolated using thumbnail data.
MORE MARS:
• 7 Years in 7 Minutes: NASA Engineer Takes Us Inside the Landing
• Obama Mentions ‘Mohawk Guy’ on NASA Call, Gets Mohawk
• Watch Ecstatic NASA Engineers Celebrate as Curiosity Lands
High-resolution Mars will be the coolest thing you’ll see today.
Sweet meteor shower, dude: The peak of the Perseid meteor shower occurred early Sunday morning. Where does the Perseid meteor shower come from? It’s been seen by people “for at least 2,000 years. It occurs each year in late July and early August when the Earth passes through a trail of dust and ice from the comet Swift-Tuttle.” You can maybe catch some more tonight, if you’re lucky to have a dark and clear sky. (Clear skies, dark nights, can’t lose.) source
What the descent was like: Here’s a clip of the Curiosity Rover on its final descent to Mars. It’s a big of a sneak-peek — the hi-res stuff won’t come until later, but the low-res stuff should appease you dudes for now.
Reuters: From the Gale Crater on Mars, NASA’s Curiosity rover sends back its first image of the Martian surface after it lands successfully, it now begins a 2-year mission to search for remnants of life on the red planet’s surface.
Photo: NASA/Curiosity Rover
Just touching the surface. Literally. Dudes, this is so cool.
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#@#$%!.tumblr.com
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Ahead of the Mars Curiosity Rover’s planned landing next week, NASA has released a new introductory video featuring narration from William Shatner and Wil Wheaton. The four-minute video explains the steps involved in the gigantic rover’s landing, and what NASA hopes to accomplish during Curiosity’s time on Mars. The Wheaton-narrated version of the video can be found here. (Video via CoconutScienceLab) source
![thedailywhat:
RIP: Sally Ride, at 61: Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, has died after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 61.
In addition to flying for NASA — “All adventures, especially into new territory, are scary,” she once said – Ride was a physicist and a science writer.
After retiring from space, she founded Sally Ride Science, an organization created to inspire young people, especially girls, to stick with their interest in science, and pursue careers in science and engineering.
[sallyridescience]
Sad news. It always sucks to lose a groundbreaker like Sally. :/](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7mtpkgiHY1qzpwi0o1_500.jpg)
RIP: Sally Ride, at 61: Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, has died after a 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was 61.
In addition to flying for NASA — “All adventures, especially into new territory, are scary,” she once said – Ride was a physicist and a science writer.
After retiring from space, she founded Sally Ride Science, an organization created to inspire young people, especially girls, to stick with their interest in science, and pursue careers in science and engineering.
Sad news. It always sucks to lose a groundbreaker like Sally. :/
Private spacecraft becomes 1st to visit International Space Station
The International Space Station crew successfully captured the SpaceX Dragon capsule with the station’s robotic arm at 9:56 a.m. EDT, NASA says. This is the 1st time a commercial spacecraft has visited the International Space Station.
More updates on breakingnews.com.
Photo: A camera on the International Space Station captures a view of SpaceX’s Falcon cargo spacecraft at a distance of 30 meters. (NASA TV via msnbc.com)
Admit it, it would’ve been funny if a private spacecraft just randomly showed up one day out of the blue with no fanfare.
“Water and stone. Flower and bone: home.”
From the terrestrial to the celestial, from the atomic to the tectonic, discovery is all about pursuing light in some way, isn’t it?
NASA has given us many gifts: Knowledge of this planet and many worlds beyond. At a time when many of their missions, and our sense of wonder and inspiration along with them, are in jeopardy … they remind us of how illuminating science can be.
Pursuit of Light is promotion for NASA, but it’s also promotion for thinking big, and embracing that “Ahhh” feeling. Full screen, HD, sound up.
Share it with someone you love, and stay curious.
Because what’s a good day without having your mind blown at least once?
Copyright 2009-2013 Ernie Smith • Ask us stuff! • E-mail us • Follow us on Twitter • Follow us on Facebook
