Science
Monster robot heads for space station
Astronauts plan to take off for the International Space Station on Tuesday where they will assemble a massive two-armed robot named Dextre. Once built, the 3,400 pound robot will be 12-feet tall and feature 11-foot arms. Dextre was designed by the Canadian Space Agency to conduct external work on the space station. From the Associated Press: “Now I wouldn’t go as far to say that we’re worried it’s going to go run amok and take over the space station or turn evil or anything because we all know how it’s operated and it doesn’t have a lot of its own intelligence,” (astronaut Garrett) Reisman told The Associated Press last week.
Saturn Moon Rhea May Have Rings
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — New observations by a spacecraft suggest Saturn’s second-largest moon may be surrounded by rings. If confirmed, it would the first time a ring system has been found around a moon. The international Cassini spacecraft detected what appeared to be a large debris disk around the 950-mile-wide moon Rhea during a flyby in 2005. Scientists proposed that the halo likely contained particles ranging from the size of grains to boulders.
Shuttle Is Set for an ‘Exciting Mission’
The shuttle Endeavour will light up the skies over Florida early Tuesday, kicking off a busy 16-day mission to the International Space Station.
If weather and the millions of parts that make up the shuttle cooperate, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration will launch the shuttle at 2:28 a.m. from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral.
11 Planets - Do you know ?
If you are having trouble in remembering the newly assigned 11 planets, consider the handy way created by Maryn Smith, a fourth-grader.
Maryn Smith (age 10) , the winner of the National Geographic planetary mnemonic contest, has created a handy way to remember the plants with the phrase:
“My very exciting magic carpet just sailed under nine palace elephants.”
A New Mnemonic For The 11 Planets (Yes, 11)
Congratulations to 10-year-old Maryn Smith of Great Falls, Mont., who won a National Geographic contest that asked contestants to come up with a new mnemonic device to remember the 11 planets that astronomers now recognize in our solar system.
Spray painting the glaciers before they’re gone
Quick! The glaciers are disappearing faster than ever before — so before they’re gone completely, don’t miss your chance to spray paint them with graffiti!
At this point you may be asking yourself: “Huh? What kind of dumbass would want to tag an enormous chunk of disappearing ice?” This kind of dumbass, apparently.
Caught red-handed: the Death Star galaxy that is pulverising planets
A “Death Star galaxy”, in which a powerful jet from a supermassive black hole is blasting thousands if not millions of planets, has been spotted by astronomers for the first time.
In a display of cosmic violence that has never been seen before, the jet of radiation is pummelling a small nearby galaxy, likely damaging or even destroying any planets that might lie in its path.
Death Star Galaxy Blasting Neighbor With Jet
Boston (dbTechno) - Researchers have discovered the 3C321 system which features two galaxies orbiting close to each other, with one shooting at the other literally.
It is being known as the Death Star galaxy as the larger galaxy has been shooting huge powerful jets of energy from its black hole at its center towards the smaller galaxy. The smaller galaxy also has a black hole at its centr.
The Death Star Galaxy
Death Star” galaxy lets rip…
A “Death Star” galaxy, in which a powerful jet from a supermassive black hole is blasting thousands, if not millions, of planets, has been observed by astronomers for the first time (Mark Henderson writes).