Week 33

   TRENDING THIS WEEK

#meteorshowers #meteors #plasma #launches #asteroids

Earth-asteroid Encounters This Week

• Asteroid Date (UT) Distance size (m)
• 
  
• 2016 LY48 2023-Sep-16 5 LD 99
• 2010 TE 2023-Sep-16 6.8 LD 22
• 523598 2023-Sep-20 19.8 LD 239
• 
  

Data from Spaceweather.com

The Perseid meteor shower is still active till 24 August.

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SKY-MAP.ORG

The best click on first arrival to the website is “Getting Started”. You’re given a complete description of what is offered here and how to use the site. An understanding of what the authors of SKY-MAP are trying to achieve is given in the “To Survive In The Universe” section. Education about our universe and the attempt to ‘popularize’ the science about are presented as goals of the project.

A menu bar along the top and the FAQ page should be high on your next place to visit here. Some links don’t work, but the ones that do provide extremely interesting data. The NEWS@SKY presents an interesting way to link to multiple space related news sources. All-in-all this is a fun place to explore.  

Clear Skies

Victor van Wulfen brings us a website “focused on visual astronomy”. Just begin by scrolling down the screen and you’ll discover updates, the blog and feature articles. A fun showcase of ‘Objects of the …” and Observing guides completes the page.

A menu across the top of the site gives you quick access to all the contents. A major portion of the site makes available Clear Skies Observing Guides or CSOG’s. There is a FAQ that explains what CSOG are for and how to use them. There is also a place to login and register for support. The blog is up-to-date and filled with his experiences. Clear Skies is on most social media platforms. 

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In Case You Missed It

Researchers dig deep underground in hopes of finally observing dark matter 

Searching for WIMPS deep underground scientists continue the hunt for dark matter. Here we have a tank of xenon buried almost a mile underground. What will the find?

Crops and Manufacturing Studies as Station Orbits Higher 

Catch up with the latest from the Station. Check out the Space Station Blog.

Scientists record the highest-energy sunlight ever and it is far beyond what they thought was possible 

As more and more sensors and observatories gather data, we are bound to discover just how amazing our universe is. Here we have another look at our sun.

Week 32

  TRENDING THIS WEEK

#meteorshowers #meteors #spacerobotics #asteroids

Earth-asteroid Encounters This Week

• Asteroid Date (UT) Distance size (m)
• 2022 BS2 2023-Aug-11    17.3 LD   30
• 
  

Data from Spaceweather.com

The Perseid meteor shower is still active till 24 August.

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Deep Space Network 

In the beginning, communications with spacecraft were handled by JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory). After JPL was transferred to NASA, NASA developed the Deep Space Network to provide communication services for multiple projects and agencies. DSN does its own research and development and is still operated by JPL.

DSN has three main facilities located equidistant from each other around the world. They provide connections to our spacecraft and are part of NASA's SCaN, the Space Communications and Navigation program. This program also includes the NSN (Near Space Network and TDRS (NSN's Tracking and Data Relay Satellites).

The Vatican Observatory

One of the oldest observatories on the world, the Vatican Observatory is headquartered in Castel Gandolfo. Scientists and scholars from around the world collaborate with the Observatory. The Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope (VATT) located in Arizona is operated by the Vatican Observatory Research Group (VORG).

The Vatican Observatory Foundation promotes astronomical education with members of the Observatory staff making presentations including remote outreach to students and the public. There are podcasts, an image gallery, and links to news items at the website. You can also sign up for their newsletter.

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In Case You Missed It

Near-Earth “Potentially Hazardous” Asteroid Discovered: First Triumph for HelioLinc3D Algorithm

Uncovering asteroids by algorithm will speed up the process of identification and gives astronomers a "bigger, better telescope".

Bold Ascent: NASA’s Mars Curiosity Rover Tackles Its Toughest Climb Yet 

Curiosity continues its climb to Mount Sharp. after 11 years on Mars, the rover continues its work.

Researchers successfully train a machine learning model in outer space for the first time. 

Making satellites more and more autonomous increases their value and extends capabilities. Here's how that's developing.