Mar 23
There seems to be a lot of stories going around about NASA canceling education and public outreach. If this is true it would be a bad thing for us all! I have put together some links to different stories talking about this topic. So take some time, read and see what you think.
I just hope NASA and our government realize how important it is to continue to bring space and science to the public.
Mar 23
Cosmoquest has launched its Mercury Mappers beta program. This is where normal every day people can get involved in mapping the planet Mercury, you can assist MESSENGER mission scientists identify craters, boulders, and other features. If you have ever had an interest in helping the science community Cosmoquest is a great place to get involved so go give them a visit and get busy!
Mar 22
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PASADENA, Calif. — The Planck space mission has released the most accurate and detailed map ever made of the oldest light in the universe, revealing new information about its age, contents and origins.
Planck is a European Space Agency mission. NASA contributed mission-enabling technology for both of Planck’s science instruments, and U.S., European and Canadian scientists work together to analyze the Planck data.
The map results suggest the universe is expanding more slowly than scientists thought, and is 13.8 billion years old, 100 million years older than previous estimates. The data also show there is less dark energy and more matter, both normal and dark matter, in the universe than previously known. Dark matter is an invisible substance that can only be seen through the effects of its gravity, while dark energy is pushing our universe apart. The nature of both remains mysterious.
“Astronomers worldwide have been on the edge of their seats waiting for this map,” said Joan Centrella, Planck program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “These measurements are profoundly important to many areas of science, as well as future space missions. We are so pleased to have worked with the European Space Agency on such a historic endeavor.”
The map, based on the mission’s first 15.5 months of all-sky observations, reveals tiny temperature fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background, ancient light that has traveled for billions of years from the very early universe to reach us. The patterns of light represent the seeds of galaxies and clusters of galaxies we see around us today.
