Jan 22

New Asteroid-Mining Venture to Be Unveiled Tuesday

A new asteroid-mining company will unveil itself to the world on Tuesday (Jan. 22) and is expected to present an ambitious plan to exploit the resources of deep space.

The new private spaceflight company, called Deep Space Industries, Inc., will reveal its plans at 1 p.m. EST (1800 GMT) Tuesday at the Santa Monica Museum of Flying in California. The new company is the second audacious project aimed at tapping the myriad riches that asteroids harbor.

Deep Space seeks to launch “the world’s first fleet of commercial asteroid-prospecting spacecraft,” according to a press advisory the company sent to reporters. “Deep Space is pursuing an aggressive schedule and plans on prospecting, harvesting and processing asteroids for use in space and to benefit Earth.”

The company has revealed few other details thus far. It is led by David Gump, who has been involved in a number of commercial spaceflight ventures. For example, Gump headed up the now-defunct LunaCorp, a privately funded mission that sought to land a rover on the moon.

Deep Space will have some stiff competition in the asteroid-mining business — a firm called Planetary Resources, which had its own unveiling last April.

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Jan 20

Virtual Star Party – Jan. 20, 2013

By: Dan Brandon, River Bend Astronomy Club

The virtual Star Party hosted by Fraser Cain from Universe Today. is a Google+ Hangout event that happens every Sunday (Weather Permitting) where they bring live video and almost live images of the night sky. Fraser Cain is joined by a panel of astronomy and physics professional and amateurs a like. Some have telescopes and other just bring their knowledge and a very “geeky” but funny sense of humor. They also take questions and request.

So if you enjoy this subscribe to Universe Today’s YouTube channel.

Jan 20

See Jupiter and Moon Shine Dazzlingly Close Together Monday

by Joe Rao, SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist
 
 

Stargazers looking up as darkness falls on Monday (Jan. 21) will notice an eye catching pairing-off between two of the brightest objects in the nighttime sky, weather permitting.

The moon, appearing as a waxing gibbous phase, 78 percent illuminated, will appear to stand close below a very bright, non-twinkling, silvery “star.” But it won’t be a star that will be keeping the moon company on America’s Inauguration Night, but the largest planet in our solar system: Jupiter.

Across much of the United States and southern Canada, this will be closest that the moon and Jupiter will appear relative to each other until the year 2026. On Monday night, the moon will be about of 248,700 miles (400,500 kilometers) from Earth, while Jupiter will be nearly 1,664 times farther out in space at a distance of 413.8 million miles (665.9 million km).

During Monday’s stargazing event, observers have the chance to see what astronomers call an appulse — a very close approach of the moon to Jupiter. An appulse is a phenomenon caused by perspective only. There is no close physical approach in space between the two objects involved. Astronomers insist that appulses have no direct effect on the Earth.

  

The moon, moving around the Earth in an easterly direction at roughly its own diameter each hour, will creep slowly toward and ultimately pass just below the giant planet. Jupiter, meanwhile, will be shining about three times brighter than the brightest star, Sirius, offering a commanding sight for stargazers despite its close proximity to the moon. [Amazing Stargazing Photos for January]

 

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