James Cook and the Transit of Venus

Source - NASA Science News for June 2, 2012

What's the best reason to observe the 2012 Transit of Venus? It could be history. Today's story from Science@NASA recounts one explorer's role in "the Apollo program of the 18th Century."

The full story can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/02jun_jamescook/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Lx4fC42KI




(Sorry, but this looks like a duplicate video from NASA) 

The ISS Transit of Venus

Source - NASA Science News for May 31, 2012

High above Earth, astronaut Don Pettit is about to become the first human to witness and photograph a transit of Venus from space. His images and commentary will be streamed to Earth during the crossing.

The full story can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/31may_isstransitofvenus/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5Lx4fC42KI

Astronomers Predict Titanic Collision: Milky Way vs. Andromeda

Source - NASA Science News for May 31, 2012

NASA astronomers announced today they can now predict with certainty the next major cosmic event to affect our galaxy, sun, and solar system: the titanic collision of our Milky Way galaxy with neighboring Andromeda.

FULL STORY: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/31may_andromed

Small Asteroid Buzzes Earth on May 29th

Source - Space Weather News for May 29, 2012: http://spaceweather.com

ASTEROID FLYBY: A small asteroid is flying past Earth today inside the orbit of geosynchronous satellites and only 14,000 km above the surface of our planet. Named "2012 KT42," the 3- to 10-meter wide space rock ranks #6 on the top-20 list of known close-approachers to Earth, which makes it significant despite its small size.  More information and images may be found on http://spaceweather.com .

OWN YOUR OWN SPACE ROCK:  Authentic meteorites, including meteorite jewelry, are on sale now in the Space Weather Store:  http://shopspaceweather.com

Big Picture Science for 05/28/12 - Mass Transits

Big Picture Science - Mass Transits

On June 5, our sister planet Venus will slowly slide across the face of the sun. This will be the last transit of Venus until 2117, so there’s no subsequent chance to observe this celestial spectacular for anyone alive today.

Join us for a special episode devoted to this rare event. Two centuries ago, nations were locked in a race to be the first to measure the Venus transit. From the first observation by the “father” of British astronomy to Captain Cook’s Tahitian expedition in the 18^th century, meet the pioneers who were trying to nail down the scale of the cosmos

Plus, tips for observing the 2012 transit … how the Kepler spacecraft uses transits to detect Earth-like worlds … and could there be life floating in Venusian clouds?

Guests:

• Jay Pasachoff – Astronomer, Williams College
• Peter Aughton – Astronomer and author of The Transit of Venus: The Brief, Brilliant Life of Jeremiah Horrocks, Father of British Astronomy
• Nick Lomb – Former Curator of Astronomy, Sydney Observatory, and author of Transit of Venus: 1631 to the Present
• Andrea Wulf – Author of Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens
• David Grinspoon – Curator of Astrobiology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science
• Jon Jenkins – Lead analyst with the Kepler Mission and senior scientist with the SETI Institute

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/Mass_Transits

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.

Partial Eclipse of the Strawberry Moon

Source - NASA Science News for May 28, 2012

On Monday, June 4th, the Moon will pass through the shadow of Earth, producing a partial lunar eclipse visible across the Pacific from China to the United States.

The full story can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/28may_strawberry/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aszUiI6J-L8

NASA Showered with Bold New Concepts for Mars Exploration

Source - NASA Science News for May 24, 2012

NASA's call to scientists and engineers to help plan a new strategy to explore Mars has resulted in a flurry of unique and bold ideas, almost doubling the number of expected submissions. Some of the best concepts will be discussed at an upcoming workshop on Mars exploration.

FULL STORY: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/24may_newconcepts/

Amateur Astronomers Photograph Dragon Chasing the ISS

Source - Space Weather News for May 24, 2012: http://spaceweather.com

DRAGON RENDEZVOUS: As SpaceX's Dragon capsule approaches the International Space Station for a historic docking on May 25th, amateur astronomers have been taking pictures of the two spaceships converging.   Their photos and more information about the Dragon-ISS rendezvous are highlighted on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com

Readers, are you ready to see the Dragon? Download Spaceweather's Satellite Tracker for a schedule of flybys over your location: http://simpleflybys.com

Big Picture Science for 05/21/12 - To Earth and Back

Big Picture Science - To Earth and Back

We are all Martians … or could be, if, billions of years ago, Red Plant microbes fell to Earth and eventually evolved to us. Okay, that one’s a big “if.” But microbes can survive space travel. Meet the NASA officer whose task is to keep Earth, Mars – and the entire solar system –safe from hitchhiking bacteria.

And, even if we’re not Martians (darn!), did life once thrive on the Red Planet … and does it still today?

Plus, why meteorites may be happy habitats for life.

Guests:

• Catharine Conley – NASA planetary protection officer
• Chris McKay – Planetary scientist, NASA Ames Research Center
• Paul Davies – Director of the BEYOND: Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University
• Aaron Burton – Astrobiologist, NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center
• Debbie Kolyer – Grants Manager, SETI Institute

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/To_Earth_and_Back

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.

Solar Eclipse this Weekend

Source - Space Weather News for May 18, 2012: http://spaceweather.com

ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE: On Sunday, May 20th, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, producing a "ring of fire" solar eclipse visible across the Pacific side of Earth from China to the United States. Observing tips, visibility maps, and links to live webcasts may be found at http://spaceweather.com.

GET READY FOR THE TRANSIT OF VENUS:  Explore Scientific's White Light Solar Observing System offers a great view of sunspots, eclipses, and once-in-a-lifetime planetary transits.  It's available now in the Space Weather Store: http://www.shopspaceweather.com/

Coming Soon: The 2012 Transit of Venus

Source - NASA Science News for May 18, 2012

It won't happen again until December 2117. On June 5th, 2012, Venus will transit the face of the sun. The best places to watch are in the mid-Pacific, but travel is not required. The historic event is widely visible around the world, including at sunset from the USA.

The full story can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/18may_venustransit/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nXv9YvkNyA

A New Count of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids

Source - NASA Science News for May 16, 2012

NASA has just released a new count of asteroids that come close to the orbit of Earth and could survive entry through our planet's atmosphere. The data, gathered by an infrared space telescope named WISE, reveal important new information about the origin and make-up of these potentially hazardous space rocks.

FULL STORY: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/16may_pha/

Solar Eclipse this Weekend

Source - NASA Science News for May 15, 2012

On Sunday, May 20th, the Moon will pass in front of the Sun, producing an annular solar eclipse visible across the Pacific side of Earth from China to the United States.

The full story can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/15may_sunday/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YX2blo1eRk

Chinese Space Station Transits the Sun

Source - Space Weather News for May 14, 2012: http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR TRANSIT: A photographer in France has caught China's experimental space station, the Tiangong-1, passing directly in front of the sun.  The photo shows the winged spacecraft backlit by hot plasma as it flits across the solar disk in the neighborhood of giant sunspot AR1476.  Check it out on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

TIANGONG-1 SIGHTINGS:  The Tiangong-1 is much smaller than the International Space Station.  Nevertheless, it can be seen with the naked eye shining in the night sky as brightly as the stars of the Big Dipper.  Download the Simple Flybys app for sighting opportunities in your neighborhood: http://simpleflybys.com

Big Picture Science for 05/14/12 - That's So Random!

Big Picture Science - That's So Random!

ENCORE Random is as random does… makes sense doesn’t even that anyway in tune hear to randomness how lives rules.

Brain chaos the drives, restoration role of help insight ecology may into randomness the, numbers sense of make statistics can’t why we or, ants not seem of erratic behavior why the may but is.

Guests:

• Leonard Mlodinow – Theoretical physicist and author of The Drunkard’s Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives (Vintage)
• Jon Chase – Biologist and director of the Tyson Research center at Washington University in St. Louis
• Lori Marino – Evolutionary biologist, Emory University
• Deborah Gordon – Biologist, Stanford University
• John Beggs – Physicist, Indiana University at Bloomington

First released January 10, 2011

Permalink: http://radio.seti.org/episodes/That_s_So_Random_

You can listen to this and other episodes at http://radio.seti.org/, and be sure to check out Blog Picture Science, the companion blog to the radio show.