TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
Oct 12, 2023
Mu Cephei
Mu Cephei is a very large star. An M-class supergiant some 1500 times the size of the Sun, it is one of the largest stars visible to the unaided eye, and even one of the largest in the entire Galaxy. If it replaced the Sun in our fair Solar System, Mu Cephei would easily engulf Mars and Jupiter. Historically known as Herschel's Garnet Star, Mu Cephei is extremely red. Approximately 2800 light-years distant, the supergiant is seen near the edge of reddish emission nebula IC 1396 toward the royal northern constellation Cepheus in this telescopic view. Much cooler and hence redder than the Sun, this supergiant's light is further reddened by absorption and scattering due to intervening dust within the Milky Way. A well-studied variable star understood to be in a late phase of stellar evolution, Mu Cephei is a massive star too, destined to ultimately explode as a core-collapse supernova.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?
Video Shows Incredible UFO Fleet Flying Over New Mexico
Oct 11, 2023
Here we go with another UFO sighting — and this time it’s an entire fleet.
While on a flight to Los Angeles and flying over New Mexico, an airline passenger caught on video a mysterious group of glowing lights, six to be exact, hovering in the sky. The bizarre sighting reportedly happened in May of this year, coming to light this week with UFO Sightings Daily publishing the video.
Originally, the bright orbs “appeared in three rows stacked two per row,” but “as the objects traveled alongside our aircraft they would slowly form a stagnated straight line.” At an altitude of around 30,000 feet, the plan was located near the town of Taos at the time of the sighting, according to the witness.
“When I first noticed the objects, the lights coming from them appeared a bright yellowish-orange color with a flame-like appearance,” recalled the witness.
“These six objects would eventually enter a large cloud bank,” said the flyer, later saying that at the end of the experience, the lights just “blinked off” and vanished without a trace, rather than “ascend or descend” like a normal aircraft.
We can say these are aliens, we can say this is the government, hell, we can even say this is both, but all I know is that things are getting stranger and stranger, and in the process of everything, we’re having more and more UFO sightings.
And with this one in particular, having a whole fleet, you can’t help but to think of ish like this:
We should totally make a modern-day “Mars Attacks!,” by the way. What a classic.
https://dailycaller.com/2023/10/11/video-ufo-fleet-new-mexico-aliens/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWI7LhX_L-E
What time is the annular solar eclipse on Oct. 14?
The first U.S. location to experience the annular "ring of fire" stage of the eclipse will be Oregon at 9:13 a.m. PT (12:13 p.m. EDT, 1613 GMT) on Oct. 14. Prior to that, the partial eclipse stage of the eclipse begins off the West Coast of the United States at 11:03 EDT (1503 GMT.)
The eclipse will then pass through seven other U.S. states before moving across the Gulf of Mexico and over Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Brazil, making the famous "ring of fire" visible to millions of people.
You can see the whole path of annularity including start and end times for different stages of the solar eclipse at each location in this interactive map created by French eclipse expert Xavier Jubier. NASA has also created a helpful interactive map for those interested in tracking the eclipse across the U.S. down to the last second and seeing what it will look like from select destinations along the route.
If you're not fortunate enough to be able to get to the path of annularity in person, you can watch the eclipse live here on Space.com courtesy of NASA — the livestream will start at 11:30 a.m. EDT (1530 GMT). Keep up to date with the latest eclipse coverage with our annular eclipse live blog.
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon is positioned between the sun and Earth, and casts a shadow on our planet. The moon appears relatively small and does not cover the entire disk of the sun, leaving a thin outer ring commonly referred to as a "ring of fire."
Observers situated within the path of annularity — a 125-mile (200-kilometer) wide track — will experience the "ring of fire," while those just outside the path will see a partial solar eclipse where the moon appears to take a 'bite' out of the sun — pending clear skies of course!
Observers in northeastern Arizona should note that all Navajo Tribal Parks will be closed from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. MDT on October 14, 2023, due to Navajo cultural beliefs. This includes Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, Four Corners Monument Navajo Tribal Park and parts of the Tséyi’ Diné Heritage Area in Canyon de Chelly National Monument.
REMEMBER to NEVER look directly at the sun. To view this solar eclipse safely you must use solar filters at all times. Whether your location will experience a partial solar eclipse or an annular solar eclipse, the dangers are the same. Observers will need to wear solar eclipse glasses, and cameras, telescopes and binoculars must have solar filters placed in front of their lenses at all times.
https://www.space.com/what-time-is-annular-solar-eclipse-2023
Scots UFO investigator and councillor demand answers from UK government over X-Files
UPDATED 11:40, 12 OCT 2023
A Wee County paranormal investigator joined a Falkirk councillor in heading to Downing Street at the weekend to demand that the UK Government reveals what it knows about UFOs.
Malcolm Robinson joined Bonnybridge and Larbert councillor Billy Buchanan for the trip south as the pair seek to convince government officials to make public details of known UFO sightings across the country.
Malcolm, from Sauchie, has been a UFO and paranormal researcher for over 45 years, and in this time has collected a vast amount of data and released a number of books on the topic.
The pair attended at Downing Street on Saturday at 2pm where they handed in a letter to the Prime Minister demanding the government start releasing what they know on UFOs. They then headed over to the Ministry of Defence with a similar letter and then to the House of Commons to hand in letters to the Falkirk area’s two local MPs, asking them to raise a question in the house on behalf of their constituents.
Cllr Buchanan has long fought for more transparency over UFO sightings, with Bonnybridge becoming one of the UK’s UFO sighting hotspots.
Ahead of the planned trip, Malcolm Robinson told the Observer: “I have been a UFO and paranormal researcher for over 45 years, and in this time I have collected a vast amount of data which has shown me, that the subject of UFOs – Unidentified Flying Objects – is most certainly real.
“I accept that the vast majority of UFO reports can easily be identified as having natural explanations, but not them all.
“For many years, the subject of UFOs has been laughed at by not only members of the public, but through various media outlets as well. But now the screw has turned.
“Over the past few years, The Pentagon in America, has finally and openly declared to the American public, that yes, UFOs are ‘real’ and that they have been studying them for years.
“The declassification by the US Department of Defence of footage shot by Navy pilots despatched from the USS Nimitz, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, and the USS Princeton, clearly showed aerial objects whose flight characteristics far outweighed anything that current aircraft can achieve. America have also had this year Congressional hearings devoted to the UFO subject, in which staff from the American armed forces took part – each of whom openly declared to their own UFO observations.
“And let us not forget, that even the prestigious space agency, NASA, even held their own panel looking into UFO sightings this year. The point here is this – the USA have come clean and openly declared that they have a UFO situation in their skies of which they are actively trying to understand.
“It is now time for the British Government to do the same.”
Malcolm and Cllr Buchanan are demanding that the British Government do likewise and open up their own files from both the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the armed forces.
“The UFO situation is not just an American phenomenon, it’s a global one. Both Billy Buchanan and I demand that our elected Prime Minister Rishi Sunak be honest, and up front, and show the British people, that like America, Britain too, has been touched by the UFO presence.
“Rishi Sunak was elected to serve the people, by the people and not shrink from away from any questions put forward to him.”
The pair have previously visited Downing Street to call for more transparency, delivering letters to previous Prime Ministers – John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and David Cameron.
Malcolm continued: “We demand transparency, and we hope that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has the guts to implement a full government enquiry into the UFO situation in Great Britain.
“For not to do so would not be in keeping with his election promise to serve the people of this country with openness and clarity.”
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/scots-ufo-investigator-councillor-demand-31162014
NASA 65th Anniversary: A Journey Beyond the Stars
Oct 12, 2023
Celebrating 65 years, NASA is a symbol of human creativity and exploration. NASA has consistently pushed boundaries, from the historic Apollo missions that landed the first humans on the Moon to the Space Shuttle program that built the International Space Station. Missions like Landsat and Cassini have deepened our understanding of Earth and our solar system. With NASA launching the James Webb Space Telescope, the future holds even more exciting discoveries. Throughout all these adventures, NASA's commitment to exploration and science continues to lead the way.
Today, the Artemis missions herald a new chapter, aiming to return humanity to the Moon and laying robust foundations for expeditions to Mars and beyond. As we honor NASA's storied past, we anticipate a future filled with discoveries, technologies, and deep-space exploration encouraged by a new generation of dedicated explorers. Here's to NASA, commemorating 65 years of cosmic exploration, innovation, and the undying quest to expand our universal frontier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZXdZdW8ZRw
NASA’s Bennu Asteroid Sample Contains Carbon, Water
OCT 11, 2023
Initial studies of the 4.5-billion-year-old asteroid Bennu sample collected in space and brought to Earth by NASA show evidence of high-carbon content and water, which together could indicate the building blocks of life on Earth may be found in the rock. NASA made the news Wednesday from its Johnson Space Center in Houston where leadership and scientists showed off the asteroid material for the first time since it landed in September.
This finding was part of a preliminary assessment of NASA’s OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification and Security – Regolith Explorer) science team.
“The OSIRIS-REx sample is the biggest carbon-rich asteroid sample ever delivered to Earth and will help scientists investigate the origins of life on our own planet for generations to come,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Almost everything we do at NASA seeks to answer questions about who we are and where we come from. NASA missions like OSIRIS-REx will improve our understanding of asteroids that could threaten Earth while giving us a glimpse into what lies beyond. The sample has made it back to Earth, but there is still so much science to come – science like we’ve never seen before.”
Although more work is needed to understand the nature of the carbon compounds found, the initial discovery bodes well for future analyses of the asteroid sample. The secrets held within the rocks and dust from the asteroid will be studied for decades to come, offering insights into how our solar system was formed, how the precursor materials to life may have been seeded on Earth, and what precautions need to be taken to avoid asteroid collisions with our home planet.
Bonus sample material
The goal of the OSIRIS-REx sample collection was 60 grams of asteroid material. Curation experts at NASA Johnson, working in new clean rooms built especially for the mission, have spent 10 days so far carefully disassembling the sample return hardware to obtain a glimpse at the bulk sample within. When the science canister lid was first opened, scientists discovered bonus asteroid material covering the outside of the collector head, canister lid, and base. There was so much extra material it slowed down the careful process of collecting and containing the primary sample.
“Our labs were ready for whatever Bennu had in store for us,” said Vanessa Wyche, director, NASA Johnson. “We’ve had scientists and engineers working side-by-side for years to develop specialized gloveboxes and tools to keep the asteroid material pristine and to curate the samples so researchers now and decades from now can study this precious gift from the cosmos.”
Within the first two weeks, scientists performed “quick-look” analyses of that initial material, collecting images from a scanning electron microscope, infrared measurements, X-ray diffraction, and chemical element analysis. X-ray computed tomography was also used to produce a 3D computer model of one of the particles, highlighting its diverse interior. This early glimpse provided the evidence of abundant carbon and water in the sample.
“As we peer into the ancient secrets preserved within the dust and rocks of asteroid Bennu, we are unlocking a time capsule that offers us profound insights into the origins of our solar system,” said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator, University of Arizona, Tucson. “The bounty of carbon-rich material and the abundant presence of water-bearing clay minerals are just the tip of the cosmic iceberg. These discoveries, made possible through years of dedicated collaboration and cutting-edge science, propel us on a journey to understand not only our celestial neighborhood but also the potential for life’s beginnings. With each revelation from Bennu, we draw closer to unraveling the mysteries of our cosmic heritage.”
For the next two years, the mission’s science team will continue characterizing the samples and conduct the analysis needed to meet the mission’s science goals. NASA will preserve at least 70% of the sample at Johnson for further research by scientists worldwide, including future generations of scientists. As part of OSIRIS-REx’s science program, a cohort of more than 200 scientists around the world will explore the regolith’s properties, including researchers from many U.S. institutions, NASA partners JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), CSA (Canadian Space Agency), and other scientists from around the world. Additional samples will also be loaned later this fall to the Smithsonian Institution, Space Center Houston, and the University of Arizona for public display.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-bennu-asteroid-sample-contains-carbon-water/