TYB
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
Jan 11, 2024
Quadrantids of the North
Named for a forgotten constellation, the Quadrantid Meteor Shower puts on an annual show for planet Earth's northern hemisphere skygazers. The shower's radiant on the sky lies within the old, astronomically obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis. That location is not far from the Big Dipper asterism, known to some as the Plough, at the boundaries of the modern constellations Bootes and Draco. In fact the Big Dipper "handle" stars are near the upper right corner in this frame, with the meteor shower radiant just below. North star Polaris is toward the top left. Pointing back toward the radiant, Quadrantid meteors streak through the night in this skyscape from Jangsu, South Korea. The composite image was recorded in the hours around the shower's peak on January 4, 2024. A likely source of the dust stream that produces Quadrantid meteors was identified in 2003 as an asteroid.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?
NASA’s Webb Finds Signs of Possible Aurorae on Isolated Brown Dwarf
Jan 9, 2024
Astronomers using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope have found a brown dwarf (an object more massive than Jupiter but smaller than a star) with infrared emission from methane, likely due to energy in its upper atmosphere. This is an unexpected discovery because the brown dwarf, W1935, is cold and lacks a host star; therefore, there is no obvious source for the upper atmosphere energy. The team speculates that the methane emission may be due to processes generating aurorae.
These findings are being presented at the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society in New Orleans.
To help explain the mystery of the infrared emission from methane, the team turned to our solar system. Methane in emission is a common feature in gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn. The upper-atmosphere heating that powers this emission is linked to aurorae.
The aurorae’s discovery played out like a detective story. A team led by Jackie Faherty, an astronomer at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, was awarded time with the Webb telescope to investigate 12 cold brown dwarfs. Among those were W1935 – an object that was discovered by citizen scientist Dan Caselden, who worked with the Backyard Worlds zooniverse project – and W2220, an object that was discovered using NASA’s Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer. Webb revealed in exquisite detail that W1935 and W2220 appeared to be near clones of each other in composition. They also shared similar brightness, temperatures, and spectral features of water, ammonia, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. The striking exception was that W1935 showed emission from methane, as opposed to the anticipated absorption feature that was observed toward W2220. This was seen at a distinct infrared wavelength to which Webb is uniquely sensitive.
“We expected to see methane because methane is all over these brown dwarfs. But instead of absorbing light, we saw just the opposite: The methane was glowing. My first thought was, what the heck? Why is methane emission coming out of this object?” said Faherty.
The team used computer models to infer what might be behind the emission. The modeling work showed that W2220 had an expected distribution of energy throughout the atmosphere, getting cooler with increasing altitude. W1935, on the other hand, had a surprising result. The best model favored a temperature inversion, where the atmosphere got warmer with increasing altitude. “This temperature inversion is really puzzling,” said Ben Burningham, a co-author from the University of Hertfordshire in England and lead modeler on the work. “We have seen this kind of phenomenon in planets with a nearby star that can heat the stratosphere, but seeing it in an object with no obvious external heat source is wild.”
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/webb/nasas-webb-finds-signs-of-possible-aurorae-on-isolated-brown-dwarf/
Discovery Alert: Earth-sized Planet Has a ‘Lava Hemisphere’
Jan 10, 2024
The discovery: In a system with two known planets, astronomers spotted something new: a small object transiting across the Sun-sized star. This turned out to be another planet: extra hot and Earth-sized.
Key Facts: The newly-spotted planet, called HD 63433 d, is tidally locked, meaning there is a dayside which always faces its star and a side that is constantly in darkness. This exoplanet, or planet outside of our solar system, orbits around the star HD 63433 (TOI 1726) in the HD 63433 planetary system. This scorching world is the smallest confirmed exoplanet younger than 500 million years old. It's also the closest discovered Earth-sized planet this young, at about 400 million years old.
Details: A team of astronomers analyzed this system using data from NASA's TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite), which spots "transits," or instances where planets cross in front of their star as they orbit, blocking a tiny piece of the starlight. Two planets had already been previously discovered in this planetary system, so to see what else might be lurking in the star's orbit, the team took the data and removed the signals of the two known planets. This allowed them to see an additional signal - a small transit that would reappear every 4.2 days. Upon further investigation, they were able to validate that this was actually a third, smaller planet.
The tidally locked planet is very close to Earth size (it is approximately 1.1 times the diameter of our own planet) and it's orbiting a star that's similar to the size of our Sun (the star is about 0.91 the size and 0.99 the mass of the Sun).
The star in this system is a G-type star, the same type as our Sun. But HD 63433 d orbits much closer to its star than we do, with a minuscule 4.2 day long "year" and extremely high temperatures on its dayside.
Fun Facts: While this newly found planet and its star are just about the size of our own planet and Sun, HD 63433 d is quite different from our home world.
Firstly, it is a very young planet in a very young system. The planetary system itself is about 10 times younger than ours and this 400-million-year-old planet is in its infancy compared to our 4.5-billion-year-old world.
It is also much closer to its star than we are to ours. This planet is 8 times closer to its star than Mercury is to the Sun. Being so close to its star, this dayside of this tidally-locked planet can reach temperatures of about 2,294 Fahrenheit (1,257 Celsius). Being so hot, so close to its star, and so small, this planet likely lacks a substantial atmosphere.
These scorching temperatures are comparable to lava worlds like CoRoT-7 b and Kepler-10 b, and the team behind this discovery thinks that the planet's dayside could be a "lava hemisphere."
The planet's small size, young age, and closeness to its star make it an interesting candidate for further exploration. Follow-up study could confirm the results of this study and potentially reveal more information about the planet's "dark side," and the status of its (possible) atmosphere. As this study states, "Young terrestrial worlds are critical test beds to constrain prevailing theories of planetary formation and evolution."
https://science.nasa.gov/universe/exoplanets/discovery-alert-earth-sized-planet-has-a-lava-hemisphere/
NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to host rave for astronomy geeks with cosmic-themed costumes
Jan. 10, 2024, 2:34 p.m. ET
This party is sure to be far out.
The Kennedy Space Center of Cape Canaveral, Florida is gearing up for a major launch in February — of an after-hours techno rave and costume party among real astronauts at its visitor complex.
“The colors of the cosmos come to life” on the evening of February 2 as the center will glow neon as a DJ bump beats around the iconic attractions and exhibits as partygoers dress up in their best space costumes.
There will also be “cosmic glow mini golf” for the $65 “exclusive” event.
Seasoned National Aeronautics and Space Administration astronauts Chris Ferguson, known for leadership on the International Space Station bound missions, and Nicole Stott, the first astronaut to marvelously paint watercolors in space.
Specialized liftoff libations will also be available.
Main attractions like the space shuttle Atlantis and a SpaceX Falcon9 booster will also remain open — the center says with lower wait times — during three-hour extravehicular activity from 6:30 to 9:30.
The latter is part of a larger exhibit known as Gateway: The Deep Space Launch Complex.
https://nypost.com/2024/01/10/lifestyle/nasas-kennedy-space-center-to-host-rave-for-space-geeks/
Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Joins Starlab Space Board of Directors
11 Jan, 2024, 11:08 ET
Starlab Space, the transatlantic joint venture between Voyager Space (Voyager) and Airbus, today announced Jim Bridenstine will join the company's Board of Directors. The former NASA Administrator will help guide Starlab Space as the company continues toward its vision of building a continuously crewed, free-flying space station.
"Airbus and Voyager are proud to welcome Jim Bridenstine to Starlab's Board of Directors. His unparalleled expertise as a head of agency, decorated veteran, civil servant, and leader across the defense and space industries will be critical to Starlab's success," said Dylan Taylor, Chairman and CEO, Voyager Space. "It's an honor to have him guide our team as we usher in a new era of the commercial space economy."
As NASA's 13th Administrator, Bridenstine led the agency in advancing American aeronautic, science, and space exploration objectives including the introduction of NASA's new human lunar exploration mission, the Artemis program. Prior to serving at NASA, Bridenstine was elected in 2012 to represent Oklahoma's First Congressional District. In Congress he served on the Armed Services and the Science, Space and Technology Committees.
"I'm thrilled to join Starlab's Board of Directors and help lead this joint venture from the start," said Bridenstine. "The future of space exploration is already here, with Starlab at the forefront, and I look forward to contributing meaningfully to the company's powerful mission."
Bridenstine joins Starlab Space on the heels of major program milestones, including completion of the Systems Requirements Review, System Definition Review, and more. Starlab Space also recently announced a teaming agreement with Northrop Grumman, collaboration with the European Space Agency, and two demonstration missions on the International Space Station. Additional key partners include Hilton Hotels and The Ohio State University.
Starlab, a continuously crewed, free-flying space station, will serve a global customer base of space agencies, researchers, and companies, ensuring a continued human presence in low-Earth orbit and a seamless transition of microgravity research from the International Space Station into the new commercial space station era.
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/former-nasa-administrator-jim-bridenstine-joins-starlab-space-board-of-directors-302032882.html
Careful with the technicolor acid.
NASA, US Department of Commerce Expand Minority Business Efforts
JAN 11, 2024
NASA and the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Dec. 28, 2023, to help connect minority businesses to NASA acquisition and development opportunities. Outreach efforts will focus on engaging both minority and other underserved businesses.
With a term of three years, the MOU enables the continuous efforts of both agencies’ longstanding partnership to foster, promote, and develop the nation’s minority business enterprises in the aerospace industry, and highlights the Biden-Harris Administration’s economic investments in the sector. NASA and MBDA have a history of collaboration; this further solidifies a partnership to work towards mitigating barriers to equity.
“At NASA, we explore for the benefit of all humanity, and as we venture deeper into the cosmos, we are dedicated to developing partnerships that bring diverse perspectives and talent to the forefront,” said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. “Creating equitable and inclusive opportunities allows everyone to experience the strategic and economic advantages of exploring space.”
Under the terms of the agreement, the agencies will work together to highlight subject-matter experts within the federal government and private sector who can support initiatives to help minority business enterprises seeking NASA acquisition opportunities. The Minority Development Business Agency will use its network of business centers and programs to promote these opportunities with NASA.
“The Minority Business Development Agency is collaborating with NASA to ensure minority and other underserved businesses have the opportunities to help humanity explore worlds beyond our own,” said Donald Cravins, Jr., Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development. “Through this collaboration, MBDA will work closely with NASA to identify aerospace industry initiatives, support outreach efforts, and foster federal partnership opportunities for the businesses we serve. As opportunities in the aerospace industry continue to expand to new frontiers, MBDA is committed to helping guide federal investments with equity and intention.”
Through this effort, NASA and MBDA aim to boost equitable participation of minority businesses in aerospace technology and scientific discovery by identifying and addressing barriers and policy gaps.
https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-us-department-of-commerce-expand-minority-business-efforts/
UAP bipartisan bill aims to protect pilots reporting sightings
JAN 11, 2024 / 10:26 AM CST
(NewsNation) — A new bipartisan bill announced Thursday looks to encourage commercial pilots to report sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), or unidentified flying objects (UFOs), to the United States government.
The effort — led by Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., and Rep. Glenn Grothman, R-Wisc. — aims to promote safe airspace for Americans by encouraging pilots to report any potential sightings to the government. It would also require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to relay all reports to the Department of Defense’s AARO Office.
The bill will also set up safeguards for all pilots who make these reports to the federal government. It sets up legal safeguards for these claims.
“UAP transparency is incredibly important for our national security, which is why we need to create a space where those in aviation have the ability to report their findings and experiences,” Garcia said. “This bill is another step forward for disclosure and to provide a safe process for UAP reporting by civilian and commercial personnel.”
The Americans for Safe Aerospace, an advocacy organization for aerospace safety and national security, has endorsed this legislation.
ASA executive Ryan Graves, a former U.S. Navy fighter pilot, testified before Congress last summer on his experience with UAPs. During his testimony before the House Oversight Committee, Graves asked Congress to provide safe reporting options for commercial pilots.
“Pilots are trained observers of our skies, but I have heard from dozens of frustrated pilots for major airlines who witnessed UAP yet had no confidential way to report them to the government,” Graves said.
If passed, the bill will enable civilian aircrew, FAA air traffic controllers, flight attendants, maintenance workers, dispatchers, and airlines to report UAP encounters to the FAA. These reports will allow the FAA and DOD to investigate any potential threats to the nation’s airspace.
“All that information should be public,” Garcia said. “It’ll be the first time that aviation personnel and pilots will actually be able to report these UAP encounters to the FAA.”
Last year, whistleblower David Grusch, a former military intelligence officer, came forward publicly in a NewsNation exclusive with allegations that the government is covering up a secret UFO crash retrieval program.
That eventually led to Grusch testifying publicly in Congress. The Pentagon has given Congress a few closed-door briefings since, and they are set to receive another classified briefing Friday from the intelligence community’s inspector general, the same office to which Grusch initially reported his claims. But members who’ve attended the meetings say there have been no bombshells.
“This is a national security issue. This is an issue about transparency, about getting to disclosure,” Garcia said.
“This is not a secret anymore. We now need to get deeper,” UFO reporter Jeremy Corbell said. “This is something that I know for sure has been held back, and that’s what’s really pissed off people in Congress and Senate and our government, is that they’re starting to find out that they’ve been lied to, as well.”
Lawmakers were angered last year by what they said was stonewalling from the defense and intelligence communities in their quest to get more information.
https://www.newsnationnow.com/space/ufo/uap-bipartisan-bill-pilot-protections/
Pentagon’s UAP investigation hub works to reach full operational capability
JANUARY 10, 2024
The Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) is on track to reach full operational capability (FOC) by Sept. 30 — or the end of fiscal year 2024, DefenseScoop confirmed on Tuesday.
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks formally established the office in July 2022 as the Defense Department’s newest one-stop hub for investigating official reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) that could threaten U.S. national security. In past decades, DOD has set up more secretive iterations of teams to study these types of perplexing encounters with what is now essentially considered multi-domain UFOs — but AARO has been more in the spotlight and has received more financial backing than those that came before.
Congress has also placed deep scrutiny on this office and assigned clear responsibilities to advance transparency on this historically taboo topic, including a mandate for AARO to produce and maintain secure mechanisms for current and former DOD officials (and eventually the broader public) to submit reports of possible UAP for assessment.
One of AARO’s top priorities in 2023 was to “codify and staff unit manning document to full-operating capability,” and in August Hicks said she was looking forward to the office “achieving [that status of full operational capability] in fiscal year 2024,” without sharing exactly when.
“AARO is completing personnel hiring for its [fiscal year 2024] authorized billets and is working to ensure adequate facilities for its growing team. AARO is currently on track to reach FOC by the end of FY2024,” Pentagon spokesperson Sue Gough told DefenseScoop in an email on Tuesday.
Gough said in December the still-growing office was employing more than 40 DOD personnel — around the same time AARO’s inaugural director Sean Kirkpatrick retired and leadership was transferred to its new acting chief Tim Phillips.
In the last few months, AARO has continued to add new resources for public consumption to its official government website, such as balloon and satellite trackers and recommended research papers on spherical drones and advanced propulsion systems.
In response to multiple questions from DefenseScoop, Gough did not clarify what AARO needs to accomplish to function at FOC.
“AARO looks forward to reaching its full capabilities to detect, identify, and attribute UAP on or near military installations, operating areas, training areas, special use airspace, and other areas of interest,” she wrote.
https://defensescoop.com/2024/01/10/pentagons-uap-investigation-hub-works-to-reach-full-operational-capability/