NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Jan 23, 2024

Deep Nebulas: From Seagull to California

How well do you know the night sky? OK, but how well can you identify famous sky objects in a very deep image? Either way, here is a test: see if you can find some well-known night-sky icons in a deep image filled with faint nebulosity. This image contains the Pleiades star cluster, Barnard's Loop, Horsehead Nebula, Orion Nebula, Rosette Nebula, Cone Nebula, Rigel, Jellyfish Nebula, Monkey Head Nebula, Flaming Star Nebula, Tadpole Nebula, Aldebaran, Simeis 147, Seagull Nebula and the California Nebula. To find their real locations, here is an annotated image version. The reason this task might be difficult is similar to the reason it is initially hard to identify familiar constellations in a very dark sky: the tapestry of our night sky has an extremely deep hidden complexity. The featured composite reveals some of this complexity in a mosaic of 28 images taken over 800 hours from dark skies over Arizona, USA.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html?

Hubble Glimpses a Bright Galaxy Group

JAN 23, 2024

This new NASA Hubble Space Telescope image shows a group of interacting galaxies known as LEDA 60847.

LEDA 60847 is classified as an active galactic nuclei, or AGN. An AGN has a supermassive black hole in the galaxy's central region that is accreting material. The AGN emits radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum and shines extremely brightly. By studying powerful AGNs that are relatively nearby, astronomers can better understand how supermassive black holes grow and affect galaxies.

Galaxy mergers are relatively common occurrences. Most larger galaxies are the result of smaller galaxies merging. The Milky Way itself contains traces of other galaxies, indicating it is the product of past mergers. Astronomers believe somewhere between 5% and 25% of all galaxies are currently merging.

This image of LEDA 60847 combines ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared data from Hubble. The ability to see across all those wavelengths is one of the things that makes Hubble unique. Different types of light across the electromagnetic spectrum tell astronomers different things about our universe. Ultraviolet light traces the glow of stellar nurseries and is used to identify the hottest stars. Visible light shows us moderate-temperature stars and material, and also how the view would appear to our own eyes. Last but not least, near-infrared light can penetrate cold dust, allowing us to study warm gas and dust, and relatively cool stars.

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/hubble/hubble-glimpses-a-bright-galaxy-group/

New U.S. Postal Service Stamps Feature Iconic NASA Webb Images

JAN 22, 2024

The U.S. Postal Service has issued two new Priority Mail stamps celebrating NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the largest, most powerful, and most complex telescope ever put in space. The stamps, issued Jan. 22, feature images of the cosmos captured by Webb since it began its science mission in 2022. Webb is a mission led by NASA in partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).

“NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is the perfect intersection of science, engineering, and art as it reveals the greatest secrets of our cosmos through the beautiful images it captures,” said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “With these stamps, people across the country can have their own snapshot of Webb’s captivating images – and the incredible science they represent – at their fingertips, and know that they, too, are part of this ground-breaking new era in astronomy.”

The first of the new stamps, a Priority Mail Express stamp, features Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) image of the “Cosmic Cliffs” in the Carina Nebula, located roughly 7,600 light-years away. The image shows emerging stellar nurseries and individual stars that were previously hidden from sight. This scene was one of the first full-color images revealed from Webb in July 2022, demonstrating the telescope’s ability to peer through cosmic dust and shed new light on how stars form.

The other stamp, a Priority Mail stamp, features an image of the Pillars of Creation captured by Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument). Webb’s look at this familiar landscape, which was first made famous by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, shows pillars flush with gas and dust, enshrouding stars that are slowly forming over many millennia. The Pillars of Creation is set within the vast Eagle Nebula, which lies 6,500 light-years away.

These new stamps join a Forever stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 2022, featuring an artist’s digital illustration of Webb against a background of stars.

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/new-u-s-postal-service-stamps-feature-iconic-nasa-webb-images/

Japan’s moon lander forced to power down but may yet be revived

January 22, 2024

Japan’s SLIM lander has been forced to power down on the moon with its solar cells unable to catch sunlight, but hope remains that the spacecraft can be reactivated.

Japan’s Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) successfully touched down on the lunar surface, targeting the rim of the small, mid-latitude Shioli crater at 10:20 a.m. Eastern (1520 UTC) Jan. 19.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) confirmed the successful landing just under two hours later. Two small rovers, Lunar Excursion Vehicle 1 and 2 (LEV-1 and 2) were successfully deployed onto the surface of the moon. The achievement proved the technical approach of SLIM and made Japan the fifth country to successfully soft-land on the moon.

SLIM’s solar cells were, however, not generating power. JAXA thus prioritized acquiring data while the spacecraft ran on battery power. While initially not confirmed, it was suspected that the attitude of the lander relative to the sun left its solar cells useless.

In a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, via an official mission account Jan. 22, JAXA stated that SLIM disconnected its battery at 12%, as planned, to prevent over-discharge. SLIM powered down at 12:57 p.m. Eastern (1757 UTC) Jan. 19. Before this, JAXA managed to obtain “a lot of data.”

“Technical and image data acquired during the landing descent and on the lunar surface were successfully transmitted,” according to JAXA. The agency is conducting a detailed analysis of the data.

There remains the possibility of the spacecraft being reactivated later in the lunar day. SLIM’s solar cells are facing west, according to telemetry data. This attitude means the cells are not receiving sunlight and cannot generate electricity to power the spacecraft.

SLIM could receive sunlight and generate power as the sun’s position in the sky changes. The SLIM team is preparing for the recovery of the spacecraft in this event.

Sunset over Shioli crater is expected around early UTC Jan. 31. If it can be reawakened, SLIM will attempt to achieve its “extra” objectives including extended operation and acquiring science data. Its Multi-Band Camera (MBC) will assess the composition near Shioli crater by analyzing the spectra of sunlight reflected off its surface.

JAXA said it will hold a press conference Jan. 25 (12:00 a.m. Eastern (0500 UTC). The event could reveal if the landing achieved its full success according to mission criteria of a high-precision landing with an accuracy of 100 meters or better. The agency may also present any images received from SLIM or its rovers.

“We are preparing to announce the status of SLIM and current results at the end of the week. Although the attitude after landing did not go as planned, we are glad we could achieve so much and are happy to have landed successfully,” the SLIM account stated.

https://spacenews.com/japans-moon-lander-forced-to-power-down-but-may-yet-be-revived/

Sierra Space tests full-scale inflatable module

January 22, 2024

Sierra Space has successfully tested a full-scale version of an inflatable module it is developing for commercial space stations.

The company announced Jan. 22 that it performed a burst test of a full-sized version of its Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) module on a test stand at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, demonstrating that the module exceeds the agency’s safety requirements.

In what is known as an ultimate burst pressure test, the LIFE module was inflated and the pressure inside increased until it burst. The module burst at a pressure of 77 pounds per square inch (psi), nearly 27% above NASA’s recommended level of 60.8 psi, itself four times above the maximum operating pressure for the module.

The test of the full-sized LIFE module comes after Sierra Space performed a series of subscale tests of the technology. In one such test in September, a subscale version equipped with a metallic “blanking plate” intended to simulate a window achieved a 33% safety margin. At the time, the company said the next step was to perform burst tests on the full-scale LIFE module.

The main purpose of the burst tests was to demonstrate the performance of the restraint layer, or pressure shell, of the module. That layer is made of straps of Vectran, a high-strength fiber, along with other fabrics. Sierra Space developed the layer in partnership with ILC Dover.

LIFE is designed to fit within a five-meter payload fairing at launch and then inflate once in orbit. When fully expanded, the module will have a volume of 300 cubic meters, about one third the habitable volume of the International Space Station. Sierra Space has proposed a larger version of LIFE, designed to fit into a seven-meter payload fairing, with a volume of 1,400 cubic meters.

“Sierra Space’s inflatable space station technology offers the absolute largest in-space pressured volume, the best unit economics per on-orbit volume and lowest launch and total operating costs,” argued Tom Vice, chief executive of Sierra Space, in a statement about the test.

LIFE is intended to be one of Sierra Space’s contributions to Orbital Reef, the commercial space station being developed with Blue Origin and others. Sierra Space, though, has proposed launching a LIFE module as a “Pathfinder” space station before Orbital Reef. The company received an unfunded NASA Space Act Agreement in June to give it access to NASA expertise and data to support work on Pathfinder as well as the crewed version of its Dream Chaser spaceplane.

Sierra Space said more tests of LIFE technology are planned for this year, including work on the “atmospheric barrier” and micrometeoroid and orbital debris layers of the module. The company said in September is expected to start work on flight hardware for LIFE in 24 to 36 months.

https://spacenews.com/sierra-space-tests-full-scale-inflatable-module/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7NiBD3KqkQ

EXCLUSIVE: Mexican TV crew to film 'autopsy' on three-fingered mummies to prove they're aliens

14:21, 22 Jan 2024

The truth about Peru's Mummy Aliens, previously dismissed as "fakes", is set to be revealed on camera.

A team of independent experts is preparing to prove whether the infamous three-fingered Peruvian mummies are alien life forms for a new TV documentary. Producer Serena DC has expressed her frustration that all previous investigations into these mysterious bodies have been conducted behind closed doors. She said: "It is now time for the world to know the truth."

Unlike scientists in Peru who labelled the figures as dolls, Serena's team will film independent autopsies and medical scans related to these controversial beings. This comes after an independent study from Mexican officials claimed the ET figures were "dolls" made from human and animal parts.

Serena, an Emmy-nominated documentarian and alien investigator, has been given exclusive access to examine the "non-human bodies". These were presented to the Mexican congress last year. In exclusive photos, Serena is seen with the mummies and promises to "once and for all find out the truth" in her new show, The Nazca Alien Autopsy.

The photos show Serena and her team with what are declared as recovered bodies. Mexican journalist and self-proclaimed "UFOlogist" Jaime Maussan initially presented these unidentified objects. Serena is working diligently to clarify uncertainty around the figures, which seemingly have ribs and internal organs. She shared a snapshot of herself next to one of the claimed creatures during filming. Her crew will also travel to Peru to inspect 14 more bodies found in a mass grave.

Working closely with Maussan, who discovered these mummies four years ago,is Serena DC. Her new film, We Are Not Alone, has been a hit worldwide. Through her intriguing documentary, she aims to delve into and dissect Maussan's controversial find in Nazca, Peru.

Eager to discover the truth about these supposed bodies, Serena said: "We are representing the people to discover what the truth is about these bodies. We do not know. I believe in extraterrestrial life and if this is a fake we will expose it as a fake. I need to know if it is true or not.

"If it is not true I will lead the charge to expose these people for the charlatans that they are. It is driving me crazy. I have seen these bodies in the cases. From the outside they look real, but they could be fake. After examining them in a laboratory and doing these tests, we will share our findings with the world.

"We will stand in that room and watch the testing and film the scientists. We have been granted permission to view, film and dissect a small part of these alien mummies to help determine their true origins. Our aim is to draw a conclusion on whether they are real or not.

"Everyone has opinions but we are taking people who are qualified to do independent DNA tests and medical scans. This comes down to science. We will engage with experts in genetics, anthropology, and archaeology to scrutinize the methodologies and findings of the mummy examinations and explore the validity of the DNA testing and body scans, addressing skepticism and uncovering potential implications for our understanding of human evolution."

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>>20288829

Over the weekend, Flavio Estrada, an archeologist from Peru's Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences Institute, declared two discovered mummies in Peru as non-alien, according to a report. In Lima, these small specimens were described by experts as humanoid dolls, possibly made with both human and animal parts.

Estrada announced: "They're not extraterrestrials. They're dolls made from animal bones from this planet joined together with modern synthetic glue. It's totally a made-up story."

The two figurines were found in the Lima airport offices of courier DHL in a cardboard box, dressed up to look like mummified bodies in traditional Andean clothes. This led some media outlets to wonder if they could be of alien origin.

"You have one group saying they are real and another saying it is fake. We feel what is ambiguous is the chain of custody but we have not seen anyone do tests. The team will aim to find out the question marks about the chain of custody too.

"Ultimately we are trying to get to ground zero and learn the entire story of who found them and how it came to pass. We understand that it was an independent 'tomb raider' who discovered the bodies, who then passed them to Jamie."

Serena also asked Peru's Institute for Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences to let them see the bodies they examined - which might or might not be linked to the same site as Maussan's discovery. "I am investigating the aliens that were taken to congress by Jamie and have an origin story that goes back to the hole they dug out of in Peru.

"We would urge these scientists to please hand over these dolls so we can have them analyzed at the same time. We will conduct all the same tests. There are so many unanswered questions, which we are determined to find

answers."

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www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/mexican-tv-crew-film-autopsy-31938734

Antarctica Probes ‘Could Awaken Ancient Evil,’ UFO Expert Claims

January 22, 2024

UFO expert Billy Carson joined podcaster Shawn Ryan for an interview in mid-January and warned against scientific research in Antarctica.

Carson told Ryan of “The Shawn Ryan Show,” that there are secret pyramids beneath the ice of Antarctica, and any disturbances to the area could lead to the awakening of an “ancient evil.” The alleged pyramid is located near the Ellsworth Mountain range, and is ” two kilometres by two kilometres, by two kilometres.”

For Americans, “two kilometers” is about a slow 30-minute walk on the flat so long as you’re not fat (around 1.2 miles).

And it’s not just the pyramids in Antarctica we should be worried about. Apparently, there’s also a pyramid in Bosnia that researchers actively won’t let anyone near. “Look at Bosnia, in Europe. It’s massive. There are tunnels underneath that are connecting the pyramids but in one tunnel they found this gigantic crystal,” Carson claimed. “It’s called a K2 megalith and on it is written in runes ‘We must stand in defense until we can open the gate.'”

Mainstream Big Archaeology oligarchs don’t want anyone to believe there even are pyramids in Bosnia, as you can easily see in this article by the Smithsonian that tries to dismiss the concept altogether.

Just please remember, whenever you read stories like this: a few years ago, you laughed at the news of a private island full of teenage prostitutes that was frequented by former President Bill Clinton. And look how that turned out.

So maybe stop dismissing stories like this at face value, and ask why major archaeological institutions don’t want us digging?

https://dailycaller.com/2024/01/22/antarctica-probes-awaken-ancient-evil-ufo-expert/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snrJfrOzHsQ