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Hunter's Moon supermoon 2024 puts on a frightfully good show for skywatchers around the world
October 18, 2024
The largest and brightest full moon of 2024 lit up the skies of Earth on Thursday (Oct. 17), with skywatchers across the globe on hand to capture the lunar face in its full glory.
This Hunter's "supermoon" may have been over a week early for Halloween, but that wasn't going to stop it from putting out some seriously spooky vibes.
But don't worry if Halloween isn't your scene. The following lunar images capture the moon in many of its aspects during the supermoon event.
Supermoons happen because the moon's orbit isn't a perfect circle around Earth but is instead an oval, or ellipse.
That means that sometimes our lunar companion is closer to Earth, reaching its closest point to us in what is known as perigee.
Other times, it is further away, during what is known as its apogee. When the moon is close to perigee during a full moon, that's a supermoon.
On Thursday, as the full moon rose, the moon arrived at its closest point to Earth, sitting at just 221,938 miles (357,174 km) away.
There have been two supermoons in 2024 thus far, in August and September, and there will be another in November, but October's Hunter's supermoon will be the biggest and brightest of 2024.
That's because this is the closest occurrence of a perigee to a full moon.
In the following image, the Hunter's supermoon is seen through the branches of a tree in Gaiberg near Heidelberg, southwestern Germany, by Daniel Roland.
The Hunter's supermoon was suitably imposing and Kaiju-like, as seen in Toronto, Ontario in Canada, as it was imaged by Mert Alper Dervis.
Look closely, and you will see a helicopter crossing the bright yellow lunar face, highlighting its monster-sized manifestation.
cont.
https://www.space.com/hunters-moon-supermoon-2024-photos
Orionid meteor shower peaks this weekend: How to see bits of Halley's comet burn up in the night sky
October 18, 2024
Next to the Geminids of December and the Perseids of August, the most reliable of the annual displays of "shooting stars" are the October Orionids.
The Orionid meteor shower normally lasts from about Oct. 16 to 26. A few swift Orionids may appear as early as the start of October and a lingering straggler or two as late as Nov. 7.
The numbers seen by any one observer tend to reach a maximum of around 20 per hour when conditions are clear and dark and the shower radiant point near the Orion-Gemini border is well up in the sky.
Unfortunately, this year, the Orionids are going to face a formidable handicap.
When these meteors reach their peak early on Monday morning (Oct. 21), the waning gibbous moon will be in the sky almost all night long. Hence, its glare will severely hamper observations in 2024.
The meteors are known as "Orionids" because the meteors seem to fan out from a region to the north of Orion's second brightest star, the ruddy hued Betelgeuse.
Currently, Orion appears ahead of us in our journey around the sun, and has not completely risen above the eastern horizon until after 11:30 p.m. local daylight time.
These meteors are at their best during the predawn hours at around 5 a.m. — Orion will then be highest in the sky toward the south.
Since Orion's famous three-star belt straddles the celestial equator, the Orionids are one of just a handful of known meteor showers that can be observed equally well from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Usually Orionid meteors are normally dim and not well seen from urban locations, so it's suggested that you find a safe rural location to see the best Orionid activity.
After peaking on Monday morning, activity will begin to slowly descend, dropping back to around five per hour around Oct. 25.
Even though the moon already turned full this past week and is now on the wane, it will still have an adverse impact on this year's Orionids.
On the morning of the Orionid maximum on Monday, it will be quite close to the star El Nath in the nearby constellation of Auriga; an 80% illuminated gibbous moon, flooding the sky with its bright light.
So although the Orionids will be at their peak, many of these streaks of light will likely be obliterated by the bright moonlight.
Still, an exceptionally bright Orionid might still attract attention. Recent studies have shown that about half of all Orionids that are seen leave trails that lasted longer than other meteors of equivalent brightness.
The Orionids are often referred to as the "legacy of Halley's Comet." In fact, these tiny flecks of dust are merely the cosmic litter that the comet has left behind in space along its orbit from previous passages around the sun.
Meteoroids that are released out into space are the remnants of a comet's nucleus. All comets eventually disintegrate into meteor swarms and Halley's is well into that process at this time.
These tiny particles — mostly ranging in size from dust to sand grains — remain along the original comet's orbit, creating a "river of rubble" in space.
In the case of Halley's comet, which has likely circled the sun many hundreds, if not thousands of times, its dirty trail of debris has been distributed more or less uniformly all along its entire orbit.
When these tiny bits of comet collide with Earth, friction with our atmosphere raises them to white heat and produces the effect popularly referred to as "shooting stars."
The orbit of Halley's Comet closely approaches the Earth's orbit at two places. One point is in the early part of May, producing a meteor display known as the Eta Aquarids.
The other point comes in the middle to latter part of October, producing the Orionids.
Step outside before sunrise during this weekend and onto much of next week, and if you catch sight of a meteor, there's about a 75 percent chance that it likely originated from the nucleus of Halley's Comet.
So, for folks like me, who desire to see Halley again, but probably won't (it won't be back until the year 2061) we'll have to settle for the Orionids as a consolation prize.
https://www.space.com/orionid-meteor-shower-poor-year-2024
https://www.space.com/seti-alien-hunting-trappist-1-planets-ppos
https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.08313
SETI tests new alien-hunting strategy, but TRAPPIST-1 planets remain silent
October 18, 2024
The latest hunt for alien signals in the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system has test-driven a new strategy that will allow astronomers to perform a more efficient, targeted search for technological extraterrestrial life in the future.
TRAPPIST-1 is a multi-planet system about 40.7 light-years away. Its seven rocky worlds, some of which lie in the habitable zone — the zone around a star where it isn't too hot nor too cold for a planet to host liquid water — are all bunched up so tightly that they transit their star every few days.
The number of planets and their relative proximity to us make the TRAPPIST-1 system a tantalizing target for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).
Although this latest search — in which the Allen Telescope Array of radio telescopes in California spent 28 hours in total listening to TRAPPIST-1 — did not detect any alien signals, "the point of the study was to demonstrate a more efficient search strategy, utilizing the natural orbital configuration of an edge-on multi-planet system to our advantage," Nicholas Tusay, a graduate student at Penn State University, told Space.com.
Traditionally, SETI has scanned the sky in search of powerful signals directed at us. However, after decades of not finding anything, SETI researchers are increasingly considering other strategies.
These include searching for radio leakage: incidental transmissions not intended for us, but which might leak out from a planetary system. Such transmissions could range from communications and spacecraft emissions to radar or even the equivalent of alien TV.
However, because this incidental leakage would not be transmitted with the intention of being heard light-years away, it would likely be of much lower power than deliberate signals would be.
The likelihood of us spotting such leakage by chance would thus be slim, so we need strategies that can improve the odds.
To this end, Tusay led the observations of TRAPPIST-1, which took advantage of a phenomenon called planet–planet occultations (PPOs). An occultation occurs when one object in the sky appears to move in front of another.
As the seven TRAPPIST-1 planets orbit in a plane around their star that is almost perfectly edge-on to us, we can witness many PPOs, where effectively the two planets involved in the PPO and our detectors are all in a direct line.
Now suppose that transmissions from the planet being occulted are directed at the planet doing the occulting.
These transmissions might be communications similar to those from NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN), in which large radio transmitters in Canberra, Madrid and California keep in constant touch with our fleet of interplanetary spacecraft.
Similarly, it is possible that during a PPO, when two planets and ourselves are in a line, we could pick up leakage from radio transmissions between the two planets from the alien equivalent of the Deep Space Network.
That's what this latest survey of TRAPPIST-1 was hunting for.
"TRAPPIST-1 is the ideal laboratory because it has known transiting planets, nearly perfectly edge-on, and it’s so close that we have enough sensitivity to detect certain signals," said Tusay.
No signals were detected, but we needn’t be downhearted.
That's because the Allen Telescope Array is only sensitive enough to detect interplanetary transmissions at TRAPPIST-1 that are being broadcast with a power equivalent to an Arecibo-sized transmitter.
Before it collapsed in 2020, the Arecibo radio telescope was a 305-meter (1,000-foot) dish. However, a powerful transmitter such as Arecibo would be “overkill” for interplanetary communications, said Tusay.
The telescopes of the DSN are smaller in comparison with a lower effective power — too low for the Allen Telescope Array to detect.
However, when it begins science operations towards the end of this decade, the Square Kilometer Array in South Africa and Australia should have the sensitivity to detect DSN-level transmissions during PPO events.
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The Allen Telescope Array experiment has now shown that this PPO method is feasible. The ATA observed seven PPO events during the 28 hours it spent gazing at TRAPPIST-1 in 2022. In total it detected 25 million radio signals during that time.
Radio frequency interference (RFI) is the terrestrial background of radio signals on Earth, from mobile phones to airport radar. In order to remove RFI from the observations more easily, Tusay developed something called the NBeamAnalysis pipeline.
It is computer code that is able to distinguish signals that come only from the target, in this case TRAPPIST-1, from RFI that is seen in other directions in the telescope's field of view.
By doing so, the code was able to whittle the 25 million signals down to just 2,264 that required further attention from a human being.
"Instead of looking through tens of millions of hits by eye, I only have to look through a few thousand, and most of them are still obvious to the human eye as RFI," said Tusay.
Ultimately, all the detected signals during the TRAPPIST-1 observations were RFI, but there are reasons why the Allen Telescope Array should keep looking.
Although we can only guess as to the nature of an alien communication system and how often non-Earth beings would communicate with neighboring planets, comparing their signals to our own Deep Space Network is a starting point.
Tusay's team estimates that the DSN is transmitting to Mars about a third of the time, meaning, on average, aliens would have to watch three PPO events of Earth and Mars to spot us sending a signal to one of our spacecraft around the Red Planet.
If aliens are following a similar cadence at TRAPPIST-1, we'd have to watch at least three PPO events of each combination of planets to stand the best chance of spotting them.
This raises a question: Could aliens be watching for PPOs of planets in our own solar system? Those would happen more infrequently than in the TRAPPIST-1 system, where the planets are so close to their star that they orbit in a matter of a few days.
Conversely, PPOs of Earth and Mars would take place approximately once every two years.
In order to see a PPO of Earth and Mars, aliens would also have to be on a planet orbiting a star that is in the ecliptic on the sky, because the ecliptic is the plane of our solar system, and only by seeing this plane edge-on would they see any transits or occultations.
Nevertheless, "I know that searching for evidence that our own DSN transmissions have been picked up is an active area of investigation by other SETI scientists,” said Tusay.
"I personally think that search strategy has merits."
In the meantime, we must keep listening to the sky — and thanks to these new observations of TRAPPIST-1, we at least now have a better idea of the best times during which to listen.
"Most of that is radio frequency interference (RFI) from our own communications, so we needed to filter that out," said Tusay.
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https://spacenews.com/u-s-government-eases-export-controls-on-space-technologies/
https://www.bis.gov/press-release/commerce-announces-series-rules-modernize-space-related-export-controls
U.S. government eases export controls on space technologies
October 17, 2024
The U.S. Department of Commerce announced long-awaited changes to export control rules for space technologies, a move aimed at bolstering American competitiveness in the global space industry.
The new regulations will make it easier for U.S. companies to sell satellites, launch vehicles, and other space-related technologies to close allies, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.
A senior official from the Commerce Department shared details about the updated rules during a briefing with reporters Oct. 17 but declined to be quoted by name.
The changes would reclassify many space technologies as commercial items rather than weapons, removing commercial satellites from the U.S. Munitions List that is regulated under the highly restrictive International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and placing them under the more flexible Commerce Control List.
“We’re taking action to modernize our export controls on space-related items to reflect the increasingly commercial nature of space activities,” said the official.
While the rules are meant to streamline exports, the official emphasized that safeguards will remain in place to prevent adversaries such as China and Russia from accessing sensitive technologies.
The revisions are based on feedback the Commerce Department received over the past five years, during which time many U.S. companies expressed concerns that current regulations hampered their ability to compete with foreign firms.
Businesses have long argued that the stringent requirements of ITAR placed them at a disadvantage compared to international competitors who can offer “ITAR-free” products.
The changes will be implemented by the Bureau of Industry and Security, a division of the Commerce Department that oversees trade controls.
New export framework
ITAR has long governed the export of defense-related technologies, including those related to space, due to national security concerns.
Administered by the U.S. Department of State, ITAR rules require extensive licensing processes for any defense-related exports, including space systems with potential military applications, such as satellites and spacecraft.
Companies say this has often hindered U.S. space industry’s ability to enter foreign markets and participate in international collaborations.
Under the new Commerce rules, certain space technologies will no longer require State Department licenses for exports to trusted allies.
The first major change removes licensing requirements for technologies related to remote sensing, space-based logistics, and servicing spacecraft destined for the U.K., Canada, and Australia.
This change, the Commerce official said, aims to reduce unnecessary regulatory barriers for allied countries while enhancing collective security.
Another rule change lifts licensing requirements for certain spacecraft components destined for roughly 40 allied nations.
It also broadens license exceptions for specific items involved in NASA cooperative programs, further reducing the burden on companies exporting less sensitive technologies.
A third rule being proposed — still open for public comment until November 22 — could further ease ITAR restrictions by transferring additional space-related items from the Munitions List to the Commerce Control List.
This proposed rule would affect spacecraft that contribute to space domain awareness, collision avoidance, cooperative docking, and tracking of ground vehicles and aircraft, among other capabilities.
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Impact on U.S. space industry
For years, companies in the space industry, particularly those in the in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) sector, have lobbied for a less restrictive export regime.
These companies, which develop spacecraft capable of extending the life of satellites, repairing mechanical issues, or removing obsolete satellites from orbit, argue that ITAR compliance has stifled innovation and international collaboration.
By easing these rules, U.S. firms are expected to have a better chance of competing globally, especially in markets dominated by foreign manufacturers offering less restricted products.
Moving commercial satellites and related technologies from the Munitions List to the Commerce Control List would reduce the time and expense involved in securing export licenses, executives have argued, allowing U.S. companies to respond more quickly to international demand.
The space industry has long been intertwined with defense technologies, making it subject to ITAR’s complex licensing process.
This has required companies to navigate extensive bureaucratic hurdles, submit detailed documentation, and undergo rigorous compliance checks — often slowing down business deals.
The new rules, the Commerce official said, are seen as a way to cut through that red tape for commercial space technologies, while maintaining safeguards against misuse.
In contrast to ITAR, items on the Commerce Control List undergo a more nuanced review process, with licensing decisions based on the technology’s end use and the receiving country.
This more flexible approach could facilitate greater international cooperation and allow U.S. firms to enter new markets, particularly in Europe and Asia.
“This isn’t just a regulatory update,” the Commerce official stressed.
“This is about maintaining our leadership in space technology, protecting our national security, and bolstering our partnerships around the world.”
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US backs first fusion of fast chemical rockets and nuclear electric propulsion
Oct 17, 2024 06:10 AM EST
In the future, there could be a spacecraft capable of maneuvering with unprecedented speed and agility, without the constraints of limited fuel.
The U.S. Space Force has provided funding of $35 million to create a new spacecraft that can “maneuver without regret.”
The University of Michigan is leading a team of researchers and institutions to develop this advanced spacecraft.
The team aims to combine the best of both worlds: the power of chemical rockets with the efficiency of electric propulsion.
The key to this breakthrough lies in an advanced power source: a nuclear microreactor
This technology will provide the sustained power needed for high-speed electric propulsion.
“It will be the first to bring fast chemical rockets together with efficient electric propulsion powered by a nuclear microreactor,” the press release stated.
Exploring microreactor use
Spacecraft propulsion systems generally fall into two categories: chemical rockets and electric propulsion.
Chemical rockets offer powerful thrust but consume fuel rapidly. Electric propulsion, while fuel-efficient, is slower and bulkier, often powered by solar panels.
In situations where rapid maneuvers are required, such as avoiding a collision, the speed provided by chemical propulsion might be essential.
However, electric propulsion could potentially offer much higher speeds.
For instance, a 100-kilowatt Hall thruster developed at the University of Michigan could achieve impressive speeds.
However, the challenge lies in providing the necessary power to operate these thrusters.
This limitation currently restricts the practical application of electric propulsion for high-speed maneuvers.
“The space station generates about 100 kilowatts of power, but the solar arrays are the size of a couple of football fields, and this is too large for some of the power-hungry applications that are of interest to the Space Force,” said Benjamin Jorns, associate professor of aerospace engineering and institute director.
The researchers are investigating the use of nuclear microreactors to power faster and more efficient electric propulsion systems.
As per the press release, they will develop technologies to convert the heat from a microreactor into usable electricity, which will then power electric engines for thrust.
The propulsion system design incorporates a chemical rocket for quick maneuvers, while a nuclear microreactor provides power for more efficient electric propulsion.
To streamline refueling, researchers are exploring fuels that can be used for both chemical rockets and electric propulsion.
These dual-purpose fuels would simplify the refueling process for spacecraft by eliminating the need for separate fuel and propellant tanks.
This ambitious project involves a collaboration of universities and industries.
Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. will design a microreactor, and U-M engineers will create a heat source to test the system’s other components.
Moreover, they are investigating different methods to extract thermal energy from the reactor and convert it into electricity, including thermionic emission cells and thermal photovoltaics.
Meanwhile, Cornell University has been tasked to design lightweight panels to radiate excess heat into space.
The University of Wisconsin will develop a power processing module to convert the extracted electricity to meet the high power demands of the electric engine.
https://interestingengineering.com/energy/fusion-of-fast-rockets-and-nuclear-propulsion
https://record.umich.edu/articles/space-force-establishes-35m-institute-for-versatile-propulsion/
DAF announces new enlisted development and education policy
Oct. 18, 2024
The Department of the Air Force introduced a new set of instructions and policies under DAFI 36-2685, Total Force Enlisted Developmental Education, Oct. 9.
The changes are part of an ongoing effort to streamline and modernize Total Force enlisted development following the separation of DAFI 36-2670, Total Force Development, into more specialized instructions.
The new policy:
• Formalizes a structured continuum that connects base-level professional development to Enlisted Professional Military Education, providing a more cohesive framework for enlisted career progression.
• Establishes installation development centers as the designated host for Enlisted Foundations Courses, delivering timely and relevant content to Total Force Airmen. By 2026, active duty and Reserve Airmen will be required to complete foundation courses before attending Enlisted Professional Military Education. The requirement will go into effect for Air National Guard Airmen by 2027.
• Clarifies the roles and responsibilities of development advisors, previously known as career assistance advisors, particularly in overseeing the Informed Decision Program, First Term Enlisted Course and Foundations Courses.
It also highlights updated EPME schoolhouse policies including:
• The Air Force Directorate of Force Development worked with the DAF Women's Initiative Team to minimize pregnancy-disqualifying language. Pregnancy is not a disqualifier for EPME; members may defer as with any profile or waiver.
• Airmen must comply with the standards outlined in DAFI 36-2905, Department of the Air Force Physical Fitness Program, and meet standards enforcement at schoolhouses.
• Clarifications around Extension Course Institute points for distance learning attendees will support Total Force members by contributing towards retirement credits for Reserve and Guard Airmen.
The updated policy also codifies changes to Guardian development.
• Explains the role Space Force Directorate of Force Development (SF/S1D) plays in Guardian development.
• Adds references to Space Training and Readiness Command where appropriate.
• Authorizes wear of the EPME Graduate Ribbon for Vosler Fellowship I, II & III graduates.
• Clarifies the relationship between Space Delta 13 and Air University.
• Lists Space Force references for Guardians with questions about EPME, Foundations, fitness and other requirements.
This publication marks a critical evolution in the development and education of enlisted Airmen and Guardians, aimed at better preparing them for leadership roles while maintaining flexibility in their career progression.
https://www.spaceforce.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3939436/daf-announces-new-enlisted-development-and-education-policy/
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dafi36-2685/dafi36-2685.pdf
Nevada Senate hopefuls tackle trans athletes, immigration and UFOs in only debate
Oct 18, 2024 | 8:26 AM
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen and Republican opponent Sam Brown sparred on a range of topics Thursday night during their one and only face-off for the crucial battleground state of Nevada.
The debate, hosted by KLAS, touched on the issues of immigration to abortion to recent UFO investigations.
Both candidates were asked about immigration – a top election issue for voters across the nation this cycle.
Asked if he supported mass deportations, an idea floated by former President Donald Trump, Brown said that he supported “securing our border on day one” and backs the former president’s policies on the issue.
The Republican took a swing at Rosen on the issue, saying the senator’s “own neighborhood has more security than our border.”
Asked about the border, Rosen said she supported passing bipartisan border legislation and claimed that Trump is playing “political football” with the issue.
The candidates were also questioned on UFOs and whether they support more transparency on unidentified flying objects, with the debate hosts noting that Nevada is home to many claims of such sightings.
“I think I’m just as curious as anyone. I’d love to know what’s going on,” Brown said. “I’m not sure I fully trust Congress to figure this out. Maybe Elon Musk can.”
Rosen, who is seeking a second term in the Senate this cycle, said she thinks “its important that we do our independent investigation.”
The candidates sparred on the issue of energy.
Brown tied energy and the economy together, suggesting that Rosen is prioritizing green energy projects that are raising costs.
The Democratic senator, however, touted the green energy policies passed under her leadership.
Brown said that he would not vote for any national abortion ban and that he supports Nevada’s current state law on the issue.
Asked if she supports any limits on abortion, Rosen said “I support Roe v. Wade.”
The debate wrapped with questions on the issue of biological males competing in women’s sports.
On Wednesday, Brown joined players on the Nevada Wolf Pack women’s volleyball team who refused to play against the San Jose State Spartans over the program’s biological male player.
“I can tell you that all student athletes deserve to have a fair competition and a level playing field,” Rosen said, adding that she supports “parents, coaches, and the governing leagues,” deciding whether biological males should compete in women’s sports.
Brown called Rosen’s response “shameful.”
“What we just heard was a politician say that she does not have enough knowledge on this issue,” the Republican said.
“I will not support biological males competing in women’s sports.”
The candidates didn’t butt heads the entire night, both agreeing on their support for no taxes on tips, Israel’s right to defend itself, and affordable housing.
https://www.wccsradio.com/rss/nevada-senate-hopefuls-tackle-trans-athletes-immigration-and-ufos-in-only-debate/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6wCzf0fE1c
This charming Alberta town is home to the world's first UFO landing pad
Oct 17, 2024
Have you seen everything from Mundare’s giant kielbasa to the hoodoos? In the charming St. Paul, Alberta, all beings are encouraged to park their vehicles, flying or otherwise, near (or on) the World’s first UFO Landing pad—a landmark totally out of this world.
Described as a ‘people kind of place,’ St. Paul is a major trading centre for the surrounding area with a reputation for being hospitable, a characteristic which inspired the larger-than-life monument.
“Built-in 1967, the Landing Pad stands for unity,” they explain on their website.
“That was the dream in 1967 and it is the dream today. We hope you’ll feel it when you walk through the door; you are very welcome here.”
Loved E.T.? There’s no place in Alberta quite like Canada’s Centennial Capital.
Here, not only can you visit the landing pad, but you can also wander through their Tourist Information Centre.
Unfortunately, this particular attraction is open between the May and September Long Weekends—but you can plan ahead for the warmer months.
https://curiocity.com/st-paul-alberta-ufo-landing-pad/
https://www.stpaul.ca/visitors/ufo-landing-pad
Sen. Moran to Introduce Legislation After Reports of Unidentified Aircrafts Hovering Over U.S. Military Base
Oct 16 2024
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today announced that he will introduce legislation following reports of unidentified aircrafts hovering over a U.S. military base:
"As drone technology continues to evolve, the tactics used against the United States grow more alarming each day.
The recent reports of unidentified aircrafts hovering for 17 days over a U.S. military base without intervention is not just concerning, but an affront to our national security.
This violation of our airspace highlights the threat of below-the-threshold activity that hostile actors can pose to our nation.
"Military leaders currently lack the authority to engage until there is an imminent threat posed to our men and women in uniform.
I am working on legislation to provide the Department of Defense with the necessary authorities to engage drones or unidentified aircrafts that breech our military airspace before it is too late to respond.”
https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/news-releases?id=0B4ED142-980E-4617-A714-0E707E463B48
Mysterious UFO spotted alongside rare Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS in Hong Kong
3:37 PM Fri October 18, 2024
(Hong Kong) Recently, the once-in-a-millennium event of the “Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS” (Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, comet number C/2023 A3) made its presence known on Earth, visible to the naked eye in Hong Kong early this week, triggering a wave of stargazing among citizens.
Among the citizens who gazed up at the sky in search of the comet on Tuesday (15th), many captured another ‘celestial body’ passing by.
However, unlike the comet, numerous individuals mistook it for a UFO (Unidentified Flying Object), leading to speculations of extraterrestrial beings accompanying the comet’s arrival.
The Ho Koon Nature Education Cum Astronomical Centre recently stated that, after reviewing full-day images and analysing trajectories, and based on the appearance and orbit of the ‘UFO’, they believe it to be the Long March 6A carrier rocket launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi.
The “Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS” is making a rare return to the solar system, igniting a global frenzy of stargazing.
Starting from early October, astronomy enthusiasts worldwide have been capturing images of the comet.
Since last weekend, the comet has become visible to the naked eye after sunset.
This Tuesday, in areas such as West Tsuen Wan, Ma Wan, and South Horizons in Hong Kong, many citizens turned their gaze westwards to witness this comet, which is as old as the solar system itself.
Some individuals took out their telescopic cameras to capture the spectacle, with the snow-white comet tail becoming clearer under several seconds of exposure.
On Tuesday night, many citizens also captured a light streak flying across the night sky.
While some believed it to be the Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, others thought it was an airplane, while some considered it a UFO.
This unidentified flying object, accompanying the once-in-a-millennium comet, immediately sparked discussions.
According to witnesses and live broadcasts from the Taipei Astronomical Museum, the UFO passed in less than 5 minutes.
The Ho Koon Nature Education Cum Astronomical Centre in Tsuen Wan finally put an end to the mystery in a recent Facebook post.
According to the centre, upon reviewing their full-day images, the flying object was observed flying from the northwest to the southwest.
Based on its appearance and trajectory, it was identified as the Long March 6A carrier rocket launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi, carrying the Qianfan Extreme Orbit 02 satellite southward.
The Astronomical Centre further explained that this satellite-carrying rocket flying southward passed through the western sky of Hong Kong when the night sky was clear, allowing citizens to witness the spectacular sight of the rocket’s ascent.
The unexpected sight of the rocket ascending while citizens were observing the comet created a fantastical night for astronomy enthusiasts.
According to records, on the night of the comet’s passage over Hong Kong, around 7.06pm on 15th October, the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre launched the Long March 6A carrier rocket carrying the second batch of Qianfan/Thousand Sails satellites.
https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/mysterious-ufo-spotted-alongside-rare-comet-tsuchinshan-atlas-in-hong-kong/
'Victims are hidden in plain sight' - Anti-Slavery Week 2024
18/10/2024
Lincolnshire Police is supporting a national campaign to clamp down on modern slavery and human trafficking.
Anti-Slavery Week began on Monday, 14 October and runs until Sunday 20, October and aims to shine a spotlight on the tell-tale signs of these dehumanising crimes and encourage members of the public to report it.
Today, Friday, 18 October is Anti-Slavery Day.
Modern slavery is the exploitation of people and frequently impacts the most vulnerable men, women, and children in our communities.
The nature of these offences can take many forms but the three most common are sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation and forced labour.
For the exploiters, modern slavery is a means of financial gain, and of exerting power and control over another human being who is used as a commodity. It is a profitable method of criminal activity for organised crime groups.
Victims are often paid less than the minimum wage but do not recognise that they are exploited because the sum is more than they would otherwise be paid.
Force Lead for MSHT, Detective Superintendent Richard Myszczyszyn said: “As force lead for Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, I want to emphasise the vulnerability of those affected by modern slavery.
“During Anti-Slavery Awareness Week, it's crucial to remember that victims are often hidden in plain sight, their suffering unnoticed.
“By raising awareness and understanding the signs, we can provide the support they desperately need and bring perpetrators to justice.
“Your vigilance can help save lives.”
https://www.lincs.police.uk/news/lincolnshire/news/2024/oct-2024/victims-are-hidden-in-plain-sight—anti-slavery-week-2024/
https://hopeforjustice.org/anti-slavery-day/
Fox10 News: Darkness To Light
Oct 16, 2024
Young men and boys who victims of human trafficking are often underserved in recovery. A new safe haven hopes to change that.
Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRQAB53WB00
Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyqH9FiVr78