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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day
December 24, 2024
Fox Fur, Cone, and Christmas Tree
What do the following things have in common: a cone, the fur of a fox, and a Christmas tree? Answer: they all occur in the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros). Considered as a star forming region and cataloged as NGC 2264, the complex jumble of cosmic gas and dust is about 2,700 light-years distant and mixes reddish emission nebulae excited by energetic light from newborn stars with dark interstellar dust clouds. The featured image spans an angle larger than a full moon, covering over 50 light-years at the distance of NGC 2264. Its cast of cosmic characters includes the Fox Fur Nebula, whose convoluted pelt lies just to the left of the image center, bright variable star S Mon visible just to the right of the Fox Fur, and the Cone Nebula near the image top. With the Cone Nebula at the peak, the shape of the general glow of the region give it the nickname of the Christmas Tree Cluster, where stars are tree ornaments.
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html
HITS Student Receives NASA Recognition for Identifying Critical Email Vulnerability
Dec 24, 2024
Magashwarahan, a final-year BCA student at Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (HITS), has received international recognition from NASA for identifying and reporting a critical vulnerability in the agency's email system.
NASA's Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP) acknowledged his contribution with an official appreciation letter for helping secure sensitive systems.
The vulnerability, detected in NASA's Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), stemmed from a misconfiguration that could have exposed sensitive data and mission-critical operations. Magashwarahan, who discovered the flaw during a search for misconfiguration issues, reported it through Bugcrowd, NASA's official vulnerability disclosure platform.
"I discovered the bug while searching for misconfiguration issues, and once I identified the vulnerability, I knew it had to be reported to avoid any potential exploitation," he explained.
Dr. Anand Jacob Verghese, Chancellor of HITS, commended Magashwarahan for the achievement. "We are incredibly proud of Magashwarahan for this accomplishment.
It highlights the exceptional skills and dedication our students demonstrate in the field of cybersecurity," he said.
Magashwarahan's journey into cybersecurity began with ethical hacking efforts aimed at identifying vulnerabilities in NASA's subdomains.
His discovery of the SMTP flaw came after successfully accessing the email server and realizing the potential risk. "I'm motivated by the chance to safeguard the integrity of important data.
It's rewarding to know I can contribute to protecting organizations that play a crucial role in global systems," he said.
Beyond NASA, Magashwarahan is interested in targeting high-profile organizations like the United Nations and Fortune 500 companies, while emphasizing the universal need for cybersecurity. "Cybersecurity is essential, not optional, for every organization," he noted.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/en-in/news-and-trends/hits-student-receives-nasa-recognition-for-identifying/484793
Congressman Eric Burlison Reads 'The Night Before Chaos'
Dec 23, 2024
https://burlison.house.gov/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAAbGAF-3Ig
NASA Images Reveal Mesmerizing Giant Cloud Tower
Dec 23, 2024 at 9:30 AM EST
Astunning photograph captured by an astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and released by NASA reveals a towering cumulus congestus cloud, set against the backdrop of the Arabian Peninsula.
The image, taken while the ISS was orbiting over South Asia, is a beautiful example of cloud formation in action.
The photo frames the western coastline of the Persian Gulf, with the countries of the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain visible in exquisite detail.
Notable landmarks, such as Doha and Ras Laffan in Qatar, and Al Hufūf and the lush Al Hasa Oasis in Saudi Arabia, are discernible along the coastlines, their urban and natural textures creating a striking contrast to the natural cloud formation.
The cumulus congestus cloud rises dramatically in the image, casting a dark shadow over the landscape below.
Cumulus clouds appear in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, often recognized as the classic fluffy, white clouds that dot the sky.
"Viewed from above, sunlit cumulus congestus is more dazzling than the other types of cumulus," the International Cloud Atlas states on its website.
"The upper parts, with well-defined and strongly shaded projections and domes, have the shape of large cauliflowers, huge chimneys or towers.
Their tops, which may reach widely differing levels, sometimes emerge from a layer of haze or from a fairly continuous layer of cloud."
These clouds form when warm, moist air rapidly ascends in unstable atmospheric conditions.
The visible presence of smaller cumulus clouds near its base indicates the initial stages of potential cumulonimbus development, which could bring intense precipitation or thunderstorms.
This formation, which aligns with the shoreline, suggests that onshore winds played a key role in its creation. As air heated over the land surface flows inland, it rises and condenses, initiating the process of cloud formation.
Adding to the visual allure, sunglint appears over the Persian Gulf waters in the lower right corner of the image.
This optical phenomenon occurs when sunlight reflects directly back toward the observer, revealing shimmering patterns and surface textures of the Gulf.
The horizon at the top of the image separates Earth's atmosphere from the vast darkness of space, a reminder of the ISS's unique position, which at this point was some 255 miles above the ground.
The photograph was captured on September 19, 2024, and featured by the NASA Earth Observatory as its image of the day on December 21.
It was taken by a member of Expedition 71 on the ISS.
Cropped and enhanced for clarity, the image is part of NASA's effort to provide high-quality Earth observations.
https://www.newsweek.com/nasa-images-giant-cloud-tower-cumulus-congestus-iss-2005141
Christmas Eve asteroid the size of a 10-floor building makes ‘close approach’ to Earth tonight (last night)
Dec. 23, 2024, 9:37 a.m. ET
Are we about to get Jingle Bell rock-ed?
Santa Claus isn’t the only thing making a fly-by of Earth this week. NASA has warned that a giant asteroid the size of a 10-story building will be whizzing right past us tonight.
Dubbed 2024 XN1, the space rock will be jetting by us at a distance of 4.48 million miles from Earth when it makes its closest approach just before 10 pm, per the space org’s Asteroid Watch dashboard.
While this is considered a “close approach” by interstellar standards — NASA defines near-Earth objects (NEOs) as those that come within 4.6 million miles — we’re not about to get some cosmic coal shoved down our stockings so to speak.
“It will be very far away, around 18 times further away from the Earth than the Moon is, and so with this predicted path won’t come close enough to hit the Earth,” Jess Lee, an astronomer at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, told the Daily Mail.
If it did this would be cataclysmic given that 2024 XN1 — which was spotted on December 12 — measures between 95-230 feet and is traveling at around 14,743mph.
Scientists estimate that the impact would be equivalent to 12 million tonnes of TNT and flatten an area of 700 square miles, the Daily Mail reported.
“If you’d like to compare it to a previous asteroid impact, the Tunguska Event in Russia in 1908 involved an asteroid which was a roughly similar size to this one,” said Ms. Lee. “It exploded above the ground and knocked down 80 million trees.”
After 2024 XN1’s festive flyby, the rock star won’t be making its Earth comeback tour until January 2031, when it will pass within 3.1 million miles.
Meanwhile, the next truly large asteroid to pay us a visit will be on January 5, 2025, when a 1,310-foot intergalactic gravel stone will fly within 2.29 million miles of us, the Daily Mail reported.
While the space rocks aren’t on a collision course, these celestial close shaves emphasize the need to keep better tabs on NEOs.
Currently, “the orbit of each object is computed by finding the elliptical path through space that best fits all the available observations, which often span many orbits over many years or decades,” NASA writes.
“As more observations are made, the accuracy of an object’s orbit improves dramatically, and it becomes possible to predict where an object will be years or even decades into the future – and whether it could come close to Earth.”
Thankfully it could soon be infinitely easier to spot space rocks heading for Earth.
https://nypost.com/2024/12/23/science/christmas-eve-asteroid-to-make-close-approach-to-earth/
https://eyes.nasa.gov/apps/asteroids/#/watch/2024_yp
NASA astronauts send Christmas message from space
Tuesday 24 December 2024 14:58, UK
Astronauts stranded on the International Space Station over Christmas have sent a festive message back to Earth.
Sunita Williams, Barry Wilmore, Don Pettit and Nick Hague were launched into space on 5 June on what was due to be an eight-day test flight mission.
But the Boeing-made Starliner spacecraft suffered several technical issues, including helium leaks and thruster failures, and has been unable to return since.
In the video message, recorded on 23 December, Mr Hague says: "The holiday season, it's about spending time with friends and family and loved ones - this year we're going to be in orbit away from them, so we want to send our heartfelt merry Christmas and we hope you have a wonderful holiday."
In the clip, the astronauts pass each other weightless candy canes, with Mr Hague adding: "We're not the only ones who are going to spend time away from our families.
"There's a huge team on the ground that's going to support us with mission controls around the globe over the holidays and I want to thank them for the sacrifices they're making together."
Finally Mr Pettit says the holidays are "synonymous with food and feasting" as they show off an air-tight package of canned food.
It isn't the first Christmas Ms Williams has spent defying gravity - she was in space for the festive season in 2006.
https://news.sky.com/story/stranded-nasa-astronauts-send-christmas-message-from-space-13279552
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYMTXZ1a2NU
NASA's Parker Solar Probe celebrates Christmas with record smashing 'kiss' of the sun
December 24, 2024
On Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), a NASA spacecraft made history by coming closer to the sun than any spacecraft ever has before.
This record-breaking feat was conducted by the Parker Solar Probe, which flew to within 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) of the sun, braving the blistering heat of our star's outer atmosphere, the corona.
The flyby, which should have occurred at 6:53 a.m. EST (1153 GMT), was the 22nd time Parker had made a close passage to the sun.
Though the NASA craft is expected to make at least two more flybys of the sun, this is the closest it has ever and will ever come to the star.
And, to be clear, we say "should have" because NASA had to lose contact with the spacecraft during this flyby; the first proof that Parker survived will arrive on Dec. 27, according to the agency.
Parker is no stranger to smashing records. On Sept. 21, 2023, Parker hit a speed of 394,736 miles per hour (635,266 kilometers per hour) to cement its record as the fastest object ever built by humanity.
During its Christmas Eve passage, scientists say the sun-touching spacecraft would have been traveling at 430,000 mph (692,000 kph), also breaking its previously set speed record.
For comparison, that is around 300 times faster than the top speed of a Lockheed Martin jet fighter here on Earth.
This incredible feat of speed could be reached thanks to the aid of seven gravity "boosts" from Venus flybys, the last of which occurred in November 2024.
But breaking records is just a byproduct of Parker's main mission: to learn more about the sun.
In particular, the spacecraft needed to brave the 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (980 degrees Celsius) temperatures it will experience to collect data about the solar corona.
Scientists hope this data can help solve a long-standing mystery about the sun's outer atmosphere, which has troubled them for decades.
The so-called "coronal heating problem" refers to the fact that, despite being further from the sun's primary source of energy (its core), the corona is much hotter than the sun's surface, the photosphere.
Our standard model of stars suggests that the closer one gets to the stellar core, where main sequence stars like the sun perform nuclear fusion to forge hydrogen into helium and release energy, the hotter it gets.
All the layers of the sun seem to stringently obey this rule — except the corona, which can reach temperatures in excess of 2 million degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 million degrees Celsius).
Around 1,000 miles closer to the source of the sun's heat, the photosphere reaches a relatively balmy 7,400 degrees Fahrenheit (4,100 degrees Celsius).
That's like finding out this Christmas that your chestnuts only roast when you drive them a mile away from an open fire!
Therefore, there must be an extra mechanism heating the solar corona, and scientists are understandably eager to discover what it is.
Parker will continue its mission, making flybys of the sun on March 22, 2025, and then its final planned flyby will happen on June 19, 2025.
During both of these approaches, the spacecraft will come almost as close to the sun as it did on Christmas Eve while traveling at a similar speed.
https://www.space.com/nasa-parker-solar-probe-christmas-flyby
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/parker-solar-probe/
Aurora alert: Geomagnetic storm could spark northern lights in upper Midwest skies this Christmas
December 24, 2024
Heightened solar activity has spurred the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center to issue a geomagnetic storm watch for Dec. 25.
An incoming coronal mass ejection (CME) could spread aurora cheer this Christmas. Its anticipated arrival is predicted to spark minor geomagnetic storm conditions with auroras possible at high latitudes, such as northern Michigan and Maine.
The CME left the sun on Dec. 23 during a powerful M8.9 solar flare eruption and is currently on track to land Earth with a glancing blow.
When CMEs strike Earth's magnetosphere, they bring electrically charged particles called ions that collide with our planet's magnetic field.
These collisions can spark geomagnetic storms. During these storms, ions collide with atmospheric gases, releasing energy that manifests as light.
This creates the stunning displays known as the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis, in the Northern Hemisphere, and the southern lights, or Aurora Australis, in the Southern Hemisphere.
NOAA classifies geomagnetic storms using a G-scale, which ranks their intensity from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme).
The recent geomagnetic storm watch issued by NOAA is currently rated as a G1, indicating minor storm conditions.
Current forecasts predict possible G1 conditions on Dec. 25. Check out NOAA's 3-day forecast for the latest timings.
Space weather physicist Tamitha Skov has provided an informative space weather forecast for the days ahead in a post on X.
Keep in mind that space weather, much like Earth's weather, is unpredictable and difficult to forecast.
Even though geomagnetic storm warnings at this level are rare, they can occasionally amount to nothing.
https://www.space.com/stargazing/aurora-borealis/aurora-alert-geomagnetic-storm-could-spark-northern-lights-in-upper-midwest-skies-this-christmas
https://x.com/TamithaSkov/status/1871362136188088826
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g1-minor-geomagnetic-storm-watch-issued-december-25th
New Jersey drone mystery deepens as US pilot fears it's 'distraction for attack'
10:01 ET, DEC 24 2024
Throughout 2024, there have been numerous reports from the US and globally of unexplained drone sightings near nuclear sites and military installations. New Jersey has been particularly affected by these mysterious objects.
In response to escalating concerns from politicians and the public, the Department of Defense issued a statement designed to alleviate the increasingly widespread fears.
They stressed that most, if not all, of the reported sightings were simply ordinary drones used by hobbyists, businesses, and law enforcement.
Officials even specifically dismissed claims made by Republican Congressman Jeff Van Drew, who stated he was informed that the drones were being launched from an Iranian ship lurking off the US eastern seaboard.
However, Mike Glover, a former drone operator for both defense research lab DARPA and the US military, has expressed skepticism about the explanation that these craft – some reportedly as large as an SUV – are regular surveillance drones.
"All these sightings are at night," he highlights. "The infrared and thermal technology even today – which has advanced in the last decade since I've been in the military – is still not great when it comes to flying at night."
Mike speculated that the Biden administration might, in its final days, launch a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities to delay the development of an Iranian nuclear bomb.
Recent data from the International Atomic Energy Agency suggests that Iran could potentially enrich enough uranium for five fission weapons at short notice.
The nation has denied external inspectors access to its facilities since early 2021.
Foreign policy experts caution that if Iran were to develop its own nuclear weapons, it would further destabilise the already volatile Middle East and possibly pose a significant threat to Israel.
From Mike's viewpoint, having the world captivated by tales of untraceable, unidentified drones could be just the "distraction" the US government needs.
Speaking on former US Navy SEAL Andy Stumpf's Ironclad podcast, Mike said: "If there's a potential strike that's going to take place …we don't want to telegraph that. Maybe the national media …is pushing this narrative and this story to distract from what actually is going to happen here in the near future."
Despite an FAA ban on drone flights in certain parts of New Jersey, the nightly intrusions persist, often with choreographed displays of dozens of orange glowing drones performing intricate aerobatics.
A second prediction of major developments in the New Jersey drone saga comes from an alleged US army whistleblower who posts videos under the screen name UnspokenWill.
Dressed in current-issue US Army fatigues marked with a "Williams" name tag, he alleged: "We are launching the drones in New Jersey, Texas, everywhere.
"There are man-made drones and we're doing the launching," he declared. "Now what you do have to be concerned of… is the orbs that's in the sky that you all see – the stuff that's shooting down drones."
He went on to claim that these "orbs" are maneuvered by "real-life aliens". And, he assured, "in 2025, there will be a lot more exposure of the truth. I can't say the reason why, but aliens are real".
https://www.themirror.com/news/us-news/new-jersey-drone-mystery-deepens-875517
https://youtu.be/XebbBgwBULQ?si=7_Wxz7rIZISp6Q0j
Wingcopter, ITOCHU and ANA test drone-based transport of research blood in Japan
December 24, 2024
TOCHU Corporation, Wingcopter's partner in Japan, have tested the transport of research blood (*1) using Wingcopter's delivery drone in a research project.
Together with ANA Holdings and the local blood donation center of the Japanese Red Cross, blood products were flown between the cities of Urasoe and Nago in Okinawa Prefecture.
The project (*2) aims to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of drones in the delivery of blood products, with the long-term goal of relieving the burden on delivery staff and being prepared for disasters, especially in regions where traditional forms of transport are inefficient.
The prefecture of Okinawa, with its 48 inhabited islands, is a prime example of such a region. Supplying these islands using conventional delivery methods requires a lot of personnel and time.
With drone deliveries, it will be possible to transport only the required amount at the exact moment it is needed. This enables a fast and efficient supply of blood products, even in emergencies and in response to natural disasters.
Depending on weather conditions, the 53 km long test route between Urasoe and Nago was covered by the Wingcopter in as little as 32 minutes.
A special transport container was used to keep the blood at a constant temperature of 2 to 6 degrees Celsius during the flight.
In addition, experts have also investigated the possible effects of transport by drone on the quality of the blood supplied.
“Okinawa Prefecture is located in the southernmost part of Japan and is known for its high temperatures in the summer.
Prior to the Proof of Concept (POC), we conducted multiple basic studies confirming the temperature management capability of the drone’s blood delivery box, which was manufactured and retrofitted by Sugiyamagen Co., Ltd. in Tokyo.
In addition, we were able to transport blood in a manner that complies with Japan’s ‘Guidelines for Transporting Medicines by Drones’ ”, elaborates Hiroshi Fujita, MD, PhD, Director of Department of Transfusion Medicine at Tokyo Metropolitan Bokutoh Hospital.
“The types of blood transported were red blood cell fluid and whole blood. Both types of blood are likely to be used in disasters and emergencies and require strict temperature control of 2 to 6 degrees Celsius.
The guidelines also require measures to deal with vibrations that occur during transportation.
In this POC we were able to confirm that the group of blood transported by vehicle and drone was of comparable quality to the blood of the non-flying group (control group).
The results of this verification therefore show that drones may be useful as a means of transporting blood appropriately to where it is needed. We hope to see Level 4 (*3) testing of blood transport by drones in the future.”
Armando Koerig Gessinger, Chief Revenue Officer at Wingcopter, comments:
“We are pleased to be have worked on this project with ITOCHU, ANA and other partners, and to once again have been able to demonstrate the versatility of the Wingcopter 198.
It is important to test as many real-world applications as possible under a wide range of conditions before type certification is granted, so that we can then scale up across Japan together with our partners.”
Kenji Suzuki, Vice President at ANA Holdings Inc., adds;
“Based on ANA's technology and experience accumulated through more than 70 years of aircraft operation, ANA performed safe high-speed flights over long distances with the Wingcopter[TD1] .
In collaboration with ITOCHU and Wingcopter, ANA will take on the challenge of solving the issues facing the transportation of blood products.”
Masaharu Sato, Deputy General Manager, Aerospace Department at ITOCHU Corporation, adds:
“The feasibility study in Okinawa Prefecture brings us another step closer to our goal of offering drone-based services that address the diverse needs and social problems of the Japanese society.
That is why we have already conducted POCs with different focuses in Hokkaido and Niigata, among other places, and intend to conduct further ones in the coming months.”
ITOCHU plans to integrate multiple simultaneously operating delivery drones into the conventional ground-based supply network in the future, thus helping to maintain a sustainable medical system, even in the event of labor shortages and emergencies in times of crisis.
In addition, the company aims to introduce a commercial drone delivery service, in which the Wingcopter 198 will be used, among other things, to deliver high-priority medical and pharmaceutical products.
https://www.commercialuavnews.com/wingcopter-itochu-and-ana-test-drone-based-transport-of-research-blood-in-japan
https://wingcopter.com/okinawa-poc
Joe Biden Called Pentagon Four Times Over New Jersey Mystery Drones: Report
Dec 24, 2024 at 8:53 AM EST
President Joe Biden called the Pentagon four times in December to seek updates about mystery drones sighted over New Jersey, according to a Sunday report by The Wall Street Journal.
The sightings, which began in November, have sparked public fascination and rumors of foreign involvement.
Newsweek has contacted the White House and the Department of Defense via email for comment.
The drones have raised national security concerns and prompted investigations by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security.
Intelligence officials have clarified that there is no evidence connecting the sightings to a foreign actor or indicating any malicious intent, however speculation among lawmakers, local officials and members of the public is growing, with many saying the government is not providing good enough answers.
According to the Journal's report, Biden's first called Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on December 12, a month after the sightings began.
Biden reportedly called him again, seeking updates, for the following three days, but was told the drones were likely hobbyist aircraft or standard manned flights, with no indication of foreign adversary involvement.
On December 16, White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby told reporters that many of the drones sighted were operating legally and lawfully. Kirby said:
"We assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and even stars that were mistakenly reported as drones,"
It was December 18 before Biden himself publicly addressed the issue, saying the drones were "nothing nefarious, apparently."
While the White House has suggested there may not be anything unusual about the sightings, the Federal Aviation Administration has ordered a temporary ban on drones in areas of New Jersey and in New York citing "special security reasons."
President Joe Biden, to reporters on December 17: "[about the drone sightings] Nothing nefarious apparently … no sense of danger."
Sen. Andy Kim (D., N.J.), to The Wall Street Journal: "I just didn't see the commensurate type of response by the administration to meet that level of public interest."
President-elect Donald Trump, on Truth Social: "Mystery Drone Sightings all over the country. Can this really be happening without our government's knowledge? … Shoot them down!!!"
Federal investigations into the sightings are ongoing. Temporary flight restrictions remain in place in New Jersey and other northeastern states until mid-January, and federal agencies are monitoring the situation.
https://www.newsweek.com/joe-biden-called-pentagon-four-times-over-ney-jersey-drones-report-2005634
https://archive.ph/mCNys#selection-5987.0-6023.235
Government 'Lying' About Mystery Drone, Orb Sightings: New Jersey Mayor
Updated Dec 23, 2024 at 9:52 AM EST
Pequannock Township Mayor Ryan Herd has accused federal and state officials of withholding the truth about mystery drones and "orbs" reported in northern New Jersey skies.
In a video posted on Facebook, Herd stated, "The government is actually lying to us," and demanded answers regarding the unidentified flying objects.
Newsweek has contacted the White House and the FBI via email for comment.
Herd has been vocal about the issue, describing a lack of meaningful action from federal authorities.
When Newsweek contacted Herd for further comment, he referred to a post he made on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday, detailing his experience with the federal government, who he said did not provide good enough answers and turned down advanced drone detection technology he had tried to organize.
In a Monday interview with Fox News, he expressed skepticism about the government's claims that the drone sightings were mostly legal drones or manned aircraft, stating, "do I buy it? Absolutely not."
Herd said that federal detection technology is insufficient to identify the larger drones observed.
In a letter to Congressman Chris Smith last week, Herd proposed deploying an advanced tracking technology to identify and assess the drones' origins and ownership. The proposal has not been adopted.
Herd also criticized the lack of transparency during a meeting with Governor Phil Murphy and every New Jersey mayor earlier this month, where he said authorities admitted they were unable to determine who was operating the drones or where they originated.
He said the messaging from federal officials was not plausible, telling Fox News, "They're going to be able to say 'American public don't believe your eyes.'"
Investigations into the drone sightings continue, with federal and state officials deploying detection measures.
Mayor Herd has pledged to keep pressing for transparency and for the deployment of more advanced tracking systems.
https://www.newsweek.com/government-lying-about-mystery-drone-orb-sightings-new-jersey-mayor-2005132
https://www.facebook.com/reel/555564634018250
https://x.com/Ryan_Herd_USA/status/1871192836466487751