Research Blog : astronomy

Curiosity's big day: the Mars landing

kiya@evpl — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 16:17:00 GMT

There's always been something special about Mars, and the way it has captured our imagination. This weekend marks the opportunity to learn more about the planet that we have so long imagined.

Last November the new Mars rover, Curiosity, was encased in a space capsule launched toward Mars via Atlas rocket. I've been vaguely following it in the news, but never stopped to think about what a mission like this might entail. Saturday Sunday night (well, Sunday Monday morning at 12:31 am CDT) Curiosity is scheduled to land on Mars. I had given even less thought to what that might be like; after all, I've seen plenty of splashdowns and shuttle landings. No big deal anymore, right? Then the president of Caltech sent me a link to a 5 minute video about the difficulties involved in just the landing of the rover, and how the planners have dealt with each of the problems along the way. Take a few moments to watch "Curiosity's Seven Minutes of Terror."

President Chameux also said:

Since its launch in November 2011, the MSL mission and Curiosity have captured the world's attention. The promise of science and planetary exploration continues to inspire millions across the world, from school children and educators, to scientists, public officials and journalists. On August 5th at 10:31pm PDT we hope to begin a new era of discovery on Mars. But it won't be easy. Historically, about 1 in 3 missions attempting to approach Mars have been successful.

MSL is the most ambitious mission in the history of robotic planetary exploration. It is not just important for our nation, it is important for the world. The Curiosity rover will allow us to explore big questions-mainly, could Mars have ever supported life? Determining Mars's past or present habitability would be a game-changer. In addition, we want to investigate the chemical, isotopic, and mineralogical composition of the Martian surface and learn more about this planet's atmospheric processes.

The data retrieved from Mars will be used in research centers around the world to expand knowledge and to chart new pathways for exploration. Students of all ages will be exposed to new insights in planetary science. And science and engineering discoveries will continue to impact society in unimaginable ways. In short, the opportunities are endless.

On Sunday, we will hold our breath in anticipation during a seven-minute period as the MSL spacecraft blazes through the Martian atmosphere at 13,200 mph, puts on the brakes, and lowers Curiosity to the planet's surface.... In life, nothing is guaranteed, and given the boldness of the MSL mission, many things could go wrong. Luckily, MSL has the most innovative technology available guiding it safely to the surface of Mars.

Want to learn more?

Venus and the Sun seen once in a lifetime.

SuDocQueen@evpl — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 21:51:00 GMT

I just learned that on Tuesday, 6/5, we'll have the opportunity to see a once in a lifetime celestial event. Starting late Tuesday afternoon (our time) the planet Venus will slowly pass in front of the sun. The picture of a very orange sun with a little black dot on it, making it look remarkably like an orange, caught my attention on weather.com. Their article led me to check out NASA's article on the event, which also clued me into the fact that they will be broadcasting the event online for those who can't get outside to see it. They're not the only ones. San Francisco's Exploratorium will show it live online, as well as Slooh.com.

Before you get a bright idea, like me, and think you can just walk out in your backyard Tuesday evening and view the event, read the articles from NASA and The Weather Channel. Trying to see the transit with the naked eye is too damaging to our eyes. So, either buy the glasses or lenses for your telescope they suggest, or visit the Evansville Museum on Tuesday. The museum is hosting a Venus Transit event with help from our local Astronomical Society.

To while away your time until Tuesday, stop by the library where you can brush up on your knowledge of Venus and astronomy in general.

Astronomy Week

SuDocQueen@evpl — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:20:00 GMT

I learned something new today. There are two Astronomy Days a year. One in the spring and one in the fall. This fall the day is October 1st, and the week Astronomy Day falls in is designated Astronomy Week. So September 26th to October 2nd this year is Astronomy week. I thought this rather serendipitous what with the NASA satellite due to fall from the sky today.

The Astronomical League has a good website for those who want to learn more about astronomy. They also have information on Astronomy Day celebrations around the country as well as helpful information for those who would like to host an Astronomy Day celebration.

For information on stargazing closer to home, The Evansville Astronomical Society's website offers useful stargazing links, a nice calendar of local events, and interesting information on the society's history.

If you'd like to learn a little more about astronomy before you consider contacting your local society, the library has plenty of books on astronomy, the stars and planets, and how to be an amateur astronomer. If you visit Central Library this week, stop by the second floor and check-out our book display by the stairs. To celebrate the week, we have some of our astronomy books on display there for easy access.

Reasons why the world won't end in 2012

googler@evpl — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:22:00 GMT

There's a lot of hype right now about the Mayan calendar, but it's interesting to note that none of it is coming from experts in Mesoamerican studies. In fact, it all seems to be coming from people trying to sell something, from books to movie tickets to emergency supplies. A couple of sites out there might help you rest assured there's nothing to be worried about.

An article in USA Today explains that "Part of the 2012 mystique stems from the stars. On the winter solstice in 2012, the sun will be aligned with the center of the Milky Way for the first time in about 26,000 years. This means that 'whatever energy typically streams to Earth from the center of the Milky Way will indeed be disrupted on 12/21/12 at 11:11 p.m. Universal Time,' journalist Lawrence Joseph writes. But scholars doubt the ancient Maya extrapolated great meaning from anticipating the alignment — if they were even aware of what the configuration would be. Astronomers generally agree that 'it would be impossible the Maya themselves would have known that,' says Susan Milbrath, a Maya archaeoastronomer and a curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History. What's more, she says, 'we have no record or knowledge that they would think the world would come to an end at that point.'"

The news site of the Discovery Channel has an article titled "Top Ten Reasons Why the World Won't End in 2012" with a nice summary of arguments against the most frequently proposed doomsday scenarios.

NASA has a FAQ about 2012, in which they explain, "Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then -- just as your calendar begins again on January 1 -- another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar."

I'm fond of The Skeptic's Dictionary, and they've come through with a nice entry that explains the complexities of the Mayan calendar in some detail (and which many doomsayers seem to be ignorant of). They also fail to find any reason to think that the Mayans were making a prediction at all, and ask the question, "what is the likelihood that a civilization that couldn't use its vast knowledge to save itself from self-destruction was concerned with predicting what would happen in a future millennium? The Mayan leaders couldn't see far enough into the future to plan for and solve the human problems they faced: too many people on too little land, destruction of their own environment, farming techniques and deforestation that depleted soil nutrients, droughts (partly brought on by their deforestation programs), and so on."

You have to give Hollywood credit -- they've timed the release of the big-budget disaster film 2012 just about perfectly. If nothing else, it certainly looks like an impressive bunch of special effects. I love how Roger Ebert calls it "the mother of all disaster movies (and the father, and the extended family)."