Carnival of Space #297
http://www.dearastronomer.com/
Welcome to another installment of The Carnival of Space! Here’s some highlights of space and astronomy news from the past week. We’ve got great stories on Asteroid missions, Mars exploration, comet ISON, and more!
First off, Mark Whittington at Yahoo has coverage on a NASA-Funded fusion rocket, and how the Russians plan to return to the moon while NASA “leads from behind. Read more here , and here.
Mark also shares with us, via The Examiner, two great articles on NASA’s planned asteroid mission. The first, is confirmation by Senator Nelson of said mission at: http://www.examiner.com/article/senator-nelson-confirms-nasa-asteroid-capture-mission?cid=db_articles, and the other is some thoughts on the mission by a planetary geologist at: http://www.examiner.com/article/nasa-asteroid-capture-scheme-criticized-by-planetary-geologist?cid=db_articles
Nextbigfuture predicted that there would be a permanent base established on Mars by 2037. Read a full analysis of when a human mission to Mars might actually happen at: http://nextbigfuture.com/2013/04/predictions-for-manned-landing-on-mars.html
Also from Nextbigfuture are prediction on when we can expect a human base on Mars and fusion power for energy generation and space propulsion. Learn more at: http://nextbigfuture.com/2013/04/what-will-happen-far-sooner-than-others.html#more
Keep reading for more great highlights from the past week in space and astronomy news!
Andrew Fraknoi gives us a link to and explanation of a panoramic (360-degree) image of Mars, stitched together from many Curiosity rover images, that lets the viewer move around the scene and have the feeling of being there on the red planet. Check it out at: http://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2013/04/making-yourself-at-home-on-mars.html
Dr. Fraknoi has also been awarded the Michael Faraday Award of the National Science Teachers’ Association, given each year for a lifetime of contributions to the public understanding of science. If you enjoy Dr. Fraknoi’s posts, send him your congratulations at: http://fraknoi.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-old-blogger-gets-award.html
Will Earth enter comet ISON’s tail and will we get a meteor shower from it? Nup. Learn more at: http://www.google.com/url?q=http://astroblogger.blogspot.com/2013/04/meteor-showers-from-comet-ison-not.html&usd=2&usg=ALhdy2_uuYJuIOnRS7etwO7sowV8p7vDOA
Observations by NASA and NOAA satellites reveal how global warming has allowed plant life to start growing further North, disrupting existing ecosystems. The Urban Astronomer has coverage at: http://www.urban-astronomer.com/Urban-Astronomer-Updates/globalwarmingchangingecosystems
WeirdWarp discusses climate models that may be too conservative in forecasting tropical changes at: http://www.weirdwarp.com/2013/04/the-existing-climate-change-model-could-be-wrong/
Space Access was the conference which prompted the creation of the Carnival of Space. Here are links Henry’s notes on the various talks and forums given at this years Space Access. http://whyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2013/04/space-access-2013-agenda.html
Artist’s conception of TESS. Credit: Chet Beals / MIT Lincoln Lab
A new space telescope will continue search for Earth-like worlds. Learn more at the Meridiani Journal: http://themeridianijournal.com/2013/04/new-space-telescope-will-continue-search-for-earth-like-worlds/
TheSpacewriter looks at the current tempest begun by the IAU over a contest to suggest planet names for new exoplanets at: http://thespacewriter.com/wp/2013/04/13/and-now-we-suggest-the-naming-of-planets/
Here’s a pair of great articles from the folks at Universe Today. First, check out this eye-catching infographic of This Week in Space Pictures at: http://www.universetoday.com/101431/this-week-in-space-pictures-april-12-2013/
The next article by Universe today is on how Austrian researchers want to use ISS “cupola” observing module to test the limits of “spooky action at distance” in hopes of creating a new quantum communications network. Learn more at: http://www.universetoday.com/101408/spooky-experiment-on-iss-could-pioneer-new-quantum-communications-network/
Last, but not least, StarryCritters allows you to zoom into ESO 456–67 glowing like a cat’s eye or the shape of Mas Amedda from Star Wars in this image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Check it out at: http://www.starrycritters.com/eye-of-star/
That’s it for this week’s Carnival of Space! Stay tuned for the next weekly showcase of articles written on the topic of space. If you have a science/space blog, joining the carnival is a good way to meet members of the space/science blogging community and help your site reach a wider audience.
If you’d like to be a host for the carnival, please send email to [email protected]
Ray Sanders is a Sci-Fi geek, astronomer and blogger. Currently researching variable stars at Arizona State University, he writes for Universe Today, The Planetary Society blog, and his own blog, Dear Astronomer
2013-04-17 09:53:16
Source: http://www.dearastronomer.com/2013/04/16/carnival-of-space-297/
Source:
