A storm of stars in the Trifid Nebula (NGC 6514) in the constellation of Sagittarius
The Trifid Nebula (cataloged as NGC 6514 or M20) was discovered by the famous French astronomer Charles Messier on June 5, 1764. This interstellar cloud is located about 5,400 light-years away in the Sagittarius constellation. The above picture, taken by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), shows a storm of stars brewing in the Trifid Nebula. The intense yellow and orange parts of the picture are new stars being born while the blue stars scattered around the picture are the older stars in this nebula. The main green cloud overlapping the many stars is made up of hydrogen gas.
NASA’s curiosity rover recently reached a spot on Mars referred to as “the Kimberley” to continue its study of the multiple rock formations in that area. But what caught the eye of many space observers/enthusiasts also brought in special interest from UFO and alien followers – a strange light.
Strange light caught by Curiosity camera on Mars
What was that strange (white) light captured by one of Curiosity’s dual NAVCAM cameras? An artificial light from a UFO or alien beings that inhabit Mars? Or is it more likely that this light was the camera capturing cosmic rays or sunlight reflecting off the rocks in that area; a malfunction with the camera; or some other artifact? You can bet that there are plenty of theories and analysis trying to establish boththese trains of thought. For now, its time to go back to review all the older Mars pictures and wait for the next set of pictures beamed by Curiosity from Mars.
Near Earth asteroid Eros photographed by NEAR Shoemaker
Johns Hopkins University’s Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous – Shoemaker (NEAR Shoemaker) robotic space probe was launched in 1996 to study the asteroid Eros. This picture is a mosaic of six pictures, stitched together and layered over a computer model of the asteroid’s shape. The NEAR Shoemaker probe was about 200 kilometers from Eros at the time of these photos. Several large craters are clearly visible. At the end of its mission in February 2001, the spacecraft landed on Eros.
X-Class solar flare and coronal mass ejection (X-Class CME) on the Sun
This image was produced by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory using a combination of two wavelengths, of extreme ultraviolet light. The end result is a stunning depiction of a X-Class Solar Flare and the associated Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) from the Sun. This X-Class CME which occurred on January 7, 2014 was directed towards the Earth, and may have resulted in bright auroras visible on certain parts of Earth when it impacted our planet’s magnetosphere. Thankfully it did not have any reported deleterious affects on the satellites in orbit or electrical systems and equipment on Earth.
This X-class solar event was measured at X1.2. The “X” classification denotes a significant solar event in the overall scale, which goes from A, B, C, M, X and Z – in ascending order. Within each classification, the numerical value represents its strength on a linear scale, so this X1.2 CME would be quite low within the “X” class measurement. For reference, the highest recorded solar flare was an X28 but it is believed by some that the 1859 Carrington Event, may have been a X40 solar flare and CME, generating massive solar storms on Earth. Unless we are prepared for a similar event today, it could result in catastrophic failures of electronic/electrical systems and significant loss of life.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has several space launch facilities in the United States and US controlled territories. The main East Coast facility in the Unites States is Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Brevard County, Florida. This facility is adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center and is used for east-west launch orbit spacecraft.
Kennedy Space Center fridge magnet
NASA’s main west coast facility is located at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Located in Central California, Vandenberg is preferred for spacecraft requiring a north-south orbit.
An Atlas V rocket on the launch pad at Vandenburg Air Force base
