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THIS WEEK'S TOP STORY
Mystery Holes In Roof Could Be Meteorites
An SES volunteer examines the holes left in a Grovedale roof. .Large holes were blown in the roofs of two Grovedale homes on Saturday afternoon, baffling emergency workers and weather experts.Pic: Darren Apps
One couple reported hearing a loud bang, while a neighbour also heard the crashing sound about 3.30pm, The Geelong Advertiser reported.
SES and police told Sturt Court couple Tony and May Giuffre the damage was caused by an unusual weather phenomena called a microburst.
But weather expert Lindsay Smail dismissed that claim because that weather pattern was only associated with thunderstorms, and none were present on the weekend.
The Astronomical Society of Victoria's president Perry Vlahos predicted a marble-sized piece of space junk or meteorite could have caused the damage and the evidence would be found in the area around the two houses.
Geelong Advertiser.
MORE ASTRO-SPACE NEWS
Small Asteroid 2009 VA Whizzes By The Earth
A newly discovered asteroid designated 2009 VA, which is only about 7 meters in size, passed about 2 Earth radii (14,000 km) from the Earth's surface Nov. 6 at around 16:30 EST. This is the third-closest known (non-impacting) Earth approach on record for a cataloged asteroid.
The two closer approaches include the 1-meter sized asteroid 2008 TS26, which passed within 6,150 km of the Earth's surface on October 9, 2008, and the 7-meter sized asteroid 2004 FU162 that passed within 6,535 km on March 31, 2004. On average, objects the size of 2009 VA pass this close about twice per year and impact Earth about once every 5 years.
Asteroid 2009 VA was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey about 15 hours before the close approach, and was quickly identified by the Minor Planet Center in Cambridge MA as an object that would soon pass very close to the Earth.
JPL's Near-Earth Object Program Office also computed an orbit solution for this object, and determined that it was not headed for an impact. Only thirteen months ago, the somewhat smaller object 2008 TC3 was discovered under similar circumstances, but that one was found to be on a trajectory headed for the Earth, with impact only about 11 hours away.
Physorg
Radiation: The Moon's Greatest Menace
The most critical challenge will come when astronauts face the fury of a large solar flare while on the Moon. Radiation levels can increase enormously, and fatal doses can be absorbed by unprotected astronauts within minutes. At least one part of a lunar base will need to be equipped as a radiation shelter, to protect against the most extreme radiation events. Shielding will be thicker, and provisions will be made for stays of several hours or days.
The Moon is a harsh place, as decades of direct exploration have demonstrated. It carries all of the risks of conventional spaceflight, then adds to them. The tyranny of distance from Earth makes emergency returns difficult. The dust on the surface could be dangerous to inhale. Meteorites pepper the surface. These are serious problems, but the greatest threat to future human explorers will probably be radiation.
Astronauts in low Earth orbit receive protection from the Earth's magnetic field, which shields out some of the heavier subatomic particles that stream in from space. It's just as well. These cosmic rays are energetic and dangerous to life. Go beyond this region of space, and this natural protection disappears. The Moon itself has essentially no magnetic field, and no atmosphere. There's little to stop the barrage of particles and rays that stream in from the Sun and beyond.
Some of this material actually changes the lunar surface. It can cause erosion of some rocks, and alter their chemistry. Particles from the solar wind probably contribute to the thin layer of water on some lunar rocks, by stimulating chemical reactions. The Moon's deposits of Helium-3, which could be a future energy source, have been collected from eons of solar emissions.
A short mission to the Moon will be survivable for astronauts, mainly because exposure times will be low. Astronauts staying for longer periods will need shielding, to guard against the long-term effects of exposure. The thin walls of spacecraft will not be enough. Bases on the Moon will probably need to be buried, or at least covered with a layer of soil.
Studies of the levels of radiation around the Moon were performed by the Indian Chandrayaan-1 orbiter. A radiation monitoring instrument on board the NASA Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is still active. This research is certainly useful, but it will not answer all our questions.
Radiation sensors need to be placed on the surface, and at different regions, to assess the full nature of the Moon's radiation environment. The most critical challenge will come when astronauts face the fury of a large solar flare while on the Moon. Radiation levels can increase enormously, and fatal doses can be absorbed by unprotected astronauts within minutes.
At least one part of a lunar base will need to be equipped as a radiation shelter, to protect against the most extreme radiation events. Shielding will be thicker, and provisions will be made for stays of several hours or days.
Being ready for a radiation storm is just half of the solution. Astronauts will need an early warning system to alert them of an impending event. Will they have enough time to retreat to a shelter if they are a long way from the base? If not, can they improvise protection inside a rover? These challenges will need to be addressed long before we place our next footprints on the Moon.
Moon Daily
Exoplanet With Extremely Tilted Orbit Stumps Astronomers
Two teams of astronomers have found a planet outside the solar system that might be orbiting backwards compared to its star's rotation, a discovery that could shed light on how unique the relatively perfect alignment of our solar system is compared to that of other planetary systems.
By measuring the rotation of the parent star of HAT-P-7b, a planet discovered in 2008, the two teams, including one led by MIT assistant professor of physics Joshua Winn and the other by Norio Narita at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, found that the orbit is tilted by at least 86 degrees with respect to the star’s equator. The drastic misalignment of the exoplanet, or planet outside our solar system, suggests that it is either rotating over both poles of its star or actually rotating backwards, a phenomenon that does not occur in our solar system and that could help explain why life thrives here.
More than 400 exoplanets have been discovered since 1995 thanks to large ground-based telescopes that have made it easier to observe such planets. Their study is important because their diverse orbits provide evidence that can help astronomers better understand how planets form.
The popularity of studying exoplanets has revived stellar astronomy, the study of how stars form, which had taken a backseat to other fields like cosmology until recently, according to Adam Burrows, an astrophysicist at Princeton University. But “in order to understand the planets, we need to understand the stars,” Burrows explained, noting that many planet properties evolved in terms of stellar parameters like masses, radii and spectra. Because planet formation is understood in the context of star formation, planetary and stellar astronomy “need each other,” Burrows said.
The planets in our solar system are well-aligned and prograde, revolving in the same direction as that of their parent star, the sun. For hundreds of years, astronomers have considered this pattern as a clue that the planets and sun formed from the same spinning disk of gas and dust. They have assumed the same about other planetary systems, Winn said.
But recent developments in exoplanetary science suggest that exoplanets do not conform to previous theories of orbital evolution and may have developed in a manner entirely different from that of the solar system.
Catholics Can Believe in Alien Life
A top astronomer has told a conference in Vatican City the belief that life exists in other parts of the universe "does not clash" with Catholicism. Disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only
The Rev. Jose Gabriel Funes, who heads the prestigious Vatican Observatory, says man "cannot set limits on God's creative freedom," Italy's ANSA news agency reported Wednesday.
He spokes at a conference organized by the Pontifical Academy of Science to debate the origin, evolution and future of life in the universe. The week-long conference brought together physicists, chemists, astronomers, biologists and geologists from all over the world.
Father Funes called questions on the origins of life and the presence of life in the universe outside Earth "legitimate issues" that "merit serious consideration." It was not the first time Father Funes has expressed his belief in the possibility of life beyond earth. "Just as there is a multiplicity of creatures on Earth there could be other beings, intelligent ones, created by God," the priest said in an interview last year.
SpaceDaily
Will a "Space Fence" Solve the Orbiting Litter Crisis
Man has made it to the moon, hurled equipment to the edges of the solar system, even examined the very beginning of time, but our true achievements are even more important (if less awe-inspiring): we've raised litter above and beyond the surface of the Earth!
So much so that with some 100,000 plus objects orbiting our little blue dot, we need a new detection grid if we're ever to get off-planet without having our heads bashed in by a ball of old trash.
There's an entire ring of old, broken, or blasted to pieces bits and bobs in near Earth orbit, each with enough energy to permanently ruin an astronauts entire day (at least until the explosive decompression sets in).
With twenty thousand objects already tracked, and hundreds of thousands more still in orbit, the International Space Station has already had to make emergency maneuvers to avoid collisions twice – and an Iridium satellite famously didn't make such maneuvers, colliding with a Cosmos-2511 colleague and exploding both (producing a storm of extra debris in what could be the world's most expensive, if slow, chain reaction.)
The new tracking system has been contracted to Northrop Grumman, who were handed thirty million dollars, pointed up and told "Keep track of all that stuff." The new system builds on previous technology and is called a "Space Fence" because it projects constant radio beams up from a few points on Earth – as Earth rotates, the radio region sweeps across all the objects in orbit.
The interesting note is that this strategy is still observation and avoidance – you need careful timing or maneuvering systems to actually evade any identified impact-possible pieces, otherwise you just get a countdown to space explosion. Awesome for Michael Bay, sucks for everyone else. It's pretty tricky to get garbage collectors into low Earth orbit but we're going to have to do something soon – or literally become penned into our own home by all the trash we threw out the front door. And then wonder why nobody's coming to visit.
Note: there was one attempt to bring down trash, the student-project SNAP satellite. Ironically, it failed and became space-trash itself.
Daily Galaxy
NASA to Begin Attempts to Free Sand-Trapped Mars Rover
NASA will begin transmitting commands to its Mars exploration rover Spirit on Monday as part of an escape plan to free the venerable robot from its Martian sand trap.
Spirit has been lodged at a site scientists call "Troy" since April 23. Researchers expect the extraction process to be long and the outcome uncertain based on tests here on Earth this spring that simulated conditions at the Martian site.
"This is going to be a lengthy process, and there's a high probability attempts to free Spirit will not be successful" said Doug McCuistion, director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "After the first few weeks of attempts, we're not likely to know whether Spirit will be able to free itself."
Spirit has six wheels for roving the Red Planet. The first commands will tell the rover to rotate its five working wheels forward approximately six turns. Engineers anticipate severe wheel slippage, with barely perceptible forward progress in this initial attempt. Since 2006, Spirit's right-front wheel has been inoperable, possibly because of wear and tear on a motor as a result of the rover's longevity.
Spirit will return data the next day from its first drive attempt. The results will be assessed before engineers develop and send commands for a second attempt. Using results from previous commands, engineers plan to continue escape efforts until early 2010. "Spirit has provided outstanding scientific discoveries and shown us astounding vistas during its long life on Mars, which is more than 22 times longer than its designed life, "McCuistion said.
In the spring, Spirit was driving backward and dragging the inoperable right front wheel. While driving in April, the rover's other wheels broke through a crust on the surface that was covering a bright-toned, slippery sand underneath. After a few drive attempts to get Spirit out in the subsequent days, it began sinking deeper in the sand trap. Driving was suspended to allow time for tests and reviews of possible escape strategies.
"The investigations of the rover embedding and our preparations to resume driving have been extensive and thorough," said John Callas, project manager for Spirit and Opportunity at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "We've used two different test rovers here on Earth in conditions designed to simulate as best as possible Spirit's predicament. However, Earth-based tests cannot exactly replicate the conditions at Troy."
Data show Spirit is straddling the edge of a 26-foot-wide crater that had been filled long ago with sulfate-bearing sands produced in a hot water or steam environment. The deposits in the crater formed distinct layers with different compositions and tints, and they are capped by a crusty soil. It is that soil that Spirit's wheels broke through. The buried crater lies mainly to Spirit's left. Engineers have plotted an escape route from Troy that heads up a mild slope away from the crater.
"We'll start by steering the wheels straight and driving, though we may have to steer the wheels to the right to counter any downhill slip to the left," said Ashley Stroupe, a JPL rover driver and Spirit extraction testing coordinator. "Straight-ahead driving is intended to get the rover's center of gravity past a rock that lies underneath Spirit. Gaining horizontal distance without losing too much vertical clearance will be a key to success. The right front wheel's inability to rotate greatly increases the challenge."
Spirit has been examining its Martian surroundings with tools on its robotic arm and its camera mast. The rover's work at Troy has augmented earlier discoveries it made indicating ancient Mars had hot springs or steam vents, possible habitats for life.
Spirit and its twin rover landed on Mars in January 2004. They have explored Mars for five years, far surpassing their original 90 days. Opportunity currently is driving toward a large crater called Endeavor.
NASA/JPL
One Strange Mars Rock
Opportunity has come upon another big rock on Mars. But what is it? Another meteorite? A big clump of ejecta from an old impact?
There's lots of other debris scattered around this area as well. The rock has been named "Marquette Island," staying with the island theme for the other meteorites Oppy has come across, and the rover may take the "opportunity" to get closer to this rock and check it out, given the sand dunes surrounding it don't provide too much of an obstacle.
So maybe next week we'll find out what it is. But in the meantime, enjoy this colour image of the rock via Stu Atkinson from Unmannedspaceflight.com. Oh, and rumor has it that the extrication process may have begun to free the Spirit rover.
Latest images show she has moved every so slightly. More as it becomes available….
Universe Today
How Far Into Outer Space Have Space Probes Penetrated
Outer space, a place of enormous distances: for more than 30 years, unmanned spacecraft have journeyed to learn more about the depths of space, its planets and the nature of interplanetary space. Now, billions of kilometres from Earth, space probes are entering areas never before explored by humankind.
At present, four of these space probes, objects created by human endeavours, are the furthest items from Earth ever constructed by mankind. The American probes Pioneer 10 and 11 as well as Voyager 1 and 2 have now passed beyond the orbital path of the last planet in our Solar System and are still travelling ever further from it. The US space probe Pioneer 10, destination Jupiter, took off from Cape Canaveral on 3 March 1973 on board an Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle.
On its way to Jupiter, it also examined the asteroid belt and interplanetary space. As planned, it flew past Jupiter and continued sending data to Earth until January 2003. A service life of 21 months was originally planned – and almost 30 years were achieved. Unmanned spacecraft journey on into interstellar space Pioneer 11 is the sister probe of Pioneer 10 and was launched on 6 April 1973. The objective for this probe, weighing just 259 kilograms, was to conduct research as it flew past Jupiter and Saturn.
Like Pioneer 10, Pioneer 11 arrived at the planets so quickly that slowing it down would have required more fuel than either space probe could possibly have launched with in the first place. Their respective launch vehicles accelerated these two probes to such high speeds that, even today, with no additional propulsion, they continue to fly out beyond the Solar System.
The Voyager probes constituted a newer generation of space probe, and they were launched in 1977 on board Titan rockets – Voyager 2 on 20 August 1977, taking to the skies 16 days before Voyager 1. Having said that, Voyager 1 blasted off on a shorter flight path to Jupiter, enabling it to overtake Voyager 2 and to become the first of the pair to fly past Jupiter.
After Jupiter, Voyager 1 flew on to Saturn, while the orbit chosen for Voyager 2 took it past Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. This made it possible for the first ever close-up photographs of the two outermost planets in the Solar System to be taken. At the present time, the distance between Voyager 1 and the Sun measures about 111 astronomical units. One astronomical unit (AU) equates to the mean distance between the Earth and the Sun, which measures 149.6 million kilometres. Voyager 2 is now at a distance of 90 AU from Earth, Pioneer 10 is at a distance of 99 AUs and Pioneer 11 is at a distance of 79 AUs.
The probes are moving away at speeds of between 11.4 and 17.1 kilometres per second. This means that, each year, they are covering between 2.5 and 3.5 times the distance from Earth to the Sun.
SpaceDaily
Stephen Hawking 'sings' on pop single tribute to scientist Carl Sagan
Last Monday would have been Carl Sagan's 75th birthday. His life and work were monumental in astronomy and public outreach, and he had a profound influence on many people. I count myself among those who say they might not be where they are today were it not for Carl Sagan.
Stephen Hawking has actually sung on a pop single tribute to Carl. The new pop single featuring lyrics spoken by wheelchair-bound theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking has gone on sale, as a tribute to his fellow astronomer Carl Sagan.
A Glorious Dawn mixes dialogue from Sagan's 1980s TV show Cosmos: A Personal Voyage with Prof Hawking's voice. Produced by White Stripes frontman Jack White's Third Man Records label, composer John Boswell set the lyrics to various instruments for the seven-inch single.
The release is timed to coincide with what would have been Sagan's 75th birthday. He died in 1996 aged 62. One-hundred-and-fifty limited edition versions of the single will also be made. Prof Hawking, 67, author of A Brief History of Time, suffers from neuro muscular dystrophy and uses a voice synthesizer to communicate as the condition has left him paralysed. He stepped down from role as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University last month after 30 years.
Sagan was an American astronomer and author who became world-famous for writing popular science books and presenting Cosmos: A Personal Voyage. He also wrote the novel Contact, the basis for the 1997 film of the same name. There are also loads of videos on You Tube about Sagan. Just search and you'll be busy all day.
Broken Urine Recycler May Affect Space Mission
A broken device that recycles astronaut urine into clean drinking water on the International Space Station may have a slight impact to life onboard next week when NASA's shuttle Atlantis arrives to boost the number of people there to 12.
Any impact would likely pertain to things such as digging into supplies of spare urine bags (to hold stuff that would normally have been recycled), or determining how many astronauts can use the two bathrooms on the station, or the one on Atlantis, NASA spokesperson Kelly Humphries said.
The space station has plenty of water to support its six astronauts through next spring with or without the recycler, he added. "If we can't get it running again, yes it will have an impact because there are no spare parts manifested for the shuttle mission," Humphries said.
Engineers hope they can revive the recycling device, known in NASA parlance as the Urine Processing Assembly (UPA), by the time Atlantis and its crew of six astronauts blast off on Monday. But they are also developing back up plans if the problem persists. If the shuttle launches on time, it will arrive on Wednesday.
The glitch has not affected use of the station's newer, second bathroom, which is tied into the recycling system and is vital to supporting six people aboard the orbiting laboratory and periodic population booms when shuttles are docked, NASA officials said.
The space station's urine recycler is part of a larger, $250 million water conservation system that collects urine and wastewater, as well as sweat and other condensate from the spacecraft's atmosphere. That mix is then filtered through a seven-step process until it is pure enough to drink or use for food preparation, bathing, oxygen generation or any other purpose. Station astronauts began drinking their recycled urine in May. The most recent breakdown for the urine processor, which has had glitches before, occurred Oct. 30. Astronauts removed a clog in its intricate plumbing and were testing the fix when they saw it break down again.
Engineers believe the glitch is different from the earlier malfunctions, Humphries said. They will continue to study the problem as the station astronauts prepare for the arrival of Atlantis. Atlantis' six-astronaut crew is poised to fly an 11-day mission to the space station to deliver vital, and large, spare parts for the orbiting lab. Three spacewalks are planned to make the delivery.
The space station is currently home to six astronauts — two Americans, two Russians, a Canadian and Belgian spaceflier Frank De Winne of the European Space Agency, who commands the team. One crewmember, NASA astronaut Nicole Stott, is due to return home aboard Atlantis when it leaves the station later this month.
Earlier Thursday, the station crew welcomed the arrival of a brand-new Russian module to their orbiting lab.The unmanned Mini-Research Module 2, named Poisk (Russian for "explore"), docked to a rooftop berth on the station's Russian-built Zvezda service module. It can be used as a research space, for storage, as well as an airlock or docking port.
Space.com.
NASA Offers $400,000 Prize for Super Space Glove
If you can build a high-tech glove that can move easily and operate effectively in the vacuum of space, NASA may have $400,000 for your effort. That’s the amount of money up for grabs in the 2009 Astronaut Glove Challenge set for Nov. 19 at the Astronaut Hall of Fame in Titusville, Florida.
NASA said the competition will test gloves from at least two contestants that will measure the gloves' dexterity and strength during operation in a glove box that simulates the vacuum of space.
According to the competition Web site, the challenge will be conducted by Volanz Aerospace in a format that brings all competitors to a single location for a "head to head" competition to determine the winning Team(s). Each team will be required pass a series of minimum performance requirements having to do with the glove’s interface with the interface to the test box, flexibility, dexterity and pressurization.
Other requirements include: the weight of the outer or thermal micrometeoroid garment (TMG) layer of the glove must not exceed 200 grams; and the TMG must be able to withstand a temperature range from -120 degrees Celsius (-185 F) to +113 degrees Celsius (235 F). Performance tests include range-of-motion and the ability of the operator to push and pull items as well as manipulate them. The team(s) that earns the highest score will be the winner.
From the Web site: For this test, conducted in the glove box, the Competitor will insert the full Glove, consisting of the TMG layer, outer glove unpressurized layer, and the unpowered, bladder and bladder-restraint portion of the Glove into the Glove Box. The Competitor will perform 30 minutes of hand exercises (e.g., pinching and gripping), and other manipulation dexterity tests and tasks that will be scored based on performance.
The glove challenge is but one of NASA’s Centennial Challenges that offers top dollar rewards for a variety of innovative technologies. For example, NASA recently awarded $1.65 million in prize money to a pair of aerospace companies that successfully simulated landing a spacecraft on the moon and lifting off again. NASA gave a $1 million first prize to Masten Space Systems and a $500,000 second prize to Armadillo Aerospace for successfully completing the Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge.
NASA recently held and awarded a $900,000 prize in its Power Beaming and Tether Challenge to develop future solar power satellites and a futuristic project known as the Space Elevator. Space elevators are in a nutshell stationary tethers rotating with the Earth, held up by a weight at its end, and serving as a track on which electric vehicles called "climbers" can travel up and down carrying about 10 tons of payload, according to The Spaceward Foundation which is working with NASA on these challenges.
Network World
Pot Belly Galaxies
Just as many people are surprised to find themselves packing on unexplained weight around the middle, astronomers find the evolution of bulges in the centers of spiral galaxies puzzling. A recent NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image of NGC 4710 is part of a survey that astronomers have conducted to learn more about the formation of bulges, which are a substantial component of most spiral galaxies.
When targeting spiral galaxy bulges, astronomers often seek edge-on galaxies, as their bulges are more easily distinguishable from the disc. This exceptionally detailed edge-on view of NGC 4710 taken by the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard Hubble reveals the galaxy’s bulge in the brightly colored center. The luminous, elongated white plane that runs through the bulge is the galaxy disc. The disc and bulge are surrounded by eerie-looking dust lanes.
When staring directly at the center of the galaxy, one can detect a faint, ethereal “X”-shaped structure. Such a feature, which astronomers call a “boxy” or “peanut-shaped” bulge, is due to the vertical motions of the stars in the galaxy’s bar and is only evident when the galaxy is seen edge -on. This curiously shaped puff is often observed in spiral galaxies with small bulges and open arms, but is less common in spirals with arms tightly wrapped around a more prominent bulge, such as NGC 4710.
NGC 4710 is a member of the giant Virgo Cluster of galaxies and lies in the northern constellation of Coma Berenices (the Hair of Queen Berenice). It is not one of the brightest members of the cluster, but can easily be seen as a dim elongated smudge on a dark night with a medium-sized amateur telescope. In the 1780s, William Herschel discovered the galaxy and noted it simply as a “faint nebula”. It lies about 60 million light-years from the Earth and is an example of a lenticular or S0-type galaxy — a type that seems to have some characteristics of both spiral and elliptical galaxies.
Astronomers are scrutinizing these systems to determine how many globular clusters they host. Globular clusters are thought to represent an indication of the processes that can build bulges. Two quite different processes are believed to be at play regarding the formation of bulges in spiral galaxies: either they formed rather rapidly in the early Universe, before the spiral disc and arms formed; or they built up from material accumulating from the disc during a slow and long evolution.
In this case of NGC 4710, researchers have spotted very few globular clusters associated with the bulge, indicating that its assembly mainly involved relatively slow processes.
NASA
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The Universe
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The UFO photographs surveyed were ta
Students Send Microbe Experiment on Space Shuttle Atlantis
An experiment by college students that will study how microbes grow in microgravity is heading to orbit aboard space shuttle Atlantis.
Astronaut love-dustup mace space ace Nowak cops plea
Former astronaut Lisa Nowak – world-famous for gassing a rival over the extramarital affections of a space shuttle Astronaut.
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FEATURE STORY
Underdog Planet: Why We Love Pluto
For such a small member of the solar system, about which relatively little is known, Pluto has an impressive following. When the news that the ninth planet had been stripped of its planethood got out, the public outcry was immediate. From school children to space enthusiasts, and many in between, people leapt to Pluto’s defence.
How did it inspire so much support from so many corners? Why did the International Astronomical Union decide to demote Pluto to a dwarf planet? Is there any hope the popular celestial object will regain its planetary status?
To find out, Wired.com spoke with MSNBC.com science editor Alan Boyle, who reported on the events that culminated in Pluto’s ouster for his blog Cosmic Log as they unfolded. Now Boyle has reported the rest of the intriguing story in his new book “The Case for Pluto: How a Little Planet Made a Big Difference,” which comes in an appropriately endearing little package.
Wired.com: Why does the public care so much whether or not Pluto is a planet?
Boyle: Some people say it’s because of the Disney dog, that kids that grew up with Pluto the pup just have a natural affinity for Pluto the planet. And that’s definitely part of it, but I think that there’s something more to it.
Throughout most of the history of that little world, we’ve thought of it as a poor little oddball that didn’t fit in with the rest of the kids in the solar system and really needed to be protected. So to my mind it’s really not so much about the dog, but it’s about the underdog.
Wired.com: Why is it important to scientists whether we call Pluto a planet or not?
Boyle: Some scientists will go to the barricades to make sure that it’s called a planet and other scientists will resist that idea. I think when you get right down to it, I’m not sure the name makes a lot of difference in terms of the scientific study of these planets. It’s more a question of how, for example, the general public thinks about how our cosmos is structured.
There might be a slight difference in the way projects are funded if there’s a perception that these are just cosmic leftovers and they really don’t count for much in the solar system. That might have a marginal effect on what sort of space missions are funded, what sorts of observational campaigns are taken on. I think that the scientists are really keyed in on that. And even Caltech astronomer Mike Brown, whose Twitter handle is @plutokiller, even he is fascinated with these objects that are out there.
Wired.com: How does Pluto’s planetary status affect how the general public views the cosmos?
Boyle: I think the case of the asteroids is a good illustration of what’s going on. When people memorized the nine planets they completely forgot about this string of small bodies, the asteroids. The biggest of these, Ceres, is now a dwarf planet. Strangely enough this whole controversy has elevated the profile of Ceres at the same time that it’s made people wonder a little bit about Pluto.
We’re finding out that for all sorts of reasons, the asteroids are a pretty important element in the solar system. They could be a great source of resources in the future. They could pose a threat as we’ve seen recently with July’s “Great Black Spot” — the collision of some object with Jupiter. And just this month there was a pretty significant bolide — what people think was an asteroid came into the atmosphere over Indonesia and was one of the biggest blowups that has been observed yet.
I think you can extend some of that example of asteroids to the far zone of the solar system as well. We really need to keep that in consciousness when we’re thinking about the solar system. If you limit your understanding of the solar system to just memorizing eight or nine names, you’re really missing out.
Wired.com: So the asteroids and the rest of the outer solar system have benefited from Pluto being demoted?
Boyle: It’s kind of like what celebrities sometimes say, that I don’t care if you speak ill or well of me, as long as you spell my name right. The fact that people are finding this interesting enough to quarrel over helps put the spotlight on those regions of the solar system that were maybe in the shadows before. And I think that having a wider view of what you call a planet really helps to 1) emphasize the diversity in the solar system, and 2) keep in mind that there are very interesting objects that could be weirder than we imagined but still can fit into the planetary tribe.
Wired.com: How was Pluto first discovered?
Alan Boyle: There had been another planet, which came to be known as Neptune, which was found by figuring out how the gravitational interactions of all the planets came together. They figured that there had to be something extra there.
So some people thought it was the same situation as after Neptune was found: There had to be some sort of extra gravitational pull. A lot of people theorized that there had to be another planet, Planet N or Planet O, P, Q or whatever. So this guy named Percival Lowell tried to find that planet but couldn’t do it. He died in 1916, and it took a while for the Lowell Observatory, which he founded, to get back into the search.
But eventually this guy named Clyde Tombaugh, a Kansas farm boy, started the search. Tombaugh was a really interesting guy because he was a very detail-oriented young man. He undertook a very meticulous, dedicated search of the parts of the sky that were imaged by the Lowell Observatory’s telescope, and eventually he found it just by sticking with it. At first they didn’t know what it was, people started talking about the ninth planet, and the rest is history.
Wired.com: Where did the name Pluto come from?
Boyle: There were three names that had been bandied about. One was Minerva, but people found out there was already an asteroid named Minerva. One was Cronus, but astronomers at the Lowell Observatory decided that they didn’t want to name it Cronus because an astronomer they didn’t like came up with that name, and they were afraid that the astronomer would steal the credit if they used that name.
And the third name was Pluto. There had been talk about maybe if we found another planet, we would name it Pluto, and so that was definitely on the list. The bad thing about it was that there happened to be a type of laxative water known as “Pluto Water.” And so the trustee of the Lowell Observatory thought maybe that wasn’t the right name for it.
But, on the other hand, they did have this telegram from Britain where an 11-year-old girl named Venetia Burney had suggested this name. So there was really definitely a cute factor from the beginning of Pluto’s christening. And they went with that. And then the Disney dog of course. That added to the cuteness factor.
Wired.com: Pluto was found in 1930, so why did it take until just recently to find any of these similar things?
Boyle: The simple answer is telescopes and patience. The telescopes had to be powerful enough to find dim objects on the edge of the solar system. And it also takes a lot of patience to do the sort of thing that Clyde Tombaugh did, where you compare pictures back and forth. So really, it took a couple of patient people, David Jewitt and Jane Luu, to get the imagery of the area where these faraway objects might be found.
They also employed computers, which were coming onto the scene, and the computers could automate these sorts of tasks. That has really revolutionized the field. It’s unimaginable that people could do this sort of astronomy without having high-powered computers to help with the task.
Wired.com: Why do scientists care so much about Pluto?
Boyle: Pluto, when you look back at it, was actually the first object of the great third zone beyond the part of the solar system that people knew about: the inner rocky planets and the outer giant planets. Clyde Tombaugh was the first to find one of these icy worlds on the very rim of the solar system, and that sparked a lot of discussion about how it got there and how solar systems are created anyway. And whether you call Pluto a planet or a dwarf planet or a sleazy ice ball, you’ve got to admit that Pluto really pioneered the exploration of that icy zone of the solar system and helped us to find the ice worlds, the rings of ice that exist in other solar systems as well.
So naturally astronomers want to find out more about this frontier, and there are a lot of interesting attributes. It could have been the place that provided the building blocks for life. It could be the last redoubt of life millions of years from now when the sun gets big and hot. There’s a lot to look at in that area of our solar system, and it sparks great questions about what’s happening in other planetary systems as well.
Wired.com: What does it take to qualify as a planet now?
Boyle: The way the [International Astronomical Union] sees it, it’s an object that’s going around the sun and has the mass sufficient to crush it into a round shape — so-called hydrostatic equilibrium. And then you’ve got the standard that it has to have cleared out its orbital neighborhood. And that is the standard that caused all the controversy and continues to cause all the controversy.
Even people who were kind of in favor of the way the IAU decision turned out admit that that standard really needs to have some work done. It depends on how you define the neighborhood, and how you define the biggest thing in the neighborhood. Arguably, Pluto could be the biggest thing in its zone because it makes as much as 7 percent of the Kuiper Belt by mass.
Some researchers have tried to come up with a quantifiable way of defining that “clearing out the neighborhood” standard, but there is some strangeness involved in that. For instance, if you were to put Earth out where Pluto is, it would not be considered a planet. So a lot of people say that any standard that does not have an Earth-size object as a planet is not an acceptable standard. But that sparks a whole new debate over whether Earth would exist or if it’s possible for an Earth-size object to exist in that kind of environment.
That gets into the whole question of Planet X — the idea that there might be a pretty significantly massive body out in the even farther reaches of the solar system known as the Oort cloud. The folks who are trying to shore up the IAU standard argue that such a planet, even if it was as big as Earth, could not be considered a planet. They’re trying to come up with another term for that kind of body, for example calling it a scattered planet. It’s a little tricky to work out all the implications of this somewhat confusing standard.
Wired.com: How many fellow dwarf planets does Pluto currently have?
Boyle: Right now, going by the IAU’s criterion, there are four dwarf planets in the Kuiper Belt, in that far zone of the solar system. And then you have one in the asteroid belt — that’s Ceres. So there are five in all, including Pluto. It could be that there are more. We’re using the IAU criterion here that a dwarf planet is something that is massive enough to crush the object into a round shape, but that the object is among other objects at the same orbital distance — they don’t meet the so-called clearing-out-the-neighborhood standard.
Wired.com: What happened at the IAU meeting in Prague in 2006 that led you to name a chapter of your book “The Battle of Prague“?
Boyle: It just really demonstrates how political the scientific process can get. When you look at the deliberations that came before the general assembly and the maneuvering that came during the general assembly, it reads almost like one of these political novels where one side is trying to put forward one idea, and the other side becomes the opposition and uses the bureaucratic process to do a little bit of jujitsu and get the outcome that they wanted.
Wired.com: Will Pluto ever be a planet again?
Boyle: The IAU, I don’t believe they have any intention of touching this issue again with a 10-AU-long pole. They don’t want to get into this again. It was so divisive and so unpleasant. I think it will be a long time before the IAU goes anywhere near trying to define a central concept in science like this again.
And then on the other side, some people might ask, ‘Why don’t the defenders of Pluto’s dignity come out and try to get it reversed by the IAU?’ And the answer is that these are the very people who say the IAU has lost their legitimacy. So it would be like someone saying that such and such a tribunal is a kangaroo court and we can’t get a fair hearing there, and then the next year coming back and trying to get something from that very same court. It just wouldn’t work.
Wired.com: Where do you stand on Pluto’s planetary status?
Boyle: I would say that it should be considered a different kind of planet. I’m fine with calling it a dwarf planet or a minor planet or whatever. But I don’t think that it’s really the right decision to say that dwarf planets are not planets. I think that is what’s going to confuse people.
I really favor having a big tent for the planet category, and it’s OK if you have 50 or 100 or 200 or 500 planets out there. These things that are massive enough to have a round shape have lots of important characteristics that bring them together into a very broad category. The point is not so much, ‘Gee it’s in a nice round shape.”
The point is that when you have that massive of an object you have differentiation, you have the potential for geologic activity. People think that there might be ice volcanoes on Charon, there happens to be an atmosphere on Pluto — these qualities are things that are central to planetary science. So I think it would be wrong to try to make this formalistic how-many-pigeon-holes-do-you-have type of decision on this very central term in planetary science.
Wired.com: What was your gut reaction when you heard Pluto had been demoted?
Boyle: I was intrigued. One of the stories I worked on in the wake of that was, what’s this going to do to all the websites, all the textbooks, all the toys that are out there? Are people suddenly going to be selling just eight planets in their solar-system kit rather than nine?
I did think that it was kind of a done deal, that OK, the decision’s made and we’ll just kind of move on, and sure, there are problems but they’ll get ironed out as time goes on. I said so in the Cosmic Log, that no matter how you stand on it, now that the IAU has spoken, that’s gonna be something that scientists and the general public are going to have to live with. That’s when I heard from the people on the other side of the question who said it ain’t over yet. And I found that intriguing, that even though an authoritative body spoke out on this, there was still debate that continues to this day.
So that’s an interesting phenomenon in science to see that. There are parallels to other controversies, over stem cells or climate change or whatever. And it illustrates that science is not something that’s decided by a vote. It’s almost like you have a quantum state of superposition where something is a planet and is not a planet at the same time, and it takes a while for it to collapse into one state or the other.
I think it’s still a little bit up in the air. We have some uncertainty about this whole question yet. And I think that will continue at least until 2015 when the New Horizons probe goes to Pluto and people see with their own eyes what this thing, whether you call it a dwarf planet or a planet or whatever, what this thing looks like.
Wired.com: Will Pluto’s status affect how we handle planets outside of our solar system?
Boyle: Of course there are about 400 extrasolar planets that have been found right now, and some of them are as weird as Pluto, if not weirder. There’s one planetary system where you have two planets that are about Saturn- or Jupiter-size that are stuck in the same kind of resonance that Pluto and Neptune are stuck in, and it’s fascinating to see. This is obviously a planetary system where neither planet can clear out its orbit and yet they’re both considered planets.
So it’s another argument for not trying to get too precise about how you define a planet at this point. That’s going to be a big thing going forward with Kepler and Corot and all the exoplanet searches: As we see more diversity in planets, I think that will cause us to rethink our basic concepts on this whole question of planets.
Images: 1) NASA. 2) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. 3) Advertising Ephemera Collection – Database #A0160, Emergence of Advertising On-Line Project, John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History, Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/eaa/. 4) NASA.
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Astro Pic Of The Week
This gorgeous image of a blue arc of the Earth against the blackness of space was captured by the Rosetta spacecraft as it swung by our planet. The European Space Agency mission is on its way to intercept the comet, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The ship will deploy a lander onto the comet's surface, the first such attempt to be made.
To gather up the necessary energy to reach the comet out past Mars' orbit, Rosetta needed three swings past Earth. This is its third and final flyby. It will reach the comet in early 2014.Unlike the most famous pictures of Earth, which show most of the blue marble, this photo presents a planet in darkness, just the South Pole awash in light.
Image: ESA
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== In The Sky This Week ==
The new Moon is Tuesday November 17. In the morning, Mars is readily visible in the eastern sky. Saturn is low in the morning sky this week, but is now readily visible before twilight sets in. On the morning of Friday November 13 the crescent Moon is near Saturn. Jupiter is easily seen as the brightest object in the evening sky.
Venus and Mercury are currently not visible. The Leonid meteors may be of interest this year as there may be heightened meteor activity, although exactly how many is not certain. The best time to observe in Australia is the morning of November 18 between 3 and 4am AEDT. People in Western Australia will have the best chances of seeing good meteor activity.
The Radiant (where the meteors appear to come from) is in the Sickle of Leo. To look for meteors just look towards the north-east sky. Even if there are only a few meteors Orion and the Hyades will be visible and bright Mars will be nearby, not far from the Beehive cluster.
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ASTRONOMY – SPACE PODCASTS
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My guest today is an amateur astrophotographer named Tom Davis. Those of you who subscribe to the Universe Today newsletter should be familiar with his photographs, as I
Universe Today – The Fate of the Universe
How will the Universe end? Right now cosmologists have two equally distressing scenarios mapped out for the long term fate of the Universe. On the one hand, gravity might slow down the expansion of our Universe so that it coasts to a stop and possibly even collapses back down into a Big Crunch. On the other hand, the expansion of the Universe could continue indefinitely thanks to the acceleration of dark energy. We would face a cold, lonely future as other galaxies fade away into the distance. My guest today is Eric Linder from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and he
Universe Today – Interview with Simon Singh
My guest today is Simon Singh, author of many science-related books including Fermat
Did You Know?
The Earth is not a sphere! It actually is an oblate spheroid, it is squashed slightly at the poles and bulges out at the equator due to its rotation.The Earth is not a sphere! It actually is an oblate spheroid, it is squashed slightly at the poles and bulges out at the equator due to its rotation.
Astronomy Fast Fact
If the sun were the size of a dot on an ordinary-sized letter 'i', then the nearest star would be 10 miles away.If the sun were the size of a dot on an ordinary-sized letter 'i', then the nearest star would be 10 miles away.
Download The Evening Sky Map
The Evening Sky Map (PDF) is a 2-page monthly guide to the night sky suitable for all sky watchers including newcomers to Astronomy. AND its entirely FREE. Designed to print clearly on all printers.
The Evening Sky Map is ready-to-use and will help you to: Identify planets, stars and major constellations – Find sparkling star clusters, wispy nebulae & distant galaxies – Locate and follow bright comets across the sky – Learn about the night sky and Astronomy.
The Evening Sky Map is free for personal non-commercial educational use. Receive news of updated sky maps, reminders of Sky Calendar events, and other noteworthy news for sky watchers. And it's FREE! Sky Map Download
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Southern Galactic and Northern Galactic International
Northern Galactic and Southern Galactic are an International Astronomy Community. A global membership of professional and advanced astronomers, scientists, astrophotographers and science writers. I am proud to be one of their members.
This organisation was established to commemorate the United Nations International Year of Astronomy in 2009 and was officially launched in November 2008.
In partnership with scientists, professional and advanced astronomers and science writers from many countries, Southern Galactic and Northern Galactic International aims to gather together research and discoveries in the areas of optical and radio astronomy, astrophotography, planetary studies, and space atmospheric sciences as a service to the interested public. We achieve this by providing a globally themed internet presence with data storage and logistical support to astronomers both professional and amateur working in either hemispheres.
Founder and administrator Bert Candusio (right) said their service is available to all astronomers and scientists throughout the world so they may freely share their findings, news, images and discoveries in all areas of astronomy and their related sciences. Southern Galactic and Northern Galactic International also supports and contributes to the general understanding and appreciation of astronomy by initiating and participating in public education and outreach programs. This may include live broadcasts or video feeds of special or unusual astronomical events, or interactive live conferences between high profile members and the general public.
Both sites contain up-to-date weather data pertaining to either hemisphere as a service to Members and Users as well as other helpful astronomy based content.
News RSS Feeds from numerous Official Government sources on all aspects of astronomy are also made available to both NG and SG sites and are updated 4 times per day. This assists the reader in keeping up to date with the latest Astronomy News and Developments all from the one internet location.
Winners for For each Month Have Been Announced
Northern Galactic is now the home to many of the worlds most capable astrophotographers and this can be clearly seen in the quality of the imaging projects submitted each day.
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THE INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ASTRONOMY 2009
INVITING THE WORLD TO DISCOVER OUR UNIVERSE
Opening: From Earth to the Universe
The international IYA exhibition, From Earth to the Universe, has opened at Sydney's Powerhouse Museum. For an eye-witness account of the launch, see the blog entry by Nick Lomb on the Sydney Observatory website. Nick modestly fails to mention that he was the co-curator for this exhibition, the other co-curator being astrophotographer David Malinhttp://www.sydneyobservatory.com.au/blog/?p=2500. .
In her opening remarks, CSIRO astronomer Ilana Feain, in talking about the beauty and meaning of these images, quoted the poet John Keats: "Beauty is truth, and truth beauty". As Keats also said, "a thing of beauty is a joy forever" – or, in the case of this exhibition, until it closes in July next year. See it if you can.
"Stargazing the Southern Skies" stamp and coin cover
Perth Mint and Australia Post have joined forces to offer sets of stamp and coin covers for IYA. They feature a $1 coin struck by the mint and three stamps featuring astronomical images chosen by astrophotographer David Malin.
The stamp and coin cover is available for $14.95 from the Perth Mint: http://www.perthmint.com.au/catalogue/stargazing-the-southern-skies-stamp-and-coin-cover-pnc.aspx. Australia Post is offering the same set; a set of stamps alone under another cover; and other related products: http://www.stamps.com.au/shop/stamps/stargazing
What is Amateur Astronomy Magazine About?
Amateur Astronomy Magazine is a printed forum of the activities relating to Amateur Astronomers around the world. Our magazine is written by amateur astronomers, for amateur astronomers.
Over the course of the past 15 years, we have covered telescopes, large and small, amateur telescope making, mirror grinding, collimating tips, observing techniques, astronomical equipment reviews, home observatories, professional observatories, observing lists, profiles of amateur astronomers, star parties, dark sites, imaging tips and techniques, observing logs, astronomical travel logs, astronomy businesses and their owners, DIY astronomical projects, cosmology, science and astronomy outreach. In short,we are about all the things and people that make this hobby special. www.amateurastronomy.com/
Southern Cross Observatory – Tasmania, Australia.
If you are interested in Astro-Photography, at any level, then this is the site for you. Take note and learn from the experts!
Shevill Mathers is recognized as one of the world’se leading amateur astronomers and is a specialist in his field. His regular columns and newspaper articles are now augmented by a wide range of articles including ATM articles, Astro News items and Activities from Tasmania as well as reviewing a wide range of astronomical equipment.
Shevill is a regular contributor to many various magazines including the Tasmania 40 Degrees South magazine, Leatherwood On-Line, Discover Tasmania, Quasar Publishing ‘Astronomy Yearbook’, Universe Today and various overseas scientific forums. He is a local media source for TV, radio and the print media.
Shevill Mathers has been a keen amateur astronomer / telescope and camera builder in the UK since the early 60’s, with a special interest in astrophotography. A member of the BAA, London (Lunar Section), his photographic expertise was greatly encouraged by Patrick Moore, with whom he has maintained a lasting friendship. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1968. During the IYA 2009, in recognition of his contributions to Astronomy; public outreach, teaching & research, Shevill was appointed an Honorary Associate, Dept. Maths & Physics UTAS – (University of Tasmania), with all rights & privileges of full time academic staff. Congratulations Shevill!!
Southern Cross Observatory – IYA – Two special sites have been established at the International ’Macedon Ranges Observatory’, in Victoria, to coordinate and share images, experiences and events around the world, the links are:http://www.southerngalactic.com/andhttp://www.northerngalactic.com/
Contact details:shevill.mathers@southernphone.com.au Shevillm@gmail.com Web:www.shevillmathers.id.au
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Sources: NASA, SKY & SPACE Magazine, Associated Press, Nature, Space.Com, Universe Today, BBC Science News, JPL, European Space Agency, Science Daily, ABC News Online, New Scientist Magazine, Reuters, Astrobiology News, Google Astronomy/Space News Alerts, Cornell University News Service, The Australian, NASA Science News, SpaceRef Interactive Inc. and Associated Affiliates. (E&OE)
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