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NASA's Hubble discovers a rare "blue straggler ' stars in the milky way hub

ScienceDaily (May 27, 2011) — Hubble space telescope of NASA found a rare class of stars named after Delta blue hub of our Milky way, the first identified within our Galaxy bulge.

Blue stragglers are called so because they are apparently in the process of aging, Legge appears younger than that of the population from which they formed. While they recognized many star clusters, and saw a between the stars, they had never been inside the core of our galaxy.

It was unclear how many blue form. A common theory is that they emerge binary pairs. As more massive star develops and expands, a small star wins the material from its companion. This stirs up hydrogen fuel and causes the star to undergo fusion grew faster. It hurt more and turn blue, as a massive star, young.

The findings support the idea of the central bulge of the milky way has stopped making stars billions of years. He is now the home of stars like the Sun of aging, cooler red dwarfs. There is a blue giant star that ever lived since exploded as one.

Results forthcoming future issue of the Astrophysical Journal. Lead author Clarkson of Indiana University in Bloomington, the University of California, Los Angeles, may 25, will discuss them in more American Astronomical 2011 in Boston.

"Although the bulge milk is by far the closest Galaxy bulge, several aspects of its formation and development of these remain to understand," said Clarkson. "Many details of its star formation history remain controversial. Blue straggler population scope provides two new constraints identified for models of star formation history of the bulge. "

The discovery followed by a survey of seven days in 2006 called the Sagittarius window Eclipsing stars planet search (sweeps). The mourning followed a central bulge of stars 180,000 of the Galaxy is our 26,000 light years from here. The survey is to find a hot Jupiter planets that orbit class-very close to their stars. Thus, the wave team also uncovered 42 blue stars with the brightness difference, typical temperatures for stars young much more stars bulge.

Observations clearly indicates that if there is a young star, baardnim is very small. Not detected in the fly. It was long suspected to live the bulge of the blue, but had not noticed that the stars of the young stars in our Galaxy disk 3000m line of sight to the kernel, confusing, pollute the view.

Astronomers use Hubble to distinguish the motion of the stars of the core population promoted the milky way. Galactic center around the bulge of stars at different than foreground stars. Plot their movement requires a return to the destination fly with Hubble observations were made two years after the first. It was blue with stars and other baardnim have been identified.

"The size of the bashmim field of view is approximately that of human fingernails weight held handy, and within this region, Hubble sees about a quarter of a million stars in the direction of the bulge," said Clarkson. "Only the brilliant image quality and stability of mourning which allowed us to make such a crowded field in this measurement."

Mhalpo 42 candidate blue, researchers evaluated 18 and 37 is genuine. The rest can be a combination of foreground objects, at most, a small population of stars young really bulge.

"The program is designed to identify transiting planets sweeps through small variations of light," said Kailash saao, main researcher of the fly. "So the program can easily identify variability binary pairs, which was a vital question they have passed the certifying blue."

Hubble is a project of international collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency. Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA bahgora Staten's Green, Maryland, Director of the telescope. Scientific Institute of the space telescope (STScI) conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is enabled for NASA by the Association of universities for research in astronomy (LC). For pictures and more information about the findings, http://www.nasa.gov/hubble : controller and http://hubblesite.org/news/2011/16

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Postcards from space extragalactic? Our Milky way-like spiral galaxy

ESO astronomers use a wide field Imager telescope MPG/ESO 2.2 m to capture the image of NGC 6901. This lies an impressive spiral galaxy about 30 million with away in the southern constellation of pavo (the Peacock). But this can be virtually visible picture of our Milky way, the photo submitted by a member of this Galaxy as extragalactic is similar to ours.

We see NGC 6901 almost face, meaning we get dramatic bird of the structure of the Galaxy. If we have the technology to escape the milk can look down it from the intergalactic space, this view is close to the one we will see an impressive spiral arms wrap-around, the length of a dusty disk. It even helps galaxy NGC 6744A distorted, seen here as spreading to the lower right of the NGC 6901, reminding one of the milky way, Magellanic Clouds of the neighbourhood.

One difference between NGC 6901 milk is their size. Although about 100 thousand light years across the Galaxy, Galaxy continued until it was almost twice the diameter. Nevertheless, NGC 6901 gives us a sense of how far the Highlight Viewer may see our Galactic.

Object this is one of the major dramatic and closest to the galaxies. Although there is a brightness of about 60 billion, its light spreads over a large area in the sky-two-thirds the width of the full moon, making a vague radiance appear Galaxy with a bright Center through a small telescope. Still, this is one of the most beautiful objects in the sky, it is possible to identify by amateur astronomers as the shape of an ellipse with a background of contrasting stars.

With professional telescopes such as telescope MPG/ESO 2.2-metre La Silla, who captured this image, can be seen in NGC 6901 macaw. In the dusty spiral arms are home to many MICAS glowing Star (red) and give it its impressive double of the milky way spiral.

This picture was taken by the wide field Imager joined telescope MPG/ESO 2.2 m at the La Silla Observatory of ESO in Chile. The image was created from the exposures taken with four different filters have blue, yellow-green and red light and glow coming from hydrogen. These are shown in the picture like blue, green, orange and red, respectively.

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Recycling water in the area.

 Kits forward osmosis six will fly aboard space shuttle on mission in STS-135 credit: NASA/Todd Mortenson during the last flight of Space Shuttle astronauts will test a new method for Recycle Bin, use water, water is important for life and have access to water, Earth is a major obstacle for future space exploration .

Water-it is important for life. When they surveyed the area in the future, venture beyond low-Earth orbit. Their only tap is on board their spacecraft during possible flight thaikrasuai NASA scientists plan a test new methods for recycling "used" astronauts in microgravity.

The idea is to make the fortified beverages, hydration and ovaries from all data sources that are available in a foreign spacecraft, and even urine. How to set up for testing using a process called forward osmosis.

"Forward Osmosis are scattered in the nature of the water through a semi-permeable membrane describes Michael Flynn research scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center" membrane action as a barrier that makes small molecules such as water. To pass through while larger molecules, such as salts, sugar starches William virus bacteria and parasites block. "

How to forward osmosis and then used for the application of pure water, earthbound does know change into water drinkable in six to eight hours using a bag containing two separated number ngom. With membrane allows technology partners help in a variety of settings from outdoor sports, such as looking for the soldier. Natural disaster that purify water is important for survival.

Membrane alone can work for most of the water, but the two phases are necessary when recycling urine. It must first be filtered using bed activated carbon, which removes urea and alcohol is through tissue alone.

Scientists from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, plans to test models of altering your bags aboard space shuttle on in between STS-135 mission this summer by Kennedy brought NASA Project Manager Woodward Group included Spencer in the transport of shuttle type install six forward osmosis free bag for astronauts to test the manufacturer of innovative technology Hydration bags of Albany Ore to make a few adaptations. became a commercial product for spaceflight.

"It was the same membrane, but Tung is out of the plastic remanufactured is ' off ' gas or by writing," said Woodward description initiatives that have been changed to a quick version used in the area to make it easier for the astronauts to operate in weightlessness.

The test will come the end of the mission STS-135 after release from the International Space Station astronaut has a shuttle to injection mixture liquid concentration below contains a dye as an external Chamber of the engine, which represents the water of "dirty" prepared. He then has a higher concentrated "drawing." The tower solution in your pocket. Repeat the process for the sum of the six bags.

"Some of the unknowns. If you have eaten and fluid in the area, it can cause bubbles instead of liquids. So, what does that follow the peg on membrane said Woodward "will it still draws through tissue like in 1 g.

The plan includes astronaut massage and manipulate 3 bag to help in the transfer of liquid through a membrane to see whether it helps in the process work better in the absence of gravity.

"The test that we will see the effects of mechanical mixing on a membrane as far as he is about to increase the rate of flux half of them are going to get shaken and kneaded tools a few minutes. Describes the project engineer Monica Soler working under service contracts with the engineering team QinetiQ North America.

Soler said the combination of help and hope that the application is long term in a spacesuit that induce mixed mechanical as astronaut move around during spacewalk.

Comment test after five hours. Crew members, for example, syringes are used to connect to the Chamber within each bag and remove 60 milliliters of samples from each of the six bags and stow them for landing. When the sample is returned to Earth aboard Atlantis. Project scientist Dr. Howard Levine and Dr. Michael Roberts from the Kennedy Space Life Sciences Lab performs post-flight analysis of the example to see osmosis working in microgravity forward?

The results could prove that the device can have multiple applications for NASA spacesuits than it could be an emergency backup water source for the International Space Station, hydration and nutrition during an emergency situation back to the world as well as help during long-term space exploration in the future.

In addition, water recycling Results from the tests can shed light on several other aspects of life in the area.

"Forward Osmosis process is responsible for the absorption of nutrient in water from human intestines into the blood. It is a process that allows the plant root zone water from soil. Describe flynn "in addition, many drug delivery capsules used forward osmosis." Learn how forward osmosis weightlessness affected may, scientists are looking into zero gravity's effect on plant growth space and gastrointestinal function of humans in all areas-that might help future space travelers adjust better in long duration missions.

Therefore, in most This simple device tests, one during the last day of the departure end of the shuttle could provide important information for future exploration beyond our planet.

Source: Astrobio.net (News: Web)

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Shuttle returns, fights statistical space beer

Will be back for the last timeSpace shuttle Endeavour completed its last space mission, which included four spacewalks and install a $ 2 billion, £ 15,000 Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, which already contains data. The shuttle returned to Earth this morning, touching down at Kennedy Space Center and then shuttle Atlantis, Orlando Sentinel reports, such as Atlantis "crept slowly toward the final turn on the launch pad."   All eyes are now on Atlantis, which is scheduled for launch on 8 July on the final mission of the space program of 30 years.  (Scott Powers, Orlando Sentinel)New doubt Cast on the study of chronic fatigueA 2009 paper in the journal Science connected a retrovirus called XMRV in chronic fatigue syndrome.  Now the Science Editors ask authors to retract the article, after Science has published two follow-up documents and "editorial expression of concern" that undermined the Association.  The Association more likely because of contamination, said Bruce Alberts, editor-in-Chief of science. The authors say would be "premature" retracting. (Amy Dockser Marcus, The Wall Street Journal)
Extinction and its discontentsThe New York Times journalist and blogger Andrew Revkin has an interesting post on a statistic that is derived from a study published in the month of may, the journal Nature, which concluded that common calculations used to predict the species extinction rates are too high.  The authors say that they have the mathematical proof, but that does not deny that the loss of species is still in progress. Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm calls the paper a farce. This post contains comments by Pimm and a response given by the author of the study Stephen Hubbell.   (Andrew Revkin, Dot) BrewedSpecifically beer space for astronautsHis astronaut ice cream for adults. A microbrewery Australian claims that has developed "a full body brew that can be enjoyed in space". This looks at how it is designed both for taste, that changes in space, but also to prevent wet burps – has explained here.  The beer is made with reduced carbon dioxide to reduce this side effect so delicious. (Lisa Mullins, Public Radio World International)

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Against All Odds (A Galaxy Unknown, Book 7)

War has kept Admiral Jenetta Carver far from home for twelve years. With the advent of peace, she takes a well-deserved vacation and returns to Earth for a visit before her duties as Military Governor and Supreme Military Commandeer of Region Two prevent such a trip for more years. She picks up her two sisters on the way home and the three women surprise their mom with the unannounced visit.

Just a week after arriving home, Jenetta receives word that Region Two has been invaded. No war has been declared, and details are sketchy, but Tsgardi Warriors have landed on at least one planet a hundred light years inside the border and begun rounding up, harassing, and in some cases killing the citizenry. Determined not to let the news interfere with her mother's joy of having her three daughters with her, she doesn't mention the invasion at home, but she's summoned to appear at Space Command Supreme HQ to discuss the situation.

As Jenetta begins the trip back to her base, she begins formulating plans and sending orders so that all will be in readiness when she arrives. She's determined to deal with the Tsgardi situation once and for all, and in a manner consistent with the way she dealt with the Milori situation. When an enemy refuses to let you live in peace, the only action you can take is remove their ability to ever wage war against you again. Jenetta doesn't yet know that the Tsgardi thrust into Region Two is just the tip of the lance. Three other interstellar powers have joined the effort to arrogate the new territory before Space Command can move security forces into place. Jenetta's tiny fleet will face an armada a thousand warships strong. It's not just another day at the office.

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What is a black hole, and as a form?

It's been a great week for black holes. A study this week noted ancient vigorously growing black holes at their centers of galaxies.  Another found powerful gamma-ray flashes from a gigantic black hole that consumed a star.

A good time, we thought that, for some basics on black holes. A black hole is an object that has collapsed under its own weight to a point, creating an object that is extraordinarily small, still enormously thick.  Sucks in anything that can absorb and once formed, nothing, not even light, can escape its gravitational attraction.

"Are the most voracious eaters of the universe," said Kevin Schawinski, a Yale University astrophysicist. "You can only go in, and you can never go back."

There are two main types of black holes. There are black holes, born after the death of stars, which are more or less a couple of times the mass of our Sun. These stars end their lives, when the hydrogen fuel which composes the star burns out, causing the star to collapse.

Then, there are black holes, ranging from a few hundred thousand times the mass of our Sun for a few billion times the mass that exists at the center of galaxies.  Black hole found in the center of the milky way is 4 million times the mass of our Sun.

There are two schools of thought about how these black holes. It is possible that they are caused by the death of the universe's first stars, which were massively larger.

Another recent theory predicts gas swirling disks and funnel as a tornado.  The universe was filled with gas and radiation.  In some places, gravity caused the gas to fall into halos of dark matter and gas in the form of discs, Priya Natarajan, a theoretical astrophysicist explained.  Instability in these discs caused the swirling effect, where gas begins to funnel from outside.

The channeling can be compared to the formation of tornadoes. "The flow is like a vortex tornado," said Natarajan. "Very fast, dramatic and violent. And it can happen quickly. "

Scientists this week announced the discovery of a population of hyperactive child, black holes and their host galaxies grew up with. They represent the oldest ever found black holes and maybe are caused by this phenomenon of convey said Natarajan, also one of the authors of the study.  Black holes date back to 800 million years after the Big Bang-that is 12.7 billion years ago.

This is an extremely young in cosmic time. To put it in perspective, our universe is 13.7 billion years now-these black holes existed in its infancy.

Black holes are supermassive variety, even though they have not yet reached the full mass.  And the data indicate that are closely linked to the formation of galaxies.

"We believe that the growth of black holes and the growth of galaxies simbioticamente are linked," said Schawinski, also an author of the study.  "We are pushing all the way to the very, very beginning of the universe and ask questions about how it works and how this relationship has begun."

The finding, published this week in the journal, Nature, is based on computer models, using data from NASA's Chandra x-ray Observatory.  Scientists pointed Chandra patch of sky where the Hubble Space Telescope has spotted galaxies and observed for 45 days.

They tried for x-ray emissions as markers to detect active or feeding black holes. As matter falls into dark holes, which emits energetic x-rays. Schawinski calls them "the scream of death."

It turns out that over 30 per cent of black holes in distant galaxies contained, but it took years to find them, because they were wrapped in cosmic dust. "It took seven years to detect signatures of black holes, first in growth," said Ezequiel Treister, lead author of the study.

This is the first time that we are singling out when these black holes were forming and growing, and "we're also getting the first clues to how these black holes grew," said Mitchell Begelman at the University of Colorado, Boulder, which was not involved in the study, but attended a June 15, NASA presser on the topic.

Still in question, though, is how to shape these black holes.  It was from massive gas collapsing under their own gravity straight down into a black hole, or was the death of the first generation of stars, believed to be much more massive than a typical star?

Hope, scientists say, is to use Hubble and Chandra to push even further back into the past to answer these questions and understand how these things.

This finding is not going to make better the lives of anyone, but it is important to human curiosity and discovery, Natarajan said. Cosmologists, said, I'm an armchair explorers of our generation.  And it's fun work, he added.

"I can't imagine doing anything else," he said.  "I really can't imagine doing something else."

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Chile in search of hidden treasures of water-rock glaciers.

The world's freshwater is stored and transported by a range of natural beauty and formations – stream. River sand bogs, aquifers, glaciers, icebergs, clouds and mists of plateau and course work and sources, but important to the understanding of freshwater as rock glaciers Geographers and hydrologists to distinguish these formations covers the icy debris from ice glaciers.

Collaborative research project, University of Waterloo in Canada and Universidad Mayor in Chile have been checking how to identify the precise rock glaciers joint research, feeding into efforts to broadly in Chile and other. Drawing on the expertise of Canada in physical geography and computer modelling and Chilean expertise in remote sensing.

Identification of rock glaciers provides technical information that is better, the Chilean Government scientists responsible for natural resource management and environmental assessment in the dry Andes as well as NGOs environmental. This step is important especially with the 2008 Chilean law require environmental assessments of development projects in areas such as mountain – mining projects. Disposal of tailings mining and road construction. Such activities caused friction ?????? well as environmentalists and mining wangborisat.

But the long-term spillover benefits that may occur with other countries with rock glaciers of Argentina and other Central Asian regions. It is important too, said geographer, University of Waterloo Alex Brenning Argentina has a larger total area of rock glaciers and there are laws in the relevant glacier. Too The new law enforcement must have valid data on the scope of rock glaciers and ice content.

Dr. Brenning description aspect of wild rock glaciers: "do you see any of all the ice on the ground, this means that there are research for most rock glaciers differs from what is used in research. Glaciological ... so don't rock glaciers are often included in inventory, glacier. Even now, there is very little knowledge about distribution in several mountain areas of the world, except perhaps Alps and Rocky Mountains.

What masks ice of gravel river is called "active layer" of rock is usually three to five meters thick image formation resembles the usual non-glacial terrain or permafrost, ranging from a major rock glaciers in the Andes, dry, especially through the melting season. They need to be protected, such as other water sources, but to do so. Their number, size and location must be spelled out.

This is the origin of the work of Marco Peña in Mr. Peña is an expert in using remote sensing to the Center for studies in natural resources (OTERRA) Universidad Mayor in Santiago he is monitoring technique that can distinguish between rock glaciers, and other land formations in two ways customize. He notes there is an analysis of the thermal inertia and hyperspectral analysis on drawing pictures, some satellite.

Method of thermal inertia photographs taken when the mountain area has reached maximum temperatures and low on them "Inertia cooling with a response of a material change in temperature. Describes Mr. Peña "calculate thermal inertia we can find the difference between rock glaciers and surrounding areas of their.

Although rock glacier material can be the same material surrounding the two landforms temperature varies from Las sia mega consists of ice as stone. He said, so they have outstanding thermal and radiative properties that can be used to identify them.

Hyperspectral analysis based on images taken by the NASA's international music EO-1satellite that stores information about the world since 1999, Mr. Peña hypothesizes that rock glaciers spectrally different from the surrounding material. The key is to. Find story telling signs of rock glaciers in this case the set of elements on the surface of the target area is imaged Hyperspectral analysis shows more about texture than other remote sensing techniques because the spectral resolution is available in each pixel of the image.

"We want to demonstrate to the remote sensing community that has a close relationship between remote sensing and rock glaciers if appropriate product remotely sensed. combined with the data in the field, said Mr. Peña to end. Researchers staged one-day seminars on topics that Mayor Universidad years ago. Gather students 27 researchers University mining industry employees, consultants and staff from the national water authority of Chile.

Dr. Brenning stresses that global warming could have a major impact on rock glaciers in several regions and therefore the world supply of freshwater in the form of ice. Inventory because of the importance of creating a rock glacier inventory – now, not only to support the evaluation of environmental impact. For specific projects, but also for long-term knowledge base needed to protect important water sources.

Glacier science in the news recently as Dr. Brenning was interviewed by Chilean and international media on the importance of rock glaciers due to his expertise. He was also asked to join the science group head unit to protect the environment of Chile in implementation of national policy, glacier. He planned to spend part of working in Chile 2011.

By the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

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Astronomy without a telescope-seed stars

 The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex-in which cloud L1688 a star as the most active, although hidden by dust will be able to study the planet uninhabited by astronomy sub-millimetre NASA credit are called molecular clouds, because there are sufficient density to support the formation of molecular. H2 most molecular density to make their sites suitable for formation of new stars – and if the planet deserted prevalent in a molecular cloud, we tend to make the title less official stellar nursery .

A cloth belt create difficult to study as it occurs within a thick cloud of dust. However, Observations of far infrared and sub-millimetre of molecular cloud, data will be collected about prestellar objects even if they do not directly visualized information drawing from analysis, spectral line spectroscopic – that of carbon monoxide are especially useful in determining the density and temperature dynamics of prestellar.

Far infrared and sub-millimetre can be absorbed by the water in the Earth's atmosphere. Creation astronomy at these wavelengths is difficult to achieve from sea level – but quite simple and low-humidity. Location of high altitude Observatory, Mauna Kea in Hawaii.

Simpson et al undertook studies of molecular cloud sub-millimeter L1688 in Ophiuchus protostellar cores for the two sky (BAD) for symmetric-key signal peaks, which regularly stages of gravitational collapse into a protostar forms, particularly mount correctly identified through by Doppler evaluation of gradients, speed of the gas through what all this clever will work through the camera straight token contains yonchem ronsamaek wen offers on Mauna Kea. Using ACSIS and harp – Auto-correlation Spectral Imaging System and Programme Heterodyne receiver array.

Protostellar core samples from the clouds L1688 in Ophiuchus axis with the signature blue, asymmetrical (BAD) Valley gas infall because gravitational collapse to show all in the right side of the line could jeans. This plot makes several interesting paths. Protostellar cores estimated to be credited: Simpson et al physics of star formation is completely understood, but which presumably due to a combination of electrostatic force and turbulence within the molecular cloud. Starting molecule to integrate into clumps which maybe merge with clumps together until it has collected material substantial enough to create their own gravity.

From this point. The water is created between gravity and pressure of gas – although prestellar as more stories are accreted gravity itself. An object that can be sustained within the range of Bonnor-Ebert – a very large objects in this range are smaller and denser (High Pressure in the diagram) but as the mass continues to climb. Limits confusion jeans will arrive that gas pressure can not withstand gravitational collapse and subject infalls to create the protostellar core dense hot.

When the temperature of up to 2000 Kelvin H2 and other molecules to dissociate into plasma heating. Primary still not hot enough to drive, but it was melted projection of heat – defining new methods of water between radiation heat outward and gravitational pull inward nachut is now a protostar.

Is now the center of mass lucrative? Star before there seems to be drawing a circumstellar accretion disk around the. While it accretes more material and increase the density of a more. Deuterium fusion first – followed by hydrogen fusion Nachut the stars on the main sequence.

More info: Simpson et al preliminary terms of separate stars to create diverse diagrams X – recommended for axis prestellar http://arxiv.org/abs/1106.1885.

Source: the universe today.

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Unique ' portrait ' shuttle, international space station has released

 Recently released portraits show the international space station and space shuttle, the car helped to build the complex during the last decade. The pictures are the first photograph of a shuttle docked to the perspective of Russian Soyuz spacecraft.

On May 23, carrying Russian cosmonauts Dmitri Kondratyev Soyuz, NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, the European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespoli back to Earth. After their vehicle was approximately 600 metres from mission control, outside Moscow, the capital of Russia, he commanded 130 degrees to rotate the orbiting laboratory. This move allowed Nespoli capture digital images and video-high definition of shuttle endeavour is docked to the station.

Soyuz landed and taken to Moscow for routine and post nearby. NASA, the Russian space agency Roscosmos, to process the images as part of the standard layout of the spacecraft.

More photos and videos are high definition will be posted on the site, processing of NASA. still image display, http://go.nasa.gov/stationportraitcontroller:

For information about the international space station, http://www.nasa.gov/stationcontroller:

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The encounter with the asteroid: NASA to run the new task of science to asteroid near Earth in 2016

NASA launching spacecraft asteroid in 2016 and use a robotic arm to pluck samples to explain better to our solar system's formation and how life. The mission, called the Explorer comes from spectral detection-security-regolith interpretation-resource, or Osiris-Rex, the first United States Mission will carry back samples to Earth asteroids.

"This is a critical step in meeting the goals outlined by President Obama to extend our reach beyond low-Earth and investigate into deep space," said Bolden's NASA Administrator Charlie. "this is a robotic missions that will pave the way for such missions for future human space of the asteroid and other places of deep space."

NASA selected Osiris-Rex after reviewing three reports a study of the concept for new scientific tasks, which included also the sample return mission from the far side of the Moon vchiiod the surface of Venus.

Asteroids are remnants of the create out of the cloud of gas and dust-solar nebula that collapsed to create our-Sun, the planets before the 4.5 billion years ago. As such, they contain the original material, which marpilit solar can tell us about the conditions of the birth of our solar system.

After a four years ago, Osiris-Rex to primitive near-Earth asteroids 1999 RQ36 area in 2020. Once inside an asteroid, the spacecraft miles will begin six months of extensive mapping of the surface. A scientific team gathers location from where then the arm of the spacecraft will take a sample. Spacecraft gradually get closer to the site, and extend the arm to collect more than two ounces of material for return to Earth in 2029. The mission, except for the launch, expected to cost the car approximately 800 million.

The capsule will land on which a test of Utah and training 2023. Design of the capsule will be similar to that used by NASA's Stardust spacecraft, which returned the first Comet particles World Wild mshbit 2 in 2006. The sample capsule of Osiris-Rex will be taken to Johnson Space Center of NASA-Houston. The material is removed and sent to a research facility dedicated to following strict protocol planetary protection. Exact analysis will be done that can be duplicated by the spacecraft-based tools.

It is approximately 1,900 m RQ36 diameter or about the size of five football fields. Asteroid, little has changed over time, probably represent a snapshot of the infancy of our solar system. The asteroid is also a place rich in carbon, the central component of the organic molecules needed for life. Organic molecules found meteorite samples, Shavit, indicating that some elements of life can be. Scientists want to see if they exist on RQ36.

"This is a time capsule of an asteroid from the birth of our solar system, the ushers a new era of planetary research," said Jim Green, Director, planetary science Division of NASA in Washington. "The knowledge of the mission will also help us develop better methods of tracking routes of the asteroids."

Mission to measure accurately the Yarkovsky effect "" for the first time. The result is a small push caused by the Sun in the asteroid, it absorbs the sunlight, re-energy emits heat. Push a small sums for a long time, but it does not equal due to asteroid, wobble, composition surface or rotation. Scientists predict a path of asteroid approaches Earth, they must understand how to effect change. Osiris-Rex will help refine the orbit RQ36 's to verify the track, plan strategies for the future to reduce the possible Earth impacts of astronomical objects.

Michael Drake of the University of Arizona Tucson is a primary task. Goddard Space Flight Center of NASA bahgora Staten's Green, Maryland, will provide overall systems engineering and management to ensure mission safety vshlihot. Lockheed Martin space systems in Denver will build the spacecraft. The payload of the Osiris-Rex includes tools from the University of Arizona, University of Arizona Goddard Tampa, the Canadian Space Agency. The research center of NASA's Ames at Moffett field, Calif., lngli Research Center, Hampton, Va., Jet propulsion methods and laboratory for intelligent in Pasadena, Calif., are also involved. A scientific team consists of many researchers, universities, private and Government.

This is the third mission in NASA's new frontiers. first, new horizons, launched in 2006. It is to fly by Pluto-Charon system in 2015, then another target for Kuiper object. The second task, Juno, the spacecraft will launch in August to become the first pole and polar orbit Jupiter planet's huge atmosphere and the Interior. Marshall Space Flight Center of NASA, Ala., Director of the new borders of the Science Mission Directorate of the Agency in Washington.

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At the end of the solar system: space bubbles

Voyager twins have beamed back a data set that reshape our understanding of what is happening to the furthest edges of our solar system.

As far as the magnetic field extends out from the Sun, the more strange that behaves, the study suggests.

At the end of the solar system is the Heliosphere, a tunnel created by the solar wind. Both Voyager is the outermost layer of the Heliosphere, heliosheath, where the solar wind is slowed by dealing with interstellar gas. Data suggest that in the heliosheath is a sea of bubbles frantic, sausage-like in shape, each bubble around 100 million miles in width. That is roughly the same as the distance between the Earth and the Sun.

Merav Opher, an astronomer at Boston University and lead author of the study described as "a really agitated Jacuzzi."

The theory is based on modeling of computers scanned electron readings by Voyager. Readings had found depressions and inflates the number of electrons detected by two spacecraft. Models indicate that these variations were caused by moving in and out of bubbles.

The bubbles are believed to be part of the magnetic field of the Sun: charged particles of ionized gas, stretching and twisting while moving toward the edge of the solar system and Heliosphere. Are caused by magnetic lines of force explosively reorganizing themselves, scientists say.   The findings were published Thursday in the Astrophysical Journal.

"We're pretty sure [date] is telling us that there is a big change in the structure of the magnetic field," said Opher.

Ultimately, scientists want to know what happens when the galactic cosmic rays and other interstellar subatomic particles from entering our solar system through the Heliosphere. "We've yet to explore the details of how Galactic get rays through the Heliosphere, and how they are going to wander around the bubble," said James Drake, Professor of Physics of the University of Maryland.

The bubbles do not cause any danger for those living on Earth and no danger to the spacecraft, scientists say. "But if you're heading to Mars, I really have to worry about radiation in the environment of Venture," said Eugene Parker of the University of Chicago.

After 33 years of charge across the solar system, Voyager 2 is now about 10 billion miles from Earth. Both spacecraft contain instruments that measure energetic particles and send data back to Earth.

Next step, Opher said, is to send the best tools in interstellar space. "Voyager was designed in the late 1960s with wonderful tools," he said. "But we need more sensitive instruments. We're just scraping the surface of how sensitive is the heliosheath. "

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