First Habitable Planet Confirmed by French Scientists

French scientists believe that a planet orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 581 could sustain life similar to Earth.

 
Twenty light years away is a small red star. Orbiting this sun are six planets that range in size from slightly smaller than Earth to about the size of Neptune. Several of these planets fall within the star's "Goldilocks" zone, neither too hot from proximity to the star nor too cold from being too far. If a planet is too hot, all water would be steam but if its too cold then it would be ice, neither of which can support life. Luckily, a group of astronomers from the National Centre for Scientific Research in France believe that the fourth planet - unimaginatively labeled Gliese 581d - is just right.

Random Image #3

Hello there! After some time away from the blog I'm back. Today I bring this image from NASA's site. Enjoy!

Explanation:
 Nebulae are enormous clouds of dust and gas occupying the space between the stars.

Random Picture #2

Another picture from NASA site. I will keep posting these, there is a lot of nice images there.

Click on the image to see in full-size. It's beautiful.

Explanation: This stunning vista represents the highest resolution image ever made of the Andromeda Galaxy (aka M31) at ultraviolet wavelengths. Recorded by NASA's Swift satellite, the mosaic is composed of 330 individual images covering a region 200,000 light-years wide. It shows about 20,000 sources, dominated by hot, young stars and dense star clusters that radiate strongly in energetic ultraviolet light. Of course, the Andromeda Galaxy is the closest large spiral galaxy to our own Milky Way, at a distance of some 2.5 million light-years. Just slide your cursor over the image to compare the appearance of this gorgeous island universe in optical light with its ultraviolet portrait.

Spectacular Rocket Trail Lights Sky Dawn

 
The long, thin, beam of light rising up over the Californian coast looks like something from another world.

The Minotaur 1 rocket is carrying a spy satellite which will improve the ability of the U.S. to collect data in space.

This particular payload carries some of the work we do in techniques and methods to improve intelligence collection. All part of our work to keep improving the value of our data,' a spokesman for the National Reconnaissance Office told the Spaceflight Now website.

The rocket took off from Vandenberg U.S. Air Force Base at 4.26am local time amid clear skies, said Colonel Richard Boltz, 30th Space Wing commander and the mission's leader.

The launch, which was scheduled for Saturday, had been delayed by 24 hours because of power problems with the rocket's safety equipment.

The four-stage, solid-fuelled rocket was carrying NRO equipment but officials gave no further details on the craft's purpose or cost.

More than 200 people from the 30th Space Wing, Orbital Sciences, the Space and Missile Systems Center and the National Reconnaissance Office worked on the project.

'I am extremely proud of the large group of professionals that came together to launch this rocket,' Colonel Boltz said in a statement.

The 63ft-tall Minotaur 1 is among the smallest of the many rockets that launch from the base 160 miles north-west of Los Angeles.

The rocket is assembled from retired Minuteman stages combined with technology from Orbital Sciences. It can carry up to 1,278lbs to low-Earth orbit.

The launch was the 20th Minotaur mission since the first one launched from Vandenberg in 2000.

The next Vandenberg launch will be a Taurus rocket, also made by Orbital Sciences, scheduled to carry a Nasa observation satellite into orbit on February 23.

 

Source: dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1354402/Spectacular-rocket-trail-lights-sky-dawn.html?ITO=1490

Random Picture #1

Today I will post this beautiful picture that I found on NASA site. It is not very related to astronomy (there is Venus and the Moon in the sky, but nothing more than that). Anyway, I never said this blog would be about astronomy only. I also plan on posting some news and articles about technology, and other nice pictures.

Explanation: Sometimes a morning sky can be a combination of serene and surreal. Such a sky perhaps existed before sunrise this past Sunday as viewed from a snowy slope in eastern Switzerland. Quiet clouds blanket the above scene, lit from beneath by lights from the village of Trübbach. A snow covered mountain, Mittlerspitz, poses dramatically on the upper left, hovering over the small town of Balzers, Liechtenstein far below. Peaks from the Alps can be seen across the far right, just below the freshly rising Sun. Visible on the upper right are the crescent Moon and the bright planet Venus. Venus will remain in the morning sky all month, although it will likely not be found in such a photogenic setting.

Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110202.html