Collisions in Space
Posted: October 24, 2010 Filed under: ARTEMIS, astronomers, astronomy, Earth, entertainment, Magnetosphere, meteorites, NASA, Sol, The Earth, the Moon, the solar system, the solar wind, the Universe, THEMIS-B | Tags: ARTEMIS, astronomer, astronomy, collisions in space, Magnetosphere, meteorites, Moon, NASA, solar wind, spacecraft, THEMIS Leave a comment »
Something might have hit THEMIS-B
Considering the volume of bodies circling in the solar system one might think that collisions between bodies in the solar system is commonplace, but in fact collisions between bodies circling in the solar system are relatively uncommon. This is what makes a recent report by NASA of a possible collision of one of their spacecraft with a meteorite a highlight of sorts, or at least something relatively unusual. NASA reported a possible collision between a meteorite and part of the sensitive instrumentation on board their THEMIS-B spacecraft, which is one of the two ARTEMIS spacecraft, at 0605 UT on October 14. Apparently, the flight dynamics data collected on THEMIS-B indicated that it might have been struck by a meteorite, which likely means the meteorite made a slight change in the flight path of the spacecraft. According to NASA, everything is still a go with THEMIS-B’s insertion into Lissajous orbit, and up coming simultaneous measurements of particles and the electric and magnetic fields in two different locations, using both ARTEMIS spacecraft. This will provide astronomers with the first three-dimensional look at how energetic particle acceleration happens near the Moon’s orbit, in the solar wind, and in the distant magnetosphere.
October’s Early Morning Sky Puts on a Show
Posted: October 10, 2010 Filed under: American Astronomical Society, astronomers, Astronomical Societies, astronomy, Comet 1P/Halley, comets, Draconid meteorite shower, entertainment, Goddard Flight Center, International Astronomical Union, John Hopkins University, meteorites, NASA, National Solar Observatory, Orionid meteorite shower, Royal Astronomical Society | Tags: astronomers, astronomy, Comet 1P/Halley, comets, Draconid meteorite shower, meteorites, NASA, Orionid meteorite shower Leave a comment »Comet Halley dust rains down upon Earth in the early mornings of October
Periodic trips through the inner solar system has left a little dust behind
Orionid meteorites are small dust grains thrown off by Comet 1P/Halley, during its many trips through the inner solar system. These dust grains are traveling at a speed generally in the area of 70 km/second, at this speed the surrounding air will glow with heat as a dust grain travels through Earth’s atmosphere, and viewers will a brief flash as the meteorite vaporizes in the atmosphere. Astronomers estimate that about 25 million particles of comet dust enter the Earth’s atmosphere worldwide on a daily basis, burning up as meteorites and adding hundreds of tons of comet dust. During a meteorite shower Earth is being bombarded by numerous grains of comet dust as the Earth travels through the orbit of a comet. Meteorite showers occur annually due to the fact that the Earth travels through the orbit of a comet at the same time each year. Typically viewers can see a few meteorites each hour on a clear night, but viewers can always be treated to an extra special show.
During a good performance viewers could see upwards of twenty meteorites per hour radiating from one direction in the sky generally, just as heavy rain or snow appears to radiate from one direction in front of a moving vehicle. The Earth is moving relative to the comet dust, as a result more comet dust will hit the Earth’s atmosphere in the part facing in the direction of the Earth’s movement, and viewers will get a better show in the pre-dawn sky, when part of their sky is facing in the direction of Earth’s rotation.
The Orionids are comet dust left behind by Comet 1P/Halley
Journey Across the Surface of the Red Planet
Posted: October 7, 2010 Filed under: American Astronomical Society, astronomers, Astronomical Societies, astronomy, Earth, entertainment, Goddard Flight Center, John Hopkins University, Mars, Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, meteorites, NASA, National Solar Observatory, Oilean Ruaidh, the planets, the Red Planet, the solar system | Tags: astronomers, astronomy, Mars, Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity, NASA, Oilean Ruaidh, space, space scientists, the Red Planet, the solar system Leave a comment »This little rock looks like it has an interesting story to tell!
This little meteorite is telling planetary scientists studying Mars a few things
NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has been traveling across the surface of the Red Planet looking at anything that interests scientists, while making its way toward its main goal, Endeavour Crater. The latest object of study for planetary scientists playing with their toys is this meteorite NASA’s planetary scientists have affectionately named “Oilean Ruaidh”, which is also the Gaelic name of an island off the coast of northwestern Ireland. NASA planetary scientists first got a glimpse of this gem on September 16, 2010, which was the 2,363rd Martian day rover has spent on the surface of the Red Planet. The picture above was actually taken on September 24, 2010, using the panoramic camera on Opportunity, four days before Opportunity would continue its journey to Endeavour Crater, by traveling a distance of about 328 ft (100 meters).
The four days that planetary scientists spent looking at “Oilean Ruaidh” using the microscopic imager and alpha particle X-ray spectrometer of Opportunity to take a closer look at the texture and composition of this little meteorite revealed that it’s a nickle-iron meteorite. The image above is presented in a color close to the true color of the meteorite and combines component images taken through three Pancam filters admitting different wavelengths.
