AP - The strong Easter earthquake physically moved the border city of Calexico.

Slices through the SDSS 3-dimensional map of the distribution of galaxies. Earth is at the center, and each point represents a galaxy, typically containing about 100 billion stars. Galaxies are colored according to the ages of their stars, with the redder, more strongly clustered points showing galaxies that are made of older stars. The outer circle is at a distance of two billion light years. The region between the wedges was not mapped by the SDSS because dust in our own Galaxy obscures the view of the distant universe in these directions. Both slices contain all galaxies within -1.25 and 1.25 degrees declination. Credit: M. Blanton and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey.

Cosmologists – and not particle physicists — could be the ones who finally measure the mass of the elusive neutrino particle. A group of cosmologists have made their most accurate measurement yet of the mass of these mysterious so-called "ghost particles." They didn't use a giant particle detector but used data from the largest survey ever of galaxies, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. While previous experiments had shown that neutrinos have a mass, it is thought to be so small that it was very hard to measure. But looking at the Sloan data on galaxies, PhD student Shawn Thomas and his advisers at University College London put the mass of a neutrino at no greater than 0.28 electron volts, which is less than a billionth of the mass of a single hydrogen atom. This is one of the most accurate measurements of the mass of a neutrino to date.
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Charles Radely asked if I might let you folks know about a Space Congress coming up in October and happy to do so.  Seems like a good place to hold a space conference with Arecibo Observatory near by.
http://www.naic.edu/
- LRK -

---------------------------------------------
Greetings,

I invite you to the First Puerto Rico Space Congress - 24-27  October 2010 - Space is the Answer !

http://bit.ly/cXaPV4

Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino,
200 Convention Boulevard
San Juan, PR 00907 US

Please create a profile on our web page: http://aerospace.pr

This is Charles Radley, Chair of the Puerto Rico Space Congress.

Speakers include:

Cosmonaut Yury V Usachev - Hero of the Russian Federation - 670 days in space.
Dr. Michael P. Simpson - President of the International Space University
Sy Liebergot - Apollo EECOM - former NASA Mission Control
Joe Haldeman - Acclaimed Science Fiction Author - Hugo, Nebula Awards
Professor Louis Crane - Kansas State University - Black hole stardrives
Rick Sanford - SpaceGroundAmalgam, LLC - Odyssey Moon Google Lunar Xprize Team
Shawna Pandya - Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer - CiviGuard Technologies
Michael Laine - Liftport Group - Space Elevators
Dr. Verne Wheelwright - Personal Futures Network
Charles Radley - CEO Stratowave Corp - Space Based Solar Power
Royce Jones - Space solar power - thermal
Michael Potter - Orphans of Apollo

We have an amazing room rate of $129 per night plus taxes and fees.

Also, I would be honored to connect to you on Linkedin. Please go to my profile page and  click "add Charles to your network", you can use my email: charles@stratowave.com

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/charles-radley/0/10b/9b7

Best regards,

-Charles F. Radley - PR Congress Chair
 - Associate Fellow American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
 - telephone: +1-551-579-4686

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A bit more info.
- LRK -

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http://events.linkedin.com/Puerto-Rico-Space-Congress-Space-is/pub/222540
Puerto Rico Space Congress- Space is the answer!

Starts:                  Sunday October 24, 2010 at 08:00AM
Ends:            Wednesday October 27, 2010 at 05:00PM
Event Type:     Conference
Region:           Miami/Fort Lauderdale Area
Location:       Sheraton Puerto Rico Hotel & Casino
                       200 Convention Boulevard
                       San Juan, PR 00907 US
Price:         To be announced.
Website:        http://www.stratowave.com
Industry:           defense & space
Keywords:       Space Astronautics Technology Aerospace Science Exploration
Energy Astronomy Policy Green Nasa Rockets Satellites Moon Mars
Planets Asteroids Comets
Intended For:   We will target students, managers, engineers, policy
makers, futurists, academics, entrepreneurs, investors
Organization: NSS Puerto Rico Capitule/Chapter

NSS Puerto Rico in cooperation with Stratowave Corporation is holding a major space event.
snip
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Of recent we have been looking at the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico a mile below the surface of the water.
This probably gives a good backdrop for considering getting power from the Sun with some sort of Space-based Solar Power.  Of course that would take some kind of rocket power and we seem to be arguing about who should make the rockets.
- LRK -

---------------------------------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space-based_solar_power
Space-based solar power

Space-based solar power (SBSP) (or historically space solar power- SSP) is a system for the collection of solar power in space, for use on Earth. SBSP differs from the usual method of solar power collection in that the solar panels used to collect the energy would reside on a satellite in orbit, often referred to as a solar  power satellite (SPS), rather than on Earth's surface. In space, collection of the Sun's energy is unaffected by the various obstructions which reduce efficiency or capacities of Earth surface solar power collection.

snip
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More satellites to orbit and in close formation.  Should be interesting.
- LRK -

---------------------------------------------
http://tinyurl.com/2g7nltz
German satellite deployed to map the Earth with radar
BY STEPHEN CLARK
SPACEFLIGHT NOW
Posted: June 21, 2010

A new German satellite rocketed into orbit from Kazakhstan early Monday, reinforcing a program to create the most precise civilian three-dimensional maps of Earth using dual high-resolution radars.

The new spacecraft, named TanDEM-X, will fly in formation with a similar satellite launched in 2007 to illuminate Earth with two radars from slightly different vantage points in space.

snip
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We probably don't have accidents in space.  Well many.
- LRK -

---------------------------------------------
http://www.space.com/news/090211-satellite-collision.html
U.S. Satellite Destroyed in Space Collision
By Becky Iannotta and
Tariq Malik
posted: 11 February 2009
6:00 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON - Iridium Satellite LLC confirmed today that one of its satellites was destroyed Tuesday in an unprecedented collision with a spent Russian satellite and that the incident could result in limited disruptions of service.

snip
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http://www.insurancenewsnet.org/html/Regulation/2009/0305/Satellite-Collision-coverage-May-Set-Precedent.html
Satellite Collision coverage May Set Precedent

The insurance implications of catastrophic collisions in space was not a big worry for insurers of satellites in the past but have changed on May 10 in February, when the first collision of two satellites in orbit.
snip
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I guess the next accident in space will put a six month moratorium on space launches.

Thanks for looking up with me.
- LRK -

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Comments accepted here - http://lunar-update.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
http://www.naic.edu/
Arecibo To Stay Open Under New NSF Funding Plan
Jun 18, 2010

Arecib Observatory Tracks Potentially Dangerous Asteroid May 03, 2010

snip
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http://www.naic.edu/genpublic.php
Public Outreach

http://www.naic.edu/public/descrip_eng.htm
The Arecibo Observatory is part of the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC), a national research center operated by Cornell University under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF is an independent federal agency whose aim is to promote scientific and engineering progress in the United States. NSF funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. Additional support is provided by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The Observatory operates on a continuous basis, 24 hours a day every day, providing observing time, electronics, computer, travel and logistic support to scientists from all over the world. All results of research are published in the scientific literature which is publicly available.

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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

SPACE.com - The full moon of June will rise over Earth on Saturday, only to fall into a partial lunar eclipse as it passes through part of our planet's shadow.

SPACE.com - TEL AVIV, Israel - Israel successfully delivered its latest spy satellite into low Earth orbit Tuesday using an improved version of its indigenous Shavit launcher, defense sources here said.

AFP - A teen school project on Mars uncovered a surprise -- what appears to be a hole in the roof of a cave on the red planet, researchers said Wednesday.

Artists impression of the 'hot Jupiter' HD209458b, which has incredible storms. Credit: ESO.

Likely, future interstellar flights will not include the exoplanet HD209458b as a featured get-away destination. Not only is this extrasolar planet a scorchingly hot world where the poisonous carbon monoxide atmosphere is being evaporated, but new observations show this gas giant also has superstorms with winds of 5,000 to 10,000 km per hour. "It's definitely not a place for the faint-hearted," said Ignas Snellen, from Leiden University in the Netherlands who led a team of astronomers using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) to observe HD209458b, one of the most-studied planets orbiting around other stars. But Snellen told Universe Today that being able to detect this superstorm is extremely exciting and bodes well for finding possible life on other, more Earth-like planets.
(...)
Read the rest of Astronomers Watch Superstorm Raging on Distant Exoplanet (665 words)

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AFP - A planet named after ancient Egypt's Lord of the Dead is a place where human beings would be simultaneously boiled, poisoned and ripped apart by superstorms, astronomers reported on Wednesday.

Don’t miss the Southern California Astronomy Expo (SCAE) on Saturday, July 10th and Saturday, July 17th, 2010 at Oceanside Photo & Telescope! The store will be open from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM on Saturday, July 10th and from 10:00 AM until 7:00 PM on July 17th. Check out the line-up of events they have planned for SCAE…you gotta come! And if you don't live in the SoCal area? Don't be discouraged. This isn't a shameless attempt at advertising – it's your chance to win some very expensive astronomy equipment. OPT is offering a free, on-line giveaway to Universe Today readers with total prizes worth more than $8000. All you have to do is register to get your chance to win! (...)
Read the rest of Sixth Annual Southern California Astronomy Exposition (629 words)

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Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. Credit: NASA

One year ago today, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) officially reached orbit about the Moon, and in the past 12 months has gathered more digital information than any previous planetary mission in history. NASA says that maps and datasets collected by LRO’s state-of-the-art instruments will form the foundation for all future lunar exploration plans, as well as be critical to scientists working to better understand the moon and its environment. To celebrate one year in orbit, here are ten great observations made by LRO.
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Post tags: LRO, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Moon

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SPACE.com - The heavy metal rockers behind the British band Iron Maiden invaded NASA's astronaut headquarters this month for an all-access look at how Americans practice for flying in space.

Reuters - Israel has launched its latest military spy satellite, boosting its intelligence-gathering capabilities in the face of Iran's nuclear program, a cabinet minister said on Wednesday.

SPACE.com - A cosmic hit-and-run between two speeding galaxies has left one with a wispy tail speckled with stars, according to a new snapshot from a NASA space observatory.

Sixteen seventh-graders at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, Calif., found the Martian pit feature at the center of the superimposed red square in this image. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU

Tip number one on "How to impress your classmates:" Find a mysterious cave on Mars. A group of 16 seventh-graders at Evergreen Middle School in Cottonwood, California, USA found a dark pit that appears to be an opening to a cave on Mars. Dennis Mitchell's science class were examining Martian lava tubes as their project in the Mars Student Imaging Program offered by NASA and Arizona State University, which takes advantage of the huge database of images taken by the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The students found the skylight pit on the slope of an equatorial volcano named Pavonis Mons, and it appears to be an entrance to an underground lava tube. Similar 'cave skylight' features have been found elsewhere on Mars, but this is the first seen on this volcano.
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Read the rest of Best Class Project Ever: 7th Graders Find a Cave on Mars (408 words)

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Post tags: Mars, Mars Odyssey, mars reconnaissance orbiter

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The launch of Israel's Ofeq 9 satellite with the Shavit launch vehicle on June 22, 2010. Image courtesy Israeli Aerospace Industries, Ltd.

Israel launched an "Ofeq 9" satellite on Tuesday, an advanced remote sensing satellite that likely is capable of high resolution surveillance to monitor Iran's nuclear program. The satellite was launched on Israel's Shavit launch vehicle.

The Israel Defense Ministry gave no public details on the satellite, only releasing this statement following the launch: "A few minutes ago the State of Israel launched the Ofek-9 (Horizon-9) satellite from the Palmachim base (Israel's Air Force test range). The results of the launch are being examined by the technical team."

But in an Israel Defense Ministry document provided to Universe Today, (...)
Read the rest of Israel Launches Spy Satellite (186 words)

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AP - Israel launched a spy satellite called "Ofek 9" late Tuesday, Israel's Defense Ministry and officials said, increasing Israel's capacity to keep an eye on enemies like Iran.

SPACE.com - NASA mission managers are seeking to delay the final two scheduled space shuttle flights, a move that – if approved – would push the last liftoff of the shuttle era to February 2011, space agency officials have confirmed.

SPACE.com - Ten years ago this week, news from Mars made a huge splash on Earth — water might still flow on the surface of the red planet. That news, announced by NASA, hinged on photos of newfound gullies etched across the Martian surface, and a decade of other water-on-Mars discoveries ensued. Yet even 10 years later definitive proof of flowing Mars water remains elusive.

This week's Carnival of Space is hosted by Brian Wang over at Next Big Future.

Click here to read the Carnival of Space #159.

And if you’re interested in looking back, here’s an archive to all the past Carnivals of Space. If you’ve got a space-related blog, you should really join the carnival. Just email an entry to carnivalofspace@gmail.com, and the next host will link to it. It will help get awareness out there about your writing, help you meet others in the space community – and community is what blogging is all about. And if you really want to help out, let Fraser know if you can be a host, and he’ll schedule you into the calendar.

Finally, if you run a space-related blog, please post a link to the Carnival of Space. Help us get the word out.

© nancy for Universe Today, 2010. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
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Hubble view of the huge star formation region N11 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Credit: NASA, ESA and Jesús Maíz Apellániz (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, Spain).

Within the Large Magellenic Cloud is one of the most active star forming regions in our nearby Universe. This new Hubble image highlights N11 – also known as the Bean Nebula — a beautiful region of energetic star formation. The billowing pink clouds that look like cotton candy and bright bubbles of glowing gasses and are telltale signs that stars are being created. Click the image for a larger, hi-res version.

Beans, bubbles and candy aren't the only terrestrial shapes to be found in this spectacular image from the Hubble Space Telescope.
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Post tags: Hubble, Large Magellanic Cloud, LHA 120-N 11A, N-11

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