As millions of skywatchers around the world trained their heads upward yesterday to gaze upon the last Transit of Venus to occur in their lifetime (unless they plan to live another 105 years, in which case good luck with that), NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory was also monitoring the "rarest predictable solar event" — and getting a better view of the space show than practically anyone else.
Normally, when they hear the biggest full moon of the year is coming, people and werewolves get very excited.
Something strange is going on in the NASA publicity department. The agency's latest press release marks a stark divergence in tone from the kind of content they're usually serving up.
There's a big story floating around the universe right now, and it's all yours, for $1.5 million.
If today feels extra strange for you, hang in there, it's merely the earth being pummeled by a "wave of plasma and charged particles" you're feeling. Yes, this humble little planet of ours is in the midst of a solar storm-the biggest solar storm in five years actually- and it might be throwing your Mercury in retrograde.
Newt Gingrich was campaigning on Florida's Space Coast today when he decided, fuck it, I'm pandering: "By the end of my second term we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will be American." Sure, why not. What about Mars? "Gingrich also said he would push to develop propulsion technology that would get man to Mars." He would merely "develop" the project. Such a cop-out.
So, if you wake up early tomorrow morning and the moon looks, like, enormous? And is blood red? Don't worry! It's not because the elder gods have returned to exact their brutal form of justice upon humankind.
Guys! Twinsies! NASA scientists have discovered the most earth-like planet yet, Kepler 22-b, and we are ready to move any minute now:
Right now, several miles above the surface of the earth, a huge wheeled robot is on its way to Mars, where, armed with "rock-zapping laser," it will seek out evidence of ancient extraterrestrial life.
You've probably heard by now that a satellite once used by NASA will fall to Earth this weekend after 20 years in orbit. Because the thought of something as big as a bus slamming into the the planet at 18,000 mph is a scary one, NASA tried to quell fears by releasing projections of when and where the satellite will hit. But as Stephen Colbert pointed out on tonight's Report, projections only help if they're not too general, and these ones completely suck.
We don't mean to scare you, but there is a chance a satellite might fall from the sky, directly onto you this weekend. Oh, who are we kidding? We're definitely trying to freak you out.
Frozen feathers! Getting shorter! Asteroid redemption! NASA engineers! Weight brain! Giant telescopes! Desperate dolphins! Indian frogs! And hypothetical questions with real world consequences! It's your Tuesday Science Watch, where we watch science—like ka-blow!
Take a good long look at the satellite in the picture above. So that you can recognize it when it comes crashing down to earth next week!
Pain measurement! Pyromania analysis! NASA rocket! Hefty bacteria! Galaxy shapes! Hot summer! Murderous bird! Flying snails! And scientists playing with hoses for fake experiments! It's your Wednesday Science Watch, where we watch science—in agony!
Pieces of NASA's six ton, out of control Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite will soon smash into the earth, according to a somewhat unconcerned NASA. The space agency in statement said that the risk of people being crushed by falling debris is "extremely small," and the Telegraph spoke with a scientist who said there's a 1-in-3,200 chance that someone will be obliterated by a piece of the satellite. But still, they basically have no clue where it will hit. Part of NASA's statement reads:
