The sunspot number in July hints that the peak in this phase of the cycle may be on the downslope : Solar Cycle Progression – NOAA
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Solar cycle update
Monthly Archives: August 2014
Video: The Lure of Europa – Featuring Bill Nye and special guests
The Planetary Society organized a special event on Capitol Hill last month to discuss the mysteries of the Jupiter moon Europa and why there should be a NASA mission there. The event was unexpectedly popular. Lots of public visitors to the Capital decided to sit in. Bill Nye was probably a major reason: The Lure of Europa – Featuring Bill Nye and special guests
Caption:
Europa is a moon of Jupiter that may have three crucial ingredients for life: liquid water, energy, and nutrients. What, if anything, can be found in the great oceans of Europa? Could NASA look for life? How could we explore affordably? Bill Nye The Science Guy, eminent NASA scientists, and prominent legislators examined just these questions in a public event inside the halls of Congress. This was recorded live on July 15th, 2014.
Recorded by Tushar Dayal.
Speakers (in order of appearance):
* Casey Dreier (Director of Advocacy for The Planetary Society and event emcee)
* Rep. Lamar Smith (Chairman, House Science Committee; Texas 21st District)
* Rep. John Culberson (Texas 7th District)
* Rep. Adam Schiff (California 21st District)
* Dr. Ellen Stofan (Chief Scientist, NASA)
* Dr. Robert Pappalardo (Europa Study Scientist, JPL)
* Bill Nye, The Science Guy (CEO of The Planetary Society)
Mars Society conference to be webcast
The Mars Society is holding its 17th Annual International Mars Society Convention this week in League City, TX (outside Houston), August 7-10, 2014. Here is the Convention Program.
The plenary talks will be webcast: 17th Annual International Mars Society Conference on Livestream.
The Space Show this week
The guests and topics on The Space Show this week:
1. Monday, August 4, 2014: 2-3:30 PM PDT (5-6:30 PM EDT, 4-5:30 PM CDT): NO SHOW AS I AM AT AIAA SPACE 2014 CONFERENCE.
2. Tuesday, August 5, 2014:,7-8:30 PM PDT (10-11:30 PM EDT, 9-10:30 PM CDT): NO SHOW AS I AM AT AIAA SPACE 2014 CONFERENCE.
3. Friday, August 8, 2014, 9:30 -11 AM PDT (12;30-2 PM EDT; 11:30-1 PM CDT): I will archive AIAA Space 2014 taped interviews. When you see the program on the website and blog, it is ready for your play. .
4. Sunday, August 10, 2014, 12-1:30 PM PDT (3-4:30 PM EDT, 2-3:30 PM CDT). DR. BILL ROWE returns with new information & research for human factors & human spaceflight. Check out his website at www.femsinspace.com.
See also:
/– The Space Show on Vimeo – webinar videos
/– The Space Show’s Blog – summaries of interviews.
/– The Space Show Classroom Blog – tutorial programs
The Space Show is a project of the One Giant Leap Foundation.
Rosetta nears its comet
Rosetta is getting closer and closer to comet t 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko (or 67P/C-G): How Rosetta arrives at a comet – ESA. The spacecraft will slow down on Wednesday, August 6th and maneuver to go into orbit around the object.
From a 1000 km on
- Comet at 1000 km | Rosetta – ESA’s comet chaser
- Rosetta’s comet coming into focus – Bill Harwood/CBS News
The temperature is higher than expected, which meanst there is probabaly little if any pure ice on the surface: Rosetta takes comet’s temperature – ESA
Here is another view: CometWatch – 2 August | Rosetta – ESA’s comet chaser
