Astronomy, Space participation

Exoplanet names and nicknames

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It appears the IAU misleads the public by claiming Uwingu was doing something wrong in asking the public to participate in simply nominating names for exoplants. It also misleads in claiming that it’s role in technical nomenclature  given to it by astronomy organizations gives it the all powerful right to decide what anyone may call any object in the universe.

This is as silly as the IAU’s claim that a majority vote among a group of astronomers can instantly convert a planet to a non-planet.

Inevitably some exoplanets will have popular names, i.e nicknames, in addition to the technical names used by astronomy organizations.

History, Space participation, Space Science

Russian amateur group may have found lost Soviet Mars lander

A group of Russian space enthusiasts may have spotted an image of a Soviet Mars lander that transmitted for a few seconds after landing on the Red Planet in 1971 before going permanently silent:

Education, Near Space

JP Aerospace flies 2000 PongSats

JP Aerospace had a productive week:  Mission Success! – JP Aerospace Blog

We flew just over 2000 PongSat student experiments, the most we’ve ever flown at once. All five launches were in winds that were steady 20 with gusts to 46 mph.

10000th Pongsat - JP Aerospace
General, Space Science, SpaceCasts

Space on the John Batchelor Show: Bob Zimmerman and Hotel Mars

Bob Zimmerman reports on the latest space news during regular weekly slots (usually Tuesday and Thursdays) on the John Batchelor radio program. See the iTunes free Podcast for links to the latest shows.

Tuesday’s segment: Space:
1. A rocket launch tomorrow by North Korea?
2. India wants to privatize its launch fleet.
3. Boeing about to begin wind tunnel tests of its manned capsule.
4. Antares is scheduled for launch April 17.
5. NASA has delayed its first manned commercial launch by one year.

Wednesday’s segment: Climate:
1. The scientists who tried to re-invent Michael Mann’s hockey stick graph have admitted their data is worthless.
2. The weak solar minimum continues.
3. Another global warming advocate admits the climate has not warmed for two decades.
4. Which means: The doom and gloom shifts to reports of extreme weather!

Thursday segment: Space
1. Has Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spotted the remains of a 1971 Soviet Mars lander?
2. The Orion capsule begins stress tests, after being repaired from cracks.
3. Boeing introduces a new line of tiny commercial satellites.
4. Canada’s Radarsat 1 goes dead.

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On  the weekly Hotel Mars segment with David Livingston, retired NASA astrophysicist Dr. Don Kessler talked about space debris and mitigation issues: The John Batchelor Show “Hotel Mars,” Wednesday, 4-10-13 – Thespaceshow’s Blog

Everyone can participate in space