Black Hole Thoughts » Planetary Exploration http://blackholethoughts.com Ruminations that are never and forever falling into the rabbit hole. Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:37:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 First Ever Close-Up Look at Solar Flare http://blackholethoughts.com/2009/10/26/first-ever-close-up-look-at-solar-flare/ http://blackholethoughts.com/2009/10/26/first-ever-close-up-look-at-solar-flare/#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:42:45 +0000 Andrew http://blackholethoughts.com/?p=214 MESSENGER's Second Flyby of Mercury. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

The MESSENGER spacecraft got the closest look at a solar flare in human history, from a distance of about ½ AU (an Astronomical Unit is defined as the distance between our Sun and the Earth, approximately 93 million miles).  The [...]]]> MESSENGER's Second Flyby of Mercury

MESSENGER's Second Flyby of Mercury. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

The MESSENGER spacecraft got the closest look at a solar flare in human history, from a distance of about ½ AU (an Astronomical Unit is defined as the distance between our Sun and the Earth, approximately 93 million miles).  The Mercury, Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging Mission, or MESSENGER, is tasked with studying Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun.   It will insert into orbit around Mercury on March 18th, 2011.

SpaceDaily has more details of the data it recorded on the solar flare.  Studying solar flares is crucial to understanding how the Sun works, and how flares affect our climate here on Earth.  Flares also affect our satellites, and can have deadly consequences for astronauts.  By increasing what we know about what cause these  eruptions, we will improve our ability to predict when they will occur.

Source: SpaceDaily and NASA’s MESSENGER Mission

]]> http://blackholethoughts.com/2009/10/26/first-ever-close-up-look-at-solar-flare/feed/ 3 The Mantra of the Mars Rovers: Yes I can! Yes I can! http://blackholethoughts.com/2009/10/12/the-mantra-of-the-mars-rovers-yes-i-can-yes-i-can/ http://blackholethoughts.com/2009/10/12/the-mantra-of-the-mars-rovers-yes-i-can-yes-i-can/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:56:42 +0000 Andrew http://blackholethoughts.com/?p=31
Celebrating 3 Martian years (6 earth years) of service by the rovers
Celebrating 3 Martian years (6 earth years) of service by the rovers. Credit: Astro0 / rover art by Dan Maas / Mars by NASA / JPL-Caltech / Malin Space Science Systems

Sometimes, things turn out better than you expect.  There’s no better example than the Mars Rovers.  Originally planned for a three-month tour of service on the Martian surface, they have now logged three Martian years worth of exploration –equivalent to six earth years!

Wow!  That’s really worth celebrating.  Visit the Mars Exploration Rover Mission home to learn more.

And check out the Planetary Society’s article –which inspired this post –to see the latest on what Opportunity and Spirit have accomplished, and what they’re doing now (you can learn about the plight of Spirit).

Source: Planetary Society article ]]> http://blackholethoughts.com/2009/10/12/the-mantra-of-the-mars-rovers-yes-i-can-yes-i-can/feed/ 1