Showing posts with label Earth. Show all posts

Thursday, February 14, 2013

See an Asteroid’s-Eye-View of Friday’s Close Approach Between 2012 DA14 and Earth

If you haven’t heard yet, this Friday, February 15, 2013 will be a close flyby of an asteroid named 2012 DA14. It’s turning out to be a highly anticipated event, as it will pass just 27,630 kilometers (17,168 miles) from the surface of the Earth, well within the range of many Earth-orbiting satellites. If you could watch the action from the vantage point of space, what would this flyby look like? Analytical Graphics, Inc., a company that creates modeling and analysis software for space, defense and other areas, has put together an animation which includes the asteroid’s trajectory as it approaches Earth, a closeup of the asteroid during its closest approach, a highlighted portion of Earth orbit that it is expected to pass through, and other interesting data.
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Wednesday, February 13, 2013

27 Struggles Only A Swimmer Can Understand

Swimming is the best sport on earth, but it's also full of people who are incredibly misunderstood.

Being confused with divers.

Source: sexybritishmen

That no one cares about the sport until the Olympics.

Image by Clive Rose / Getty Images

That no one takes the sport seriously.

Source: shredtage

Wanting everyone to know they can do this.

Source: ohcrapididspeed

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Saturday, September 24, 2011

Tracking the Falling UARS Satellite

Twenty years ago, NASA launched the UARS (Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite) from the Space Shuttle Discovery. The satellite finished its mission several years ago but remained floating in space. Not for long. After more than 7,000 days soaring above the Earth, UARS is coming home. Just don't expect to find it all in one piece.

Sometime during the evening of September 23 or the early morning of September 24, the satellite is expected to re-enter the atmosphere and fall back to Earth. According to NASA's official site, "the spacecraft will break into pieces during re-entry," however "not all of it will burn up in the atmosphere."

But don't go building an underground bunker. NASA is quick to note that the likelihood of debris harming either person or property is "extremely small." Since the late 1950s, there is no record of any space object causing significant property damage or causing injury.

That hasn't slowed the frantic interest. Over the past 24 hours, web searches for "nasa satellite" and "uars satellite" have skyrocketed. Related lookups for "uars tracking" and "live tracking uars satellite" are also extremely popular, as are searches for "uars dimensions." According to NASA, the satellite is 35 feet long and weighs 13,000 pounds.

Its purpose, according to the official NASA site, was to "observe numerous chemical constituents of the atmosphere with a goal of better understanding atmospheric photochemistry and transport." The UARS was particularly useful in helping to answer questions surrounding the the loss of the ozone layer above the arctic.

The best place to keep track of the falling satellite's progress is at NASA.gov. The government agency is doing all it can to keep concerned parties updated on when and where the satellite will land. You can check out NASA's official site for updates.