Search for Anti-Matter on Space Station

Anti-matter universe sought by space-based detector

The International Space Station (ISS) is pictured on a computer monitor at the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) Payload Operations and Command Center (POCC) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Meyrin near Geneva July 25, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/Valentin Flauraud

By Robert Evans

GENEVA | Thu Jul 26, 2012 3:35am IST

(Reuters) - A seven metric ton particle detector parked for over a year on the International Space Station (ISS) aims to establish whether there is an unseen "dark universe" woven into the cosmos, the scientist leading the project said on Wednesday.
And the detector, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer or AMS, has already broken all records in registering some 17 billion cosmic rays and storing data on them for analysis, Nobel physics laureate Samuel Ting told a news conference.
MORE: http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/25/us-science-cern-universe-idINBRE86O1JQ20120725

Source: Reuters

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Pittsburgh's Allegheny Observatory History Video Now Available

Allegheny Observatory (Source: Wikipedia)

The long-awaited video, Undaunted, The Forgotten Giants of the Allegheny Observatory, is now available for sale on DVD. The motion picture score is available on CD and as a Mp3 download, and a 74-page Allegheny Observatory Fine Art Photography book can also be purchased.

Undaunted, The Forgotten Giants of the Allegheny Observatory tells the history of a 150-year-old scientific research facility, which is the largest astronomical observatory within the city limits of a major American city! This includes the amazing accomplishments of astronomers Samuel Pierpont Langley, James E. Keeler, and John A. Brashear, which helped the Allegheny Observatory become a leader in astronomical research and pioneer the new scientific field of Astrophysics.

This history film premiered the evening of April 18 before a huge audience at Pittsburgh's Heinz History Center. Production of the film DVD had been delayed, but the DVD is now available and can be purchased at this link:

>>> http://www.undauntedthemovie.com/merchandise

MORE INFORMATION ON THE MOTION PICTURE:

Official Film Web Site: http://www.undauntedthemovie.com/

Official Film Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/UNDAUNTEDMOVIE

Official Film Twitter Page: https://twitter.com/#!/UNDAUNTEDMOVIE

Film News Release: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/7/prweb9731507.htm

News article on film in Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

>>> http://triblive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/movies/s_791696.html

News article on film in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

>>> http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/movie-reviews/film-notes-film-shows-pioneers-who-reached-for-stars-632251/

Previous Blog Posts --

Pittsburgh's Allegheny Observatory: New History Film:.

>>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2012/04/pittsburghs-allegheny-observatory-new.html

Video: Allegheny Observatory 1872 Lens Theft Case:

>>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2012/05/video-allegheny-observatory-1872-lens.html

More information on --

Allegheny Observatory: http://www.pitt.edu/~aobsvtry/

John A. Brashear: http://johnbrashear.tripod.com/

Samuel Pierpont Langley: http://johnbrashear.tripod.com/bio/LangleySP.htm

James E. Keeler: http://johnbrashear.tripod.com/bio/KeelerJ.htm

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Japan Satellite LEDs to "Twinkle" as Morse Code Beacon

Tiny Japanese Satellite Will Write Morse Code Messages in the Sky

by Leonard David, SPACE.com’s Space Insider Columnist

Date: 25 July 2012 Time: 07:00 AM ET

Cubesat flashes should be observable by the unaided eye or with small binoculars. CREDIT: FIT View full size image

The robotic Japanese cargo vessel now en route to the International Space Station is loaded with food, clothes, equipment — and a set of tiny amateur radio satellites, including one that will write Morse code messages in the sky.
Japan's unmanned H-2 Transfer Vehicle-3 launched July 20 and is slated to arrive at the station Friday (July 27). The ultrasmall satellites it's carrying, which are known as cubesats, will likely remain on the orbiting lab until September, when they'll be deployed by Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide using the Kibo module's robotic arm.
One of the cubesats, FITSAT-1, will write messages in the night sky with Morse code, helping researchers test out optical communication techniques for satellites, researchers said.


FITSAT-1 was developed at Japan’s Fukuoka Institute of Technology (FIT). It's nicknamed NIWAKA, which derives from "Hakata Niwaka," an improvised performance of traditional Japanese comedies with masks.
One of FITSAT-1's experimental duties is to twinkle as an artificial star, said project leader Takushi Tanaka, an FIT professor of computer science and engineering. Tanaka's research interests include artificial intelligence, language processing, logic programming and robot soccer, in addition to cubesats.
Tipping the scales at just under 3 pounds (1.33 kilograms), FITSAT-1 carries high power light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that will produce extremely bright flashes.
"These, we hope, will be observable by the unaided eye or with small binoculars," Tanaka says on a FITSAT-1 website.
After its deployment from the orbiting lab, the cubesat's high-output LEDs will blink in flash mode, generating a Morse code beacon signal.

MORE: http://www.space.com/16741-japanese-cubesats-space-station-fitsat1.html

Source: Space.com

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Sally Ride: The Beauty of Earth From Orbit

The following is an article by Sally Ride, America's first woman astronaut who passed-away July 23 at the age of 61, describing the beauty of the Earth as viewed from orbit. This article was recently reprinted in Air & Space Smithsonian Magazine, from an earlier edition of the magazine.

Single Room, Earth View

America's first woman in space describes the beauty of Earth from orbit.

• By Sally Ride
• Air & Space magazine, July 2012

Everyone I've met has a glittering, if vague, mental image of space travel. And naturally enough, people want to hear about it from an astronaut: “How did it feel?” “What did it look like?” “Were you scared?” Sometimes, the questions come from reporters, their pens poised and their recorders silently sucking in the words; sometimes, it’s wide-eyed, 10-year-old girls who want answers. I find a way to answer all of them, but it’s not easy.

MORE: http://www.airspacemag.com/space-exploration/Single-Room-Earth-View-163470026.html

BLOG from Air and Space Smithsonian Magazine Editor regarding the loss of Sally Ride:
>>> http://blogs.airspacemag.com/daily-planet/2012/07/sally-ride-1951-2012/

SALLY RIDE SCIENCE web site: https://www.sallyridescience.com/

PREVIOUS BLOG announcing death of Sally Ride:
>>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2012/07/sally-ride-1st-american-woman-in-space.html

Sources: Air & Space Smithsonian Magazine, Sally Ride Science

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Cargo spacecraft fails to dock to Space Station

July 24, 2012

MOSCOW—An unmanned Russian cargo spacecraft has failed to dock with the International Space Station due to a technical failure, Russian space officials said on Tuesday.

The Progress cargo ship separated from the station Sunday to perform engineering tests and try out a new docking system and was due to dock with the station early Tuesday.

MORE: http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2012/07/24/cargo_spacecraft_fails_to_dock_to_space_station/

Sources: Associated Press, Boston Globe

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

Sally Ride, 1st American Woman in Space, Dies

press release

July 23, 2012, 4:47 p.m. EDT

Sally Kristen Ride, Ph.D., Trailblazing First American Woman In Space, 1951 - 2012

SAN DIEGO, Jul 23, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Sally Ride died peacefully July 23, 2012 after a courageous 17-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Sally lived her life to the fullest, with boundless energy, curiosity, intelligence, passion, commitment, and love. Her integrity was absolute; her spirit was immeasurable; her approach to life was fearless.

Sally was a physicist, the first American woman to fly in space, a science writer, and the President and CEO of Sally Ride Science. She had the rare ability to understand the essence of things and to inspire those around her to join her pursuits.

Sally Ride in 1984
Sources: NASA, Wikipedia

MORE - OBITUARY: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/sally-kristen-ride-phd-trailblazing-first-american-woman-in-space-1951-2012-2012-07-23

BIOGRAPHY: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Ride

Sally Ride: The Beauty of Earth From Orbit:

>>> http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/2012/07/sally-ride-beauty-of-earth-from-orbit.html

Sources: NASA, Sally Ride Science, Marketwatch.com, Wikipedia

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >

4.3-Meter Discovery Channel Telescope Debuts

Telescope opens a brand new window on Discovery

Lowell Observatory / DCT

One of the "first light" images from the Discovery Channel Telescope's 16-million-pixel camera shows the spiral barred galaxy M109.

By Alan Boyle

If the Lowell Observatory's Discovery Channel Telescope were a Discovery Channel documentary, it'd be a blockbuster: an extravaganza that was a decade in the making, at a cost of $53 million. That's twice as much as it cost to produce the "Planet Earth" TV series.
Now the Discovery Channel Telescope has finally made its star-studded debut with the unveiling of "first light" images at a Saturday night gala in Arizona. Among the guests of honor: first moonwalker Neil Armstrong.

MORE: http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/22/12890316-telescope-opens-a-brand-new-window-on-discovery?lite

Source: NBC

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
  < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < http://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetarium.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >