More Universe Mapping - The South Pole Wall

Here is a map of galaxies and voids. Our galaxy is a tiny little dot someplace in middle. I find this kind of science fascinating, mapping at the largest possible scale. And the science needed to do it is cool as well. Recently, The South Pole Wall was discovered, another structure of galaxies mind-boggling large.  Here is the paper from arxiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2007.04414 Read it for cool details!

Here is a map extracted from the PDF. You are someplace in here.

The paper also includes a fun video. Thanks to the researchers who did this.

You are here...

In the larger picture, anyway.  Thanks to http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/press-releases/local_void/

more "You Are Here" at the largest scales....

Where are they?

The aliens I mean. There, maybe there:

Thanks to http://phl.upr.edu/projects/habitable-exoplanets-catalog/results  Check that page for lots of background and the enlargeable image.

Yet Another in the "You Are Here" series

So Huffington Post ran an article about some research about the size and shape of our  Milky Way galaxy. You can read it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/12/milky-way-size-bigger_n_6849548.html

So its interesting that the galaxy may be corrugated, and that we may be sitting right in one of the ridges.

Science is fun!

ps - Happy PI day.

Another in the "You Are Here" series

Thanks to Spaceref, a link to a paper describing the local set of galaxies within which we find ourselves.

Kinda boggles the mind. Wonder how many other minds there are in this region writing similar papers.














http://spaceref.com/astronomy/the-milky-way-galaxy-sits-among-a-council-of-giants.html

https://www.ras.org.uk/news-and-press/news-archive/254-news-2014/2419-milky-way-amidst-a-council-of-giants

Earth, from Saturn

There are a lot of things to be in awe of here in the 21st century.

Image Credit: 

NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/whycassini/cassini20130722.html#.Ue52GKxzf8I

You Are Here - Cosmography of the Local Universe

This is an awesome video.  Thanks to http://irfu.cea.fr/cosmography   Broadens the "you are here" meme more than I've seen before.

So what is that thing on Mars?

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/msl/20130211/ventifacts

X37b Space Plane - latest

from Weird Warp:  http://www.weirdwarp.com/2013/01/air-forces-secretive-x-30-7b-space-plane-blasted-off-again/

Mihai's article at Weird Warp raises interesting questions about x37b's missions, and what it can or cannot do relative to other approaches for getting stuff back and forth from orbit.

The apparent success of the form-factor of the x37b leads me to hope that similar approaches will turn out eventually to be economically feasible for the emerging private space industry.

You Are Here - Local Bubble

Great post at John Baez's blog - http://johncarlosbaez.wordpress.com/2012/12/27/our-galactic-environment/

Its very cool to have an even greater perspective on where we are and whats around us.  Wasn't that long ago that our view barely extended to the solar planetary system, and now we visit its farthest reaches with spacecraft.  How long before there is some kind of plan to explore this wider vista?  Distance, duration, and speed limits will frame how the exploration will occur, and how we will come to understand it, but I bet it will occur.

Saturn

This is too cool!

From Cassini.  Lots more details here: http://www.ciclops.org/view/7418/A_Splendor_Seldom_Seen?js=1

and, on Mars...

Lots more here: http://curiositymsl.com/table/view/?page=3&

Mars

It is so cool to be able to post photos from Mars.  So cool.

From: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16013.html

NASA Curiosity is awesome!

Congrats to NASA and the Mars Science Laboratory (aka Curiosity)  team. Great job so far. This is inspiring. And to be able to see it as it descends! Thanks to Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for that extra dose of awesome.

SpaceX is Awesome!

Congratulations to Space X!   Thanks to Wired for this writeup:
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/05/spacexs-historic-rendezvous-with-the-space-station/

Seems to me there is a reasonable probability we won't see NASA leading manned missions to Mars, but I bet we get people there anyway, and sooner than I've feared.  Thanks to the private sector.   As it probably should be, for now at least.  In my opinion.   NASA has an extremely important and significant role to play, though, in infrastructure, funding, and related path clearing activities.  Propellant depots anyone?  Communication links..?

NASA, the space program, and the Shuttle

So, the shuttle has made its last flight, and last landing.  Many lament its end, and worry about the future of human space flight.  Not me, I think a door has closed, but many will open.   In particular, a plethora of space-focused companies are pursuing technologies that may open space for all of us faster than NASA could have.  Here's to them!

Here is a good place to follow many of the new efforts: http://www.newspacejournal.com/

another Mars photo - 'hills-of-endeavour"

thanks to http://roadtoendeavour.wordpress.com/  more great Mars photos

the “The Road To Endeavour”, a blog dedicated to following the Mars Exploration Rover ‘Opportunity’ as she heads south from Victoria Crater to the much larger, much more epic crater, ‘Endeavour’!

blog post here:  http://roadtoendeavour.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/the-hills-are-calling/

Liking this panorama:

It still is so awe-inspiring to be able to see and post "local" photos taken from the Martian surface.  Gotta love the 21st century.

sunset on mars

An old-ish photo (2005) but I recently discovered it.  I really like it and its now my desktop wallpaper.  Boggles my mind to see the kind of photos that NASA is returning from various spots in the Solar System.   In this case, thanks to the rover Spirit...

mars sunset

 

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_347.html

secret spaceplane X-37B

well, just how secret can it be?

via: http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/photos-x-37b-robot-space-plane-landing-101203.html