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 Image compliments of Spacenews.com
NASA is planning to test one method of asteroid trajectory change. It is an important test of the most likely method of changing the trajectory of an asteroid. It is the first time NASA will be testing a man-made method of such an asteroid path modification. The asteroid planned for the test is called Didymos and it has a small moon orbiting it. So it is a binary asteroid system. The NASA plan involves launching a spacecraft weighing about 1200 lbs. and increasing the velocity to about 25,000 mph before impacting the small moon orbiting the asteroid. The resulting impact is hoped to decrease the mass of the moon and change the orbit of the moon which ultimately is hoped will change the path of the main asteroid. NASA will track the asteroid system before and after impact to determine the ultimate change in asteroid path. The launch is scheduled for 2020 and will arrive at the asteroid system in 2022. The Didymos asteroid system is a binary asteroid that does not threaten the Earth. Binary or multiple asteroid systems represent about 1/6 of all current near-Earth asteroid systems according to NASA therefore, it makes sense to do an impact test on one such system. The test mission has been named "Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) and represents an important first step in the ultimate Earth protection system. The DART mission will be launched by, who else but, Space X. That's right... the ultimate Earth defence system will be initiated by the ultimate space flight company. Al Maddalena Maddalena Environmental Inc. This is exciting news for Planet-Hunters. I just got an email from Zooniverse describing 28 new planets added to the list of discovered planets by Kepler's K2 mission. These new discoveries have been confirmed by scientists who review and evaluate the work by us (Planet-Hunters) who search for transits among the thousands of light curves detected by the Kepler Space telescope. There are 9 planets in this list that are rocky (like Earth) with a radius less than twice the size of Earth. None have been identified within the habitable zones around their stars but some are very close and could harbour life. Here is a detailed plot of the planets showing their size relative to Earth, their orbital periods around their host star, the heat intensity of the host star,  The new planet discoveries range in size from about 2/3 the radius of Earth to twice radius of Neptune. Below is the scientific footnote produced from the data.
Congrats to All Planet Hunters! Maddalena Environmental Inc. Al Maddalena  Image Compliments of Astronomy Today The NASA Kepler Space Telescope was launched in 2009 to peer at an area of space as big as a hand extended at arms length. It's mission was to detect possible planets orbiting their host star by a detecting minute drop in light intensity as the planet passed in front of the star. The mission was a resounding success resulting in the discovery of over 4,000 exoplanets, some of which are present within the habitable zones around their stars and therefore can possibly contain life. Let's look at Kepler's record. Approximately 150,000 stars were evaluated and 4,000 exoplanets were discovered. Results of the Kepler missions have provided staggering implications. There are approximately 100 billion stars in the Milky Way alone and there are far more planets than stars. At least 25% of these are Earth-sized planets that occupy the habitable zones of their stars. This means there are at least 25 billion planets on which life could possibly survive in the Milky Way Galaxy alone! When you consider there are Trillions of galaxies in the universe, the odds of life being present elsewhere are staggeringly good! Now out of fuel, Kepler can no longer function and has been replaced by a new NASA telescope called the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). This amazing telescope will pick up where Kepler left off.  As Image above compliments of seeker.com
How many new exoplanets will be discovered by TESS? The number could be staggering. As a planet hunter analyzing TESS light curves I am excited at the future possibilities. Maddalena Environmental Inc. Al Maddalena The newest NASA telescope placed in orbit is called TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite). It is designed to discover planets that pass in front of their host stars blocking small portion of the light normally emitted. TESS was put in orbit April 18, 2018 and is intended to replace the Kepler Telescope that is now out of service. TESS watches the stars in an area 400 times larger than the Kepler Telescope and when a planet passes in front of a star, the overall light emitted is dimmed. TESS is so sensitive that even minute drops in light intensity are detected and are reflected on a light curve. As part of Planet Hunters the regular public can sign up and analyze light curves. There are so much data produced that the public can sign up to analyze data from TESS as part of the Planet Hunters. I have been a member for several years now. Currently at this writing, I have analyzed the light curves of over 22,400 stars and have detected numerous planet candidates some of which where in-fact determined to be planets. Here are some examples below.  The light curve records the normal variability in light form this star. The red boxes show small dips in the light intensity that could be the result of a small planet passing in front of this star. After these are marked by Planet Hunters, the scientists take a closer look and do some calculations to determine if in fact there is a planet present. This is how the seven planets around TRAPPIST-1 (39 light years from Earth) were discovered. Four of these planets are known to be within the habitable zone of the host white dwarf star. These were discovered by the Spitzer Space Telescope (measuring infrared light) but it discovered them using the same TRANSIT method used here. Some other more obvious transit light curves are show below.   It is extremely satisfying knowing that I am contributing in a small way to the great scientific research being conducted to search for Earth-like planets (and possibly life) within the habitable zones of stars.
Maddalena Environmental Inc. Al Maddalena We had a great trip Walleye Fishing on Lake Erie in early June (see the video below). We were in the East end of Lake Erie hoping to get some early walleye as they migrate around the east end of the Lake from the American side. Every year the migration begins from Dunkirk, NY to the Niagara River mouth and to Pt. Abino. (I think this is because there used to be a stocking program for walleye in Dunkirk, NY. -I caught an 11 pounder many years ago with a tag from Dunkirk and reported it to the US Fish and Game Service). I don't think the stocking program is still in effect at Dunkirk, but I spoke to another Canadian fisherman who caught a big walleye with a tag from Ohio. Perhaps they still provide a stocking program in Ohio-let's hope so!!!) In June, walleye can be caught trolling worm harnesses in 30-50 feet of water. As the summer progresses, walleye continue to migrate West in Lake Erie in deep water. By mid August and September we've caught them in 80 feet of water West of Port Maitland. We stay in the East end of the Lake but walleye are everywhere in Lake Erie. The most consistent fact is they are found deeper and further West as the summer progresses. Good Luck On the Water!!! Maddalena Environmental Inc. Al Maddalena |