Uranus Rings in False Color
via Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL): Additional Resources for Uranus
This image captures the nine rings of Uranus, as photographed by Voyager 2 in 1986, or thereabouts.
Notice how the featured infographics suggested by JPL are rarely the ones that receive the most viewer stars. Yes, viewers may indicate approval using the standard one through five star rating system.
There are new charts e.g. for Mars Curiosity, as well as older favorites that I hadn’t been able to find anywhere else other than as crummy screen shots. Oddly, they show up frequently on alternative financial blogs. I’m thinking of Barry Ritholtz in particular. I can never keep their names straight: The Naked Capitalist, Pragmatic Capitalism, Angry Bear, Dismal Scientist etc.
Getting back to JPL: Now is your chance to view everything, the original versions, in full high resolution, with downloading enabled.
Recent addition
The linked additional information page has a new section titled Resources for Uranus.
If only it were larger. I am uncertain, but think that “Far Side” is likely.
To spare you the trouble of ratcheting up to 1.5x magnification, this is the caption:
Wonderful. Just wonderful… So much for instilling them with a sense of awe
(Source: chantaliylace)
This is a photo of space shuttle Atlantis, from early 2001. Why would the shadow of a space shuttle launch plume point to the moon?
Here’s a rather large hint: During this launch, the Sun, Earth, Moon, and rocket were all properly aligned…
EDIT: Click here to read the full explanation from APOD, the Astronomy Picture of the Day.
Photo courtesy of Pat McCracken, NASA.
via Wolfram Alpha adds powerful, interactive search results - TNW Apps
Wolfram Alpha has a blog right here on tumblr. I think they re-post articles from the online press and blogosphere, whenever their products, and interesting use cases, are featured. That’s why it appears that this story came from TheNextWeb.
The source site for all accumulated posts, plus links to Wolfram specific information is the Wolfram Alpha tumblr. Wolfram is even running a Win a free iPad2! contest. It is probably one of the few that is actually legitimate. Eligibility may be limited to students, though.
I didn’t realize how truly “search engine”-like Wolfram Alpha is. I thought of it as a very specific science and math ummmm, “computation engine”? It is more general than that. One can submit very finely targeted queries, over a wide assortment of topics. Examples:
- What is the frequency of occurrence, in % and absolute value, of any user-submitted last name/ surname in the U.S.A.?
- Password suggestions of varying lengths. No, I don’t know what cryptographic method is used to generate them, though I’m curious too!
These are one step queries, which is what I found impressive. There were many others, including that satellite position extravaganza image above.
(via wolframalpha)
Aliens
We are not alone in the universe.
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY DOCID: 3052333
Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence (PDF)
via Crpytome
Yes, it is genuine.
With thanks to @hexmanshu
Image description: At 5:57 a.m. EDT on July 21, 2011, space shuttle Atlantis landed for the final time at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center after 200 orbits around Earth and a journey of 5,284,862 miles on the STS-135 mission and final flight for the Space Shuttle Program.
Photo by NASA
I don’t like endings. I don’t want it to be over. I love NASA. I love the Space Shuttle Program. Please don’t end the dream of space and the stars.
via dhotson:
via Rough space
Consider this:
Rings. Mid-winter festivities. Capricorn. Concentric ovals.
The vacuum of space. Negative Kelvins. Darkness.
Follow an arcing trajectory to the very outer reaches of our Solar System. Spinning, tumbling, rushing faster and faster….
SATURN!!!
This is an excellent two minute video.
It even has a soundtrack by Nine-inch Nails.
