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External Tank 130 Arrives
External Tank 130 moves out …
12/4/08
Description External Tank 130 moves out of the Pegasus barge docked at the turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The barge transported the fuel tank from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. ET 130, which will be used on the STS-125 Hubble servicing mission is being moved to Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building and into a high bay for checkout.
Date 12/4/08
External Tank 130 Arrives
External Tank 130 moves out …
12/4/08
Description External Tank 130 moves out of the Pegasus barge docked at the turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The barge transported the fuel tank from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. ET 130, which will be used on the STS-125 Hubble servicing mission is being moved to Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building and into a high bay for checkout.
Date 12/4/08
External Tank 130 Arrives
External Tank 130 moves out …
1/27/09
Description External Tank 130 moves out of the Pegasus barge docked at the turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The barge transported the fuel tank from the Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. ET 130, which will be used on the STS-125 Hubble servicing mission is being moved to Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building and into a high bay for checkout. Photo credit: NASA/Jack Pfaller December 4, 2008
Date 1/27/09
Shuttle External Fuel Tank f …
The external fuel tank for s …
2/21/09
Description The external fuel tank for space shuttle Endeavour's STS-127 mission to the International Space Station now is at Kennedy Space Center for launch preparations. ET-131 arrived at Kennedy Feb. 21 and was taken off its transport barge, Pegasus, and moved into the Vehicle Assembly Building. The tank then was lifted into a checkout cell on Feb. 23 to begin preparations for launch. The tank and twin solid rocket boosters will be attached to Endeavour for a targeted lift off in June.
Date 2/21/09
Shuttle External Fuel Tank f …
The external fuel tank for s …
2008
Description The external fuel tank for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to repair and upgrade NASA's Hubble Space Telescope now is at Kennedy Space Center for launch preparations. External Tank 130 arrived at Kennedy Dec. 3 and was taken off its transport barge, Pegasus, and moved into the Vehicle Assembly Building Dec. 4. The tank was then lifted into a checkout cell in the VAB on Dec. 5 to begin preparations for launch. The tank and twin solid rocket boosters will be attached to Atlantis next year for a targeted May 12, 2009, liftoff. Atlantis' mission to Hubble was delayed in September when a data handling unit on the telescope failed. A new unit will be delivered to Kennedy next spring for a targeted May launch.
Date 2008
Shuttle External Fuel Tank f …
The external fuel tank for s …
5/7/09
Description The external fuel tank for space shuttle Discovery's STS-128 mission to the International Space Station now is at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch preparations. ET-132 arrived at Kennedy May 7 and was taken off its transport barge, Pegasus, and moved into Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building. The tank then was lifted into a checkout cell. The tank and twin solid rocket boosters will be attached to Discovery for targeted liftoff Aug. 6.
Date 5/7/09
X-43A
NASA made aviation history w …
1/5/09
Description NASA made aviation history with the first and second successful flights of an X-43A scramjet-powered airplane at hypersonic speeds - speeds greater than Mach 5, or five times the speed of sound. Compared to a rocket-powered vehicle like the space shuttle, vehicles powered by scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) engines promise more airplane-like operations for increased affordability, flexibility and safety on ultra-high-speed flights within the atmosphere and into Earth orbit. Because they do not have to contain their own oxidizer, as rockets must, vehicles powered by air-breathing scramjets can be smaller and lighter - or be the same size but carry a larger payload. No vehicle powered by an air-breathing engine had ever flown at hypersonic speeds before the successful March 2004 X-43A flight that collected the first data from a scramjet engine in flight. In addition, the rocket boost and subsequent separation from the rocket to get to the scramjet test condition had complex components that had to work properly if the mission was to succeed. Careful analyses and design were applied to reduce risks to acceptable levels though some level of residual risk was inherent to the program. Three unpiloted X-43A research aircraft were built. Each of the 12-foot-long, 5-foot-wide vehicles was designed to fly once and not be recovered. They were identical in appearance, but engineered with differences relating to their designed Mach speed. The first and second vehicles were designed to fly at Mach 7 and the third at Mach 10. At these speeds, the shape of the vehicle forebody compresses the air entering the scramjet. Fuel is then injected for combustion. Gaseous hydrogen fueled the X-43A. After the first flight attempt, in June of 2001, failed when the booster rocket went out of control, the second and third attempts resulted in highly successful, record-breaking flights. Mach 6.8 was reached in March of 2004, and Mach 9.6 was reached in the final flight in November of 2004. Both flights began with the combined test vehicle/rocket "stack" being carried by a B-52B aircraft from Dryden to a predetermined point over the Pacific Ocean, 50 miles west of the Southern California coast. Release altitude from the B-52B was 40,000 feet for both successful flights. At that point, each stack was dropped from the B-52B, and the booster lifted each research vehicle to its test altitude and speed. Guinness World Records has recognized both the Mach 6.8 and Mach 9.6 accomplishments. Photo Description A modified Pegasus rocket ignites moments after release from the NB-52B, beginning the acceleration of the X-43A over the Pacific Ocean on March 27, 2004. NASA Photo by Jim Ross
Date 1/5/09
NB-52B
Two Boeing B-52 Stratofortre …
1/5/09
Description Two Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers were modified as motherships to launch the X-15 rocket planes. On each aircraft, the bombardier's station was replaced with a console for a launch panel operator, a slot was cut in the right wing to accommodate the X-15's tail fin, and the wing was fitted with a special pylon for carrying the research vehicle. The NB-52A, Air Force serial 52-0003, was named "The High and Mighty One," and the NB-52B (Air Force serial 52-0008) was called "The Challenger." Both, however, were better known by nicknames based on their serial numbers - "Balls Three" and "Balls Eight." In the 1960s, both served as motherships for the X-15 and lifting bodies but "Balls Eight" remained at Dryden until 2004, becoming a true workhorse of aeronautical research. The NB-52B was first used to launch an X-15 on Jan. 23, 1960, the fifth X-15 flight. It served as launch aircraft for 106 of the 199 X-15 research missions and several captive flights. It was also used as mothership for the lifting bodies (HL-10, M2-F2, M2-F3, X-24A, X-24B), F-15 Spin Research Vehicle, Highly Maneuverable Aircraft Technology, or HiMAT remotely piloted research vehicle, drones for aerodynamic and structural testing, as a space shuttle solid rocket booster parachute system drop test vehicle, F-111 crew escape capsule recovery system parachute test vehicle, Pegasus expendable launch vehicle, X-38 Crew Return Vehicle technology demonstrator, and X-43A hypersonic research vehicle. It was used in numerous other programs, including Inertial Flight Data System pod tests, space shuttle drag chute tests, supersonic cruise emissions environmental studies, F-16 radar target studies, Air Force strategic studies of laser propagation through aircraft wake vortices, and tests of a prototype interphone system. The airplane's fuselage was decorated with mission markings denoting its history and accomplishments. The NB-52B made a total of 1,051 flights and logged 2,443.8 flight hours. It was retired by NASA and returned to the Air Force on Dec. 17, 2004. Photo Description The NB-52B carries the M2-F2. NASA Photo
Date 1/5/09
A Shocking Surprise in Steph …
Title A Shocking Surprise in Stephan's Quintet
Description This false-color composite image of the Stephan's Quintet galaxy cluster clearly shows one of the largest shock waves ever seen (green arc), produced by one galaxy falling toward another at over a million miles per hour. It is made up of data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and a ground-based telescope in Spain. Four of the five galaxies in this image are involved in a violent collision, which has already stripped most of the hydrogen gas from the interiors of the galaxies. The centers of the galaxies appear as bright yellow-pink knots inside a blue haze of stars, and the galaxy producing all the turmoil, NGC7318b, is the left of two small bright regions in the middle right of the image. One galaxy, the large spiral at the bottom left of the image, is a foreground object and is not associated with the cluster. The titanic shock wave, larger than our own Milky Way galaxy, was detected by the ground-based telescope using visible-light wavelengths. It consists of hot hydrogen gas. As NGC7318b collides with gas spread throughout the cluster, atoms of hydrogen are heated in the shock wave, producing the green glow. Spitzer pointed its infrared spectrograph at the peak of this shock wave (middle of green glow) to learn more about its inner workings. This instrument breaks light apart into its basic components. Data from the instrument are referred to as spectra and are displayed as curving lines that indicate the amount of light coming at each specific wavelength. The Spitzer spectrum showed a strong infrared signature for incredibly turbulent gas made up of hydrogen molecules. This gas is caused when atoms of hydrogen rapidly pair-up to form molecules in the wake of the shock wave. Molecular hydrogen, unlike atomic hydrogen, gives off most of its energy through vibrations that emit in the infrared. This highly disturbed gas is the most turbulent molecular hydrogen ever seen. Astronomers were surprised not only by the turbulence of the gas, but by the incredible strength of the emission. The reason the molecular hydrogen emission is so powerful is not yet completely understood. Stephan's Quintet is located 300 million light-years away in the Pegasus constellation. This image is composed of three data sets: near-infrared light (blue) and visible light called H-alpha (green) from the Calar Alto Observatory in Spain, operated by the Max Planck Institute in Germany, and 8-micron infrared light (red) from Spitzer's infrared array camera.
Morphology of Our Galaxy's ' …
Title Morphology of Our Galaxy's 'Twin'
Description NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured these infrared images of a nearby spiral galaxy that resembles our own Milky Way. The targeted galaxy, known as NGC 7331 and sometimes referred to as our galaxy's twin, is found in the constellation Pegasus at a distance of 50 million light-years. This inclined galaxy was discovered in 1784 by William Herschel, who also discovered infrared light. The evolution of this galaxy is a story that depends significantly on the amount and distribution of gas and dust, the locations and rates of star formation, and on how the energy from star formation is recycled by the local environment. The new Spitzer images are allowing astronomers to "read" this story by dissecting the galaxy into its separate components. The main image, measuring 12.6 by 8.2 arcminutes, was obtained by Spitzer's infrared array camera. It is a four-color composite of invisible light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (yellow) and 8.0 microns (red). These wavelengths are roughly 10 times longer than those seen by the human eye. The infrared light seen in this image originates from two very different sources. At shorter wavelengths (3.6 to 4.5 microns), the light comes mainly from stars, particularly ones that are older and cooler than our Sun. This starlight fades at longer wavelengths (5.8 to 8.0 microns), where instead we see the glow from clouds of interstellar dust. This dust consists mainly of a variety of carbon-based organic molecules known collectively as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wherever these compounds are found, there will also be dust granules and gas, which provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation. These shorter- and longer-wavelength views are shown separately as insets. Perhaps the most intriguing feature of the longer-wavelength image is a ring of dust girdling the galaxy center. This ring, with a radius of nearly 20,000 light-years, is invisible at shorter wavelengths, yet has been detected at sub-millimeter and radio wavelengths. It is made up in large part of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Spitzer measurements suggest that the ring contains enough gas to produce four billion stars like the Sun. Starlight was systematically subtracted from the longer-wavelength picture to enhance dust features. Three other galaxies are seen below NGC 7331, all about 10 times farther away. From left to right are NGC 7336, NGC 7335 and NGC 7337. The blue dots scattered throughout the images are foreground stars in the Milky Way, the red ones are galaxies that are even more distant. The Spitzer observations of NGC 7311 are part of a large 500-hour science project, known as the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, which will comprehensively study 75 nearby galaxies with infrared imaging and spectroscopy.
Morphology of Our Galaxy's ' …
Title Morphology of Our Galaxy's 'Twin'
Description NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured these infrared images of a nearby spiral galaxy that resembles our own Milky Way. The targeted galaxy, known as NGC 7331 and sometimes referred to as our galaxy's twin, is found in the constellation Pegasus at a distance of 50 million light-years. This inclined galaxy was discovered in 1784 by William Herschel, who also discovered infrared light. The evolution of this galaxy is a story that depends significantly on the amount and distribution of gas and dust, the locations and rates of star formation, and on how the energy from star formation is recycled by the local environment. The new Spitzer images are allowing astronomers to "read" this story by dissecting the galaxy into its separate components. The main image, measuring 12.6 by 8.2 arcminutes, was obtained by Spitzer's infrared array camera. It is a four-color composite of invisible light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (yellow) and 8.0 microns (red). These wavelengths are roughly 10 times longer than those seen by the human eye. The infrared light seen in this image originates from two very different sources. At shorter wavelengths (3.6 to 4.5 microns), the light comes mainly from stars, particularly ones that are older and cooler than our Sun. This starlight fades at longer wavelengths (5.8 to 8.0 microns), where instead we see the glow from clouds of interstellar dust. This dust consists mainly of a variety of carbon-based organic molecules known collectively as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wherever these compounds are found, there will also be dust granules and gas, which provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation. These shorter- and longer-wavelength views are shown separately as insets. Perhaps the most intriguing feature of the longer-wavelength image is a ring of dust girdling the galaxy center. This ring, with a radius of nearly 20,000 light-years, is invisible at shorter wavelengths, yet has been detected at sub-millimeter and radio wavelengths. It is made up in large part of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Spitzer measurements suggest that the ring contains enough gas to produce four billion stars like the Sun. Starlight was systematically subtracted from the longer-wavelength picture to enhance dust features. Three other galaxies are seen below NGC 7331, all about 10 times farther away. From left to right are NGC 7336, NGC 7335 and NGC 7337. The blue dots scattered throughout the images are foreground stars in the Milky Way, the red ones are galaxies that are even more distant. The Spitzer observations of NGC 7311 are part of a large 500-hour science project, known as the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, which will comprehensively study 75 nearby galaxies with infrared imaging and spectroscopy.
Morphology of Our Galaxy's ' …
Title Morphology of Our Galaxy's 'Twin'
Description NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured these infrared images of a nearby spiral galaxy that resembles our own Milky Way. The targeted galaxy, known as NGC 7331 and sometimes referred to as our galaxy's twin, is found in the constellation Pegasus at a distance of 50 million light-years. This inclined galaxy was discovered in 1784 by William Herschel, who also discovered infrared light. The evolution of this galaxy is a story that depends significantly on the amount and distribution of gas and dust, the locations and rates of star formation, and on how the energy from star formation is recycled by the local environment. The new Spitzer images are allowing astronomers to "read" this story by dissecting the galaxy into its separate components. The main image, measuring 12.6 by 8.2 arcminutes, was obtained by Spitzer's infrared array camera. It is a four-color composite of invisible light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (yellow) and 8.0 microns (red). These wavelengths are roughly 10 times longer than those seen by the human eye. The infrared light seen in this image originates from two very different sources. At shorter wavelengths (3.6 to 4.5 microns), the light comes mainly from stars, particularly ones that are older and cooler than our Sun. This starlight fades at longer wavelengths (5.8 to 8.0 microns), where instead we see the glow from clouds of interstellar dust. This dust consists mainly of a variety of carbon-based organic molecules known collectively as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wherever these compounds are found, there will also be dust granules and gas, which provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation. These shorter- and longer-wavelength views are shown separately as insets. Perhaps the most intriguing feature of the longer-wavelength image is a ring of dust girdling the galaxy center. This ring, with a radius of nearly 20,000 light-years, is invisible at shorter wavelengths, yet has been detected at sub-millimeter and radio wavelengths. It is made up in large part of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Spitzer measurements suggest that the ring contains enough gas to produce four billion stars like the Sun. Starlight was systematically subtracted from the longer-wavelength picture to enhance dust features. Three other galaxies are seen below NGC 7331, all about 10 times farther away. From left to right are NGC 7336, NGC 7335 and NGC 7337. The blue dots scattered throughout the images are foreground stars in the Milky Way, the red ones are galaxies that are even more distant. The Spitzer observations of NGC 7311 are part of a large 500-hour science project, known as the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, which will comprehensively study 75 nearby galaxies with infrared imaging and spectroscopy.
Morphology of Our Galaxy's ' …
Title Morphology of Our Galaxy's 'Twin'
Description NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured these infrared images of a nearby spiral galaxy that resembles our own Milky Way. The targeted galaxy, known as NGC 7331 and sometimes referred to as our galaxy's twin, is found in the constellation Pegasus at a distance of 50 million light-years. This inclined galaxy was discovered in 1784 by William Herschel, who also discovered infrared light. The evolution of this galaxy is a story that depends significantly on the amount and distribution of gas and dust, the locations and rates of star formation, and on how the energy from star formation is recycled by the local environment. The new Spitzer images are allowing astronomers to "read" this story by dissecting the galaxy into its separate components. The main image, measuring 12.6 by 8.2 arcminutes, was obtained by Spitzer's infrared array camera. It is a four-color composite of invisible light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (yellow) and 8.0 microns (red). These wavelengths are roughly 10 times longer than those seen by the human eye. The infrared light seen in this image originates from two very different sources. At shorter wavelengths (3.6 to 4.5 microns), the light comes mainly from stars, particularly ones that are older and cooler than our Sun. This starlight fades at longer wavelengths (5.8 to 8.0 microns), where instead we see the glow from clouds of interstellar dust. This dust consists mainly of a variety of carbon-based organic molecules known collectively as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wherever these compounds are found, there will also be dust granules and gas, which provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation. These shorter- and longer-wavelength views are shown separately as insets. Perhaps the most intriguing feature of the longer-wavelength image is a ring of dust girdling the galaxy center. This ring, with a radius of nearly 20,000 light-years, is invisible at shorter wavelengths, yet has been detected at sub-millimeter and radio wavelengths. It is made up in large part of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Spitzer measurements suggest that the ring contains enough gas to produce four billion stars like the Sun. Starlight was systematically subtracted from the longer-wavelength picture to enhance dust features. Three other galaxies are seen below NGC 7331, all about 10 times farther away. From left to right are NGC 7336, NGC 7335 and NGC 7337. The blue dots scattered throughout the images are foreground stars in the Milky Way, the red ones are galaxies that are even more distant. The Spitzer observations of NGC 7311 are part of a large 500-hour science project, known as the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, which will comprehensively study 75 nearby galaxies with infrared imaging and spectroscopy.
Morphology of Our Galaxy's ' …
Title Morphology of Our Galaxy's 'Twin'
Description NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has captured these infrared images of a nearby spiral galaxy that resembles our own Milky Way. The targeted galaxy, known as NGC 7331 and sometimes referred to as our galaxy's twin, is found in the constellation Pegasus at a distance of 50 million light-years. This inclined galaxy was discovered in 1784 by William Herschel, who also discovered infrared light. The evolution of this galaxy is a story that depends significantly on the amount and distribution of gas and dust, the locations and rates of star formation, and on how the energy from star formation is recycled by the local environment. The new Spitzer images are allowing astronomers to "read" this story by dissecting the galaxy into its separate components. The main image, measuring 12.6 by 8.2 arcminutes, was obtained by Spitzer's infrared array camera. It is a four-color composite of invisible light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (yellow) and 8.0 microns (red). These wavelengths are roughly 10 times longer than those seen by the human eye. The infrared light seen in this image originates from two very different sources. At shorter wavelengths (3.6 to 4.5 microns), the light comes mainly from stars, particularly ones that are older and cooler than our Sun. This starlight fades at longer wavelengths (5.8 to 8.0 microns), where instead we see the glow from clouds of interstellar dust. This dust consists mainly of a variety of carbon-based organic molecules known collectively as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Wherever these compounds are found, there will also be dust granules and gas, which provide a reservoir of raw materials for future star formation. These shorter- and longer-wavelength views are shown separately as insets. Perhaps the most intriguing feature of the longer-wavelength image is a ring of dust girdling the galaxy center. This ring, with a radius of nearly 20,000 light-years, is invisible at shorter wavelengths, yet has been detected at sub-millimeter and radio wavelengths. It is made up in large part of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Spitzer measurements suggest that the ring contains enough gas to produce four billion stars like the Sun. Starlight was systematically subtracted from the longer-wavelength picture to enhance dust features. Three other galaxies are seen below NGC 7331, all about 10 times farther away. From left to right are NGC 7336, NGC 7335 and NGC 7337. The blue dots scattered throughout the images are foreground stars in the Milky Way, the red ones are galaxies that are even more distant. The Spitzer observations of NGC 7311 are part of a large 500-hour science project, known as the Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey, which will comprehensively study 75 nearby galaxies with infrared imaging and spectroscopy.
Hot, Dry, and Cloudy
Title Hot, Dry, and Cloudy
Description This artist's concept shows a cloudy Jupiter-like planet that orbits very close to its fiery hot star. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope was recently used to capture spectra, or molecular fingerprints, of two "hot Jupiter" worlds like the one depicted here. This is the first time a spectrum has ever been obtained for an exoplanet, or a planet beyond our solar system. The ground-breaking observations were made with Spitzer's spectrograph, which pries apart infrared light into its basic wavelengths, revealing the "fingerprints" of molecules imprinted inside. Spitzer studied two planets, HD 209458b and HD 189733b, both of which were found, surprisingly, to have no water in the tops of their atmospheres. The results suggest that the hot planets are socked in with dry, high clouds, which are obscuring water that lies underneath. In addition, HD209458b showed hints of silicates, suggesting that the high clouds on that planet contain very fine sand-like particles. Capturing the spectra from the two hot-Jupiter planets was no easy feat. The planets cannot be distinguished from their stars and instead appear to telescopes as single blurs of light. One way to get around this is through what is known as the secondary eclipse technique. In this method, changes in the total light from a so-called transiting planet system are measured as a planet is eclipsed by its star, vanishing from our Earthly point of view. The dip in observed light can then be attributed to the planet alone. This technique, first used by Spitzer in 2005 to directly detect the light from an exoplanet, currently only works at infrared wavelengths, where the differences in brightness between the planet and star are less, and the planet's light is easier to pick out. For example, if the experiment had been done in visible light, the total light from the system would appear to be unchanged, even as the planet disappeared from view. To capture spectra of the planets, Spitzer observed their secondary eclipses with its spectrograph. It took a spectrum of a star together with its planet, then, as the planet disappeared from view, a spectrum of just the star. By subtracting the spectrum of the star from the spectrum of the star and planet together, astronomers were able to determine the spectrum of the planet itself. Neither of the parent stars for HD 209458b or HD 189733b can be seen with the naked eye. HD 209458b is located about 153 light-years away in the constellation Pegasus, while HD 189733b is about 62 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. Both planets zip around their stars in very tight orbits, HD 209458b circles once every 3.5 days, while HD 189733b orbits once every 2.2 days. Of the approximately 200 known exoplanets, there are 12 besides HD 209458b and HD 189733b whose orbits are inclined in such a way that, from our point of view, they pass in front of their stars. At least three of these transiting exoplanets are bright enough to follow in the footsteps of HD 209458b, and HD 189733 and reveal their infrared spectra to Spitzer. Astronomers hope to use Spitzer's spectrograph in the future to study HD 209458b and HD 189733b again in much greater detail, and to examine some of the other candidates for the first time.
Hot, Dry, and Cloudy (Artist …
Title Hot, Dry, and Cloudy (Artist Concept)
Description 209458b and HD 189733 and reveal their infrared spectra to Spitzer. Astronomers hope to use Spitzer's spectrograph in the future to study HD 209458b and HD 189733b again in much greater detail, and to examine some of the other candidates for the first time., This artist's concept animation shows a cloudy Jupiter-like planet that orbits very close to its fiery hot star. NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope was recently used to capture spectra, or molecular fingerprints, of two "hot Jupiter" worlds like the one depicted here. This is the first time a spectrum has ever been obtained for an exoplanet, or a planet beyond our solar system. The ground-breaking observations were made with Spitzer's spectrograph, which pries apart infrared light into its basic wavelengths, revealing the "fingerprints" of molecules imprinted inside. Spitzer studied two planets, HD 209458b and HD 189733b, both of which were found, surprisingly, to have no water in the tops of their atmospheres. The results suggest that the hot planets are socked in with dry, high clouds, which are obscuring water that lies underneath. In addition, HD209458b showed hints of silicates, suggesting that the high clouds on that planet contain very fine sand-like particles. Capturing the spectra from the two hot-Jupiter planets was no easy feat. The planets cannot be distinguished from their stars and instead appear to telescopes as single blurs of light. One way to get around this is through what is known as the secondary eclipse technique. In this method, changes in the total light from a so-called transiting planet system are measured as a planet is eclipsed by its star, vanishing from our Earthly point of view. The dip in observed light can then be attributed to the planet alone. This technique, first used by Spitzer in 2005 to directly detect the light from an exoplanet, currently only works at infrared wavelengths, where the differences in brightness between the planet and star are less, and the planet's light is easier to pick out. For example, if the experiment had been done in visible light, the total light from the system would appear to be unchanged, even as the planet disappeared from view. To capture spectra of the planets, Spitzer observed their secondary eclipses with its spectrograph. It took a spectrum of a star together with its planet, then, as the planet disappeared from view, a spectrum of just the star. By subtracting the spectrum of the star from the spectrum of the star and planet together, astronomers were able to determine the spectrum of the planet itself. Neither of the parent stars for HD 209458b or HD 189733b can be seen with the naked eye. HD 209458b is located about 153 light-years away in the constellation Pegasus, while HD 189733b is about 62 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. Both planets zip around their stars in very tight orbits, HD 209458b circles once every 3.5 days, while HD 189733b orbits once every 2.2 days. Of the approximately 200 known exoplanets, there are 12 besides HD 209458b and HD 189733b whose orbits are inclined in such a way that, from our point of view, they pass in front of their stars. At least three of these transiting exoplanets are bright enough to follow in the footsteps of HD
Galactic Twin
title Galactic Twin
description What would our Milky Way galaxy look like if we could travel outside it and snap a picture? It might look a lot like a new image by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope of a spiral galaxy called NGC 7331 - a virtual twin of our Milky Way. The picture shows our twin as never before. Its swirling arms spin outward from a central bulge of light, which is outlined by a ring of actively forming stars."Being inside our galaxy makes it difficult to see what's going on in the center," said Dr. J.D. Smith, a member of the team that observed NGC 7331, and an astronomer at the University of Arizona, Tucson. "By looking at a very similar galaxy, we gain a bird's eye-view of what the entire Milky Way might look like." Such an outside perspective will teach astronomers how our own galaxy, as well as others like it, might have formed and evolved. The latest observations are the first in a large-scale effort to observe 75 nearby galaxies with Spitzer's highly sensitive infrared eyes. Called Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey, the program will combine Spitzer data with that from other ground- and space-based telescopes operating at wavelengths ranging from ultraviolet to radio to create a comprehensive map of the selected galaxies. The program's first target, NGC 7331, was chosen in part for its striking similarities to the Milky Way. While these so-called twin galaxies do not share the same parents, they have many features in common, including number of stars, mass, spiral arm pattern and star-formation rate of a few stars per year. Whether the Milky Way has an inner star-forming ring like that of NGC 7331 is not known. NGC 7331 is located about 50 million light-years away in the constellation Pegasus. The Spitzer image demonstrates the power of the telescope's infrared eyes to dissect galaxies into their various parts. Taken by the telescope's infrared array camera, the false-colored picture readily distinguishes NGC 7331's arms (brownish red), central bulge (blue) and star-forming ring (yellow). The composition of materials making up these regions was also revealed by the Spitzer observations: the central bulge consists primarily of older stars, the ring possesses a large amount of gas and dusty organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which typically glow when illuminated by newborn stars, and the arms contain these same dust grains to a lesser degree. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are also found on Earth, on burnt toast and in car exhaust among other places. Data from Spitzer's infrared spectrograph instrument were also used to show that the center of NGC 7331 harbors either an unusually high concentration of massive stars, or a moderately active black hole about the same size as the one lurking at the core of our galaxy. *Image Credit*: NASA/JPL-Caltech/STScI
M15: Two X-ray Binary System …
Name M15: Two X-ray Binary Systems in the Globular Cluster M15
Category Neutron Stars/X-ray Binaries
Release Date September 06, 2001
Abell 2390 & MS2137.3-2353: …
Name Abell 2390 & MS2137.3-2353: Astronomers Take the Measure of Dark Matter in universe
Category Groups & Clusters of Galaxies
Release Date September 06, 2001
Stephan's Quintet: Intruder …
Name Stephan's Quintet: Intruder Galaxy Shocks Tightly-Knit Group
Category Groups & Clusters of Galaxies
Release Date April 08, 2003
Type 2 Quasar: Gravitational …
Name Type 2 Quasar: Gravitational Lens Helps Chandra Find Rare Type of Black Hole
Category Quasars & Active Galaxies
Release Date March 20, 2000
3C442A: Galaxy Collision Cau …
Name 3C442A: Galaxy Collision Causes Role Reversal
Category Quasars & Active Galaxies
Release Date March 29, 2007
Pegasus
Title Pegasus
Full Description This image shows a Pegasus launch vehicle on the ground before its flight on a B-52. An air-launched, three stage, all solid- propellant, three-axis stabilized vehicle, the Pegasus can set a 400-1,000 pound payload into low-Earth orbit. For more information about Pegasus, please see Chapter 5 in Roger Launius and Dennis Jenkins' book To Reach the High Frontier published by The University Press of Kentucky in 2002.
Date 09/05/1989
NASA Center Headquarters
Hyper-X Wind Tunnel Tests
Title Hyper-X Wind Tunnel Tests
Full Description Hyper X mounted on Pegasus booster rocket in 20 Inch Mach 6 Wind Tunnel. The Hyper X is an unmanned hypersonic research aircraft launched atop an air launched Pegasus rocket and capable of reaching speeds of Mach 10.
Date 11/10/1996
NASA Center Langley Research Center
X-24A Powered Flight Drop fr …
Title X-24A Powered Flight Drop from B-52
Full Description The X-24A lifting-body research aircraft begins its rocket-powered flight after being launched from the wing of NASA's B-52 mothership during a 1970 research flight. NASA B-52, Tail Number 008, is an air launch carrier aircraft, "mothership," as well as a research aircraft platform that has been used on a variety of research projects. The aircraft, a "B" model built in 1952 and first flown on June 11, 1955, is the oldest B-52 in flying status and has been used on some of the most significant research projects in aerospace history. Some of the significant projects supported by B-52 008 include the X-15, the lifting bodies, HiMAT (highly maneuverable aircraft technology), Pegasus, validation of parachute systems developed for the space shuttle program (solid-rocket-booster recovery system and the orbiter drag chute system), and the X-38. The B-52 served as the launch vehicle on 106 X-15 flights and flew a total of 159 captive-carry and launch missions in support of that program from June 1959 to October 1968. Between 1966 and 1975, the B-52 served as the launch aircraft for 127 of the 144 wingless lifting body flights. In the 1970's and 1980's the B-52 was the launch aircraft for several aircraft at what is now the Dryden Flight Research Center, to study spin-stall, high-angle-of attack, and maneuvering characteristics. It also supported eight orbiter (space shuttle) drag chute tests in 1990. In addition, the B-52 served as the air launch platform for the first six Pegasus space boosters. During its many years of service, the B-52 has undergone several modifications. The first major modification was made by North American Aviation (now part of Boeing) in support of the X-15 program. This involved creating a launch-panel-operator station for monitoring the status of the test vehicle being carried, cutting a large notch in the right inboard wing flap to accommodate the vertical tail of the X-15 aircraft, and installing a wing pylon that enables the B-52 to carry research vehicles and test articles to be air-launched/dropped. Located on the right wing, between the inboard engine pylon and the fuselage, this wing pylon was subjected to extensive testing prior to its use. For each test vehicle the B-52 carried, minor changes were made to the launch-panel operator's station. Built originally by the Boeing Company, the NASA B-52 is powered by eight Pratt & Whitney J57-19 turbojet engines, each of which produce 12,000 pounds of thrust. The aircraft's normal launch speed has been Mach 0.8 (about 530 miles per hour) and its normal drop altitude has been 40,000 to 45,000 feet. It is 156 feet long and has a wing span of 185 feet. The heaviest load it has carried was the No. 2 X-15 aircraft at 53,100 pounds.
Date 01/01/1970
NASA Center Dryden Flight Research Center
Far-Flung Galaxy Clusters Ma …
Title Far-Flung Galaxy Clusters May Reveal Fate of Universe
Astronomers Unveil Colorful …
Title Astronomers Unveil Colorful Hubble Photo Gallery
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. A vibrant celestial photo album of some of NASA Hubble Space Telescope's most stunning views of the universe is being unveiled today on the Internet. Called the Hubble Heritage Program, this technicolor gallery is being assembled by a team of astronomers at Hubble's science operations center, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. The four images released today are (top row, left to right) spiral galaxy NGC 7742, Saturn, and (bottom row, left to right) the Sagittarius Star Cloud and the Bubble Nebula. Read more: * Release Text [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1998/28/text/ ]
Astronomers Unveil Colorful …
Title Astronomers Unveil Colorful Hubble Photo Gallery
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. A vibrant celestial photo album of some of NASA Hubble Space Telescope's most stunning views of the universe is being unveiled today on the Internet. Called the Hubble Heritage Program, this technicolor gallery is being assembled by a team of astronomers at Hubble's science operations center, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. The four images released today are (top row, left to right) spiral galaxy NGC 7742, Saturn, and (bottom row, left to right) the Sagittarius Star Cloud and the Bubble Nebula. Read more: * Release Text [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1998/28/text/ ]
Astronomers Unveil Colorful …
Title Astronomers Unveil Colorful Hubble Photo Gallery
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. A vibrant celestial photo album of some of NASA Hubble Space Telescope's most stunning views of the universe is being unveiled today on the Internet. Called the Hubble Heritage Program, this technicolor gallery is being assembled by a team of astronomers at Hubble's science operations center, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. The four images released today are (top row, left to right) spiral galaxy NGC 7742, Saturn, and (bottom row, left to right) the Sagittarius Star Cloud and the Bubble Nebula. Read more: * Release Text [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1998/28/text/ ]
Astronomers Unveil Colorful …
Title Astronomers Unveil Colorful Hubble Photo Gallery
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. A vibrant celestial photo album of some of NASA Hubble Space Telescope's most stunning views of the universe is being unveiled today on the Internet. Called the Hubble Heritage Program, this technicolor gallery is being assembled by a team of astronomers at Hubble's science operations center, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. The four images released today are (top row, left to right) spiral galaxy NGC 7742, Saturn, and (bottom row, left to right) the Sagittarius Star Cloud and the Bubble Nebula. Read more: * Release Text [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1998/28/text/ ]
Astronomers Unveil Colorful …
Title Astronomers Unveil Colorful Hubble Photo Gallery
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. A vibrant celestial photo album of some of NASA Hubble Space Telescope's most stunning views of the universe is being unveiled today on the Internet. Called the Hubble Heritage Program, this technicolor gallery is being assembled by a team of astronomers at Hubble's science operations center, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md. The four images released today are (top row, left to right) spiral galaxy NGC 7742, Saturn, and (bottom row, left to right) the Sagittarius Star Cloud and the Bubble Nebula. Read more: * Release Text [ http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1998/28/text/ ]
A Dying Star in Globular Clu …
Title A Dying Star in Globular Cluster M15
General Information What is Hubble Heritage? A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site. Back to top [ #top ]
Star Clusters Born in the Wr …
Title Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions
Star Clusters Born in the Wr …
Title Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions
Star Clusters Born in the Wr …
Title Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions
Star Clusters Born in the Wr …
Title Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions
Star Clusters Born in the Wr …
Title Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions
Star Clusters Born in the Wr …
Title Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions
Star Clusters Born in the Wr …
Title Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions
Star Clusters Born in the Wr …
Title Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions
Star Clusters Born in the Wr …
Title Star Clusters Born in the Wreckage of Cosmic Collisions
Hubble Makes First Direct Me …
Title Hubble Makes First Direct Measurements of Atmosphere on World Around another Star
General Information What is a Space Science Update? Major Hubble discoveries on NASA television ... Astronomers explain their Hubble discoveries at a press conference, called a Space Science Update (SSU), broadcast on NASA television. The SSU includes a question and answer session with members of the media. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Makes First Direct Me …
Title Hubble Makes First Direct Measurements of Atmosphere on World Around another Star
General Information What is a Space Science Update? Major Hubble discoveries on NASA television ... Astronomers explain their Hubble discoveries at a press conference, called a Space Science Update (SSU), broadcast on NASA television. The SSU includes a question and answer session with members of the media. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Makes First Direct Me …
Title Hubble Makes First Direct Measurements of Atmosphere on World Around another Star
General Information What is a Space Science Update? Major Hubble discoveries on NASA television ... Astronomers explain their Hubble discoveries at a press conference, called a Space Science Update (SSU), broadcast on NASA television. The SSU includes a question and answer session with members of the media. Back to top [ #top ]
Astronomers Ponder Lack of P …
Title Astronomers Ponder Lack of Planets in Globular Cluster
Hubble Discovers Black Holes …
Title Hubble Discovers Black Holes in Unexpected Places
General Information What is a Space Science Update? Major Hubble discoveries on NASA television ... Astronomers explain their Hubble discoveries at a press conference, called a Space Science Update (SSU), broadcast on NASA television. The SSU includes a question and answer session with members of the media. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Discovers Black Holes …
Title Hubble Discovers Black Holes in Unexpected Places
General Information What is a Space Science Update? Major Hubble discoveries on NASA television ... Astronomers explain their Hubble discoveries at a press conference, called a Space Science Update (SSU), broadcast on NASA television. The SSU includes a question and answer session with members of the media. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Discovers Black Holes …
Title Hubble Discovers Black Holes in Unexpected Places
General Information What is a Space Science Update? Major Hubble discoveries on NASA television ... Astronomers explain their Hubble discoveries at a press conference, called a Space Science Update (SSU), broadcast on NASA television. The SSU includes a question and answer session with members of the media. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Discovers Black Holes …
Title Hubble Discovers Black Holes in Unexpected Places
General Information What is a Space Science Update? Major Hubble discoveries on NASA television ... Astronomers explain their Hubble discoveries at a press conference, called a Space Science Update (SSU), broadcast on NASA television. The SSU includes a question and answer session with members of the media. Back to top [ #top ]
Hubble Discovers Black Holes …
Title Hubble Discovers Black Holes in Unexpected Places
General Information What is a Space Science Update? Major Hubble discoveries on NASA television ... Astronomers explain their Hubble discoveries at a press conference, called a Space Science Update (SSU), broadcast on NASA television. The SSU includes a question and answer session with members of the media. Back to top [ #top ]
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