The Astronomy Thread

Dandain

Dandain

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NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured this view of bands of bright, feathery methane clouds drifting across Saturn's moon Titan on May 7, 2017.

The view was obtained during a distant (non-targeted) flyby, during which Cassini passed 303,000 miles (488,000 kilometers) above the moon's surface. Although Cassini will have no further close, targeted flybys of Titan, the spacecraft continues to observe the giant moon and its atmosphere from a distance.

The dark regions at top are Titan's hydrocarbon lakes and seas.

Two versions of this image are presented here, one with stronger enhancement (figure A) and one with much softer enhancement (figure B). See Titan's Northern Summer Clouds for another view of these clouds.
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Cassini: The Grand Finale: Cloud Bands Streak Across Titan

7673_PIA21450-A-and-B-1000w.png
 
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Tuco

Tuco

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X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-4 lands at Kennedy Space Center > U.S. Air Force > Article Display

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle mission 4 (OTV-4), the Air Force's unmanned, reusable space plane, landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility May 7, 2017.

“Today marks an incredibly exciting day for the 45th Space Wing as we continue to break barriers,” said Brig. Gen. Wayne Monteith, the 45th SW commander. “Our team has been preparing for this event for several years, and I am extremely proud to see our hard work and dedication culminate in today’s safe and successful landing of the X-37B.”

The OTV-4 conducted on-orbit experiments for 718 days during its mission, extending the total number of days spent on-orbit for the OTV program to 2,085 days.

"The landing of OTV-4 marks another success for the X-37B program and the nation," said Lt. Col. Ron Fehlen, X-37B program manager. "This mission once again set an on-orbit endurance record and marks the vehicle's first landing in the state of Florida. We are incredibly pleased with the performance of the space vehicle and are excited about the data gathered to support the scientific and space communities. We are extremely proud of the dedication and hard work by the entire team."

The X-37B is the newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft. Managed by the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, the X-37B program performs risk reduction, experimentation and concept of operations development for reusable space vehicle technologies.

"The hard work of the X-37B OTV team and the 45th Space Wing successfully demonstrated the flexibility and resolve necessary to continue the nation's advancement in space," said Randy Walden, the director of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office. "The ability to land, refurbish, and launch from the same location further enhances the OTV's ability to rapidly integrate and qualify new space technologies."

The Air Force is preparing to launch the fifth X-37B mission from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, later in 2017.
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Rumor says they're using a hall thruster (ion drive).
 
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Sentagur

Sentagur

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Aaron said:
Once/If Muslim astronauts actually start exploring space then it's going to get really lulzworthy around Ramadan. Living in a northerly climate I can tell you some of them have a tough time fasting between sunset and sunrise while Ramadan lands in the summer, though there are different interpretations of it. The hardcore take it literally, meaning you can't eat from the time the sun rises til it sets where you are. Others are a bit more pragmatic (or cheaters, depending on who you ask), and either track the time in a more "respectable" place farther south, while others use Mecca time.

So, if we ever see Muslims on the Moon with its ~12 Earth day "days" or, in orbit with ~45 minute "days", I'm sure there'll be a whole lot of lulz with respect to how they're going to adapt Ramadan to that shit.
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Makes me think about Jewish astronauts, how are they dealing with not being allowed to flip switches or are the switches on the ISS all of that kosher kind?
 
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Tuco

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Are you fucking kid me, I didn't know we had a SPACE TANK.

It's too bad it's just a marketing gimmick and not a real prototype =\
 
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edko

edko

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Tuco said:

Are you fucking kid me, I didn't know we had a SPACE TANK.

It's too bad it's just a marketing gimmick and not a real prototype =\
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Fuck Yeah Seadek. I look forward to being a customer. That thing is a beast.
 
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Araysar

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meStevo said:
View attachment 138984


It took five telescopes to make this photo: the Very Large Array, the Spitzer Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, the XMM-Newton, and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Some of these telescopes record visible light, others are infrared, and the Chandra captures X-rays.
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When Their Powers Combine, 5 Telescopes Can Bring You This Amazing Shot of the Crab Nebula
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i wonder how much of this would be real color to the human eye and how much is just imagined through filters
 
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Araysar

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Chanur said:
That's cool . They can keep hauling our shit around like furniture movers while we build and test ion drives.
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ive never heard American astronauts being referred to as "shit", but ok.

upload_2017-5-11_20-0-52.jpeg
 
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