Archives November 2023

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission has captured a stunning image of Tutuila, the largest island in the American Samoa archipelago. The image, taken from space, allows for a detailed exploration of the island at a resolution of 10 meters. American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the US and consists of five volcanic islands and two coral atolls. Tutuila, the focus of the image, is a small and narrow island with volcanic mountains and a rugged landscape.

“The Lotus Eaters” is a classic science fiction story that takes place on the shadowed wilds of Venus. The narrative follows the newlyweds Hamilton ‘Ham’ Hammond and Patricia Burlingame as they embark on an extraordinary expedition to explore the mysterious nocturnal realm of the planet. During their exploration, they encounter the enigmatic Oscar beings, intelligent and mobile plants that possess secrets hidden in their bioluminescent whispers.

However, Venus is not just a world of wonders; it also harb

Blue Origin, the spaceflight company founded by Jeff Bezos, is making significant strides towards achieving major milestones with its New Glenn rocket. The company’s Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral facilities have seen increased activity, with sightings of various components of the New Glenn rocket. Notably, a captured tank section known as the “First Stage Mid Module” has been seen outside Blue Origin’s manufacturing facility. This section houses both the liquid natural gas and liquid oxygen tanks and will soon receive its Aft

Burnham’s Celestial Handbook: An Observer’s Guide to the Universe Beyond the Solar System, Vol. 3 is a comprehensive guidebook for amateur astronomers and stargazers. This volume, published by Dover Publications, is a reprint edition from 1979 and consists of 800 pages. Written in English, the book provides detailed information about celestial objects beyond our solar system, including stars, galaxies, and nebulae. With its paperback format and dimensions of 6.22 x 1

Laurent Brouard, the Project Manager at Airbus Defence and Space, recently discussed the Euclid payload module (PLM) and its role in the Euclid telescope’s mission to map the dark matter and dark energy of the Universe. Brouard explained the technology behind Euclid and highlighted its ability to simultaneously observe the sky in both infrared and visible wavelengths. The cooling mechanisms of Euclid, which are crucial for maintaining its functionality in space, were also emphasized. Brouard demonstrated how light

The Aerial Phenomena Research Organization (APRO) has completed the transfer of its research files to the National UFO Historical Records Center (NUFOHRC) in Rio Rancho, NM. APRO, once considered a leading civilian UFO research organization, along with the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) and the Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS), have now housed their records at the headquarters of NUFOHRC. These organizations’ files, along with

The Astronomy Journal & Night Sky Observations Log Book is a perfect gift for astronomers, astrologers, sky tellers, physicists, stars gazers, telescope users, and space lovers. This log book is designed to help users record their observations of the night sky, making it a valuable tool for tracking celestial events and documenting their findings. With 109 pages, this paperback journal provides ample space for detailed notes and sketches. Published independently, it is written in English and has dimensions of 8 x

“White Holes” is a thought-provoking book published by Riverhead Books. Written in English, this hardcover edition spans 176 pages and is set to be released on October 31, 2023. With an ISBN-10 of 0593545443 and an ISBN-13 of 978-0593545447, this book explores the concept of white holes, a theoretical phenomenon in astrophysics. Delve into the mysteries of these enigmatic cosmic entities as you

In a busy week for space launches, SpaceX and Roscosmos both achieved successful missions to resupply the International Space Station (ISS), while China conducted three consecutive launches. Roscosmos launched the Progress MS-25 resupply capsule using a Soyuz 2.1a rocket, delivering crucial supplies such as fuel, water, and compressed nitrogen to the seven astronauts aboard the ISS. SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenburg Space Force Base, carrying multiple payloads to a Sun-synchronous orbit

The Dianfan Telescope is a portable and professional refractor telescope designed for adults, beginners, and kids interested in astronomy. With a 90mm aperture and 800mm focal length, it provides excellent light-gathering power and delivers sharp and bright images of celestial objects, even in low light conditions. The telescope offers high magnification with two high-quality eyepieces and a 3X Barlow lens, allowing for a range of 32X to 240X magnification. It is