New calculations at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics suggest that hundreds of massive black holes, left over from the galaxy-building days of the early universe, may wander the Milky Way and will start swallowing what ever comes in their way. Fortunately Earth is safe. The closest rogue black hole should reside thousands of light-years away. Astronomers are eager to locate them, though, for the clues they will provide to the formation of the Milky Way.
Hundreds of rogue black holes should be traveling the Milky Way's outskirts, each containing the mass of 1,000 to 100,000 suns. They would be difficult to spot on their own because a black hole is visible only when it is swallowing, or accreting, matter.
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Saturday, May 2, 2009
Space debris around is increasing
The space around Earth is becoming more cluttered by the day with orbital junk that, if left unchecked, will pose an ever-increasing threat to current and future spacecraft, a panel of experts says.
The Department of Defense's Space Surveillance Network, which relies on a global network of monitoring stations, is currently tracking more than 19,000 objects in Earth orbit larger than four inches (10 cm), but there are an estimated 300,000 total objects bigger than a half-inch (1 cm) in size circling Earth. In 1980, the network was tracking just 4,700 objects, about 2,600 of which were space trash.
For more details please Click here.
The Department of Defense's Space Surveillance Network, which relies on a global network of monitoring stations, is currently tracking more than 19,000 objects in Earth orbit larger than four inches (10 cm), but there are an estimated 300,000 total objects bigger than a half-inch (1 cm) in size circling Earth. In 1980, the network was tracking just 4,700 objects, about 2,600 of which were space trash.
For more details please Click here.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Corpse's Face transplanted to a woman
The first face transplantation surgery was carried out in USA. This surgery was carried out at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio in USA by Dr. Maria Siemionow. He worked with a dozen specialists to rebuild the face of a woman who was missing her right eye, nose and upper jaw.
For more details please visit the URL:
http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/ViewResource.aspx?resourceId=45689
For more details please visit the URL:
http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/ViewResource.aspx?resourceId=45689
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Smiling Sky
Astronomers and stargazers have been watching a rare astronomical phenomenon.
Jupiter and Venus are in conjunction and lie just two degrees apart, so lucky skygazers will be able to see the two planets getting closer.
At the same time, the crescent Moon will eclipse Venus and, if you watch the Moon at sunset through binoculars, you will see an occultation of Venus by the Moon. The planet will seem to disappear as the dark limb of the Moon passes over it.
Photo: Carlos Bacigalupo
Carlos Bacigalupo took this beautiful shot from his home in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Indian Probe landed on Moon on 14th Nov, 2008
An Indian probe landed on the moon on Friday, the Indian Space Research Organisation announced, in a milestone for the country's 45-year-old space programme.
The probe touched down on the moon at 8:34pm (1504 GMT), 25 minutes after it was ejected from an unmanned spacecraft orbiting the moon.
During its descent from Chandrayaan-1 an onboard video camera transmitted lunar pictures to the ISRO command centre.
Scientists monitoring the probe cheered as ISRO chairman Madhavan Nair announced the success of the country's first lunar mission, which began on October 22 when a rocket transported Chandrayaan-1 into space.
The probe, carrying three instruments and with the Indian flag painted on its outer panes, settled in a crater in the moon's south pole.
Nair said the landing was perfect.
"We have now successfully put our national flag on the lunar surface," he told a news conference.
"The moon has been very favourable to us and this is a very productive and fruitful mission," he said, and added: "We have also emerged as a low-cost travel agency to space," referring to the mission's 80-million dollar tag.
Chandrayaan-1 is on a two-year orbital mission to provide a detailed map of the mineral, chemical and topographical characteristics of the moon's surface.
Buoyed by its success, ISRO plans to send a second unmanned spacecraft to the moon in 2012 and separately launch satellites to study Mars and Venus.
India started its space programme in 1963, developing its own satellites and launch vehicles to reduce dependence on overseas agencies.
The probe touched down on the moon at 8:34pm (1504 GMT), 25 minutes after it was ejected from an unmanned spacecraft orbiting the moon.
During its descent from Chandrayaan-1 an onboard video camera transmitted lunar pictures to the ISRO command centre.
Scientists monitoring the probe cheered as ISRO chairman Madhavan Nair announced the success of the country's first lunar mission, which began on October 22 when a rocket transported Chandrayaan-1 into space.
The probe, carrying three instruments and with the Indian flag painted on its outer panes, settled in a crater in the moon's south pole.
Nair said the landing was perfect.
"We have now successfully put our national flag on the lunar surface," he told a news conference.
"The moon has been very favourable to us and this is a very productive and fruitful mission," he said, and added: "We have also emerged as a low-cost travel agency to space," referring to the mission's 80-million dollar tag.
Chandrayaan-1 is on a two-year orbital mission to provide a detailed map of the mineral, chemical and topographical characteristics of the moon's surface.
Buoyed by its success, ISRO plans to send a second unmanned spacecraft to the moon in 2012 and separately launch satellites to study Mars and Venus.
India started its space programme in 1963, developing its own satellites and launch vehicles to reduce dependence on overseas agencies.
world's largest astronomical observatory set up to solve Cosmic Mysteries
Scientists in western Argentina were set to inaugurate on Friday, the 14th Nov, 2008 the world's largest astronomical observatory, hoping to unlock the mysteries of high energy cosmic rays that bombard the Earth.
To observe the cosmic ray showers -- high-energy particles present in universe that bombard the Earth -- they use a collection of 1,600 particle detectors placed 1.5 kilometers (one mile) apart, in a grid spread across 3,000 square kilometers (1,200 square miles).
On top of this detection system, scientists will turn the observatory into the most powerful galaxial observation instrument ever built with an additional 24 telescopes, to record emissions of light from the particle shower.
Cosmic particles amount to microscopic protons and atomic nuclei, which whiz across the vast expanse of the universe, approaching the speed of light.
When the particles slam into Earth's upper atmosphere the impact splits them into secondary particles that scientists call an "air shower," which can spread across more than 40 square kilometers (15 square miles) across the planet's surface.
To observe the cosmic ray showers -- high-energy particles present in universe that bombard the Earth -- they use a collection of 1,600 particle detectors placed 1.5 kilometers (one mile) apart, in a grid spread across 3,000 square kilometers (1,200 square miles).
On top of this detection system, scientists will turn the observatory into the most powerful galaxial observation instrument ever built with an additional 24 telescopes, to record emissions of light from the particle shower.
Cosmic particles amount to microscopic protons and atomic nuclei, which whiz across the vast expanse of the universe, approaching the speed of light.
When the particles slam into Earth's upper atmosphere the impact splits them into secondary particles that scientists call an "air shower," which can spread across more than 40 square kilometers (15 square miles) across the planet's surface.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Chandrayaan-1, India's First Moon mission launched on 22nd Oct, 08
On 22nd October, 2008, India's first Moon mission took place. The Rocket PSLV-C11 has lifted off exactly at 6.22 AM from the Second Launch Pad at Sriharikota - The space port of India.
It was truly a historic moment for the entire country. The PSLV-C11, which carries India's first unmanned moon spacecraft Chandrayaan-1, was successfully put into initial orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Wednesday morning at around 6.40 am.
At the end of the 49-hour countdown, the 44.4 meter tall four-stage PSLV-C11 blasted off from the second launch pad with the ignition of the core first stage at 6.22 am.
It was truly a historic moment for the entire country. The PSLV-C11, which carries India's first unmanned moon spacecraft Chandrayaan-1, was successfully put into initial orbit from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Wednesday morning at around 6.40 am.
At the end of the 49-hour countdown, the 44.4 meter tall four-stage PSLV-C11 blasted off from the second launch pad with the ignition of the core first stage at 6.22 am.
The launch vehicle uses larger strap-on motors to achieve higher payload capability.
The Chandrayaan-1 is carrying 11 payloads, five entirely designed and developed in India, three from European Space Agency, one from Bulgaria and two from US, which would explore the moon.
The 1380-kg Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft will first reach a highly elliptical Initial orbit and thereafter the satellite's Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) will be fired at appropriate moments that will finally take it to an orbit at a height of 100 km around the moon around November eight.
Chandrayaan-1 carries 11 payloads (scientific instruments) -- five from
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