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NASA Live: New Images from Jupiter's Moon, Europa
Posted on 9/26/16 at 2:04 pm
Posted on 9/26/16 at 2:04 pm
Last week I promised to monitor NASA's live conference about new activity on Europa. Here is a synopsis of the findings:
1. The Hubble Space Telescope was used to monitor Europa using ultraviolet wavelengths;
2. "Additional evidence" of water plumes in the Southern Hemisphere of the moon was detected;
3. This evidence is not confirmed because the capabilities of Hubble were taxed to its limits;
4. The James Webb Space Telescope will be used to determine if water plumes are present and reliable enough to plan an exploratory mission. The JWST will not be launched until October of 2018.
5. Because there is now evidence of water plumes from 2012 and 2014, NASA scientists are confident the JWST will confirm them as a geologic feature of Europa.
Below are captures of some slides from the presentation:
This is an artist's conception of the plumes, showing their location in the Southern Hemisphere.
The evidence for plumes was accumulated in 2014. When asked why they're just now being shared with the public, a NASA spokesperson said it took that long to confirm and interpret the data from Hubble. He also said that the plumes seem to be variable in their ejections of water.
Here is an artist's conception of the mechanism that drives the plumes.
This conception illustrates how a plume might originate.
The James Webb Space Telescope will have an 8-meter composite mirror. It will be used to determine if Hubble's findings are accurate.
By the way, NASA has decided not to scuttle Hubble after the JWST is functional. It will be used to supplement the new telescope's abilities. That's a good thing. It has become a space icon.
1. The Hubble Space Telescope was used to monitor Europa using ultraviolet wavelengths;
2. "Additional evidence" of water plumes in the Southern Hemisphere of the moon was detected;
3. This evidence is not confirmed because the capabilities of Hubble were taxed to its limits;
4. The James Webb Space Telescope will be used to determine if water plumes are present and reliable enough to plan an exploratory mission. The JWST will not be launched until October of 2018.
5. Because there is now evidence of water plumes from 2012 and 2014, NASA scientists are confident the JWST will confirm them as a geologic feature of Europa.
Below are captures of some slides from the presentation:
This is an artist's conception of the plumes, showing their location in the Southern Hemisphere.
The evidence for plumes was accumulated in 2014. When asked why they're just now being shared with the public, a NASA spokesperson said it took that long to confirm and interpret the data from Hubble. He also said that the plumes seem to be variable in their ejections of water.
Here is an artist's conception of the mechanism that drives the plumes.
This conception illustrates how a plume might originate.
The James Webb Space Telescope will have an 8-meter composite mirror. It will be used to determine if Hubble's findings are accurate.
By the way, NASA has decided not to scuttle Hubble after the JWST is functional. It will be used to supplement the new telescope's abilities. That's a good thing. It has become a space icon.
This post was edited on 9/26/16 at 2:08 pm
Posted on 9/26/16 at 2:27 pm to Kentucker
thread about to be derailed in 3, 2, 1....
Posted on 9/26/16 at 3:08 pm to Kentucker
This is the third Europe thread in the past few days.
For whatever reason, the word "Europa" is clearly a trigger word.
I may start using "Europa" in place of "triggered" in rant threads.
For example, I may post something like "You're so Europa" when I believe someone has been triggered.
For whatever reason, the word "Europa" is clearly a trigger word.
I may start using "Europa" in place of "triggered" in rant threads.
For example, I may post something like "You're so Europa" when I believe someone has been triggered.
Posted on 9/26/16 at 6:02 pm to mizzoukills
You can insult me but don't go europa on my team, man.
Posted on 9/26/16 at 6:02 pm to mizzoukills
Damn, I'm the first to go europa.
This post was edited on 9/26/16 at 6:03 pm
Posted on 9/26/16 at 6:17 pm to Kentucker
Would you be so kind to share a photo of Earth from space that isn't 'pieced together'?
Posted on 9/26/16 at 7:45 pm to Kentucker
quote:
This is my favorite.
Cool photoshop brah, let us know when we can fly past our own atmosphere because the Earth is flat.
That being said, if you've been following the astral bodies in our solar system -- you'd be super excited about Europa and Titan. This is such an unbelievable time to be alive.
Posted on 9/26/16 at 7:58 pm to StrawsDrawnAtRandom
quote:
That being said, if you've been following the astral bodies in our solar system -- you'd be super excited about Europa and Titan. This is such an unbelievable time to be alive.
Truly. We're exploring our solar system as we once did the hemispheres of earth.
We didn't find any life forms other than that based on DNA on earth. This seems implausible if we regard abiogenesis to be inevitable wherever the conditions for life are present.
We should have found other trees of life, or at least evidence of them. So far, there's nothing.
Posted on 9/26/16 at 8:47 pm to Kentucker
quote:
We should have found other trees of life, or at least evidence of them. So far, there's nothing.
There are roughly 100 billion galaxies out there. And each one has roughly -- on average -- 100 billion stars. And each one of those stars can have dozens or even hundreds of planets.
We have only looked at maybe one trillionth of one percent of what's out there. We are just finding water on planets and moons that are right next door to us.
Your premise is absurd.
Posted on 9/26/16 at 9:14 pm to No Colors
quote:
We should have found other trees of life, or at least evidence of them. So far, there's nothing.
I probably shouldn't have separated these two sentences from the preceding paragraph. The subject was trees of life that have been found on earth. There is evidence for only one. Sorry for your confusion.
Now, as to the absurdity of saying that life has arisen only once in a Universe of a hundred billion galaxies (that's just the observable Universe, by the way), until extraterrestrial life is actually found it's presumptive to call that hypothesis ridiculous. We can guess, but we don't know, how prevalent life may be.
We may be the only instance of intelligent life. I think microbial life has probably arisen wherever conditions are favorable, but that intelligent life may be exceedingly rare.
Posted on 9/26/16 at 9:21 pm to Kentucker
Is it true there isn't one full round photo of Earth that hasn't been pieced together by NASA?
Posted on 9/26/16 at 9:33 pm to Supreme Tiger
LINK
There are many photos of earth that aren't pieced together. The one below is from the Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite, for example.
Camera technology has evolved rapidly. Wide angle lenses have revolutionized photography. Early on in the space age, I suppose the limited lense width of cameras forced the pieceing together of shots. Nowadays, however, even our smart phones can take spectacular panoramas and wide angles.
There are many photos of earth that aren't pieced together. The one below is from the Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite, for example.
Camera technology has evolved rapidly. Wide angle lenses have revolutionized photography. Early on in the space age, I suppose the limited lense width of cameras forced the pieceing together of shots. Nowadays, however, even our smart phones can take spectacular panoramas and wide angles.
Posted on 9/26/16 at 9:39 pm to Kentucker
This is dope, thanks for sharing
Posted on 9/26/16 at 9:43 pm to RBu
My pleasure. I may be tOT's most impassioned fan of space and science in general.
Posted on 9/26/16 at 9:52 pm to Kentucker
I would have assumed you knew all full circle earth photos are pieced together, which NASA admits.
The most recent famous earth picture, the blue marble, the one on the iPhone is "photoshopped" - from the mouth of the man who created it.
We made a video of men dancing around on the moon in the 60s, but in 2016 we can't get a singular picture of earth. Funny stuff.
The most recent famous earth picture, the blue marble, the one on the iPhone is "photoshopped" - from the mouth of the man who created it.
We made a video of men dancing around on the moon in the 60s, but in 2016 we can't get a singular picture of earth. Funny stuff.
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