Space/Science — HabitableZone

Space/Science

Some spacve tidbits over the past month that didn't get discussed here.

(1) Titan lakes finally discovered?

Well?...The existence of those alleged Titanian lakes is not conclusive, but the evidence is reasonably good. The radar results from Cassini seem to point to flat basins filled
with 'something' flat and smooth..maybe wet.

(2) Another exoplanet is discovered transiting its primary. The third such transiting
exoplanet discovered; the first to have its transit light-curve recorded first by an AMATEUR
astronomer.


Is there anything amateurish about 'amateur' astronomers nowadays, who have
thousands and tens of thousands of dollars of high-tech astronomy equipment and know how to use it professionally?

(3) An ISS astronaut makes history by taking part in a SENATE HEARING by a live
television hookup between the US Capital building and the ISS. First time it has ever been done.


Well? Astronauts pay their taxes like anybody else, and they've even voted
from the space station [November, 2004, etc], so it shouldn't come as a surprise that
they would eventually participate in live congressional hearings, even though they're
orbiting over 200 miles up.

(4) Smart-1 discovers calcium on the moon's surface.

This is for you, Buck Galaxy; one of the first solid scientific results obtained by and announced for the lunar-orbiting Smart-1 probe. Calcium on the moon, huh?...It would likely be
in the form of calcium oxide [Ca02], better known as quicklime...used to mark baseball diamonds, etc...

And those are the tidbits from space over the past month.

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