Huygens made it!

[mollyringle]

The Huygens probe landed safely on Titan! Keep checking back on the following site for the new images as they are released:

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Cassini-Huygens/index.html

There's something especially cool about those drainage channels and shorelines. Sure, we saw the same thing on Mars, but Titan's are probably active, not mere relics. Granted, the seas on Titan are apparently made of liquid methane, so it's not likely to become a great windsurfing destination anytime soon, but to land on another moon or planet and find something other than dry rocks is a new thing in the space program so far. Go international space team!

Comments

[dirae.livejournal.com]

An associate of mine who is working on a Phd while doing some work at NASA sent me this link awhile back; you may find it of interest:

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/ice_berg_ram.html

He also sent me and article about Sgr A, the Milky Way's Long-Theorized Stellar Graveyard.

Not sure if you'll be interested in any of these links - I just happen to have access to such material and I usually don't have the chance to bring up such topics without odd looks. Astronomy and the science angle is a "kinda hobby" that I keep to myself for the most part.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Very cool - especially the second link with the gorgeous photo of Sgr A. Downloaded that one. (And I didn't know until today that our local black hole is called "Sagittarius A.")

For several years in my childhood I was certain I wanted to be an astronomer, before language-related interests took the foreground. Now it's just a "kinda hobby" for me as well, but I do still perk up and trek outside with the binoculars when someone finds a new comet, or announces that the moons of Jupiter are especially visible this month, or something. (And there is a new comet somewhere near the Pleiades right now, from our point of view, but it's just a faint fuzzy dot in the binoculars...)

[dirae.livejournal.com]

(And there is a new comet somewhere near the Pleiades right now, from our point of view, but it's just a faint fuzzy dot in the binoculars...)

Aye... around the first week in January, Comet Machholz neared maximum brightness (and naked eye visiblity). Unfortunately, it was cloudy all week here and I missed the "good show." I have since seen the "fuzzy dot" that you speak of.

I used wunderground.com for daily and weekly astronomy updates per my zip code.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

*nod* It was kind of a miracle that we got a clear night here long enough to see Machholz, what with all the rain and snow and sleet lately. Not a bad fuzzy dot in binoculars, but I need a telescope, I think...

Ever since missing the auroras in November, I've bookmarked Spaceweather.com (www.spaceweather.com) and made it a point to check it every day, if I remember. That's how I heard about this Huygens landing, as well as the comet--and hopefully future aurora events. Hmm, in fact, they're reporting possible auroras in the next couple days...when of course it will be cloudy here.

[dirae.livejournal.com]

I also visit the following sites:

The Space Calendar - "The Space Calendar covers space-related activities and anniversaries for the coming year. Included are over 1,400 links to related home pages."

Hubble Site - Cool images and news from the Hubble Telescope

Hooray....

[jennae.livejournal.com]

Just had to let you know that you win the "first person who posted from my FL since the blackout" award.... ;)

Re: Hooray....

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

That IS odd, considering I posted this before the blackout. :D

Re: Hooray....

[jennae.livejournal.com]

Doh. My bad. I swear I looked at the date!