Mars vs. Comet in 2014: Preparing for Red Planet Sky Show

Wunderground.com-4/1/13, Leonard Davis

A close encounter between Mars and Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) in 2014 is creating both opportunity and anxiety in scientific circles. Scientists are in the early stages of assembling a comet-watching campaign that uses a spacecraft currently orbiting the Red Planet, as well as rovers on the Martian surface.

Scientists are also investigating what techniques could be used to prevent cometary debris from hitting Mars-orbiting spacecraft as the comet and planet converge.

The Mars-bound comet was discovered by Rob McNaught on Jan. 3 at Siding Spring Observatory in Australia. Scientists estimate that this comet arrived from our solar system’s distant Oort cloud and has been on a more than 1-million-year journey. The comet could contain volatile gases that short-period comets often lack due to their frequent returns to the sun’s neighborhood.

Galactic Free Press

Giant veil of “cold plasma” discovered high above Earth

The Extinction Protocol, 2/3/13

Galactic Free Press

‘Alien Spaceship’ looking Dragon set for Unveiling by SpaceX this Year!

Universe Today-3/29/13, Ken Kremer

Later this year SpaceX will unveil the design of a new and upgraded version of the firm’s Dragon spacecraft that will look like “an Alien spaceship,” said Elon Musk, the CEO and Chief Designer of SpaceX, at a NASA media teleconference on Thursday, March 28.

Musk announced the SpaceX plans at the briefing to mark the successful conclusion of the latest unmanned Dragon cargo carrying flight, known as CRS-2, to the International Space Station (ISS) earlier this week with a Pacific Ocean splashdown on Tuesday, March 26.

Galactic Free Press

Ever-Changing Venus Superstorm Sparks Interest

Accuweather.com- 3/27/13

Elements of a giant cyclone circling above the south pole of Venus constantly break apart and re-form, according to new research. Scientists studying observations of the planet taken over the last six years have concluded that the long-lived storm is constantly evolving, raising even more questions about the unusual weather formation.

A storm on the move

When the European Space Agency's Venus Express satellite arrived at the hot planet in April 2006, it observed a cyclonelike structure above Venus' south pole, four times as large as similar storms on Earth. Over the past six years, the spacecraft has collected daily observations about the storm, which resembles one spotted over Venus' north pole by NASA's Pioneer Venus spacecraft in 1979.

Galactic Free Press

ScienceShot: A New Class of Supernova

Science Now-3/26/13, Sid Perkins

Galactic Free Press

Large Meteorite Spotted in Eastern U.S.

Accuweather.com-3/22/13, Vickie Frantz

Several reports were made, to the American Meteor Society, of a large meteor above the eastern coastal states of the U.S. at about 7:55 p.m. EDT Friday.

The reports described a large fireball that appeared white or green in color and moving from left to right.

For more information on this story please go to Accuweather.com

Galactic Free Press

An Incredible Adventure - The Apollo 11 Engine Recovered From The Depth Of The Sea

Messagetoeagle.com-3/21/13

MessageToEagle.com - A privately funded expedition led by Bezos raised the main engine parts during three weeks at sea and was headed back to Cape Canaveral, Florida, the launch pad for the manned lunar missions.

"We've seen an underwater wonderland — an incredible sculpture garden of twisted F-1 engines that tells the story of a fiery and violent end," Bezos writes in an online posting.

What an incredible adventure. We are right now onboard the Seabed Worker headed back to Cape Canaveral after finishing three weeks at sea, working almost 3 miles below the surface.

Galactic Free Press

Four Asteroids Buzz Earth In a Single Week

Wunderground.com-3/11/13, Teriq Malik

The 460-foot asteroid 2013 ET is seen through a Slooh Space Camera telescope in the Canary Islands on March 9, 2013, during its close approach to Earth. The asteroid was just within 600,000 miles of Earth.

In the last seven days, an asteroid 131 feet across and three smaller space rocks have zoomed safely by Earth, the latest demonstration that we live in a solar system that some scientists have dubbed a "cosmic shooting gallery."

All four asteroid flybys occurred between March 4 and March 10. The asteroids were also all discovered this month, some just days ago.

For more information on this delightful story please go to Wunderground.com