Cool science stuff

More SpaceX awesomeness...I watched this live from about 50 miles away and it was spectacular to see the up-and-down.

 

Soyuz Rocket Launch Failure Forces Emergency Landing for US-Russian Space Station Crew

Apparently both crew members OK.

Details still sketchy, but apparently the second stage of the Soyuz booster failed to ignite about 3 minutes into flight.

 

Lots of rocketry action the next few days. Almost like the Sixties!

Four Space Rocket Launches to Watch (Updated)

 

I see we're adding two new pieces of space junk, err, "art," to the cosmos.

 

That sound you hear is the answer, my friend, blowin' in the wind -- on Mars.

News | NASA InSight Lander 'Hears' Martian Winds

 

Four major launches today:

Grab some popcorn for Rocket Tuesday! The year in space goes out with style

 

It's getting sunny down here 100 miles south of Vandenberg, so I'm hoping for a great post-sunset launch. Fingers crossed.

 

Recent study says that the rings of Saturn are being swallowed up by the planet and that they will be gone in the next 100 million years. Grab a telescope and see those rings while you can...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/scie...e-halfway-their-death/?utm_term=.461282faa7ab

 

New Horizons spacecraft flew by Ultima Thule (Kuiper Belt Object) at 12:33 AM, 1 JAN 2019.

Takes over 6 hours for data to reach Earth.

First results are absolutely amazing:

New Horizons: News Article?page=20190102

 

Apollo 14 astronauts brought home a piece of Earth's history in their "moon rock" bag.

4bn-year-old 'Earth rock' found in Apollo 14 crew's moon haul

 

For years, astronomers have pondered some orbital anomalies for Neptune and Pluto. Some have thought there is another planet out there beyond Pluto's orbit whose gravity causes those anomalies. No one has ever found such a body, but it has been a topic of discussion among planetary astronomers for at least 30 years.

Now, this astronomer is optimistic that a new giant planet will be discovered shortly. He thinks it may happen in the next year and here is how and why:

https://www.space.com/34455-planet-nine-discovery-coming-soon.html

 

Of course:

Physics-Astronomy.org