11 Billion Year Old Blast Observed
It is difficult to wrap one’s mind around an event like this. Can you imagine observing an event that has occurred long ago in the past? How about witnessing something that occurred 11 billion years ago, a time when even our solar system was not yet formed?
Given the unimaginably vast distances in space, such incidents are possible, although they are rare. Early in 2009, initiating what has been declared as the International Year of Astronomy, astronomers at the University of Western Australia have borne witness to a gamma ray burst that actually occurred 11 billion years ago. However, it happened at a location so far away in space from our own galaxy that it took the light from the explosion 11 billion years to travel the distance between its location and the earth.
Unfortunately, on the night that this incident occurred, the astronomy department faced a tragic computer crash and did not have access to the right equipment to record this fantastic event. This event was eventually recorded on a regular video camera owned by one of the staff members. This recording precedes the visibility of this incident from the European Southern Observatory, which houses the most expensive and biggest telescopes in the world. The event was captured by the Zadko Telescope, which is linked to a global network of telescopes in direct communication with NASA’s Swift satellite ground station. It was because of this global network that NASA was able to help direct the Zadko Telescope to the sky-positions of gamma ray bursts.
The explosion in question was more than a billion time greater in intensity when compared to the sun in our own solar system. If such an explosion were to occur in our Milky Way galaxy, or even in our neighboring galaxy, for instance in the Andromeda galaxy, it could have resulted in the extinction of most species on the surface of the earth.
$6 Million Instrument for Lunar Research
The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at Boulder at the University of Colorado is building a technically advanced lunar dust detector LDEX, as part of the Lunar Dust Experiment. This instrument will be mounted on the LADEE, or Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Experiment Explorer mission, an orbiting satellite and will test the dust in the moon’s atmosphere.
The purpose of this technologically advanced instrument will be to provide more information about the lunar surface, especially the dust that floats over its surface. The experiment intends to find out more about the characteristics of this dust, its components and its interaction with the surface of the moon. It also hope to answer questions posed regarding the impact of solar wind on this dust as well as the more important aspect regarding the impact of this dust on the safety of astronauts who enter the atmosphere of the moon.
LASP has been awarded a $6 million grant from NASA to build this highly specialized instrument. This grant provides $1 million at the start of the program another $5 million during the four year period during which the instrument needs to be designed, developed and tested for flight and functioning ability in outer space.
LDEX is slated to be the first instrument to be tested and calibrated for flight into outer space by the Colorado Center for Lunar Dust and Atmospheric Studies, or CCLDAS, one of seven initial members of NASA’s Lunar Science Institute.
LADEE is a cooperative effort with NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. LADEE is expected to launch in the year 2011 and its findings will be instrumental in shaping the future of manned explorations on the surface of the moon.
Four Habitable Planets - Part 3
This is a continued post, part one can be found here and part two can be found here
Welcome to the third and final part of this three part series. Today I will go through the final world, as well as I will add the final part to it and a little extra information. Once again feel free to leave views on the post as they are always appreciated 
Water Worlds
These worlds would be basically entirely made of water. They would be the size of Earth roughly as well. There would be no boarders to stop the water overflowing like Earth has with rocks however. These planets can either be absolutely fabricated of baptize with aerial burden ice at the core, or they can accept bodies of aqueous baptize that are afar from a silicate amount by a blubbery band of aerial burden ice
One approach for life’s agent on Earth says amoebic actual calm in bank pools and again became concentrated by adhering to the apparent of rocks. Eventually, this aboriginal activity advance into the added ocean. Another approach for life’s agent is that the all-important allure occurred at hydrothermal agitable vents. On baptize worlds, however, these scenarios are impossible. Therefore, Bredehöft thinks activity is not acceptable to arise on such planets.
Summing It Up
Bredehöft came to a conclusion that planets similar to Earth would be best to look for life. He does however tell us that they will not necessarily cope any better to us due to conditions. For all we know, they could be an advanced race of humans! As it is only a matter of time before we can search other planets and moons for life; we will just need to stick to theories for now. Although good, they don’t stand up against much unless proof is found.
When asked what we are looking to find, Bredehöft said “something slimy”. 
I hope you all enjoyed the series of posts, have a great day
Christmas In July
The Star of Bethlehem, possibly one of the most recalled happenings in the Christmas story; it is widely celebrated in books of Jesus, mainly in the bible and other Christmas stories. Now, scientists and astronomers have had to bring up the issue whether it was all because of the new born maybe king; or was it linked to some kind of happening amongst stars.
They cannot answer whether it was specifically there for Jesus, but they have come to a well explained answer about the start having some kind of appearance due to an astronomical event. The Star of Wonder labeled by ancient people in that time; has brought about in interesting story.
What has been said to believe is a few planets and one of the brightest stars came together. Also, it didn’t happen on December the 25th as most have said; rather June the 17th sometime in 2BC. Now the June Christmas star made a huge hit, but it got an even bigger boost when astronomer Dave Reneke, ran a few scans back around the time and certified that the pattern was almost identical.
For a more detailed line of events leading up to this conclusion, check MSN Space News - Christmas In July article.