Space Launch System

NASA SDO’s view of Earth & the moon on Sep 13 #transit #eclipse #space

NASA's Langley Research Center released video of multiple aircraft going through crash tests, which they examine to improve safety measures.

(4 April 1968) — The Apollo 6 Spacecraft 020 Command Module is hoisted aboard the USS Okinawa.

Oh, snap ~ that must be good for a fracture or two, feel bad for him.

Happy 4th of July from Chewbacca!

Take a picture of a bear, they said. It'll be fun, they said. "Man vs. Beast 🐻 ------~ People are idiots〽️"

Barnard’s Star seen moving against the cosmic background.

Although it appears otherwise when looking up at the night sky, every object in the cosmos is actually moving. As a result of the Big Bang and gravity, stars are whizzing through space at astounding speeds - in fact, our own sun is orbiting the center of the Milky Way galaxy. But this motion through the heavens is not easily visible due to the sheer distances away most stars are from us. However, Barnard’s star is an exception. Located just six light years from Earth, Barnard’s star is actually moving closer to our own star system and will pass within four light years roughly 8,000 years from now. Due to its motion towards us and location in the sky, Barnard’s star has the highest apparent motion of any star in the sky, moving at roughly 10.3 arcseconds per year. Over the course of an average human life, about 72 years, the star will have moved roughly half the diameter of the full moon across the night sky. 

The gifset above was taken by astronomer Rick Johnson, who imaged the star once a year for nine years. In them, Barnard’s Star moved about 92.7 arcseconds in the sky. Barnard’s star is one of the few stars where we can observe this apparent motion. To capture any others, we’d have to be taking repetitive pictures for centuries.

What a great picture! And we’re over 6OO followers! Thanks #astrofans ! Btw, I’ve been sick, I don’t know what from but I just don’t feel good at all. @norazehetner #NorahZehetner @therealyvonnestrahovski #YvonneStrahovski @zozoboyley #ZoeBoyle @elc719 #ErinCummings @azureparsons #AzureParsons @jogarciaswisher #JoAnnaGarcíaSwisher #astronauts #AstronautWives #astronautwivesclub #60s #astrowives #iamsick #600followers #celebration #youareamazing #youguysarethebest

Savage fish 😂

Ask Ethan #110: What did the sky look like when Earth first formed?

“In general, what would the night time skies have looked like to an observer on a newly cooling Earth 4 billion years ago? Would the night sky be the same? Brighter?”

The night sky is a memorable, inimitable sight. With the exception of the planets, the stars that shine so brightly and consistently on your birthday will be the same ones — in both position and brightness — that shine on your dying day. But as recognizable as the stars and constellations are, the skies we recognize would have nothing in common with the skies as they were back when Earth first formed more than four billion years ago. With natural light pollution from volcanism and heat, a location inside a star cluster and the evolution of our local Universe, there are some huge differences that would make for some big surprises.