I post asexual stuff and space stuff. ADMIN APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN CHECK NAVIGATION FOR LINK TO THE APPLICATION. Profile pic credits to mochakimono.tumblr.com
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Latest Posts by anaceinspace-blog - Page 2
Archway to Heaven, Alabama Hills CA
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Milky Way on Kauai beach
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Earth and Moon by Expedition 24 crew member
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100th Anniversary of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
One hundred years ago this month, Albert Einstein published his theory of general relativity (GR), one of the most important scientific achievements in the last century.
A key result of Einstein’s theory is that matter warps space-time, and thus a massive object can cause an observable bending of light from a background object. The first success of the theory was the observation, during a solar eclipse, that light from a distant background star was deflected by the predicted amount as it passed near the sun.
When Einstein developed the general theory of relativity, he was trying to improve our understanding of how the universe works. At the time, Newtonian gravity was more than sufficient for any practical gravity calculations. However, as often happens in physics, general relativity has applications that would not have been foreseen by Einstein or his contemporaries.
How many of us have used a smartphone to get directions? Or to tag our location on social media? Or to find a recommendation for a nearby restaurant? These activities depend on GPS. GPS uses radio signals from a network of satellites orbiting Earth at an altitude of 20,000 km to pinpoint the location of a GPS receiver. The accuracy of GPS positioning depends on precision in time measurements of billionths of a second. To achieve such timing precision, however, relativity must be taken into account.
Our Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission has confirmed two key predictions derived from Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which the spacecraft was designed to test. The experiment, launched in 2004, and measured the warping of space and time around a gravitational body, and frame-dragging, the amount a spinning object pulls space and time with it as it rotates.
Scientists continue to look for cracks in the theory, testing general relativity predictions using laboratory experiments and astronomical observations. For the past century, Einstein’s theory of gravity has passed every hurdle.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
Space Food
The holiday season is upon us and much of the festivities revolve around food. While you decide whether to sauté or steam your green beans, let’s take a closer look at what astronauts eat while in space.
Since the start of human spaceflight, we’ve worked to improve the taste, texture and shelf life of food four our crews. Our food scientists are challenged with developing healthy menus that can meet all of the unique requirements for living and working in the extreme environment of space.
Consider the differences of living on Earth and in space. Food scientists must develop foods that will be easier to handle and consume in a microgravity environment. These food products require no refrigeration and provide the nutrition humans need to remain healthy during spaceflight.
Freeze drying food allows food to remain stable at ambient temperatures, while also significantly reducing the weight.
Fun Facts About Space Food:
Astronauts use tortillas in many of their meals
Tortillas provide an edible wrapper to keep food from floating away. Why tortillas and not bread? Tortillas make far less crumbs and can be stored easier. Bread crumbs could potentially float around and get stuck in filters or equipment.
The first food eaten by an American astronaut in space: Applesauce
The first American astronaut to eat in space dined on applesauce squeezed from a no-frills, aluminum toothpaste-like tube. Since then, food technology has cooked up better ways to prepare, package and preserve space fare in a tastier, more appetizing fashion.
All food that is sent to the space station is precooked
Sending precooked food means that it requires no refrigeration and is either ready to eat or can be prepared simply by adding water or by heating. The only exception are the fruit and vegetables stowed in the fresh food locker.
Salt and pepper are used in liquid form on the International Space Station
Seasonings like salt and pepper have to be used in liquid form and dispensed through a bottle on the space station. If they were granulated, the particles would float away before they even reached the food.
Food can taste bland in space
Some people who live in space have said that food is not the same while in microgravity. Some say that it tastes bland, some do not like their favorite foods and some love to eat foods they would never eat on Earth. We believe this phenomenon is caused by something called “stuffy head” This happens when crew member’s heads get stopped up because blood collects in the upper part of the body. For this reason, hot sauce is used A LOT on the space station to make up for the bland flavor.
Astronaut ice cream is not actually eaten on the space station
Even though astronaut ice cream is sold in many science centers and enjoyed by many people on Earth, it’s not actually sent to the space station. That said, whenever there is space in a freezer heading to orbit, the astronauts can get real ice cream onboard!
Instead of bowls there are bags and cans
Most American food is stored in sealed bags, while most Russian food is kept in cans.
With all these new facts about space food, you’ll have plenty to talk about over Thanksgiving dinner.
Here’s a picture of what the crew aboard the space station will enjoy this year:
Smoked Turkey
Candied Yams
Rehydratable Corn
Potatoes Au Gratin
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com
Highway to the skyway in Arches National Park
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Milky Way over Storm Lake, IA
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A 340-million pixel starscape from Paranal Credit: ESO/S. Guisard
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Hubbles image of the Tarantula Nebula with an estimate 800,000 stars
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If Earth had Saturn’s Rings
From an excellent post by Jason Davis
From Washington, D.C., the rings would only fill a portion of the sky, but appear striking nonetheless. Here, we see them at sunrise.
From Guatemala, only 14 degrees above the equator, the rings would begin to stretch across the horizon. Their reflected light would make the moon much brighter.
From Earth’s equator, Saturn’s rings would be viewed edge-on, appearing as a thin, bright line bisecting the sky.
At the March and September equinoxes, the Sun would be positioned directly over the rings, casting a dramatic shadow at the equator.
At midnight at the Tropic of Capricorn, which sits at 23 degrees south latitude, the Earth casts a shadow over the middle of the rings, while the outer portions remain lit.
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Daily Affirmation 386.
Your asexuality is not something you should be ashamed of. Your asexuality is not something that you should regret because of how it might affect your relationships. Your asexuality is not bad, regrettable, or shameful.
Daily Affirmation 388.
You are never required to explain how your asexuality works. You are never required to defend your asexuality. You are allowed to walk away from people who expect you to.
Instead of saying “Asexuality isn’t a disability! Asexual people aren’t disabled,” try “Asexuality isn’t a disability by itself, but there are disabled asexual people and their orientations are just as valid as nondisabled asexual people.”
Solar System: 5 Things To Know This Week
Our solar system is huge, so let us break it down for you. Here are 5 things to know this week:
1. Dancing with a Star
Our local star, better known as the sun, teems with activity. This month NASA has been tracking regions that burst with magnetic loops. The Solar Dynamics Observatory is one of several space-based assets that keep tabs on the sun daily, watching as charged particles trace the magnetic field, forming bright lines as they emit light in ultraviolet wavelengths.
2. An Idyll for Ida
On Nov. 24, the asteroid Ida makes its closest approach to Earth (at a very safe distance). Ida is the first asteroid found to have its own moon, and the second ever visited by a spacecraft. Its close encounter happened in 1993 as Galileo flew by en route to Jupiter.
3. Moonshine
On Nov. 23, the Cassini spacecraft will fly near Saturn’s icy moon Tethys. Several instruments aboard Cassini will collect data, including an eight-frame color image mosaic. Between Nov. 27 and Dec. 2, Cassini will have very limited communications with Earth, because Cassini will enter solar conjunction, when Cassini and Saturn are on the other side of the Sun from Earth.
4. The Moon Will Occult Aldebaran
That may sound ominous, but all it means is that Earth’s moon will pass in front of the giant red star Aldebaran on Nov. 26. Aldebaran is the bright “eye” of the constellation Taurus. The event will only be visible in some parts of North America. Details can be found HERE.
5. One Wild Ride, One Year Later
What a year it’s been for the Rosetta mission since the Philae lander came to rest on the surface of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in November 2014. A steady flow of data from the orbiter, together with several days of information sent from the lander, is providing a detailed picture of this remnant from the creation of the solar system.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com