YES, THIS IS REAL: NOAA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR), on a mission to monitor the solar wind a million miles from Earth, has taken a unique picture of the Earth-Moon system. It shows the farside of the Moon crossing the iconic “blue marble” on July 16th. Click to witness the transit:
DSCOVR is a partnership between NOAA, NASA, and the U.S. Air Force. The July 16th images were captured by NASA’s Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC), a four megapixel CCD camera and telescope onboard the distant observatory.
Because the Moon is tidally locked to Earth, only one side is visible from our planet. The unseen farside of the Moon was shrouded in mystery until 1959 when the Soviet Luna 3 spacecraft swung around the Moon and photographed it for the first time. DSCOVR will repeat the trick about twice a year as observatory periodically crosses the orbital plane of the Moon.
Once EPIC begins regular observations next month, NASA will post daily color images of Earth to a dedicated public website. These images, showing different views of the planet as it rotates through the day, will be available 12 to 36 hours after they are acquired. Read the NASA press release for more information.
This white structure above was found recently on the moon in an old Apollo 11 photo. Streetcap1 of Youtube found it and I have to admit its pretty damn good. The white tower also has a black sphere in its top. It looks like a hole, but it is a solid black sphere.
I looked deeper into the photo and had trouble not finding things. Yeah, you heard me right. There was just to much in this photo to easily dismiss as natural.
Can you see the square shaped building in the screenshots above and below? This looks similar to the base seen in the NASA publicity photo taken by the newspaper (Click here to view old post).
The city in the screenshot below is harder to make out, but if you allow you eyes to adjust to the black and white, you will soon easily see it.
This unusual tower stands out among the flat grey surface of the moon.
The screenshot below shows a triangular mothership at dock and nearby is a city on the surface.
My favorite find in this photo, is the hovering mothership in the screenshot below. It has a front and back similar to ships we see on the water today. Takes a few seconds to see it clearly. Let your eyes adjust to the black/white for a few seconds.
In the screenshot below, there is an alien base. Each part is made of separate rectangle sections and is easy to make out.
Below is a structure I found that reveals part of its wall and a black shiny dome over it.
Google Moon Reveals Many Artificial Craters On The Moon And More!, Jan 2014, UFO Sighting News.
Date of discovery: Unknown
Location of sighting: Earths Moon
Coordinates: 22°42’48.71″N 142°35’12.58″E
Sometimes when you are looking for something…you find it and then some. Here is such a case. I wanted to confirm a structure someone emailed me about today, but I was clearly distracted by so many structures that I lost count in the first minute. Here are some screenshots I took while looking at Google Moon. Just copy and paste the coordinates into the search box and hit google moon. But don’t stop there. Have a look around and maybe, just maybe it may open your mind more than you thought possible.
What we have here are artificial craters that are actually alien structures. Not five or ten, but thousands, so relax and zoom in on some of these amazing and thought provoking structures. They are real, both the structures and alien species. But if its too much for you, take a deep breath and go do something else…and come back when you are ready. SCW
Click Photo to enlarge.
Click to enlarge, but looks better if you search Google Map for it.
To find it look for the black square on the moon. Looks like the photos below. All the structures are all around this black area square…no one location…you will see.
Go to this area to find the pyramid or triangle structure below.
Photo below shows exact location of triangle structure.
This animation shows Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and Jupiter making one full revolution. Saturn and Uranus also appear in their own respective orbits around the sun. Earth orbits about 12 times for every single orbit of Jupiter. When Earth passes between the sun and Jupiter, we see Jupiter opposite the sun in our sky. We call that an opposition of Jupiter.
Today Earth passes between the sun and Jupiter, placing Jupiter opposite the sun in our sky. Astronomers call this event an opposition of Jupiter. The 2012 opposition is Jupiter’s closest until 2021. Jupiter shines more brightly than any star in the night sky. It is in a region of the sky filled with bright stars, near the bright star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus.
The clocks in Austin, Texas, say the opposition is tonight at 8 p.m. on December 2. Yet, according to Universal Time – the standard clock time at the meridian of 0o longitude – the opposition of Jupiter happens at 2 a.m. on December 3. The opposition happens at the same instant worldwide but at different clock times.
For the fun of it, we also show the asteroid Vesta’s place in front of the constellation Taurus on the feature chart at top, because this world will be at opposition and closest to Earth on December 9, 2012. More than likely, you’ll need an optical aid, a dark sky and a good sky chart to see Vesta. The moonless nights accompanying the Geminid meteor shower on December 12, 13 and 14 should be great spotting the asteroid Vesta (possibly even with the unaided eye).
One thousand Earths could fit inside Jupiter. Image credit: NASA
But for now, we return our focus on Jupiter, the largest world in our solar system. It shines well over four thousand times more brightly than the asteroid Vesta.
Jupiter comes to opposition every 13 months or so, as Earth takes this long to travel once around the sun relative to Jupiter. Jupiter’s closest approach to Earth for the year always falls on or near this planet’s opposition date. In 2012, Jupiter came nearest to Earth on December 1, at 15 hours Universal Time (9 a.m. Central Time). Then Jupiter was only 378 million miles (609 million kilometers) away. Because Jupiter passed its perihelion – or closest point to the sun – in March 2011, the giant planet is now getting farther from the sun. As a result, at this opposition, Jupiter is as close as it will be until the year 2021.
And, because it’s opposite the sun around now, you can see Jupiter at any time of night. For example – as today’s chart shows – you can see it in the south at midnight tonight, when the sun is below your feet. At dawn tomorrow, you’ll see Jupiter low in your western sky. At opposition, Jupiter shines at its brightest in our sky.
Jupiter is bright! It will be shining more brightly than any of the surrounding stars. This photo of Jupiter is from November 18, 2012. It’s from EarthSky Facebook friend Carlos Colon Sr.
You would need at least 80 Jupiters — rolled into a ball — to be hot enough inside for thermonuclear reactions to ignite. In other words, Jupiter is not massive enough to shine as stars do. But Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. So when the sun goes down on this early December night, you might — if you’re fanciful enough — imagine bright Jupiter as a tiny sun all night long.
Bottom line: Be sure to look for Jupiter on the night of December 2-3, 2012, the night of Jupiter’s opposition. The planet shines in front of the constellation Taurus, very near the brightest star in Taurus, Aldebaran. This opposition of Jupiter brings Earth’s closest encounter with Jupiter until the year 2021!
For the last two decades I am closely monitoring the occurrence of Earthquakes and its connection with the position of astronomical bodies like Sun and moon.
The following interpretations were arrived at, based on the study.
The occurrence of earthquakes in the earthquake vulnerable areas is more during the full moon days. Mainly, areas in the Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, Andaman etc are most vulnerable for earthquake.The closeness of the moon during the lunar perigee phase ( perigee-closest to the earth ) trigger earthquakes near subduction zones. Subduction zones are areas where the tectonic plates slip under another plate thus creating a displacement. Java trench, where the boundary between Indo Australian plate and Eurasian plate is vulnerable for earthquakes. This resulted in the Sumatra earthquake.
The recent Japan earthquake occurred where the Pacific pate slips below north American plate.
Sun affects the earth in many ways. When there is full moon or lunar perigee, if a Solar flare occurs there is strong chance for an earthquake in earthquake vulnerable areas where strain is accumulated in the subduction zones where the tectonic plate boundary lies.
As I said earlier Solar flares trigger earthquakes. . A solar flare is a large explosion in theSun‘s atmosphere. Solar flares affect all layers of the solar atmosphere (photosphere,chromosphere, and corona), heating plasma to tens of millions of kelvins and acceleratingelectrons, protons, and heavier ions to near the speed of light. Sun is getting violent duc to the condition called the approach of Solar maxima which is from 2011-2013.
Please note that the 2004 Dec 26 earthquake was preceded by a prominent solar flare
Similarly the Japan earthquake of March 11 2011 was preceded by a solar flare.( report on solar flare attached. Link is given below.
The position of moon affects the formation of tides. The earth’s interior is in liquid form. That liquid is also vulnerable to the moon’s pull. This pull results in the displacement of tectonic plates, resulting in earthquakes. So if there is a full moon or new moon approaching and if a solar flare occurs then there is chance for an earthquake.
Points
Dec 26 2004 was full moon day. Sumatra earthquake( magnitude 9.3) occurred on that day.
Sept 30 1993 the day before full moon day. Deadly earthquake in Latur( magnitude 6.2)
Oct 23 1991 two days before full moon. Deadly Uttar Kasi earthquake ( magnitude 6.6)
March 27 1964 Alaska earthquake ( magnitude 9.2) occurred before the full moon day.
Nov 21 1833 Sumatra earthquake( Magnitude 9.2) two days later was the full moon day.
Feb 27 2010 Chile earthquake(( Magnitude 8.8) next day was full moon day.
On Jan 19 2011 Pakistan earthquake occurred. It was fullmoon.
Feb 22 2011 Newzealand. Feb 18th was full moon
Now full moon is approaching and it is the time for the SUPER MOON. That is moon is closes to the earth on 19th . It will be less than around 358000 Kms from the earth.
This approach of the moon is the reason behind the occurance of March 11 Honshu earthquake and the fore shocks and after shocks.
There is a chance for a major earthquake especially in the plate boundaries in the Pacific and near Java trench ( Indonesia)during this period. Indian subcontinent is also vulnerable.
Computer-generated image depicting a view of Earth as seen from the surface of the asteroid Toutatis.
CREDIT: NASA/JPL
Earth has two moons, a group of scientists argues. One is that waxing and waning nightlight we all know and love. The other is a tiny asteroid, no bigger than a Smart Car, making huge doughnuts around Earth for a while before it zips off into the distance.
That’s the scenario posited by the scientists in a paper published Dec. 20 in the planetary science journal ICARUS. The researchers say there is a space rock at least 1 meter (3.3 feet) wide orbiting Earth at any given time. They’re not always the same rock, but rather an ever-changing cast of “temporary moons.”
In the scientists’ theoretical model, our planet’s gravity captures these asteroids as they pass near us on their way around the sun. When one is drawn in, it typically makes three irregularly shaped swings around Earth — sticking with us for about nine months — before hurtling on its way.
According to the researchers, surprisingly little attention has been paid to Earth’s natural satellites other than the moon, despite the fact that they’re sure to exist. “There are lots of asteroids in the solar system, so chances for the Earth to capture one at any time is, in a sense, not surprising,” said co-author Jeremie Vauballion, an astronomer at the Paris Observatory in France.
The group claims that its paper is the first effort to theoretically model the orbits and sizes of Earth’s temporary second moons. The researchers’ results are consistent with observations of one such “temporarily-captured asteroid” that is believed to have orbited Earth for about a year starting in June 2006. The object, labeled 2006 RH120, was discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona; estimated to be between 10 and 20 feet (3 and 6 meters) wide, it appeared to be orbiting Earth from two moon-distances away.
Mikael Gravnik, a physicist at the University of Helsinki and lead author of the new paper, says 2006 RH120 was probably discovered because it was slightly larger than most of the other “temporary moons” that come traipsing through our planetary system. Most of the hobo moons are only about 1 meter wide.
“Objects of this size are too faint to be detected when being at a distance of, say, a few lunar distances from the Earth,” Gravnik told Life’s Little Mysteries.”When coming closer in during their orbit, they are moving too fast to be detected, because the limited amount of photons is spread over too many pixels.”
These limitations mean we don’t currently have a way of finding our second moons. But an observatory called the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), planned to open in Chile in 2015, could change that.
“We hope that LSST will do something about this, but dedicated programs will without doubt be even better,” Vauballion said. “Statistic study is still needed to see where and how to look for them.”
NASA’s Spaceguard Survey tracks the paths of all near-Earth objects (NEOs) in Earth’s neighborhood that are larger than 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) in diameter, but the scientists are less concerned with bodies that are too small to pose a threat to Earth — as is the case when they’re just 1 meter wide.
But if our distant, noncommittal moons don’t threaten Earth, and are much too dim to act as nightlights, does it matter that they’re there at all?
According to astronomers, it does. Some researchers say it might be possible to go and get one of these temporary moons and bring it back to Earth for analysis.
“When found, such an asteroid will immediately raise the question whether or not we should go, and I’m ready to bet that many astronomers will argue that we definitely have to go!” Vaubaillon said in an email. “The reason is simple: What astronomers would not want to have a full and intact (unaltered by any physical process) piece of space rock? Meteorites are all altered because they go through our atmosphere. The only piece of asteroid we have comes from the Japanese Hayabusa mission (a few grams at the very most). The comet grains the Stardust mission got back from comet Wild 2 were all altered.”
Clark Chapman, senior scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., said a lot could be learned from the retrieval of a temporary satellite. “No doubt it is true that temporarily captured NEOs would be comparatively easy to get to and get back from ― it wouldn’t take an especially powerful rocket, and round-trip times would be short,” said Chapman, who is an expert on asteroid impact hazards.
Gravnik said, “We certainly hope that a space mission to a natural Earth satellite would someday materialize, and have actually already started a collaboration with experts in spacecraft orbital mechanics to find out how a mission from the Earth to a temporary satellite could be accomplished.”
MYSTERY OF THE LUNAR IONOSPHERE: How can a world without air have an ionosphere? Somehow the Moon has done it. Lunar researchers have been struggling with this mystery for years, and they may have finally found a solution. [video]
‘Observe the Moon Night’ to Light Up Skywatchers on Saturday
by Denise Chow, SPACE.com Staff Writer
Date: 07 October 2011 Time: 02:54 PM ET
A setting, waning crescent moon amid the thin line of Earth’s atmosphere.
CREDIT: NASA
This weekend, the nearly full moon will to take center stage Saturday night for skywatchers around the world.
Amateur astronomers and casual stargazers are gearing up for the second annual International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday (Oct. 8), in what promises to be a fun and stimulating public event, organizers say.
NASA and lunar enthusiasts the world over are set to celebrate Earth’s natural satellite tomorrow in a worldwide event designed to engage people in lunar science and education. Space enthusiasts and the general public are invited to gather together, look up, and learn more about the enchanting moon
nternational Observe the Moon Night got its start after two earlier NASA celebrations that aimed to spark interest and enthusiasm about Earth’s nearest neighbor in the sky.
The full moon is expected to peak on Oct. 12, but it will be the smallest and most distant full moon of the year. This year’s International Observe the Moon Night also coincides with the peak of the Draconid meteor shower, which is expected to deliver hundreds of “shooting stars” per hour. But, the meteor shower’s peak could be largely invisible to skywatchers, since it occurs during daylight hours in NorthAmerica, and elsewhere, the nearly full moon will likely outshine the pretty light show.
Several NASA centers, such as the Ames Research Center in Mountain View, Calif., Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will host public events tomorrow night.
The event organizers include scientists, educators and moon buffs from government, non-profit organizations and businesses across the U.S. and the world.
“We believe in the inspirational power of the moon — a celestial body that has influenced human lives since the dawn of time,” the event’s website reads. “Through International Observe the Moon Night, we hope [to] instill in the public a sense of wonderment and curiosity about our moon.”
Last year, there were 278 moon-watching events in more than 40 countries, including China, Germany and Egypt.
NASA has one spacecraft circling the moon, a pair of small spacecraft that recently entered into the moon’s orbit, and a pair of twin probes that are expected to arrive at the moon by New Year’s Day.
The unmanned Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has been circling the moon since June 2009. The car-size spacecraft recently snapped images of three Apollo landing sites that revealed new details about the regions on the moon that were visited by humans. The $504 million probe is currently on an extended mission through at least September 2012.
The two small Artemis probes, which stand for Acceleration, Reconnection, Turbulence and Electrodynamics of the Moon’s Interaction with the Sun, began their lunar orbit journey over a year and a half ago. This summer, both probes entered into lunar orbit, where they will study the moon’s interior and surface composition.
Last month, NASA successfully launched two identical spacecraft on a mission to unlock mysteries of the moon that are hidden beneath its surface. The $496 million Grail mission (short for Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory) will closely study the interior of the moon, from crust to core, and will map the moon’s gravitational field in unprecedented detail.
Urban shaman, eco-ceremonialist, ritual expert and consultant
The Moon: Our Cosmic Mother
Posted: 8/23/11 11:25 AM ET
Avid moon watcher that I am, I must confess that I never could recognize the face of the man in the moon. How could anyone conceivably mistake that face — that round, profoundly gentle face, jolly and eternally indulgent, that unconditionally comforting countenance — for male?
The dark marks that define her features are in reality the bodies of water on her surface: the sea of tranquility, the ocean of storms and the sea of fertility. Sounds like a woman to me! My version of the ma’am in the moon will always be Aunt Jemima. The ultimate maternal perfection fantasy figure: purveyor of affection, protection and pancakes.
Women are inextricably connected to the moon, to her rhythms and waves. A woman’s blood waxes and wanes with the moon. Her urges and juices ebb and flow. And the moon, as she grows from crescent to full every month, mimics the pregnant swell of a woman’s belly, or a bunny’s, or a dog’s.
The moon as mother is a prevalent, primal mythological theme. The West African Nigeriens believe that the great moon mother sends the moon bird to Earth to deliver babies. The Baganda of Central Africa bathe their newborns by the light of the first full moon following birth. In Ashanti tradition, the moon Akua’ba, is a fertility figure. Women carry effigies of her tucked into their skirts at the small of their backs as an aid to conception and a guarantee of sturdy children.
Moon, O Mother Moon, O Mother Moon,
Mother of living things,
Hear our voice, O Mother Moon!
O Mother Moon! O Mother Moon!
– Gabon Pygmy Song
Women in Europe did the same. During the Renaissance, long after the mass acceptance of Christianity, it was understood that if a woman wanted anything, she should pray not to God, but to the moon mother for succor. Saint Augustine denounced women for dancing “impudently and filthily all the day long upon the days of the new moon,” even as their Hebrew sisters were scorned for wearing lunar amulets by the biblical prophets in Isaiah 3:18.
Courtesy U.S. Naval Observatory
