Universe Today - October 28, 1999

Universe Today - October 28, 1999

the
U N I V E R S E
T O D A Y

Space Exploration News From Around the Internet, Updated Every Weekday.
October 28th, 1999 - Issue #117
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Watch "DEEP SKY", tonight on SpaceWatch

Between a rock and a hot place...Earth lies between the biggest
body in our solar system and the sun. Elsewhere in the galaxy,
according to this week's guest, Brad Schaefer, magnetism from
Jupiter-size planets can incite enormous star-flares that sear
entire systems.

Though flares on the surface of our sun are observed frequently,
nothing of that magnitude has been recorded in this solar system.

But could a solar superflare have once braised the earth, as a
necessary precondition for life?

Check it out: http://www.spacewatch.com

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Space News from SpaceDaily.com for today

Robots Could Refuel SpySats
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/fuel-99c.html

Kazakhstan Bans Russian Launches
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/proton-99l.html

General Ivachov Warns US On ABM Treaty
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/bmdo-99o.html

Upper Stage Fuel Leak Delays Proton
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/indonesia-99f.html

Jupiter Zaps Galileo With Radiation
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/galileo-99l.html

Breathing Oxygen Into Primordial Snowballs
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/earth-99e.html

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-- UNIVERSE TODAY STORY SUMMARY --

* Space Station Moved to Avoid Debris
* Hubble Resolves Elliptical Galaxy Filled with Blue Stars
* NASA Decides to Use Original Polar Lander Site
* Russian Rocket Explodes Six Minutes Into Launch
* Giant Telescope Resolves X-Ray Jet in Nearby Galaxy
* Physicist Challenges Speed of Light


SPACE STATION MOVED TO AVOID DEBRIS
------------------------
NASA controllers raised the orbit of the International Space
Station 1.5 kilometers to avoid potential impact with a piece
of space junk. Readings from NORAD predicted that a spent rocket
booster would pass within 1.4 kilometers of the
station - too close for comfort.

http://www.astronomynow.com/breaking/9910/26station/index.html
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/102799/space_debris.sml
http://www.msnbc.com/news/327818.asp
http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/10/26a.html


HUBBLE RESOLVES ELLIPTICAL GALAXY FILLED WITH BLUE STARS
------------------------
The precise imaging of the Hubble Space Telescope allowed
astronomers to resolve incredible detail of the galaxy M32,
located in the constellation of Andromeda. The images are so
detailed, it's possible to pick out many of the 8,000 blue
stars that make up the galaxy.

http://www.astronomynow.com/breaking/9910/26hubble/index.html
http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/10/27a.html


NASA DECIDES TO USE ORIGINAL POLAR LANDER SITE
------------------------
Using new images provided by the Mars Global Surveyor, NASA
engineers had concerns that their choice of landing spot for
the Mars Polar Lander might be too dangerous. But after
further evaluation, the team has decided to stick with their
original location, and take the risk.

http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/26/mars.landing.site/index.html
http://www.msnbc.com/news/304520.asp


RUSSIAN ROCKET EXPLODES SIX MINUTES INTO LAUNCH
------------------------
A Russian Proton rocket carrying a Lockheed Martin satellite
exploded six minutes after liftoff. Launched from the Baikonur
cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the rocket appears to have failed
when the second stage of the rocket fired. This is the same
rocket scheduled to launch the Zvezda module later this year.

http://cnn.com/TECH/space/9910/27/proton.explodes/index.html
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/102799/rocket.sml
http://www.msnbc.com/news/284079.asp
http://www.flatoday.com/space/today/102899f.htm
http://www.spaceviews.com/1999/10/27b.html


GIANT TELESCOPE RESOLVES X-RAY JET IN NEARBY GALAXY
------------------------
Using many telescopes to act as a single giant telescope,
astronomers have been able to resolve a mysterious jet at
the center of galaxy M87 with incredible detail. It's assumed
that the jet is caused by a giant black hole at the galaxy's
core, which spins rapidly, and fires material out in a thin jet.

http://www.astronomynow.com/breaking/9910/27jet/index.html
http://explorezone.com/archives/99_10/28_black_holes.htm
http://www.msnbc.com/news/328283.asp
http://www.spacedaily.com/spacecast/news/hubble-99c.html


PHYSICIST CHALLENGES SPEED OF LIGHT
------------------------
In a recent paper published in the journal Physics Letters,
Physicist John Moffat proposes that the speed of light isn't
a constant, as originally concluded by Einstein, and widely
accepted as fact. Moffat theory proposes that the speed of
light has actually slowed down since the Big Bang.

http://www.flatoday.com/space/today/102899d.htm

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