Universe Today - September 13, 2000 |
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the U N I V E R S E T O D A Y Space Exploration News From Around the Internet, Updated Every Weekday. September 13, 2000 - Issue #307 http://www.universetoday.com info@universetoday.com An HTML version of this newsletter including pictures is available at: http://www.universetoday.com/html/misc/today.html ************************************** Space note... Well, I gave NBC a call yesterday to find out exactly how people can become contestants for "Destination Mir". They plan to announce the methods in about a month or so, and you'll definitely be able to sign up over the web. As soon as I hear more, I'll let you know, but for now, don't bother calling either NBC or MirCorp - you'll just be wasting your time. I wonder if they'll allow international contestants? Everything I've read so far says "13-15 American contestants". Fraser Cain Publisher Universe Today ************************************** -- UNIVERSE TODAY STORY SUMMARY -- * Astronomers Discover Medium-Sized Black Hole * Station Gets Upgraded Batteries * Stardust's Vision Getting Blurry ASTRONOMERS DISCOVER MEDIUM-SIZED BLACK HOLE ------------------------- Using the Chandra X-Ray Observatory, astronomers have discovered a medium-sized black hole in the galaxy M82. Until now, only two types of black holes were observed: holes the mass of a star, or holes the mass of millions or billions of stars. This new black hole is roughly 500 times more massive than our own own Sun, but no bigger than the moon. It's unlikely that it formed from just one star, and has probably gobbled up several stars or other black holes. Original Source: http://www1.msfc.nasa.gov/NEWSROOM/news/releases/2000/00-270.html Internet Coverage: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_922000/922907.stm http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/09/12/new.black.hole/index.html http://www.discovery.com/news/briefs/20000912/sp_blackhole.html http://www.foxnews.com/science/091200/blackholes.sml http://www.msnbc.com/news/458932.asp Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/chandra.html http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/blackholes.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/blackholes.html http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/x-rayastronomy.html Related Books: http://www.universetoday.com/html/books/blackholes.html http://www.universetoday.com/html/books/xrayastronomy.html STATION GETS UPGRADED BATTERIES ------------------------- The crew of the space shuttle Atlantis undertook several projects yesterday to prepare the International Space Station for permanent inhabitants. The goal was to bring full power to the two Russian segments of the station, and that involved installing batteries in both Zvezda and Zarya. Atlantis is expected to undock from the station on Sunday, and finish its 12-day mission on September 20th. Original Source: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/spacenews/reports/sts106/STS-106-11.html">Space Shuttle Press Release Internet Coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/09/13/space.station.01.ap/index.html http://www.discovery.com/news/briefs/20000913/sp_ap_shuttle.html http://www.msnbc.com/news/455677.asp http://www.flatoday.com/space/explore/stories/2000b/091300m.htm http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts106/000913fd6/ http://www.spaceviews.com/2000/09/13a.html Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/shuttle.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/spaceshuttle.html Related Books: http://www.universetoday.com/html/books/spaceshuttle.html STARDUST'S VISION GETTING BLURRY ------------------------- NASA mission controllers are trying to understand what could be obscuring the camera on board Stardust. Currently past the orbit of Mars, and three years away from its encounter with Comet Wild-2, the spacecraft will still be able to complete its primary mission - to collect comet particles and return them to Earth - even with a blurry camera. Controllers believe they can boil this unknown goo away with heat, either using a heater on board the spacecraft, or pointing the affected areas at the sun. Original Source: http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/news/status/000908.html Internet Coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/09/12/stardust.problem/index.html Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/stardust.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/comets.html http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/missions.html Related Books: http://www.universetoday.com/html/books/comets.html http://www.universetoday.com/html/books/nasa.html ------------------------- To unsubscribe from this newsletter, just reply with only the subject line "UNSUBSCRIBE !*EMAIL*!". All contents copyright (c) 2000 Universe Today |