Astrosphere for October 10th, 2007

First, your photo for the day is of the Trifid Nebula, captured by JAICOA.

In Universe Today news, I'm testing out a new forum/blogging software called Lefora. This could be an eventual new home for Universe Today, or maybe it'll be a botched experiment, quickly forgotten. To help me decide, please take a moment and come check it out at:

http://universetoday.lefora.com/

. Register as a user, comment on stories, start new discussions, post pictures, vote. And give your feedback. I'd really appreciate your help.

Now, onto the 'sphere.

As a tribute for the 100,000th asteroid discovery, researchers have decided to

rename it to Astronautica

.

SPACE.com has

a video

of a potential asteroid mission.

Astronomy.com reports on

the battle to save the Arecibo observatory.

Australian researchers are working on a design for

a self-sufficient lunar colony

.

Didn't you think it was cool that Google redesigned its logo to celebrate Sputnik's 50th anniversary?

Not everyone did, apparently

.

No, that's

not a big glass worm

on the surface of Mars.

Remember the DARPA Grand Challenge, where robotic cars navigated a complex track?

The urban version is about to begin

. Robotic cars on busy city streets. I can't wait.

And finally, Centauri Dreams

remembers Robert Bussard

, inventor of the ram jet that bears his name. He passed away from cancer a few days ago.