<p>An asteroid "large enough to cause global effects," will fly by Earth next month on April 29.</p>

<p>According to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, the asteroid is called 52768 (1998 OR2) and it will pass within 3,908,791 miles of Earth, moving at 19,461 miles per hour.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/oldest-known-asteroid-collision-ended-earths-ice-age-study-275861">Oldest known asteroid collision ended Earth's 'ice age': Study</a></strong></p>

<p>Its estimated timing is 4:56 am as per the space agency.</p>

<p>The asteroid was classified as a potentially hazardous object because it passes near Earth's orbit.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/asteroid-apophis-to-cause-massive-destruction-on-earth-in-2036-says-nasa-24666">Asteroid Apophis to cause massive destruction on Earth in 2036, says NASA</a></strong></p>

<p>However, it is not currently on NASA's list of potential future Earth impact events.&nbsp;</p>

<p>And scientists at NASA's Sentry System believe that it is not expected to collide with our planet.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasas-first-of-its-kind-near-earth-asteroid-mission-lifts-off-6119">NASA's first-of-its kind near-Earth asteroid mission lifts off</a></strong></p>

<p>It's the largest asteroid expected to zip by Earth within the next two months, but it's not the largest ever.</p>

<p>The largest asteroid which flew by Earth was 3122 Florence (1981 ET3).&nbsp;</p>

<p>Fortunately, it missed colliding with it on September 1, 2017.</p>

<p>In addition to tracking Near-Earth Objects that could pose a threat, NASA and other agencies currently have missions underway to study near-Earth asteroids and potentially mitigate the danger of a collision.</p>

<p>The observatory is located on the Cerro Pachón ridge in north-central Chile.</p>


An asteroid "large enough to cause global effects," will fly by Earth next month on April 29. According to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, the asteroid is called 52768 (1998 OR2) and it will pass within 3,908,791 miles of Earth, moving at 19,461 miles per hour.

An asteroid "large enough to cause global effects," will fly by Earth next month on April 29. According to NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, the asteroid is called 52768 (1998 OR2) and it will pass within 3,908,791 miles of Earth, moving at 19,461 miles per hour. Also read: Oldest known asteroid collision ended Earth's 'ice age': Study Its estimated timing is 4:56 am as per the space agency. The asteroid was classified as a potentially hazardous object because it passes near Earth's orbit. Also read: Asteroid Apophis to cause massive destruction on Earth in 2036, says NASA However, it is not currently on NASA's list of potential future Earth impact events. And scientists at NASA's Sentry System believe that it is not expected to collide with our planet. Also read: NASA's first-of-its kind near-Earth asteroid mission lifts off It's the largest asteroid expected to zip by Earth within the next two months, but it's not the largest ever. The largest asteroid which flew by Earth was 3122 Florence (1981 ET3). Fortunately, it missed colliding with it on September 1, 2017. In addition to tracking Near-Earth Objects that could pose a threat, NASA and other agencies currently have missions underway to study near-Earth asteroids and potentially mitigate the danger of a collision. The observatory is located on the Cerro Pachón ridge in north-central Chile.

Asteroid 'large enough to cause global effect' to fly by Earth

<p>American astronauts are to ascend to the International Space Station – with an eye toward the Moon and Mars – as NASA announced that applications are being accepted from March 2 to 31 for the next class of Artemis Generation astronauts. Finalisation of candidates is to be completed by the middle of 2021.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eyeing-moon-nasa-hosts-first-public-astronaut-graduation-ceremony-273598"><strong>Also read: Eyeing Moon, NASA hosts first public astronaut graduation ceremony</strong></a><br />
<br />
350 people have been selected by NASA since the 1960s to train as astronaut candidates for arduous missions in the name of space exploration.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Their current astronaut corp has 48 souls, with room for more as expeditions involving multiple destinations that will propel exploration forward as part of Artemis missions and beyond.</p>

<p>Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator stated that they were celebrating 20 years of continuous presence aboard the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit as of 2020 and are on the verge of sending the first woman and next man to the Moon by 2024.</p>

<p>“For the handful of highly talented women and men we will hire to join our diverse astronaut corps, it’s an incredible time in human spaceflight to be an astronaut. We’re asking all eligible Americans if they have what it to takes to apply beginning March 2,” he added.</p>

<p>Citizenship of the United States of America and a Master's Degree in a STEM field constitutes the basic requirements to apply. Fields such as engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science, or mathematics, from an accredited institution, will be considered.</p>

<p>Master's Degree requirements can also be met by fulfilling any one of the below-mentioned criteria:&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>1: </strong>Two years (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) of work toward a PhD program in related science, technology, engineering or math field;</p>

<p><strong>2: </strong>A completed doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine degree;</p>

<p><strong>3: </strong>Completion (or current enrollment that will result in completion by June 2021) of a nationally recognized test pilot school program.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Need some space? We’ve got the job for you! 👩‍🚀🚀🌕<br />
<br />
We’re accepting applications March 2-31 for the next class of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Artemis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Artemis</a> Generation astronauts. Find out if you have what it takes to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeAnAstronaut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeAnAstronaut</a>: <a href="https://t.co/vwvSH5hz1T">https://t.co/vwvSH5hz1T</a> <a href="https://t.co/mmZ3QYwYut">pic.twitter.com/mmZ3QYwYut</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1227340405676662785?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>Candidates must also possess at least 2 years of related and/or progressively responsible professional experience OR at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Passing the NASA long-duration spaceflight physical is a must for Astronaut candidates.</p>

<p>For the first time as a part of the application process, applicants will be required to take an online assessment which will take around 2 hours to complete.</p>

<p>The new astronauts, upon completion of training, could launch on American rockets and spacecraft developed for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to live and work aboard the International Space Station.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The ISS is situated 250 miles above Earth, where they will take part in experiments that benefit life at home and prepare for more distant exploration.</p>

<p>An alternative to working at the International Space Station could be a launch from NASA’s powerful new Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. The spacecraft will be docked at the Gateway in lunar orbit before taking a new human landing system to the Moon’s surface.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA plans on returning humans to the moon by 2024, after which plans are being made to establish sustainable lunar exploration by 2028. Experience and knowledge gained on and around the moon will allow NASA to send the first humans to Mars, a feat they plan to achieve by mid-2030s.</p>


American astronauts are to ascend to the International Space Station – with an eye toward the Moon and Mars – as NASA announced that applications are being accepted from March 2 to 31 for the next class of Artemis Generation astronauts.

American astronauts are to ascend to the International Space Station – with an eye toward the Moon and Mars – as NASA announced that applications are being accepted from March 2 to 31 for the next class of Artemis Generation astronauts. Finalisation of candidates is to be completed by the middle of 2021. Also read: Eyeing Moon, NASA hosts first public astronaut graduation ceremony 350 people have been selected by NASA since the 1960s to train as astronaut candidates for arduous missions in the name of space exploration. Their current astronaut corp has 48 souls, with room for more as expeditions involving multiple destinations that will propel exploration forward as part of Artemis missions and beyond. Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator stated that they were celebrating 20 years of continuous presence aboard the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit as of 2020 and are on the verge of sending the first woman and next man to the Moon by 2024. “For the handful of highly talented women and men we will hire to join our diverse astronaut corps, it’s an incredible time in human spaceflight to be an astronaut. We’re asking all eligible Americans if they have what it to takes to apply beginning March 2,” he added. Citizenship of the United States of America and a Master's Degree in a STEM field constitutes the basic requirements to apply. Fields such as engineering, biological science, physical science, computer science, or mathematics, from an accredited institution, will be considered. Master's Degree requirements can also be met by fulfilling any one of the below-mentioned criteria: 1: Two years (36 semester hours or 54 quarter hours) of work toward a PhD program in related science, technology, engineering or math field; 2: A completed doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine degree; 3: Completion (or current enrollment that will result in completion by June 2021) of a nationally recognized test pilot school program. Need some space? We’ve got the job for you! 👩‍🚀🚀🌕 We’re accepting applications March 2-31 for the next class of #Artemis Generation astronauts. Find out if you have what it takes to #BeAnAstronaut: https://t.co/vwvSH5hz1T pic.twitter.com/mmZ3QYwYut — NASA (@NASA) February 11, 2020 × Candidates must also possess at least 2 years of related and/or progressively responsible professional experience OR at least 1,000 hours of pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Passing the NASA long-duration spaceflight physical is a must for Astronaut candidates. For the first time as a part of the application process, applicants will be required to take an online assessment which will take around 2 hours to complete. The new astronauts, upon completion of training, could launch on American rockets and spacecraft developed for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to live and work aboard the International Space Station. The ISS is situated 250 miles above Earth, where they will take part in experiments that benefit life at home and prepare for more distant exploration. An alternative to working at the International Space Station could be a launch from NASA’s powerful new Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. The spacecraft will be docked at the Gateway in lunar orbit before taking a new human landing system to the Moon’s surface. NASA plans on returning humans to the moon by 2024, after which plans are being made to establish sustainable lunar exploration by 2028. Experience and knowledge gained on and around the moon will allow NASA to send the first humans to Mars, a feat they plan to achieve by mid-2030s.

Need some space? NASA has got the job for you

<p>NASA has released a video of the moon from the perspective of the astronauts on the aborted Apollo 13 mission.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Earthset, sunrise and stunning views of the cratered surface. 🌒 You can see the far side of the Moon as Apollo 13 astronauts would have seen it in a new visualization using data from our <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAMoon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAMoon</a> Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter. Watch in 4K: <a href="https://t.co/D21gOwRpYV">https://t.co/D21gOwRpYV</a> <a href="https://t.co/BJ749qy8Ke">pic.twitter.com/BJ749qy8Ke</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1234267619156537344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The space agency has created the video in 4K resolution using data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a robotic NASA spacecraft that orbits the moon.</p>

<p>At the beginning of the video, the astronauts are shown in darkness for eight minutes when they were between earth set and sunrise until the lunar terrain emerged.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Mission Control restored 50 years after Apollo 11</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/mission-control-restored-50-years-after-apollo-11-231083/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>It takes the audience on a tour of the different parts of the moon for over a minute as the music plays in the background.</p>

<p>When the Earth is shown in the video, Apollo 13 re-established radio contact with Mission Control according to the space agency.</p>

<p>The end of the video depicts the trajectory the astronauts took around the moon to get home safely.</p>

<p>The astronauts of Apollo 13 had successfully circled the moon and returned safely to Earth.</p>


NASA has released a video of the moon from the perspective of the astronauts on the aborted Apollo 13 mission. Earthset, sunrise and stunning views of the cratered surface.

NASA has released a video of the moon from the perspective of the astronauts on the aborted Apollo 13 mission. Earthset, sunrise and stunning views of the cratered surface. 🌒 You can see the far side of the Moon as Apollo 13 astronauts would have seen it in a new visualization using data from our @NASAMoon Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter. Watch in 4K: https://t.co/D21gOwRpYV pic.twitter.com/BJ749qy8Ke — NASA (@NASA) March 2, 2020 × The space agency has created the video in 4K resolution using data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, a robotic NASA spacecraft that orbits the moon. At the beginning of the video, the astronauts are shown in darkness for eight minutes when they were between earth set and sunrise until the lunar terrain emerged. Watch: Mission Control restored 50 years after Apollo 11 It takes the audience on a tour of the different parts of the moon for over a minute as the music plays in the background. When the Earth is shown in the video, Apollo 13 re-established radio contact with Mission Control according to the space agency. The end of the video depicts the trajectory the astronauts took around the moon to get home safely. The astronauts of Apollo 13 had successfully circled the moon and returned safely to Earth.

Watch: Moon from point of view of Apollo 13's astronauts

<p>NASA needs the public's help to design the perfect rover that can survive Venus's "hellish" landscape.</p>

<p>NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), under a grant from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program, is running a public challenge to develop an obstacle avoidance sensor for a possible future Venus rover.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9C8sBCHg-x/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Exploring Hell. 🔥 Are you up for the challenge? ⁣ ⁣ With a surface temperature in excess of 840 degrees Fahrenheit and a surface pressure 92 times that of Earth, Venus can turn lead into a puddle and crush a nuclear-powered submarine with ease. ⁣ ⁣ It’s an EXTREME world … and we’re calling on YOU to help us explore it! ⁣ ⁣ @NASAJPL is running a public challenge to develop an obstacle avoidance sensor for a possible future Venus rover. Link in bio for more! ⁣ ⁣ 🏆 $15,000 🏆 10,000 🏆 $5,000⁣ ⁣ Image Credit: NASA</a></p>

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<p>It is&nbsp;studying a mission concept to return to Venus known as The Automaton Rover for Extreme Environments (AREE).</p>

<p>This has not been accomplished since the Soviet Vega 2 landed in 1985.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/citizen-scientists-helping-public-see-jupiter-like-its-never-been-seen-before-282314">Citizen scientists helping public see Jupiter like it's never been seen before</a></strong></p>

<p>JPL has issued a challenge to the global community in search of a sensor that would detect and navigate through dangerous situations during its operational life. It would need to sense obstacles such as rocks, crevices and inclines, successfully navigating around the obstruction, enabling the rover to continue to explore and collect more data.</p>

<p>The “Exploring Hell: Avoiding Obstacles on a Clockwork Rover” challenge is seeking the public’s designs for a sensor that could be incorporated into the design concept.</p>

<p>The winning sensor could be the primary mechanism by which the rover detects and navigates around obstructions.</p>

<p>The space agency has offered cash prizes for the challenge. The person who comes first will be awarded $15,000, followed by&nbsp;$10,000 for the second position and&nbsp;$5,000 for the third position.</p>


NASA needs the public's help to design the perfect rover that can survive Venus's "hellish" landscape. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), under a grant from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program, is running a public challenge to develop an obstacle avoidance sensor for a possible future Venus rover.

NASA needs the public's help to design the perfect rover that can survive Venus's "hellish" landscape. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), under a grant from the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program, is running a public challenge to develop an obstacle avoidance sensor for a possible future Venus rover. View this post on Instagram Exploring Hell. 🔥 Are you up for the challenge? ⁣ ⁣ With a surface temperature in excess of 840 degrees Fahrenheit and a surface pressure 92 times that of Earth, Venus can turn lead into a puddle and crush a nuclear-powered submarine with ease. ⁣ ⁣ It’s an EXTREME world … and we’re calling on YOU to help us explore it! ⁣ ⁣ @NASAJPL is running a public challenge to develop an obstacle avoidance sensor for a possible future Venus rover. Link in bio for more! ⁣ ⁣ 🏆 $15,000 🏆 10,000 🏆 $5,000⁣ ⁣ Image Credit: NASA A post shared by NASA (@nasa) on Feb 26, 2020 at 2:00pm PST × It is studying a mission concept to return to Venus known as The Automaton Rover for Extreme Environments (AREE). This has not been accomplished since the Soviet Vega 2 landed in 1985. Also read: Citizen scientists helping public see Jupiter like it's never been seen before JPL has issued a challenge to the global community in search of a sensor that would detect and navigate through dangerous situations during its operational life. It would need to sense obstacles such as rocks, crevices and inclines, successfully navigating around the obstruction, enabling the rover to continue to explore and collect more data. The “Exploring Hell: Avoiding Obstacles on a Clockwork Rover” challenge is seeking the public’s designs for a sensor that could be incorporated into the design concept. The winning sensor could be the primary mechanism by which the rover detects and navigates around obstructions. The space agency has offered cash prizes for the challenge. The person who comes first will be awarded $15,000, followed by $10,000 for the second position and $5,000 for the third position.

NASA seeks public help in developing Venus rover to 'explore hell'

<p>Astronomers in the United States have spotted a new "mini-moon" circling the planet Earth which is about the&nbsp;size of a car.</p>

<p>According to the astronomers, Kacper Wierzchos and Teddy Pruyne of NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, the mini-moon is between 2 to 3 meters wide.</p>

<p>"BIG NEWS, Earth has a new temporarily captured object/Possible mini-moon called 2020 CD3," Wierzchos announced on Twitter.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">BIG NEWS (thread 1/3). Earth has a new temporarily captured object/Possible mini-moon called 2020 CD3. On the night of Feb. 15, my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Teddy Pruyne and I found a 20th magnitude object. Here are the discovery images. <a href="https://t.co/zLkXyGAkZl">pic.twitter.com/zLkXyGAkZl</a></p>
— Kacper Wierzchos (@WierzchosKacper) <a href="https://twitter.com/WierzchosKacper/status/1232460436634656769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The astronomer also said that Asteroid 2020 CD3 which has has been captured by Earth's gravity is lingering around for the past three years.</p>

<p>"The object has just been announced by the MPC and its orbit shows that it entered Earth's orbit some three years ago."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">(2/3) The object has just been announced by the MPC and its orbit shows that it entered Earth's orbit some three years ago. Here is a diagram of the orbit created with the orbit simulator written by Tony Dunn: <a href="https://t.co/2wsJGtexiO">pic.twitter.com/2wsJGtexiO</a></p>
— Kacper Wierzchos (@WierzchosKacper) <a href="https://twitter.com/WierzchosKacper/status/1232461053692268545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>It was a "big deal as out of 1 million known asteroids, this is just the second asteroid known to orbit Earth (after 2006 RH120, which was also discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey)," the astronomer also said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">(3/3) The object has a diameter between 1.9 - 3.5 m assuming a C-type asteroid albedo. But it's a big deal as out of ~ 1 million known asteroids, this is just the second asteroid known to orbit Earth (after 2006 RH120, which was also discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey).</p>
— Kacper Wierzchos (@WierzchosKacper) <a href="https://twitter.com/WierzchosKacper/status/1232461141256749057?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>However, Earth's new neighbour is not in a stable orbit around the planet and is most likely to escape by April.</p>

<p>"It is heading away from the Earth-moon system as we speak," Grigori Fedorets, a research fellow at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland, told New Scientist magazine and was likely to escape in April.</p>

<p>The only other asteroid is known to orbit Earth, 2006 RH120, rotated the planet from September 2006 to June 2007.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Scientists say that there is at least one mini-moon circling the planet at any given time, but most of them go undiscovered due to their small size.</p>


Astronomers in the United States have spotted a new "mini-moon" circling the planet Earth which is about the size of a car. According to the astronomers, Kacper Wierzchos and Teddy Pruyne of NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, the mini-moon is between 2 to 3 meters wide.

Astronomers in the United States have spotted a new "mini-moon" circling the planet Earth which is about the size of a car. According to the astronomers, Kacper Wierzchos and Teddy Pruyne of NASA-funded Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona, the mini-moon is between 2 to 3 meters wide. "BIG NEWS, Earth has a new temporarily captured object/Possible mini-moon called 2020 CD3," Wierzchos announced on Twitter. BIG NEWS (thread 1/3). Earth has a new temporarily captured object/Possible mini-moon called 2020 CD3. On the night of Feb. 15, my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Teddy Pruyne and I found a 20th magnitude object. Here are the discovery images. pic.twitter.com/zLkXyGAkZl — Kacper Wierzchos (@WierzchosKacper) February 26, 2020 × The astronomer also said that Asteroid 2020 CD3 which has has been captured by Earth's gravity is lingering around for the past three years. "The object has just been announced by the MPC and its orbit shows that it entered Earth's orbit some three years ago." (2/3) The object has just been announced by the MPC and its orbit shows that it entered Earth's orbit some three years ago. Here is a diagram of the orbit created with the orbit simulator written by Tony Dunn: pic.twitter.com/2wsJGtexiO — Kacper Wierzchos (@WierzchosKacper) February 26, 2020 × It was a "big deal as out of 1 million known asteroids, this is just the second asteroid known to orbit Earth (after 2006 RH120, which was also discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey)," the astronomer also said. (3/3) The object has a diameter between 1.9 - 3.5 m assuming a C-type asteroid albedo. But it's a big deal as out of ~ 1 million known asteroids, this is just the second asteroid known to orbit Earth (after 2006 RH120, which was also discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey). — Kacper Wierzchos (@WierzchosKacper) February 26, 2020 × However, Earth's new neighbour is not in a stable orbit around the planet and is most likely to escape by April. "It is heading away from the Earth-moon system as we speak," Grigori Fedorets, a research fellow at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland, told New Scientist magazine and was likely to escape in April. The only other asteroid is known to orbit Earth, 2006 RH120, rotated the planet from September 2006 to June 2007. Scientists say that there is at least one mini-moon circling the planet at any given time, but most of them go undiscovered due to their small size.

Earth has a new 'mini-moon' about the size of a car

<p>NASA's robotic InSight lander has for the first time established that Mars is seismically active.</p>

<p>The recent study claimed on Monday that Mars is a constantly tremoring "living" body as they unveiled measurements of seismic activity on the red planet showing similar tremble rates to Earth or the Moon.</p>

<p>The findings were published in the journals Nature Geoscience and Nature Communications.</p>

<div class="photo-play">
<p title="title"><strong><span>Also see: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/nasa-counts-down-to-landing-of-martian-quake-sensor-insight-178934#mars-insight-set-to-land-178924">NASA's InSight lands on Mars to peer into planet's deep interior</a></span></strong></p>
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<p>For 15 months NASA's InSight robot craft scoured the surface of Earth's neighbour, and measured hundreds of so-called "Marsquakes".</p>

<p>These included several tremors that contained the same frequency patterns as tremors caused by the movement of Earth's own tectonic plates.</p>

<p>The InSight lander, which touched down on the planet's surface in November 2018 to begin the first mission to study the deep interior of Mars, has since detected around 450 marsquakes.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasas-insight-sends-first-picture-from-mars-surface-after-safe-landing-179824">NASA's InSight sends first picture from Mars surface after safe landing</a></strong></p>

<p>"This is the first mission focused on taking direct geophysical measurements of any planet besides Earth, and it's given us our first real understanding of Mars' interior structure and geological processes," said Nicholas Schmerr, an assistant professor of geology at the University of Maryland and a co-author of the study in Nature Geoscience.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mars is alive, and I’m getting more of the big picture every day:<br />
<br />
✅ marsquakes!<br />
✅ whirlwinds!<br />
✅ mysterious magnetic pulses!<br />
<br />
Lots of new science, as my team releases findings from my experiments here on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mars?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mars</a>. Read all about it: <a href="https://t.co/bQ6uhIPusV">https://t.co/bQ6uhIPusV</a></p>
— NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAInSight/status/1231980579739930624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another team of researchers found that at least 20 of the quakes measured by the InSight lander had the equivalent strength of a magnitude 3-4 earthquake.</p>

<p>The scientists described two dozen marsquakes in a magnitude 3 to 4 range in the published findings.</p>

<p>The location of some of the larger marsquakes was a region called Cerberus Fossae that bears evidence of volcanic flows, faulting and water on the surface within the past 10 million years, considered recent in geological terms.</p>

<p>"Thus, this area still has activity at depth, perhaps including hot magma. This in turn shows that Mars has regional variability in activity, with some areas still quite active," JPL planetary geophysicist and InSight deputy principal investigator Suzanne Smrekar said.</p>

<p>The existence of seismic activity on Mars had long been suspected but until now had not been definitively detected.</p>


NASA's robotic InSight lander has for the first time established that Mars is seismically active. The recent study claimed on Monday that Mars is a constantly tremoring "living" body as they unveiled measurements of seismic activity on the red planet showing similar tremble rates to Earth or the Moon.

NASA's robotic InSight lander has for the first time established that Mars is seismically active. The recent study claimed on Monday that Mars is a constantly tremoring "living" body as they unveiled measurements of seismic activity on the red planet showing similar tremble rates to Earth or the Moon. The findings were published in the journals Nature Geoscience and Nature Communications. Also see: NASA's InSight lands on Mars to peer into planet's deep interior For 15 months NASA's InSight robot craft scoured the surface of Earth's neighbour, and measured hundreds of so-called "Marsquakes". These included several tremors that contained the same frequency patterns as tremors caused by the movement of Earth's own tectonic plates. The InSight lander, which touched down on the planet's surface in November 2018 to begin the first mission to study the deep interior of Mars, has since detected around 450 marsquakes. Also read: NASA's InSight sends first picture from Mars surface after safe landing "This is the first mission focused on taking direct geophysical measurements of any planet besides Earth, and it's given us our first real understanding of Mars' interior structure and geological processes," said Nicholas Schmerr, an assistant professor of geology at the University of Maryland and a co-author of the study in Nature Geoscience. Mars is alive, and I’m getting more of the big picture every day: ✅ marsquakes! ✅ whirlwinds! ✅ mysterious magnetic pulses! Lots of new science, as my team releases findings from my experiments here on #Mars. Read all about it: https://t.co/bQ6uhIPusV — NASA InSight (@NASAInSight) February 24, 2020 × Another team of researchers found that at least 20 of the quakes measured by the InSight lander had the equivalent strength of a magnitude 3-4 earthquake. The scientists described two dozen marsquakes in a magnitude 3 to 4 range in the published findings. The location of some of the larger marsquakes was a region called Cerberus Fossae that bears evidence of volcanic flows, faulting and water on the surface within the past 10 million years, considered recent in geological terms. "Thus, this area still has activity at depth, perhaps including hot magma. This in turn shows that Mars has regional variability in activity, with some areas still quite active," JPL planetary geophysicist and InSight deputy principal investigator Suzanne Smrekar said. The existence of seismic activity on Mars had long been suspected but until now had not been definitively detected.

NASA robotic lander InSight confirms quakes on Mars

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-to-explore-venus-moons-of-jupiter-and-neptune-next-280844">NASA</a> is taking the help of citizen scientists to unveil a side of Jupiter that's never been seen before.</p>

<p>The agency is tapping the potential of amateur astronomers for assistance with its ongoing Juno mission.</p>

<p>Since 2016, the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasas-juno-successfully-begins-orbiting-jupiter-1818">Juno spacecraft</a> has circled <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-to-explore-venus-moons-of-jupiter-and-neptune-next-280844">Jupiter</a>, scanning the atmosphere and mapping its magnetic and gravitational fields.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-to-explore-venus-moons-of-jupiter-and-neptune-next-280844"><strong> NASA to explore Venus, moons of Jupiter and Neptune next</strong></a></p>

<p>It's also carrying JunoCam, a camera specifically designed to record images of the poles and the areas of the gas giant which have not been documented properly before.</p>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">According to Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, co-investigator responsible for JunoCam, "we do not have a formal imaging science team on Juno, so we have turned to the public to help us out".</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph"><img alt="Jupiter " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9d615fff-ea2f-4310-a738-6c58885c28cf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%286%29_0.jpg" /></div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph"><em>In photo: A collage of the ultra-wide-view of Jupiter</em></div>

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<div class="zn-body__paragraph"><em>(Image courtesy: NASA)</em></div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">The amateur astronomy community assists with planning, she explains, determining when JunoCam should photograph the planet and where.</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">Once images are sent back to Earth, the public has access to raw data, which, with a little photo editing know-how, have been processed into some of the most stunning images yet seen of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science-tech/nasas-juno-successfully-begins-orbiting-jupiter-1818">Jupiter</a>.</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="zn-body__read-all">
<div class="zn-body__paragraph">"I don't know what we would do without them!" says Hansen-Koharcheck. "Over the past two years we have come to rely on them ... as important members of our virtual team."</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">Most the submitters create JunoCam images for the love of science.</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="zn-body__paragraph">Designed to withstand at least seven orbits, JunoCam is still operational after 26 trips around Jupiter, with the promise of more photography to come. The mission has already been extended once and the team behind it is exploring extending it further, says Hansen-Koharcheck.</div>
</div>


NASA is taking the help of citizen scientists to unveil a side of Jupiter that's never been seen before. The agency is tapping the potential of amateur astronomers for assistance with its ongoing Juno mission.

NASA is taking the help of citizen scientists to unveil a side of Jupiter that's never been seen before. The agency is tapping the potential of amateur astronomers for assistance with its ongoing Juno mission. Since 2016, the Juno spacecraft has circled Jupiter, scanning the atmosphere and mapping its magnetic and gravitational fields. Also read: NASA to explore Venus, moons of Jupiter and Neptune next It's also carrying JunoCam, a camera specifically designed to record images of the poles and the areas of the gas giant which have not been documented properly before. According to Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, co-investigator responsible for JunoCam, "we do not have a formal imaging science team on Juno, so we have turned to the public to help us out". In photo: A collage of the ultra-wide-view of Jupiter (Image courtesy: NASA) The amateur astronomy community assists with planning, she explains, determining when JunoCam should photograph the planet and where. Once images are sent back to Earth, the public has access to raw data, which, with a little photo editing know-how, have been processed into some of the most stunning images yet seen of Jupiter. "I don't know what we would do without them!" says Hansen-Koharcheck. "Over the past two years we have come to rely on them ... as important members of our virtual team." Most the submitters create JunoCam images for the love of science. Designed to withstand at least seven orbits, JunoCam is still operational after 26 trips around Jupiter, with the promise of more photography to come. The mission has already been extended once and the team behind it is exploring extending it further, says Hansen-Koharcheck.

Citizen scientists helping public see Jupiter like it's never been seen before

<p>Teams from around the globe will compete in NASA's Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the US Space &amp; Rocket Center in Aprile, the space agency announced on Wednesday.</p>

<p>According to the statement, over 100 teams are expected to participate, including teams from 27 states and 11 countries. The countries include Brazil, Germany, Egypt, Singapore, India and Mexico.</p>

<p>"The 26th edition of the annual event, managed by the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, features students from high schools, colleges and universities around the world designing, engineering and testing a human-powered rover to take on a course simulating terrain found on the Moon and Mars, as well as other planets, moons and asteroids," NASA said in the announcement.</p>

<p>One female and one male driver will pilot each team’s lightweight rover across a gruelling half-mile course that features obstacles and scientific challenges designed to force teams to think like NASA mission planners and planetary explorers.</p>

<p>"While previous contests focused on finishing the course as quickly as possible, the challenge now focuses on strategy over speed," NASA stated.</p>

<p>The participants will be given a course map and task descriptions before the event which would allow them to devise a plan of attack that would suit the strengths of each team.</p>

<p>&nbsp;"Among the rule changes for the 2020 challenge is the addition of one minute -- for a total of eight minutes -- to finish the course, which gives teams a greater opportunity to complete more of the optional 14 obstacles and five science tasks. Additionally, NASA no longer allows teams to utilize pneumatic tires or other commercially purchased wheels on their vehicles."</p>

<p>Rover Challenge reflects the goals of NASA's Artemis Program, which seeks to put the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024.</p>

<p>Like the Artemis Program, the event draws the best and brightest minds from around the world. Through the event, NASA hopes to engage, inspire and develop the next generation of engineers, scientists, astronauts, mission planner and NASA team members.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Teams from around the globe will compete in NASA's Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the US Space & Rocket Center in Aprile, the space agency announced on Wednesday.

Teams from around the globe will compete in NASA's Human Exploration Rover Challenge at the US Space & Rocket Center in Aprile, the space agency announced on Wednesday. According to the statement, over 100 teams are expected to participate, including teams from 27 states and 11 countries. The countries include Brazil, Germany, Egypt, Singapore, India and Mexico. "The 26th edition of the annual event, managed by the Office of STEM Engagement at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, features students from high schools, colleges and universities around the world designing, engineering and testing a human-powered rover to take on a course simulating terrain found on the Moon and Mars, as well as other planets, moons and asteroids," NASA said in the announcement. One female and one male driver will pilot each team’s lightweight rover across a gruelling half-mile course that features obstacles and scientific challenges designed to force teams to think like NASA mission planners and planetary explorers. "While previous contests focused on finishing the course as quickly as possible, the challenge now focuses on strategy over speed," NASA stated. The participants will be given a course map and task descriptions before the event which would allow them to devise a plan of attack that would suit the strengths of each team. "Among the rule changes for the 2020 challenge is the addition of one minute -- for a total of eight minutes -- to finish the course, which gives teams a greater opportunity to complete more of the optional 14 obstacles and five science tasks. Additionally, NASA no longer allows teams to utilize pneumatic tires or other commercially purchased wheels on their vehicles." Rover Challenge reflects the goals of NASA's Artemis Program, which seeks to put the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024. Like the Artemis Program, the event draws the best and brightest minds from around the world. Through the event, NASA hopes to engage, inspire and develop the next generation of engineers, scientists, astronauts, mission planner and NASA team members.

Over 100 teams to participate for NASA's 2020 human exploration rover challenge

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/node/280673">NASA </a>is going to fund four concept studies for potential robotic missions to Venus, Jupiter’s moon Io and Neptune’s moon Triton under its Discovery Program to investigate how the cosmos came into existence.</p>

<p>These three cosmic objects are among the four finalists for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/node/280673">NASA's </a>next round of Discovery missions.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/node/280673">Doughnut in space: NASA unveils most distant object ever visited</a></strong></p>

<p>The space agency chose the four mission concepts as semi-finalists from more than a dozen proposals submitted by US scientists last year.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Discovery Program develops relatively low-cost robotic-exploration efforts to develop concept studies for possible new missions.</p>

<p>According to Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/node/280673">NASA's </a>Science Mission Directorate, "these selected missions have the potential to transform our understanding of some of the solar system's most active and complex worlds".</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-expecting-applications-to-further-expeditions-to-the-moon-mars-and-beyond-280296">Need some space? NASA has got the job for you</a></strong></p>

<p>"Exploring any one of these celestial bodies will help unlock the secrets of how they, and other bodies like them&nbsp;became a part of the cosmos," he added.</p>

<p>The teams behind the four mission concepts will each receive $3 million to continue maturing their ideas over the next nine months and submit reports to NASA.</p>

<p>These reports will be evaluated by agency officials.</p>

<p>Out of these four, only two will be selected for continued development toward flight.</p>

<p>Previously, two of the Discovery missions called Lucy and Psyche were selected for launch in 2021 and 2022 respectively.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/node/280673">NASA </a>plans to select up to two of the final four proposals in 2021 to proceed into full development for a pair of launch opportunities in 2025 or 2026 and 2028 or 2029.</p>


NASA is going to fund four concept studies for potential robotic missions to Venus, Jupiter’s moon Io and Neptune’s moon Triton under its Discovery Program to investigate how the cosmos came into existence.

NASA is going to fund four concept studies for potential robotic missions to Venus, Jupiter’s moon Io and Neptune’s moon Triton under its Discovery Program to investigate how the cosmos came into existence. These three cosmic objects are among the four finalists for NASA's next round of Discovery missions. Also read: Doughnut in space: NASA unveils most distant object ever visited The space agency chose the four mission concepts as semi-finalists from more than a dozen proposals submitted by US scientists last year. The Discovery Program develops relatively low-cost robotic-exploration efforts to develop concept studies for possible new missions. According to Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate, "these selected missions have the potential to transform our understanding of some of the solar system's most active and complex worlds". Also read: Need some space? NASA has got the job for you "Exploring any one of these celestial bodies will help unlock the secrets of how they, and other bodies like them became a part of the cosmos," he added. The teams behind the four mission concepts will each receive $3 million to continue maturing their ideas over the next nine months and submit reports to NASA. These reports will be evaluated by agency officials. Out of these four, only two will be selected for continued development toward flight. Previously, two of the Discovery missions called Lucy and Psyche were selected for launch in 2021 and 2022 respectively. NASA plans to select up to two of the final four proposals in 2021 to proceed into full development for a pair of launch opportunities in 2025 or 2026 and 2028 or 2029.

NASA to explore Venus, moons of Jupiter and Neptune next

The European Space Agency has collaborated with NASA to launch a mission to study the sun. This historic mission will be the first attempt to capture photographs of the sun's poles.

NASA-ESA joint Solar Mission | Sandeep Ramanath | ESA Solar Orbiter Mission | Explains

Gravitas: A historic mission to the sun

NASA-EPA joint Solar Mission | Sandeep Ramanath | Member | EUSA Solar Orbiter Mission | Explains

A new probe built by NASA and the European Space Agency set off on a blazing hot journey to the sun on Sunday (February 9) to take the first close-up look at the star's polar regions, a mission expected to yield insight into how solar radiant energy affects Earth.

Solar probe embarks on unprecedented mission to map sun's polar regions

<p>Europe and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-blasts-off-historic-probe-to-touch-sun-158625/amp">NASA</a>'s Solar Orbiter took off to space on Sunday night to an unprecedented mission to capture the first images of the Sun's poles.</p>

<p>The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida.</p>

<p><img alt="Solar orbiter launch" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afc0f9aa-32e2-45ec-a653-1fb5acdd3401" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Solar-Orbiter-Lift-Off-1024x576.jpg" /><br />
<em>(Image courtesy: NASA)</em></p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-blasts-off-historic-probe-to-touch-sun-158625/amp">NASA launches probe to go deep into Sun's scorching atmosphere</a></strong></p>

<p>The $1.5 billion spacecraft will join NASA's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-blasts-off-historic-probe-to-touch-sun-158625/amp">Parker Solar Probe</a> which was launched one&nbsp;and a half years ago.</p>

<p>Solar Orbiter won't go&nbsp;close enough to penetrate the Sun's crown-like outer atmosphere, like Parker.</p>

<p><img alt="This illustration made available by NASA depicts the Solar Orbiter satellite in front of the sun" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8a85acae-3683-49c7-b122-f0f00ee60b83" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2847%29_3.jpg" /></p>

<p><em>(Image courtesy: NASA)</em></p>

<p>It will manoeuvre into a unique out-of-plane orbit that will take it over both poles which have&nbsp;never been photographed before.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to Gunther Hasinger, the European Space Agency's science director,&nbsp;Hasinger: ''Together with powerful ground observatories, the sun-staring space duo will be like an orchestra in which although every instrument plays a different tune, but together they play the symphony of the sun."</p>

<p>Solar Orbiter was made in Europe, along with nine science instruments.&nbsp;The 10th instrument was provided by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-blasts-off-historic-probe-to-touch-sun-158625/amp">NASA</a>.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/touch-the-sun-nasa-spacecraft-set-to-investigate-corona-158364">'Touch the Sun': NASA spacecraft set to investigate corona</a></strong></p>

<p>Nearly 1,000 scientists and engineers from across Europe gathered with their US&nbsp;colleagues as the rocket blasted off, illuminating the sky for miles as&nbsp;crowds jammed nearby roads and beaches.&nbsp;The rocket was visible for four full minutes after liftoff.</p>

<p><img alt="Solar orbiter" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2dd07ea4-4ea0-4675-80ea-d8e47e45630f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/img_0194.jpg" /><br />
<em>(Image courtesy: NASA)</em></p>

<p>Solar Orbiter is a 4,000-pound spacecraft with long and slender&nbsp;instruments&nbsp;and antennas and will go past Venus in December and again next year, and then past Earth, using the planets' gravity to alter its path.</p>

<p>Full science operations will begin in late 2021, with the first close solar encounter in 2022 and more every six months.&nbsp;At its closest approach, Solar Orbiter will come within 26 million miles of the Sun, well within the orbit of Mercury.&nbsp;It differs from the Parker Solar Probe, by which&nbsp;is already past&nbsp;11.6 million miles within the Sun but it's flying nowhere near the poles.</p>

<p>Whereas,&nbsp;Solar Orbiter will inspect the elusive poles of the Sun.&nbsp;The Sun's poles are pockmarked with dark, constantly shifting coronal holes. They're hubs for the Sun's magnetic field, flipping polarity every 11 years.</p>

<p>Solar Orbiter's head-on views should finally yield a full 3-D view of the Sun, 93 million miles from the Earth.</p>


Europe and NASA's Solar Orbiter took off to space on Sunday night to an unprecedented mission to capture the first images of the Sun's poles. The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Europe and NASA's Solar Orbiter took off to space on Sunday night to an unprecedented mission to capture the first images of the Sun's poles. The United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral in Florida. (Image courtesy: NASA) Also read: NASA launches probe to go deep into Sun's scorching atmosphere The $1.5 billion spacecraft will join NASA's Parker Solar Probe which was launched one and a half years ago. Solar Orbiter won't go close enough to penetrate the Sun's crown-like outer atmosphere, like Parker. (Image courtesy: NASA) It will manoeuvre into a unique out-of-plane orbit that will take it over both poles which have never been photographed before. According to Gunther Hasinger, the European Space Agency's science director, Hasinger: ''Together with powerful ground observatories, the sun-staring space duo will be like an orchestra in which although every instrument plays a different tune, but together they play the symphony of the sun." Solar Orbiter was made in Europe, along with nine science instruments. The 10th instrument was provided by NASA. Also read: 'Touch the Sun': NASA spacecraft set to investigate corona Nearly 1,000 scientists and engineers from across Europe gathered with their US colleagues as the rocket blasted off, illuminating the sky for miles as crowds jammed nearby roads and beaches. The rocket was visible for four full minutes after liftoff. (Image courtesy: NASA) Solar Orbiter is a 4,000-pound spacecraft with long and slender instruments and antennas and will go past Venus in December and again next year, and then past Earth, using the planets' gravity to alter its path. Full science operations will begin in late 2021, with the first close solar encounter in 2022 and more every six months. At its closest approach, Solar Orbiter will come within 26 million miles of the Sun, well within the orbit of Mercury. It differs from the Parker Solar Probe, by which is already past 11.6 million miles within the Sun but it's flying nowhere near the poles. Whereas, Solar Orbiter will inspect the elusive poles of the Sun. The Sun's poles are pockmarked with dark, constantly shifting coronal holes. They're hubs for the Sun's magnetic field, flipping polarity every 11 years. Solar Orbiter's head-on views should finally yield a full 3-D view of the Sun, 93 million miles from the Earth.

Solar orbiter takes off to capture first look at Sun's poles

<p>This year's first 'supermoon' is going to be a 'Snow Moon' and will be visible across the world this weekend.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to NASA, this will be a "full Moon weekend", with the Moon appearing full "for about three days centered around this time, from Friday evening to Monday morning, making this a full Moon weekend," NASA stated in its release on Tuesday.</p>

<p>A supermoon occurs when a full moon is closest to the Earth and appears exceptionally large.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The term 'Snow Moon' could be attributed to the fact that northeastern Native American tribes referred to the second full moon of winter as the 'Snow Moon'&nbsp;because of heavy snowing in February.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/world-witnesses-longest-ever-blood-moon-eclipse-of-21st-century-155159">World witnesses longest-ever 'blood moon' eclipse of 21st Century</a></strong></p>

<p>The 'Snow Moon'&nbsp;will appear in all its might at around 2:33 am EST on February 9.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Next Full Moon is the Snow Moon, Storm Moon, Hunger Moon, Magha Purnima, Magha Puja, the Mahamuni Pagoda Festival Moon, the Chinese Lantern Festival Moon, and the Full Moon of Tu B'Shevat," NASA stated.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-rare-celestial-event-saturn-sun-aligned-on-earths-opposite-sides-strawberry-moon-was-sighted-147805">When Saturn, Sun aligned on Earth's opposite sides and 'Strawberry Moon' was sighted</a></strong></p>

<p>"The Moon will appear full for about three days centered around this time, from Friday evening to Monday morning, making this a full Moon weekend," it added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Experts suggest that the best sight of a full moon is experienced at moonrise or moonset.</p>

<p>This weekend's supermoon will look its best at moonrise (around sunset) in the east on Saturday and at the time of moonset (sunrise) in the west on Sunday.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


This year's first 'supermoon' is going to be a 'Snow Moon' and will be visible across the world this weekend. According to NASA, this will be a "full Moon weekend", with the Moon appearing full "for about three days centered around this time, from Friday evening to Monday morning, making this a full Moon weekend," NASA stated in its release on Tuesday.

This year's first 'supermoon' is going to be a 'Snow Moon' and will be visible across the world this weekend. According to NASA, this will be a "full Moon weekend", with the Moon appearing full "for about three days centered around this time, from Friday evening to Monday morning, making this a full Moon weekend," NASA stated in its release on Tuesday. A supermoon occurs when a full moon is closest to the Earth and appears exceptionally large. The term 'Snow Moon' could be attributed to the fact that northeastern Native American tribes referred to the second full moon of winter as the 'Snow Moon' because of heavy snowing in February. Also read: World witnesses longest-ever 'blood moon' eclipse of 21st Century The 'Snow Moon' will appear in all its might at around 2:33 am EST on February 9. "The Next Full Moon is the Snow Moon, Storm Moon, Hunger Moon, Magha Purnima, Magha Puja, the Mahamuni Pagoda Festival Moon, the Chinese Lantern Festival Moon, and the Full Moon of Tu B'Shevat," NASA stated. Also read: When Saturn, Sun aligned on Earth's opposite sides and 'Strawberry Moon' was sighted "The Moon will appear full for about three days centered around this time, from Friday evening to Monday morning, making this a full Moon weekend," it added. Experts suggest that the best sight of a full moon is experienced at moonrise or moonset. This weekend's supermoon will look its best at moonrise (around sunset) in the east on Saturday and at the time of moonset (sunrise) in the west on Sunday.

This weekend, get ready for 'Snow Moon' - first supermoon of 2020

<p>United States astronaut Christina Koch, is all set to return to Earth today after a record stay at the International Space Station.</p>

<p>The leader of the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, Koch's mission could provide rich insight into deep-space travel.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/science-trending-nasa-telescope-nasa-bids-farewell-to-iconic-spitzer-space-telescope-277732">NASA bids farewell to iconic Spitzer Space Telescope</a></p>

<p>Koch spent 328 days in the orbiting laboratory. The 41-year-old boarded a Russian Soyuz capsule and which was set to depart at 0230 GMT today.</p>

<p>If the plan works out well, the capsule will ''parachute to a safe landing on the desert steppe of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan'', Reuters reported. The touchdown is expected at 0912 GMT today with the aircraft carrying Koch, European astronaut Luca Parmitano and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov.&nbsp;</p>

<h6><img alt="ppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="038a3465-e493-4201-a53f-0083f3032d06" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2812%29_9.jpg" /><br />
<em>This NASA photo released on February 4, 20202 shows NASA astronaut Christina Koch during a spacewalk on January 15, 2020 | AFP</em></h6>

<p>The record for the longest continuous stay in space by a woman was previously held by NASA's Peggy Whitson.</p>

<p>In October 2019, Koch achieved a gender milestone during a spacewalk, which was undertaken with a fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. This was the first time two women stepped out of the space station at the same time.<br />
<br />
In March 2019, NASA attempted an all-female spacewalk which was later called off because one of the astronauts' medium-sized spacesuits was wrongly configured. This inspired gender-heavy rhetoric within the space community.<br />
<br />
This year, astronauts on the space station are set to celebrate the 20th anniversary in low-Earth orbit. The Station has held 227 maintenance spacewalks, with almost two dozen female astronauts participating in the process. Koch and Meir conducted two more spacewalks together in January.</p>

<h6><img alt="ppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="718f535b-f55a-4bc7-9c01-a98982817b8d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2813%29_12.jpg" /><br />
<em>This NASA image shows the International Space Station, a search light, and the Moon in this long exposure photograph | AFP</em><br />
&nbsp;</h6>

<p>According to NASA, Koch's mission would provide insight into the weightlessness of gravity. Additionally, it could also help the space organisation understand how space radiation affects the female body on long-duration spaceflights.</p>

<p>As NASA plans to build a permanent space station on the moon's surface within the next decade, the data from Koch's mission could prove to be immensely useful.</p>

<p>Scott Kelly, a US astronaut spent 340 days in orbit starting 2015. From Kelly's time in space, NASA learned that spaceflights cause the thickening of the carotid artery and retina, changes in gene expression and slight cognitive impairments for men.</p>

<p>Koch's mission began in March last year and was extended up to April, stretching the duration from six months to almost a year.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-space-force-unveils-camouflage-uniform-gets-trolled-on-twitter-275237">US Space Force unveils camouflage uniform, gets trolled on Twitter</a></p>

<p><em>(With inputs from Reuters)</em></p>


United States astronaut Christina Koch, is all set to return to Earth today after a record stay at the International Space Station. The leader of the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, Koch's mission could provide rich insight into deep-space travel.

United States astronaut Christina Koch, is all set to return to Earth today after a record stay at the International Space Station. The leader of the first all-female spacewalk in 2019, Koch's mission could provide rich insight into deep-space travel. Also read: NASA bids farewell to iconic Spitzer Space Telescope Koch spent 328 days in the orbiting laboratory. The 41-year-old boarded a Russian Soyuz capsule and which was set to depart at 0230 GMT today. If the plan works out well, the capsule will ''parachute to a safe landing on the desert steppe of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan'', Reuters reported. The touchdown is expected at 0912 GMT today with the aircraft carrying Koch, European astronaut Luca Parmitano and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov. This NASA photo released on February 4, 20202 shows NASA astronaut Christina Koch during a spacewalk on January 15, 2020 | AFP The record for the longest continuous stay in space by a woman was previously held by NASA's Peggy Whitson. In October 2019, Koch achieved a gender milestone during a spacewalk, which was undertaken with a fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir. This was the first time two women stepped out of the space station at the same time. In March 2019, NASA attempted an all-female spacewalk which was later called off because one of the astronauts' medium-sized spacesuits was wrongly configured. This inspired gender-heavy rhetoric within the space community. This year, astronauts on the space station are set to celebrate the 20th anniversary in low-Earth orbit. The Station has held 227 maintenance spacewalks, with almost two dozen female astronauts participating in the process. Koch and Meir conducted two more spacewalks together in January. This NASA image shows the International Space Station, a search light, and the Moon in this long exposure photograph | AFP According to NASA, Koch's mission would provide insight into the weightlessness of gravity. Additionally, it could also help the space organisation understand how space radiation affects the female body on long-duration spaceflights. As NASA plans to build a permanent space station on the moon's surface within the next decade, the data from Koch's mission could prove to be immensely useful. Scott Kelly, a US astronaut spent 340 days in orbit starting 2015. From Kelly's time in space, NASA learned that spaceflights cause the thickening of the carotid artery and retina, changes in gene expression and slight cognitive impairments for men. Koch's mission began in March last year and was extended up to April, stretching the duration from six months to almost a year. Also read: US Space Force unveils camouflage uniform, gets trolled on Twitter (With inputs from Reuters)

Christina Koch, NASA astronaut to return to Earth today after record 328 days in space

<p>NASA's Christina Koch returned to Earth safely Thursday having shattered the spaceflight record for female astronauts after almost a year aboard the International Space Station.</p>

<p>Koch touched down at 0912 GMT on the Kazakh steppe after 328 days in space along with Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian space agency.</p>

<p>Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency, said the crew had returned safely.</p>

<p>"All is well on board, the crew are feeling well," Rogozin wrote on Twitter.</p>

<p><img alt="Dmitry Rogozin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bddb5856-9213-426a-a09a-b822eb6b6f53" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1_6.JPG" /></p>

<p>Koch, a 41-year-old Michigan-born engineer, beat the previous record for a single spaceflight by a woman -- 289 days, held by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson -- on December 28, 2019. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/science-trending-nasa-telescope-nasa-bids-farewell-to-iconic-spitzer-space-telescope-277732">NASA bids farewell to iconic Spitzer Space Telescope</a></p>

<p>She had already made history by that point as one half of the first-ever all-woman spacewalk along with NASA counterpart Jessica Meir in October.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="038a3465-e493-4201-a53f-0083f3032d06" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%2812%29_9.jpg" /></p>

<p><em>[This NASA photo released on February 4, 20202 shows NASA astronaut Christina Koch during a spacewalk on January 15, 2020. (AFP Photo)]</em><br />
<br />
Koch told NBC on Tuesday that she would "miss microgravity" as she spoke to journalists ahead of the three-and-a-half hour journey back to Earth.</p>

<p>"It's really fun to be in a place where you can just bounce around between the ceiling and the floor whenever you want," she said, smiling as she twisted her body around the ISS.</p>

<p><strong>'Make space for women'</strong></p>

<p>Koch called three-time flyer Whitson "a heroine of mine" and a "mentor" in the space programme after she surpassed the 59-year-old's record.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She also spoke of her desire to "inspire the next generation of explorers." &nbsp;</p>

<p>Koch's return comes after an advert produced by the skincare brand Olay ran during an intermission in the American football Super Bowl with a call to "make space for women".&nbsp;</p>

<p>The advert featured NASA astronaut Nicole Stott and saw the company promise to donate up to $500,000 to the non-profit Women Who Code, which works with young women seeking careers in tech and scientific fields. &nbsp;</p>

<p>This year's Super Bowl was watched by over 100 million people while advert time costs more than $5 million for a 30-second commercial. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The first woman in space was Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova whose spaceflight in 1963 is still the only solo mission carried out by a woman.</p>

<p>But the cosmonauts Russia has sent to the ISS since expeditions began in 2000 have all been men with the exception of Yelena Serova's launch in 2014.</p>

<p>Both Tereshkova and Serova are now lawmakers in the Russian parliament, where they represent the ruling United Russia party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Unlike Koch, whose stay aboard the ISS was extended, Parmitano and Skvortsov are rounding off regular six-month missions.</p>

<p>Parmitano handed over command of the ISS to Roscosmos' Oleg Skripochka on Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 43-year-old Italian posted regular shots of the Earth while aboard, highlighting the plight of the Amazon rainforest and describing the Alps as "like a spinal column, never bending to time".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Four male cosmonauts have spent a year or longer in space as part of a single mission with Valery Polyakov's 437 days the overall record.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Scott Kelly holds the record for a NASA astronaut, posting 340 days at the ISS before he returned home in 2016.</p>


NASA's Christina Koch returned to Earth safely Thursday having shattered the spaceflight record for female astronauts after almost a year aboard the International Space Station.

NASA's Christina Koch returned to Earth safely Thursday having shattered the spaceflight record for female astronauts after almost a year aboard the International Space Station. Koch touched down at 0912 GMT on the Kazakh steppe after 328 days in space along with Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and Alexander Skvortsov of the Russian space agency. Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia's Roscosmos space agency, said the crew had returned safely. "All is well on board, the crew are feeling well," Rogozin wrote on Twitter. Koch, a 41-year-old Michigan-born engineer, beat the previous record for a single spaceflight by a woman -- 289 days, held by NASA veteran Peggy Whitson -- on December 28, 2019. Also read: NASA bids farewell to iconic Spitzer Space Telescope She had already made history by that point as one half of the first-ever all-woman spacewalk along with NASA counterpart Jessica Meir in October. [This NASA photo released on February 4, 20202 shows NASA astronaut Christina Koch during a spacewalk on January 15, 2020. (AFP Photo)] Koch told NBC on Tuesday that she would "miss microgravity" as she spoke to journalists ahead of the three-and-a-half hour journey back to Earth. "It's really fun to be in a place where you can just bounce around between the ceiling and the floor whenever you want," she said, smiling as she twisted her body around the ISS. 'Make space for women' Koch called three-time flyer Whitson "a heroine of mine" and a "mentor" in the space programme after she surpassed the 59-year-old's record. She also spoke of her desire to "inspire the next generation of explorers." Koch's return comes after an advert produced by the skincare brand Olay ran during an intermission in the American football Super Bowl with a call to "make space for women". The advert featured NASA astronaut Nicole Stott and saw the company promise to donate up to $500,000 to the non-profit Women Who Code, which works with young women seeking careers in tech and scientific fields. This year's Super Bowl was watched by over 100 million people while advert time costs more than $5 million for a 30-second commercial. The first woman in space was Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova whose spaceflight in 1963 is still the only solo mission carried out by a woman. But the cosmonauts Russia has sent to the ISS since expeditions began in 2000 have all been men with the exception of Yelena Serova's launch in 2014. Both Tereshkova and Serova are now lawmakers in the Russian parliament, where they represent the ruling United Russia party. Unlike Koch, whose stay aboard the ISS was extended, Parmitano and Skvortsov are rounding off regular six-month missions. Parmitano handed over command of the ISS to Roscosmos' Oleg Skripochka on Tuesday. The 43-year-old Italian posted regular shots of the Earth while aboard, highlighting the plight of the Amazon rainforest and describing the Alps as "like a spinal column, never bending to time". Four male cosmonauts have spent a year or longer in space as part of a single mission with Valery Polyakov's 437 days the overall record. Scott Kelly holds the record for a NASA astronaut, posting 340 days at the ISS before he returned home in 2016.

Christina Koch, NASA astronaut returns to Earth after record 328 days in space

Meet Christina Koch, the NASA spacewalker who created history

<p>After nearly two decades, NASA has finally bid adieu to one of its iconic telescopes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Spitzer Space Telescope that has taken images of some of the most ancient objects in Universe was decommissioned on Thursday, a tweet from NASA Spitzer handle said.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">At 2:34 pm PST on Jan. 30, 2020, Spitzer Project Manager Joseph Hunt declared the Spitzer spacecraft decommissioned.<br />
<br />
Farewell, Spitzer. Thank you for the great science. 👋<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpitzerFinalVoyage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpitzerFinalVoyage</a><a href="https://t.co/o1J0vNp2dt">https://t.co/o1J0vNp2dt</a></p>
— NASA Spitzer (@NASAspitzer) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAspitzer/status/1223023276986789888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>"Farewell, Spitzer. Thank you for the great science", the tweet added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="NASA telescope" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d4abc4bc-d437-4a11-94e1-168d35d7f54e" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/SXUz4wFW.jpg" /></p>

<p><em>(Spitzer Space Telescope | Photo Credit: NASA)</em></p>

<p>Spitzer was the part of NASA's four Great Observatories and displayed an infrared view of the cosmos.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Launched in 2003, the telescope was planned only for five years, but it lasted nearly sixteen and a half years.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Saturn's new ring, directing light from exoplanets, and finding an entire solar system are some of the major discoveries of the Spitzer telescope.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Spitzer's observation also helped in discovering the oldest galaxy we've ever found.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;</p>


After nearly two decades, NASA has finally bid adieu to one of its iconic telescopes. Spitzer Space Telescope that has taken images of some of the most ancient objects in Universe was decommissioned on Thursday, a tweet from NASA Spitzer handle said.

After nearly two decades, NASA has finally bid adieu to one of its iconic telescopes. Spitzer Space Telescope that has taken images of some of the most ancient objects in Universe was decommissioned on Thursday, a tweet from NASA Spitzer handle said. At 2:34 pm PST on Jan. 30, 2020, Spitzer Project Manager Joseph Hunt declared the Spitzer spacecraft decommissioned. Farewell, Spitzer. Thank you for the great science. 👋#SpitzerFinalVoyagehttps://t.co/o1J0vNp2dt — NASA Spitzer (@NASAspitzer) January 30, 2020 × "Farewell, Spitzer. Thank you for the great science", the tweet added. (Spitzer Space Telescope | Photo Credit: NASA) Spitzer was the part of NASA's four Great Observatories and displayed an infrared view of the cosmos. Launched in 2003, the telescope was planned only for five years, but it lasted nearly sixteen and a half years. Saturn's new ring, directing light from exoplanets, and finding an entire solar system are some of the major discoveries of the Spitzer telescope. Spitzer's observation also helped in discovering the oldest galaxy we've ever found.

NASA bids farewell to iconic Spitzer Space Telescope

<p>After 16 years of observations that helped paint a more accurate picture of the universe, one of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/glimpse-of-nasas-private-space-home-unveiled-277215">NASA's greatest</a> telescopes will go offline. The Spitzer Space Telescope, which <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/space-cookies-take-2-hours-to-bake-double-the-time-on-earth-276275">allowed scientists</a> to view objects that are cooler than stars that emit visible light, was launched in 2003 to observe the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum of the universe.</p>

<p>Paul Hertz, Director of Astrophysics at NASA issued a statement about the mission saying, "The advances we make across many areas in astrophysics in the future will be because of Spitzer's extraordinary legacy."</p>

<p>Operations of the Spitzer came to an end on January 29 and the mission team will be putting the spacecraft into a permanent hibernation mode, after which the Spitzer will continue its trajectory and travel <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-spacex-launch-with-nasa-most-probably-to-take-place-between-april-and-june-this-year-elon-musk-275498">further away from Earth</a> over time. Team members have reason to believe that it will eventually crash into a debris field.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The legacy of <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAspitzer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASASpitzer</a> will live on! After more than 16 years of studying the universe in infrared, the space telescope's mission has come to an end. One of our greatest observatories will be remembered for its discoveries: <a href="https://t.co/SUYSh0m6nD">https://t.co/SUYSh0m6nD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpitzerFinalVoyage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpitzerFinalVoyage</a> <a href="https://t.co/M8rL7pfszD">pic.twitter.com/M8rL7pfszD</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1223049026171539458?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 31, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Also Read</strong>:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyond-earth-designers-give-a-peek-into-what-life-could-look-like-on-mars-275336">Beyond Earth: Designers give a peek into what life could look like on Mars</a></p>

<p>Interstellar dust was the Spitzer's primary concern, which cocoons baby stars and provides the building blocks for planets, thereby creating an invisible skeleton of galaxies across the universe. A technique called spectroscopy was used by Spitzer which allowed scientists to measure the chemical composition of space dust to learn more of the ingredients of the universe.</p>

<p>NASA stated that Spitzer was instrumental in revealing that galaxies in the early universe were heavier than was previously postulated, thus deepening our understanding of how galaxies evolve over time. Spitzer had to balance between being cool enough to not emit heat while travelling through space and to be far enough away from the Earth to get images without interference from the infrared environment around the planet and the moon.</p>

<p>The Spitzer Mission was not designed to function for 16 years, nor was it designed to be operational at its current distance from Earth. Joseph Hunt, the Project Manager issued a statement saying, "The team has had to adapt year after year to keep the spacecraft operating. But I think overcoming that challenge has given people a great sense of pride in the mission. This mission stays with you."</p>


After 16 years of observations that helped paint a more accurate picture of the universe, one of NASA's greatest telescopes will go offline. The Spitzer Space Telescope, which allowed scientists to view objects that are cooler than stars that emit visible light, was launched in 2003 to observe the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum of the universe.

After 16 years of observations that helped paint a more accurate picture of the universe, one of NASA's greatest telescopes will go offline. The Spitzer Space Telescope, which allowed scientists to view objects that are cooler than stars that emit visible light, was launched in 2003 to observe the infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum of the universe. Paul Hertz, Director of Astrophysics at NASA issued a statement about the mission saying, "The advances we make across many areas in astrophysics in the future will be because of Spitzer's extraordinary legacy." Operations of the Spitzer came to an end on January 29 and the mission team will be putting the spacecraft into a permanent hibernation mode, after which the Spitzer will continue its trajectory and travel further away from Earth over time. Team members have reason to believe that it will eventually crash into a debris field. The legacy of @NASASpitzer will live on! After more than 16 years of studying the universe in infrared, the space telescope's mission has come to an end. One of our greatest observatories will be remembered for its discoveries: https://t.co/SUYSh0m6nD #SpitzerFinalVoyage pic.twitter.com/M8rL7pfszD — NASA (@NASA) January 31, 2020 × Also Read: Beyond Earth: Designers give a peek into what life could look like on Mars Interstellar dust was the Spitzer's primary concern, which cocoons baby stars and provides the building blocks for planets, thereby creating an invisible skeleton of galaxies across the universe. A technique called spectroscopy was used by Spitzer which allowed scientists to measure the chemical composition of space dust to learn more of the ingredients of the universe. NASA stated that Spitzer was instrumental in revealing that galaxies in the early universe were heavier than was previously postulated, thus deepening our understanding of how galaxies evolve over time. Spitzer had to balance between being cool enough to not emit heat while travelling through space and to be far enough away from the Earth to get images without interference from the infrared environment around the planet and the moon. The Spitzer Mission was not designed to function for 16 years, nor was it designed to be operational at its current distance from Earth. Joseph Hunt, the Project Manager issued a statement saying, "The team has had to adapt year after year to keep the spacecraft operating. But I think overcoming that challenge has given people a great sense of pride in the mission. This mission stays with you."

NASA shuts down Spitzer Space Telescope after 16 years of commendable service

Glimpse of NASA's private 'space home' unveiled

<p>Here's good news for all the space travellers who are also cookie lovers as they are successfully baked in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-spacex-hope-for-manned-mission-to-international-space-station-in-early-2020-255078">international space station</a>.&nbsp;The cookies took two hours to bake, which is approximately 10 times more than the time taken to prepare them on the Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p>NASA&nbsp;astronaut&nbsp;Christina Koch shared the news on Twitter.&nbsp;“We made space cookies and milk for Santa this year,” Koch tweeted.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We made space cookies and milk for Santa this year. Happy holidays from the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>! <a href="https://t.co/sZS4KdPmhj">pic.twitter.com/sZS4KdPmhj</a></p>
— Christina H Koch (@Astro_Christina) <a href="https://twitter.com/Astro_Christina/status/1210221515104563201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Interestingly, the bakers expected a different time in space but it was not that much different.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“There’s still a lot to look into to figure out really what’s driving that difference, but a cool result,” Mary Murphy, a manager for US-based Nanoracks, said this week. “Overall, I think it’s a pretty awesome first experiment.”</p>

<p>No one knows how the cookies&nbsp;taste, as they are still sealed in individual baking pouches and packed in their spaceflight container.&nbsp;They remain frozen in a Houston area lab. The cookies are said to be the first baked item in space from raw materials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Nanoracks, located near <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-india-have-helped-in-greening-of-earth-nasa-report-196837">Nasa</a>'s Johnson Space Center designed and built a small electric oven that was launched in the space station in November last year. There are already five frozen cookies in the space.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An Italian astronaut Luca Parmtano, the mater baker in December noted down all the descriptions of how he baked the cookies one by one on the prototype Zero-G oven.</p>

<p>The first cookie was baked for 25 minutes at 300F, ended up under baked. The baker doubled the time of baking for the next two cookies, the result came out to be okayish but not great, according to Parmtano.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The fourth cookie was baked for 2 hours and was a 'success'. “So this time, I do see some browning,“ Parmitano radioed. “I can’t tell you whether it’s cooked all the way or not, but it certainly doesn’t look like cookie dough anymore.”</p>

<p>Parmtano baked the fifth cookie at 325F for 130 minutes and it was another success. No one can still tell how they taste but the baker said he can smell the fourth and the fifth one.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut mentioned that is was the only beauty of baking in space. Massimino is a teacher at Columbia University and is a paid spokesman for DoubleTree by Hilton. The hotel chain that provided the dough for the cookies. And was the same they offer to their guests.</p>

<p>“The remainder of the home, the connection with home, I think, can’t be overstated,” Massimino said. “From my personal experience ... food is pretty important for not just nutrition but also for morale in keeping people connected to their home and their Earth.”</p>

<p>One of the space-baked cookies has been offered to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum for display.</p>

<p>Nanoracks and Zero-G Kitchen, New York City startup who collaborated with the experiment, are looking forward to more experiments for the orbiting oven and more space appliances.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Baked cookies added the advantage of having fresh food in the space and astronauts can enjoy delicious items and avoid packaged food for a while.&nbsp;</p>


Here's good news for all the space travellers who are also cookie lovers as they are successfully baked in the international space station. The cookies took two hours to bake, which is approximately 10 times more than the time taken to prepare them on the Earth.

Here's good news for all the space travellers who are also cookie lovers as they are successfully baked in the international space station. The cookies took two hours to bake, which is approximately 10 times more than the time taken to prepare them on the Earth. NASA astronaut Christina Koch shared the news on Twitter. “We made space cookies and milk for Santa this year,” Koch tweeted. We made space cookies and milk for Santa this year. Happy holidays from the @Space_Station! pic.twitter.com/sZS4KdPmhj — Christina H Koch (@Astro_Christina) December 26, 2019 × Interestingly, the bakers expected a different time in space but it was not that much different. “There’s still a lot to look into to figure out really what’s driving that difference, but a cool result,” Mary Murphy, a manager for US-based Nanoracks, said this week. “Overall, I think it’s a pretty awesome first experiment.” No one knows how the cookies taste, as they are still sealed in individual baking pouches and packed in their spaceflight container. They remain frozen in a Houston area lab. The cookies are said to be the first baked item in space from raw materials. Nanoracks, located near Nasa's Johnson Space Center designed and built a small electric oven that was launched in the space station in November last year. There are already five frozen cookies in the space. An Italian astronaut Luca Parmtano, the mater baker in December noted down all the descriptions of how he baked the cookies one by one on the prototype Zero-G oven. The first cookie was baked for 25 minutes at 300F, ended up under baked. The baker doubled the time of baking for the next two cookies, the result came out to be okayish but not great, according to Parmtano. The fourth cookie was baked for 2 hours and was a 'success'. “So this time, I do see some browning,“ Parmitano radioed. “I can’t tell you whether it’s cooked all the way or not, but it certainly doesn’t look like cookie dough anymore.” Parmtano baked the fifth cookie at 325F for 130 minutes and it was another success. No one can still tell how they taste but the baker said he can smell the fourth and the fifth one. Mike Massimino, a former NASA astronaut mentioned that is was the only beauty of baking in space. Massimino is a teacher at Columbia University and is a paid spokesman for DoubleTree by Hilton. The hotel chain that provided the dough for the cookies. And was the same they offer to their guests. “The remainder of the home, the connection with home, I think, can’t be overstated,” Massimino said. “From my personal experience ... food is pretty important for not just nutrition but also for morale in keeping people connected to their home and their Earth.” One of the space-baked cookies has been offered to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Air and Space Museum for display. Nanoracks and Zero-G Kitchen, New York City startup who collaborated with the experiment, are looking forward to more experiments for the orbiting oven and more space appliances. Baked cookies added the advantage of having fresh food in the space and astronauts can enjoy delicious items and avoid packaged food for a while.

Space-baked cookies are up for grabs after testing astronauts patience

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mushroom-producer-suffers-heavy-loss-after-typhoon-hagibis-sweeps-by-257075">Mushrooms </a>can be used to build habitats in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyond-earth-designers-give-a-peek-into-what-life-could-look-like-on-mars-275336">Mars </a>according to a suggestion made in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-spacex-launch-with-nasa-most-probably-to-take-place-between-april-and-june-this-year-elon-musk-275498">NASA</a>'s new project.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This suggestion was made by the agency in a video released by it on Tuesday.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Fabricating furniture with fungus may sound farfetched but it could be the future.<br />
Get the details: <a href="https://t.co/Fhyv9LFz3t">https://t.co/Fhyv9LFz3t</a> <a href="https://t.co/5WpVz6SaxM">pic.twitter.com/5WpVz6SaxM</a></p>
— NASA360 (@NASA360) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA360/status/1218516890227625984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The reason behind recommending it specifically is that it is easy to transport it into space and it is also sturdy when it grows.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/beyond-earth-designers-give-a-peek-into-what-life-could-look-like-on-mars-275336">Beyond Earth: Designers give a peek into what life could look like on Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>The key focus of this concept is on the mycelium parts of a fungus which comprise of branching thread-like structures.</p>

<p>The agency's program is called NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) and it will check the viability of myco-architecture that could use fungi to grow habitats on Mars and the Moon.</p>

<p>They can construct ''complex structures with immense accuracy branching out into larger structures like mushrooms,'' according to the space organization.</p>

<p>This concept revolves around a three-layered dome structure comprising of water and ice on the outside, a bacteria which produces oxygen and nutrients called cyanobacteria in the middle and a layer of mycelia inside which will be responsible for feeding and growing a framework for building a habitat in Mars.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/first-spacex-launch-with-nasa-most-probably-to-take-place-between-april-and-june-this-year-elon-musk-275498">SpaceX launch with NASA may take place between April-June: Elon Musk</a></strong></p>

<p>According to Lynn Rothschild, the chief investigator on the initial stage of the project, ''at the moment, traditional habitat designs for Mars incur huge energy costs. As an alternative, mycelia can be harnessed to grow these habitats ourselves''.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The scientists plan on carrying habitat build of lightweight substance preferably dormant mushrooms that can be unfolded and watered on landing.</p>

<p><strong>Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/nasa-counts-down-to-landing-of-martian-quake-sensor-insight-178934#mars-insight-set-to-land-178924">NASA's InSight lands on Mars to peer into planet's deep interior</a></strong></p>

<p>They will transform into a fully functional human habitat without contaminating the environment of Mars.&nbsp;The middle layer of the structure will provide oxygen to the astronauts on the mission.</p>

<p>The design for this concept is being prepared in California's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-secretary-of-state-mike-pompeo-warns-silicon-valley-on-china-ahead-of-trade-pact-274102">Silicon Valley</a> by NASA's Ames Research Center.</p>

<p>It is also envisioning a future where compact habitat can be constructed out of lightweight material with passive fungi that do not perish easily.</p>


Mushrooms can be used to build habitats in Mars according to a suggestion made in NASA's new project. This suggestion was made by the agency in a video released by it on Tuesday.

Mushrooms can be used to build habitats in Mars according to a suggestion made in NASA's new project. This suggestion was made by the agency in a video released by it on Tuesday. Fabricating furniture with fungus may sound farfetched but it could be the future. Get the details: https://t.co/Fhyv9LFz3t pic.twitter.com/5WpVz6SaxM — NASA360 (@NASA360) January 18, 2020 × The reason behind recommending it specifically is that it is easy to transport it into space and it is also sturdy when it grows. Also read: Beyond Earth: Designers give a peek into what life could look like on Mars The key focus of this concept is on the mycelium parts of a fungus which comprise of branching thread-like structures. The agency's program is called NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) and it will check the viability of myco-architecture that could use fungi to grow habitats on Mars and the Moon. They can construct ''complex structures with immense accuracy branching out into larger structures like mushrooms,'' according to the space organization. This concept revolves around a three-layered dome structure comprising of water and ice on the outside, a bacteria which produces oxygen and nutrients called cyanobacteria in the middle and a layer of mycelia inside which will be responsible for feeding and growing a framework for building a habitat in Mars. Also read: SpaceX launch with NASA may take place between April-June: Elon Musk According to Lynn Rothschild, the chief investigator on the initial stage of the project, ''at the moment, traditional habitat designs for Mars incur huge energy costs. As an alternative, mycelia can be harnessed to grow these habitats ourselves''. The scientists plan on carrying habitat build of lightweight substance preferably dormant mushrooms that can be unfolded and watered on landing. Also see: NASA's InSight lands on Mars to peer into planet's deep interior They will transform into a fully functional human habitat without contaminating the environment of Mars. The middle layer of the structure will provide oxygen to the astronauts on the mission. The design for this concept is being prepared in California's Silicon Valley by NASA's Ames Research Center. It is also envisioning a future where compact habitat can be constructed out of lightweight material with passive fungi that do not perish easily.

Mushrooms can be used to construct habitats on Mars: NASA

After a successful rocket abort system test, SpaceX to carry humans into orbit this year

<p>Ever wonder what life would be like on the Red Planet? An ongoing exhibition in London gives a taste of how integral design will be in humanity's journey to Mars.</p>

<p>'Moving to Mars' design exhibition is running till February 23 at the Design Museum in London and has more than 200 exhibits on display from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasas-trip-to-mars-begins-in-california-clean-room-270678">NASA</a>, SpaceX, the European Space Agency and many others.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I went to the moving to mars exhibition today at the London Design Museum &amp; it was awesome! I highly recommend it, they have good amount of history on spaceflight, as well as the tech being developed for future missions to Mars. It's really reinforced my eagerness to get to Mars! <a href="https://t.co/qT8vUqzc4n">pic.twitter.com/qT8vUqzc4n</a></p>
— Dr Maggie Lieu (@Space_Mog) <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Mog/status/1198352326945394696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>The exhibition is about all things Mars and what will it take for the mankind to reach and start a life on the Red Planet.</p>

<p>From Mars-inspired fashion collection, Mars city design, the first spacesuit designed for Mars surface to the first sustainable urban design for the planet - a lot more is on the display for the visitors and space enthusiasts at the exhibition.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unique-salt-formations-found-in-utah-can-provide-insights-regarding-life-on-mars-274462">Unique salt formations found in Utah provide insights regarding life on Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>Not just this, visitors will also get a delightful experience of gazing at the high-resolution imagery from Mars which has never been seen in public before, People can also visit a full-scale Mars home, learn about the evolution of space suits and meet the Mars rovers.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Moving to Mars @ The Design Museum is definitely worth checking out too, London has the best exhibitions during winter <a href="https://t.co/3rSzojv6Zl">pic.twitter.com/3rSzojv6Zl</a></p>
— DARNELL TEMENU (@DarnellTemenu) <a href="https://twitter.com/DarnellTemenu/status/1199384476272484352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>Àlso read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-indian-software-analyst-writes-national-anthem-for-mars-271894">Former Indian software analyst writes ‘national’ anthem for Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>Designers have also installed their vision on what farming will look like on the Red Planet and how transporting food for the journey to Mars will be made possible.&nbsp;</p>


Ever wonder what life would be like on the Red Planet? An ongoing exhibition in London gives a taste of how integral design will be in humanity's journey to Mars.

Ever wonder what life would be like on the Red Planet? An ongoing exhibition in London gives a taste of how integral design will be in humanity's journey to Mars. 'Moving to Mars' design exhibition is running till February 23 at the Design Museum in London and has more than 200 exhibits on display from NASA, SpaceX, the European Space Agency and many others. I went to the moving to mars exhibition today at the London Design Museum & it was awesome! I highly recommend it, they have good amount of history on spaceflight, as well as the tech being developed for future missions to Mars. It's really reinforced my eagerness to get to Mars! pic.twitter.com/qT8vUqzc4n — Dr Maggie Lieu (@Space_Mog) November 23, 2019 × The exhibition is about all things Mars and what will it take for the mankind to reach and start a life on the Red Planet. From Mars-inspired fashion collection, Mars city design, the first spacesuit designed for Mars surface to the first sustainable urban design for the planet - a lot more is on the display for the visitors and space enthusiasts at the exhibition. Also read: Unique salt formations found in Utah provide insights regarding life on Mars Not just this, visitors will also get a delightful experience of gazing at the high-resolution imagery from Mars which has never been seen in public before, People can also visit a full-scale Mars home, learn about the evolution of space suits and meet the Mars rovers. Moving to Mars @ The Design Museum is definitely worth checking out too, London has the best exhibitions during winter pic.twitter.com/3rSzojv6Zl — DARNELL TEMENU (@DarnellTemenu) November 26, 2019 × Àlso read: Former Indian software analyst writes ‘national’ anthem for Mars Designers have also installed their vision on what farming will look like on the Red Planet and how transporting food for the journey to Mars will be made possible.

Beyond Earth: Designers give a peek into what life could look like on Mars

<p>First <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-to-destroy-rocket-in-mock-failure-before-manned-missions-with-nasa-275010">SpaceX</a> launch of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/stripteasing-musk-launches-tesla-suv-programme-at-new-china-factory-272725">Elon Musk</a>'s company with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eyeing-moon-nasa-hosts-first-public-astronaut-graduation-ceremony-273598">NASA </a>is&nbsp;most likely take place in the second quarter of the year, that is, between April and June this year.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;mission known as Demo-2 will comprise of NASA astronauts visiting the International Space Station(ISS).</p>

<p><strong>Also see:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/after-a-successful-rocket-abort-system-test-spacex-to-carry-humans-into-orbit-this-year-275408#crew-dragon-astronaut-capsule-275394">&nbsp;After a successful rocket abort system test, SpaceX to carry humans into orbit this year</a></strong></p>

<p>Musk's rocket company cleared a significant safety test of its Dragon capsule on Sunday which was its last hurdle prior to the&nbsp;historic flight.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Watch live as SpaceX tests Crew Dragon’s in-flight launch escape capabilities <a href="https://t.co/lcfz0LS8O9">https://t.co/lcfz0LS8O9</a></p>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1218914342181036033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>''The hardware required will probably be available in February or March,'' said Musk in a press conference with the representatives of SpaceX and NASA.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-launches-third-batch-of-mini-satellites-into-orbit-272623">SpaceX</a> can abort a mission safely if things go haywire after the takeoff.</p>

<p>NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said that ''the agency along with SpaceX is contemplating on making the mission longer than previously expected''.</p>

<p>''However, the training required for this purpose will have to provided to the astronauts,''&nbsp;he added.</p>


First SpaceX launch of Elon Musk's company with NASA is most likely take place in the second quarter of the year, that is, between April and June this year. The mission known as Demo-2 will comprise of NASA astronauts visiting the International Space Station(ISS).

First SpaceX launch of Elon Musk's company with NASA is most likely take place in the second quarter of the year, that is, between April and June this year. The mission known as Demo-2 will comprise of NASA astronauts visiting the International Space Station(ISS). Also see: After a successful rocket abort system test, SpaceX to carry humans into orbit this year Musk's rocket company cleared a significant safety test of its Dragon capsule on Sunday which was its last hurdle prior to the historic flight. Watch live as SpaceX tests Crew Dragon’s in-flight launch escape capabilities https://t.co/lcfz0LS8O9 — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 19, 2020 × ''The hardware required will probably be available in February or March,'' said Musk in a press conference with the representatives of SpaceX and NASA. SpaceX can abort a mission safely if things go haywire after the takeoff. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said that ''the agency along with SpaceX is contemplating on making the mission longer than previously expected''. ''However, the training required for this purpose will have to provided to the astronauts,'' he added.

SpaceX launch with NASA may take place between April-June: Elon Musk

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/musk-to-testify-in-own-defense-in-defamation-trial-his-lawyer-says-264544">Elon Musk's</a> SpaceX<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/spacex-launches-first-batch-of-2020-starlink-satellites-272730"> </a>will try again on Sunday to destroy one of its own rockets in a test of a crucial emergency abort system, a day after bad weather forced the company to delay its final milestone test before flying NASA astronauts from U.S. soil.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Latest weather data suggests sustained winds and rough seas in the recovery area during the top of tomorrow’s four-hour launch escape test window; now targeting toward the end of the window. Will continue to monitor weather and update the T-0 accordingly in the morning</p>
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1218326923316617216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>If the test goes ahead, SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, an acorn-shaped pod that can seat seven astronauts, will fire thrusters to detach itself from a Falcon 9 rocket less than two minutes after liftoff, simulating an emergency abort scenario to prove it can return astronauts to safety.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read</strong>:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-to-destroy-rocket-in-mock-failure-before-manned-missions-with-nasa-275010">SpaceX to destroy rocket in 'mock-failure' before manned missions with NASA</a></p>

<p><img alt="SpaceX Rocket" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="036c0d6c-a1eb-4986-8682-5eb82c47b891" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%286%29_18.jpg" /><br />
<em>[ SpaceX Rocket (Courtesy: Reuters) ]</em></p>

<p>The test is crucial to qualify the capsule to fly humans to the International Space Station, a feat the National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects to come as soon as mid-2020. It follows years of development and delays as the United States has sought to revive its human spaceflight program through private partnerships.</p>

<p>NASA awarded $4.2 billion to Boeing and $2.5 billion to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/spacex-launches-first-batch-of-2020-starlink-satellites-272730">SpaceX</a> in 2014 to develop separate capsule systems capable of ferrying astronauts to the space station from U.S. soil for the first time since NASA's space shuttle program ended in 2011. The space agency has since relied on Russian spacecraft for rides to the space station.</p>

<p>During the test the Falcon 9 rocket's boosters will shut down roughly 12 miles (19 km) above the ocean, a mock failure that will trigger Crew Dragon's so-called SuperDraco thrusters to jet itself away at supersonic speeds of up to 1,500 miles per hour (2,400 kph).</p>

<p>The capsule will deploy three parachutes to slow its descent to the water, and will carry aboard two human-shaped test dummies fitted with motion sensors to collect data on the immense g-force — the effect of acceleration on the body — astronauts would be subjected to during abort.</p>

<p>The test was originally scheduled for mid-2019 but was delayed after a Crew Dragon capsule exploded in April on a test stand just before firing its launch abort thrusters, triggering a lengthy investigation.</p>

<p>SpaceX-led investigators in July zeroed in on a previously unknown explosive reaction between a titanium valve and a propellant used to ignite the thrusters. A SpaceX official said the company completed the investigation within the last week.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Elon Musk's SpaceX will try again on Sunday to destroy one of its own rockets in a test of a crucial emergency abort system, a day after bad weather forced the company to delay its final milestone test before flying NASA astronauts from U.

Elon Musk's SpaceX will try again on Sunday to destroy one of its own rockets in a test of a crucial emergency abort system, a day after bad weather forced the company to delay its final milestone test before flying NASA astronauts from U.S. soil. Latest weather data suggests sustained winds and rough seas in the recovery area during the top of tomorrow’s four-hour launch escape test window; now targeting toward the end of the window. Will continue to monitor weather and update the T-0 accordingly in the morning — SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 18, 2020 × If the test goes ahead, SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, an acorn-shaped pod that can seat seven astronauts, will fire thrusters to detach itself from a Falcon 9 rocket less than two minutes after liftoff, simulating an emergency abort scenario to prove it can return astronauts to safety. Also Read: SpaceX to destroy rocket in 'mock-failure' before manned missions with NASA [ SpaceX Rocket (Courtesy: Reuters) ] The test is crucial to qualify the capsule to fly humans to the International Space Station, a feat the National Aeronautics and Space Administration expects to come as soon as mid-2020. It follows years of development and delays as the United States has sought to revive its human spaceflight program through private partnerships. NASA awarded $4.2 billion to Boeing and $2.5 billion to SpaceX in 2014 to develop separate capsule systems capable of ferrying astronauts to the space station from U.S. soil for the first time since NASA's space shuttle program ended in 2011. The space agency has since relied on Russian spacecraft for rides to the space station. During the test the Falcon 9 rocket's boosters will shut down roughly 12 miles (19 km) above the ocean, a mock failure that will trigger Crew Dragon's so-called SuperDraco thrusters to jet itself away at supersonic speeds of up to 1,500 miles per hour (2,400 kph). The capsule will deploy three parachutes to slow its descent to the water, and will carry aboard two human-shaped test dummies fitted with motion sensors to collect data on the immense g-force — the effect of acceleration on the body — astronauts would be subjected to during abort. The test was originally scheduled for mid-2019 but was delayed after a Crew Dragon capsule exploded in April on a test stand just before firing its launch abort thrusters, triggering a lengthy investigation. SpaceX-led investigators in July zeroed in on a previously unknown explosive reaction between a titanium valve and a propellant used to ignite the thrusters. A SpaceX official said the company completed the investigation within the last week.

SpaceX to try rocket failure test again after bad weather delay

<p>Elon Musk's SpaceX is set to destroy one of its own rockets today in a bid to test an emergency abort system on an unmanned capsule. This test will the company's last milestone before carrying NASA astronauts from US soil.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As Reuters reported, two minutes after the rocket takes off from a launchpad in Florida, the ''Crew Dragon'' capsule will eject itself from the rocket mid-air, which would replicate an emergency abort scenario. In essence, this is SpaceX's proof of their ability to return astronauts back to earth in case of emergencies.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I will tell you tomorrow will be an exciting day," Kathy Lueders, NASA's commercial crew programme manager, said on Friday.</p>

<h6><img alt="SpaceX" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0f81be7c-a692-485e-be3a-fdb45fc49084" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%287%29_13.jpg" /><br />
<em>Image:&nbsp;The SpaceX Crew Dragon sits atop a Falcon 9 booster rocket on Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center before a scheduled in-flight abort test at Cape Canaveral, Florida January 17, 2020 | AFP</em><br />
&nbsp;</h6>

<p>SpaceX has been trying to fly humans for a long time. If all goes well, they may be able to fly humans to the International Space Station soon. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), this could happen as soon as mid-2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After human spaceflight programmes faced setbacks, the US decided to partner with private companies like SpaceX to accelerate the pace of development.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Following this, NASA awarded Boeing and SpaceX $4.2 billion and $2.5 billion in 2014 respectively. NASA expects them to make capsules capable of carrying humans. NASA's space shuttle programme ended in 2011, after which, if achieved, this will usher in the first take-off with humans since then. To access the space station, NASA now relies on Russia.</p>

<p><img alt="sapce" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="85b84207-1dae-40f9-9ae8-b2086579b575" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%286%29_15.jpg" /></p>

<h6><em>Image: The SpaceX Crew Dragon sits atop a Falcon 9 booster rocket on Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center before a scheduled in-flight abort test at Cape Canaveral, Florida January 17, 2020 | Reuters</em><br />
&nbsp;</h6>

<p>The ''mock failure'' will involve considerable steps: The Falcon 9 rocket's boosters will shut down roughly 19 km above the ocean. This will trigger Crew Dragon's so-called SuperDraco thrusters to jet itself away at supersonic speeds of up to 2,400 kph.</p>

<p>As it nears water, the capsule would deploy three parachutes for a slow descent. In fact, two human-shaped test dummies laden in motion censors will be on-board. The data will then be used to understand the impact of G-force imposed during the abortion of the mission.</p>

<p>The test was originally scheduled for mid-2019 but faced delays&nbsp;after one of the capsules exploded in April before launch. After this, an investigation was launched and the organisation found an explosive reaction between a titanium valve and the capsule's rocket fuel.</p>

<p>SpaceX's Crew Mission Management director Benji Reed had said, "At some point, we expect that the Falcon will start to break up."</p>

<p>"Our Falcon 9 recovery forces will be standing by ready to go and recover as much of the Falcon as we can as safely as possible," Reed said.&nbsp;</p>

<h6><img alt="spacex" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f9f6a919-00e2-457f-9827-52f0d8d6153a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%288%29_12.jpg" /><br />
<em>Image:&nbsp;Remote cameras line a field near Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center where the SpaceX Crew Dragon sits atop a Falcon 9 booster rocket the evening before a scheduled in-flight abort test at Cape Canaveral, Florida January 17, 2020 | Reuters</em><br />
&nbsp;</h6>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-launches-third-batch-of-mini-satellites-into-orbit-272623">SpaceX launches third batch of mini-satellites into orbit</a></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from Reuters)</em></p>


Elon Musk's SpaceX is set to destroy one of its own rockets today in a bid to test an emergency abort system on an unmanned capsule. This test will the company's last milestone before carrying NASA astronauts from US soil.

Elon Musk's SpaceX is set to destroy one of its own rockets today in a bid to test an emergency abort system on an unmanned capsule. This test will the company's last milestone before carrying NASA astronauts from US soil. As Reuters reported, two minutes after the rocket takes off from a launchpad in Florida, the ''Crew Dragon'' capsule will eject itself from the rocket mid-air, which would replicate an emergency abort scenario. In essence, this is SpaceX's proof of their ability to return astronauts back to earth in case of emergencies. "I will tell you tomorrow will be an exciting day," Kathy Lueders, NASA's commercial crew programme manager, said on Friday. Image: The SpaceX Crew Dragon sits atop a Falcon 9 booster rocket on Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center before a scheduled in-flight abort test at Cape Canaveral, Florida January 17, 2020 | AFP SpaceX has been trying to fly humans for a long time. If all goes well, they may be able to fly humans to the International Space Station soon. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), this could happen as soon as mid-2020. After human spaceflight programmes faced setbacks, the US decided to partner with private companies like SpaceX to accelerate the pace of development. Following this, NASA awarded Boeing and SpaceX $4.2 billion and $2.5 billion in 2014 respectively. NASA expects them to make capsules capable of carrying humans. NASA's space shuttle programme ended in 2011, after which, if achieved, this will usher in the first take-off with humans since then. To access the space station, NASA now relies on Russia. Image: The SpaceX Crew Dragon sits atop a Falcon 9 booster rocket on Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center before a scheduled in-flight abort test at Cape Canaveral, Florida January 17, 2020 | Reuters The ''mock failure'' will involve considerable steps: The Falcon 9 rocket's boosters will shut down roughly 19 km above the ocean. This will trigger Crew Dragon's so-called SuperDraco thrusters to jet itself away at supersonic speeds of up to 2,400 kph. As it nears water, the capsule would deploy three parachutes for a slow descent. In fact, two human-shaped test dummies laden in motion censors will be on-board. The data will then be used to understand the impact of G-force imposed during the abortion of the mission. The test was originally scheduled for mid-2019 but faced delays after one of the capsules exploded in April before launch. After this, an investigation was launched and the organisation found an explosive reaction between a titanium valve and the capsule's rocket fuel. SpaceX's Crew Mission Management director Benji Reed had said, "At some point, we expect that the Falcon will start to break up." "Our Falcon 9 recovery forces will be standing by ready to go and recover as much of the Falcon as we can as safely as possible," Reed said. Image: Remote cameras line a field near Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center where the SpaceX Crew Dragon sits atop a Falcon 9 booster rocket the evening before a scheduled in-flight abort test at Cape Canaveral, Florida January 17, 2020 | Reuters Also read: SpaceX launches third batch of mini-satellites into orbit (With inputs from Reuters)

SpaceX to destroy rocket in 'mock-failure' before manned missions with NASA

<p>Four rare salt formations have been discovered on the shores of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/mexican-american-mormons-bad-blood-with-drug-cartels-260763#breakways-after-us-civil-war-260749">Great Salt Lake</a> for the first time that can provide an insight into&nbsp;salt structures found on Mars.</p>

<p>They were discovered by Park Rangers and Geologists and after investigation, it was found that the mounds of salt were ''mirabilite'' also known as Glauber's salt.</p>

<p>Guided tours of the mirabilite mounds were offered to the public on January 11 and 12 by the staff at the lake.</p>

<p>According to researchers, they are special because its precipitation can serve as analogues for conditions similar to that of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasas-trip-to-mars-begins-in-california-clean-room-270678">Mars</a>.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-indian-software-analyst-writes-national-anthem-for-mars-271894">Former Indian software analyst writes ‘national’ anthem for Mars</a></strong></p>

<p>They approximately 3 feet tall and are spread over several yards.</p>

<p>Their discovery at this place is highly unusual and has never been documented before.</p>

<p>They were found previously only in a few places across the globe, primarily in the Arctic and other polar regions due to the constant cold temperature of that place.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A rare geologic wonder on the Great Salt Lake!<br />
<br />
Mirabilite mounds are rare and have never been documented at the Great Salt Lake. They have only been found at a few locations around the world - primarily in the Arctic.<br />
<br />
Learn more: <a href="https://t.co/fys6g33Xex">https://t.co/fys6g33Xex</a> <a href="https://t.co/PKlUwjk6dS">pic.twitter.com/PKlUwjk6dS</a></p>
— Utah State Parks (@UtahStateParks) <a href="https://twitter.com/UtahStateParks/status/1214687038722560001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>The reason behind their sudden appearance is the exposed shoreline due to the lowered water levels caused by droughts and water diversion at the largest natural lake of the west of Mississipi.</p>

<p>According to Richard Socki, a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eyeing-moon-nasa-hosts-first-public-astronaut-graduation-ceremony-273598">NASA </a>geochemist, ''the Glauber's salt is created from the water that bubbles up from the underground''.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/smoke-plummetted-from-australian-bushfire-will-take-a-full-circuit-and-return-to-the-nation-nasa-274181">Australian bushfire smoke will take a 'full circuit' and return to the nation: NASA</a></strong></p>

<p>''The expanded shorelines along with the highly saline water of the lake means an increment in the number of places for water to bubble up from warm, sulphate-rich springs to the surface,'' he also added.</p>

<p>The flat terraces have been created over a period of the last few months by the concentration of tiny crystals at an individual place.</p>


Four rare salt formations have been discovered on the shores of the Great Salt Lake for the first time that can provide an insight into salt structures found on Mars.

Four rare salt formations have been discovered on the shores of the Great Salt Lake for the first time that can provide an insight into salt structures found on Mars. They were discovered by Park Rangers and Geologists and after investigation, it was found that the mounds of salt were ''mirabilite'' also known as Glauber's salt. Guided tours of the mirabilite mounds were offered to the public on January 11 and 12 by the staff at the lake. According to researchers, they are special because its precipitation can serve as analogues for conditions similar to that of Mars. Also read: Former Indian software analyst writes ‘national’ anthem for Mars They approximately 3 feet tall and are spread over several yards. Their discovery at this place is highly unusual and has never been documented before. They were found previously only in a few places across the globe, primarily in the Arctic and other polar regions due to the constant cold temperature of that place. A rare geologic wonder on the Great Salt Lake! Mirabilite mounds are rare and have never been documented at the Great Salt Lake. They have only been found at a few locations around the world - primarily in the Arctic. Learn more: https://t.co/fys6g33Xex pic.twitter.com/PKlUwjk6dS — Utah State Parks (@UtahStateParks) January 7, 2020 × The reason behind their sudden appearance is the exposed shoreline due to the lowered water levels caused by droughts and water diversion at the largest natural lake of the west of Mississipi. According to Richard Socki, a NASA geochemist, ''the Glauber's salt is created from the water that bubbles up from the underground''. Also read: Australian bushfire smoke will take a 'full circuit' and return to the nation: NASA ''The expanded shorelines along with the highly saline water of the lake means an increment in the number of places for water to bubble up from warm, sulphate-rich springs to the surface,'' he also added. The flat terraces have been created over a period of the last few months by the concentration of tiny crystals at an individual place.

Unique salt formations found in Utah provide insights regarding life on Mars

<p>NASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honouring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars.</p>

<p>After completing more than two years of basic training, the six women and seven men were chosen from a record-breaking 18,000 applicants and represent a wide variety of backgrounds and specialities, from pilots to scientists, engineers and doctors.</p>

<p>The group included two candidates from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which has participated in a joint training program with the United States since 1983.</p>

<p>"They are the best of the best: They are highly qualified and very diverse, and they represent all of America," said NASA Administrator <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/boeing-starliner-returning-to-earth-early-after-mission-failure-269557">Jim Bridenstine</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The class included five people of colour, including the first Iranian-American astronaut, Jasmin Moghbeli, who flew helicopter combat missions in Afghanistan and holds an engineering degree from MIT, and geologist Jessica Watkins, who joins only a handful of black women to complete the program.</p>

<p>The group, known as the "Turtles," wore blue flight jumpsuits and took turns approaching the podium to receive their silver astronaut pins, as their fellow classmates paid tribute to their character in the first-ever public graduation ceremony.</p>

<p>The tradition of handing out pins dates back to the Mercury 7 astronauts who were selected in 1959, with participants receiving their gold pins once they complete their first spaceflights.</p>

<p>After being selected in 2017, the class completed training in spacewalking at NASA's underwater Neutral Buoyancy Lab, robotics, the systems of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-launches-third-batch-of-mini-satellites-into-orbit-272623">International Space Station</a> and piloting the T-38 training jet, plus Russian language lessons.</p>

<p>They are the first to graduate since NASA announced the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-plans-to-send-water-hunting-robot-to-moon-surface-in-2022-258216">Artemis program</a> to return to the Moon by 2024, this time on its south pole, as the United States plans to place the next man and first woman on lunar soil and set up an orbital space station.</p>

<p>Part of the group's training, therefore, included studying the building blocks of that program, which are still being developed: the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/glitch-delays-european-cheops-satellite-launch-268717">Space Launch System</a> rocket, the Orion crew capsule and the gateway space station.</p>

<p>But NASA has already said that the crew of the first return Moon mission, Artemis 3, will be selected from previous graduates.</p>

<p>Astronauts play an active role in the development of spacecraft, and the current group will eventually join the ranks of the approximately 500 people in history who have ventured into space.</p>

<p>The 11 US astronauts bring the total number of NASA's corps up to 48.</p>

<p>Their diversity stands in contrast to the early years of space exploration, long dominated by white men (including all 12 people who have walked on the Moon) until Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and Guion Bluford the first black astronaut the same year.</p>

<p>It also includes Indian-American Raja Chari, an Air Force colonel and aeronautical engineer;&nbsp;Frank Rubio, a medical doctor and Blackhawk pilot; and Jonny Kim, a decorated Navy SEAL and emergency physician, who holds both a doctorate in medicine from Harvard and a mathematics degree.</p>

<p>"When I heard about possibly being a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/world-to-witness-2020s-first-lunar-eclipse-today-273350">NASA</a> astronaut I thought that was a platform like no other where I could leave a huge impact on the next generation and also contribute to our nation's space exploration," Kim told reporters.</p>

<p>Watkins praised what she called NASA's emphasis on diversity.</p>

<p>"I think cultural and social change can be slow, even when it's trending in the right direction," she said.</p>

<p>The CSA's newest astronauts are Joshua Kutryk,&nbsp;a Royal Canadian Air Force lieutenant colonel, and Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons who holds a doctorate in engineering from the University of Cambridge where she was working as an assistant professor in combustion in the Department of Engineering.</p>

<p>Asked about the difficulties she faced in her career, Moghbeli said some had questioned her choices when she decided to join the military after graduating from MIT.</p>

<p>"In a post-September 11 world, did my parents think I was crazy? Yes, I'm pretty sure they did," she said but added that her family then gave her their full support.</p>

<p>"It's because of that that I'm here today, and I think everyone feels similarly, but -- that being said -- there will always be people out there that doubt.</p>

<p>"When I was a sixth-grader and said I was going to become an astronaut, do you think everyone was like, 'Yep, she's going to become an astronaut'? Probably not."&nbsp;</p>


NASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honouring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars.

NASA on Friday celebrated its latest class of graduating astronauts at a public ceremony in Houston, honouring a diverse and gender-balanced group now qualified for spaceflight missions including America's return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars. After completing more than two years of basic training, the six women and seven men were chosen from a record-breaking 18,000 applicants and represent a wide variety of backgrounds and specialities, from pilots to scientists, engineers and doctors. The group included two candidates from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which has participated in a joint training program with the United States since 1983. "They are the best of the best: They are highly qualified and very diverse, and they represent all of America," said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. The class included five people of colour, including the first Iranian-American astronaut, Jasmin Moghbeli, who flew helicopter combat missions in Afghanistan and holds an engineering degree from MIT, and geologist Jessica Watkins, who joins only a handful of black women to complete the program. The group, known as the "Turtles," wore blue flight jumpsuits and took turns approaching the podium to receive their silver astronaut pins, as their fellow classmates paid tribute to their character in the first-ever public graduation ceremony. The tradition of handing out pins dates back to the Mercury 7 astronauts who were selected in 1959, with participants receiving their gold pins once they complete their first spaceflights. After being selected in 2017, the class completed training in spacewalking at NASA's underwater Neutral Buoyancy Lab, robotics, the systems of the International Space Station and piloting the T-38 training jet, plus Russian language lessons. They are the first to graduate since NASA announced the Artemis program to return to the Moon by 2024, this time on its south pole, as the United States plans to place the next man and first woman on lunar soil and set up an orbital space station. Part of the group's training, therefore, included studying the building blocks of that program, which are still being developed: the Space Launch System rocket, the Orion crew capsule and the gateway space station. But NASA has already said that the crew of the first return Moon mission, Artemis 3, will be selected from previous graduates. Astronauts play an active role in the development of spacecraft, and the current group will eventually join the ranks of the approximately 500 people in history who have ventured into space. The 11 US astronauts bring the total number of NASA's corps up to 48. Their diversity stands in contrast to the early years of space exploration, long dominated by white men (including all 12 people who have walked on the Moon) until Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983 and Guion Bluford the first black astronaut the same year. It also includes Indian-American Raja Chari, an Air Force colonel and aeronautical engineer; Frank Rubio, a medical doctor and Blackhawk pilot; and Jonny Kim, a decorated Navy SEAL and emergency physician, who holds both a doctorate in medicine from Harvard and a mathematics degree. "When I heard about possibly being a NASA astronaut I thought that was a platform like no other where I could leave a huge impact on the next generation and also contribute to our nation's space exploration," Kim told reporters. Watkins praised what she called NASA's emphasis on diversity. "I think cultural and social change can be slow, even when it's trending in the right direction," she said. The CSA's newest astronauts are Joshua Kutryk, a Royal Canadian Air Force lieutenant colonel, and Jennifer Sidey-Gibbons who holds a doctorate in engineering from the University of Cambridge where she was working as an assistant professor in combustion in the Department of Engineering. Asked about the difficulties she faced in her career, Moghbeli said some had questioned her choices when she decided to join the military after graduating from MIT. "In a post-September 11 world, did my parents think I was crazy? Yes, I'm pretty sure they did," she said but added that her family then gave her their full support. "It's because of that that I'm here today, and I think everyone feels similarly, but -- that being said -- there will always be people out there that doubt. "When I was a sixth-grader and said I was going to become an astronaut, do you think everyone was like, 'Yep, she's going to become an astronaut'? Probably not."

Eyeing Moon, NASA hosts first public astronaut graduation ceremony

<p>The first <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/things-to-about-the-lunar-eclipse-happening-tomorrow-273131#partial-lunar-eclipse%C2%A0-273116">penumbral lunar eclipse</a> of the year is&nbsp;taking&nbsp;place today, on 10th January.</p>

<p>During the eclipse, the Moon passes directly behind Earth and its shadow.&nbsp;&nbsp;It is one of the four penumbral lunar eclipses that will occur this year. &nbsp;</p>

<p>A penumbral lunar eclipse&nbsp;occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are&nbsp;in an imperfect alignment with each other.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Earth blocks partial&nbsp;sunlight from directly reaching the Moon's surface and covers all or part of the Moon with the outer part of its shadow, also known as the penumbra.</p>

<p>It will be visible in India and several other countries across Asia, Africa and Europe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In India, the lunar eclipse can be seen from 10:30 pm on Friday, January 10 till 2:42 am on&nbsp;January 11.</p>

<p>It is called as the 'wolf lunar eclipse', as it is the first full moon of January which was named so by the Almanac tribe of the Northern and Eastern United States.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The term Wolf Moon is also called Ice Moon or the Moon after Yule, Shakambhari Purnima, Paush Purnima, and Duruthu Poya.</p>

<p>According to the Hindu calendar, the full Moon is called the Shakambhari Purnima, the last day of the eight-day Shakambari Navratri holiday that commemorates the goddess Shakambhari.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Taking baths in the holy waters of India is considered essential&nbsp;for Shakambari Navratri.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Buddhists of Sri Lanka also celebrate the day as Duruthu Poya, which to celebrate of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha's first visit to Sri Lanka.</p>

<p>It is absolutely safe to watch this lunar eclipse with naked eyes, unlike any solar eclipses which require eye protection gears to watch them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, a telescope will be needed it watch it. &nbsp;</p>

<p>According to NASA, this lunar eclipse will make way for longer days ahead.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">🌖 What will the Moon look like throughout 2020? Using data from our <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAMoon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAMoon</a> Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to visualize with unprecedented fidelity, <a href="https://twitter.com/NASAGoddard?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NASAGoddard</a>'s Dial-a-Moon shows each hour: <a href="https://t.co/iPrELt2wNN">https://t.co/iPrELt2wNN</a><br />
<br />
🎦 Watch a full year of Moon phases: <a href="https://t.co/AQnn8FxCe7">https://t.co/AQnn8FxCe7</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fy6GVBelFo">pic.twitter.com/Fy6GVBelFo</a></p>
— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1212857694174023681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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<p>“On the evening of the full Moon, as evening twilight ends, the brightest planet in the sky will be Venus, appearing as the evening star in the southwest about 19 degrees above the horizon. No particularly bright star will appear near overhead. The highest bright star will be Capella, appearing about 46 degrees above the northeastern horizon&nbsp; As the month progresses the background of stars will appear to shift toward the west, while Venus will appear to shift the other direction, higher in the sky each night,” according to Gordon Johnston of NASA.</p>


The first penumbral lunar eclipse of the year is taking place today, on 10th January. During the eclipse, the Moon passes directly behind Earth and its shadow. It is one of the four penumbral lunar eclipses that will occur this year.

The first penumbral lunar eclipse of the year is taking place today, on 10th January. During the eclipse, the Moon passes directly behind Earth and its shadow. It is one of the four penumbral lunar eclipses that will occur this year. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are in an imperfect alignment with each other. The Earth blocks partial sunlight from directly reaching the Moon's surface and covers all or part of the Moon with the outer part of its shadow, also known as the penumbra. It will be visible in India and several other countries across Asia, Africa and Europe. In India, the lunar eclipse can be seen from 10:30 pm on Friday, January 10 till 2:42 am on January 11. It is called as the 'wolf lunar eclipse', as it is the first full moon of January which was named so by the Almanac tribe of the Northern and Eastern United States. The term Wolf Moon is also called Ice Moon or the Moon after Yule, Shakambhari Purnima, Paush Purnima, and Duruthu Poya. According to the Hindu calendar, the full Moon is called the Shakambhari Purnima, the last day of the eight-day Shakambari Navratri holiday that commemorates the goddess Shakambhari. Taking baths in the holy waters of India is considered essential for Shakambari Navratri. Buddhists of Sri Lanka also celebrate the day as Duruthu Poya, which to celebrate of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha's first visit to Sri Lanka. It is absolutely safe to watch this lunar eclipse with naked eyes, unlike any solar eclipses which require eye protection gears to watch them. However, a telescope will be needed it watch it. According to NASA, this lunar eclipse will make way for longer days ahead. 🌖 What will the Moon look like throughout 2020? Using data from our @NASAMoon Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter to visualize with unprecedented fidelity, @NASAGoddard's Dial-a-Moon shows each hour: https://t.co/iPrELt2wNN 🎦 Watch a full year of Moon phases: https://t.co/AQnn8FxCe7 pic.twitter.com/Fy6GVBelFo — NASA (@NASA) January 2, 2020 × “On the evening of the full Moon, as evening twilight ends, the brightest planet in the sky will be Venus, appearing as the evening star in the southwest about 19 degrees above the horizon. No particularly bright star will appear near overhead. The highest bright star will be Capella, appearing about 46 degrees above the northeastern horizon As the month progresses the background of stars will appear to shift toward the west, while Venus will appear to shift the other direction, higher in the sky each night,” according to Gordon Johnston of NASA.

World to witness 2020's first Lunar eclipse today

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