Space News & Views

[SM]

Apollo 12 LMP, Skylab commander and painter Alan Bean has passed away, aged 86.



In interviews he always seemed to be the guy who was just happy to be part of the space program, which undersold his skill.

"SCE to AUX"

[Local Trouble]

You guys down under know about American astronauts?

[SM]

The famous ones.

[Local Trouble]

Remember that time the Aborigines helped John Glenn with their bonfire?

[SM]

I was busy that night.

[Vermillion]

These guys are real heroes.
Smart and someone to aspire to.

Godspeed.

[Corporal Hicks]

https://www.space.com/40783-tiny-asteroid-hits-earth-2018-la-video.html

[Local Trouble]

Scientists discovered the asteroid, called 2018 LA, early Saturday. After a closer look at the space rock's trajectory, it "was determined to be on a collision course with Earth, with impact just hours away," NASA officials said in a statement.

[Nostromo]

You guys definitely need to get a telescope if you love space. Finally got back into observing after a few years and enjoying it more than ever. Also upgraded from an 8" to an 11" CPC 1100 telescope and got some wide field 100 degree eyepieces that have hooked me so hard. I was out with some friends I met over in the cloudy nights forum (great forum for advice etc) at a nice dark site this past Friday. I still can't forget the views I saw. Not just of Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Mars (currently 25% covered by a planet wide dust storm and growing) but these fantastic views of open star clusters and Nebulae in the Sagittarius constellation. Best investment I ever made! Would highly recommend a scope to all you guys. There's so much to see up there. Check out M51 (2 colliding Galaxies), M23 & M24 open cluster & star cloud and the Lagoon Nebula, just awesome.

[Corporal Hicks]

https://www.space.com/40987-japan-hayabusa2-asteroid-probe-closes-on-ryugu.html?utm_source=notification

A Japanese Probe Is Closing in on an Asteroid 180 Million Miles from Earth

[Local Trouble]

When are we going to start mining those damn things?

https://bigthink.com/philip-perry/nasas-asteroid-mission-likely-to-uncover-mysteries-surrounding-the-origins-of-our-solar-system

Elkins-Tanton has estimated the value of the asteroid's iron content alone at approximately $10,000 quadrillion. That's to say nothing of the gold, copper, and platinum to be found. The value of this asteroid alone could wipe out global debt, $60 trillion, and leave enough left over to give every human on the planet a comfortable lifestyle, or conversely, cause the collapse of the world economy and send us hurdling back to the Dark Ages. Take your pick. Elkins-Tanton suggested dragging back a hunk and doling it out little by little, but also played with the idea of solving mineral scarcity for all-time.

[The Old One]

f**k me, go get the damn thing.

[Still Collating...]

When are we going to start mining those damn things?

https://bigthink.com/philip-perry/nasas-asteroid-mission-likely-to-uncover-mysteries-surrounding-the-origins-of-our-solar-system

Elkins-Tanton has estimated the value of the asteroid's iron content alone at approximately $10,000 quadrillion. That's to say nothing of the gold, copper, and platinum to be found. The value of this asteroid alone could wipe out global debt, $60 trillion, and leave enough left over to give every human on the planet a comfortable lifestyle, or conversely, cause the collapse of the world economy and send us hurdling back to the Dark Ages. Take your pick. Elkins-Tanton suggested dragging back a hunk and doling it out little by little, but also played with the idea of solving mineral scarcity for all-time.

I knew they were a potential gold mine, but to be worth 10,000 trillion?!  I hope the whole world is investing towards this. 

[Local Trouble]

That's $10,000 quadrillion.

[Still Collating...]

Damn, my bad! But how the hell does did they estimate such worth?

Though that's a pretty big rock. It's so exciting just imagining the potential. If humanity is cautious and wise, we as a species have a bright future ahead of us.