A new NASA breakÂthrough lets us see the sun in a 360 degree, panoramÂic view. The upshot? BetÂter space weathÂer reports comÂing our way. The video from NASA’s YouTube chanÂnel has all the good details …
NASA: The Frontier Is Everywhere
Reid GowÂer writes: “NASA is the most fasÂciÂnatÂing, advenÂturÂous, epic instiÂtuÂtion ever devised by human beings …” but “none of their brilÂliant sciÂenÂtists appear to know how to conÂnect with the social media crowd.” Strange givÂen that “NASA is an instiÂtuÂtion whose fundÂing directÂly depends on how the pubÂlic views them.” TakÂing matÂters into his own hands, GowÂer has proÂduced a litÂtle marÂketÂing gift for NASA: The FronÂtier is EveryÂwhere, a video modÂeled after Michael Marantz’s beauÂtiÂful short film, Earth: The Pale Blue Dot, which also feaÂtures the voice of Carl Sagan – someÂone who underÂstood the imporÂtance of popÂuÂlarÂizÂing sciÂence…
P.S. NASA isn’t exactÂly inept on the marÂketÂing front. We should remind you of two pretÂty cool and recent NASA proÂducÂtions:
The Best of NASA Space ShutÂtle Videos (1981–2010)
NASA LauchÂes PhoÂto Archive on Flickr
via Zadi.TV
The Best of NASA Space Shuttle Videos (1981–2010)
Next year, NASA plans to put an end to its 30 year old space shutÂtle proÂgram. Since 1981, the proÂgram has launched five space shutÂtles (ColumÂbia, ChalÂlenger, DisÂcovÂery, Atlantis, EndeavÂor) into orbit, or 132 flights in total. Here, Matt Melis, a NASA engiÂneer, has comÂpiled what he calls the “best of the best, state of the art” video proÂduced by the space shutÂtle proÂgram. And he has stitched it into a 45 minute tribÂute video, called Ascent, that narÂrates the anatoÂmy of a space launch, from start to finÂish. A great visuÂal way to comÂmemÂoÂrate the space shutÂtle proÂgram, and the peoÂple who filmed it… NOTE: The video remains dark for the first nine secÂonds.
The Milky Way over Texas
This 45 secÂond timeÂlapse video of the “GalacÂtic CenÂter of the Milky Way” risÂing over Texas Star ParÂty (2009) just gets more specÂtacÂuÂlar as it rolls along. William CastleÂman creÂatÂed this sequence using a Canon EOS-5D, with expoÂsures at 20 and 40 secÂond interÂvals. This comÂpleÂments niceÂly StĂ©phane GuisÂard’s panoramÂic view of the Milky Way takÂen from the AtaÂcaÂma desert in Chile. See the The Milky Way in 360 Degrees here.
Find us on FaceÂbook and TwitÂter!
NASA Lauches Photo Archive on Flickr
This week, NASA rolled a big archive of hisÂtorÂiÂcal images into Flickr ComÂmons, givÂing users access to more than a half cenÂtuÂry of NASA’s phoÂtoÂgraphÂic hisÂtoÂry. The images are dividÂed into three neat sets – “Launch and TakeÂoff,” “BuildÂing NASA” and “CenÂter NameÂsakes” – and they’re all copyÂright-free, meanÂing that you can share and use these images howÂevÂer you like. You can jump into the archive here and watch it grow over time. Thanks for the heads up @eugenephoto! They’re always appreÂciÂatÂed…
The Hubble Celebrates 20 Years of Discovery
20 years ago (April 24, 1990) the HubÂble Space TeleÂscope was launched, beginÂning a long periÂod of disÂcovÂery. Today, NASA is celÂeÂbratÂing the HubÂble’s 20th anniverÂsary by releasÂing one of the many brilÂliant phoÂtos takÂen by the space teleÂscope. The image shows us a small porÂtion of one of the largest star-birth regions in the galaxy, the CariÂna NebÂuÂla. As NASA goes on to describe it:
“TowÂers of cool hydroÂgen laced with dust rise from the wall of the nebÂuÂla. The scene is remÂiÂnisÂcent of HubÂble’s clasÂsic “PilÂlars of CreÂation” phoÂto from 1995, but is even more strikÂing in appearÂance. The image capÂtures the top of a three-light-year-tall pilÂlar of gas and dust that is being eatÂen away by the brilÂliant light from nearÂby bright stars. The pilÂlar is also being pushed apart from withÂin, as infant stars buried inside it fire off jets of gas that can be seen streamÂing from towÂerÂing peaks like arrows sailÂing through the air.”
You can downÂload NASA’s feaÂtured phoÂto in varÂiÂous sizes and resÂoÂluÂtions here. You can also look through an amazÂing gallery of HubÂble phoÂtos sponÂsored by NASA, plus a beauÂtiÂful colÂlecÂtion by NationÂal GeoÂgraphÂic’s here. LastÂly, NPR has a nice audio slideshow that feaÂtures astronomers talkÂing about their favorite HubÂble images. Thanks @lauraehall for the heads up on that.
The Milky Way in Time-Lapse Video
This humÂbling footage of the Milky Way was filmed on MauÂna Kea in Hawaii, the same locaÂtion that recentÂly gave us footage of stars orbitÂing a black hole. This is, of course, not a coinÂciÂdence. MauÂna Kea hosts the world’s largest obserÂvaÂtoÂry for optiÂcal, infrared, and subÂmilÂlimeÂter astronÂoÂmy. Thanks Robert for sendÂing this our way.
Stars Orbiting Black Holes
Above, we bring you what astroÂphysiÂcist Daniel Holz calls “one of the coolest movies in all of sciÂence.” What you see here is not exactÂly straightÂforÂward. But it’s the work of UCLA astronomer Andrea Ghez, and it essenÂtialÂly shows stars orbitÂing around a superÂmasÂsive black hole at the cenÂter of our galaxy over the past 15 earth years. AccordÂing to Holz, these orbits, filmed with the largest teleÂscopes in the world on MauÂna Kea, are simÂply “one of the best ways (short of the detecÂtion of gravÂiÂtaÂtionÂal waves from black hole mergÂers) of conÂfirmÂing that black holes exist.” And it’s quite rightÂly an “incredÂiÂble feat of obserÂvaÂtionÂal astronÂoÂmy.” For more, read Holz’s piece on DisÂcovÂer’s CosÂmic VariÂance blog. AnothÂer big thanks to Mike for passÂing this one our way…
Support Us
We're hoping to rely on loyal readers, rather than erratic ads. Please click the Donate button and support Open Culture. You can use Paypal, Venmo, Patreon, even Crypto! We thank you!
Receive our Daily Email
About Us
Open Culture scours the web for the best educational media. We find the free courses and audio books you need, the language lessons & educational videos you want, and plenty of enlightenment in between.
Advertise With Us
