OSIRIS-REx

NASA put a probe onto the ground on an asteroid and vacuumed up some samples to bring home.

Can you believe what humanity can do when it applies science?

The aftermath after touching down 🔮🌪

This series of 16 images shows the SamCam imager’s field of view as I backed away from asteroid Bennu’s surface.

More details: https://t.co/D8X8U9eynV pic.twitter.com/S7iKiElLYz
— NASA's OSIRIS-REx (@OSIRISREx) October 21, 2020

Yup, looking at you climate deniers, antivaxers, flat earthers, etc, etc.

What the Hell is That Thing?

Dawn is at Ceres and one of these days the folks running the project are going to figure out just what in the hell those bright spots are. My guess is ice, but what the hell do I know?

Ceres

NASA’s Dawn spacecraft is approaching Ceres. Ceres is considered a Dwarf Planet as well as an asteroid. Not only “an” asteroid, but the original asteroid. It’s full name is 1 Ceres because it was the first object classified as an asteroid.

Back in 2006 when the whole Pluto-is-not-a-planet fiasco happened there was talk of Ceres being included in the list of planets. It was discovered in 1801 and for a number of years it actually was considered a planet before getting demoted to asteroid. Then in ’06 it was classified a dwarf planet instead of a planet. I felt bad for the little ball of ice. It was like it had been kicked in the teeth twice. I vowed at that time that I would be the first red head to walk on its surface.

How’s that working out for me?