Travelers In The Night

Albert D. Grauer
  • 4.9 (24)
  • ASTRONOMY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

A real "Science Snack" for anyone who is interested in the extraterrestrial. Dr. Al Grauer is a member of the Catalina Sky Survey which has led the world in near Earth asteroid discoveries for 17 of the past 19 years. The music is "Eternity" by John Lyell. Astronomy  Asteroids Space NASA  Comets  Earth Impact Aliens

  1. 886-Aviation&Space Weather

    3D AGO

    886-Aviation&Space Weather

    The Earth’s atmosphere does a good job of protecting humanity from space weather, however, occasionally a major event does break through our shield and gets our attention. Tree rings and ice cores have recorded past space weather events thousands of time larger than which have occurred in the modern age. investing in research seems wise.

    2 min
  2. 375E-410-Extraterrestrial Whales

    6D AGO

    375E-410-Extraterrestrial Whales

    In an area which is about 1/400th of the entire sky, the NASA Kepler spacecraft has discovered 30 Earth like planets which are likely to have liquid water on their surfaces orbiting distant stars. These planets are likely to represent a tiny sample of the habitable planets which exist in the Milky Way. In spite of our efforts to find them, the question remains where are the alien civilizations? In a recent talk given at the Division of Planetary Sciences meeting Dr. Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute suggests that perhaps the majority of worlds with biology and intelligent civilizations exist on interior water ocean worlds where their existence is hidden by the thick layers of rock and ice which separate them from the hostile vacuum of space. We know that in our solar system alone the moon of Jupiter Europa, Saturn's moon Enceladus, and perhaps several other small worlds are likely to have oceans of nutrient rich liquid water covered by a thick layer of rock and ice. We also know that Whales and Dolphins have larger brains than humans, communicate with each other, and exhibit other forms of intelligence. Advanced civilizations existing in ice covered seas may know little of the greater Universe, may find it difficult to consider transporting enough water to travel beyond their worlds, and may not think that it is possible to communicate with others of their kind who are similarly hidden under miles and miles of radiation absorbing ice and rock.

    2 min
  3. 885-Dark Sky Network

    FEB 6

    885-Dark Sky Network

    Around the world those who value the natural night sky are evaluating the effects of light pollution. In addition to impairing astronomy and star gazing the past 100 years of increasing light pollution is proving to be harmful to human health and the natural world upon which we all depend. The purpose of the Dark Sky Network is monitor and facilitate the mitigation of the harmful effects of light pollution.

    2 min
  4. 374E-408-Earth's Pet Rock

    FEB 3

    374E-408-Earth's Pet Rock

    On it's gravitational leash, Earth's pet space rock, 2016 HO3, accompanies us at a distance of between 38 and 100 times the Moon's distance from Earth as we both travel about the Sun. As this tiny asteroid orbits the Sun it spends about half of it's time inside the Earth's orbit where it moves faster and passes ahead of us and the other half of it's yearly path outside of our orbit which causes it to lag behind our home planet. Since it's discovery little has been known about Earth's pet space rock leaving some to speculate that perhaps it is an old rocket booster or other piece of space junk. To answer this question, Dr. Vishnu Reddy of the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory headed up a team of astronomers who used the University of Arizona's Large Binocular Telescope and the Discovery Channel's Telescope to determine some of it's properties. This team of researchers found that 2016 HO3 is indeed a natural object about 100 to 300 feet in diameter, rotates about once every 28 minutes, and is made of material similar to meteorites which have landed on Earth. Our pet space rock, 2016 HO3, has apparently been in it's present relationship to Earth for a hundred years and is likely to remain so for hundreds of years to come. Even though 2016 HO3 is not gravitationally bound to the Earth, the combination of the Sun's and Earth's gravitational pulls keeps it relatively near making it easy to reach and thus is an ideal candidate for visits by human or robotic spacecraft.

    2 min
  5. 884-Turkeys and Asteroids

    JAN 30

    884-Turkeys and Asteroids

    Since in its early history the Earth’s surface was hot and lifeless it is likely that asteroids formed in the same era as Bennu delivered the raw materials for life when they impacted our home planet long ago

    2 min
  6. 373E-407-Plant Companionship

    JAN 27

    373E-407-Plant Companionship

    On Earth, human life is enabled by plants which provide us with calories, vitamins, fuel, medicines, and oxygen to breathe. In addition, recent scientific studies indicate that plant cultivation reduces anxiety and depression and has a positive influence on diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and longevity. Perhaps this is the reason that 80% of the cultivated plant species on planet Earth are not used for any food related purpose. On long duration space missions astronauts live in close quarters isolated from the natural world where the basic activities like eating, sleeping, and attending to bodily functions are difficult and stress producing. Recent research conducted on the International Space Station suggests that space gardening helps astronauts to cope with the sterile space craft interior, allows them to combat boredom, as well as some of the other negative psychological effects of their long period of confinement. Specific examples of International Space Station gardens include astronaut Scott Kelly's first zinnia to bloom in space and astronaut Peggy Whitson's small crop of space soybeans. For many thousands of years people making long journeys have taken plants for food and recreation with them. It is likely that when humans travel to Mars they will continue this practice. The plants that Mars explorers take with them will provide a source of fresh fruits and vegetables , fresh air to breathe, and perhaps a psychological benefit that is crucial to the success of their mission.

    2 min
  7. 883-Theia

    JAN 23

    883-Theia

    In the distant past things in our solar system were very much more wild and violent than they are today. 4.5 billion years ago a Mars sized object called Theia impacted Earth producing our Moon. Scientists are able research this event using the current chemical compositions of the Earth and Moon.

    2 min
  8. 372E-406-Close Ones

    JAN 20

    372E-406-Close Ones

    In less than 24 hours, while observing with the Catalina Sky Survey's 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, Arizona , I discovered two 25 foot diameter space rocks that theoretically can pass less than a quarter of the Moon's distance from us. After I posted my discovery observations on the Minor Planet Center's Near Earth Object Confirmation page one of them received immediate attention, as an incoming object, and was tracked by observers at 14 different observatories around the world. Scientists at the Minor Planet Center used these data to calculate it's 926 day orbital path around the Sun, estimate it's size, and give it the name 2017 TH5. 36 hours after I first spotted 2017 TH5 streaking through the night sky it came to less than 60,000 miles from the surface of our planet traveling at 7.6 miles per second. 8 hours and 49 minutes later it passed less than half a lunar distance from the surface of our moon. If 2017 TH5 would have been on an impact trajectory with Earth humans would have had time to prepare for a spectacular light show. Approximately once every 5 years a tiny asteroid like 2017 TH5 enters our atmosphere exploding at an altitude about 3 times higher than airliners fly releasing the energy of about 5,000 tons of TNT. Asteroid hunters are well on our way towards being able to issue a warning to stay away from doors and windows should a small space rock be discovered to be on an impact trajectory with planet Earth.

    2 min
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About

A real "Science Snack" for anyone who is interested in the extraterrestrial. Dr. Al Grauer is a member of the Catalina Sky Survey which has led the world in near Earth asteroid discoveries for 17 of the past 19 years. The music is "Eternity" by John Lyell. Astronomy  Asteroids Space NASA  Comets  Earth Impact Aliens

Information

  • Creator
    Albert D. Grauer
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Albert D. Grauer
  • Show Website
    Travelers In The Night

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