Mars Science Laboratory: Launch is Successful

~Yesterday, the Mars Science Laboratory mission launched from Cape Canaveral, beginning an eight-month voyage to the fourth planet of our solar system:

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In a bit over 250 days, the mission will reach Mars to deploy Curiosity, a nuclear-powered, SUV-sized rover equipped with a sophisticated suite of scientific instruments to meet eight scientific objectives in the fields of biology, geology, planetology, and radioactivity:

With a successful launch, the mission has completed its second-most-difficult step.  The greatest challenge will come when the rover deploys to the surface of the planet using a new method that combines a parachute and a rocket-guided sky crane:

I’m looking forward to the July landing of Curiosity on Mars, and I hope you are too!

NOPE

~I’m a bit late to the party on this one (it’s been viewed over 6.2 million times), but in case you haven’t seen it, here is the most hilarious viral marketing commercial you’re ever likely to see:

 

NOPE!

Umstead Adventure

~I’ve discovered an unmarked back entrance to Umstead Park near where I live, so I’ve been spending a fair amount of time there.  Recently, I rode my bike along one of the cycling/horse trails, and took a few pictures along the way:

^ Umstead is a state park, and I find it to be a calming oasis, away from the traffic of the highways that surround it.  It’s also adjacent to an airport, but the direction of the runway is such that airplanes never fly over the park.

 

^ A rocky steam under a bridge.

 

^ A strange, solar-powered contraption. Whatever could it be?  Let’s take a closer look…

 

^ So, it’s a device operated by the U.S. Geological Survey that monitors water levels.  Sounds like a useful thing to have around.

In fact, the website of the USGS has a real-time water monitoring system that lets you download state- and region-wide water information (groundwater, river depths, precipitation, etc.) from these stations.  I zoomed in on Umstead Park and sure enough, there was a green triangle icon marking this particular station (identified as “Station 0208726005”).  This station even has its own webpage where you can see the most recently-gathered water data!

According to the most recent reading from the monitoring station (just over an hour ago), the nearby stream is discharging 29 cubic feet of water per second, and is 3.61 feet deep.

 

^ Near the end of the bike trail, I encountered an obstacle: the path continued through water!  Not to be daunted, this fearless blogger plowed through the shallow stream on his bike and emerged victorious!  And by victorious, I mean dry.

 

^ What looks like a mysterious hatch near a bridge. I wonder what lies below?

 

^ Beautiful yellow flowers.  I don’t have my guide to wildflowers handy, so feel free to take a shot at identifying this plant.

 

^ AVISO DE PESDACO!  Mmmm, PCBs.  I hear they go great with seafood.

 

^ Wait a minute…this trail is clearly marked with a sign, but it isn’t on the official park map!  I wonder where it leads?  I will explore it later, and report to you on this blog!

Cat-O-Vision

~In the video below (from 2009), scientists at UC-Berkeley demonstrate how they can directly capture images of what a cat sees, not from its eyes, but directly from its brain.

Sure, it’s a neat use of technology…but watch until the video reaches the 1:04 mark.  That’s when things get interesting.  If you’ve ever wondered what your cat really sees when it looks at you, wonder no longer:

 

Rise of the Machines

~The chart below shows yesterday’s top stories on the BBC News website.  Perhaps they’re onto something?

Links:

• Skynet seeks idle computer power
• Supercomputer predicts revolution

Now it’s only a matter of time before Skynet develops time travel:

The wonders all around us

~Yesterday evening, while I was at work, there was a sudden intense storm that lasted for about half an hour. When it was over, a break in the clouds let some sunlight through, and a beautiful rainbow appeared on the horizon.

I ducked my head into the nearby computer lab, a windowless room where around a dozen students were variously typing, talking, and looking at Facebook. "If anyone's interested," I said, pointing out the door, "there's a rainbow outside." Some of the students glanced up, looking at me blankly.  I returned to my desk and enjoyed watching the rainbow through a window. After a couple of minutes, the clouds closed, and the rainbow disappeared.

None of the students bothered to look.

Apollo Site Pictures from Lunar Orbit

~The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has been orbiting the Moon since 2009, creating detailed maps of the lunar surface.  NASA recently released several images showing the landing sites from Apollo 12, 14, and 17.  Here’s one showing the Apollo 17 site:

 

^ “The Apollo 17 landing site: To the far right, the Lunar Roving Vehicle; Toward the center, the descent stage of the Challenger lunar module. The lines are tracks and cables.”

Click on the above image for a larger view, or see more of the images here.  Or explore the surface of the moon with Google Moon!