Wow! Boom! Ultra cool!

Space Snapshot

Jupiter is one photogenic planet. NASA’s Juno spacecraft continues to deliver stunning images of the giant world, like this one that was captured during Juno’s 62nd close flyby on June 13. Citizen scientist Jackie Branc processed raw JunoCam data to make this image. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS / Jackie Branc (CC BY).

Fact Worth Sharing

Anyone can access raw image data from NASA missions, and NASA encourages citizen scientists to process that data — whether cropping an image, highlighting a particular atmospheric feature, adding color enhancements, creating collages, or other adjustments — and share the results.

Mission Briefings

NASA’s “ultra-cool” quantum sensor could teach us a lot about the Cosmos. Astronauts on the International Space Station recently demonstrated the use of a quantum tool called an atom interferometer in the Cold Atom Lab (pictured) to precisely measure gravity, magnetic fields, and other forces. Using this type of tool in microgravity has the potential to increase its precision, potentially to measure things like the density of different materials within planets and moons. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

When building a lunar habitat, try using lunar materials. A recent experiment aboard the ISS ​​tested using a lunar regolith simulant to make cement in microgravity. The experiment is part of the preparation for eventual habitat construction on the Moon as part of the Artemis program.

Researchers think they have found the origin of the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs. The Chicxulub impactor that collided with Earth 66 million years ago and caused a mass extinction event appears to be a carbonaceous chondrite, a rare and ancient type of meteorite that formed beyond the orbit of Jupiter. This finding comes from measuring metals found in geological layers around the world where debris from the impact fell.

Senegal has become a spacefaring nation. In a partnership with the University Space Centre of Montpellier in France, Senegal launched an earth observation nanosatellite on Aug. 16 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite will collect and transmit environmental monitoring data to various measuring stations across the country.

From The Planetary Society

Is nuking an asteroid a good idea? The idea of using a nuclear bomb to deal with a threatening asteroid may sound like pure Hollywood fantasy, but it’s actually one of the options humanity might turn to for planetary defense. Learn more about when a big “kaboom” is the appropriate solution to a potential impact. Pictured: An artist’s impression of DART (a demonstration of a non-nuclear deflection technique) on its way to a pair of asteroids. Image credit: NASA / JHUAPL.

When Apophis narrowly misses Earth in 2029, Ramses may be along for the ride. The European Space Agency’s mission would send three spacecraft to the asteroid — two entering into close orbit and one landing on Apophis — to study it as it passes close to Earth. Although the mission has not yet been officially confirmed by ESA, work has already begun to ensure it can launch on time.

Crickets — they’re what’s for dinner. In space, as much as on Earth, insects such as crickets are increasingly being explored as sustainable food sources. This week’s Planetary Radio features an interview with members of Team Insecta, a group of Canadian students exploring crickets as a viable source of food for long-term space travel.

NASA’s planetary science budget is not keeping up. Two years into the 10-year period outlined by the planetary science decadal survey, NASA’s spending on planetary science is falling far behind amounts recommended by the science community. The Planetary Society’s space policy team has prepared an in-depth analysis of the past, present, and future of NASA’s planetary science budget and how it departs from the decadal’s recommendations.

New in the member community

In this month’s edition of our Planetary People series, Solar System explorer Rosaly Lopes of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab joined Mat Kaplan for a live conversation about her decades of discoveries, including 71 volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. Rosaly also shared the story of how she went from being a young girl growing up in Rio de Janeiro with dreams of becoming an astronaut to serving as Deputy Director for Planetary Science at JPL. Anyone can watch the recording online. Planetary Society members get to participate in the live Q&A session of Planetary People events through our online member community. Not yet a member? Join today.

What's Up

In the evening sky, look for super bright Venus in the west right after sunset, with yellowish Saturn rising in the east, followed by very bright Jupiter and reddish Mars later in the night. On Aug. 27 and 28, the Moon will be near the latter two planets. Learn more about what to look for in August’s night skies.

Wow of the Week

The “Wow!" signal is one of the most famous and tantalizing finds in the history of SETI research. Originally captured in 1977 by the Ohio State University’s Big Ear radio telescope, the “Wow!" signal was a particularly intense signal detected in a narrow bandwidth near the 1420 MHz hydrogen line — so remarkable that the researcher who spotted it wrote “Wow!” beside it.

The signal has long puzzled scientists as a potential sign of extraterrestrial intelligence, but researchers at the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo have proposed an alternative explanation: the sudden brightening of a cold hydrogen cloud. Cold hydrogen clouds emit faint narrowband radio signals (as shown in the 2020 Arecibo image above) that are in a similar bandwidth as the “Wow!" signal. If a strong emission from another stellar source caused a sudden brightening of one of these clouds, it could create a signal like the one detected in 1977. Image credit: Méndez et al / Arecibo telescope.

Send us your artwork!

We love to feature space artwork in the Downlink. If you create any kind of space-related art, we invite you to send it to us by replying to any Downlink email or writing to [email protected]. Please let us know in your email if you’re a Planetary Society member!