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GeoEye
The space shuttle Discovery sits like a jewel in its launch-pad setting at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, as seen by the GeoEye-1 satellite on Nov. 1 from an altitude of 425 miles.
The space shuttle has never flown as high as 425 miles, but that’s how high the GeoEye-1 satellite was when it snapped this picture of the shuttle Discovery on its launch pad on Nov. 1. Discovery is due to set off on its 39th and final mission no earlier than Feb. 3, which means the shuttle will be staying home for Christmas.
GeoEye-1’s view of Discovery serves as the first holiday treat for our Cosmic Log Space Advent Calendar, which will feature a different view of Earth from space on each day from now until Christmas. The idea isn’t exactly new: Advent calendars have been a holiday tradition for centuries, and a couple of years ago, The Big Picture at Boston.com began offering up an online calendar countdown of Hubble images.
Last year, the Planetary Society’s Emily Lakdawalla followed suit with an Advent calendar of solar system images. And this year, the folks behind the Zooniverse Web portal (incorporating Galaxy Zoo, Moon Zoo and more) are offering an online Advent calendar that really looks like an Advent calendar.
We can only hope that our Earth-centered holiday countdown works out as well. Let's hope it adds an extra layer of meaning to the phrase "Peace on Earth." Come back to Cosmic Log (or Photoblog) tomorrow and every day until Christmas for a fresh holiday treat.
Here's wishing you a happy holiday season, with true peace on Earth and goodwill toward all.
Door 2 / December 2: 'Alien' lake seen from space:
NASA
California's Mono Lake lies along the western edge of the Great Basin. A series of plug volcanoes known as the Mono Craters can be seen running along an expanse south of the lake.
Eastern California's Mono Lake is where scientists conducted experiments aimed at determining whether a particular kind of salt-loving microbe could consume arsenic rather than phosphorus to keep life's machinery going. The results suggested that life is more adaptable than we thought -- and that's good news for astrobiologists looking for places where life could exist beyond Earth. Even though the microbe is totally terrestrial, Mono Lake is an alien-looking place, as my colleague Robert Hood pointed out in an earlier posting. Mono Lake also has an unusual chemistry: It ranks as one of the most arsenic-rich bodies of water on Earth (although the lake's fans emphasize that the water isn't as toxic as you might think.) It's also more than twice as salty as the ocean. The lake, which has no outlet, is thought to have existed for at least 760,000 years and possibly much longer.
This image of Mono Lake was captured in 1999 by NASA's Landsat 7 satellite, and it serves as the second offering in our Cosmic Log Space Advent Calendar.
Door 3 / December 3: Egypt's river of light:
NASA / Reuters
A night-time photograph snapped from the International Space Station on Oct. 28 shows the bright lights of Cairo and Alexandria as well as Egypt's Nile River and its delta.
The River Nile lights up the night in a photographic view captured from the International Space Station, sailing in orbit about 220 miles above. You can also see lights ringing the Red Sea, as well as Israel's lights along the Mediterranean coast toward upper right. I love the airglow effect visible at the edge of Earth's disc.
This picture, taken Oct. 28, was one of a series highlighted by my colleague John Brecher last month, but I can't resist coming back to it as today's treat for the Cosmic Log Space Advent Calendar. Maybe that's because we're in the midst of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. Or maybe it's because of today's story about the geology behind the ancient "Gift of the Nile" floods. This glittering view from space can be seen as a gift of the Nile for the 21st century.
Door 4 / December 4: Tallest building reaches for the sky:
GeoEye
This half-meter-resolution satellite image features the Burj Khalifa building, located along the Sheikh Zayed Road in the heart of downtown Dubai. The skyscraper stands 2,717 feet (828 meters) high and is the tallest human-made structure in the world. The image was taken by the GeoEye-1 satellite from an altitude of 423 miles on Feb. 9, 2010, as it moved from north to south over the United Arab Emirates at a speed of 4 miles per second.
The tallest building in the world casts a long shadow on downtown Dubai, as seen in this picture from the GeoEye-1 satellite. But this is no Tower of Babel: Its 2,717-foot height comes nowhere close to reaching the satellite's 423-mile-high orbit. The $1.5 billion Burj Khalifa building made its Dubai debut in January, and recently served as the setting for scenes filmed with Tom Cruise for the upcoming movie "Mission: Impossible 4." Check out our story about the building's opening for additional background and visual perspectives.
It's particularly apt that Burj Khalifa figures in the fourth "Mission: Impossible" movie, because GeoEye's view serves as the visual treat behind Door No. 4 in our Cosmic Log Space Advent Calendar. Check back with Cosmic Log or Photoblog every day until Christmas for another view of Earth from space.
Door 5 / December 5: Dazzling delta:
NASA
An image from Landsat 7, acquired in 2000, shows Russia's Lena Delta.
This picture may look like a delicate ocean coral ... or a microscopic view of a stained tissue sample ... or a visualization of someone's psychedelic dream. But it's actually an image of Russia's Lena River delta, captured in the year 2000 by the Landsat 7 satellite. The colors don't reflect what you would actually see if you were looking down from Landsat's 438-mile-high orbit; rather, they represent different types of surface composition, ranging from vegetation-covered terrain to bare ground and bodies of water. This online tutorial explains the seemingly crazy color scheme.
The Lena River is about 2,800 miles (4,400 kilometers) long, making it one of the largest rivers in the world. The Lena Delta Reserve is the most extensive protected wilderness area in Russia, providing an important refuge and breeding grounds for many species of Siberian wildlife.
For more Landsat goodness, feast your eyes on this year's "Earth as Art" slideshow.
Door 6 / December 6: Space skipper vs. the world:
NASA
This photograph, taken from the International Space Station, is one of the pictures that played a part in station commander Scott Kelly's Geography Trivia Contest.
A picture from the International Space Station makes for a pretty ocean scene — and a pretty cool trivia contest as well. For the past four weeks, space station commander Scott Kelly has been teasing his Twitter followers with pictures from orbit, with prizes promised to the winners.
The prizes? Pictures of those Earth views autographed by Kelly himself, to be sent out after he comes down from the station in March. But this contest is a matter of pride as well as prizes. The first one to come up with the right answer to each week's challenge gets a tweeted tribute from the world's highest-flying skipper.
Kelly arrived at the station aboard a Soyuz craft in October, and took over command of the space station from his fellow NASA astronaut, Doug Wheelock, on Thanksgiving Day. Wheelock had been NASA's top tweetmeister aboard the station, and Kelly inherited that role as well as the title of commander.
Have you figured out what this picture shows yet? David Cohen of Vineland, N.J., correctly guessed that it's the Bahamas, winning Round 2 of Kelly's contest.
Door 7 / December 7: Pearl Harbor from the heavens:
Satellite Imaging / GeoEye
The Ikonos satellite captured this image of Ford Island at Pearl Harbor in 2003. Labels indicate the USS Arizona Memorial and the USS Utah Memorial. The Battleship Missouri is also visible, docked near the Arizona Memorial.
years ago, Hawaii's Pearl Harbor became famous for "a date which willl live in infamy": Japan's air attack on the island's U.S. naval installation on Dec. 7, 1941. The United States immediately entered World War II, opposing the Axis powers, and the rest is ... well, history. This year's anniversary was commemorated with ceremonies as well as images from that terrible time.
This image shows a far more peaceful scene: Ford Island, as seen by the Ikonos satellite in 2003 from an altitude of 423 miles. Labels indicate the locations of the USS Arizona Monument and the USS Utah Monument, and you can also make out the Battlefield Missouri, docked near the Arizona site. (The Missouri was still being built when Pearl Harbor happened.) As large as it is, this version of the image doesn't do justice to the satellite's camera resolution. You should take a look at the larger picture on the Satellite Imaging website. To see how U.S. ships were positioned on the day of the 1941 attack, check out this diagram of "Battleship Row." And don't miss this video clip from "NBC Nightly News."
The Pearl Harbor anniversary is a good reminder that the holiday season is a time to remember past sacrifices and struggles as well.
Door 8 / December 8: Listening for E.T.:
GeoEye
The 1,000-foot-wide Arecibo Observatory faces up toward the heavens in this image captured by the GeoEye-1 satellite on June 30, 2009.
The 1,000-foot-wide Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico is used for lots of scientific inquiries, such as getting a fix on comets and tracking down radio pulsars. But Arecibo is best-known as the world's biggest listening post for radio signals that might be coming from extraterrestrial civilizations. No confirmed transmissions have been picked up yet, but just in the past week there's been more talk about the prospects for finding extraterrestrial life. Only thing is, that life would probably be more similar to slime mold than little green men. The search for E.T. continues, at Arecibo as well as the Allen Telescope Array in Northern California.
This half-meter-resolution picture of Arecibo's giant radio dish was taken by the GeoEye-1 satellite last year, from an altitude of more than 400 miles. If you look closely at the full-resolution version of the image, you can easily make out the cars in the observatory's parking lot, and even the 40-foot swimming pool. I had a ground-level tour of the facility seven years ago and wrote up this little travelogue about it.
Door 9 / December 9: Blast from the past:
NASA / Michigan Tech / IGEPN
A false-color image from NASA's Terra satellite shows an eruption under way at Ecuador's Tungurahua Volcano in August 2006.
There's a terrible beauty to volcanic eruptions, as we've seen over the past few days during an upsurge in activity at Ecuador's Tungurahua Volcano. Over the weekend, villagers near Tungurahua fled their homes because of an eruption that spewed rocks and ash into the air. Ecuador's "Throat of Fire" has roared spectacularly at least three times in the past year -- and there have been many other flare-ups since the volcano awoke in 1999.
This false-color image, captured by NASA's Terra satellite in shortwave infrared, near-infrared and green wavelengths, shows the volcano belching ash in August 2006. The satellite image also records the impact of earlier eruptions. Deep purple rivulets of rock make their way through green vegetation. The rock is from previous lava flows that have solidified. Arcing around the west side of the volcano is the bright blue ribbon of the Chambo River.
Tip o' the Log to Alan Taylor at The Big Picture and Emily Lakdawalla at the Planetary Society, as well as the good folks of the Zooniverse. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page or following @b0yle on Twitter.
Leave a Comment:
As a former External Tank Thermal Protection Inspector at the Michould Assembly plant in New Orleans it is with bittersweet emotions that I write this comment. I am so proud of my former team members who built this spacecraft and astronauts that flew this spectacular bird thru its many missions and the payback we got from all missions. (Even the ones that left our hearts broken.) It saddens me that our present administration is letting this program die with no real direction to move in for the future. The gap in the tech edge we will loose will not be able to be made up and frankly puts us as a country in jeopardy in more than one way. Leaving Russia as the only bridge to the space station now is scary to think about and it shows that our administration in Washington is clueless in another area of failed policies that only hurts our country. My wish is that someone in Washington wakes up quick and re - routes our man space program course before we loose a greater edge both military and commercially to the other countries in the world that are poised to taking advantage of our lack to see the benefits of having a strong manned space program.
I wonder how many god awful biological weapons was placed on board and developed in the nostalgic space shuttle? Hopefully humanity on earth will never see them in action.
Way nebular.
Way nebular.
Mr Dobrowolski,
Your reasoned statements lack impact when you misuse the word loose (which means not tight) when I think you mean lose (which is to not have anymore). If you ask me, however, sending men up in space is a tremendous waste of taxpayer money. It is interesting thing to do, for sure, but not when we have to leave the paying of our expenses for the upcoming generations
I've been saying the exact same thing for years. Thank you Idahosmartee
IdahoSmartee - the missions into space have not been just a waste of taxpayer money. There have been millions of science experiments conducted on those missions...and lots of knowledge gained from those experiments. I don't have any proof that any of those experiments have had an impact on our lives, but one would have to think that what has been learned by those experiments has helped all humans on earth in some way, shape or form.
And I agree with Jeff - leaving Russia with the only means to access the International Space Station leaves me a bit queasy myself.
And I hope you feel so big and important for finding the one misspelled word in his post!
Children behave!
For my part, I know that the manned space program has helped keep this country in the technological forefront, and it has assured that no other country could fully militarize space without expecting a response from the US. If we give up on manned space flight we clearly risk losing our technological position (which is already slipping and doesn't need the negative push) and we gamble on the actions of less responsible regimes in the future.
Now, feel free to check my spelling.
I know I sound like a broken record, but if we stop the 2 fiasco wars we're engaged in, to no good outcome for us, think of the multi-billions we would have to spend at home. No doubt a pipe dream.
I believe manned space flight is very necessary if for no other reason than it exemplifies the human drive to explore, to learn more about the universe, and to discover in its purest form. As humans, we can't NOT explore new frontiers.
As long as the US Airforce continues to harass and shoot down UFO's which clearly defy all earths technology and often the laws of physics, humanity on earth does not deserve to bring it's wanton destruction outside of the planet. It seems the Universe does have a unique sense of IRONY.
When humanity on earth FIRST learns to live with one another in total PEACE then the exploration of outer-space will open up. America is largely grounded now because America is the number one exporter of weapons of death to the entire world, more than all other nations COMBINED. Get used to being grounded or decide to live in peace and reach out too the stars.
Unfortunatly, it is a little ignorant for you to even imagine everyone on the planet 'living in peace'. man has been around for how long now? the only thing mankind wants is money and power, there are a few decent beings who live to help others but for the most part everyone is trying to benefiet themselves. its natural for us to what to learn about the unknown. and i dont see how our airforce has the power to destroy and hide ufos from us. as you stated they defy any of earths technology and even the laws of physics...i just dont think our airforce, espically us alone. could take down other lifeforms/ufos when we cant even get past our own moon. if they are making aircraft cable of going acroos galaxies and such, im pretty sure there weapons and defenseive system would be far superior to our own.
ohioman--too much common sense and thought in your comment for most of the people who post here !:-)
I feel that space exploration is what makes us who we are. education is never wasted. the new technologies discovered through or technical advancements, have helped to save lives and understand the intricacy of the the human race. I always try to look ahead to see whats coming in my direction. (I wish I saw that coming! Know what I mean?)
i agree lets stop the war and really look at going to mars or a moon station, as i agree from what i know of we have gained more then we lost, the biggest thing is to spend the money wisely and make the most out of it that we can.
I "SO" agree with you! Only wished to be alive 100 years from now, to see where our future generations take us.
I believe we better be way careful if we want to mix it up with the universe. I can only testify that all these things of 'discovery' be benevolent in their inherent nature. Unafraid we sally forth where we have no business being in the first place (not unlike other areas outside of our environmet). thank you for allowing someone like me-one with no authority and limited knowledge in such matters- to express my humble opinion. with all due respect I am as always peterpaulacerra
I believe we better be way careful if we want to mix it up with the universe. I can only testify that all these things of 'discovery' be benevolent in their inherent nature. Unafraid we sally forth where we have no business being in the first place (not unlike other areas outside of our environmet). thank you for allowing someone like me-one with no authority and limited knowledge in such matters- to express my humble opinion. with all due respect I am as always peterpaulacerra Apoligies for double entry. "when the power of love overcomes the love of power, man will know peace" J.M.H.
We, as a species, must go into space and learn to function in that environment. We need the resources that we know are there and we have to learn how to harvest those resources. Whatever we do not do now will have to be done later at much greater expense. We, the Human Race, must go or face the threat of our own decline.
Humanity on earth are not locusts preying on snatching resources and then moving on to steal more. Humanity on earth is far too warlike to be allowed to expand like some depraved vision of Klingon's. Get used to being 'grounded' or find the strength and courage for lasting peace on earth to all nations FIRST.
IN AWE...
Ants live underground. This is there world. They have a hill and walk freely among the ground. and there are ants all over the world. how did they spread? How did they get on islands? they dont have space shuttles. Did you get it? do you understand? It was a natural occurance for a ant to leave its beginning and go forth spread among the world. Multiply. and change. We see our technology as what makes u s different. When in actuality it is exactly what makes us normal. it is our destiny to go forth and multiply. to spread to the farthest reaches of space. God made this world for us. He didnt say stop at the sky. He said go forth and multiply.
now as i am terribly educated there are pleanty of mispelled words and grammer mistakes. have fun.
Obviously the intense gamma radiation is telling humanity on earth to stop at the sky at this time. The Creator didn't tell anyone to go forth and slay all you find, currently that is the driving force in America whose sole dominion is being the largest exporter of weapons of death on the entire world, more than all other nations COMBINED. Almost every actual ET based UFO you'll ever see are chased by several US fighter jets harassing them and trying to shoot them down. That speaks volumes for the earths intentions and why humanity on earth is largely GROUNDED.
Ants live underground. This is there world. They have a hill and walk freely among the ground. and there are ants all over the world. how did they spread? How did they get on islands? they dont have space shuttles. Did you get it? do you understand? It was a natural occurance for a ant to leave its beginning and go forth spread among the world. Multiply. and change. We see our technology as what makes u s different. When in actuality it is exactly what makes us normal. it is our destiny to go forth and multiply. to spread to the farthest reaches of space. God made this world for us. He didnt say stop at the sky. He said go forth and multiply.
now as i am terribly educated there are pleanty of mispelled words and grammer mistakes. have fun.
it was the previous administration.
photos fantastic hi supergirlin hc
we are explorers and need to know whats out there it is human nature!
. our water ,air and ground are going to be ruined by all the greed and waste from humans. maybe we willfind an answer up there to help us with all the problems that we will have in the future.it takes time to get answers and if we stop exploring now we wont find the answers in time to solve our problems.
you don't have to be a genius to have an opinion .
we are explorers and need to know whats out there it is human nature!
. our water ,air and ground are going to be ruined by all the greed and waste from humans. maybe we willfind an answer up there to help us with all the problems that we will have in the future.it takes time to get answers and if we stop exploring now we wont find the answers in time to solve our problems.
you don't have to be a genius to have an opinion .
oh my gosh, put a lid on it. Look at what we have learned since the first Moon landing and Mars. Think of the 7 astronaunts we lost, they knew the risks, but went up anyway, even a teacher! To help her students & (our furure generations) to learn and and share what it would have been like for her to actually almost be able to reach out and touch the stars and teach from Space! Its an awesome place out there in our universe, look at the incredible pictures that Hubble and our satelites have sent us, would we have ever been able to experience any of this, if we just said NO to going up in Space? If possible, when I pass, I would love for my body to be put in a spacesuit and taken to Mir Space Station, then let go. My body would drift around until hit by an astroid or sucked by the sun, Sounds crazy I know, but would want a camera put on my suit, showing MY venture, that would be awesome to be able to share and NOT even know it, I'll be Heaven watching tho, smiling as my family and strangers watches where no one has boldly been before.
WOW! HOLY CRAP... You people need to just chill the heck out... there's nothing you or your incessant bitching can do to stop the whole stopping with space exploration thing. Enjoy what you have now and go find new stuff to enjoy later when the opportunity strikes. Some of you are way too into this thing. How about we all get off the computer and go live actual life instead of arguing about something that's beyond our controll. Well, I'm going to....sooooooooo..... DUECES!
A.Smith, You should really stop watching Star Trek, Star Warsre are, Independents Day and all of the other scifi movies you seem to be living in. Where are all of these "UFO's" shot down by the Air Force or even the ET's inside of them. The intense gamma radiation is a solar cycle that occurs, there is no communications. And the reason we are GROUNDED is largely due in part of GRAVITY.
Beautiful photos! I agree that it's the human urge to explore beyond our boundaries. But, if we are greedy and wasteful down here, what makes us think we will be otherwise elsewhere? btw--ever hear of "space junk"? However, I don't think the Russians or any other group should have a monopoly on presence in "outer space", either.