Bright meteor fireball recorded over Espirito Santo, Brazil
Signs of the Times
A bright fireball meteor was recorded Thursday 20th October 2016 by a monitoring station over northern Espirito Santo, Brazil at 03:56AM.
'Meteor-like objects' fall in Peerumade, India
Signs of the Times
Meteor-like objects that fell in Peerumade on Tuesday night created moments of tension. District Collector G.R. Gokul told The Hindu that the image he ...
Revealed: The story behind the 'meteor' seen in the sky over Penarth
ITV News
When footage emerged on Wednesday evening appearing to show a dramatic fireball in the skies over Penarth, theories ranged from a meteor to a ...
Fireball streaks across skies over Wales
MSN.com
Oct 20, 2016; 8:00 AM ET An unidentified fireball flashed across the Welsh sky on October 19, apparently into the Bristol Channel. It remains unclear ...
Orionid meteor shower lights up with likes on social media
CNET
The Orionid meteor shower peaked from Thursday into Friday morning. You might still be able to catch a glimpse of up to 25 shooting stars an hour.
Have you spotted the Orionid meteor shower?
The Guardian
Local weather conditions permitting, the next few days are the prime time for spotting the Orionid meteor shower. The Orionids, formed from the debris ...
Orionid meteor shower 2016 reaches its peak as dazzling display to light up UK night sky
Mirror
Up to 30 meteors an hour are expected to blaze overhead - giving you one of the best chances to see a shooting star this year. This particular meteor ...
Orionid Meteor Shower
The National Space Centre
In 2016, the Orionid meteor shower peaks in the pre-dawn morning of 21 October, with up to 20 meteors per hour.
Orionid Meteor Shower Visible in the UAE TONIGHT!
Khaleej Times
Stop whatever you had planned for the weekend! A majestic meteor shower is expected in the UAE from tonight until 5:00 am on Saturday.
Orionid Meteor Shower 2016 Live Stream: How To Watch Halley's Comet Debris Light Up The ...
International Business Times
Is the United States presidential election stressing you out? If so, take a break and look at the stars — the Orionid meteor shower is set to peak ...
How to see the Orionids, the biggest meteor shower of the season
CBS News
Along with the Geminids in December and the Perseids in August, the most reliable annual display of “shooting stars” is the Orionid meteor shower in ...
Orionids meteor shower 2016: All you need to know about the stunning stargazing event
Birmingham Mail
Fans of cosmic events across Birmingham and throughout the West Midlands will be able to see the Orionid meteor shower in the next few weeks ...
Meteor shower to peak Friday night
Wichita Eagle
Observers can try to see the Orionids meteor shower on Friday away from the city lights at the Lake Afton Public Observatory near Goddard.
When is the Orionids Meteor Shower and how can I see shooting stars from Halley's Comet?
The Telegraph
Dust from Halley's Comet will produce an amazing meteor shower this week that should be visible across many parts of Britain if the weather is kind.
Halley's Comet Debris: Peak 2016 Orionids Meteor Shower Visible Tonight
Patch.com
Debris from Halley's Comet, the Orionids Meteor Shower, peaks Thursday night with up to 20 "shooting stars"per hour, says NASA...
Orionid meteor shower peak tonight!
Democratic Underground
Orionid meteor shower peak tonight! ... I swear to god that every time there is a meteor shower it is overcast here. And of course tonight is no exception.
Orionids Meteor Shower: What is it and where can I see it?
ITV News
Shooting stars will light up the sky on Friday night as debris from Halley's Comet produces one of the year's most reliable meteor showers.
Do you know where to look to see the meteors tonight?
WGNO
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) - The Orionid meteor shower will peak tonight as the Earth passes through the remnants of Haley's Comet. While we won't ...
Orionids meteor shower to dazzle US skies today
The Indian Express
Orionids meteor shower to dazzle US skies today. The Orionid, which derives its name from the Orion constellation, is an annual occurrence which ...
Slooh offers live feed of meteor showers
WQAD.com
Slooh is offering a live feed on their website so you can watch as Orionid Meteors streak through the sky. Cameras are set up at observatories all over ...
Orionid Meteor Shower
FOX Carolina
The Orionids will peak just before dawn on Friday morning, and it's usually a pretty cool sight each year. But this year there will be a bright moon in the ...
Orinoid meteor shower to fly over Earth tonight in spectular display
Daily Mail
Stargazers are in for a spectacular show tonight as debris from Halley's Comet rains down to Earth's atmosphere in the annual Orionid meteor shower.
23 Percent Of American Millennials Prefer Death By Meteor Over Clinton, Trump
The Inquisitr
According
to a new poll conducted by UMass Lowell's Center for Public Opinion,
one in four millennials would prefer death by a meteor than electing .
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
21 October 2016
20 October 2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 20OCT2016
Meteorite fall reported at Peeremedu
mathrubhumi.com
India...The photos look odd to be a meteorite?
Mysterious meteor-like objects fall from the sky in Kerala, India
Strange Sounds
Mysterious meteor-like objects have fell from the sky near the city of Peerumade in the Indian state of Kerala on October 18, creating moments of ...
Meteorite fell on the ground at 35th Mile near Peerumedu, India?
...The mysterious object measured 1085 gms and is 8 cms wide and 5 cm long....
Huge 'meteor' plummets to earth leaving trail of fire in astonishing video
Mirror.co.uk
A flaming meteor-like object can be seen crashing to the ground leaving a trail of fire in this amazing footage. As the video begins, dusk is settling over ...
Huge 'meteor' plummets to earth over a pier in South Wales leaving trail of fire in it's wake
YouTube
Huge 'meteor' plummets to earth over a pier in South Wales leaving trail of fire in it's wake Cameraman was videoing structure before he looked up ...
A flaming meteor-like object just plummeted from the sky above Cardiff
WalesOnline
A flaming object - which could be a meteor from space - has been spotted plummeting from the sky and into the ocean off the South Wales coast....
Spectacular 'meteor' shoots across the night sky before plunging to Earth in South Wales
Daily Mail
Cameraman Mark James, from South Wales, has captured incredible footage of a meteor-like object quickly crashing to earth leaving a trail of smoke ...
Incredible video shows 'meteor' plunging to Earth over South Wales pier
The Sun
It appeared at dusk with a smokey tail of fire and dust following behind it. The object appears to be a meteor from outer space, but it has not yet been ...
Flaming meteor fireball seen over South Wales
Signs of the Times
A flaming object - which could be a meteor from space - has been spotted plummeting from the sky and into the ocean off the South Wales coast...
Halley On Fire! Orionids Peak This Week
SkyandTelescope.com
The annual Orionid meteor shower is active all week, peaking Friday morning October 21st. If you're up before dawn, you might just see these Halley's ...
Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks Friday Morning
Astro Bob
The annual Orionid meteor comes round again this week, peaking on Friday morning the 21st. The meteors can appear appear anywhere in the sky ...
Orionid meteor shower filmed falling over Penarth Pier in south Wales
Metro
Although he didn't realise it at the time, he was witnessing the Orionid meteor shower, which happens when we pass through the orbit of Halley's ...
10 things you probably didn't know about shooting stars
Key 103 Manchester
This weekend we are set to see the peak of the Orionids, a meteor shower with up to 25 per hour. Here are 10 facts you probably didn't know about ...
Orionids 2016: A Poor Year for a Good Meteor Shower
Space.com
A Perseid meteor streaks across the sky left of the hoodoo named Thor's Hammer early on August 13, 2016 in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.
Where and when to see the Orionid meteor shower in Michigan
MLive.com
The best place in Michigan to spot the Orionid meteor shower is the western Upper Peninsula and the extreme western edge of the Lower Peninsula, ...
See the Orionid meteor shower reach its peak in 2016
Coventry Telegraph
The Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak on Thursday, October 20 and and Friday, October 21 but they are visible until November 7. The best time ...
The Orionids meteor shower is about to hit its peak - here's how to watch
ScienceAlert
Right now, we're cruising through the tail of Halley's comet, and the result is one of the best sky-watching events of the year - the Orionid meteor ...
How, when and where to see the Orionid meteor shower
Evening Standard
The Orionid meteor shower 2016 will light up the sky this week – dazzling keen stargazer with an impressive display of shooting stars from Halley's ...
NASA Investigates Monstrous Meteor That Could Cause Total Annihilation Of Earth
Science World Report
Expert researchers and scientists from NASA are making use of powerful telescopes to investigate the massive meteor that could wipe off the face of ...
Meteor Crater
TripAdvisor
Meteor Crater, Winslow: See 2118 reviews, articles, and 1004 photos of Meteor Crater, ranked No.2 on TripAdvisor among 12 attractions in Winslow.
Touching a Meteor
National Geographic Channel
Touching a Meteor. Actor Jeremy Irons, who plays G. H. Hardy in The Man Who Knew Infinity, talks about discovering a meteorite in his school days.
The May 2016 report from the IMO Video Meteor Network is available at
http://www.imonet.org/reports/201605.pdf
Best wishes, Sirko Molau
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
mathrubhumi.com
India...The photos look odd to be a meteorite?
Mysterious meteor-like objects fall from the sky in Kerala, India
Strange Sounds
Mysterious meteor-like objects have fell from the sky near the city of Peerumade in the Indian state of Kerala on October 18, creating moments of ...
Meteorite fell on the ground at 35th Mile near Peerumedu, India?
...The mysterious object measured 1085 gms and is 8 cms wide and 5 cm long....
Huge 'meteor' plummets to earth leaving trail of fire in astonishing video
Mirror.co.uk
A flaming meteor-like object can be seen crashing to the ground leaving a trail of fire in this amazing footage. As the video begins, dusk is settling over ...
Huge 'meteor' plummets to earth over a pier in South Wales leaving trail of fire in it's wake
YouTube
Huge 'meteor' plummets to earth over a pier in South Wales leaving trail of fire in it's wake Cameraman was videoing structure before he looked up ...
A flaming meteor-like object just plummeted from the sky above Cardiff
WalesOnline
A flaming object - which could be a meteor from space - has been spotted plummeting from the sky and into the ocean off the South Wales coast....
Spectacular 'meteor' shoots across the night sky before plunging to Earth in South Wales
Daily Mail
Cameraman Mark James, from South Wales, has captured incredible footage of a meteor-like object quickly crashing to earth leaving a trail of smoke ...
Incredible video shows 'meteor' plunging to Earth over South Wales pier
The Sun
It appeared at dusk with a smokey tail of fire and dust following behind it. The object appears to be a meteor from outer space, but it has not yet been ...
Flaming meteor fireball seen over South Wales
Signs of the Times
A flaming object - which could be a meteor from space - has been spotted plummeting from the sky and into the ocean off the South Wales coast...
Halley On Fire! Orionids Peak This Week
SkyandTelescope.com
The annual Orionid meteor shower is active all week, peaking Friday morning October 21st. If you're up before dawn, you might just see these Halley's ...
Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks Friday Morning
Astro Bob
The annual Orionid meteor comes round again this week, peaking on Friday morning the 21st. The meteors can appear appear anywhere in the sky ...
Orionid meteor shower filmed falling over Penarth Pier in south Wales
Metro
Although he didn't realise it at the time, he was witnessing the Orionid meteor shower, which happens when we pass through the orbit of Halley's ...
10 things you probably didn't know about shooting stars
Key 103 Manchester
This weekend we are set to see the peak of the Orionids, a meteor shower with up to 25 per hour. Here are 10 facts you probably didn't know about ...
Orionids 2016: A Poor Year for a Good Meteor Shower
Space.com
A Perseid meteor streaks across the sky left of the hoodoo named Thor's Hammer early on August 13, 2016 in Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.
Where and when to see the Orionid meteor shower in Michigan
MLive.com
The best place in Michigan to spot the Orionid meteor shower is the western Upper Peninsula and the extreme western edge of the Lower Peninsula, ...
See the Orionid meteor shower reach its peak in 2016
Coventry Telegraph
The Orionid meteor shower reaches its peak on Thursday, October 20 and and Friday, October 21 but they are visible until November 7. The best time ...
The Orionids meteor shower is about to hit its peak - here's how to watch
ScienceAlert
Right now, we're cruising through the tail of Halley's comet, and the result is one of the best sky-watching events of the year - the Orionid meteor ...
How, when and where to see the Orionid meteor shower
Evening Standard
The Orionid meteor shower 2016 will light up the sky this week – dazzling keen stargazer with an impressive display of shooting stars from Halley's ...
NASA Investigates Monstrous Meteor That Could Cause Total Annihilation Of Earth
Science World Report
Expert researchers and scientists from NASA are making use of powerful telescopes to investigate the massive meteor that could wipe off the face of ...
Meteor Crater
TripAdvisor
Meteor Crater, Winslow: See 2118 reviews, articles, and 1004 photos of Meteor Crater, ranked No.2 on TripAdvisor among 12 attractions in Winslow.
Touching a Meteor
National Geographic Channel
Touching a Meteor. Actor Jeremy Irons, who plays G. H. Hardy in The Man Who Knew Infinity, talks about discovering a meteorite in his school days.
The May 2016 report from the IMO Video Meteor Network is available at
http://www.imonet.org/reports/201605.pdf
Best wishes, Sirko Molau
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
19 October 2016
Executive Order -- Coordinating Efforts to Prepare the Nation for Space Weather Events
Executive Order -- Coordinating Efforts to Prepare the Nation for Space Weather Events
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
October 13, 2016
EXECUTIVE ORDER
- - - - - - -
COORDINATING EFFORTS TO PREPARE
THE NATION FOR SPACE WEATHER EVENTS
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to prepare the Nation for space weather events, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Space weather events, in the form of solar flares, solar energetic particles, and geomagnetic disturbances, occur regularly, some with measurable effects on critical infrastructure systems and technologies, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), satellite operations and communication, aviation, and the electrical power grid. Extreme space weather events -- those that could significantly degrade critical infrastructure -- could disable large portions of the electrical power grid, resulting in cascading failures that would affect key services such as water supply, healthcare, and transportation. Space weather has the potential to simultaneously affect and disrupt health and safety across entire continents. Successfully preparing for space weather events is an all-of-nation endeavor that requires partnerships across governments, emergency managers, academia, the media, the insurance industry, non-profits, and the private sector.
It is the policy of the United States to prepare for space weather events to minimize the extent of economic loss and human hardship. The Federal Government must have (1) the capability to predict and detect a space weather event, (2) the plans and programs necessary to alert the public and private sectors to enable mitigating actions for an impending space weather event, (3) the protection and mitigation plans, protocols, and standards required to reduce risks to critical infrastructure prior to and during a credible threat, and (4) the ability to respond to and recover from the effects of space weather. Executive departments and agencies (agencies) must coordinate their efforts to prepare for the effects of space weather events.
Sec. 2. Objectives. This order defines agency roles and responsibilities and directs agencies to take specific actions to prepare the Nation for the hazardous effects of space weather. These activities are to be implemented in conjunction with those identified in the 2015 National Space Weather Action Plan (Action Plan) and any subsequent updates. Implementing this order and the Action Plan will require the Federal Government to work across agencies and to develop, as appropriate, enhanced and innovative partnerships with State, tribal, and local governments; academia; non-profits; the private sector; and international partners. These efforts will enhance national preparedness and speed the creation of a space-weather-ready Nation.
Sec. 3. Coordination. (a) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), shall coordinate the development and implementation of Federal Government activities to prepare the Nation for space weather events, including the activities established in section 5 of this order and the recommendations of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), established by Executive Order 12881 of November 23, 1993 (Establishment of the National Science and Technology Council).
(b) To ensure accountability for and coordination of research, development, and implementation of activities identified in this order and in the Action Plan, the NSTC shall establish a Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation Subcommittee (Subcommittee). The Subcommittee member agencies shall conduct activities to advance the implementation of this order, to achieve the goals identified in the 2015 National Space Weather Strategy and any subsequent updates, and to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the activities specified in the Action Plan and provide subsequent updates.
Sec. 4. Roles and Responsibilities. To the extent permitted by law, the agencies below shall adopt the following roles and responsibilities, which are key to ensuring enhanced space weather forecasting, situational awareness, space weather preparedness, and continuous Federal Government operations during and after space weather events.
(a) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure the timely provision of operational space weather observations, analyses, forecasts, and other products to support the mission of the Department of Defense and coalition partners, including the provision of alerts and warnings for space weather phenomena that may affect weapons systems, military operations, or the defense of the United States.
(b) The Secretary of the Interior shall support the research, development, deployment, and operation of capabilities that enhance the understanding of variations of the Earth's magnetic field associated with solar-terrestrial interactions.
(c) The Secretary of Commerce shall:
(i) provide timely and accurate operational space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, alerts, and real-time space weather monitoring for the government, civilian, and commercial sectors, exclusive of the responsibilities of the Secretary of Defense; and
(ii) ensure the continuous improvement of operational space weather services, utilizing partnerships, as appropriate, with the research community, including academia and the private sector, and relevant agencies to develop, validate, test, and transition space weather observation platforms and models from research to operations and from operations to research.
(d) The Secretary of Energy shall facilitate the protection and restoration of the reliability of the electrical power grid during a presidentially declared grid security emergency associated with a geomagnetic disturbance pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 824o-1.
(e) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall:
(i) ensure the timely redistribution of space weather alerts and warnings that support national preparedness, continuity of government, and continuity of operations; and
(ii) coordinate response and recovery from the effects of space weather events on critical infrastructure and the broader community.
(f) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shall:
(i) implement and support a national research program to understand the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system to advance space weather modeling and prediction capabilities applicable to space weather forecasting;
(ii) develop and operate space-weather-related research missions, instrument capabilities, and models; and
(iii) support the transition of space weather models and technology from research to operations and from operations to research.
(g) The Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) shall support fundamental research linked to societal needs for space weather information through investments and partnerships, as appropriate.
(h) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, shall carry out diplomatic and public diplomacy efforts to strengthen global capacity to respond to space weather events.
(i) The Secretaries of Defense, the Interior, Commerce, Transportation, Energy, and Homeland Security, along with the Administrator of NASA and the Director of NSF, shall work together, consistent with their ongoing activities, to develop models, observation systems, technologies, and approaches that inform and enhance national preparedness for the effects of space weather events, including how space weather events may affect critical infrastructure and change the threat landscape with respect to other hazards.
(j) The heads of all agencies that support National Essential Functions, defined by Presidential Policy Directive 40 (PPD-40) of July 15, 2016 (National Continuity Policy), shall ensure that space weather events are adequately addressed in their all-hazards preparedness planning, including mitigation, response, and recovery, as directed by PPD-8 of March 30, 2011 (National Preparedness).
(k) NSTC member agencies shall coordinate through the NSTC to establish roles and responsibilities beyond those identified in section 4 of this order to enhance space weather preparedness, consistent with each agency's legal authority.
Sec. 5. Implementation. (a) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall develop a plan to test and evaluate available devices that mitigate the effects of geomagnetic disturbances on the electrical power grid through the development of a pilot program that deploys such devices, in situ, in the electrical power grid. After the development of the plan, the Secretary shall implement the plan in collaboration with industry. In taking action pursuant to this subsection, the Secretaries of Energy and Homeland Security shall consult with the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
(b) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the heads of the sector-specific agencies that oversee the lifeline critical infrastructure functions as defined by the National Infrastructure Protection Plan of 2013 -- including communications, energy, transportation, and water and wastewater systems -- as well as the Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste Sector, shall assess their executive and statutory authority, and limits of that authority, to direct, suspend, or control critical infrastructure operations, functions, and services before, during, and after a space weather event. The heads of each sector-specific agency shall provide a summary of these assessments to the Subcommittee.
(c) Within 90 days of receipt of the assessments ordered in section 5(b) of this order, the Subcommittee shall provide a report on the findings of these assessments with recommendations to the Director of OSTP, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and the Director of OMB. The assessments may be used to inform the development and implementation of policy establishing authorities and responsibilities for agencies in response to a space weather event.
(d) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretaries of Defense and Commerce, the Administrator of NASA, and the Director of NSF, in collaboration with other agencies as appropriate, shall identify mechanisms for advancing space weather observations, models, and predictions, and for sustaining and transitioning appropriate capabilities from research to operations and operations to research, collaborating with industry and academia to the extent possible.
(e) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretaries of Defense and Commerce shall make historical data from the GPS constellation and other U.S. Government satellites publicly available, in accordance with Executive Order 13642 of May 9, 2013 (Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information), to enhance model validation and improvements in space weather forecasting and situational awareness.
(f) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and in coordination with relevant agencies, shall lead the development of a coordinated Federal operating concept and associated checklist to coordinate Federal assets and activities to respond to notification of, and protect against, impending space weather events. Within 180 days of the publication of the operating concept and checklist, agencies shall develop operational plans documenting their procedures and responsibilities to prepare for, protect against, and mitigate the effects of impending space weather events, in support of the Federal operating concept and compatible with the National Preparedness System described in PPD-8.
Sec. 6. Stakeholder Engagement. The agencies identified in this order shall seek public-private and international collaborations to enhance observation networks, conduct research, develop prediction models and mitigation approaches, enhance community resilience and preparedness, and supply the services necessary to protect life and property and promote economic prosperity, as consistent with law.
Sec. 7. Definitions. As used in this order:
(a) "Prepare" and "preparedness" have the same meaning they have in PPD-8. They refer to the actions taken to plan, organize, equip, train, and exercise to build and sustain the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond to, and recover from those threats that pose the greatest risk to the security of the Nation. This includes the prediction and notification of space weather events.
(b) "Space weather" means variations in the space environment between the Sun and Earth (and throughout the solar system) that can affect technologies in space and on Earth. The primary types of space weather events are solar flares, solar energetic particles, and geomagnetic disturbances.
(c) "Solar flare" means a brief eruption of intense energy on or near the Sun's surface that is typically associated with sunspots.
(d) "Solar energetic particles" means ions and electrons ejected from the Sun that are typically associated with solar eruptions.
(e) "Geomagnetic disturbance" means a temporary disturbance of Earth's magnetic field resulting from solar activity.
(f) "Critical infrastructure" has the meaning provided in section 1016(e) of the USA Patriot Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), namely systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters.
(g) "Sector-Specific Agency" means the agencies designated under PPD-21 of February 12, 2013 (Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience), or any successor directive, to be responsible for providing institutional knowledge and specialized expertise as well as leading, facilitating, or supporting the security and resilience programs and associated activities of its designated critical infrastructure sector in the all-hazards environment. Sec. 8. General Provisions.
(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
BARACK OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE
October 13, 2016.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/10/13/executive-order-coordinating-efforts-prepare-nation-space-weather-events
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
October 13, 2016
EXECUTIVE ORDER
- - - - - - -
COORDINATING EFFORTS TO PREPARE
THE NATION FOR SPACE WEATHER EVENTS
By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to prepare the Nation for space weather events, it is hereby ordered as follows:
Section 1. Policy. Space weather events, in the form of solar flares, solar energetic particles, and geomagnetic disturbances, occur regularly, some with measurable effects on critical infrastructure systems and technologies, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), satellite operations and communication, aviation, and the electrical power grid. Extreme space weather events -- those that could significantly degrade critical infrastructure -- could disable large portions of the electrical power grid, resulting in cascading failures that would affect key services such as water supply, healthcare, and transportation. Space weather has the potential to simultaneously affect and disrupt health and safety across entire continents. Successfully preparing for space weather events is an all-of-nation endeavor that requires partnerships across governments, emergency managers, academia, the media, the insurance industry, non-profits, and the private sector.
It is the policy of the United States to prepare for space weather events to minimize the extent of economic loss and human hardship. The Federal Government must have (1) the capability to predict and detect a space weather event, (2) the plans and programs necessary to alert the public and private sectors to enable mitigating actions for an impending space weather event, (3) the protection and mitigation plans, protocols, and standards required to reduce risks to critical infrastructure prior to and during a credible threat, and (4) the ability to respond to and recover from the effects of space weather. Executive departments and agencies (agencies) must coordinate their efforts to prepare for the effects of space weather events.
Sec. 2. Objectives. This order defines agency roles and responsibilities and directs agencies to take specific actions to prepare the Nation for the hazardous effects of space weather. These activities are to be implemented in conjunction with those identified in the 2015 National Space Weather Action Plan (Action Plan) and any subsequent updates. Implementing this order and the Action Plan will require the Federal Government to work across agencies and to develop, as appropriate, enhanced and innovative partnerships with State, tribal, and local governments; academia; non-profits; the private sector; and international partners. These efforts will enhance national preparedness and speed the creation of a space-weather-ready Nation.
Sec. 3. Coordination. (a) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), in consultation with the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), shall coordinate the development and implementation of Federal Government activities to prepare the Nation for space weather events, including the activities established in section 5 of this order and the recommendations of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), established by Executive Order 12881 of November 23, 1993 (Establishment of the National Science and Technology Council).
(b) To ensure accountability for and coordination of research, development, and implementation of activities identified in this order and in the Action Plan, the NSTC shall establish a Space Weather Operations, Research, and Mitigation Subcommittee (Subcommittee). The Subcommittee member agencies shall conduct activities to advance the implementation of this order, to achieve the goals identified in the 2015 National Space Weather Strategy and any subsequent updates, and to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the activities specified in the Action Plan and provide subsequent updates.
Sec. 4. Roles and Responsibilities. To the extent permitted by law, the agencies below shall adopt the following roles and responsibilities, which are key to ensuring enhanced space weather forecasting, situational awareness, space weather preparedness, and continuous Federal Government operations during and after space weather events.
(a) The Secretary of Defense shall ensure the timely provision of operational space weather observations, analyses, forecasts, and other products to support the mission of the Department of Defense and coalition partners, including the provision of alerts and warnings for space weather phenomena that may affect weapons systems, military operations, or the defense of the United States.
(b) The Secretary of the Interior shall support the research, development, deployment, and operation of capabilities that enhance the understanding of variations of the Earth's magnetic field associated with solar-terrestrial interactions.
(c) The Secretary of Commerce shall:
(i) provide timely and accurate operational space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, alerts, and real-time space weather monitoring for the government, civilian, and commercial sectors, exclusive of the responsibilities of the Secretary of Defense; and
(ii) ensure the continuous improvement of operational space weather services, utilizing partnerships, as appropriate, with the research community, including academia and the private sector, and relevant agencies to develop, validate, test, and transition space weather observation platforms and models from research to operations and from operations to research.
(d) The Secretary of Energy shall facilitate the protection and restoration of the reliability of the electrical power grid during a presidentially declared grid security emergency associated with a geomagnetic disturbance pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 824o-1.
(e) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall:
(i) ensure the timely redistribution of space weather alerts and warnings that support national preparedness, continuity of government, and continuity of operations; and
(ii) coordinate response and recovery from the effects of space weather events on critical infrastructure and the broader community.
(f) The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shall:
(i) implement and support a national research program to understand the Sun and its interactions with Earth and the solar system to advance space weather modeling and prediction capabilities applicable to space weather forecasting;
(ii) develop and operate space-weather-related research missions, instrument capabilities, and models; and
(iii) support the transition of space weather models and technology from research to operations and from operations to research.
(g) The Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) shall support fundamental research linked to societal needs for space weather information through investments and partnerships, as appropriate.
(h) The Secretary of State, in consultation with the heads of relevant agencies, shall carry out diplomatic and public diplomacy efforts to strengthen global capacity to respond to space weather events.
(i) The Secretaries of Defense, the Interior, Commerce, Transportation, Energy, and Homeland Security, along with the Administrator of NASA and the Director of NSF, shall work together, consistent with their ongoing activities, to develop models, observation systems, technologies, and approaches that inform and enhance national preparedness for the effects of space weather events, including how space weather events may affect critical infrastructure and change the threat landscape with respect to other hazards.
(j) The heads of all agencies that support National Essential Functions, defined by Presidential Policy Directive 40 (PPD-40) of July 15, 2016 (National Continuity Policy), shall ensure that space weather events are adequately addressed in their all-hazards preparedness planning, including mitigation, response, and recovery, as directed by PPD-8 of March 30, 2011 (National Preparedness).
(k) NSTC member agencies shall coordinate through the NSTC to establish roles and responsibilities beyond those identified in section 4 of this order to enhance space weather preparedness, consistent with each agency's legal authority.
Sec. 5. Implementation. (a) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall develop a plan to test and evaluate available devices that mitigate the effects of geomagnetic disturbances on the electrical power grid through the development of a pilot program that deploys such devices, in situ, in the electrical power grid. After the development of the plan, the Secretary shall implement the plan in collaboration with industry. In taking action pursuant to this subsection, the Secretaries of Energy and Homeland Security shall consult with the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
(b) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the heads of the sector-specific agencies that oversee the lifeline critical infrastructure functions as defined by the National Infrastructure Protection Plan of 2013 -- including communications, energy, transportation, and water and wastewater systems -- as well as the Nuclear Reactors, Materials, and Waste Sector, shall assess their executive and statutory authority, and limits of that authority, to direct, suspend, or control critical infrastructure operations, functions, and services before, during, and after a space weather event. The heads of each sector-specific agency shall provide a summary of these assessments to the Subcommittee.
(c) Within 90 days of receipt of the assessments ordered in section 5(b) of this order, the Subcommittee shall provide a report on the findings of these assessments with recommendations to the Director of OSTP, the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and the Director of OMB. The assessments may be used to inform the development and implementation of policy establishing authorities and responsibilities for agencies in response to a space weather event.
(d) Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretaries of Defense and Commerce, the Administrator of NASA, and the Director of NSF, in collaboration with other agencies as appropriate, shall identify mechanisms for advancing space weather observations, models, and predictions, and for sustaining and transitioning appropriate capabilities from research to operations and operations to research, collaborating with industry and academia to the extent possible.
(e) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretaries of Defense and Commerce shall make historical data from the GPS constellation and other U.S. Government satellites publicly available, in accordance with Executive Order 13642 of May 9, 2013 (Making Open and Machine Readable the New Default for Government Information), to enhance model validation and improvements in space weather forecasting and situational awareness.
(f) Within 120 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of Homeland Security, through the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and in coordination with relevant agencies, shall lead the development of a coordinated Federal operating concept and associated checklist to coordinate Federal assets and activities to respond to notification of, and protect against, impending space weather events. Within 180 days of the publication of the operating concept and checklist, agencies shall develop operational plans documenting their procedures and responsibilities to prepare for, protect against, and mitigate the effects of impending space weather events, in support of the Federal operating concept and compatible with the National Preparedness System described in PPD-8.
Sec. 6. Stakeholder Engagement. The agencies identified in this order shall seek public-private and international collaborations to enhance observation networks, conduct research, develop prediction models and mitigation approaches, enhance community resilience and preparedness, and supply the services necessary to protect life and property and promote economic prosperity, as consistent with law.
Sec. 7. Definitions. As used in this order:
(a) "Prepare" and "preparedness" have the same meaning they have in PPD-8. They refer to the actions taken to plan, organize, equip, train, and exercise to build and sustain the capabilities necessary to prevent, protect against, mitigate the effects of, respond to, and recover from those threats that pose the greatest risk to the security of the Nation. This includes the prediction and notification of space weather events.
(b) "Space weather" means variations in the space environment between the Sun and Earth (and throughout the solar system) that can affect technologies in space and on Earth. The primary types of space weather events are solar flares, solar energetic particles, and geomagnetic disturbances.
(c) "Solar flare" means a brief eruption of intense energy on or near the Sun's surface that is typically associated with sunspots.
(d) "Solar energetic particles" means ions and electrons ejected from the Sun that are typically associated with solar eruptions.
(e) "Geomagnetic disturbance" means a temporary disturbance of Earth's magnetic field resulting from solar activity.
(f) "Critical infrastructure" has the meaning provided in section 1016(e) of the USA Patriot Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)), namely systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters.
(g) "Sector-Specific Agency" means the agencies designated under PPD-21 of February 12, 2013 (Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience), or any successor directive, to be responsible for providing institutional knowledge and specialized expertise as well as leading, facilitating, or supporting the security and resilience programs and associated activities of its designated critical infrastructure sector in the all-hazards environment. Sec. 8. General Provisions.
(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
(i) the authority granted by law to an agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
BARACK OBAMA
THE WHITE HOUSE
October 13, 2016.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/10/13/executive-order-coordinating-efforts-prepare-nation-space-weather-events
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 19OCT2016
There is Nothing we can do to stop an Asteroid Apocalypse
New York Post
Earth’s defense systems against giant space rocks are woefully inadequate, leaving the planet dangerously exposed, a leading expert has warned.... big enough to level cities or even potentially destroy all life on the planet....And the warning systems currently in place to detect approaching asteroids are insufficient to tackle the looming threat....
Asteroid impact warning: Meteor could wipe out cities without Asgardia defence shield
Daily Star
He said the Chelyabinsk Meteor, an approximately 20 metre asteroid, which crashed into Earth in 2013 was a shocking wake-up call for mankind
DARPA to Transfer Advanced Space Debris Telescope to Air Force
Asteroid tracking telescope system tested at White Sands Proving Grounds on 18OCT2016 will be transferred to Australia....
Space Weather Executive Order: (OCT-13-2016)
Executive Order -- Coordinating Efforts to Prepare the Nation for Space Weather Events
New York Post
Earth’s defense systems against giant space rocks are woefully inadequate, leaving the planet dangerously exposed, a leading expert has warned.... big enough to level cities or even potentially destroy all life on the planet....And the warning systems currently in place to detect approaching asteroids are insufficient to tackle the looming threat....
Asteroid impact warning: Meteor could wipe out cities without Asgardia defence shield
Daily Star
He said the Chelyabinsk Meteor, an approximately 20 metre asteroid, which crashed into Earth in 2013 was a shocking wake-up call for mankind
DARPA to Transfer Advanced Space Debris Telescope to Air Force
Asteroid tracking telescope system tested at White Sands Proving Grounds on 18OCT2016 will be transferred to Australia....
Space Weather Executive Order: (OCT-13-2016)
Executive Order -- Coordinating Efforts to Prepare the Nation for Space Weather Events
Oct. 13, 2016 Immediate Release..
Two-Mile Wide Meteor Might Come Dangerously Close To Hitting Earth
iTech Post
An asteroid that passed through Earth in the past is orbiting back to our planet prompting fears that collision is likely to occur this time around. Dubbed ...
-----
Meteor-like objects fall in Peerumade
The Hindu
Meteor-like objects that fell in Peerumade on Tuesday night created moments of tension. District Collector G.R. Gokul told The Hindu that the image he ...
Several meteor-like objects land in Kerala's Peermade, India
The Watchers
Several meteor-like objects survived their passage through the Earth's atmosphere and landed near the city of Peermade in the Indian state of Kerala ...
-----
VIDEO: UW cam pick up meteor over Madison
WMSN
The UW Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences caught a meteor streaking through the sky south of Madison around 9:20 p.m. on Monday ...
'Exquisite' fireball brightens Ottawa's early morning sky
CBC.ca
A bright fireball astronomers say was very likely a meteor streaked across the early morning sky over Ottawa Monday, captivating those awake early ...
Possible meteor seen shooting across Ottawa-Gatineau sky Monday morning
CBC.ca
A bright streak of light crossing the sky over Ottawa-Gatineau early Monday morning has been reported by several residents. Mary Dallimore was ...
Video captures meteor streaking over Ottawa - Ottawa Citizen
Sudburians likely saw 'fireball' in early Monday morning sky
Sudbury.com
A fireball is seen here over the desert of Central Australia. A Science North staff scientist said Sudburians likely spotted a fireball early Monday ...
Meteor fireball seen shooting over Ottawa, Canada
Signs of the Times
This still, taken from a dashcam video submitted by Eugene Deery, shows what could be a meteor streaking across the sky early Monday morning.
-----
How to best enjoy the Orionid meteor shower this week
KGO-TV
The Orionid meteor shower will peak October 21-22, promising a dazzling astronomical display for stargazers on earth. The meteor shower will ...
Orionids Meteor Shower 2016: When is the shower, what time, how to watch shooting stars
Express.co.uk
THE Orionids Meteor Shower will light up the night sky with dazzling shooting stars later this week. Here is how you can spot them for yourself.
Sky Matters: November is a great month for skywatchers
Irish Examiner
The Leonids' meteor shower peaks on the nights of November 16 and 17, but the bright moon will make it difficult to observe the fainter meteors.
How to view the Orionid meteor shower as it peaks this week
MSN.com
Oct 17, 2016; 8:03 AM ET Orionid meteors will streak across the night sky as the shower is set to peak late this week.
Meteor showers
CalSky
The on-line software CalSky calculates the dates and times of visibility of the yearly returning meteor showers. You also learn which showers are ...
UK: Orionid meteor shower viewing to be impacted by clouds
AccuWeather.com
The Orionid meteor shower will peak later this week; however, viewing may be impacted by clouds in some areas. The Orionid meteor shower is a ..
What is the Orionid Meteor Shower and how can I see it?
Torquay Herald Express
A SPECTACULAR meteor shower should be visible to the naked eye across South Devon this week. The shower will be made up of dust from Halley's ...
Orionid meteor shower
Pentax Forums
The Orionid meteor shower peaks Thursday night/Friday morning (20th/21st). If you want to try photographing a meteor shower this will be your next.
Meteor shower in Kuwait
PressReader
The Astronomy and Space Sciences Department in Kuwait Science Club said Kuwait will witness Orionid meteor shower caused by Halley's Comet ...
-----
Mars about to get a new visitor as ESA's Schiaparelli module readies for descent
Orlando Sentinel
See where the planets will be in the October sky as well as meteor showers and constellations. See where the planets will be in the October sky as ...
Meteors Observation and Fascination
NAMN (Meteors)
Observation Spot: The spot for meteor observation is extremely important. You cannot observe in an environment meteor-shower-2013 full of light....
Meteor Trails & Radio Signals
electronics-notes.com
Notes and details about meteor trails and the different types that affect radio propagation for meteor scatter or meteor burst communications.
Event 3991-2016
Fireball event
Events in 2016 3991-2016 KML. AMS received 26 reports about a fireball seen over FL on Monday, October 17th 2016 around 09:39 UT. D. Sound.
-----
Death By Meteor Polls High With Millennial Voters
Huffington Post
Nearly one in four millennials would prefer to see Earth destroyed by a giant meteor than see Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in the White House, ...
Some Millennials Prefer Meteor Strike to Trump, Clinton: Poll
NBC Bay Area
A new national poll by the University of Massachusetts Lowell finds that nearly a quarter of millennials would prefer to see a meteor strike Earth than ...
Trump? Clinton? Many young Americans prefer giant meteor, poll finds
Reuters
Some 53 percent of the 1,247 people aged 18 to 35 said they would prefer to see a meteor destroy the world than have Republican New York real ...
In UMass survey, millennials choose meteor over both Clinton and Trump
Boston Business Journal
“We don't think its people actually want a meteor to hit. But this election is causing a lot of distain and disaffection in people learning civics for the first ...
1 In 4 Millennials Prefer Meteor Strike To Clinton Or Trump, Poll Finds
CBS Local
BOSTON (CBS) – A new poll finds that nearly 1 in 4 millennials would prefer a meteor strike rather than Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump being elected ...
Giant meteor hitting earth preferred by 1 in 4 millennials over Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton ..
The Independent
Still, the poll reflects favour for Ms Clinton as only 34 per cent preferred Giant Meteor to her presidency; some 53 per cent would rather face a fate ...
Two-Mile Wide Meteor Might Come Dangerously Close To Hitting Earth
iTech Post
An asteroid that passed through Earth in the past is orbiting back to our planet prompting fears that collision is likely to occur this time around. Dubbed ...
-----
Meteor-like objects fall in Peerumade
The Hindu
Meteor-like objects that fell in Peerumade on Tuesday night created moments of tension. District Collector G.R. Gokul told The Hindu that the image he ...
Several meteor-like objects land in Kerala's Peermade, India
The Watchers
Several meteor-like objects survived their passage through the Earth's atmosphere and landed near the city of Peermade in the Indian state of Kerala ...
-----
VIDEO: UW cam pick up meteor over Madison
WMSN
The UW Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences caught a meteor streaking through the sky south of Madison around 9:20 p.m. on Monday ...
'Exquisite' fireball brightens Ottawa's early morning sky
CBC.ca
A bright fireball astronomers say was very likely a meteor streaked across the early morning sky over Ottawa Monday, captivating those awake early ...
Possible meteor seen shooting across Ottawa-Gatineau sky Monday morning
CBC.ca
A bright streak of light crossing the sky over Ottawa-Gatineau early Monday morning has been reported by several residents. Mary Dallimore was ...
Video captures meteor streaking over Ottawa - Ottawa Citizen
Sudburians likely saw 'fireball' in early Monday morning sky
Sudbury.com
A fireball is seen here over the desert of Central Australia. A Science North staff scientist said Sudburians likely spotted a fireball early Monday ...
Meteor fireball seen shooting over Ottawa, Canada
Signs of the Times
This still, taken from a dashcam video submitted by Eugene Deery, shows what could be a meteor streaking across the sky early Monday morning.
-----
How to best enjoy the Orionid meteor shower this week
KGO-TV
The Orionid meteor shower will peak October 21-22, promising a dazzling astronomical display for stargazers on earth. The meteor shower will ...
Orionids Meteor Shower 2016: When is the shower, what time, how to watch shooting stars
Express.co.uk
THE Orionids Meteor Shower will light up the night sky with dazzling shooting stars later this week. Here is how you can spot them for yourself.
Sky Matters: November is a great month for skywatchers
Irish Examiner
The Leonids' meteor shower peaks on the nights of November 16 and 17, but the bright moon will make it difficult to observe the fainter meteors.
How to view the Orionid meteor shower as it peaks this week
MSN.com
Oct 17, 2016; 8:03 AM ET Orionid meteors will streak across the night sky as the shower is set to peak late this week.
Meteor showers
CalSky
The on-line software CalSky calculates the dates and times of visibility of the yearly returning meteor showers. You also learn which showers are ...
UK: Orionid meteor shower viewing to be impacted by clouds
AccuWeather.com
The Orionid meteor shower will peak later this week; however, viewing may be impacted by clouds in some areas. The Orionid meteor shower is a ..
What is the Orionid Meteor Shower and how can I see it?
Torquay Herald Express
A SPECTACULAR meteor shower should be visible to the naked eye across South Devon this week. The shower will be made up of dust from Halley's ...
Orionid meteor shower
Pentax Forums
The Orionid meteor shower peaks Thursday night/Friday morning (20th/21st). If you want to try photographing a meteor shower this will be your next.
Meteor shower in Kuwait
PressReader
The Astronomy and Space Sciences Department in Kuwait Science Club said Kuwait will witness Orionid meteor shower caused by Halley's Comet ...
-----
Mars about to get a new visitor as ESA's Schiaparelli module readies for descent
Orlando Sentinel
See where the planets will be in the October sky as well as meteor showers and constellations. See where the planets will be in the October sky as ...
Meteors Observation and Fascination
NAMN (Meteors)
Observation Spot: The spot for meteor observation is extremely important. You cannot observe in an environment meteor-shower-2013 full of light....
Meteor Trails & Radio Signals
electronics-notes.com
Notes and details about meteor trails and the different types that affect radio propagation for meteor scatter or meteor burst communications.
Event 3991-2016
Fireball event
Events in 2016 3991-2016 KML. AMS received 26 reports about a fireball seen over FL on Monday, October 17th 2016 around 09:39 UT. D. Sound.
-----
Death By Meteor Polls High With Millennial Voters
Huffington Post
Nearly one in four millennials would prefer to see Earth destroyed by a giant meteor than see Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton in the White House, ...
Some Millennials Prefer Meteor Strike to Trump, Clinton: Poll
NBC Bay Area
A new national poll by the University of Massachusetts Lowell finds that nearly a quarter of millennials would prefer to see a meteor strike Earth than ...
Trump? Clinton? Many young Americans prefer giant meteor, poll finds
Reuters
Some 53 percent of the 1,247 people aged 18 to 35 said they would prefer to see a meteor destroy the world than have Republican New York real ...
In UMass survey, millennials choose meteor over both Clinton and Trump
Boston Business Journal
“We don't think its people actually want a meteor to hit. But this election is causing a lot of distain and disaffection in people learning civics for the first ...
1 In 4 Millennials Prefer Meteor Strike To Clinton Or Trump, Poll Finds
CBS Local
BOSTON (CBS) – A new poll finds that nearly 1 in 4 millennials would prefer a meteor strike rather than Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump being elected ...
Giant meteor hitting earth preferred by 1 in 4 millennials over Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton ..
The Independent
Still, the poll reflects favour for Ms Clinton as only 34 per cent preferred Giant Meteor to her presidency; some 53 per cent would rather face a fate ...
The Week Magazine
Almost a quarter of millennials prefer Armageddon to Clinton or Trump
Miami Herald
Some millennials say they would rather have the world end than a President Clinton or Trump
The Boston Globe
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
Almost a quarter of millennials prefer Armageddon to Clinton or Trump
Miami Herald
Some millennials say they would rather have the world end than a President Clinton or Trump
The Boston Globe
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
18 October 2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 17/18OCT2016
Defence systems incapable of protecting against apocalyptic asteroid smashing into Earth without ...
The Sun
Asgardia founder Dr Igor Ashurbeyli told the Daily Star that the recent 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor in Russia laid bare the planet's shocking vulnerability.
End Of The World? Experts Warned Asteroids Are Coming And NASA Cannot Do Anything!
Morning News USA
Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli stated that Chelyabinsk Meteor, which is an asteroid of 20 meter, crashed on Earth in 2013. The impact of it was more than a ...
BOOM...what on earth was that? Mystery noise sparks online debate
Newbury Weekly News Group
A HUGE bang which startled people in Thatcham last night (Sunday) could have been caused by a meteor, some have speculated. Last night's boom ...
Gladstone's fireball landed near Heron Island: Astronomer
Chinchilla News
AN AMATEUR astronomer believes the meteor which sent shock waves through the region last month soared past or crashed directly over Heron ...
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 16OCT2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 14 – 22. Sky & Telescope The modest Orionid meteor shower should be active for the next several mornings, but ...
What time is the Supermoon tonight? Full Hunter's Moon (10/16/2016)
Oxford Eagle
The supermoon of December 14 is remarkable for a different reason: it's going to wipe out the view of the Geminid meteor shower. Bright moonlight ...
Watch the first of three consecutive supermoons Sunday night
The Week Magazine
The third supermoon, on Dec.14, will coincide with a meteor shower, though the brightness of the moon will obscure most meteor visibility. Find out ...
Fireball' (meteor?) seen in Southeastern US
Reddit
"TUPELO, Miss., Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A fireball so bright it was caught on a dashboard camera in early morning daylight was a meteor breaking up in...
meteor sighting was likely space station trash, says mun instructor
N2YO.com
The American Meteor Society recorded four reports of a suspected "fireball" — a bright meteor — in the sky at around 7 p.m. The object was spotted ...
Enhanced October Camelopardalids (OCT) activity on October, 5th, 2016
International Meteor Organization
October Camelopardalids (2-18 OCT) meteor shower had been the source of unexpected outbursts in 2005 and 2006, on October 5/6, which were ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
The Sun
Asgardia founder Dr Igor Ashurbeyli told the Daily Star that the recent 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor in Russia laid bare the planet's shocking vulnerability.
End Of The World? Experts Warned Asteroids Are Coming And NASA Cannot Do Anything!
Morning News USA
Dr. Igor Ashurbeyli stated that Chelyabinsk Meteor, which is an asteroid of 20 meter, crashed on Earth in 2013. The impact of it was more than a ...
BOOM...what on earth was that? Mystery noise sparks online debate
Newbury Weekly News Group
A HUGE bang which startled people in Thatcham last night (Sunday) could have been caused by a meteor, some have speculated. Last night's boom ...
Gladstone's fireball landed near Heron Island: Astronomer
Chinchilla News
AN AMATEUR astronomer believes the meteor which sent shock waves through the region last month soared past or crashed directly over Heron ...
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 16OCT2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 14 – 22. Sky & Telescope The modest Orionid meteor shower should be active for the next several mornings, but ...
What time is the Supermoon tonight? Full Hunter's Moon (10/16/2016)
Oxford Eagle
The supermoon of December 14 is remarkable for a different reason: it's going to wipe out the view of the Geminid meteor shower. Bright moonlight ...
Watch the first of three consecutive supermoons Sunday night
The Week Magazine
The third supermoon, on Dec.14, will coincide with a meteor shower, though the brightness of the moon will obscure most meteor visibility. Find out ...
Fireball' (meteor?) seen in Southeastern US
"TUPELO, Miss., Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A fireball so bright it was caught on a dashboard camera in early morning daylight was a meteor breaking up in...
meteor sighting was likely space station trash, says mun instructor
N2YO.com
The American Meteor Society recorded four reports of a suspected "fireball" — a bright meteor — in the sky at around 7 p.m. The object was spotted ...
Enhanced October Camelopardalids (OCT) activity on October, 5th, 2016
International Meteor Organization
October Camelopardalids (2-18 OCT) meteor shower had been the source of unexpected outbursts in 2005 and 2006, on October 5/6, which were ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
16 October 2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 16OCT2016
This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 14 – 22
Sky & Telescope
The modest Orionid meteor shower should be active for the next several mornings, but the light of the waning gibbous Moon will interfere with the ...
Chinese meteorite field likely to be world's largest
gbtimes- October 14, 2016
Experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences confirmed on October 13 that the meteorite-strewn field in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is likely the world's largest. ...
Extraterrestrial Impact Preceded Ancient Global Warming Event
By Mary L. Martially- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute- October 13, 2016
A comet strike may have triggered the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), a rapid warming of the Earth caused by an accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide 56 million years ago,...
A Meteor Crossing the Sky of Louisville
Council Chronicle
The brilliant light was proved to be a meteor. Many locals panicked and sent news and reports to the office of St. Tammany Parish Sheriff and to The ...
Meteor sighting was likely space station trash, says MUN instructor
CBC.ca
The American Meteor Society recorded four reports of a suspected "fireball" — a bright meteor — in the sky at around 7 p.m. The object was spotted ...
The History Of The Orionid Meteor Shower & Its Origin Constellation
Bustle
Stargazers, rejoice! For the next few weeks, you may be able to catch glimpses of the Orionid meteor shower. The history of the Orionids is rooted in a ...
NJ Night Sky: Little bits from Comet Halley
NJ.com
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower in the spring gets a lot of attention because the dust that causes it comes from the famous Comet Halley. This is fine ..
Colonizing the moon? Meteor showers more frequent than expected
Earth Mystery News
Scientists counted 222 new meteor impacts in seven years. The moon's surface is changing considerably faster than previously thought, says a new ...
October's supermoon to rise this Sunday
Orlando Sentinel
Supermoon through the years see from around the World. The supermoon is also known as “lunar perigee,” when the moon is at its closest to Earth.
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
Sky & Telescope
The modest Orionid meteor shower should be active for the next several mornings, but the light of the waning gibbous Moon will interfere with the ...
Chinese meteorite field likely to be world's largest
gbtimes- October 14, 2016
Experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences confirmed on October 13 that the meteorite-strewn field in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is likely the world's largest. ...
Extraterrestrial Impact Preceded Ancient Global Warming Event
By Mary L. Martially- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute- October 13, 2016
A comet strike may have triggered the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM), a rapid warming of the Earth caused by an accumulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide 56 million years ago,...
A Meteor Crossing the Sky of Louisville
Council Chronicle
The brilliant light was proved to be a meteor. Many locals panicked and sent news and reports to the office of St. Tammany Parish Sheriff and to The ...
Meteor sighting was likely space station trash, says MUN instructor
CBC.ca
The American Meteor Society recorded four reports of a suspected "fireball" — a bright meteor — in the sky at around 7 p.m. The object was spotted ...
The History Of The Orionid Meteor Shower & Its Origin Constellation
Bustle
Stargazers, rejoice! For the next few weeks, you may be able to catch glimpses of the Orionid meteor shower. The history of the Orionids is rooted in a ...
NJ Night Sky: Little bits from Comet Halley
NJ.com
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower in the spring gets a lot of attention because the dust that causes it comes from the famous Comet Halley. This is fine ..
Colonizing the moon? Meteor showers more frequent than expected
Earth Mystery News
Scientists counted 222 new meteor impacts in seven years. The moon's surface is changing considerably faster than previously thought, says a new ...
October's supermoon to rise this Sunday
Orlando Sentinel
Supermoon through the years see from around the World. The supermoon is also known as “lunar perigee,” when the moon is at its closest to Earth.
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
15 October 2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 15OCT2016
This Photographer Risked His Life To Capture Lava, Meteor, The Milky Way & The Moon In One Pic!
Times of India
Meet Mike Mezeul II - an American adventure photographer who recently clicked a one in a million shot - you know, the one for which you would go to ...
Building Blocks of Life's Building Blocks Come From Starlight
Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:10 AM PDT
Building Blocks of Life's Building Blocks Come From Starlight JPL/NASA 13OCT2016 Life exists in a myriad of wondrous forms, but if you break any organism down to its most basic parts, it's all the same stuff: carbon atoms connected to hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and other elements...
Meteor Activity Outlook for October 15-21, 2016
American Meteor Society
This is the worst time of the month in which to try and view meteor activity as the bright moon will obscure all but the brightest meteors. Toward the end ...
Giant meteorite found in Argentina
YouTube
Giant meteorite found in Argentina. USA NEWS ... Giant 30 tonne meteorite discovered in Argentina is the second heaviest ever found - Duration: 1:44.
Newer Post
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News
A bright green meteor streaked across the sky of Alabama and Mississippi around 11:48 UTC (06:48 CDT) on October 12, 2016. The event was seen .
Orionid meteor shower peaks next Thurs & Fri
WDEF News 12
But every year, pieces of Halley's Comet come close enough to see every May and October in the Eta Aquarids and Orionid meteor showers, ...
Fireball streaks across morning sky in southeastern United States
UPI.com
TUPELO, Miss., Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A fireball so bright it was caught on a dashboard camera in early morning daylight was a meteor breaking up in the ...
NASA explains 'fireball' in Louisiana sky
Houma Courier
Meteor! Early Wednesday, folks from Tennessee to Thibodaux spotted a quick flash move across the sky. NASA confirms it was a meteor.
Meteor breaks apart over Louisville
Cosumnes Connection (subscription)
It appears to have fragmented 41 miles above Louisville, Miss., according to a Meteor Watch Facebook post. Experts believe it was small, only 5 ...
Event 3898-2016
Fireball event
Events in 2016 3898-2016 KML. AMS received 4 reports about a fireball seen over Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne Franche-Comté on ...
3922a
American Meteor Society
Remarks, The fireball occurred with lots of lots pollution and a 8/10 full moon, so in dark sky conditions, the fireball would have likely appeared much ...
3914a
American Meteor Society
Name, Michelle L. Experience Level, 1/5. Remarks, It was very cool to see a fireball. I wished I had the time to take a photo of the fireball ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
Times of India
Meet Mike Mezeul II - an American adventure photographer who recently clicked a one in a million shot - you know, the one for which you would go to ...
Building Blocks of Life's Building Blocks Come From Starlight
Posted: 13 Oct 2016 11:10 AM PDT
Building Blocks of Life's Building Blocks Come From Starlight JPL/NASA 13OCT2016 Life exists in a myriad of wondrous forms, but if you break any organism down to its most basic parts, it's all the same stuff: carbon atoms connected to hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and other elements...
Meteor Activity Outlook for October 15-21, 2016
American Meteor Society
This is the worst time of the month in which to try and view meteor activity as the bright moon will obscure all but the brightest meteors. Toward the end ...
Giant meteorite found in Argentina
YouTube
Giant meteorite found in Argentina. USA NEWS ... Giant 30 tonne meteorite discovered in Argentina is the second heaviest ever found - Duration: 1:44.
Newer Post
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News
A bright green meteor streaked across the sky of Alabama and Mississippi around 11:48 UTC (06:48 CDT) on October 12, 2016. The event was seen .
Orionid meteor shower peaks next Thurs & Fri
WDEF News 12
But every year, pieces of Halley's Comet come close enough to see every May and October in the Eta Aquarids and Orionid meteor showers, ...
Fireball streaks across morning sky in southeastern United States
UPI.com
TUPELO, Miss., Oct. 13 (UPI) -- A fireball so bright it was caught on a dashboard camera in early morning daylight was a meteor breaking up in the ...
NASA explains 'fireball' in Louisiana sky
Houma Courier
Meteor! Early Wednesday, folks from Tennessee to Thibodaux spotted a quick flash move across the sky. NASA confirms it was a meteor.
Meteor breaks apart over Louisville
Cosumnes Connection (subscription)
It appears to have fragmented 41 miles above Louisville, Miss., according to a Meteor Watch Facebook post. Experts believe it was small, only 5 ...
Event 3898-2016
Fireball event
Events in 2016 3898-2016 KML. AMS received 4 reports about a fireball seen over Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne Franche-Comté on ...
3922a
American Meteor Society
Remarks, The fireball occurred with lots of lots pollution and a 8/10 full moon, so in dark sky conditions, the fireball would have likely appeared much ...
3914a
American Meteor Society
Name, Michelle L. Experience Level, 1/5. Remarks, It was very cool to see a fireball. I wished I had the time to take a photo of the fireball ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
14 October 2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 14OCT2016
Sunrise meteor breaks apart over Mississippi and Alabama, US
The Watchers
A bright green meteor streaked across the sky of Alabama and Mississippi around 11:48 UTC (06:48 CDT) on October 12, 2016. The event was seen ...
The Alabama fireball? Here's NASA's explanation
AL.com
Cooke said all of NASA's sky cameras in the region were shut down to shield themselves from the sun but images of the fireball were caught by ...
NASA Explains Strange 'Fireball' in Louisiana
Nature World News
Reports about a strange fireball that lit the Louisiana sky yesterday morning reached the authorities in St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's office.
Meteor Sighting: NASA clarifies, Fireball spotted in Sky most likely a meteor
Headlines & Global News
Later, NASA was contacted to solve the mystery and the space agency said that the fireball was most likely a meteor that was traveling at about 90,000 ...
Supernatural sighting? WWL-TV investigates the 'fire in the sky'
WWL tv
As I sit at my desk this morning a mysterious folder was dropped off. Sightings all across southern Louisiana. People saying they saw something in the ...
Meteor sighted across morning sky
WDAM-TV
Nancy was among several hundred people from Georgia to Mississippi to witness a meteor entering the atmosphere early Wednesday morning.
Fireball meteor video from Lake Pontchartrain Causeway
YouTube
The fireball meteor seen by many across the United States was captured by video cameras on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway on Wednesday, Oct.
Did anyone see that streaking blue fireball about 5 minutes ago?
TigerDroppings.com
I did. I'm at the Norco Motiva refinery and it looked like it was right in front of me. It was definitely the longest I've seen a shooting star / meteor lit up ...
That thing shooting across the sky in Louisiana: What we know
4029tv
WDSU meteorologist Kweilyn Murphy said what many saw could be a meteor from either the Taurid meteor shower or Orionid meteor shower.
Miss the morning meteor? There's plenty more chances to see one!
WGNO
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) - Around 6:50 this morning, a bright flash streaked across the sky and the reports of a meteor started pouring in from across ...
Reports of meteor streaking across sky over Louisiana
Signs of the Times
WGNO News is investigating the possibility of a meteor streaking across the sky in Metairie. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department got a call of a ...
Watch fireball meteor breaking up over Lake Pontchartrain
NOLA.com
Early-morning risers from Louisiana to Kentucky and beyond reported what some described as a fireball, the National Weather Service in Slidell said.
Residents report possible meteor sighting across central MS
WDAM-TV
We've received numerous phone calls and electronic messages from the public, reporting a possible meteor over central Mississippi Wednesday ...
Fireball seen in the Alabama sky Wednesday morning
whnt.com
Piecing together all the eyewitness accounts, scientists are able dos ay this meteor was first seen about 65 miles above the town of Sawyerville in ...
Fireball streaks across southeastern US sky
KFDA
(RNN) - A fireball streaked across the sky Wednesday morning above residents of several states in the southeast, prompting more than 200 meteor ...
Watch fireball meteor breaking up over Lake Pontchartrain
NOLA.com
The disintegrating meteor that created a greenish streak seen by many across the South early Wednesday (Oct. 12) was recorded by video cameras ...
More than 100 reports of a bright green fireball seen early this morning
KATC Lafayette News
According to NASA, they've received more than 100 eyewitness accounts describing a bright green fireball seen at 6:47a.m. on October 12, 2016.
Here are some photos of that bright, green object seen in Louisiana sky
WDSU New Orleans
The object was a meteor, NASA said.However, the agency said the source of the object is a "mystery," because no video or photos were seen of the ...
The Latest worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 13OCT2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News
Asgardia asteroid defence shield: Satellite system will stop meteors from destroying Earth Daily Star Earlier this year a meteor crashed down in ...
New meteorite strewn field gives clue of largest meteor shower on Earth
Global Times
Chinese scientists announced Thursday they have looked into three giant meteorite irons to ascertain the world's longest meteorite-strewn field in ...
Colonizing the moon? Frequent meteor impacts may get in the way.
Christian Science Monitor
Scientists counted 222 new meteor impacts in seven years. The moon's surface is changing considerably faster than previously thought, says a new ...
Talking meteorite displayed in Mexico City
Press TV
A “talking” meteorite display in Mexico City has left both scientists and art lovers in a state of awe. The Mexican Museum of Contemporary Art is ...
2016 October Camelopardalids Radio results
Meteor News
October Camelopardalid activity was caught by using worldwide radio meteor observation (35 observing stations in the world). You can see this result ...
October 5 - outburst of October Camelopardalids
SETI Institute
P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center, reports that the October Camelopardalids meteor shower, previously in outburst in ...
Orionid 2016: Meteor Shower To Peak October 20, 21
Morning News USA
Originating from the constellation Orion, the meteor shower graces the night skies every year in October. Haley's Comet swings by the Earth every 75 ...
Orionid Meteor Shower 2016: When, Where & How to See It
Space.com
Some of the brightest and swiftest shooting stars will bedazzle the night sky this month during the Orionid meteor shower, which will peak next ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
WGNO
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) - Around 6:50 this morning, a bright flash streaked across the sky and the reports of a meteor started pouring in from across ...
Reports of meteor streaking across sky over Louisiana
Signs of the Times
WGNO News is investigating the possibility of a meteor streaking across the sky in Metairie. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Department got a call of a ...
Watch fireball meteor breaking up over Lake Pontchartrain
NOLA.com
Early-morning risers from Louisiana to Kentucky and beyond reported what some described as a fireball, the National Weather Service in Slidell said.
Residents report possible meteor sighting across central MS
WDAM-TV
We've received numerous phone calls and electronic messages from the public, reporting a possible meteor over central Mississippi Wednesday ...
Fireball seen in the Alabama sky Wednesday morning
whnt.com
Piecing together all the eyewitness accounts, scientists are able dos ay this meteor was first seen about 65 miles above the town of Sawyerville in ...
Fireball streaks across southeastern US sky
KFDA
(RNN) - A fireball streaked across the sky Wednesday morning above residents of several states in the southeast, prompting more than 200 meteor ...
Watch fireball meteor breaking up over Lake Pontchartrain
NOLA.com
The disintegrating meteor that created a greenish streak seen by many across the South early Wednesday (Oct. 12) was recorded by video cameras ...
More than 100 reports of a bright green fireball seen early this morning
KATC Lafayette News
According to NASA, they've received more than 100 eyewitness accounts describing a bright green fireball seen at 6:47a.m. on October 12, 2016.
Here are some photos of that bright, green object seen in Louisiana sky
WDSU New Orleans
The object was a meteor, NASA said.However, the agency said the source of the object is a "mystery," because no video or photos were seen of the ...
The Latest worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 13OCT2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News
Asgardia asteroid defence shield: Satellite system will stop meteors from destroying Earth Daily Star Earlier this year a meteor crashed down in ...
New meteorite strewn field gives clue of largest meteor shower on Earth
Global Times
Chinese scientists announced Thursday they have looked into three giant meteorite irons to ascertain the world's longest meteorite-strewn field in ...
Colonizing the moon? Frequent meteor impacts may get in the way.
Christian Science Monitor
Scientists counted 222 new meteor impacts in seven years. The moon's surface is changing considerably faster than previously thought, says a new ...
Talking meteorite displayed in Mexico City
Press TV
A “talking” meteorite display in Mexico City has left both scientists and art lovers in a state of awe. The Mexican Museum of Contemporary Art is ...
2016 October Camelopardalids Radio results
Meteor News
October Camelopardalid activity was caught by using worldwide radio meteor observation (35 observing stations in the world). You can see this result ...
October 5 - outburst of October Camelopardalids
SETI Institute
P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center, reports that the October Camelopardalids meteor shower, previously in outburst in ...
Orionid 2016: Meteor Shower To Peak October 20, 21
Morning News USA
Originating from the constellation Orion, the meteor shower graces the night skies every year in October. Haley's Comet swings by the Earth every 75 ...
Orionid Meteor Shower 2016: When, Where & How to See It
Space.com
Some of the brightest and swiftest shooting stars will bedazzle the night sky this month during the Orionid meteor shower, which will peak next ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
Building Blocks of Life's Building Blocks Come From Starlight
Building Blocks of Life's Building Blocks Come From Starlight
JPL/NASA 13OCT2016
Life exists in a myriad of wondrous forms, but if you break any organism down to its most basic parts, it's all the same stuff: carbon atoms connected to hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and other elements. But how these fundamental substances are created in space has been a longstanding mystery.
Now, astronomers better understand how molecules form that are necessary for building other chemicals essential for life. Thanks to data from the European Space Agency's Herschel Space Observatory, scientists have found that ultraviolet light from stars plays a key role in creating these molecules, rather than "shock" events that create turbulence, as was previously thought.
Scientists studied the ingredients of carbon chemistry in the Orion Nebula, the closest star-forming region to Earth that forms massive stars. They mapped the amount, temperature and motions of the carbon-hydrogen molecule (CH, or "methylidyne" to chemists), the carbon-hydrogen positive ion (CH+) and their parent: the carbon ion (C+). An ion is an atom or molecule with an imbalance of protons and electrons, resulting in a net charge.
"On Earth, the sun is the driving source of almost all the life on Earth. Now, we have learned that starlight drives the formation of chemicals that are precursors to chemicals that we need to make life," said Patrick Morris, first author of the paper and researcher at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech in Pasadena.
In the early 1940s, CH and CH+ were two of the first three molecules ever discovered in interstellar space. In examining molecular clouds -- assemblies of gas and dust -- in Orion with Herschel, scientists were surprised to find that CH+ is emitting rather than absorbing light, meaning it is warmer than the background gas. The CH+ molecule needs a lot of energy to form and is extremely reactive, so it gets destroyed when it interacts with the background hydrogen in the cloud. Its warm temperature and high abundance are therefore quite mysterious.
Why, then, is there so much CH+ in molecular clouds such as the Orion Nebula? Many studies have tried to answer this question before, but their observations were limited because few background stars were available for studying. Herschel probes an area of the electromagnetic spectrum -- the far infrared, associated with cold objects -- that no other space telescope has reached before, so it could take into account the entire Orion Nebula instead of individual stars within. The instrument they used to obtain their data, HIFI, is also extremely sensitive to the motion of the gas clouds.
One of the leading theories about the origins of basic hydrocarbons has been that they formed in "shocks," events that create a lot of turbulence, such as exploding supernovae or young stars spitting out material. Areas of molecular clouds that have a lot of turbulence generally create shocks. Like a large wave hitting a boat, shock waves cause vibrations in material they encounter. Those vibrations can knock electrons off atoms, making them ions, which are more likely to combine. But the new study found no correlation between these shocks and CH+ in the Orion Nebula.
Herschel data show that these CH+ molecules were more likely created by the ultraviolet emission of very young stars in the Orion Nebula, which, compared to the sun, are hotter, far more massive and emit much more ultraviolet light. When a molecule absorbs a photon of light, it becomes "excited" and has more energy to react with other particles. In the case of a hydrogen molecule, the hydrogen molecule vibrates, rotates faster or both when hit by an ultraviolet photon.
It has long been known that the Orion Nebula has a lot of hydrogen gas. When ultraviolet light from large stars heats up the surrounding hydrogen molecules, this creates prime conditions for forming hydrocarbons. As the interstellar hydrogen gets warmer, carbon ions that originally formed in stars begin to react with the molecular hydrogen, creating CH+. Eventually the CH+ captures an electron to form the neutral CH molecule.
"This is the initiation of the whole carbon chemistry," said John Pearson, researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, and study co-author. "If you want to form anything more complicated, it goes through that pathway."
Scientists combined Herschel data with models of molecular formation and found that ultraviolet light is the best explanation for how hydrocarbons form in the Orion Nebula.
The findings have implications for the formation of basic hydrocarbons in other galaxies as well. It is known that other galaxies have shocks, but dense regions in which ultraviolet light dominates heating and chemistry may play the key role in creating fundamental hydrocarbon molecules there, too.
"It's still a mystery how certain molecules get excited in the cores of galaxies," Pearson said. "Our study is a clue that ultraviolet light from massive stars could be driving the excitation of molecules there, too."
Herschel is a European Space Agency mission, with science instruments provided by consortia of European institutes and with important participation by NASA. While the observatory stopped making science observations in April 2013, after running out of liquid coolant as expected, scientists continue to analyze its data. NASA's Herschel Project Office is based at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. JPL contributed mission-enabling technology for two of Herschel's three science instruments. The NASA Herschel Science Center, part of IPAC, supports the U.S. astronomical community. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.
More information about Herschel is available at:
http://www.herschel.caltech.edu
http://www.nasa.gov/herschel
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Herschel
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
JPL/NASA 13OCT2016
Life exists in a myriad of wondrous forms, but if you break any organism down to its most basic parts, it's all the same stuff: carbon atoms connected to hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and other elements. But how these fundamental substances are created in space has been a longstanding mystery.
Now, astronomers better understand how molecules form that are necessary for building other chemicals essential for life. Thanks to data from the European Space Agency's Herschel Space Observatory, scientists have found that ultraviolet light from stars plays a key role in creating these molecules, rather than "shock" events that create turbulence, as was previously thought.
Scientists studied the ingredients of carbon chemistry in the Orion Nebula, the closest star-forming region to Earth that forms massive stars. They mapped the amount, temperature and motions of the carbon-hydrogen molecule (CH, or "methylidyne" to chemists), the carbon-hydrogen positive ion (CH+) and their parent: the carbon ion (C+). An ion is an atom or molecule with an imbalance of protons and electrons, resulting in a net charge.
"On Earth, the sun is the driving source of almost all the life on Earth. Now, we have learned that starlight drives the formation of chemicals that are precursors to chemicals that we need to make life," said Patrick Morris, first author of the paper and researcher at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at Caltech in Pasadena.
In the early 1940s, CH and CH+ were two of the first three molecules ever discovered in interstellar space. In examining molecular clouds -- assemblies of gas and dust -- in Orion with Herschel, scientists were surprised to find that CH+ is emitting rather than absorbing light, meaning it is warmer than the background gas. The CH+ molecule needs a lot of energy to form and is extremely reactive, so it gets destroyed when it interacts with the background hydrogen in the cloud. Its warm temperature and high abundance are therefore quite mysterious.
Why, then, is there so much CH+ in molecular clouds such as the Orion Nebula? Many studies have tried to answer this question before, but their observations were limited because few background stars were available for studying. Herschel probes an area of the electromagnetic spectrum -- the far infrared, associated with cold objects -- that no other space telescope has reached before, so it could take into account the entire Orion Nebula instead of individual stars within. The instrument they used to obtain their data, HIFI, is also extremely sensitive to the motion of the gas clouds.
One of the leading theories about the origins of basic hydrocarbons has been that they formed in "shocks," events that create a lot of turbulence, such as exploding supernovae or young stars spitting out material. Areas of molecular clouds that have a lot of turbulence generally create shocks. Like a large wave hitting a boat, shock waves cause vibrations in material they encounter. Those vibrations can knock electrons off atoms, making them ions, which are more likely to combine. But the new study found no correlation between these shocks and CH+ in the Orion Nebula.
Herschel data show that these CH+ molecules were more likely created by the ultraviolet emission of very young stars in the Orion Nebula, which, compared to the sun, are hotter, far more massive and emit much more ultraviolet light. When a molecule absorbs a photon of light, it becomes "excited" and has more energy to react with other particles. In the case of a hydrogen molecule, the hydrogen molecule vibrates, rotates faster or both when hit by an ultraviolet photon.
It has long been known that the Orion Nebula has a lot of hydrogen gas. When ultraviolet light from large stars heats up the surrounding hydrogen molecules, this creates prime conditions for forming hydrocarbons. As the interstellar hydrogen gets warmer, carbon ions that originally formed in stars begin to react with the molecular hydrogen, creating CH+. Eventually the CH+ captures an electron to form the neutral CH molecule.
"This is the initiation of the whole carbon chemistry," said John Pearson, researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, and study co-author. "If you want to form anything more complicated, it goes through that pathway."
Scientists combined Herschel data with models of molecular formation and found that ultraviolet light is the best explanation for how hydrocarbons form in the Orion Nebula.
The findings have implications for the formation of basic hydrocarbons in other galaxies as well. It is known that other galaxies have shocks, but dense regions in which ultraviolet light dominates heating and chemistry may play the key role in creating fundamental hydrocarbon molecules there, too.
"It's still a mystery how certain molecules get excited in the cores of galaxies," Pearson said. "Our study is a clue that ultraviolet light from massive stars could be driving the excitation of molecules there, too."
Herschel is a European Space Agency mission, with science instruments provided by consortia of European institutes and with important participation by NASA. While the observatory stopped making science observations in April 2013, after running out of liquid coolant as expected, scientists continue to analyze its data. NASA's Herschel Project Office is based at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. JPL contributed mission-enabling technology for two of Herschel's three science instruments. The NASA Herschel Science Center, part of IPAC, supports the U.S. astronomical community. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.
More information about Herschel is available at:
http://www.herschel.caltech.edu
http://www.nasa.gov/herschel
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Herschel
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
13 October 2016
The Latest worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 13OCT2016
Asgardia asteroid defence shield: Satellite system will stop meteors from destroying Earth
Daily Star
Earlier this year a meteor crashed down in Australia without warning, triggering an earthquake and leaving residents terrified. NASA has also begged ...
Meteor breaks apart over Louisville
WTVA
According to Bill Cooke with NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office in Huntsville, Alabama, the "fireball" was a meteor moving 89,000 miles per hour.
Daily Star
Earlier this year a meteor crashed down in Australia without warning, triggering an earthquake and leaving residents terrified. NASA has also begged ...
Meteor breaks apart over Louisville
WTVA
According to Bill Cooke with NASA's Meteoroid Environments Office in Huntsville, Alabama, the "fireball" was a meteor moving 89,000 miles per hour.
People report seeing "fireball" in sky
WTVA
People report seeing "fireball" in sky ... (WTVA) - Many people in North Mississippi and Alabama reported seeing a bright "fireball" in the sky this ...
That thing shooting across the sky in Mississippi: What we know
WAPT Jackson
According to the American Meteor Society, close to 200 people have reported seeing a fireball around the same time as Bird. The reports span from ...
'Fireball' over Lake Pontchartrain? Possibly a meteor
NOLA.com
According to NASA's Meteor Watch a bright green fireball was reportedly seen first seen 65 miles above the town of Sawyersville in western Alabama, ...
Meteor sightings in Orleans and Jefferson Parish
WGNO
New Orleans (WGNO) – Did you see a meteor this morning? Reports of meteor sightings have been popping up across the country! Many in Louisiana ...
NASA explains what that bright green fireball was in the Louisiana sky
WDSU New Orleans
It was bright, green, flying over the Louisiana sky, and more than 100 reports came in to NASA on Wednesday morning about it.
Miss the morning meteor? There's plenty more chances to see one!
WGNO
The meteor is part of a larger meteor shower going on right now. The Orionids, named so because they appear to originate from the constellation ...
Mississippi Morning Fireball
American Meteor Society
Over 170 witnesses have reported a large early morning fireball seen across the southern states of Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
WTVA
People report seeing "fireball" in sky ... (WTVA) - Many people in North Mississippi and Alabama reported seeing a bright "fireball" in the sky this ...
That thing shooting across the sky in Mississippi: What we know
WAPT Jackson
According to the American Meteor Society, close to 200 people have reported seeing a fireball around the same time as Bird. The reports span from ...
'Fireball' over Lake Pontchartrain? Possibly a meteor
NOLA.com
According to NASA's Meteor Watch a bright green fireball was reportedly seen first seen 65 miles above the town of Sawyersville in western Alabama, ...
Meteor sightings in Orleans and Jefferson Parish
WGNO
New Orleans (WGNO) – Did you see a meteor this morning? Reports of meteor sightings have been popping up across the country! Many in Louisiana ...
NASA explains what that bright green fireball was in the Louisiana sky
WDSU New Orleans
It was bright, green, flying over the Louisiana sky, and more than 100 reports came in to NASA on Wednesday morning about it.
Miss the morning meteor? There's plenty more chances to see one!
WGNO
The meteor is part of a larger meteor shower going on right now. The Orionids, named so because they appear to originate from the constellation ...
Mississippi Morning Fireball
American Meteor Society
Over 170 witnesses have reported a large early morning fireball seen across the southern states of Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Kentucky, ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
12 October 2016
The Latest worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 12OCT2016
Residents report possible meteor sighting in metro
WBRC FOX6 News - WBRC.com
Numerous phone calls and electronic messages from the public reporting a possible meteor over central Mississippi Wednesday morning.
Did a meteor just fly over Metairie?
WGNO
-(WGNO)- WGNO News is investigating the possibility of a meteor streaking across the sky in ... Now it appears that it could have been a meteor.
With planets and stars for company | Coimbatore NYOOOZ
NYOOOZ
The session was held on the night of October 7 because there was a meteor shower. The night sky over Anaikatti was very clear and I saw three ...
New method of estimating temperatures near the mesopause region using meteor radar observations
Wiley Online Library
A new method of estimating mesopause temperatures using meteor radar observations is proposed. • The height distribution of meteor trails is ...
The Latest worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 11OCT2016
Posted: 11 Oct 2016 03:48 AM PDT
Meteor fireball sighted over Cyprus Signs of the Times Eyewitnesses said on Monday they saw a meteorite early in the morning, which did not appear to have crashed on the island. An eyewitness from ...
3875a
American Meteor Society
Remarks, Both fireballs were in sky for ten to fifteen seconds before burning out in atmosphere smoke trails disappeared withing seconds of the ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
WBRC FOX6 News - WBRC.com
Numerous phone calls and electronic messages from the public reporting a possible meteor over central Mississippi Wednesday morning.
Did a meteor just fly over Metairie?
WGNO
-(WGNO)- WGNO News is investigating the possibility of a meteor streaking across the sky in ... Now it appears that it could have been a meteor.
With planets and stars for company | Coimbatore NYOOOZ
NYOOOZ
The session was held on the night of October 7 because there was a meteor shower. The night sky over Anaikatti was very clear and I saw three ...
New method of estimating temperatures near the mesopause region using meteor radar observations
Wiley Online Library
A new method of estimating mesopause temperatures using meteor radar observations is proposed. • The height distribution of meteor trails is ...
The Latest worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 11OCT2016
Posted: 11 Oct 2016 03:48 AM PDT
Meteor fireball sighted over Cyprus Signs of the Times Eyewitnesses said on Monday they saw a meteorite early in the morning, which did not appear to have crashed on the island. An eyewitness from ...
3875a
American Meteor Society
Remarks, Both fireballs were in sky for ten to fifteen seconds before burning out in atmosphere smoke trails disappeared withing seconds of the ...
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
11 October 2016
The Latest worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 11OCT2016
Meteor fireball sighted over Cyprus
Signs of the Times
Eyewitnesses said on Monday they saw a meteorite early in the morning, which did not appear to have crashed on the island. An eyewitness from ...
The Latest worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 10OCT2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News
Right after sunset you can see meteors from the Draconid Meteor Shower. The was taken near the peak of the shower on October 10th, 2015.
Photographer Captures Lava, Moon, Meteor And Milky Way In One Shot
Huffington Post UK
An American photographer has captured lava, the moon, a meteor and the Milky Way in one stunning photo. Mike Mezeul was in Volcanoes National ...
Orionids Meteor Shower!
DCNR Calendar of Events - PA.gov
Orionids Meteor Shower! Friday, October 21 at 9:00pm. Keystone State Park 1150 Keystone Park Road, Derry, PA 15627-3679. Exact Location.
NASA Mars Rover to Explore Potential Fluid-Carved Gully
ExecutiveGov
NASA wants the rover to explore a portion of the meteor-excavated Endeavour Crater to compare rocks inside the crater to the dominant type of rock ...
Event 3854-2016
Fireball event
AMS received 15 reports about a fireball seen over NC, NJ, MD, RI, VA, MA and PA on Monday, October 10th 2016 around 09:28 UT.
b
American Meteor Society
Location. Address, Eatontown, NJ. Latitude, 40° 18' 13.73'' N (40.303815°). Longitude, 74° 5' 19.53'' W (-74.088758°). Elevation, 10.649324m ..
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
Signs of the Times
Eyewitnesses said on Monday they saw a meteorite early in the morning, which did not appear to have crashed on the island. An eyewitness from ...
The Latest worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 10OCT2016
The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News
Right after sunset you can see meteors from the Draconid Meteor Shower. The was taken near the peak of the shower on October 10th, 2015.
Photographer Captures Lava, Moon, Meteor And Milky Way In One Shot
Huffington Post UK
An American photographer has captured lava, the moon, a meteor and the Milky Way in one stunning photo. Mike Mezeul was in Volcanoes National ...
Orionids Meteor Shower!
DCNR Calendar of Events - PA.gov
Orionids Meteor Shower! Friday, October 21 at 9:00pm. Keystone State Park 1150 Keystone Park Road, Derry, PA 15627-3679. Exact Location.
NASA Mars Rover to Explore Potential Fluid-Carved Gully
ExecutiveGov
NASA wants the rover to explore a portion of the meteor-excavated Endeavour Crater to compare rocks inside the crater to the dominant type of rock ...
Event 3854-2016
Fireball event
AMS received 15 reports about a fireball seen over NC, NJ, MD, RI, VA, MA and PA on Monday, October 10th 2016 around 09:28 UT.
b
American Meteor Society
Location. Address, Eatontown, NJ. Latitude, 40° 18' 13.73'' N (40.303815°). Longitude, 74° 5' 19.53'' W (-74.088758°). Elevation, 10.649324m ..
2016 The THIRD Year of "CERTAIN Uncertainty" ™ / Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)