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☆ Cape Town home decked in thousands of lights spreads festive joy
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CAPE TOWN, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Matthew Haines, who fell in love with Christmas lights as a child, has decorated his home with thousands of twinkling bulbs, aiming to bring some festive cheer into people's lives for free after a tough few years. People of all ages come in droves to Haines's home in the coastal town of Fish Hoek to see the house, decked with more than 200,000 Christmas lights. "I fell in love with Christmas lights when I was very young... It’s always brought me joy," Haines said. [1/7] Visitors takes selfies outside the Haines residence in Fish Hoek, where people can experience over 120 000 colourful and glittering Christmas lights, in Cape Town, South Africa, December 10, 2022. With a display of Santa Claus in the background, children and elderly women danced around, taking in the festive atmosphere.

☆ Elon Musk hits back at former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, who accused the billionaire of mocking the LGBTQ community by misusing gender pronouns
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk and former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly sparred over the use of gender pronouns. Kelly told Musk not to "promote hate" toward the LGBTQ community by mocking gender pronouns. Musk said "forcing" gender pronouns on others was "neither good nor kind to anyone." Scott Kelly, a former NASA astronaut, responded to the tweet, saying: "Elon, please don't mock and promote hate toward already marginalized and at-risk-of-violence members of the #LGBTQ+ community. Six months later, Musk shared a meme that mocked gender pronouns used in social media bios.

☆ Investing in Space: Temper your expectations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Michael Sheetz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

CNBC's Investing in Space newsletter offers a view into the business of space exploration and privatization, delivered straight to your inbox. One that repeatedly comes up is the need for tempered expectations when it comes to schedule targets across the industry. Take, for example, an unabashed thread by ABL Space on its progress toward the debut launch of its RS1 rocket. Company leadership should be ambitious and optimistic about deadlines – but expectations need to be managed clearly and realistically, as well. The best space companies set targets that are achievable, and keep cushion on their balance sheet for when they aren't.

☆ Rare cosmic collision acted like one of the ‘factories of gold’ in the universe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The gamma-ray burst, called GRB 211211A, lasted about a minute. Gamma-ray bursts are considered among the strongest and brightest explosions in the universe, and they can range from a few milliseconds to several hours in length. An artist's illustration of GRB 211211A shows the kilonova and gamma-ray burst (right) and ejected material from the explosion (left). After determining that a kilonova created the infrared light, astronomers grew even more puzzled by the gamma-ray burst’s duration. Gamma-ray bursts caused by these rare explosions have only ever been observed to last less than two seconds, but this signal lasted for at least one minute.

☆ How to stay safe in an extreme solar flare, where the sun bombards Earth with radiation and magnetic havoc
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Stay safe during a solar storm by preparing to lose power, printing out maps, and staying off planes. What is a solar flare and how do they affect Earth? CMEs primarily affect the magnetosphere, jostling Earth's magnetic field lines in an event called a geomagnetic storm, also known as a solar storm. NASAGetting ready for the possibility of a major solar flare isn't that different from getting ready for any other disaster. If you follow the basics of disaster preparedness, you'll probably be ready for a solar flare.

☆ A communications satellite the size of an apartment is so bright it can outshine stars, and astronomers are worried it could interfere with their research
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AST SpaceMobile deployed a 693-square-foot communications satellite into orbit called BlueWalker 3. Astronomers say it's as bright as some of the brightest stars, and warn it could impact their work. AST SpaceMobile bills it as the "largest-ever commercial communications array deployed in low Earth orbit." Astronomers are also concerned about how satellite constellations contribute to the loss to "humanity's ability to experience the natural night sky," according to the IAU statement. When we look up at night sky, many of the bright lights might not be stars — but satellites.

☆ 7 times NASA's James Webb Space Telescope spotted something Hubble missed
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The James Webb Space Telescope can capture a more complete view of galaxies, stars, and planets. Before Webb, astronomers had another workhorse cosmic observatory: the Hubble Space Telescope. Webb is 100 times stronger than Hubble, which allows astronomers to peer even further into space. Webb spied countless galaxies that Hubble missedA side by side collage of the same area taken by the Hubble and the James Webb space telescopes. Where Hubble saw a faint dot, Webb resolved 2 distinct mystery objectsOne of the lensed images of MACS0647-JD, from the James Webb Space Telescope.

[1/3] South African president Cyril Ramaphosa speaks at the Green Hydrogen Summit at Century City in Cape Town, South Africa, November 29, 2022. The inquiry centred on the theft of a millions of dollars of cash from the billionaire president's farm in 2020, which came to light in June. The country's biggest opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has called for an early election and the report has plunged the governing African National Congress (ANC) into crisis. The ANC's executive committee is due to meet to discuss the panel report on Thursday evening. Asked by Reuters about a local media report that Ramaphosa was due to address the nation on Thursday, Ramaphosa's spokesman Vincent Magwenya said: "An announcement is imminent.

☆ Webb telescope spies clouds beneath haze of Saturn moon Titan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The James Webb Space Telescope has spied clouds on one of the solar system’s most intriguing moons. Titan’s atmosphere is made of nitrogen and methane, which gives it a fuzzy, orange appearance. Astronomers compared Webb (left) and Keck images of Titan to see how clouds evolved. The data, which is still being analyzed, was able to see deeper into Titan’s atmosphere and surface than the Cassini spacecraft, which orbited Saturn and its moons for 13 years. The cloud observations were a long time coming.

☆ Fact Check-Artemis I capsule entering low-Earth orbit before heading to Moon is not proof of flat Earth
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Artemis I Orion capsule entered low-Earth orbit prior to making a maneuver toward the Moon. Users pointed to the curved trajectory, seemingly moving away from the Moon, as proof that the capsule went off course. Per ESA, a low Earth orbit was done to allow mission control to perform final checks before departing toward the Moon (here). A photo showing the Artemis I Orion capsule flying past the moon in its trajectory is not proof the earth is flat, as online posts say. The spacecraft performed a low Earth orbit before completing a translunar injection toward the Moon.

☆ Dance of merging galaxies captured in new Webb telescope image
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —The beautiful chaos of two merging galaxies shines in the latest image captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The Webb telescope, designed to observe faint, distant galaxies and other worlds, is an international mission between NASA and its partners, the European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency. The pair of galaxies, known as II ZW 96, are located some 500 million light-years from Earth in the Delphinus constellation. Astronomers are using the observatory to study how galaxies evolve and, among other topics, why luminous infrared galaxies like II ZW 96 shine brightly in infrared light, reaching luminosities more than 100 billion times that of our sun. Researchers have turned Webb’s instruments on merging galaxies, including II ZW 96, to pick out fine details and compare the images with those previously taken by ground-based telescopes and the Hubble Space Telescope.

☆ AT 2022cmc: Rare cosmic event beamed light at Earth from 8.5 billion light-years away
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But the rare cosmic event actually occurred 8.5 billion light years away from Earth, when the universe was just a third of its current age — and it has created more questions than answers. This graphic shows how a tidal disruption event might look in space. Carl Knox/OzGrav/Swinburne University of TechnologyWhen a star is torn apart by a black hole’s gravitational tidal forces, it’s known as a tidal disruption event. Observing more events like this could reveal how black holes launch such powerful jets across space, according to the researchers. “Scientists can use AT 2022cmc as a model for what to look for and find more disruptive events from distant black holes.”

☆ A Paralympic athlete might become the world's first disabled astronaut
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Stephanie Stacey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

He's part of a European Space Agency "feasibility project" to include astronauts with disabilities. John McFall is 0ne of the European Space Agency's new class of trainee astronauts — its first batch of new recruits in 13 years. The ESA hopes that McFall will be the first astronaut with a physical disability to travel into space. McFall told BBC News he'd never dreamed of becoming an astronaut, but felt inspired by the ESA's commitment to supporting diversity. McFall is due to start a 12-month program of basic training at the European Space Agency in Spring next year.

☆ James Webb telescope: New data on WASP-39b is a 'game changer,' scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a detailed molecular and chemical portrait of a faraway planet’s skies, scoring another first for the exoplanet science community. This “hot Saturn” was one of the first exoplanets that the Webb telescope examined when it first began its regular science operations. Bocaprins’ close proximity to its host star makes it an ideal subject for studying such star-planet connections. The planet is eight times closer to its host star than Mercury is to our sun. … We are already getting very exciting results,” Nestor Espinoza, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute, told CNN.

☆ Europe names world's first disabled astronaut
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Member of ESA's new class of astronauts John McFall attends the European Space Agency (ESA) Council at Ministerial level (CM22) at the Grand Palais Ephemere in Paris, France, November 23, 2022. REUTERS/Benoit TessierPARIS, Nov 23 (Reuters) - The European Space Agency on Wednesday named the first ever "parastronaut" in a major step towards allowing people with physical disabilities to work and live in space. The 22-nation agency said it had selected former British Paralympic sprinter John McFall as part of a new generation of 17 recruits picked for astronaut training. He will join five new career astronauts and 11 reserves in training after ESA replenished its astronaut ranks for the first time since 2009. It received 257 applications for the role of astronaut with a disability, a parallel role that it terms "parastronaut".

☆ European Space Agency announces first ‘parastronaut’
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

It’s the first time the space agency has established an astronaut reserve, which is made up of candidates who successfully completed the selection process but were not recruited. McFall, a British medic and Paralympian, said he felt compelled to apply when he saw ESA’s ad for an astronaut with a physical disability. McFall, a British medic, will become the first astronaut with a physical disability. The space agency has been closely involved with NASA’s Artemis mission to put humans back on the moon, and ESA hopes that the first European to set foot on the moon will be among this class of astronauts. The space agency on Wednesday also agreed on a new budget of 16.9 billion euros ($17.5 billion) for the next three years — an increase of 17% from 2019.

☆ European ministers to debate sharp increase in space funding
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Logos of ArianeGroup and the ESA (European Space Agency) are seen on a rocket model at the entrance of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) space exploration conference in Paris, France, September 19, 2022. Other initiatives include extending Europe’s global navigation system into low Earth orbit and kickstarting a new satellite mission, Harmony, to expand climate research. Ministers will seek to close a narrow funding gap for Ariane 6 rockets and discuss the future of emerging micro-launchers. In a recent interview, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher urged rapid global action to tackle congestion in low Earth orbit including a ban on ASAT or anti-satellite weapons tests. Even without such threats, the sheer number of satellites and fragments of debris in low Earth orbit raises concerns.

☆ Buses set on fire in South Africa's Cape Town as taxi strike starts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

CAPE TOWN, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Two buses were set on fire on Monday in South Africa's Cape Town as local taxi associations embarked on a two-day strike to protest against a termination of an incentive program. The Western Cape provincial government, home to legislative capital Cape Town, recently announced it would terminate an incentive scheme for taxi drivers which encouraged safe driving practises and curtailed illegal operations. But due to a lack of funding it had to cancel the programme after a little more than a year, triggering an uproar from the taxi associations who called for a two-day strike in the city from Monday. [1/6] People walk past a torched bus during a two-day strike by taxi operators over a number of grievances against traffic authorities in Cape Town, South Africa, November 21, 2022. "No passengers or drivers were injured," Bronwen Dyke-Beyer, a spokesperson of Golden Arrow Bus Services, which runs a fleet of 1,100 buses in Cape Town, told Reuters, confirming that a one of its buses was set alight.

☆ Videos captured a fireball flashing across the Toronto skyline before it struck Earth near Niagara Falls
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The object's impact on Earth was predicted, marking the sixth time in history that has occurred. The European Space Agency said such detection technology for small objects is improving. The fireball was captured in several videos, including one that showed it appearing to pass by the city's CN Tower. The European Space Agency said the event marked only the sixth time in history the impact of a space object with Earth was successfully predicted. Mike Hankey of the American Meteor Society told The New York Times its possible meteorites — debris from a space object — from Saturday's event could be discovered near Niagara Falls.

☆ Historic Artemis I mission is just beginning its lunar journey
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-19 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Artemis I mission launched on its journey to the moon Wednesday. NASAHours after the launch of Artemis I, the Orion spacecraft began to share its impressive views from space. The Artemis I mission is speeding along on a 25.5-day journey that will loop around the moon and return to Earth on December 11. Across the universeA newborn star is at the heart of a new James Webb Space Telescope image that looks like an hourglass. NASA/ESA/CSA/STScIAn awe-inspiring new image from the James Webb Space Telescope shows the gas and dust released by a chaotic newborn star.

☆ Webb telescope finds two of the most distant galaxies ever observed
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The James Webb Space Telescope has spied one of the earliest galaxies formed after the big bang, about 350 million years after the universe began. Webb’s capability to look deeper into the universe than other telescopes is revealing previously hidden aspects of the universe, including astonishingly distant galaxies such as these two finds. Two distant galaxies were observed by the James Webb Space Telescope. Just a few hundred million years after the big bang, there were already lots of galaxies. Detection of light invisible to the human eyeThe new findings about the two galaxies might mean there are other bright galaxies waiting to be found in the distant universe.

☆ NASA's Artemis I moon rocket is flying through space for the first time. Meet the mannequins, Snoopy, and 'Shaun the Sheep' dolls along for the ride.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Mannequins and mementos are hitching a ride aboard NASA's Orion capsule — without people. Fitted with more than 5600 sensors, Zohar and Helga will measure the amount of radiation astronauts could be exposed to in future missions. "When it comes to biological effects, different organs have different susceptibility to space radiation. Shaun, of British TV show "Shaun the Sheep" fame, is flying aboard the Artemis I mission in plush doll form. Snoopy will ride in the Orion capsule and serve as a zero gravity indicator.

☆ NHL roundup: Surging Jets tie it late, sink Kraken in OT
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

With Winnipeg goalie David Rittich pulled for the extra skater, Blake Wheeler scored his 300th career NHL goal on the power play to tie the score with 5.2 seconds left. Jordan Eberle and Brandon Tanev scored for Seattle, which is 5-1-1 in its past seven games. The Kraken took a 2-1 lead on Tanev's goal at 7:02 of the third. Bruins 5, Canucks 2Five different players scored goals and defenseman Hampus Lindholm assisted on three as Boston downed visiting Vancouver for its fourth straight win. Travis Konecny scored the lone goal for the Flyers, who went 0-for-6 on the power play en route to losing their third straight game.

☆ Sam Bankman-Fried's sudden turn from white knight to washout
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( Hannah Lang | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

But as traders rushed to withdraw funds from FTX, Bankman-Fried was in denial and told investors he was convinced the business would be rescued, according to a source familiar with the situation. Bankman-Fried also quickly became one of the largest Democratic donors in the United States, contributing $5.2 million to President Joe Biden's 2020 campaign. He amassed a fortune, estimated as high as $26.5 billion by Forbes a year ago, by taking advantage of the price differences in bitcoin in Asia and the United States. Bankman-Fried eventually started crypto trading firm Alameda Research in 2017 and founded FTX a year later. "I thought we would fail," Bankman-Fried said at a June conference weeks before FTX and Alameda extended lifelines to two struggling crypto platforms.

☆ NASA's Hubble Space Telescope watched a distant star die, explode, and fade away in rare, colorful detail
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope captured a star that exploded and died 11 billion years ago. The three imprints show different colorful stages of the supernova explosion. Hubble watched the star collapse, expell its outer layers in a violent explosion, and then cool. Three different reflections of the supernova, spotted by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The paths had different lengths, so the light arrived at different times, reflecting images from three different stages in the star's death.

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