Issue #5 (January 2014)
Europa likely off-kilter at one time
By analyzing the distinctive cracks lining the icy face of Europa, NASA scientists found evidence that this moon of Jupiter likely spun around a tilted axis at some point. Europa’s tilt could influence calculations of how much of the moon’s history is recorded in its frozen shell, how much heat is generated by tides in …
Space enthralls Abraham Benrubi
Abraham Rubin Hercules Benrubi is a beloved character actor who has been working in film and television for more than two decades. He is known by many names: Mose from “Open Range,” Jerry from “E.R.,” and Larry ‘The Kube’ Kubiac from “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose.” He is also the voice of Fidel Castro, Optimus Prime, …
CubeSats: Thinking inside the box, launching into space
Two tiny, cube-shaped research satellites hitched a ride to Earth orbit to validate new hardware and software technologies for future NASA Earth-observing instruments. The cube satellites, or “CubeSats,” which typically have a volume of exactly 1 liter, were launched on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on the night of Dec. 5, 2013 from …
‘Witch head’ brews baby stars
A witch appears to be screaming out into space in this image from NASA’s Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE. The infrared portrait shows the Witch Head nebula, named after its resemblance to the profile of a wicked witch. Astronomers say the billowy clouds of the nebula, where baby stars are brewing, are being lit up …