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Wednesday’s CSExtra offers the latest reporting and commentary on space related activities from around the world. Experts scramble to characterize the significance of Kepler 22b, a habitable zone exo-planet whose discovery was announced this week. NASA assures a skeptical House panel it can have the over budget James Webb Space Telescope ready for a 2018 launching. A new NOAA weather satellite takes over Western U. S. observations. Vesta — more planet than asteroid, say geologists. SETI, bolstered by public contributions, resumes listening for signals from intelligent extraterrestrial life. A Washington expert dissects U. S. national space policy and its future. A lunar eclipse for some. A universe of overwhelming dimension.
1. From National Public Radio: The announced discovery of Kepler 22b, a hefty Earth like planet circling a sun like star in the habitable zone, this week signals the Age of the Planet, a new era also marked by a deeper understanding of the ties between our own planet and the life it supports, NPR reports.
http://n.pr/rOOeg8
A. From Science News: Kepler 22b may not be so habitable after all. This larger than, but Earth like world could be a sauna or a global ocean, say some experts. Kepler 22b has experts scrambling to characterize possible conditions there.
http://bit.ly/uaN8fL
2. From AFP via Google: NASA assures Congress on Tuesday it can keep the over budget James Webb Space Telescope on track for a launching in 2018. Some members of a House oversight panel express skepticism.
http://bit.ly/vT01T5
3. From Spaceflightnow.com: One U. S weather satellite retires this week, another takes over as a high altitude environmental sentry for storms and wildfires across the Pacific Ocean and western United States.
4. From Discovery.com: Once characterized as a large asteroid, Vesta is more like a planet, say scientists gathered in San Francisco, Calif., this week for the annual conference of the American Geophysical Union. NASA’s Dawn mission is visiting Vesta now.
http://bit.ly/sCF2kn
5. From Space.com: After a seven month hiatus caused by funding issues, the SETI Institute resumes listening for signals coming from nearby stars. NASA’s Kepler planet hunter has served up new targets. Crowd sourcing provided enough resources to resume the search.
http://bit.ly/sDcbvL
6. From Space Quarterly, the December issue: “In Where is Space Policy Headed?” Washington space policy analyst Marcia Smith examines the steering currents surrounding the Obama Administration’s national space policy, unveiled in 2010, and the myriad of prevailing issues, addressed and unaddressed.
http://bit.ly/u2I6Hl
7. From Space.com: Parts of the U. S. northwest are best positioned for a total lunar eclipse early Saturday. Sky watchers in Australia and East Asia should have the best views.
http://bit.ly/uvAMGv
8. From Wired.com: Contemplating the immensity of the universe will make you feel small.
http://bit.ly/uhx2AT
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