@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

michael_w_busch

@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online

Planetary astronomer, studying piles of rock in space. Reader of books. Drinker of tea. He/him. This is a personal account. To bigotry no sanction.

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michael_w_busch, to Minnesota
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

Looking out the window at the sunset:

Check your masks and run the air filters, .

(A side effect of having lived in California: Telling the air quality by the color of the Sun).

QT MN Air Quality Index @mpca_aqi
2024 May 12

An air quality alert for Red/Unhealthy for All continues for all of Minnesota. Smoke has reached St Cloud/ Marshall, and will soon reach the Twin Cities. The smoke is following a cold front moving from north to south and will linger overnight.

astronomerritt, to random
@astronomerritt@hachyderm.io avatar

Does anyone cook with lard any more? Lard was sort of ever-present when I was a kid, but I was raised by my grandparents so I don't know what aspects were really out-of-date, which were normal, and which were just, well, poverty.

I can tell you that my grandmother's idea of a curry would have most folk recoiling...

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@astronomerritt I have sometimes cooked with lard, tallow, schmaltz, and duck fat (the last of which has lately been popular among American chefs, for no particular reason).

But using pork or beef fat in a curry always seems wrong.

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@astronomerritt There were some claims of duck fat having lower saturated fat content than other animal fats being a good thing; but the evidence on that is pretty limited.

Re. tallow: I've mostly used it in shortening for pastry and for frying things. If we extend that to include beef pan drippings, the list of possibilities is longer.

jasonkoebler, to random
@jasonkoebler@mastodon.social avatar

Scoop: Solar storm is causing farmers' tractor GPS systems to go haywire. Many have shut down planting altogether during a critical period. A Deere dealer said accuracy is "extremely compromised"

https://www.404media.co/solar-storm-knocks-out-tractor-gps-systems-during-peak-planting-season/

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@jasonkoebler Attention @sundogplanets , for the intersection of farming and space weather.

astro_jcm, (edited ) to random
@astro_jcm@mastodon.online avatar

Started boiling some Weißwurst without realising I'm all out of sweet mustard, and stores are closed today. Should I...
(a) Go out and buy mustard in a gas station.
(b) Use sriracha, the only other sauce I happen to have at home right now, and risk being deported from Germany.

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@astro_jcm Add the sriracha.

With apologies to some of my family members who live in Germany.

arstechnica, to random
@arstechnica@mastodon.social avatar

In the race for space metals, companies hope to cash in

Mining asteroids could reduce the burden on Earth’s resources. Will it live up to its promise?

https://arstechnica.com/science/2024/05/in-the-race-for-space-metals-companies-hope-to-cash-in/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@arstechnica @nyrath I have now witnessed two full generations of companies proposing to do privately funded space resource utilization projects either switch to Earth-orbit satellite projects, fold completely, or be taken over by scammers.

So I note how "Asteroid Mining Corporation Ltd" is simply starting with doing Earth-orbit satellite projects.

michael_w_busch, to random
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

I have come across multiple instances today of people presenting old aurora photos as if they were from the current solar storm.

That is disappointing.

It is also no longer surprising to me, given what happens whenever there is a large meteor bolide.

michael_w_busch, to random
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

"SpaceX launches a flock of Starlinks it is likely to lose because somebody apparently did not check the weather report."

QT Jonathan McDowell @planet4589
2024 May 10

Launch of @SpaceX Starlink Group 8-2 from Vandenberg at 0430 UTC May 10

astro_jcm, to Astro
@astro_jcm@mastodon.online avatar

Me getting mentally ready to be super jealous of the upcoming #aurora pics from those of you living at higher latitudes.

#astrodon #astronomy #astrophotography

michael_w_busch, (edited )
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@astro_jcm I will just be following social media feeds from Antarctica over-winters.

Since here the aurora will be lost behind clouds and skyglow.

michael_w_busch, to random
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

Busy Saturday coming up on the space weather report: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/ .

michael_w_busch, to Minnesota
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

A group of Republican state legislators here in want to legalize vehicular homicide: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=senate&f=SF5500&ssn=0&y=2024.

Do not let them remain in government, Minnesotans.

And the MNGOP is now explicitly a pro-murder party.

michael_w_busch, to random
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

Last chance to suggest a name for a certain rock pile: https://www.hayabusa2.jaxa.jp/en/topics/20231206_CC21Camp_e/

QT 小惑星探査機「はやぶさ２」
@haya2_jaxa
小惑星2001 CC21命名キャンペーンですが、いよいよ明日（5月9日＝2003年に「はやぶさ」が打ち上げられた日）が名前の応募の締め切りになります。この小惑星にふさわしい名前を是非、ご提案ください！

https://www.hayabusa2.jaxa.jp/topics/20231206_CC21Camp/
https://twitter.com/haya2_jaxa/status/1787998846158885254

nyrath, to random
@nyrath@spacey.space avatar

PRELIMINARY DESIGN OF A HYPERVELOCITY NUCLEAR INTERCEPTOR SYSTEM (HNIS) FOR OPTIMAL DISRUPTION OF NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS

nuking incoming rogue asteroids

(pdf file)
https://www.adrc.iastate.edu/files/2012/06/AAS-12-225.pdf

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@nyrath Obligatory note that nuclear blast deflection for asteroids would work best with a standoff detonation that rendered the upper meter or so of most of a hemisphere of the target into vapor.

For that, interceptor velocity would not be much of a concern.

And it is extremely unlikely that nuclear blast deflection will ever be necessary.

(Pitz et al. 2024 acknowledges that, but then continues with their even-less-likely variation.)

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@hendric @nyrath Landing a thruster on a rubble pile would not work well - it is very difficult to anchor, and the control problem is unstable (effectively an inverted pendulum).

But nuclear-electric propulsion for a gravity tractor or an ion tug is an option for gradually moving asteroids around. Provided that there is enough clear space for radiators to keep the spacecraft cooled.

lauren, to random
@lauren@mastodon.laurenweinstein.org avatar

Steel produced prior to World War II is highly sought after, and usually sells for a premium. The reason why may surprise you. It's not due to any perceived higher quality than steel produced later -- not in the ordinary sense, anyway.

The issue is that steel smelted after WWII pretty much all contains tiny amounts of radioactive contamination from above ground nuclear tests, which were common until the signing of the nuclear test ban treaty in 1963.

While the amount of radiation in that steel is extremely low, it's high enough to interfere with some very high precision instrumentation. So manufacturers of some affected equipment want that "old steel" to use instead.

Since the global atmospheric contamination levels associated with those tests has been dropping over the decades, it's a decreasing problem for newly produced steel.

Still, a large find of old steel, like a sunken pre-WWII battleship for example, is still much valued due to these issues.

So now you know.

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@lauren @nyrath There has also a been a market in "ancient lead" ingots to be made into shielding for particle detectors; for the same reason.

Which has been understandably controversial because archaeologists would prefer that the artifacts they are studying not be literally melted down: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ancient-roman-lead-physics-archaeology-controversy/

michael_w_busch, to random
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

is on the way to the Moon.

QT @AndrewJonesSpace
2024 May 3
"China launches Chang’e-6 mission to collect first samples from the moon’s far side" - https://spacenews.com/china-launches-change-6-mission-to-collect-first-samples-from-the-moons-far-side/

nyrath, to random
@nyrath@spacey.space avatar

Plasmonic Force Propulsion Revolutionizes Nano/Picosatellite Capability

Micro thruster uses sunlight to expel dust particles.
One wonders if this can be used to cheaply move valuable asteroids, given they have large quantities of dust and access to sunlight.

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20180008684

image/jpeg

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@nyrath Moving asteroids around continues to be mostly a matter of effectively transferring thrust from spacecraft to rock pile; rather than the particulars of the engine being used.

Nor is asteroid dust conveniently ground and filtered to have only nanoparticle sizes.

(And regolith samples do not have many particles smaller than ~10 microns; since those are fairly easily destroyed or lost.)

nyrath, to random
@nyrath@spacey.space avatar

Horizontal running inside circular walls of Moon settlements: a comprehensive countermeasure for low-gravity deconditioning?

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231906

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@KarlSchroeder @nyrath This set up has the gravity load be balanced by suspending the person in the centrifuge, so the force on their feet would be the same so long as the acceleration from going around the loop is the same.

If the couple of minutes a day that most people could tolerate it would actually stop bone loss and muscle loss is a question for the space medicine experts.

fraser, to random
@fraser@m.universetoday.com avatar

Motorcyclists can drive inside a cylinder, using speed to generate artificial gravity that sticks them to the wall. A similar technique could be used on the Moon, allowing astronauts to maintain their cardiovascular and muscles on the Moon. Researchers put study participants into a "Wall of Death" ring, suspended them with bungee jumping bands that mimicked lunar gravity, and taught them how to run horizontally. This should be possible on the Moon without support.

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231906

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@fraser This seems like the "gravity train" proposal to deal with low Mars gravity by having a circular rollercoaster around the habitat.

Which is entirely impractical, but also funny.

https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.2017-1447

michael_w_busch, to random
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

Some good news.

(Carbon capture is not a thing at scale, so this rule would appear to be the US government finally working to shut down all coal power plants.)

QT PBS NewsHour @NewsHour
2024 April 28

Coal-fired power plants would be forced to capture smokestack emissions or shut down under a rule issued Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/coal-fired-plants-will-have-to-capture-emissions-or-shut-down-says-strict-new-epa-rule

nyrath, to random
@nyrath@spacey.space avatar

Old NASA document about precisely aiming powerful lasers in space applications. Such as long range laser weapons

https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19890001560

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@wa7iut @nyrath Note that a 10s-of-watt laser with a 1 arcsecond beam, such as DSOC on Psyche, is strictly a communications system and very much not a "long range laser weapon".

Even the 5 kW laser used for uplink is only ~4.5 Suns of brightness when it comes out of the telescope at Table Mountain (although one should not park something that absorbs near-IR in the beam for very long).

astro_jcm, to martialartsmemes
@astro_jcm@mastodon.online avatar

"Oh, and Juan Carlos uses the telescope's lasers to re-heat his coffee."

https://www.tomgauld.com/

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@astro_jcm I once heard a story about the IceCube neutrino observatory site crew using the warm water exhaust from the ice melting rig to fill up a hot tub.

I have not been able to confirm or falsify it; but it did not seem implausible.

(Maybe @funranium would know?)

nyrath, to random
@nyrath@spacey.space avatar

https://hackaday.com/2024/04/25/the-myth-of-propellantless-space-propulsion-refuses-to-die/

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@nyrath I see that you have found some of the contents of my spam folder.

michael_w_busch, to random
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

At the #HeraMission workshop today; Ian Carnelli confirms that the mission is on schedule for launch in October: https://www.cosmos.esa.int/documents/11661626/11661645/Hera_April2024_Schedule_V5.pdf/

It is then five months out to fly by Mars before going on to #Didymos & #Dimorphos to follow up on the #DARTMission deflection demonstration.

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

For the contingent:

If anyone on the South Island has >20 cm telescopes that could be driven to a particular stretch of road south of Dunedin; the asteroids and will apparently run in front of a star as seen from there on 2024 May 5 - https://lagrange.oca.eu/fr/blog .

Not much notice; but maybe someone is already planning something?

michael_w_busch,
@michael_w_busch@mastodon.online avatar

@astrokiwi Kleomenios Tsiganis' presentation at the Hera workshop yesterday unfortunately did not include details on the May 5 occultation - he focused more on the ones over Australia. Similarly, Agata mostly talked about the lightcurve observations; but mentioned the August 13 occultation since that star is particularly bright.

If anyone over your way should be trying to record the May 5 occultation; good luck to them!

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