How do we measure the universe?

The universe is very large may be obvious, but sometimes it is worth remembering: the universe is very big ... if you think about it and ponder for a moment, the truth is not so obvious. Moreover, even really difficult to imagine how big it is.

Our usual measures are wasted when we put them face to face with the immensity that surrounds us. And one of the issues that most often appear when trying to measure the Universe is the same: How? How do astronomers know a star or galaxy is 8,000 million light years away?

M65 and M66

In close proximity bright spiral galaxies M65 and M66 are highlighted in this attractive cosmic image. The pair is about 35 million light years and measured, each, about 100,000 light-years .

Both display prominent dust lanes that spiral arms sweep. M66 has a particularly striking contrast of red and blue colors, the red light shows the regions of hydrogen gas to form stars and star clusters.

M65 and M66 are two of the three galaxies known as the Leo Triplet , where the gravitational effect of the tide including how matter warps, evidence of how close they are.

M66 has been home to four brilliant supernovae since 1973 .

Dragon private space freighter successfully entered orbit term

The U.S. ship company SpaceX Dragon, the first space freighter urban by a private company launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, successfully separated the Falcon 9 booster rocket, entered into an intermediate orbit prior to approaching Space Station (ISS) and solar panels deployed, NASA reported on its website that broadcast the event online.

The launch, postponed several times, finally came at 7.44 GMT on Tuesday. The separation of the propellant occurred after about 10 minutes, and the solar panels are opened shortly thereafter. Two hours after take-off will be launched on-board sensors that allow the freighter to the ISS approach and make the connection but the approach will be initiated only on the third day.

It is an experimental flight, so the ISS Dragon takes just a load of just 520 kilos: some equipment for experiments, notebooks, batteries, clothes and 117 standard food rations for astronauts. In the future, can carry up to six tons to low orbit and bring back some three tons.

Originally, SpaceX planned to launch the spacecraft on Saturday, May 19, but returned to cancel, by excess pressure in one of nine propellant rocket motors, when the countdown to the launch was over.

In 2006, NASA launched a program that encourages private projects of ships capable of transporting cargo to the orbit and the ISS. SpaceX took four years to develop its Dragon spacecraft in December 2010 made the first flight into orbit and splashed down in the Pacific. To date, the company invested in the project about 1,200 million dollars. Almost a third of this amount was funded by NASA.

A low sun angle for a memorable view of a large Martian crater

NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity has used a low sun angle for a memorable view of a large Martian crater. The resulting view catches a shadow of the rover in the foreground and the giant basin in the distance. Opportunity is perched on the western rim of Endeavour Crater looking eastward.

The crater spans about 14 miles (22 kilometers) in diameter. Opportunity has been studying the edge of Endeavour Crater since arriving there in August 2011.The scene is presented in false color to emphasize differences in materials such as dark dunes on the crater floor. This gives portions of the image an aqua tint.

Asteroid 2012 LZ1 not hit the Earth in the next 750 years

2012 LZ1 Asteroid discovered on 10 June by the Siding spiral Observatory in Australia and capable as harmful by the Minor Planet Center, from colliding with the earth at least the next 750 years. The Puerto Rican Observatory Arecibo, which has one of the largest telescopes in the world at 305 meters in diameter, reported that by using the planetary radar system has determined that the orbit of the asteroid LZ1 not placed close enough to earth to collide in the next 7 and a half centuries, Efe reported.

A radioactive cesium textile absorb the water and soil

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo (Japan), have fabricated a fabric that absorbs radioactive cesium content in the water and soil. According to experts, this creation may be useful in the cleansing efforts in areas affected by radiation in Japan.

According to Nippon newspaper has published the 'Mainichi Shimbun', the experiment was conducted in a village in the province of Fukushima, where the nuclear plant badly damaged by the earthquake of March 11, 2011.

Learn the lunar crust and interior

The NASA complete the data collection to study the moon from crust to core mission has completed its primary earlier than expected. The team GRAIL (Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory), the mission composed of Ebb name the twin probes (High Tide) and Flow (Low Tide), is now preparing to extend suss science operations from 30 August to 3 December .