Deep Space - Tumblr Posts
NASA’s Psyche spacecraft accomplished yet another historic communications achievement less than a month after successfully firing its “first light” laser data transmission. On December 11, the onboard Deep Space Optical Communications array’s flight laser transceiver sent an “ultra-high definition” video clip approximately 19 million miles (31 million kilometers, or about 80 times the Earth-Moon distance) back to Earth—a new record not just for transmission, but for cat videos, as well.
(via Taters the cat stars in first 'ultra-HD' video sent from deep space | Popular Science)
Navigating Deep Space by Starlight
On August 6, 1967, astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell noticed a blip in her radio telescope data. And then another. Eventually, Bell Burnell figured out that these blips, or pulses, were not from people or machines.
The blips were constant. There was something in space that was pulsing in a regular pattern, and Bell Burnell figured out that it was a pulsar: a rapidly spinning neutron star emitting beams of light. Neutron stars are superdense objects created when a massive star dies. Not only are they dense, but neutron stars can also spin really fast! Every star we observe spins, and due to a property called angular momentum, as a collapsing star gets smaller and denser, it spins faster. It’s like how ice skaters spin faster as they bring their arms closer to their bodies and make the space that they take up smaller.
The pulses of light coming from these whirling stars are like the beacons spinning at the tops of lighthouses that help sailors safely approach the shore. As the pulsar spins, beams of radio waves (and other types of light) are swept out into the universe with each turn. The light appears and disappears from our view each time the star rotates.
After decades of studying pulsars, astronomers wondered—could they serve as cosmic beacons to help future space explorers navigate the universe? To see if it could work, scientists needed to do some testing!
First, it was important to gather more data. NASA’s NICER, or Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, is a telescope that was installed aboard the International Space Station in 2017. Its goal is to find out things about neutron stars like their sizes and densities, using an array of 56 special X-ray concentrators and sensitive detectors to capture and measure pulsars’ light.
But how can we use these X-ray pulses as navigational tools? Enter SEXTANT, or Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology. If NICER was your phone, SEXTANT would be like an app on it.
During the first few years of NICER’s observations, SEXTANT created an on-board navigation system using NICER’s pulsar data. It worked by measuring the consistent timing between each pulsar’s pulses to map a set of cosmic beacons.
When calculating position or location, extremely accurate timekeeping is essential. We usually rely on atomic clocks, which use the predictable fluctuations of atoms to tick away the seconds. These atomic clocks can be located on the ground or in space, like the ones on GPS satellites. However, our GPS system only works on or close to Earth, and onboard atomic clocks can be expensive and heavy. Using pulsar observations instead could give us free and reliable “clocks” for navigation. During its experiment, SEXTANT was able to successfully determine the space station’s orbital position!
We can calculate distances using the time taken for a signal to travel between two objects to determine a spacecraft’s approximate location relative to those objects. However, we would need to observe more pulsars to pinpoint a more exact location of a spacecraft. As SEXTANT gathered signals from multiple pulsars, it could more accurately derive its position in space.
So, imagine you are an astronaut on a lengthy journey to the outer solar system. You could use the technology developed by SEXTANT to help plot your course. Since pulsars are reliable and consistent in their spins, you wouldn’t need Wi-Fi or cell service to figure out where you were in relation to your destination. The pulsar-based navigation data could even help you figure out your ETA!
None of these missions or experiments would be possible without Jocelyn Bell Burnell’s keen eye for an odd spot in her radio data decades ago, which set the stage for the idea to use spinning neutron stars as a celestial GPS. Her contribution to the field of astrophysics laid the groundwork for research benefitting the people of the future, who yearn to sail amongst the stars.
Keep up with the latest NICER news by following NASA Universe on X and Facebook and check out the mission’s website. For more on space navigation, follow @NASASCaN on X or visit NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation website.
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!
Supernova 1987A.
Credit: NASA, ESA, R Kirshner, M Mutchler, R Avila
Supernova 1987A.
Credit: NASA, ESA, R Kirshner, M Mutchler, R Avila
Supernova 1987A.
Credit: NASA, ESA, R Kirshner, M Mutchler, R Avila
I was going for spooky but it ended up looking more like space... I guess... Does space qualify as spooky? What do we think? :D
Check out my last YT video if you like!
🇹🇭🇪 🇬🇦🇱🇦🇽🇾 🇧🇾 🇭🇪🇳🇷🇾 🇼🇦🇩🇸🇼🇴🇷🇹🇭 🇱🇴🇳🇬🇫🇪🇱🇱🇴🇼
ᴛᴏʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʀɪᴠᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ, ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴡʜᴏꜱᴇ ʙᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʟɪᴍᴍᴇʀɪɴɢ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ꜱᴇᴇɴ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɢᴏʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪʟᴠᴇʀ ꜱᴀɴᴅꜱ ɪɴ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ʀᴀᴠɪɴᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴍᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɪɴ ꜱᴛʀᴇᴀᴍꜱ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄʜᴀɴɴᴇʟꜱ ʙᴀʀᴇ! ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴘᴀɴɪᴀʀᴅ ꜱᴇᴇꜱ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴛʜᴡᴀʏ, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ʜɪꜱ ᴘᴀᴛʀᴏɴ ꜱᴀɪɴᴛ ᴅᴇꜱᴄᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱʜᴇᴇɴ ᴏꜰ ʜɪꜱ ᴄᴇʟᴇꜱᴛɪᴀʟ ᴀʀᴍᴏʀ, ᴏɴ ꜱᴇʀᴇɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ Qᴜɪᴇᴛ ɴɪɢʜᴛꜱ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴꜱ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ꜰᴀɪʀ. ɴᴏᴛ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪ ꜱᴇᴇ, ɴᴏʀ ʏᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ꜰᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴘʜᴀᴇᴛᴏɴ'ꜱ ᴡɪʟᴅ ᴄᴏᴜʀꜱᴇ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱᴄᴏʀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴋɪᴇꜱ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ'ᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴏꜰꜱ ᴏꜰ ʜɪꜱ ʜᴏᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʀꜱ ᴛʀᴏᴅ; ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ ᴅʀɪꜰᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅꜱ ᴏ'ᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀꜱᴍꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴀʙʟᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀ-ᴅᴜꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪꜱ ᴡʜɪʀʟᴇᴅ ᴀʟᴏꜰᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰʟɪᴇꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴠɪꜱɪʙʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀɪᴏᴛ-ᴡʜᴇᴇʟꜱ ᴏꜰ ɢᴏᴅ.
ᴀʀᴛ ꜱᴏᴜʀᴄᴇ : ᴘɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇꜱᴛ
🇹🇭🇪 🇬🇦🇱🇦🇽🇾 🇧🇾 🇭🇪🇳🇷🇾 🇼🇦🇩🇸🇼🇴🇷🇹🇭 🇱🇴🇳🇬🇫🇪🇱🇱🇴🇼
ᴛᴏʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ʀɪᴠᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ, ᴀʟᴏɴɢ ᴡʜᴏꜱᴇ ʙᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʟɪᴍᴍᴇʀɪɴɢ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ ᴀʀᴇ ꜱᴇᴇɴ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɢᴏʟᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪʟᴠᴇʀ ꜱᴀɴᴅꜱ ɪɴ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ʀᴀᴠɪɴᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴍᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɪɴ ꜱᴛʀᴇᴀᴍꜱ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʟᴇꜰᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄʜᴀɴɴᴇʟꜱ ʙᴀʀᴇ! ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴘᴀɴɪᴀʀᴅ ꜱᴇᴇꜱ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴛʜᴡᴀʏ, ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ʜɪꜱ ᴘᴀᴛʀᴏɴ ꜱᴀɪɴᴛ ᴅᴇꜱᴄᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱʜᴇᴇɴ ᴏꜰ ʜɪꜱ ᴄᴇʟᴇꜱᴛɪᴀʟ ᴀʀᴍᴏʀ, ᴏɴ ꜱᴇʀᴇɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ Qᴜɪᴇᴛ ɴɪɢʜᴛꜱ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀᴠᴇɴꜱ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ꜰᴀɪʀ. ɴᴏᴛ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪ ꜱᴇᴇ, ɴᴏʀ ʏᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ꜰᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴘʜᴀᴇᴛᴏɴ'ꜱ ᴡɪʟᴅ ᴄᴏᴜʀꜱᴇ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱᴄᴏʀᴄʜᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴋɪᴇꜱ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ'ᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴏꜰꜱ ᴏꜰ ʜɪꜱ ʜᴏᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʀꜱᴇʀꜱ ᴛʀᴏᴅ; ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡʜɪᴛᴇ ᴅʀɪꜰᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅꜱ ᴏ'ᴇʀ ᴄʜᴀꜱᴍꜱ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴀʙʟᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴀʀ-ᴅᴜꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪꜱ ᴡʜɪʀʟᴇᴅ ᴀʟᴏꜰᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰʟɪᴇꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴠɪꜱɪʙʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀɪᴏᴛ-ᴡʜᴇᴇʟꜱ ᴏꜰ ɢᴏᴅ.
ᴀʀᴛ ꜱᴏᴜʀᴄᴇ : ᴘɪɴᴛᴇʀᴇꜱᴛ
So I wanna make a post about my space kin
So when I mean spacekin I use it as space is my kin, just in general. I technically have a physical form like this, but that is because I chose to. Genuinely, I am just space.
And these were the first drawings and time I drew my space kin. It wasn’t the best, and definitely didn’t include how I felt but it worked for my first.
This is my avatar for Roblox. I’ve named him Cosmo
He’s a much better show of how I feel. Being able to change his form and looks at will. He’s more complex and has this feel to me that just is me. He’s silly and goofy. He loves to shift and is space. He doesn’t have a need for anything, and just exists as long as time does for our universe.
And this is him when he wants a face.
His design and self is just me (in the otherkin way)
Idk just wanted to show Cosmo off :3
I hope you like him!
Is it time for a Kintro?
(No real order btw)
Probably [Updated as of: ##\##\##]
Clover - The Vessel!
Any but she/her (loves neos)
Trans masc / Genderfluid
Omnisexual
Demiromantic
Polyamorous
Interests: Ninjago, Lmk, Jttw, Tmnt, Video games, Roblox, Transformers, DnD, Baking, Drawing, Writing, Undertale, OSP, Mythology, Music, Goth music and fashion, Countryhumans/Statehumans, Empires smp, Hermitcraft smp, The life series, and more (I forget)
Xiao Siye Cao
Xiǎo Sìyè Cǎo
Aka Clover
He/They/It
Trans masc
Omnisexual
Cupioromantic
Polyamorous
Interests: Messing with friends, Exploring, Swimming, Painting, Designing, Making stuff, Making clothes, Spending time with family, and The winter time
Onyx
He/They/Fallen/Dark
Male (probably)
Omnisexual
Aromantic
Interests: Gardening, Cleaning, Spending time outside, Listening to music, The gardens, meeting other fallen angels, and chilling in the gardens
Cosmo
Ally/Lolo/Apo
Nebula
Star/Starry
Orion
Comet
Space/They/Star/Planet/Void/Nebu/Solar/Orbit/He
Cosmogender
Unlabeled
Interests: Causing chaos, exploring, messing with life forms, chilling in/near black holes, chilling on/near stars, chilling on comets, destroying stuff
Sun Wukong
Sun
Wukong
Monkey King
Pilgrim
Pilgrim Sun
He/Xe/She/It
Genderfluid
AroAce
Demiromantic
Asexual
Interests: Fighting, Fashion, Hanging with friends, messing with gods, messing with mortals, causing chaos, hanging with the children (the monkeys)
[OSP]
South Carolina
SC
Palmetto State
They/Them
Nonbinary
Demiromantic
Pansexual
Interests: Pirates, The ocean, Reading, Hiking, Boating, Rafting, Outdoors, Alone time, and other things we forget
Reed
He/They/It/Siren/Deep
GenderOcean
Omnisexual
Demiromantic
Interests: Shiny objects, sea shells, swimming, the depths, messing with humans, luring humans, singing, talking with other merfolks, and nom-ing on non edible things
Ink Sans
Paint Brush
He/They/It
Demiromantic
Demisexual
Unlabeled
Interests: Painting, Drawing, Watching over the aus, Helping creators, hanging with the bad sanses, hanging with Error, messing with Error, hanging with the star sanses, and making art/stuff
Leonardo
Leo
Leon
Nardo (Donnie only)
Blue
He/They
Gay
Transgender / Trans masc
Interests: Swords, Hanging with his brothers, Sleep (insomnia is a bitch), Hanging with April, hanging with Casey jr, Medical stuff, Skateboarding, Comics, Exploring, Water activities, Swimming, and telling jokes
Enigma
He/They/It
Eldrecryptic - Gender
Interests: Playing, getting pet, getting treats, stalking humans, hanging with other cryptics, roaming houses, sleeping, getting food, finding new humans to meet, messing with humans, and playing with other cats