space

Sounding Rocket Launch, TOMEX+ Experiment from NASA’s Wallops Island, VA Facility

Last Wednesday night, on Aug 27, NASA successfully launched The TOMEX+ (Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment Plus) mission from the Wallops Island launch complex on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and I got to watch it from home! Building on the success of the original TOMEX mission launched in 2000, TOMEX+ used a trio of sounding…Read more Sounding Rocket Launch, TOMEX+ Experiment from NASA’s Wallops Island, VA Facility

Noctilucent Clouds – Ethereal Indicators of a Changing Atmosphere

If you're in high latitudes, step outside on a clear summer night around twilight and look up. If you're lucky – and increasingly, you might be – you'll witness one of nature's most ethereal displays: noctilucent clouds. These delicate, ghostly streaks of silver and blue seem to shimmer against the darkening sky, appearing almost otherworldly…Read more Noctilucent Clouds – Ethereal Indicators of a Changing Atmosphere

The Enigmatic Blaze Star, T Coronae Borealis

There are a lot of natural phenomena in the world that generate awe - a sincere response to beauty, grandeur, something big and overwhelming that makes us feel small and insignificant, yet blessed by the opportunity to witness it. Then, there are unique occurrences that make us raise an eyebrow in curiosity, but that don't…Read more The Enigmatic Blaze Star, T Coronae Borealis

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot: A Shrinking Mystery

What is the most visually striking feature of the planet Jupiter? In my estimation, there are two likely answers to this question. One - the four Galilean moons (Europa, Callisto, Ganymede and Io) are easily visible, dynamic, and were mankind's first direct evidence that bodies in our solar system orbited something other than Earth, shattering…Read more Jupiter’s Great Red Spot: A Shrinking Mystery

BepiColombo: Why Is It So Hard To Get To Mercury?

Back in October, 2018, the BepiColombo mission launched. It intrigued me then, and I made a note to learn more and write about it at the time. What piqued my interest most was the journey BepiColombo would have to take, a journey of over seven years to reach a planet that's only an average 48…Read more BepiColombo: Why Is It So Hard To Get To Mercury?