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WEB SITE NEWS AND COMMENTARY

Where Was Spring?

Snapshot of Mother Earth from Mars

NASA's Mars Global Surveyor captured this image of Earth while orbiting Mars. The moon is visible in the background. Have you ever wondered what you would see if you stood on Mars looking back at the Earth through a small telescope?

Now you can see Earth through the eyes of our space-faring wanderer -- the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft -- which currently orbits the Red Planet. In fact, the spacecraft has flown around Mars for years, since September 1997. The camera aboard the Mars Global Surveyor captured the first-ever image of Mother Earth as a tiny alien world in the vast darkness of space. "Taking this picture allowed us to look up from that work of exploring Mars and take in a more panoramic view. This image gives us a new perspective on that neighborhood, one in which we can see our own planet as one among many," said Dr. Michael Malin, the camera's remote operator from back on Earth.

Image to right: NASA's Mars Global Surveyor captured this image of Earth while orbiting Mars. With special processing, the moon is visible in the background. The image shows the Earth-facing hemisphere of the Moon, since the Moon was on the far side of Earth as viewed from Mars.

Image and text courtesy NASA

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USDA Releases Specifications For The Purchase Of Irradiated Ground Beef In The National School Lunch Program

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released specifications for the purchase of irradiated ground beef for donation through the National School Lunch Program. The Federal Government began allowing food manufacturers to irradiate raw meat and meat products to control pathogenic microorganisms in February 2000. The product will be available for schools to order in January 2004. Learn about food irradiation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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IA Ring Around a Dying Star

A glowing donut-shaped object called a planetary nebula. In November 2002, sky watchers were viewing the glow of meteors from the Leonid meteor shower burning up in Earth's atmosphere. They had been anticipating this celestial light show for months, expecting to see hundreds, possibly thousands, of meteors from a wayward comet light up the night sky. Engineers controlling NASA's Hubble Space Telescope had been anticipating the meteor storm, too, but for a different reason. They had to plan how to protect the telescope from a chance impact. Their plan was to turn the telescope's precise mirror away from the stream of comet debris.

Image Courtesy NASA, NOAO, ESA, the Hubble Helix Nebula Team, M. Meixner (STScI), and T.A. Rector (NRAO), STScI. Text courtesy NASA

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SARS Update

SARS is slowed but not gone. For the latest news visit the Center For Disease Control's Update page. [JUMP]

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Earthquakes

The recent tragic earthquake in northern algeria, with over 2,000 lives lost is a grim reminder of the strength and devastation that can be wrought by earthquakes. The USGS maintains an earthquake site that contains late-breaking earthquake news, shake maps, historical data and much more.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/
Image Courtesy USGS

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June 1st Birthday
Frank Whittle was one of the greatest aero-engineer of the 20th century. Born on this day, 1907. [More]

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