Hi; Moon we are back!!!

[GeneChing]

Gotta luv something called the 'super blood wolf moon'

A 'super blood wolf moon' and five eclipses are among 2019's major astronomy events
By Andrea Diaz, CNN

Updated 7:27 PM ET, Thu December 27, 2018

(CNN)Stargazers around the world, rejoice! The universe is about to give you an exciting astronomical year.

2019 is featuring five eclipses, a rare planet transit, one of the best meteor showers and a super blood wolf moon, but the fun doesn't stop there.
The new year will also bring three supermoons, a blue moon, multiple meteor showers, close approach by the moon and Jupiter and several rocket launches.
Although we would love to talk about all of the extraordinary occurrences, these are our top events to watch for in the sky in 2019:

January 6: Partial Solar Eclipse



The new year kicks off with an impressive bang, and no, we don't mean fireworks.

In the first week of 2019, the moon will pass between the Earth and sun to stage a partial solar eclipse, NASA reports. Unfortunately, it will be visible only from northeast Asia and the North Pacific, as it will happen around 8:42 p.m. ET in the United States. Sky & Telescope predicts people will see 20% of the sun covered from Beijing, 30% from Tokyo and 37% from Vladivostok, Russia.

January 21: Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse



For the first time in three years, the United States will be able to experience a total lunar eclipse. According to NASA, it will be one of the sky's "most dazzling shows," as the moon will be at its closest point to Earth, making the moon appear slightly bigger and a lot brighter, an event that is often referred to as a "supermoon."
But that's not the only thing that will make this eclipse stand out. Total lunar eclipses are often call "blood moons" because when the sun, Earth and moon align, the sunlight that passes through the Earth's atmosphere will appear to turn the moon red. And because lunar eclipses can occur only during a full moon -- and the first full moon in January is known as a "wolf moon" -- many are calling this spectacular event a "Super Blood Wolf Moon Eclipse."
At around 12:12 a.m. ET, people in North and South America, as well as those in western parts of Europe and Africa, will have front-row seats to this show.

May 6: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower



Although we will see multiple meteor showers through the year, the Eta Aquarids meteor shower will be one of the best ones we will be able to witness, Sky & Telescope reports.
The Eta Aquarids was created by the dusty debris left behind by Halley's Comet, which flew by Earth in 1986, and although the famous comet won't be entering our solar system again until 2061, its remnants appear in our skies each year. This year is expected to put on quite a show.
According to NASA, we can expect a new moon two days before the meteor shower. The new moon will mean darker skies, which will make it possible for the human eye to appreciate the Eta Aquarids' dazzling show.
Although the Eta Aquarids will be active April 19 through May 26, its peak night will begin around 3 a.m. ET until dawn on May 6, and it's expected to produce as many as 20 to 40 meteors or more per hour.

July 2: Total Solar Eclipse



Were you able to witness the cool solar eclipse in North America in 2017? Well, now South Asia and South America will enjoy a day of no sun.
In the late afternoon of July 2, a total solar eclipse will occur over southern parts of Chile and Argentina, and parts of the South Pacific. The entire event will take place from 12:55 to 5:50 p.m. ET, with the maximum eclipse occurring at 3:23 p.m., Sky & Telescope reports.

July 16: Partial Lunar Eclipse



We begin 2019 with a partial solar eclipse, so it's only fair we also get a lunar one. Unfortunately, the United States will not be witnessing this one, either.
South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia will be able to see the full moon dive about two-thirds of the way into the Earth's umbral shadow beginning at 9:31 p.m. UT , Sky & Telescope reports.

November 11: Rare Transit of Mercury



For the second time in two years, Mercury will make rare pass in front of the sun, NASA reports.
Mercury, the smallest planet in our solar system, passes between Earth and the sun about 13 times a century. The last trek took place in 2016, and for the first time in 10 years, the small planet was visible from Earth.
This year, the transit will begin at 7:34 a.m. ET and last around 5 1/2 hours. It will appear as a black dot across the the face of the sun, and stargazers will be able to see it with the help of a telescope and solar filters.
December 26: Annular Solar Eclipse

2019 closes on a high note with a rare and glorious "ring of fire."



The annular eclipse occurs when the circumference of the sun shines brightly from behind the moon. This year, the eclipse will begin right at dawn and pass over the Arabian Peninsula and arc over areas of South Asia.
We hope you enjoy these amazing events to the fullest, but remember, NEVER look at the sun during any type of solar eclipse, as it could cause damage to your eyes.

THREADS
Hi; Moon we are back!!!
Happy New Year!

[GeneChing]

The ironic thing here is that I'm not confident that the PRC knows Pink Floyd at all.

Chang'e-4: China mission primed for landing on Moon's far side
By Paul Rincon
Science editor, BBC News website
3 hours ago


GETTY IMAGES
An employee inspects a 1:8 scale model of the Chang'e-4 lunar probe

China is preparing to make the first attempt at landing robotic spacecraft on the Moon's far side.

A static lander and rover are expected to be deployed to the surface in the next day, state media reports.

The vehicles are carrying a suite of instruments designed to characterise the region's geology, as well as a biological experiment.

In recent days, the Chang'e-4 spacecraft had lowered its orbit in preparation for landing.

At the weekend, Chinese state media said the probe had entered an elliptical path around the Moon, bringing the vehicles to within 15km (9 miles) of the lunar surface at its closest point.

Authorities have not specified the exact time of the attempt to touch down in the Von Kármán crater. But a report in the state-run China Daily newspaper suggests Chang'e-4 could begin descending on its thrusters sometime from 2-3 January.

Targeting the far side turns this mission into a riskier and more complex venture than its predecessor, Chang'e-3 - which touched down in the Moon's Mare Imbrium region in 2013. But China's latest moon shot will pave the way for the country to deliver samples of lunar rock and dust to Earth.

Andrew Coates, professor of physics at UCL's Mullard Space Science Laboratory in Surrey, told BBC News: "This daring mission will land nearly 50 years on from the historic Apollo landings and will be followed in late 2019 by a Chinese sample return mission."


NASA
The near side (L) and far side (R) of the Moon have some key differences

Because of a phenomenon called "tidal locking", we see only one "face" of the Moon from Earth. This is because the Moon takes just as long to rotate on its own axis as it takes to complete one orbit of Earth.

The lunar far side is often referred to as the "dark side", though "dark" in this case means "unseen" rather than "lacking light". In fact, both the near and far sides of the Moon experience daytime and night-time.

But the far side has a thicker, older crust that is pocked with more craters. There are also very few of the "mare" - dark basaltic "seas" created by lava flows - that are evident on the near side.

The Von Kármán crater is located within a much larger feature - the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin - thought to have been formed by a giant impact early in the Moon's history.

"This huge structure is over 2,500km in diameter and 13km deep, one of the largest impact craters in the Solar System and the largest, deepest and oldest basin on the Moon," Prof Coates told me.

And therein lies the scientific interest. The event responsible for carving out the SPA basin is thought to have been so powerful, it punched through the outer layer of the Moon, known as the crust, and down into the zone called the mantle. Researchers will want to train the instruments on any mantle rocks exposed by the calamity.


CNSA
Artwork: The Chang'e-4 rover will explore a huge impact basin on the far side


CNSA
Artwork: The lander and the rover were originally built as back-ups for a previous Moon mission

The science team also hopes to study parts of the sheet of melted rock that would have filled the newly formed South Pole-Aitken Basin, allowing them to identify variations in its composition.

A third objective is to study the far side regolith, the broken up rocks and dust that make up the surface.

"The in-situ composition information in particular will be hugely valuable in understanding the formation of the Moon," Andrew Coates commented.

Landing challenge

Up until now, China has followed in the footsteps of US and Soviet missions, carefully building up its capabilities. But this mission marks a first for any space agency.

The rugged character of the far side, with its undulating topography, poses particular challenges for landing the vehicles safely.

Touching down on a jagged outcrop would spell instant mission failure - and be a significant setback for the Chinese exploration programme.


GETTY IMAGES
A mock-up of the Chang'e-4 lander and rover, on display in Dongguan, China

The selection of the Von Kármán crater as the landing site owes much to the fact that it's flatter than any spot in the South Pole-Aitken basin, according to Chinese scientists.

The descent to the lunar surface is split into six phases. The first three - initial deceleration, quick attitude and reorientation adjustment, and approach - will be controlled from Earth.

For the final three - hovering, hazard avoidance, and slow descent - the lander will take over, assuming autonomous control.

Seeds and eggs

The lander and rover were originally built as back-ups for 2013's Chang'e-3 mission. However, they have received important modifications for the ambitious touchdown on the far side.

Chang'e-4's static lander is carrying two cameras; a German-built radiation experiment called LND; and a spectrometer that will perform low-frequency radio astronomy observations.

Scientists believe the far side could be an excellent place to perform radio astronomy, because it is shielded from the radio noise of Earth. The spectrometer work will aim to test this idea.

The lander will also carry a 3kg (6.6lb) container with potato and arabidopsis plant seeds - as well as silkworm eggs - to perform biological studies. The "lunar mini biosphere" experiment was designed by 28 Chinese universities.

The rover will carry a panoramic camera; a radar to probe beneath the lunar surface; an imaging spectrometer to identify minerals; and an experiment to examine the interaction of the solar wind (a stream of energised particles from the Sun) with the lunar surface.

In an article for the US-based Planetary Society in September, Dr Long Xiao from the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), said: "Chang'e-4 will be humanity's first landed exploration of the lunar far side. The challenge faced by a far side mission is communications. With no view of Earth, there is no way to establish a direct radio link."

Thus, the landers must communicate with Earth using a relay satellite named Queqiao, launched by China in May this year.

Queqiao orbits 65,000km (40,000mi) beyond the Moon, around a Lagrange point - a kind of gravitational parking spot in space where it will remain visible to ground stations in China and other countries such as Argentina.

The lander and rover was launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China on 7 December; the vehicles arrived in lunar orbit on 12 December.

The mission is part of a larger Chinese programme of lunar exploration. The first and second Chang'e missions were designed to gather data from orbit, while the third and fourth were built for surface operations.

Chang'e-5 and 6 are sample return missions, delivering lunar rock and soil to laboratories on Earth.

[GeneChing]

‘New Chapter’ in Space Exploration as China Reaches Far Side of the Moon


The Chang’e-4 lunar probe being launched from Xichang, China, last month. CreditReuters
By Steven Lee Myers and Zoe Mou
Jan. 2, 2019

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BEIJING — China reached a milestone in space exploration on Thursday, landing a vehicle on the far side of the moon for the first time in history, the country’s space agency announced.

The landing of the probe, called Chang’e-4 after the moon goddess in Chinese mythology, is one in a coming series of missions that underscore the country’s ambitions to join — and even lead — the space race.

China landed another rover on the moon in 2013, joining the United States and the Soviet Union as the only nations to have carried out a “soft landing” there, but the Chang’e-4 is the first to touch down on the side of the moon that perpetually faces away from the Earth.

The mission “has opened a new chapter in humanity’s exploration of the moon,” the China National Space Administration said in an announcement on its website. The agency said the spacecraft landed at 10:26 a.m. Beijing time at its target on the far side of the moon.

The probe sent back to the earth the first close-up image of the moon’s far side using a relay satellite China calls “Queqiao,” or “Magpie Bridge,” the space agency said in a notice that included images it said were taken by the probe.

Although a latecomer by decades to space exploration, China is quickly catching up, experts say, and could challenge the United States for supremacy in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and other fields.

China landed a probe called Chang’e-4 on the far side of the moon for the first time on Thursday. The probe captured never-before-seen images of the moon’s far side.Published OnJan. 3, 2019CreditCreditChina National Space Administration
“This space mission shows that China has reached the advanced world-class level in deep space exploration,” said Zhu Menghua, a professor at the Macau University of Science and Technology who has worked closely with the Chinese space agency. “We Chinese people have done something that the Americans have not dared try.”

China now plans to begin fully operating its third space station by 2022, to put astronauts in a lunar base by later in that decade, and to send probes to Mars, including ones that could return samples of the Martian surface back to Earth.

Though the moon is hardly untrodden ground after decades of exploration, a new landing is far more than just a propaganda coup, experts say.

The crater where the Chinese landed is the oldest and deepest on the moon, so the probe’s discoveries may offer insights into the moon’s origins and evolution. And some scientists suspect that the surrounding basin may be rich in minerals. If exploiting the moon’s resources is the next step in space development, a successful mission could leave the Chinese better positioned.

“This is a major achievement technically and symbolically,” said Namrata Goswami, an independent analyst who wrote about space for the Defense Department’s Minerva Research Institute. “China views this landing as just a steppingstone, as it also views its future manned lunar landing, since its long-term goal is to colonize the moon and use it as a vast supply of energy.”

The place the probe is exploring, Dr. Goswami said, could become a future refueling base for missions deeper into space in the way “navies viewed coaling stations, for purposes of refueling and resupply.”

The Chang’e-4 was launched from Xichang, in southwestern China, early on the morning of Dec. 8 (still midday Dec. 7 in the United States), and it glided into a final, lower orbit around the moon on Sunday, 22 days later.

It landed in the Von Kármán, a flat feature about 110 miles wide that sits inside a larger basin near the moon’s south pole. The main lander will release a 300-pound rover that, barring mishap, will roam the crater. (The rover’s name, the subject of a public contest and vote, has not yet been revealed.)

The instruments aboard the lander and the rover include cameras, ground-penetrating radar and spectrometers to help identify the composition of the area, which was formed by a meteorite. Scientists hope the rocks and dirt in the area will add to the understanding of the moon’s geology.

The lander will also conduct a biology experiment to see if plant seeds will germinate and silkworm eggs will hatch in the moon’s low gravity.

Since the moon prevents direct communications from the far side, China launched a satellite to act as a relay, allowing the rover to bounce signals off it first before they continue back to earthbound scientists.

China’s first lunar lander, the Chang’e-3, completed a journey to the near side of the moon five years ago. Its rover was plagued with problems, though. Within a month, the rover stopped moving after zigzagging 374 feet, though it continued intermittently to transmit photographs and other information, according to Chinese officials, until March 2015.

The fear of losing face over failures, as well as the sensitivity of the technology involved, has made the Chinese government reluctant to discuss its programs in detail, compared with the relative openness of NASA and other space programs. Last April, a Chinese space station, the Tiangong-1, fell to earth after officials lost communication with it.

Ahead of the landing, reports about the Chang’e-4 were fairly sparse — leaving astronomy experts and amateurs scouring for clues.

By contrast, in recent days, American space officials were openly exulting over the success of a NASA spacecraft, New Horizons, in capturing photos of Ultima Thule, a small, icy world four billion miles from Earth.

Some people might ask, “So what?” said John M. Logsdon, an emeritus professor at the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, but scientists take a different view.

“We learn more about the moon,” Dr. Logsdon said. “It’s going to a place that no spacecraft has ever visited, so it’s true exploration.”


A model of the Chang’e-4 probe at an exhibition in Zhuhai, China. China’s goal is not just to join the space race, but to lead it. Credit Reuters

China’s membership in the elite ranks of space nations has unquestionably been a source of national pride, carefully managed to emphasize the Communist Party’s strong and steady leadership.

China is only the third country — it followed the United States and Russia — to send its own astronauts into space aboard its own rockets. The first crewed mission took place in 2003, and the Chinese have since sent a total of 11 astronauts into space. In 2016, two of them spent 30 days in China’s space station.

In 2018, for the first time, China launched more rockets into space — 38 — than any other country; one launch failed in October. Another moon landing, of the Chang’e-5, is planned for later this year.

Many of the launches last year carried satellites for China’s own version of the Global Positioning System, which already covers China and much of Asia. China hopes its system, called Beidou, will cover the entire globe by next year, and become a commercial and political rival to the American one.

If the International Space Station is decommissioned — the Trump administration has proposed ending federal financing for it by 2025 — the Tiangong-2 could become the only space station in orbit. The International Space Station has played host to astronauts from more than a dozen countries, but China has never been among them.

The Chinese space agency has experienced setbacks, including the failed launch in 2017 of a new heavy-lift rocket, the Long March 5. That caused a ripple of delays that is still being felt. The country’s space budget also remains far smaller than NASA’s.

Even so, conquering space remains a national priority. And the country’s political system, dominated by the Communist Party and President Xi Jinping, means that funding and planning are less vulnerable to political mood swings like those that have affected NASA’s budgets over the years.

“Deep-space exploration requires a tremendous amount of time and money,” Mr. Zhu, the Macau professor, said. “This is not something a small country is able to do.”

He said he was confident that “in several years or a decade, China will gradually catch up from behind and take a leading role in this area.”

Follow Steven Lee Myers on Twitter: @stevenleemyers.

Eric Nagourney contributed reporting from New York.

Pink Floyd's Brain Damage has been playing in my head all day.

[GeneChing]

BREAKING: China Just Made History by Landing a Probe on The Far Side of The Moon
DAVID NIELD 3 JAN 2019
It's another momentous day in the history of space exploration: the China National Space Administration (CNSA) has reportedly just landed its Chang'e-4 rover on the far side of the Moon, marking the first time we've been able to explore this hidden side of the lunar surface.

Not only that, the rover has already sent back its first image, and it's absolutely breathtaking.


(China National Space Administration/Xinhua News Agency)

With the Moon tidally locked with Earth – taking the same amount of time to spin round on its axis as it does to orbit our planet – one half of it is always hidden from view.

Now, we should be able to get a detailed look at it.

As we've previously reported, the Chang'e-4 lander will relay messages via the Queqiao satellite, which is now sitting in orbit around the Moon. As Chang'e-4 will never be in a direct line of sight with Earth, that satellite relay is going to be essential.

And the new exploratory probe could return a whole host of valuable data: examining the geological make-up of the surface around the South Pole-Aitken basin, a part of the Moon we currently know very little about.

It's thought that the basin was created by a huge collision early in the Moon's history – which means materials from lower down in the Moon's mantle that we haven't been able to get to yet could be exposed in this region.

And the more we know about the Moon, the more we can figure out about the history of our planet and our Solar System. The lander should also be able to make some useful observations of deep space, without Earth getting in the way.

China Daily reports that the lunar probe touched down at 10.26am Beijing local time on Thursday the 3rd of January, arriving in the Von Kármán crater (named after Theodore von Kármán, the advisor to the founder of the Chinese space program, Qian Xuesen).

The journey from Earth started on the 8th of December but of course the project as a whole has been years in the making.

We've known for a long time about the CNSA's ambitions to get a probe landed on the far side of the Moon – and it has now made good on its promise.

View image on Twitter
View image on Twitter

CGTN
✔
@CGTNOfficial
#BREAKING China's Chang'e-4 probe lands successfully on far side of the moon at 10:26 a.m. BJT Thursday, marking the first ever soft-landing in this uncharted area

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Check out this Twitter thread from the China Global Television Network for some awesome shots taken as the Chang'e-4 lander touched down on the far side of the Moon. As yet no hidden alien civilisations have been discovered – but it's early days.

While spacecraft have been able to take photographs of the far side of the Moon before, this is the first time we've ever managed to successfully land something on the surface: NASA's Ranger 4 probe touched down in 1962, but ended up malfunctioning and didn't send any data back.

We're looking forward to the treasure trove of data Chang'e-4 sends back, but the CNSA aren't stopping here – Chang'e-5 is scheduled to launch by 2020, with the aim of landing on the Moon and then returning to Earth.

Positive news is disturbingly refreshing.

[GeneChing]

The Moon has a far side, not a dark one
Oh hey, Pink Floyd
By Rachel Becker Jan 3, 2019, 5:28pm EST


Photo: China National Space Administration

China now has two history-making robots sending back images from an area of the Moon where humankind has never been before. This side of the Moon is distant and mysterious, but, despite pop culture references to the contrary, it isn’t always dark. In fact, after touching down on the lunar surface, the probe sent back a snapshot of its new home that shows a rocky, cratered, and distinctly lit landscape.

China’s probe — which includes a lander and a rover — landed at 10:26AM Thursday, Beijing time, as part of China’s Chang’e-4 mission to scout out the side of the Moon we can’t see from Earth. Since it takes the Moon roughly the same amount of time to spin around its axis as it does to orbit the Earth, we only see one half of the Moon: its near side. China’s landing on the Moon’s far side was a world first, in part because of the technical difficulties posed by that distance. It’s really difficult to get radio signals from Earth to robots on the far side — or vice versa — when the entire bulk of the Moon is planted in between.

China's #Change4 rover is now in action on the far side of the Moon. pic.twitter.com/sZSmR6KCt8

— LunarOrbiter (@LunarOrbiter) January 3, 2019

China bridged the signal gap by sending up a satellite called Queqiao, which communicates with the probe and relays information, including photos, back to Earth. There’s light in the photos because there’s light on the far side of the Moon: in fact, there is no permanently dark side of the Moon. “Half the moon is always lit by the Sun — just like the Earth,” Frederick Walter, a professor of physics and astronomy at Stony Brook University, says in an email to The Verge.


Image: NASA

Our planet experiences daylight and night because Earth spins on its axis as it orbits the Sun. The side pointing toward the Sun is bright, the side pointing away is night. Over the course of 24 hours, the slow spin of the world cycles through both. (Things get weird at the poles, but even they experience both light and darkness.) The Moon goes through a similar cycle, but on a slower schedule: a full lunar day is roughly 29 Earth days long. Walter calculates that when the Chang’e-4 probe touched down on the Moon’s far side, it was roughly 9AM local lunar time.


“Where the Chinese lander came down, it’s daylight,” Walter says. Shots taken by a camera on the Chang’e-4 lander show the rover, called Yutu-2, casting a shadow on the Moon’s surface, the Planetary Society reports. That’s perfect for the mission, which relies on solar power, according to The New York Times.

China Xinhua News
✔
@XHNews
What does the far side of the moon look like?
China's Chang'e-4 probe gives you the answer.
It landed on the never-visible side of the moon Jan. 3 http://xhne.ws/zPoty

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Even though you won’t be able to see their landing site, you’ll be able to tell when the Chang’e-4 lander and Yutu-2 are bathed in light or cloaked in darkness just by looking up at the sky on a cloudless night. When the Sun is shining fully on the side of the Moon facing Earth, we see a bright, full Moon — but the far side of the Moon is dark. And when the Sun lights up the far side of the Moon, the near side is dark and we see a new Moon. In between, the waxing and waning Moon will mark whether the robots are entering dusk or dawn.

In the meantime, astronomers and space enthusiasts will await any news from the mission. We’ve seen distant glimpses of the far side of the Moon before. The first time was in 1959, when the Soviet Luna 3 spacecraft took a grainy photo of the far side’s crater-covered landscape. Since then, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured photos and mapped the surface, so we can see the far side in crisp, composite images.

But those images were all still taken from a distance. Now that China’s probe has touched down, we’re getting a closer look than ever before. The spacecraft landed on target in the Von Kármán crater in the South Pole-Aitken basin, according to China’s state media. The basin is a massive, 1,550-mile-wide impact site that’s miles deep and billions of years old. The Yutu-2 rover is equipped with ground-penetrating radar to investigate beneath the Moon’s surface. And while we wait for it to collect its scientific data, we can enjoy the views it sends back of the far side of the Moon — which, right now, is sunlit.

Fair enough. But the terms 'dark side' and 'far side' evoke very different things for me. It's like Darth vs. Larsen, right?

[GeneChing]

Imagine what moon mustard/cabbage and moon silk might be worth...

There Are Plants and Animals on the Moon Now (Because of China)
By Rafi Letzter, Staff Writer | January 3, 2019 03:05pm ET


Credit: World Perspectives/Getty Images

China's Chang'e-4 lander touched down on the far side of the moon (Jan. 3 Beijing time, Jan. 2 US), and it's got some living things on board.

A small "tin" in the lander contains seeds of potatoes and rockcress (Arabidopsis thaliana, a flowering plant related to cabbage and mustard, as well as a model organism for plant biology), as well as silkworm eggs. The idea, according to a report in The Telegraph earlier this year, is that the plants will support the silkworms with oxygen, and the silkworms will in turn provide the plants with necessary carbon dioxide and nutrients through their waste. The researchers will watch the plants carefully to see whether the plants successfully perform photosynthesis, and grow and bloom in the lunar environment.

"We want to study the respiration of the seeds and the photosynthesis on the moon," Xie Gengxin, chief designer of the experiment, told Xinhua, a Chinese state-run news agency. [See Spectacular Lunar Mission Images in 3D (Photos)]

The "biosphere" experiment was the product of a collaboration between 28 Chinese universities, led by southwest China's Chongqing University, according to Xinhua. The experiment, which is tucked inside a 1.4-pint (0.8 liters) aluminum alloy cylinder, weighs about 7 lbs. (3 kilograms) and includes dirt, nutrients and water. Sunlight will filter into the container through a "tube," and small cameras will watch the little environment. That data will beam back to Earth by means of the complicated relay system China has set up to communicate with an experiment that has no direct line of sight to Earth.

"Why potato and Arabidopsis? Because the growth period of Arabidopsis is short and convenient to observe. And potato could become a major source of food for future space travelers," said Liu Hanlong, chief director of the experiment and vice president of Chongqing University, as reported by Xinhua. "Our experiment might help accumulate knowledge for building a lunar base and long-term residence on the moon."

Rockcress has been grown in space before, including in one experiment on the International Space Station that showed the plants' leaves appearing to rise and fall as they detected the moon's gravity. But whether the flowering plant will flourish in the environment of the far side of the moon remains an open question.

For now, though, this means that there's life in at least one other place in the solar system (even if it's only because we put it there).

Originally published on Live Science.

[GeneChing]

Yutu-2 sets off on its inaugural journey. (China National Space Administration)


One first images captured by Chang'e-4 near Von Karman crater. (China National Space Administration)

Best Photos From China’s Far Side Moon Landing
The Chang’e-4 probe and its rover Yutu-2 are the first spacecraft to land on the little-explored lunar region
By Jason Daley
SMITHSONIAN.COM
JANUARY 7, 2019

China’s Chang’e-4 lander reached the Von Kármán crater near the moon’s South Pole on Wednesday, marking the first time a human craft has visited the lunar far side.

The first upclose images of the far side’s surface came in shortly after via a satellite called “Queqiao,” report Steven Lee Myers and Zoe Mou at The New York Times.

The Guardian reports that, about 12 hours after the landing, a small rover named Yutu-2, or Jade Rabbit-2, left the Chang’e-4 spacecraft and began exploring the crater, which is part of the South Pole-Aitken basin, one of the largest known impact structures in our solar system.

Chang’e-4 weighs about four metric tons and carries eight instruments on board, including an infrared spectrometer, panoramic camera and lunar penetrating radar, writes Andrew Jones at Smithsonian.com. It will also collect mineral and geological samples of the moon’s surface as well as investigate the impact of solar wind on the moon. The craft even has its own little farm, or lunar biosphere, aboard—the first of its kind. Part of an experiment designed by university students, it contains silkworm eggs, potato seeds and Arabidopsis, a model organism used in space plant studies.

Because the far side of the moon is shielded from the radio signals coming from Earth, Chang’e-4 will conduct low frequency radio experiments using a new technique. Astronomers plan to connect a radio instrument on the landing craft with one aboard the Queqiao satellite and use the dual-system as a radio telescope—free from noisy radio interference that is common closer to Earth, reports Michael Greshko at National Geographic.

“This will allow us for the first time to do radio observation at low frequencies that are not possible from Earth, from close to the moon and on the moon,” Radboud University astronomer Marc Klein Wolt, who leads the project, tells Greshko. “This will pave the way for a future large radio facility on the moon to study the very early universe in the period before the first stars were formed.”

While such experiments are valuable, the landing is also considered an important accomplishment for the Chinese space program, which is quickly catching up to the decades-old United States and Russian space programs. Landing on the far side required a high level of technical expertise and unique communications solutions, Smithsonian.com’s Jones points out.

“This is a major achievement technically and symbolically,” Namrata Goswami, an independent space analyst, tells The New York Times. “China views this landing as just a stepping stone, as it also views its future manned lunar landing, since its long-term goal is to colonize the moon and use it as a vast supply of energy.”

In the last two decades, China has ramped up its space program, launching two space stations and sending dozens of satellites into space. Besides the U.S. and Russia, it is the only nation to send its own astronauts into space. It first visited the near side of the moon in 2013 with its Chang’e-3 lander and rover. Later in 2019, the nation plans to land Chang’e-5 on the near side of the moon and then send a sample of the moon’s surface back to Earth. In 2022, China is slated to launch another space station into orbit and has plans to establish a lunar colony later in that decade.

While the success of Chang'e-4 is being universally celebrated by the scientific community, space policy expert Wendy Whitman Cobb at The Conversation wonders whether its an indication of second space race. The U.S. recently announced a 10-year, $2.6 billion effort to return to the moon and construct an orbiting space station. Russia has also announced intentions to send missions to the moon in the near future.
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About Jason Daley
Jason Daley is a Madison, Wisconsin-based writer specializing in natural history, science, travel, and the environment. His work has appeared in Discover, Popular Science, Outside, Men’s Journal, and other magazines.

'There is no dark side of the moon really. As a matter of fact it's all dark.'

[GeneChing]

13 full moons, including 2 supermoons and a blue moon, will be shining in 2020
Updated Jan 02, 10:56 AM;Posted Jan 01, 8:30 AM


Pixabay

Experts say two supermoons and one blue moon will light up the sky in 2020.
By Len Melisurgo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Sky watchers may have gotten a little spoiled in 2019, with three consecutive “supermoons” appearing during the first three months of the year. Will 2020 be as good?

Astronomy experts say two supermoons will be shining in the sky this year, and one month — October — will have two full moons, making the second a “blue moon” that will be glowing on Halloween. How’s that for an eerie treat?

Although blue moons occur once every two or three years, they are even more rare on Halloween, says AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Lada. “After the blue moon on Oct. 31, 2020, trick-or-treaters will need to wait until 2039 to see the next blue moon on Halloween,” he noted.


Pixabay

Experts say two supermoons and one blue moon will be shining in the sky in 2020.

What is a supermoon?

Supermoons are moons that become full when their orbits are closer than average to the Earth — making them appear to be slightly bigger and as much as 30% brighter than ordinary full moons.

Although the precise definition varies in the astronomy world — and some experts say the average star gazer won’t notice the size and brightness difference — most say a supermoon is a moon that tracks less than 223,000 miles from the Earth during its full phase. (Some say any full moon that is 226,000 miles or closer to the Earth can be classified as a supermoon, and others set the cutoff at the precise distance of 223,694 miles.)

Regardless of the exact definition, astronomy websites seem to agree that 2020 will feature at least two supermoons — one on March 9 and another on April 7. Worth marking down on your calendar: Space.com says the April full moon will be the biggest of the year, because it will be the closest one to our planet.


Courtesy of Teri Abramson
Experts say two supermoons and one blue moon will be shining in the sky in 2020. Pictured is a supermoon that was rising above houses in Ocean County in 2016.

Dates of each full moon in 2020

In case you want to do some sky watching or photo snapping, here’s a list of the dates and times of each full moon in 2020, along with their most common nicknames. (Thanks to the Farmers’ Almanac, the Old Farmer’s Almanac and TimeAndDate.com for the details.)

13 full moons in 2020
DATE TIME NICKNAMES
Jan. 10 2:21 p.m. wolf moon
Feb. 9 2:33 a.m. snow moon
March 9 1:47 p.m. worm moon / supermoon
April 7 10:35 p.m. pink moon / supermoon
May 7 6:45 a.m. flower moon
June 5 3:12 p.m. strawberry moon
July 5 12:44 a.m. buck moon
Aug. 3 11:58 a.m. sturgeon moon
Sept. 2 1:22 a.m. corn moon
Oct. 1 5:05 p.m. harvest moon
Oct. 31 10:49 a.m. blue moon
Nov. 30 4:29 a.m. beaver moon
Dec. 29 10:28 p.m. cold moon

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

THREADS
Hi; Moon we are back!!!
Happy New Year!

[GeneChing]

Coincidentally, I was looking for a book last weekend and I couldn't find it. I know I have it buried in my clutter.

THIS WEEK’S TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE WANTS YOU TO TIE UP LOOSE ENDS TO DECLUTTER YOUR LIFE
GOOD ADVICE
JENNIFER RACIOPPI, JANUARY 5, 2020


Photo: Getty Images/m-gucci

The universe wastes no time as we find our footing in the New Year, dropping us into the deep end of the cosmic pool. This week, we settle into the astrological intensity that will define much of the year ahead as Saturn and Pluto experience their conjunction at 22 degrees of Capricorn. These planets joining forces in Capricorn unleashes unbridled power to catalyze change in your life. Though, fair warning: The force may take us through a metaphorical swamp before guiding us to the valley—and we’ll feel that effect with extra intensity on Friday, January 10, as we experience a total lunar eclipse.


Yep, it’s eclipse season, which means we’ll be ascending in our schedules and plans, but not before exploring laterally. Only afterward will that rising motion become possible. This full moon directly opposes the Saturn, Pluto, and Mercury conjunction, but even more importantly, the sun conjoins this powerful stellium in Capricorn, intensifying the cosmic event even more.

It’s critical to take time right now to evaluate what’s concluding in your life: What projects, relationships, work dynamics, or personal patterns require a wrap-up?

Given our recent entrance into a new decade and the sweet solar eclipse that closed out December, it’s critical to take time right now to evaluate what’s concluding in your life: What projects, relationships, work dynamics, or personal patterns require a wrap-up? While this might feel abrupt, you can’t fight the changes happening now. Remember, a total lunar eclipse commands the power of a typical full moon, multiplied by at least three. It’s a cosmic, universal force that asks you to yield to it humbly. Embracing your humanity, staying down to earth, and being as flexible as possible now will help you seamlessly integrate the changes afoot.

The sun represents our identity, while the moon represents our emotional needs. With the moon moving into the Earth’s shadow, we are asked to pay attention to the shadows within. Disowned aspects of the self require attention now, and that’ll make emotions feel super-intense. Even more importantly, though, the truth will reveal itself with remarkable clarity in the days leading up to and beyond this total lunar eclipse.

The eclipse itself perfects at 2:21 p.m., EST, on Friday. Despite popular lore that making lunar charged moon water or exposing yourself to the moon on this day will amplify your powers, the truth is, lunar eclipses are inauspicious. They can, and often do, feel like an energetic knockdown rather than a buildup. So, limiting your exposure to the moon, as opposed to intentionally increasing it, will help you feel contained and protected.

Embrace a slow, steady, and sensible approach rather than top-down, immediate change. The cosmos are doing their thing on a macro and micro level, so know that while you are co-creating your reality with the universe, the universe is heavy-handed with its own agenda right now. So take a step back, see the big picture, and surrender. You are not in charge of everything; the harder you push your personal priorities, the harder things will feel. Now’s the time to invite in the flow and allow it to guide you.

Taking good care of your body right now will assure that you can ride the waves of this eclipse gracefully. In the wellness world, it’s easy to overlook the basics and focus on what feels, hip, hot, and exciting. But this week, I promise, the basics are all you need: sleep, water, dark leafy greens, a blood-sugar-balanced diet, and healthy movement. To support your mental health, and to ensure that you gain all the clarity available to you now, a journaling practice may prove exceptionally fruitful, in addition to therapy, acupuncture, or any type of healing practice to help you access your inner wisdom and perception.

So, stay open to what’s unfolding in your life. Soon enough, we will exit the eclipse season, but until then, ride out your situation rather than aim to control it. Saturn, Pluto, Mercury, and the sun in Capricorn, bring things to a karmic full circle, exposing abuses of power and opportunities to meet your most authentic potential. While the week ahead brings extremely emotional aspects, by relaxing into the moment, the catalytic forces of the universe will guide you to precisely where you need to be. Look at the week ahead as a vast clearing.

If you do want to work with it proactively, try leaning into the clearing energy. Consider cleansing your home with sage, eliminating the clutter in your space, and consciously completing whatever needs to be closed. Pay attention to the details, and do not check out.



Jennifer Racioppi is the creator of Lunar Logic—a philosophy that integrates the deep wisdom of both science and spirituality, and blends her expertise in astrology, positive psychology, and women’s health—to coach high-achieving female entrepreneurs to reach their next level of success.

[GeneChing]

Thanks to the time change, I got a great view of the moon on my commute in today.

ACCUWEATHER
Winter's biggest and brightest full moon to illuminate the sky next week
Stargazers of all ages stepping outside on Monday night will be able to see the final full moon of winter.
Author: Brian Lada
Published: 1:26 PM EST March 5, 2020
Updated: 5:59 PM EST March 5, 2020

Stargazers of all ages stepping outside on Monday night will be able to see the final full moon of winter, one that will appear slightly larger and brighter than all the others throughout the season.

Monday night's full moon is the first of three big astronomy events taking place this month, and it will be the easiest of the three to see, unless Mother Nature spreads a blanket of thick clouds across the sky.

The moon will rise on the evening of Monday, March 9, in the eastern sky, a little over a week before the official start to spring on March 19.

March is a transitional month with the days growing longer and warmer as the Northern Hemisphere heads into spring. The changing environment has inspired the nickname given to March's full moon.

"At this time of the year, the ground begins to soften enough for earthworm casts to reappear, inviting robins and other birds to feed-a true sign of spring," the Old Farmer's Almanac explained on their website.


This Saturday, March 19, 2011 photo shows a full moon over Pembroke, N.Y. at its closest point to the Earth since March 1993.
David Duprey

This is just one of many nicknames that has been given to March's full moon over the years.

"One such name was the Full Sap Moon, as this is the time of year when the sap of sugar maples starts to flow," the Old Farmer's Almanac continued.

Other nicknames include the Crust Moon, the Crow Moon, the Lenten Moon and the Sleepy Moon.

This year, March's full moon will be more than just a Worm Moon; it will also be considered a supermoon.

A supermoon is a word that has gained popularity in recent years to describe a full moon that appears slightly bigger and brighter than normal. This is because the full moon will fall near perigee, the point in the moon's orbit when it is closest to the Earth.

This change in appearance is very minimal and is only able to be detected in side-by-side photos of the supermoon compared to other full moons throughout the year.


An image of the moon taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is shown in two halves to illustrate the difference in the apparent size and brightness of the moon during a supermoon. The left half shows the apparent size of a supermoon (full moon at perigee), while the right half shows the apparent size and brightness of a micromoon (full moon at apogee). (NASA/Goddard/Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter)

Folks that miss out on this month's supermoon will have two more chances to see one in 2020, as the upcoming full moons in April and May are both considered supermoons.

Supermoon or not, onlookers gazing up at a full moon may think that the moon appears larger when it is near the horizon than when it is high in the sky. This apparent change in size is due to something known as the moon illusion.

"Foreground objects trick your brain into thinking the moon is bigger than it really is," NASA explained. This is just one of several theories to explain this illusion.

This is also a great time to take photos of the moon as it appears next to objects such as a city skyline or a nearby mountain.

[GeneChing]

These are incredibly intense times...

Why the Full Flower Moon In Scorpio on Thursday Is So Important
It’s the last supermoon of 2020, for starters.
BY SOPHIE SAINT THOMAS
May 6, 2020

Getty Images

There's a full moon coming on Thursday, May 7, and it's going to be one to behold. According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, the Algonquins called this full moon the "Full Flower Moon" because it comes at beginning of spring, just when flowers start to blossom. Full moons are moments of manifestation and culmination, and there are a few reasons why this one is particularly important. Here's more about the Full Flower Moon, plus how to spend it.

The Full Flower Moon is a supermoon
Yep, that's right — the full moon on Thursday, May 7 is a supermoon. But not only that, it's the last one of 2020. Supermoons appear larger than regular full moons, so make sure to sneak a peek of the full moon in all of its glory (while practicing social distancing, of course).

This full moon is in Scorpio — here's what that means
Anyone who's spent time with a Scorpio can attest that this sign is best summed up in one word: "intense." As a Scorpio myself, I can confirm that all of the rumors are true. The majority of us are often highly emotional, passionate, and loyal. We can also be suspicious and have a deep need for control.

This particular moon will amplify these traits and bring up issues that live in the shadows; it will also likely affect Scorpios more than others. (But remember that each and every one of us is also much more than just our sun sign. In fact, everyone has all 12 signs in their birth chart, so even if your sun isn't in Scorpio, you can still be affected.) During this full moon in Scorpio, it's likely that matters you've been avoiding will come to a climax — and you might, too. For example, if you and your stay-at-home partner have been avoiding talking about something, prepare yourself to finally address what's been simmering beneath the surface.

Scorpio's strength comes from the sign's superpower: rebirth. Each zodiac sign has a corresponding tarot card. Scorpio's is the Death card, which is highly misunderstood and not to be taken literally. It refers to the moment in which one allows themself to rise from the ashes like a Phoenix, to be reborn into an even more powerful form.

How to use the Full Flower Moon to your advantage
Right now, as we go through a collective trauma, this full moon offers a chance to reflect and meditate on some personal demons you wish to shed. Set some intentions, and think about how you can grow and heal. While that may sound intimidating, it can mean anything from planning to reach out to someone you'd like to make amends with to setting aside more time each day to cuddle with your pet, if that helps your mental health. Don't feel pressure to do anything other than honor yourself and think about what would make you feel your best; this is a time to process and open the door for healing.

Scorpios are also known for their sexuality, and once again, all the rumors are true. However, that doesn't necessarily mean they want no-strings-attached sex, and especially right now, people are seeking emotional intimacy along with the physical. Whether it's through masturbating, virtual sex, or getting it on with your stay-at-home partner, this full moon in Scorpio is a night to get it on. However, keep in mind that it's unlikely that the sex will be shallow, even within casual relationships. Be prepared for deep connections.

For a full moon in Scorpio ritual, light a candle and write down all the fears you wish to release. When you're finished, rip it up into little pieces and throw it away. Then, make a list of everything that you love about yourself. Keep that list. Finally, go have an orgasm or even practice sex magic. To make your orgasm a magical one, simply visualize what you wish to manifest for yourself right now. Use your list as a prompt and follow the theme of self-love. Happy Full Flower Moon!

[GeneChing]

The Mind Unleashed
GOOD NEWS | SPIRITUALITY | THE UNIVERSE | MAY 27, 2020 AT 12:54 AM.
A Penumbral Lunar Eclipse Is Happening During The Full Moon This June
On June 5th and 6th, the Strawberry Full Moon will also pass through the faint outer shadow of the Earth, known as a penumbral lunar eclipse.
JADE SMALL



(TMU) – On June 5th and 6th, the Strawberry Full Moon will pass through the faint outer shadow of the Earth, known as a penumbral lunar eclipse, the second of four penumbral lunar eclipses this year. Weather permitting, those of you in Asia, Australia, Europe, Africa and the South Eastern areas of South America might notice the Moon turn slightly darker, or seem less bright, during the maximum phase of the eclipse. A penumbral lunar eclipse can be subtle and sometimes difficult to distinguish from a normal full moon.

While June’s Strawberry Full Moon eclipse may be visible from start to finish from some areas – a total of 3 hours 18 minutes – other areas will only experience the Moon rise or set during the eclipse. Check the time of the Full Moon eclipse in your city or town by clicking here, and set that time aside to watch the event. Unfortunately, for North America and most of South America, this event will be happening below their horizon.

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth aligns between the Full Moon and the Sun, blocking the Sun’s rays from reaching the Full Moon.

A total eclipse occurs when Earths umbra – the central, dark part of its shadow – obscures all of the Moon’s surface. During a partial eclipse only a part of the Moon’s surface is obscured by Earth’s umbra. A penumbral lunar eclipse happens when Earth’s faint penumbral, outer shadow falls on the Moon, like the one we already experienced on January 10th and are what the remaining three lunar eclipses will be this year on June 5th, July 5th and November 31st.

The early Indigenous people of North America kept track of the seasons and lunar months by naming them according to events during that time. June’s Full Moon is either the last full moon of spring, or the first of the summer, and is called the “Strawberry Moon”. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the name originated with Algonquin tribes in eastern North America – and was used as a signal to gather the ripening wild strawberries. Colonial Americans adopted some of the indigenous moon names and applied them to their own calendar system – which is still used today.

Not visible in my hood, but maybe still palpable...

[GeneChing]