Hubble Views a Galaxy on Edge

This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image shows an edge-on view of the spiral galaxy NGC 5023. Due to its orientation we cannot appreciate its spiral arms, but we can admire the elegant profile of its disk. The galaxy lies over 30 million light-years away from us.

NGC 5023 is part of the M51 group of galaxies. The brightest galaxy in this group is Messier 51, the Whirlpool Galaxy, which has been captured by Hubble many times. NGC 5023 is less fond of the limelight and seems rather unsociable in comparison — it is relatively isolated from the other galaxies in the group.

Astronomers are particularly interested in the vertical structure of disks like these. By analyzing the structure above and below the central plane of the galaxy they can make progress in understanding galaxy evolution. Astronomers are able to analyze the distribution of different types of stars within the galaxy and their properties, in particular how well evolved they are on the Hertzsprung–Russell Diagram — a scatter graph of stars that shows their evolution.

NGC 5023 is one of six edge-on spiral galaxies observed as part of a study using Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys. They study this vertical distribution and find a trend which suggests that heating of the disc plays an important role in producing the stars seen away from the plane of the galaxy.

In fact, NGC 5023 is pretty popular when it comes to astronomers, despite its unsociable behavior. The galaxy is also one of 14 disk galaxies that are part of the GHOSTS survey — a survey which uses Hubble data to study galaxy halos, outer disks and star clusters. It is the largest study to date of star populations in the outskirts of disk galaxies.

The incredible sharp sight of Hubble has allowed scientist to count more than 30,000 individual bright stars in this image. This is only a small fraction of the several billion stars that this galaxy contains, but the others are too faint to detect individually even with Hubble.

European Space Agency

Credit: ESA/NASA

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Boarding the Soyuz Spacecraft on Launch Day

Expedition 43 Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), top, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, center, and Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka of Roscosmos wave farewell as they board the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft ahead of their launch to the International Space Station, Friday, March 27, 2015 in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

Kelly and Kornienko will spend a year in space and return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016. Most expeditions to the space station last four to six months. By doubling the length of this mission, researchers hope to better understand how the human body reacts and adapts to long-duration spaceflight. This knowledge is critical as NASA looks toward human journeys deeper into the solar system, including to and from Mars, which could last 500 days or longer.

The Soyuz is set to lift off at 3:42 p.m. EDT, Friday, March 27 on a six-hour, four-orbit flight to the station.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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Expedition 43 Soyuz Rolls Out for Launch

The Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft is rolled out by train to the launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, Wednesday, March 25, 2015. NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, and Russian Cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko, and Gennady Padalka of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station in the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan March 28, Kazakh time (March 27 Eastern time.) As the one-year crew, Kelly and Kornienko will return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016.

More information on one year crew.

Image Credit NASA/Bill Ingalls

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Mars ‘Marathon Valley’ Overlook

This view from NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity shows part of “Marathon Valley,” a destination on the western rim of Endeavour Crater, as seen from an overlook north of the valley.

The scene spans from east, at left, to southeast. It combines four pointings of the rover’s panoramic camera (Pancam) on March 13, 2015, during the 3,958th Martian day, or sol, of Opportunity’s work on Mars.

The rover team selected Marathon Valley as a science destination because observations of this location using the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) instrument on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter yielded evidence of clay minerals, a clue to ancient wet environments. By the time Opportunity explores Marathon Valley, the rover will have exceeded a total driving distance equivalent to an Olympic marathon. Opportunity has been exploring the Meridiani Planum region of Mars since January 2004.

This version of the image is presented in approximate true color by combining exposures taken through three of the Pancam’s color filters at each of the four camera pointings, using filters centered on wavelengths of 753 nanometers (near-infrared), 535 nanometers (green) and 432 nanometers (violet).

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell Univ./Arizona State Univ.

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Solar Eclipse From the International Space Station

Expedition 43 Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti took a series of photographs of the March 20, 2015 solar eclipse from the International Space Station. Cristoforetti wrote, “Orbital sunrise and the #SolarEclipse… could it go any better?”

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow over Earth. The moon’s shadow masks the solar surface and blocks sunlight from reaching Earth directly – but the amount of sunlight blocked depends on location.

Image Credit: ESA/NASA

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Vanguard Satellite, 1958

One of the Vanguard satellites is checked out at Cape Canaveral, Florida in 1958. Vanguard 1, the world’s first solar-powered satellite, launched on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) 1958. It was designed to test the launch capabilities of a three-stage launch vehicle and the effects of the environment on a satellite and its systems in Earth orbit. Vanguard 1 was the second U.S. satellite in orbit, following Explorer 1, and remains the oldest artificial object orbiting Earth to this day. Vanguard began as a program at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington and transferred over to NASA (along with many of its personnel) after the agency was founded by the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958.

Image Credit: NASA

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Dr. Mark Hyman Discusses the 10 Day Detox Diet Cookbook

Dr. Mark Hyman discusses sugar addiction, detox and his newest book, The 10 Day Detox Diet Cookbook.

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In Depth With Mark Hyman, MD

In this exclusive extended interview from his Experience Life cover shoot, functional-medicine pioneer Mark Hyman, MD, explains what functional medicine actually is, how it differs from integrative medicine, and how simply changing how we eat can create significant health improvements in a matter of days. Plus, Hyman shares what a typical day of eating looks like in his own life.

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Launch of Magnetospheric Multiscale Spacecraft Aboard Atlas V Rocket

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft onboard launches from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41, Thursday, March 12, 2015, Florida. NASA’s MMS mission studies the mystery of how magnetic fields around Earth connect and disconnect, explosively releasing energy via a process known as magnetic reconnection. MMS consists of four identical spacecraft that work together to provide the first three-dimensional view of this fundamental process, which occurs throughout the universe.

Photo Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

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NASA’s MMS Spacecraft Launches on an Atlas V Rocket

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft onboard launches from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Space Launch Complex 41, Thursday, March 12, 2015, Florida. NASA’s MMS mission studies the mystery of how magnetic fields around Earth connect and disconnect, explosively releasing energy via a process known as magnetic reconnection. MMS consists of four identical spacecraft that work together to provide the first three-dimensional view of this fundamental process, which occurs throughout the universe.

Image Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

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CBS Radio with Dr. Mark Hyman

Dr. Mark Hyman, believes there is new hope for the tens of millions of people who are overweight or obese. Hyman joins “CBS News Radio” to discuss his new book, “The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet Cookbook.”

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Quitting sugar: A 10-day detox plan for weight loss

Leader of the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Functional Medicine, Dr. Mark Hyman, believes there is new hope for the tens of millions of people who are overweight or obese. Hyman joins “CBS This Morning” to discuss his new book, “The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet Cookbook.”

Source: CBS News

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Healing Meals – Irish Stew

Irish Stew

By Mark Hyman, MD

Published: March 12, 2015

• Yield: 4 Servings


• Prep: 20 mins


• Cook: 4 hours mins


• Ready In: 24 mins

You won’t need the luck of the Irish for good health when you eat real, whole foods supplying healthy fats, protein and nutrient-rich vegetables and herbs! Enjoy this slow cooker recipe when celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day or anytime you feel like a delicious, hardy meal.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons Arrowroot powder


• 1 teaspoon Sea Salt divided


• 3/4 teaspoon Ground black pepper divided


• 1 pound Lamb or beef stew meat grass fed, if possible


• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil


• 4 cups Low sodium broth chicken, beef, or lamb


• 1 Onion diced


• 3 cloves Garlic minced


• 1 large Sweet potato somewhat finely cubed


• 2 large Carrots chopped


• 5 Cremini Mushrooms chopped


• 1/2 head Green Cabbage diced


• 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme


• 1/2 teaspoon Dried parsley


• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Sage

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix the arrowroot, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together. Add the stew meat and toss to coat meat in the arrowroot powder.


2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the stew meat and brown for 3 to 4 minutes, turning to ensure even browning on all sides. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside. With the heat still on, add the broth to the skillet and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen up any brown bits.


3. Prepare a slow cooker. Add the broth from the skillet, onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, cabbage and all herbs. Season with remaining salt and pepper.


4. Cook on low for 4 hours or until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Check for seasoning when stew is finished, and season to taste with more salt and pepper, if desired.


5. Store all leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days


6. Nutritional analysis per serving (about 2 cups): calories 340, fat 10g, saturated fat 3g, cholesterol 80mg, fiber 7g, protein 28g, carbohydrate 33g, sodium 650mg

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Expedition 42 Soyuz Landing

The Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 42 commander Barry Wilmore of NASA, Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Elena Serova of Roscosmos near the town of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 (Thursday, March 12, Kazakh time). NASA astronaut Wilmore, Russian cosmonauts Samokutyaev and Serova returned to Earth after almost six months onboard the International Space Station where they served as members of the Expedition 41 and 42 crews. The spacecraft touched down safely at approximately 10:07 p.m. EDT.

Image Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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Expedition 42 Returns to Earth

The Soyuz TMA-14M spacecraft is seen as it lands with International Space Station Expedition 42 commander Barry Wilmore of NASA, Alexander Samokutyaev of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) and Elena Serova of Roscosmos near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan. The landing took place on the evening of Wednesday, March 11 in the U.S, and early in the morning on Thursday, March 12, in Kazakhstan.

The three crew members returned to Earth after a 167-day mission on the orbital outpost that included hundreds of scientific experiments and several spacewalks to prepare the orbiting laboratory for future arrivals by U.S. commercial crew spacecraft.

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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Zumba Dr. Hyman Feature

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Test Firing of Booster for NASA’s New Rocket

The largest, most powerful rocket booster ever built successfully fired up Wednesday for a major-milestone ground test in preparation for future missions to help propel NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to deep space destinations, including an asteroid and Mars.

The booster fired for two minutes, the same amount of time it will fire when it lifts the SLS off the launch pad, and produced about 3.6 million pounds of thrust. The test was conducted at the Promontory, Utah test facility of commercial partner Orbital ATK, and is one of two tests planned to qualify the booster for flight. Once qualified, the flight booster hardware will be ready for shipment to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the first SLS flight.

More information.

Image Credit: Orbital ATK

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