Dandan
Medic
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- Jul 19, 2011
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Moon Packed with Precious Titanium, NASA Probe Find
http://www.space.com/13247-moon-map-lunar-titanium.htmlA new map of the moon has uncovered a trove of areas rich in precious titanium ore, with some lunar rocks harboring 10 times as much of the stuff as rocks here on Earth do.
The map, which combined observations in visible and ultraviolet wavelengths, revealed the valuable titanium deposits. These findings could shed light on some of the mysteries of the lunar interior, and could also lay the groundwork for future mining on the moon, researchers said.
"Looking up at the moon, its surface appears painted with shades of grey — at least to the human eye," Mark Robinson, of Arizona State University, said in a statement. "The maria appear reddish in some places and blue in others. Although subtle, these color variations tell us important things about the chemistry and evolution of the lunar surface. They indicate the titanium and iron abundance, as well as the maturity of a lunar soil."
Scientists Discover Ozone Layer On Venus
http://www.space.com/13244-venus-atmosphere-ozone-layer.htmlA European spacecraft has discovered an ozone layer high in the sweltering atmosphere of Venus, a new study reveals.
The discovery will help astronomers better understand the composition of Venus' murky atmosphere, and by comparing it to the atmospheres of Earth and Mars, the findings could even help shape the search for life on other planets, the researchers said.
The European Space Agency's Venus Express spacecraft detected ozone, which is a molecule containing three oxygen atoms, while gazing at stars that can be seen at the very edge of the planet through its atmosphere.
New Map of Saturn Moon Titan Reveals Surprisingly Earth-Like Features
http://www.space.com/13246-saturn-moon-titan-global-map-surface.htmlAfter meticulously stitching together images that were gathered over six years by a NASA spacecraft in orbit around Saturn, astronomers have created a global map of the surface of Titan, the ringed planet's largest moon, and it features some surprisingly Earth-like geological features.
An international team of astronomers, led by the University of Nantes in France, created the striking mosaic of Titan's surface using infrared images taken by the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) aboard NASA's Cassini spacecraft.
This is all amazing news. I really hope something awesome can be found on Titan. As far as the ozone around Venus this may change our viewpoint on planet hunting in the future. And mining the moon may also help and hurt us depending on if we treat it like a place to exploit or a place to explore.