OrbitalHub

NASA dicit:

The varied landscapes of the United States have unique relationships with water. On the East Coast, rain is a regular occurrence. In the West, drought is a constant threat. Rivers and lakes fed by rainfall, snowmelt or a mix of both provide two-thirds of the country’s drinking water while also supporting agriculture. Managing these water resources requires balancing growing demand for water in the face of shifting availability and changing climate. Many state and federal agencies and other organizations turn to NASA research, satellite data and analytical tools to help tackle these issues.

Since the 1960s, NASA has been steadily expanding its view of how fresh water moves around the planet. Early satellites that imaged clouds and snow cover evolved to more recent missions that quantify rain and snowfall worldwide every half-hour, make daily observations of global snow cover, detect changes in aquifers deep underground, and monitor moisture in soils every few days. These observations are some of the most powerful assets scientists have when studying the water cycle, how it affects people and their water supplies, and how it may change in a warming climate. At NASA, researchers maintain and refine these data sets, providing them to the public at no cost. NASA researchers also help to interpret the information with sophisticated computer programs that integrate the disparate data sets and fill gaps to create a coherent picture of where and how water moves around the planet every day.

Video Credit: NASA Goddard

Wikipedia dicit:

A total solar eclipse occurred at the ascending node of the Moon’s orbit on July 2, 2019, with an eclipse magnitude of 1.0459. Totality was visible from the southern Pacific Ocean east of New Zealand to the Coquimbo Region in Chile and Central Argentina at sunset, with the maximum of 4 minutes 32 seconds visible from the Pacific Ocean.

Video Credit: NASA

NASA dicit:

In the mid-1800s, mariners sailing the southern seas navigated at night by a brilliant star in the constellation Carina. The star, named Eta Carinae, was the second brightest star in the sky for more than a decade. Those mariners could hardly have imagined that by the mid-1860s the brilliant orb would no longer be visible. Eta Carinae was enveloped by a cloud of dust ejected during a violent outburst named “The Great Eruption.”

Because of Eta Carinae’s violent history, astronomers have kept watch over its activities. Although Hubble has monitored the volatile superstar for 25 years, it still is uncovering new revelations. Using Hubble to map the ultraviolet-light glow of magnesium embedded in warm gas, astronomers were surprised to discover the gas in places they had not seen it before.

Paul R. Morris (USRA): Lead Producer

Aaron E. Lepsch (ADNET): Technical Support

Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA dicit:

NASA’s satellite imagery and model forecasts play an important role in monitoring the performance of crops worldwide and preparing for food shortages. NASA’s view from space helps government agencies forecast food insecurity, like during the drought in Southern Africa in 2018.

Kathryn Mersmann (USRA): Lead Producer

Maria-Jose Vinas Garcia (Telophase): Lead Writer

Ellen T. Gray (ADNET): Producer

Trent L. Schindler (USRA): Lead Visualizer

Christa Peters-Lidard (NASA/GSFC): Scientist

John D. Bolten (NASA/GSFC): Scientist

Amy McNally (SAIC): Scientist

Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA dicit:

A fully functional Launch Abort System (LAS) with a test version of the Orion spacecraft attached, launches on NASA’s Ascent Abort-2 (AA-2) atop a Northrop Grumman provided booster on July 2, 2019, at 7 a.m. EDT, from Launch Pad 46 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. During AA-2, the booster will send the LAS and Orion to an altitude of 31,000 feet at Mach 1.15 (more than 1,000 mph). The flight test will prove that the abort system can pull crew to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency during ascent.

Video Credit: NASA’s Kennedy Space Flight Center

Wikipedia dicit:

An algal bloom or algae bloom is a rapid increase or accumulation in the population of algae in freshwater or marine water systems, and is recognized by the discoloration in the water from their pigments. Cyanobacteria were mistaken for algae in the past, so cyanobacterial blooms are sometimes also called algal blooms. Blooms which can injure animals or the ecology are called “harmful algal blooms” (HAB), and can lead to fish die-offs, cities cutting off water to residents, or states having to close fisheries. A bloom can block the sunlight from reaching other organisms, deplete oxygen levels in the water, and some algae even secrete toxins into the water.

Video Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center