June 4, 2012
The transit of Venus
I watched it when the San Francisco Exploratorium streamed it almost eight years ago. Tomorrow, it will be happening here at around 6 p.m., so viewing is out for me for the rest of my life. Next transit is 2117.
May 24, 2010
Phoenix
Our intrepid Phoenix lander is officially gone. NASA reports:
Apparent changes in the shadows cast by the lander are consistent with predictions of how Phoenix could be damaged by harsh winter conditions. It was anticipated that the weight of a carbon-dioxide ice buildup could bend or break the lander's solar panels. [Team member Michael] Mellon calculated hundreds of pounds of ice probably coated the lander in mid-winter.
