Steps into Space - Commercialisation, Occupation, Colonization: 03/20/14

Thursday, 20 March 2014

Whirlpool Galaxy Case For The iPad Mini

Here's a great iPad case from Zazzle featuring a Hubble-related design. Maybe you'd like to see your name on it? Click to personalize and see what it's like!

Whirlpool Galaxy Case For The iPad Mini

tagged with: stars,, galaxy,, whirlpool,, space,, image,, nasa,, hubble

Lovely shiny image of Whirlpool Galaxy thanks to a NASA/Hubble image.

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Monogram Red Supergiant Star Monocerotis Ceiling Lamps

Here's a gorgeous lamp featuring a beautiful image from deep in outer space.

Monogram Red Supergiant Star Monocerotis Ceiling Lamps

tagged with: hubble images, monocerotis, red supergiant star, interstellar dust, supermassive red giant, swirling dust clouds, monoceros constellation, astronomy pictures, outer space, star galaxies

Galaxies, Stars and Nebulae series A gorgeous astronomy picture featuring a distant star, named V838 Monocerotis, in the direction of the constellation of Monoceros on the outer edge of our Milky Way. The image shows the swirls of dust spiralling across trillions of miles of interstellar space, lit mainly from within by a pulse of light from the red supergiant, two years into its journey.
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image code: monocerotis

Image credit: NASA, the Hubble Heritage Team (AURA/STScI) and ESA

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Click to fill in your monogram initials.
via Zazzle Astronomy market place

Engineering materials for super-efficient nanoelectronics: Potential way to make graphene superconducting

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Scientists have discovered a potential way to make graphene -- a single layer of carbon atoms with great promise for future electronics -- superconducting, a state in which it would carry electricity with 100 percent efficiency.

via Science Daily

New control over topological insulator

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Scientists investigating the electronic properties of ultra-thin films of new materials -- topological insulators (TIs) -- have demonstrated a new method to tune their unique properties using strain. Topological insulators are new materials with surfaces that host a new quantum state of matter and are insensitive to contaminants, defects and impurities. Surface electrons in TIs behave like massless Dirac particles in a similar way to electrons in graphene. Moreover, surface currents in topological insulators also preserve their spin orientation and coherence on a macro scale.

via Science Daily

Moon of Saturn: Surface of Titan sea is mirror smooth

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The surface of Ligeia Mare, Titan's second largest sea, has a mirror-like smoothness, possibly due to a lack of winds, geophysicists say. As the only other solar system body with an Earth-like weather system, Titan could serve as a model for studying our own planet's early history.

via Science Daily

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Vintage Astronomy, Celestial Planisphere Map Poster

Here's a great poster featuring a beautiful image from deep space

Vintage Astronomy, Celestial Planisphere Map Poster

tagged with: planisphere, constellations, retro, antique, americana, vintage, celestial map, star chart, mythology, nostalgic

Vintage illustration astronomy and celestial star chart map created in 1702 featuring the signs of the zodiac and other figures from Greek mythology. Planisphere Celeste featuring the constellations of the northern and southern night sky, planets (Mercury, Mars, Venus and Saturn), the phases of the moon and the sun. A mythological representation of our universe.

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Researchers detect elusive quantum property known as 'Berry's phase' in a semiconductor

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In conducting materials, free electrons can move from one point to another, conveying their electrical charge to produce an electrical current. Electrons have another property, known as spin, that could be harnessed and manipulated in 'spintronic' circuits and has the potential to revolutionize the field of conventional electronics, leading to new functionalities and devices with enhanced performance.

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Simulations reveal exotic quantum phase transitions in optically trapped superfluid atoms

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Phase transitions between different states of matter are normally driven by random thermal motions of atoms. However, when phase transitions occur at temperatures approaching absolute zero, quantum mechanical fluctuations begin to take over, sometimes with extraordinary results. Yasuyuki Kato from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science and other RIKEN colleagues have now computationally uncovered 'tricritical' transition points that help explain the quantum phase transition in superfluid-to-insulator systems.

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Solargraphy Analemmas

Today is the equinox. The Sun crosses the celestial equator heading north at 16:57 UT, marking the northern hemisphere's first day of spring. To celebrate, consider this remarkable image following the Sun's yearly trek through planet Earth's sky, the first analemmas exposed every day through the technique of solargraphy. In fact, three analemma curves were captured using a cylindrical pinhole camera by daily making three, separate, one minute long exposures for a year, from March 1, 2013 to March 1, 2014, on a single piece of black and white photographic paper. The well-planned daily exposures began at 10:30, 12:00, and 13:30, CET from a balcony looking south from the Kozanów district in Wrocław, Poland. That year's two equinoxes on March 20 and September 22 correspond to the mid-points, not the cross-over points, along the figure-8 shaped curves. Apparent gaps in the curves are due to cloudy days. Two solid lines at the lower left were both caused by a timer switch failure that left the pinhole shutter open.

Zazzle Space Gifts for young and old

Stellar Nursery R136 in the Tarantula Nebula Wall Sticker

Here's a great wall decal featuring a beautiful image from deep space

Stellar Nursery R136 in the Tarantula Nebula Wall Sticker

tagged with: stars, galaxies, astronomy, galaxy, wall decal, dorneblmc, stellar nursery, r136, 30 doradus nebula, massive stars, large magellanic cloud, star cluster, amazing hubble images, tarantula nebula

Galaxies, Stars and Nebulae series Hundreds of brilliant blue stars wreathed by warm, glowing clouds in appear in this the most detailed view of the largest stellar nursery in our local galactic neighborhood. The massive, young stellar grouping, called R136, is only a few million years old and resides in the 30 Doradus (or Tarantula) Nebula, a turbulent star-birth region in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a satellite galaxy of our Milky Way.
There is no known star-forming region in our galaxy as large or as prolific as 30 Doradus. Many of the diamond-like icy blue stars are among the most massive stars known. Several of them are over 100 times more massive than our Sun. These hefty stars are destined to pop off, like a string of firecrackers, as supernovas in a few million years. The image, taken in ultraviolet, visible, and red light by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3, spans about 100 light-years.
The movement of the LMC around the Milky Way may have triggered the massive cluster's formation in several ways. The gravitational tug of the Milky Way and the companion Small Magellanic Cloud may have compressed gas in the LMC. Also, the pressure resulting from the LMC plowing through the Milky Way's halo may have compressed gas in the satellite. The cluster is a rare, nearby example of the many super star clusters that formed in the distant, early universe, when star birth and galaxy interactions were more frequent.
The LMC is located 170,000 light-years away and is a member of the Local Group of Galaxies, which also includes the Milky Way. The Hubble observations were taken Oct. 20-27, 2009. The blue color is light from the hottest, most massive stars; the green from the glow of oxygen; and the red from fluorescing hydrogen.

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image code: dorneblmc

Image credit: Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3

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via Zazzle Astronomy market place

Pleiades iPad Mini Case

Here's a great iPad case from Zazzle featuring a Hubble-related design. Maybe you'd like to see your name on it? Click to personalize and see what it's like!

Pleiades iPad Mini Case

tagged with: lovely, glowing, blue, image, space, photography, pleiades, star, cluster, nasa, hubble, starlight, starbright, amazing, constellation, myth, legend, fascinating

A lovely, glowing blue image of the Pleiades Star Cluster (NASA/Hubble). The Pleiades have held mankind's ention for millenia and this image shows us why.

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Monogram Red Supergiant Star Monocerotis Table Lamps

Here's a gorgeous lamp featuring a beautiful image from deep in outer space.

Monogram Red Supergiant Star Monocerotis Table Lamps

tagged with: hubble images, monocerotis, red supergiant star, supermassive red giant, swirling dust clouds, monoceros constellation, astronomy pictures, outer space, star galaxies, monogram initials, interstellar dust

Graphenea in the cleantech community

Last week, Cleantech Group organized its annual event, the Cleantech Forum San Francisco 2014 (CFSF14). Our CEO, Jesus de la Fuente, attended this exciting event, where he met other entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, investors, and government leaders.

Graphenea has been actively researching the potential of graphene for clean energy solutions. A witness to that end are not only the recent million-euro investment by Repsol Energy and our popular “Graphenea energy bulletins”, but also our articles in leading trade journals and online communities. Our attendance and networking at CFSF14 embeds us deeper in the clean energy community, opening up new avenues to forge long-term partnerships that will enable the use of graphene to tackle some of the world's most challenging energy problems.

“The event was a very good opportunity to meet the Advanced Materials and Clean Technology communities in the Bay area, as well as to engage with large industrial companies attending the meeting”, stated Jesus de la Fuente.

Photo: Cleantech Forum San Francisco 2014

CFSF14, the annual gathering of the global cleantech innovation community, offers a comprehensive, multi-day development program along with exclusive opportunities to network, socialize, and get deals done. This year's program has been designed to share stories, spark conversation and hear dynamic pitches under the guiding theme “Accelerating system change; towards a decentralized future”.

Cleantech Group provides corporations, investors and others with market research, investment research and trends, and company profiles through its i3 platform, a database of over 22,000 clean technology companies, investors and executives. i3 provides instant updates on clean technology investments, IPOs, mergers, acquisitions, business relationships, and other financing activity. Clients have full access to the searchable, filterable, and exportable database of cleantech investment data going back to 2002.

In partnership with the newspaper “the Guardian”, since 2009 Cleantech Group has produced the Global Cleantech 100, a list of the top 100 private companies in clean technology. It is interesting to note that the Group is credited with inventing the word “cleantech”, which it owns as a registered trademark.

Keep tuned to this blog and to our social network channels as we keep bringing the most up-to-date news from the exciting community of clean energy and technology.

via Graphenea

Vintage Astronomy, Phases of the Moon with Sun Print

Here's a great poster featuring a beautiful image from deep space

Vintage Astronomy, Phases of the Moon with Sun Print

tagged with: vintage, moon, sun, celestial, sky, nostalgic, retro, earth, nostalgia, americana

Vintage illustration astronomy celestial image featuring the different phases of the moon around the earth and the sun.

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Earth's radiation belt: Van Allen probes reveal zebra stripes in space

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Scientists have discovered a new, persistent structure in one of two radiation belts surrounding Earth. NASA's twin Van Allen Probes spacecraft have shown that high-energy electrons in the inner radiation belt display a persistent pattern that resembles slanted zebra stripes. Surprisingly, this structure is produced by the slow rotation of Earth, previously considered incapable of affecting the motion of radiation belt particles, which have velocities approaching the speed of light.

via Science Daily

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The Rose Galaxies, Arp 273 Square Sticker

Here's a great sheet of stickers featuring a beautiful image from deep space

The Rose Galaxies, Arp 273 Square Sticker

tagged with: envelope sealers, trgarp, breathtaking hubble space photos, rose galaxy, interacting spiral galaxies, amazing astronomy images, arp 273, star forming activity, new born stars, star nursery, hot young stars

Galaxies, Stars and Nebulae series An amazing outer space picture featuring two interacting galaxies that together form the shape of a rose. The larger of the spiral galaxies, UGC 1810, has a disk that is twisted by the gravitational pull of its companion galaxy, UGC 1813.
Knots of young, hot blue stars bejewel the spirals arms in glistening starlight while below, its smaller, nearly edge-on companion is going through intense star formation at its centre, perhaps triggered by their encounter.

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image code: trgarp

Image credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)

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Name, Deep Space Hubble Astronomy Pictures Gift Wrap

Get your out-of-this-world gift wrap here! Perfect for Christmas gifts for anyone who is fascinated by what the universe holds in store for us!

Name, Deep Space Hubble Astronomy Pictures Gift Wrap

tagged with: hubble, outer space, astronomy, deep space, star galaxies, spiral galaxy, nebula, cosmic, interstellar dust, sky watching

Galaxies, Stars and Nebulae series Gift wrap paper - with the name of the person whose gift it is. Using four astronomy images from deep space, this is the perfect wrapping paper for an out of this world gift!
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Click to personalize with name and message - or just to see it bigger.
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Star Cluster Pismis 24, core of NGC 6357 Room Decals

Here's a great wall decal featuring a beautiful image from deep space

Star Cluster Pismis 24, core of NGC 6357 Room Decals

tagged with: stars, galaxies, astronomy, wall decal, star cluster, pismis 24, sculpting ultaviolet ionisation, super massive stars, sclustpsms, nebula ngc 6357

Galaxies, Stars and Nebulae series The star cluster Pismis 24 lies in the core of the large emission nebula NGC 6357 that extends one degree on the sky in the direction of the Scorpius constellation. Part of the nebula is ionised by the youngest (bluest) heavy stars in Pismis 24. The intense ultraviolet radiation from the blazing stars heats the gas surrounding the cluster and creates a bubble in NGC 6357. The presence of these surrounding gas clouds makes probing into the region even harder. One of the top candidates for the title of "Milky Way stellar heavyweight champion" was, until now, Pismis 24-1, a bright young star that lies in the core of the small open star cluster Pismis 24 (the bright stars in the Hubble image) about 8,000 light-years away from Earth. Pismis 24-1 was thought to have an incredibly large mass of 200 to 300 solar masses. New NASA/ESA Hubble measurements of the star, have, however, resolved Pismis 24-1 into two separate stars, and, in doing so, have "halved" its mass to around 100 solar masses.

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image code: sclustpsms

Image credit: NASA/ESA Hubble

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