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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Biomarker Phosphine Discovered in the Atmosphere of Venus
APOD.NASA.gov ^ | 15 Sep, 2020 | Image Credit: ISAS, JAXA, Akatsuki; Processing: Meli thev

Posted on 09/15/2020 5:30:09 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: Could there be life floating in the atmosphere of Venus? Although Earth's planetary neighbor has a surface considered too extreme for any known lifeform, Venus' upper atmosphere may be sufficiently mild for tiny airborne microbes. This usually disfavored prospect took an unexpected upturn yesterday with the announcement of the discovery of Venusian phosphine. The chemical phosphine (PH3) is a considered a biomarker because it seems so hard to create from routine chemical processes thought to occur on or around a rocky world such as Venus -- but it is known to be created by microbial life on Earth. The featured image of Venus and its thick clouds was taken in two bands of ultraviolet light by the Venus-orbing Akatsuki, a Japanese robotic satellite that has been orbiting the cloud-shrouded world since 2015. The phosphine finding, if confirmed, may set off renewed interest in searching for other indications of life floating high in the atmosphere of our Solar System's second planet out from the Sun.

(Excerpt) Read more at apod.nasa.gov ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day
KEYWORDS: nasa
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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then zoom by moving the magnifying glass over an area and then clicking. The side bars will move the zoomed area over the photograph.

1 posted on 09/15/2020 5:30:09 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 09/15/2020 5:30:52 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; .30Carbine; 4everontheRight; AFB-XYZ; America_Right; Art in Idaho; ...

Pinging the APOD list.


3 posted on 09/15/2020 5:31:44 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Dang, that is nasty stuff. All this time I thought Venus was a giant emerald ocean with copper-colored mats of floating seaweed and a nubile goddess or two.


4 posted on 09/15/2020 5:55:25 PM PDT by PlateOfShrimp (c)
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To: PlateOfShrimp

People usually don’t see nubile goddesses. Usually it is a cheeseburger.


5 posted on 09/15/2020 6:07:06 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of Colorado scenery and wildlife, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: PlateOfShrimp

Just one nubile goddess, but nubile is probably not the right word.


6 posted on 09/15/2020 6:10:24 PM PDT by AdSimp
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To: AdSimp

I prefer my goddesses to be buxom.


7 posted on 09/16/2020 5:28:33 AM PDT by attiladhun2
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To: PlateOfShrimp

Just like in C.S Lewis’ “Perelandra” Great read. Adam and Eve before the Fall.


8 posted on 09/16/2020 7:56:39 AM PDT by Shark24
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To: attiladhun2
I am pretty sure the female character in Perelandra is way out of any earthly male’s league. Even mine...
9 posted on 09/16/2020 8:24:33 AM PDT by AdSimp
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To: MtnClimber

Cold be Earth microbes on Venus..............


10 posted on 09/17/2020 5:17:05 AM PDT by Red Badger (Sine Q-Anon.....................very............)
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