Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2003 February 2 
Posted on 02/01/2003 9:06:50 PM PST by petuniasevan
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2003 February 2
Explanation: Where did all the stars go? What used to be considered a hole in the sky is now known to astronomers as a dark molecular cloud. Here, a high concentration of dust and molecular gas absorb practically all the visible light emitted from background stars. The eerily dark surroundings help make the interiors of molecular clouds some of the coldest and most isolated places in the universe. One of the most notable of these dark absorption nebulae is a cloud toward the constellation Ophiuchus known as Barnard 68, pictured above. That no stars are visible in the center indicates that Barnard 68 is relatively nearby, with measurements placing it about 500 light-years away and half a light-year across. It is not known exactly how molecular clouds like Barnard 68 form, but it is known that these clouds are themselves likely places for new stars to form. It is possible to look right through the cloud in infrared light.
That should read Tonight's thread is dedicated to the memory of the seven Columbia astronauts.
As C-SPAN switched their calls to the Columbia disaster on the Washington Journal yesterday AM, there were still the hateful seminar callers attacking President Bush, with some even blaming him as part of a plot. By the afternoon, and after the President's address and the NASA News Conference, C-SPAN again opened their lines. Not one of the 12-15 calls I heard was negative.
As always, the APOD posting today shows you and the gentlemen at JPL with a lot of class. Thank you.
Understandably. Thanks for the ping. I was numb all day yesterday, as in a stupor from shock. I heard it yesterday at my house, not knowing what it was. It was a short while later that I realized what I had heard. My Dad lives 72 miles east of Dallas and he heard it too. He went outside to make sure nothing hit the house it was so loud...
Suspicion falls on wing tiles - but heat-shield
damage during liftoff is only one possibility
Video link: Shuttle over D/FW, Texas
Anyway, I wanted to link this thread that backhoe so kindly started yesterday evening. It's a list of FR threads on the subject of the space shuttle. Everyone should see it.
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