Quick Hit: Hubble Spotted Planet Back in 1998

The Hubble Space Telescope was the first instrument to capture HR 8799b – an exosolar planet revolving around its parent star – back in 1998.   Due to the difficulty of the technique involved to detect the planet in the Hubble data, the planet was first announced by two other teams of planet hunters. Astronomers knew of the planet’s existence from images taken with the Keck and Gemini North telescopes in 2007 and 2008.  The new technique, using Hubble data, could unveil plenty of new exosolar planets.  There are over 10 years’ of Hubble data archived, after all.  200 stars have been examined by Hubble using the same technique as the one that ‘found’ HR 8799b.  I would be willing to bet that at least one additional exosolar planet is lurking in that archive, which is only one good reason to maintain that dataset.

It’s worth noting that NASA recently launched the Kepler Space Telescope.  It’s goal is to identify Earth-sized planets, not monsters like HR 8799b.

Kepler Ready for Launch, Magnetic Moon Rocks, Martian Methane, ISS Cargo, Next NASA Chief

NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope has had it’s pre-ship checkout and delivery to Cape Canaveral milestones completed.  It is designed to search for Earth-like planets around other stars – 140,000 stars are on tap to be examined.  The mission is currently scheduled to last 3.5 years, but if other recent NASA spacecraft are a guide, that mission could be extended.  Just look at Hubble or the Mars rovers.  Launch is set for March 5.

Earth’s moon might have had an internal magnetic dynamo, which made lunar rocks magnetic for millions of years.  A rock brought back by an Apollo 17 geologist has provided this rather surprising find.

Methane plumes have been found by the European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter (starting in 2003 and seen every Martian spring to summer since).  They do not automatically mean microbes are outgassing them.  Their source has not been positively identified.  One planetary science team is planning to develop a new device for a future rover to track the origin of the methane (some details here).  To do so, the future rover would have to be sent to a site where methane has been detected.

Last month, SpaceX and Orbital Sciences Corp. were chosen as the two private companies to develop and launch spacecraft to carry supplies to the International Space Station.  A third company, PlanetSpace has filed a protest with the GAO.  PlanetSpace earned a higher score and offered a lower price than Oribal Sciences.  The GAO decision will be made available by April 24.

An Earth scientist could become the next Chief of NASA, replacing Mike Griffin.