A Connecticut astronomy teacher has uncovered a dazzling view of a satellite galaxy to the Milky Way while exploring the "hidden treasures" of the Hubble Space Telescope.
The new Hubble photo, released Thursday (Jan. 17), shows an intriguing star nursery dotted with dark dust lanes in the Large Magellanic Cloud about 200,000 light-years from Earth. The Hubble observation used to create the image was discovered in the telescope's archives by Josh Lake, a high school astronomy teacher at Pomfret School in Pomfret, Conn., as part of the "Hubble Hidden Treasures" contest that challenged space fans to find unseen images from the observatory.
Hubble officials also released an eye-popping video tour of the Large Magellanic Cloud, which zooms in on the region highlighted in Lake's photo.
Lake won first prize in the Hubble photo contest with an image of the LHA 120-N11 (N11) region of the Large Magellanic Cloud. Hubble officials combined Lake's image with more observations of the N11 region in blue, green and near-infrared light wavelengths to create the new view.
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"In the center of this image, a dark finger of dust blots out much of the light," Hubble officials said in an image description. "While nebulae are mostly made of hydrogen, the simplest and most plentiful element in the universe, dust clouds are home to heavier and more complex elements, which go on to form rocky planets like the Earth." [Hubble Telescope's Hidden Treasures: Winning Photos
The interstellar dust in N11 is extremely fine, much more so than household dust on Earth. It is more similar to smoke, researchers explained.
The Large Magellanic Cloud, or LMC, is one of two small satellite galaxies of the Milky Way (the other is the smaller, aptly named Small Magellanic Cloud). Because of its relatively close proximity, the Large Magellanic Cloud has long been used as a sort of cosmic laboratory to study how stars form in other galaxies.
"It lies in a fortuitous location in the sky, far enough from the plane of the Milky Way that it is neither outshone by too many nearby stars, nor obscured by the dust in the Milky Way?s center," Hubble officials said in a statement. "It is also close enough to study in detail ? and lies almost face-on, giving us a bird?s eye view."
In addition to the N11 region, the Large Magellanic Cloud is also home to the spectacular Tarantula nebula, the brightest nearby star nursery, Hubble officials said.
The Hubble Space Telescope has been snapping spectacular photos of the universe since 1994 and is a joint project by NASA and the European Space Agency. This month, NASA officials said the long-lived space observatory could potentially last through 2018.
You can follow SPACE.com Managing Editor Tariq Malik on Twitter?@tariqjmalik.?Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter?@Spacedotcom?and on?Facebook.
Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Posted on: 9:25 pm, January 16, 2013, by Max Roth, updated on: 11:01pm, January 16, 2013
SALT LAKE CITY ? Utah Attorney General John Swallow can?t look to his fellow Republicans in the State Senate if he?s seeking comfort as he faces allegations of financial improprieties.
Republican state senators took time in their pre-legislative session caucus meeting on Tuesday to learn how the state constitution envisions an impeachment.
?We take the situation surrounding our attorney general very seriously,? said Senator John Valentine of Orem.
As chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Valentine would be likely to play a prominent role if the Senate were to conduct an impeachment trial.
But Valentine says he and his fellow senators don?t expect an impeachment to happen. He says they want federal investigators to work through questions surrounding Swallow?s dealings with Jeremy Johnson, an internet entrepreneur from St. George charged with bilking customers out of millions of dollars, and Richard Rawle, the recently deceased founder of Check City.
Valentine says an investigation is more likely to either exonerate Swallow, or to find enough evidence that Swallow would choose to resign.
James Humprheys, political consultant and president of Utah?s Log Cabin Republicans, says Swallow has as much job security as an elected official can have.
?There?s no recall provision in the state constitution. The governor can ask for his resignation, but as an elected official he can?t be fired,? Humphreys said.
Humphreys says an ongoing FBI investigation will likely take time, but it?s the federal government most likely to create a situation where Swallow leaves office.
Otherwise, Humphreys says, ?John is pretty safe where he?s at.?
The NFCC today announced the expansion of MyMoneyCheckUp?, the NFCC?s free innovative online financial resource tool for consumers. The tool is now available in Spanish at https://www.miayudafinanciera.org and www.DebtAdvice.org, bringing Hispanic populations and communities a unique and much-needed method of assessing personal financial health.
Our mission at the NFCC has always been to provide the public with the resources necessary for financial stability. The introduction of MyMoneyCheckUp? in Spanish allows us to bring the tool to a much wider audience. As of 2011, the Hispanic population comprised 16.7% of the United States population, the largest minority group following African-Americans. In addition, 20.3% of U.S. households speak a language other than English. Recognizing the need for expanded financial resources to the Hispanic community, Experian provided a generous grant to translate MyMoneyCheckUp? into Spanish.
?Experian is so pleased to work with the NFCC Member Agencies in helping families with their financial capability and in making this valuable tool available to a wider audience,? said Maxine Sweet, Experian Vice President of Public Education. ?We have a shared goal of helping everyone learn to live credit smart. That starts with a clear understanding of your financial position and having readily accessible tools to help guide your future.?
The English version of MyMoneyCheckUp? was originally launched in 2011 to provide consumers with a means of evaluating four key areas of personal finance: budgeting and credit management, saving and investing, planning for retirement, and home equity. After answering a series of topic specific questions, a personalized assessment of the individual?s overall financial health and associated behaviors is generated. With areas of concern identified, the analysis suggests changes that consumers are encouraged to implement in order to become more financially independent. The traditional red, yellow, and green traffic light colors signal whether the consumer should continue on their current money path, proceed with caution, or stop and make a change respectively. Individuals can also complete an optional budget to further help them assess their financial health.
When developing the tool, one goal was to make financial education more readily accessible to a broad segment of the population. Thousands of Americans across the country have already benefited from the English version of MyMoneyCheckUp?.? It is our hope that the Hispanic community will now take advantage of this simple and free personal finance assessment tool, and embrace the opportunity to improve their financial stability.
Since 1951, the NFCC and its members have promoted financial education, sound money management, and positive financial habits to millions of people in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, giving them the knowledge, capability, and support needed to achieve their financial goals. The NFCC Member Agency services are provided for free or at low cost, and are available in both English and Spanish.
Gail Cunningham is Vice President of Membership & Public Relations with the NFCC.
Views expressed are the personal views of the author, and do not represent the views of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, its employees, its members, or its clients.
Apple iPhone 6 release date predicted for summer-2013. Are these the first leaked photos? (Photo: via macrumors.com)
The iPhone 6 release date draws nearer but Apple is still testing out different designs and according to the latest reports one prototype has a huge display! Read on to learn all about possible iPhone 6 specs and features.
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Jeffries analyst Peter Misek, who previously predicted that the iPhone 6 release date would arrive in mid-2013, has a new report that claims Apple is experimenting with six new design prototypes, according to PC-Tablet.
The tech news-site notes that "the most interesting [iPhone 6 prototype] is the 4.8 inch screened device which has a Retina Screen and also a brand new A7 quad core processor."
We're not surprised to hear that the iPhone 6 release date could bring an even bigger Apple smartphone up from the recent increase to a 4-inch display with the iPhone 5. However, that doesn't mean we think it's a good thing. Apple may be taking a beating from Samsung, but that doesn't mean they should follow the South Korean company's every design move.
Samsung continues to increase the size of the smartphones, pushing the limits of the Galaxy Note line to over 5-inches, and the popular Galaxy S3 features a 4.8-inch AMOLED display. Apple will likely to increase the size of the iPhone 6 in an effort to remain competitive, but what they really need is innovation.
Speaking of which, here are some actually innovative features that the iPhone 6 release date might usher in.
"Other touted features include no Home button and complete gesture control features," reported PC-Magazine.
We continue to hear rumors that the iPhone 6 release date could mean the first Apple smartphone without a physical Home button and we think it would be a smart move by the Cupertino-based company. The design change would mean a bigger screen without a bigger physical device. Complete gesture control also sounds great, and would really open up the floor for iOS app developers to innovate.
PC-Tablet also has a few things to say about a bigger iPhone 6 display:
It will be possible that Apple which has increased the size of its smartphone screen to 4 inches earlier would again not go for another hike in the dimensions of its screen to prevent the fragmentation of its iOS platform.
The site also notes that the bigger iPhone 6 might actually be the rumored "cheaper and watered down version of the low cost iPhone which [Apple] intends to release later in the year." A cheaper iPhone release date is expected soon in an effort to compete against Samsung in China and other foreign markets where the South Korean company currently dominates.
This isn't the first iPhone 6 release date and specs rumors of 2013 either. Earlier this month we heard about a report from Topeka Capital Markets?analyst Brian White via BetaBeat. White claims the next Apple smartphone will actually be called the 5S (following the trend set with the disappointing 4S).
White also predicts the iPhone 6 release date will be in the summer of 2013 (possibly at this year's WWDC). He also thinks the new device will come in in way more colors than the white and black options we got with the iPhone 5. If the new smartphone is anything like the latest iPod Touch it will be sold in a number of flashy bright colors.
He also thinks the iPhone 6 release date will offer Apple's consumers several different size options, offering buyers different designs at different price points. That doesn't mean the new device will be getting any smaller though. White predicts Apple will unveil a massive smartphone (like the one Misek describes), in order to compete with Samsung's line of popular phablets.
Check back soon, since we'll continue to report on Apple rumors as they break, ranging from the absurdly awesome (dual projectors) to the likely (iOS 7).
Would you buy an iPhone 6 is it had a huge screen? What if it came in pink and green designs? Share your thoughts in the comments.
For tips, complaints and observations on all things digital, email us at tips [at] idigitaltimes.com
? 2012 iDigitalTimes All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Below are some of the notable comments made Sunday on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." Guests included Armed Services Committee member Sen.Jack Reed, D-R.I.; Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee; Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass; ABC News Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz; Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, honorary chairs of No Labels; Nobel Prize-winning economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman; Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan; Bloomberg View columnist Al Hunt; "PBS NewsHour" co-anchor and senior correspondent Judy Woodruff; and David Walker, former U.S. comptroller general and founder and CEO of the Comeback America Initiative.
FOREIGN POLICY PANEL
1. Corker says he'd wait on making a decision about Afghanistan troop withdrawal CORKER: I would wait, and I don't know of any reason why we would make that decision today. It seems that we'd want to see what the state of Afghanistan is. We'd want to see what's happening in the electoral process.
2. Haass doubts Afghanistan will be 'self-sustaining' once U.S. troops leave HAASS: The idea that we're going to be able to leave behind a self-sustaining, capable Afghanistan able to - or a government that's able to keep control of its territory, we are not going to be able to do it.
3. Haass calls Hagel anti-Semitism accusations 'preposterous' HAASS: Where I think people are going over the line is with ad hominem attacks - questioning for example whether he's an anti-Semite. I've known Chuck Hagel for more 20 years. For what it's worth, I think that's preposterous.
4. Corker wants to look deeper into the 'one-liners' that have been said about Hagel CORKER: One of the reasons I want to spend time with Chuck Hagel is I think?there's been a lot of one-liners, if you will, that have been looked at, and I want to dig in and find out whether that really is Chuck Hagel's view of the world, or whether we're taking these things out of context. But certainly I have concerns as we move forward.
5. Reed defends Hagel, citing his 'ability to speak truth to power' REED: I also understand that Chuck has the wherewithal and the ability to speak truth to power. He's demonstrated that throughout his entire career.
POWERHOUSE ROUNDTABLE
6. Walker says GOP needs to 'wake up and get real' on debt ceiling debate WALKER: Look, the Republicans need to wake up and get real. We're the only country on earth that has a debt ceiling limit. Ultimately as part of a grand bargain we ought to get rid of it?.But in the interim, if the Republicans want to use leverage, they ought to use it on the sequester and the continuing resolution.
7.Krugman likens debt ceiling to 'hostage taking' KRUGMAN: We should not allow this to become thought of as a legitimate or normal budget strategy. This is hostage taking. This is saying walk into a room saying I've got a bomb give me what I want or I'll blow up this room?You can negotiate on the sequester, you can negotiate on taxes, but not on someone who is threatening to blow up the world economy if he doesn't get his way.
8. Noonan tells Republican party to take 'daring and surprising' positions NOONAN: The Republicans are in a bad position right now?this is a wonderful time to be daring and surprising. Go to the populist right on economic issues, on things issues like breaking up the banks and the carried interest loopholes. Go for immigration, don't wait for the president.
9. Woodruff suggests Obama 'take a line from Mitt Romney' to increase cabinet diversity WOODRUFF: Maybe they ought to take a line from Mitt Romney, binders full of women. They need to get moving.
10. Krugman says White House lacks 'serious representation' of progressive economists KRUGMAN: I think it's frightening that at no point in this administration have there been any serious representation of what you might call the progressive economist wing which is a pretty big part of Obama's support.
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Get more pure politics at ABC News.com/Politics and a different take on the news at OTUSNews.com.
Byrd, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this spring, finished the season with 76 tackles, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, five interceptions and six passes defensed. (Buffalo News)
Contact: Philip Leistner philip.leistner@ibp.fraunhofer.de 49-711-970-3346 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Too much noise causes illness. This is as an undisputed fact nowadays, and yet we're still constantly assailed by noise as we go about our daily lives, be it from traffic or voices in large open-plan offices. Noise pollution can be reduced with the help of structural solutions; we've all seen noise barriers along busy roads and train lines, and there are special acoustic structural components, so-called sound absorbers, which are used inside buildings to keep noise levels down. But there's a problem. The construction components used up until now may well be effective at reducing noise, but they are not often very functional. Architects who incorporate soundproofing measures into their designs often complain about the inflexibility of modern materials. Limiting factors that affect the choice of material include weight, fire resistance or the hygienic requirements involved when designing large-scale kitchens or laboratories. After all there's also an aesthetic aspect; hardly anyone would say that a solid concrete wall along a road was attractive.
Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP are working on new solutions. "One of the main things we are focusing on developing is microperforated construction components. This technology is suitable for all types of material and enables the production of multifunctional, visually appealing sound absorbers that can be used for a flexible range of applications," explains Prof. Dr. Philip Leistner, acting institute director and head of the acoustics department at the IBP. Microperforated absorbers consist of membranes or sheets that have been perforated with a multitude of tiny holes or slits. When sound waves strike the surface as oscillating air molecules, friction is generated between the air in motion and the edge of the miniscule openings. It is this loss of energy that results in the sound being absorbed. The only prerequisite is that there is an air chamber located behind the openings, to allow the molecules to continue oscillating once they have passed through, as otherwise the sound would simply be reflected. Depending on the material, the holes are drilled, punched or pricked. "Above all, it's a question of cost efficiency," explains Prof. Leistner. "When it comes to ensuring the manufacturing process is cost-effective, it's important to realize that not all methods are equally well suited for every material." For it goes without saying that despite all the advantages they offer, sound absorbers must also remain affordable. Stuttgart staff and their industrial partners have already worked together to develop a whole generation of market-ready microperforated acoustic construction components. The technology means that, for the first time, it is possible to make sound absorbers that are both transparent and translucent. When mounted onto building faades or as noise barriers at the roadside, these materials have the desired effect without detracting from the landscape, and they can also be superbly integrated into the interior architecture of buildings.
Elastic surfaces for hygiene-sensitive areas
New additions to the sound absorber family are expected thanks to the latest developments at the IBP. Scientists there are working on elastic surfaces that are made of tubes arranged side by side, with microscopically small spaces in between. "It's a bit like having a brush with bristles that are enhanced by little extra attachments at the ends only much denser," explains Prof. Leistner. Such a pliable surface means even micro-holes can be cleaned easily, making it a material that is particularly suitable for use in hygiene-sensitive areas. Extrusion technology has proved especially cost-effective for large-scale applications. This method produces a two-dimensional surface profile with micro-slits, air chambers and base plate by pressing materials such as plastic or aluminum through a shaped nozzle. In the same way as with window and faade profiles, this creates finished, one-piece absorber components that come off the production line as a continuous length of material, eradicating the need for complicated mounting procedures which proved often more expensive than the material itself. Fraunhofer scientists will be presenting prototypes of these new developments alongside tried and tested solutions at the BAU 2013 construction trade fair from January 14-19 in Munich (Hall C2, Booth 131/135).
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Contact: Philip Leistner philip.leistner@ibp.fraunhofer.de 49-711-970-3346 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
Too much noise causes illness. This is as an undisputed fact nowadays, and yet we're still constantly assailed by noise as we go about our daily lives, be it from traffic or voices in large open-plan offices. Noise pollution can be reduced with the help of structural solutions; we've all seen noise barriers along busy roads and train lines, and there are special acoustic structural components, so-called sound absorbers, which are used inside buildings to keep noise levels down. But there's a problem. The construction components used up until now may well be effective at reducing noise, but they are not often very functional. Architects who incorporate soundproofing measures into their designs often complain about the inflexibility of modern materials. Limiting factors that affect the choice of material include weight, fire resistance or the hygienic requirements involved when designing large-scale kitchens or laboratories. After all there's also an aesthetic aspect; hardly anyone would say that a solid concrete wall along a road was attractive.
Scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP are working on new solutions. "One of the main things we are focusing on developing is microperforated construction components. This technology is suitable for all types of material and enables the production of multifunctional, visually appealing sound absorbers that can be used for a flexible range of applications," explains Prof. Dr. Philip Leistner, acting institute director and head of the acoustics department at the IBP. Microperforated absorbers consist of membranes or sheets that have been perforated with a multitude of tiny holes or slits. When sound waves strike the surface as oscillating air molecules, friction is generated between the air in motion and the edge of the miniscule openings. It is this loss of energy that results in the sound being absorbed. The only prerequisite is that there is an air chamber located behind the openings, to allow the molecules to continue oscillating once they have passed through, as otherwise the sound would simply be reflected. Depending on the material, the holes are drilled, punched or pricked. "Above all, it's a question of cost efficiency," explains Prof. Leistner. "When it comes to ensuring the manufacturing process is cost-effective, it's important to realize that not all methods are equally well suited for every material." For it goes without saying that despite all the advantages they offer, sound absorbers must also remain affordable. Stuttgart staff and their industrial partners have already worked together to develop a whole generation of market-ready microperforated acoustic construction components. The technology means that, for the first time, it is possible to make sound absorbers that are both transparent and translucent. When mounted onto building faades or as noise barriers at the roadside, these materials have the desired effect without detracting from the landscape, and they can also be superbly integrated into the interior architecture of buildings.
Elastic surfaces for hygiene-sensitive areas
New additions to the sound absorber family are expected thanks to the latest developments at the IBP. Scientists there are working on elastic surfaces that are made of tubes arranged side by side, with microscopically small spaces in between. "It's a bit like having a brush with bristles that are enhanced by little extra attachments at the ends only much denser," explains Prof. Leistner. Such a pliable surface means even micro-holes can be cleaned easily, making it a material that is particularly suitable for use in hygiene-sensitive areas. Extrusion technology has proved especially cost-effective for large-scale applications. This method produces a two-dimensional surface profile with micro-slits, air chambers and base plate by pressing materials such as plastic or aluminum through a shaped nozzle. In the same way as with window and faade profiles, this creates finished, one-piece absorber components that come off the production line as a continuous length of material, eradicating the need for complicated mounting procedures which proved often more expensive than the material itself. Fraunhofer scientists will be presenting prototypes of these new developments alongside tried and tested solutions at the BAU 2013 construction trade fair from January 14-19 in Munich (Hall C2, Booth 131/135).
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
By Gail Cunningham
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Public release date: 14-Jan-2013
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