Earth as a Marble – the First Timelapse of the Solar System to Scale

When we see depictions of the solar system, we often see an inaccurate representation of its size and scale.  Some of the planets are often enlarged, other planets are minimized to a degree, while the orbital paths are shrunken down to be closer to the sun.  This is done because, when viewing the entire solar system, you want to see everything that is there.  Not only is there an enormous amount of space between the planets–especially between the rocky inner planets and the outer gas giants–but the scale between the inner and outter planets are at opposite ends of the spectrum.  After all, you can fit over a thousand Earths inside Jupiter.
Giving an accurate depiction of the solar system’s scale is a very difficult task.  It is a task that was recently tackled by filmmakers Alex Gorosh and Wylie Overstreet, using the “Earth as a marble” concept.

Let’s Take a 3D Tour of the Beautiful Veil Nebula

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled the stunning details of the Veil Nebula, the expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago.

Total Lunar Eclipse on September 27-28

In just a few days we will be able to see a total lunar eclipse before bedding down for the night. On the night of Sept. 27-28, when the moon is full in the sky, most of North America and all of South America will be able to witness this event.

The Global Ocean of Enceladus

According to new research using data from NASA’s Cassini mission, a global ocean lies beneath the icy crust of Satrun’s geologically active moon, Enceladus.

Mars Mission Experiment: Scientists Isolate Themselves in a Dome for a Year

On a northern slope of Hawaii’s Mauna Loa volcano, six scientists have isolated themselves from the rest of the world for a year.  They are attempting the longest Hawaii Space Exploration and Analogue Simulation (HI-SEAS) mission ever, spending 365 days cut off from Earth as if they were on Mars.  The idea is to test the psychological effects that come with the extended periods of isolation astronauts would have to endure in a Mars mission.