The Sombrero Galaxy in Infrared

Astronomy news update from NASA :
This floating ring is the size of a galaxy. In fact, it is a galaxy -- or at least part of one: the photogenic Sombrero Galaxy, one of the largest galaxies in the nearby Virgo Cluster of Galaxies. The dark band of dust that obscures the mid-section of the Sombrero Galaxy in optical light actually glows brightly in infrared light. The featured image, digitally sharpened, shows the infrared glow, recently recorded by the orbiting Spitzer Space Telescope, superposed in false-color on an existing image taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope in optical light. The Sombrero Galaxy, also known as M104, spans about 50,000 light years across and lies 28 million light years away. M104 can be seen with a small telescope in the direction of the constellation Virgo.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2SpV5Zm
via IFTTT

I Was A Cable Guy. I Saw The Worst Of America

I Was A Cable Guy. I Saw The Worst Of America via Digg http://bit.ly/2SuoLV5

New Year's resolution: Word of the day for January 1, 2019

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : New Year's resolution , n :
A vow that one makes on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day for the coming year. Happy New Year from all of us at the Wiktionary!

In Screening for Suicide Risk, Facebook Takes On Tricky Public Health Role

By NATASHA SINGER from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2RpvZfM
via IFTTT

Firm Led by Google Veterans Uses A.I. to ‘Nudge’ Workers Toward Happiness

By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2SsV0nG
via IFTTT

5G Is Coming Next Year. Here’s What You Need to Know.

By DON CLARK from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2Qfknr1
via IFTTT

Robert De Niro Is Always Doing Something

Robert De Niro Is Always Doing Something via Digg http://bit.ly/2Ar1Wut

The Witch Head Nebula

Astronomy news update from NASA :
Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble .... maybe Macbeth should have consulted the Witch Head Nebula. A frighteningly shaped reflection nebula, this cosmic crone is about 800 light-years away though. Its malevolent visage seems to glare toward nearby bright star Rigel in Orion, just off the right edge of this frame. More formally known as IC 2118, the interstellar cloud of dust and gas is nearly 70 light-years across, its dust grains reflecting Rigel's starlight. In this composite portrait, the nebula's color is caused not only by the star's intense bluish light but because the dust grains scatter blue light more efficiently than red. The same physical process causes Earth's daytime sky to appear blue, although the scatterers in planet Earth's atmosphere are molecules of nitrogen and oxygen.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2EYholA
via IFTTT

auld lang syne: Word of the day for December 31, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : auld lang syne , n :
(idiomatic) Days gone by; former times. Happy New Year’s Eve from all of us at Wiktionary!

Facebook Data Scandals Stoke Criticism That a Privacy Watchdog Too Rarely Bites

By NICHOLAS CONFESSORE and CECILIA KANG from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2EXooyg
via IFTTT

The Galaxy Tree

Astronomy news update from NASA :
First came the trees. In the town of Salamanca, Spain, the photographer noticed how distinctive a grove of oak trees looked after being pruned. Next came the galaxy. The photographer stayed up until 2 am, waiting until the Milky Way Galaxy rose above the level of a majestic looking oak. From this carefully chosen perspective, dust lanes in the galaxy appear to be natural continuations to branches of the tree. Last came the light. A flashlight was used on the far side of the tree to project a silhouette. By coincidence, other trees also appeared as similar silhouettes across the relatively bright horizon. The featured image was captured as a single 30-second frame earlier this month and processed to digitally enhance the Milky Way.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2LLZcwp
via IFTTT

supine: Word of the day for December 30, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : supine , adj :
Lying on its back; reclined. (figuratively) Reluctant to take action due to indifference or moral weakness; apathetic or passive towards something; lazy, lethargic, listless. (rare, now poetic) Inclining or leaning backward; inclined, sloping.

Trump EPA Says Mercury Limits On Coal Plants Too Costly, Not 'Necessary'

Trump EPA Says Mercury Limits On Coal Plants Too Costly, Not 'Necessary' via Digg https://n.pr/2GNoPhj

New Horizons at Ultima Thule

Astronomy news update from NASA :
When we celebrate the start of 2019, on January 1 the New Horizons spacecraft will flyby Ultima Thule. A world of the Kuiper belt 6.5 billion kilometers from the Sun, the nickname Ultima Thule (catalog designation 2014 MU69) fittingly means "beyond the known world". Following its 2015 flyby of Pluto, New Horizons was targeted for this journey, attempting the most distant flyby for a spacecraft from Earth by approaching Ultima Thule to within about 3500 kilometers. The tiny world itself is about 30 kilometers in size. This year, an observing campaign with Earth-based telescopes determined the shape of the object to be a contact binary or a close binary sytem as in this artist's illustration. New Horizons will image close up its unexplored surface in the dim light of the distant Sun.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2QbItTP
via IFTTT

dashcam: Word of the day for December 29, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : dashcam , n :
(automotive) A digital video recorder mounted on the dashboard of a vehicle or elsewhere inside the vehicle to record occurrences in the vicinity, such as traffic accidents that the vehicle has been involved in, to provide evidence for criminal prosecutions, insurance claims, etc.

Why Dodge Investigated, Then Abandoned, A Mid-Engine Viper

Why Dodge Investigated, Then Abandoned, A Mid-Engine Viper via Digg http://bit.ly/2rXnREO

The Week in Tech: A Peek at the Year Ahead

By NELLIE BOWLES from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2Alb0RL
via IFTTT

NGC 1365: Majestic Island Universe

Astronomy news update from NASA :
Barred spiral galaxy NGC 1365 is truly a majestic island universe some 200,000 light-years across. Located a mere 60 million light-years away toward the chemical constellation Fornax, NGC 1365 is a dominant member of the well-studied Fornax galaxy cluster. This impressively sharp color image shows intense star forming regions at the ends of the bar and along the spiral arms, and details of dust lanes cutting across the galaxy's bright core. At the core lies a supermassive black hole. Astronomers think NGC 1365's prominent bar plays a crucial role in the galaxy's evolution, drawing gas and dust into a star-forming maelstrom and ultimately feeding material into the central black hole.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2SlQAPi
via IFTTT

count coup: Word of the day for December 28, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : count coup , v :
(intransitive, US, historical) To win prestige in battle by performing an act of bravery in the face of the enemy (such as touching him and escaping unharmed), a ritual of the Plains Indians of North America.

A Millionaire Paid Jews To Move To A Small Town In Alabama. Now, A Couple Struggle With Their Choice

A Millionaire Paid Jews To Move To A Small Town In Alabama. Now, A Couple Struggle With Their Choice via Digg https://wapo.st/2ERhOcz

Instagram Tests Horizontal Scrolling, Then Scrolls Back

By SANDRA E. GARCIA and NIRAJ CHOKSHI from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2ReMyLt
via IFTTT

Remember Bitcoin? Some Investors Might Want to Forget

By NELLIE BOWLES from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2CBAQCA
via IFTTT

The Great Carina Nebula

Astronomy news update from NASA :
A jewel of the southern sky, the Great Carina Nebula, also known as NGC 3372, spans over 300 light-years, one of our galaxy's largest star forming regions. Like the smaller, more northerly Great Orion Nebula, the Carina Nebula is easily visible to the unaided eye, though at a distance of 7,500 light-years it is some 5 times farther away. This gorgeous telescopic close-up reveals remarkable details of the region's central glowing filaments of interstellar gas and obscuring cosmic dust clouds. The field of view is over 50 light-years across. The Carina Nebula is home to young, extremely massive stars, including the stars of open cluster Trumpler 14 (above and left of center) and the still enigmatic variable Eta Carinae, a star with well over 100 times the mass of the Sun. Eta Carinae is the brightest star, centered here just below the dusty Keyhole Nebula (NGC 3324). While Eta Carinae itself maybe on the verge of a supernova explosion, X-ray images indicate that the Great Carina Nebula has been a veritable supernova factory.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2EQvGEi
via IFTTT

trice: Word of the day for December 27, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : trice , n :
Now only in the term in a trice: a very short time; an instant, a moment. [...]

I Used to Write for Sports Illustrated. Now I Deliver Packages for Amazon

I Used to Write for Sports Illustrated. Now I Deliver Packages for Amazon via Digg http://bit.ly/2SsPRM8

India Curbs Power of Amazon and Walmart to Sell Products Online

By VINDU GOEL from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2TdQJEn
via IFTTT

Digital Privacy Is a Big Concern in Europe. For This Reporter, Too.

By MATT APUZZO from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2EKDI18
via IFTTT

The Tech That Was Fixed in 2018 and the Tech That Still Needs Fixing

By BRIAN X. CHEN from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2QNXzUx
via IFTTT

The Trailer For Jordan Peele's New Horror Movie 'Us' Is Here, And It's Messed Up

The Trailer For Jordan Peele's New Horror Movie 'Us' Is Here, And It's Messed Up via Digg http://bit.ly/2SpxpV2

NGC 6357: The Lobster Nebula

Astronomy news update from NASA :
Why is the Lobster Nebula forming some of the most massive stars known? No one is yet sure. Cataloged as NGC 6357, the Lobster Nebula houses the open star cluster Pismis 24 near its center -- a home to unusually bright and massive stars. The overall blue glow near the inner star forming region results from the emission of ionized hydrogen gas. The surrounding nebula, featured here, holds a complex tapestry of gas, dark dust, stars still forming, and newly born stars. The intricate patterns are caused by complex interactions between interstellar winds, radiation pressures, magnetic fields, and gravity. NGC 6357 spans about 400 light years and lies about 8,000 light years away toward the constellation of the Scorpion.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2EJYLRE
via IFTTT

box: Word of the day for December 26, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : box , v :
(transitive) To place inside a box; to pack in one or more boxes. (transitive) Usually followed by in: to surround and enclose in a way that restricts movement; to corner, to hem in. (transitive) To mix two containers of paint of similar colour to ensure that the color is identical. (transitive, agriculture) To make an incision or hole in (a tree) for the purpose of procuring the sap. (transitive, architecture) To enclose with boarding, lathing, etc., so as to conceal (for example, pipes) or to bring to a required form. (transitive, engineering) To furnish (for example, the axle of a wheel) with a box. (transitive, graphic design, printing) To enclose (images, text, etc.) in a box. (transitive, object-oriented programming) To place a value of a primitive type into a corresponding object. Today is celebrated as Boxing Day in many countries.

M100: A Grand Design Spiral Galaxy

Astronomy news update from NASA :
Majestic on a truly cosmic scale, M100 is appropriately known as a grand design spiral galaxy. It is a large galaxy of over 100 billion stars with well-defined spiral arms that is similar to our own Milky Way Galaxy. One of the brightest members of the Virgo Cluster of galaxies, M100 (alias NGC 4321) is 56 million light-years distant toward the constellation of Berenice's Hair (Coma Berenices). This Hubble Space Telescope image of M100 was taken recently with the Wide Field Camera 3 and accentuates bright blue star clusters and intricate winding dust lanes which are hallmarks of this class of galaxies. Studies of variable stars in M100 have played an important role in determining the size and age of the Universe.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2AcD75q
via IFTTT

Why It's Hard To Escape Amazon's Long Reach

Why It's Hard To Escape Amazon's Long Reach via Digg http://bit.ly/2V6V9im

Charlie Brown tree: Word of the day for December 25, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : Charlie Brown tree , n :
A Christmas tree considered unattractive and undesirable by normal standards, often small and sparse. Merry Christmas from all of us at the Wiktionary!

Patreon Bars Anti-Feminist for Racist Speech, Inciting Revolt

By NELLIE BOWLES from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2GQKOEj
via IFTTT

Earthrise 1: Historic Image Remastered

Astronomy news update from NASA :
"Oh my God! Look at that picture over there! Here's the Earth coming up. Wow is that pretty!" Soon after that pronouncement, 50 years ago today, one of the most famous images ever taken was snapped from the orbit of the Moon. Now known as "Earthrise", the iconic image shows the Earth rising above the limb of the Moon, as taken by the crew of Apollo 8. But the well-known Earthrise image was actually the second image taken of the Earth rising above the lunar limb -- it was just the first in color. With modern digital technology, however, the real first Earthrise image -- originally in black and white -- has now been remastered to have the combined resolution and color of the first three images. Behold! The featured image is a close-up of the picture that Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders was talking about. Thanks to modern technology and human ingenuity, now we can all see it. (Historical note: A different historic black & white image of the Earth setting behind the lunar limb was taken by the robotic Lunar Orbiter 1 two years earlier.)

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2BCp2hx
via IFTTT

Tsunami Kills Over 220 In Indonesia And Injures Over 800 More

Tsunami Kills Over 220 In Indonesia And Injures Over 800 More via Digg https://nyti.ms/2PYw6Kk

mistletoe: Word of the day for December 24, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : mistletoe , n :
(countable, uncountable) Any of several hemiparasitic evergreen plants of the order Santalales with white berries that grow in the crowns of apple trees, oaks, and other trees, such as the European mistletoe (Viscum album) and American mistletoe or eastern mistletoe (Phoradendron leucarpum). (uncountable) A sprig of one such plant used as a Christmas decoration, associated with the custom that a man may kiss any woman standing beneath it. Have yourself a merry little Christmas Eve!

Earthrise: A Video Reconstruction

Astronomy news update from NASA :
About 12 seconds into this video, something unusual happens. The Earth begins to rise. Never seen by humans before, the rise of the Earth over the limb of the Moon occurred 50 years ago tomorrow and surprised and amazed the crew of Apollo 8. The crew immediately scrambled to take still images of the stunning vista caused by Apollo 8's orbit around the Moon. The featured video is a modern reconstruction of the event as it would have looked were it recorded with a modern movie camera. The colorful orb of our Earth stood out as a familiar icon rising above a distant and unfamiliar moonscape, the whole scene the conceptual reverse of a more familiar moonrise as seen from Earth. To many, the scene also spoke about the unity of humanity: that big blue marble -- that's us -- we all live there. The two-minute video is not time-lapse -- this is the real speed of the Earth rising through the windows of Apollo 8. Seven months and three missions later, Apollo 11 astronauts would not only circle Earth's moon, but land on it.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2rSGQRc
via IFTTT

parse: Word of the day for December 23, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : parse , v :
(transitive, linguistics) To resolve (a sentence, etc.) into its elements, pointing out the several parts of speech, and their relation to each other by agreement or government; to analyze and describe grammatically. [from mid 16th c.] (transitive, by extension) To examine closely; to scrutinize. (transitive, by extension, computing) To resolve (a string of code or text) into its elements to determine if it conforms to a particular grammar. (transitive, by extension, computing) To split a file or other input into pieces of data that can be easily manipulated or stored. (intransitive, computing, linguistics) Of a string of code or text, sentence, etc.: to conform to rules of grammar, to be syntactically valid.

Why the F.T.C. Is Taking a New Look at Facebook Privacy

By NATASHA SINGER from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2CuM4Zp
via IFTTT

A Cold December Night

Astronomy news update from NASA :
They say Orion always comes up sideways, and he does seem to on this cold December night. The bright stars of the familiar northern winter constellation lie just above the snowy tree tops surrounding a cozy cottage near the town of Ustupky in the Czech Republic. But Gemini's meteors also seem to rain on the wintry landscape. The meteor streaks are captured in exposures made near last Friday's peak of the annual Geminid meteor shower. They stream away from the shower's radiant above the trees, near the two bright stars of the zodiacal constellation of the Twins. Comet Wirtanen, a visitor to planet Earth's skies, is visible too. Look for its telltale greenish coma near the stars of the seven sisters.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2SevPVO
via IFTTT

oneiromancy: Word of the day for December 22, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : oneiromancy , n :
(uncountable, divination) Divination by the interpretation of dreams. (uncountable, in a weak sense) The interpretation of dreams. (countable, divination) An act of such divination or dream-interpretation.

Play 'You Are A Digg Editor': A Fun Game About Working For Digg

Play 'You Are A Digg Editor': A Fun Game About Working For Digg via Digg http://bit.ly/2SdiXz3

JD.com Chief Richard Liu Will Not Be Charged With Sexual Assault

By TIFFANY HSU and RAYMOND ZHONG from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2rS18de
via IFTTT

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 8's Launch Into History

Hello guys, We're here with some new information from NASA :
Fifty years ago on Dec. 21, 1968, Apollo 8 launched from Pad A, Launch Complex 39, Kennedy Space Center at 7:51 a.m. ES).

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2ECT2Nt
via IFTTT

The Week in Tech: Hostages in the U.S. and China Tech Cold War

By RAYMOND ZHONG from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2PUV3q7
via IFTTT

The 2018 Good Tech Awards

By KEVIN ROOSE from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2V3e11Q
via IFTTT

Last-Minute Shoppers Increasingly Trust Only Amazon to Deliver

By KAREN WEISE from NYT Technology https://nyti.ms/2ButJdc
via IFTTT

Extraordinary Solar Halos

Astronomy news update from NASA :
Welcome to the December Solstice, the first day of winter in planet Earth's northern hemisphere and summer in the south. To celebrate, consider this extraordinary display of beautiful solar ice halos! More common than rainbows, simple ice halos can be easy to spot, especially if you can shade your eyes from direct sunlight. Still it's extremely rare to see anything close to the complex of halos present in this astounding scene. Captured at lunchtime on a cold December 14 near Utendal, Sweden the image includes the relatively ordinary 22 degree halo, sundogs (parhelia) and sun pillars. The extensive array of rarer halos has been identified along with previously unknown features. All the patterns are generated as sunlight (or moonlight) is reflected and refracted in flat six-sided water ice crystals in Earth's atmosphere. In this case, likely local contributors to the atmospheric ice crystals are snow making machines operating at at nearby ski center.

from NASA https://go.nasa.gov/2LtZach
via IFTTT

I Went to China to Race a New Car. Then Things Got Weird

I Went to China to Race a New Car. Then Things Got Weird via Digg https://ift.tt/2CqEgI8

chilly: Word of the day for December 21, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : chilly , adj :
Cold enough to cause discomfort. Feeling uncomfortably cold. (figuratively) Distant and cool; unfriendly. In the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice falls on this day in 2018.

Ofo, Pioneer of China’s Bike-Sharing Boom, Is in a Crisis

By RAYMOND ZHONG and CAROLYN ZHANG from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2UZcucV
via IFTTT

Station Crew Back on Earth After 197-Day Space Mission

Hello guys, We're here with some new information from NASA :
Russian Search and Rescue teams arrive at the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft shortly after it landed with Expedition 57 crew members.

from NASA https://ift.tt/2AaGvh9
via IFTTT

NASA Astronaut, Crewmates Return to Earth After 197-Day Mission in Space

Hello, Information from NASA Three members of the International Space Station’s Expedition 57 crew, including NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor, returned to Earth Thursday, safely landing at 12:02 a.m. EST (11:02 a.m. local time) in Kazakhstan.

December 20, 2018
from NASA https://ift.tt/2GArZov

Uber’s Driverless Cars Return to the Road After Fatal Crash

By KATE CONGER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2RescBM
via IFTTT

NASA Astronaut, Crewmates Returns to Earth After 197-Day Mission in Space

Hello, Information from NASA Three members of the International Space Station’s Expedition 57 crew, including NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor, returned to Earth Thursday, safely landing at 12:02 a.m. EST (11:02 a.m. local time) in Kazakhstan.

December 20, 2018
from NASA https://ift.tt/2QHvXR3

Red Nebula, Green Comet, Blue Stars

Astronomy news update from NASA :
This festively colored skyscape was captured in the early morning hours of December 17, following Comet Wirtanen's closest approach to planet Earth. The comet was just visible to the eye. The lovely green color of its fluorescing cometary atmosphere or coma is brought out here only by adding digital exposures registered on the comet's position below the Pleiades star cluster. The exposures also bring out blue starlight reflected by the dust clouds surrounding the young Pleiades stars. Gaze (toward the left) across dusty dark nebulae along the edge of the Perseus molecular cloud and you'll travel to emission nebula NGC 1499, also known as the California nebula. Too faint for the eye, the cosmic cloud's pronounced reddish glow is from electrons recombining with ionized hydrogen atoms. Around December 23rd, Comet Wirtanen should be easy to find with binoculars when it sweeps close to bright star Capella in the northern winter constellation Auriga, the Charioteer.

from NASA https://ift.tt/2GrWz3A
via IFTTT

5 Ways Facebook Shared Your Data

By JENNIFER VALENTINO-DeVRIES from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2rOjXxW
via IFTTT

Facebook Rebuked for Failing to Disclose Data-Sharing Deals

By MICHAEL LaFORGIA, NICHOLAS CONFESSORE and GABRIEL J.X. DANCE from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2Lrl1B0
via IFTTT

Amazon Prime Is Getting Worse, And It's Making Me Question The Nature Of Reality

Amazon Prime Is Getting Worse, And It's Making Me Question The Nature Of Reality via Digg https://ift.tt/2EwlNv2

leister: Word of the day for December 20, 2018

Our new 'Word Of The Day' article update : leister , n :
(fishing) A spear armed with three or more barbed prongs for catching fish, particularly salmon.

What We Can Learn About Online Privacy From Climate Change

By ALAN HENRY from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2EERHGv
via IFTTT

‘The Effects Cannot Be Overstated’: When Tech Invaded Media

By JIM RUTENBERG from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2Cnebtj
via IFTTT

Facebook Sued by District of Columbia Over Cambridge Analytica

By SHEERA FRENKEL from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2A5yVEA
via IFTTT