Giddy Astronomers: A Collection of Awesome Science

Continuing the theme of my Virgin Galactic post from yesterday, I thought I would mention some of the achievements in astronomy about which scientists are so excited. The weather is cool, beautiful, and moist here so I think it's time to bake some bread soon...bread recipes forthcoming.

Water on the Moon

The first is about usable water on the moon. So remember when Lcross slammed into the moon last year, lacking the visible plume which was supposed to be so exciting? Well, although it was a disappointment for the public, scientists discovered a number of different elements-- including water-- were thrown up by the invisible plume, confirming suspicions of ice in the crater. According to a New York Times article, the water on the moon is usable for both drinking water and fuel-- if scientists separate the hydrogen and oxygen. However, the crater is also a "cold trap," and has an average temperature of -370 degrees Fahrenheit, so I would be concerned with the feasibility of accessing such water. However, I am not an astronomer, so maybe they will find a way.

Oldest Galaxy

The second science article that I found talks about the oldest galaxy yet. The galaxy is from 13.1 billion years ago. Looking at it, astronomers are essentially able to look back in time becaus ethe light takes so long to get to earth at the incredible difference. Check out the New York Times article.