Saturn’s moon might get a boat seen

A daring proposal to try to put a “boat” down on a sea of Saturn’s moon Titan is about to be submitted to Nasa.

The scientific team behind the idea is targeting Ligeia Mare, a vast body of liquid methane sited in the high north of Saturn’s largest moon.

The concept will be suggested to the US space agency for one of its future mission opportunities that will test a novel power system.

It would be the first exploration of a planetary sea beyond Earth.

The Cassini mission currently in orbit around Saturn has confirmed the haze-shrouded moon Titan to be an extraordinary place.

Great lakes exist on its surface, fed by rivers that wash down valleys whenever it rains.

In many respects, it resembles Earth and the way it cycles water between the surface and the atmosphere, except in the frigid temperatures of Titan it is not water but liquid hydrocarbons that are in constant circulation.

The Titan Mare Explorer has already been under study for about two years. It is envisaged as a relatively low-cost endeavour  in the low $400 million range.

Balarama the hero of Mysore

Balarama carries himself with the greatness of a 52-year-old used to special treatment.

For the last 11 years, this elephant has carried the 750 Kg golden howdah (a seat or platform for one or more persons, commonly with a railing and a canopy, placed on the back of an elephant) in the Mysore Dasara procession. The weight doesn’t bother him. He’s a healthy 5000 Kg himself.

But that’s not the only reason why the 52 year old from the Hunsur forests is chosen for the ceremony and glory. “He has got two beautiful tusks. And a very plain flat back on which the howdah can be safely seated,” said Dr Nagaraja Sharma, Director, Centre for Indian Studies, Mysore.

Balarama has also never been caught throwing a tantrum (a violent demonstration of rage or frustration; a sudden burst of ill temper). So he’s counted upon to take the procession and its crowds in his jumbo march.

His perques include meals fit for a king. Every day, he gets 500 Kg of banyan tree branch fodder; 200 Kg of green grass; 15 Kg of paddy, 500 g of jaggery and a 2 Kg groundnut cake. Tied with abundant love from his mahout (the keeper or driver of an elephant, esp. in India and the East Indies), Thimma, who says if Balarama is happy, he’s happy. “Sometimes, we forget even our wife and children. If he is good, only then will our wife and children get food.”

He may be a senior now, but there’s no question of retirement for Balarama. He’s still the hero of the Mysore Dasera procession.

Water dicovered on Moon by Chandrayaan

It could be one of the biggest finds in the history of space research – water on the moon. And proof of this may have come from India’s own Chandrayaan satellite before it was aborted.

The water found as a thin, invisible film, which has been found on moon rocks.

The credit for this much-awaited discovery could go to NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) on board the Chandrayaan, which has mapped 97 per cent of the lunar surface change.

ISRO is analysing this data and will be able to make an announcement soon.

Southern Australia faces massive dust storm

A massive dust storm swept through parts of southern Australia on Wednesday, bathing them in a reddish haze and prompting health officials to warn asthma patients to take cover.

Health officials in Sydney warned residents to stay in indoors if possible, especially if they had asthma or heart and lung conditions.

“Avoid spending too much time outdoors due to the high particle levels and hazardous air quality,” the New South Wales Department of Heath Web site said.

The Ambulance Service of New South Wales said the dust storm had kept it busy with emergency calls.

“We have already seen an increase in calls to people suffering from asthma and other respiratory problems,” the agency said in a statement.

On Wednesday, the country’s meteorology bureau issued a severe weather warning of “widespread damaging winds” for Sydney and other areas.
The wind had pushed the dust storm out of many areas in Sydney by Wednesday afternoon.