Weekly Space Hangout - May 2, 2014: Gas Clouds & Photobombs | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The Weekly Space Hangout discusses topics such as NASA research spin-offs, Cosmos updates, SpaceX news, and cool space pictures.

Key Insights

• 🧑‍💼 NASA research spin-offs have real-world applications in various industries, improving safety and comfort.
• ✴️ The gas cloud heading towards the supermassive black hole in the Milky Way has likely been confirmed to have a star inside it.
• 👻 The live stream from the International Space Station allows people to view Earth in real-time and is available on various platforms.

Transcript

Read and summarize the transcript of this video on Glasp Reader (beta).

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the latest update on the gas cloud heading towards the supermassive black hole in the Milky Way?

Recent observations suggest that there is likely a star inside the gas cloud as it is not stretching apart as much as a gas cloud would. It has passed its closest approach to the black hole but has not been completely consumed yet.

Q: How does the live stream from the International Space Station work?

The live stream captures the view from external cameras on the space station, allowing viewers to see Earth in real-time. It is available on Ustream and other platforms.

Q: What are some examples of NASA research spin-offs?

Some examples include improved car seat designs based on astronaut seating research, water bottle filters that remove bacteria and particles, and survival equipment for miners based on the space station's air purification system.

Q: How did researchers determine the rotation rate of Beta Pictoris B?

Scientists used the Doppler effect to measure the difference in light wavelengths between two edges of the exoplanet. By knowing the speed of the edges, they could calculate the rotation rate, which was found to be about 8 hours.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Weekly Space Hangout discusses various topics including NASA research spin-offs, updates on Cosmos, the rotation rate of Beta Pictoris, astronauts traveling to space via trampolines, updates on SpaceX, a cool picture of Uranus from Cassini, and a strange object being consumed by the Milky Way supermassive black hole.

• Nancy Ainson provides an update on a gas cloud heading towards the supermassive black hole in the Milky Way and speculates that there might be a star inside the cloud based on recent observations.

• The International Space Station now has a live stream from its external cameras for everyone to view in real-time.

• NASA publishes a list of yearly research spin-offs that show how their discoveries and technologies have influenced various industries, such as car seats, water filtration, and more.