NASA Discovers New Solar System with 6 Planets

 

 NASA's Kepler space telescope spots odd new solar system with five planets orbiting close to a distant star. Jane Ross reports.
This is the largest group of transiting planets orbiting a single star yet discovered outside our solar system," NASA said.

With temperatures hotter than Venus -- likely more than 400 to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit, the six planets range in size from twice to four and a half times Earth’s diameter, astronomers said.

The five confirmed planets are larger in mass but less dense than Earth, and closely packed, taking from 10 to 47 days to orbit the star. Astonomers said there is almost certainly a sixth planet orbiting nearly twice as far away, but its distance from the star makes its confirmation more difficult.

Must Read
Solar System ComparisonKepler Space Telescope Picks Up Six-Planet System
The Daily Rupert Murdoch's anti-web stand: The Daily

According to NASA, all of the planets orbiting Kepler-11 are larger than Earth, with the largest ones being comparable in size to Uranus and Neptune. The innermost planet, Kepler-11b, is ten times closer to its star than Earth is to the sun. Moving outward, the other planets are Kepler-11c, Kepler-11d, Kepler-11e, Kepler-11f, and the outermost planet, Kepler-11g, which is half as far from its star as Earth is from the sun.

The planets Kepler-11d, Kepler-11e and Kepler-11f have a significant amount of light gas, which indicates that they formed within a few million years of the system's formation, NASA said.

These six planets, which are mixtures of rock and gases possibly including water, were found by tracking the dimming of a star’s light when planets pass between the star and the telescope, astronomers said.

The astronomers said the next step will be to determine mass and orbits of the planets more precisely, providing clues to how the planets formed.

"Much of the scientific community thought that multiple planets transiting the same star would be unlikely," said Eric Ford of NASA team and University of Florida associate professor. "That idea has been completely overturned by this new discovery. Without the transit-timing method, these planets might have gone unconfirmed for years."

The discoveries are part of several hundred new planet candidates identified in new Kepler mission science data, released on Tuesday. The findings increase the number of planet candidates identified by Kepler to-date to 1,235.

»»  Read More
Read more!

LONDON - COMPANIES for the first time report they are losing more through electronic theft of data than physical stealing of assets, risk consultancy Kroll said on Monday in an annual report on international fraud trends.
Fraud was most often an 'inside job' carried out by a company's own employees, the poll of more than 800 senior executives worldwide showed. Worries over fraud were deterring many companies from expanding in some key emerging markets.
China appeared the key emerging market with the highest level of fraud, with 98 per cent of businesses affected. This was followed by Colombia with 94 per cent and Brazil with 90 per cent.
The 2010 study showed the amount lost by businesses to fraud rose to US$1.7 million (S$2.2 million) per billion dollars sales worldwide from US$1.4 million a year earlier, the report said - although this might in part be due to better detection and awareness.
'How much fraud there is depends more on opportunity than anything else,' Tommy Helsby, Kroll chairman for Europe, Middle East and Africa, told Reuters. 'Much more work is done electronically, and that creates new opportunities for fraud. It takes time for companies to catch up with that.' Previous Global Fraud Reports showed physical theft of cash, assets and inventory as the most widespread form of fraud by a considerable margin. This year's findings showed electronic and information theft at 27.3 per cent of total fraud losses, marginally above physical theft at 27.2 per cent.
Information-based industries particularly financial services had by far the highest level of electronic theft followed by professional services and then technology, media and telecoms. -- REUTERS

»»  Read More
Read more!

The road to Mars leads right past the moon. So why isn't a return trip on the agenda?

That's what Buzz Aldrin wants to know.

President Obama recently green-lighted a brand new mission and a new budget for NASA, including a grand long-term goal: a manned mission to Mars. But Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, says the moon is much more essential to American space efforts.

In its haste to make new policy, Aldrin and other experts say, NASA is overlooking a critical component of space travel: a permanent, manned base on the moon that would make reaching Mars a much easier task.

But Aldrin disagrees. Citing key holes in NASA's new plan, he and other space gurus think a minor mid-course correction in strategy
could lead to a "mission accomplished" sign when it comes to revamping NASA. For example, the new budget was "not clear" on how the rollout for a mission to Mars would happen.
Aldrin believes NASA should move in stages toward a manned mission to Mars, by building outer space fuel stations and developing the moon. He said NASA has already spent hundreds of millions researching the projects, and their investment should be utilized -- as recommended by Norm Augustine, former chairman of the Pentagon’s Defense Science Board and chairman of the Review of the U.S. Space Flight Plans Committee.

What's more, Aldrin said, the American government should not simply shrug off the considerable experience we have with lunar travel. "The U.S. has the most experience in the world, of any nation, in dealing with the moon,". "It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that flexibility is needed here."

Some experts support the new path, including Jeffrey Manber, who oversaw commercial space policy for the Reagan administration and is now managing director of space research technology developer NanoRacks. He says the moon is an old goal -- and Mars is the future.

"America has been to the moon six times. A seventh voyage would neither inspire the next generation nor require massive investments in new technology," Manber told. "If we remove our partisan blinders, it's clear that it is time for NASA and our space program to behave like other, commercial programs: from the bottom-up, unleashing the creativity of the private sector."

But others remain critical of the effort. Ray Nackoney, a professor of astrophysics at Loyola University in Chicago, said he simply cannot support the idea of a manned mission to Mars.

"To get to Mars with current technology, the trip will not take three days, as when going to the moon, but over eight months," Nackoney. "And eight months to get back. The astronauts will spend more than a year on Mars to get the correct alignment of the planets to make the most efficient trip back. Will we really do this? I doubt it will occur in my lifetime."

Aldrin, who is launching a new think tank called U.S.S. Enterprise -- which stands for unified, strategic, space enterprise -- said NASA should take advantage of the natural cycle of the planets for the most efficient travel across the solar system. "A unified space exploration policy is what is needed for the U.S.," he said.

But David Weaver, a spokesman for NASA, said that there is wide support in private industry and in the government for Obama's strategy.

"There are statements supporting the president’s new vision for NASA from Norm Augustine, Charles Bolden and John Holdren," Weaver said in an interview. He said that the new legislation supports the President’s ambitious plan for NASA to pioneer new frontiers of innovation and discovery. Why Mars, and not the moon? "That should help answer your question," he said.

Aldrin doesn’t blame Obama for where NASA and the U.S. are today in terms of space policy. The famed astronaut and engineer notes there have been a "series of miscues," going all the way back to the Nixon administration, that have interfered with NASA moving forward with an innovative agenda.

"For decades, we’ve been misdefining our transitional space programs," Aldrin said. "A vision like in the early days of the space race showing the logical progression from Mercury to Gemini to Apollo is what is needed today to show why we need to go to Mars -- and how we will get there."

»»  Read More
Read more!

Nikon Launches D7000 costs at $1200

 Nikon recently launched Latest Camera D7000 with full supportive for all photographers

Nikon D7000 Price Details 

Nikon Image Gallery Download

 

Nikon Image Gallery

Nikon D7000 Review and Specification

Type
Type	Single-lens reflex digital camera
Lens mount	Nikon F mount (with AF coupling and AF contacts)
Effective angle of view	Approx. 1.5 x lens focal length (Nikon DX format)
Effective pixels
Effective pixels	16.2 million
Image sensor
Image sensor	23.6 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor
Total pixels	16.9 million
Dust-reduction system	Image sensor cleaning, Image Dust Off reference data (optional Capture NX 2 software required)
Storage
Image size (pixels)	4,928 x 3,264 [L] 3,696 x 2,448 [M] 2,464 x 1,632 [S]
File format	NEF (RAW): 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed or compressed JPEG: JPEG-Baseline compliant with fine (approx. 1:4), normal (approx. 1:8) or basic (approx. 1:16) compression (Size priority); Optimal quality compression available NEF (RAW) + JPEG: Single photograph recorded in both NEF (RAW) and JPEG formats
Picture Control System	Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Monochrome, Portrait, Landscape; selected Picture Control can be modified; storage for custom Picture Controls
Media	SD (Secure Digital), SDHC and SDXC memory cards
Double slots	Slot 2 can be used for overflow or backup storage or for separate storage of copies created using NEF + JPEG; pictures can be copied between cards
File system	DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) 2.0, DPOF (Digital Print Order Format), Exif 2.3 (Exchangeable Image File Format for Digital Still Cameras), PictBridge
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Eye-level pentaprism single-lens reflex viewfinder
Frame coverage	Approx. 100% horizontal and 100% vertical
Magnification	Approx. 0.94 x (50 mm f/1.4 lens at infinity, -1.0 m-1)
Eyepoint	19.5 mm (-1.0 m-1)
Diopter adjustment	-3 to +1 m-1
Focusing screen	Type B BriteView Clear Matte screen Mark II with AF area brackets (framing grid can be displayed)
Reflex mirror	Quick return
Depth-of-field preview	Pressing depth-of-field preview button stops lens aperture down to value selected by user (A and M modes) or by camera (other modes)
Lens aperture	Instant return, electronically controlled
Lens
Compatible lenses	DX AF NIKKOR: All functions supported Type G or D AF NIKKOR: All functions supported (PC Micro-NIKKOR does not support some functions); IX-NIKKOR lenses not supported Other AF NIKKOR: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II; lenses for F3AF not supported AI-P NIKKOR: All functions supported except 3D color matrix metering II Non-CPU: Can be used in modes A and M; color matrix metering and aperture value display supported if user provides lens data (AI lenses only)  Note: Electronic rangefinder can be used if maximum aperture is f/5.6 or faster
Shutter
Type	Electronically-controlled vertical-travel focal-plane shutter
Speed	1/8,000 to 30 s in steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV, bulb, time (requires optional Remote Control ML-L3), X250
Flash sync speed	X = 1/250 s; synchronizes with shutter at 1/320 s or slower (flash range drops at speeds between 1/250 and 1/320 s)
Release
Release modes	S (single frame), CL (continuous low speed), CH (continuous high speed), Q (quiet shutter-release), (self-timer), (remote control), MUP (mirror up)
Frame advance rate	Approx. 1 to 5 fps (CL) or approx. 6 fps (CH) (CIPA guidelines)
Self-timer	2 s, 5 s, 10 s, 20 s; 1 to 9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 s
Remote release modes	Delayed remote, quick-response remote, remote mirror-up
Exposure
Metering	TTL exposure metering using 2,016-pixel RGB sensor
Metering method	Matrix: 3D color matrix metering II (type G and D lenses); color matrix metering II (other CPU lenses); color matrix metering available with non-CPU lenses if user provides lens data Center-weighted: Weight of 75% given to 8-mm circle in center of frame; diameter of circle can be changed to 6, 10 or 13 mm, or weighting can be based on average of entire frame (fixed at 8 mm when non-CPU lens is used) Spot: Meters 3.5-mm circle (about 2.5 % of frame) centered on selected focus point (on center focus point when non-CPU lens is used)
Range (ISO 100, f/1.4 lens, 20°C/68°F)	Matrix or center-weighted metering: 0 to 20 EV Spot metering: 2 to 20 EV
Exposure meter coupling	Combined CPU and AI
Exposure modes	Auto (auto; auto [flash off]), scene (portrait, landscape, child, sports, close up, night portrait, night landscape, party/indoor, beach/snow, sunset, dusk/dawn, pet portrait, candlelight, blossom, autumn colors, food, silhouette, high key, low key), programmed auto with flexible program (P), shutter-priority auto (S), aperture-priority auto (A), manual (M), U1 (user settings 1), U2 (user settings 2)
Exposure compensation	-5 to +5 EV in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV
Exposure bracketing	2 to 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV
Exposure lock	Luminosity locked at detected value with AE-L/AF-L button
ISO sensitivity (Recommended Exposure Index)	ISO 100 to 6400 in steps of 1/3 or 1/2 EV; can also be set to approx. 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 1 or 2 EV (ISO 25600 equivalent) above ISO 6400; auto ISO sensitivity control available
Active D-Lighting	Can be selected from auto, extra high, high, normal, low or off
ADL bracketing	2 frames using selected value for one frame or 3 frames using preset values for all frames
Focus
Autofocus	Nikon Multi-CAM 4800DX autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection, finetuning, 39 focus points (including 9 cross-type sensors), and AF-assist illuminator (range approx. 0.5 to 3 m/1 ft. 8 in. to 9 ft. 10 in.)
Detection range	-1 to +19 EV (ISO 100, 20°C/68°F)
Lens servo	Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); continuous-servo AF (AF-C); auto AF-S/AF-C selection (AF-A); predictive focus tracking activated automatically according to subject status Manual focus (M): Electronic rangefinder can be used
Focus point	Can be selected from 39 or 11 focus points
AF-area mode	Single-point AF; 9-, 21- or 39-point dynamic-area AF, 3D-tracking, auto-area AF
Focus lock	Focus can be locked by pressing shutter-release button halfway (Single-servo AF) or by pressing AE-L/AF-L button
Flash
Built-in flash	,,,,,,: Auto flash with auto pop-up P, S, A, M,: Manual pop-up with button release
Guide number	Approx. 12/39 , 12/39 with manual flash (m/ft, ISO 100, 20°C/68°F)
Flash control	TTL: i-TTL balanced fill-flash and standard i-TTL flash for digital SLR using 2,016-pixel RGB sensor are available with built-in flash and SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600 or SB-400 (i-TTL balanced fill-flash is available when matrix or center-weighted metering is selected) Auto aperture: Available with SB-900/SB-800 and CPU lens Non-TTL auto: Supported flash units include SB-900, SB-800, SB-28, SB-27 and SB-22S Distance-priority manual: Available with SB-900, SB-800 and SB-700
Flash modes	,,,,,: Auto, auto with red-eye reduction, off; fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional flash units : Auto slow sync, auto slow sync with red-eye reduction, off; slow sync and slow sync with red-eye reduction available with optional flash units ,,,,,,,,,,,: Fill-flash and red-eye reduction available with optional flash units : Fill-flash P, A: Fill-flash, slow sync, red-eye reduction, slow sync with red-eye reduction, rear-curtain with slow sync S, M: Fill-flash, red-eye reduction, rear-curtain sync
Flash compensation	-3 to +1 EV in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 EV
Flash bracketing	2 to 3 frames in steps of 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 or 1 EV
Flash-ready indicator	Lights when built-in flash or optional flash unit such as SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600, SB-400, SB-80DX, SB-28DX or SB-50DX is fully charged; blinks for 3 s after flash is fired at full output
Accessory shoe	ISO 518 hot-shoe with sync and data contacts, and safety lock
Nikon Creative Lighting System (CLS)	Advanced Wireless Lighting supported with built-in flash, SB-900, SB-800, SB-700 or SU-800 as commander and SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, SB-600 or SB-R200 as remotes; Auto FP high-speed sync and modeling illumination supported with all CLS-compatible flash units except SB-400; Flash Color Information Communication and FV lock supported with all CLS-compatible flash units
Sync terminal	Sync Terminal Adapter AS-15 (available separately)
White balance
White balance	Auto (2 types), incandescent, fluorescent (7 types), direct sunlight, flash, cloudy, shade, preset manual (up to 5 values can be stored), choose color temperature (2,500 K to 10,000 K), all with fine tuning; white balance bracketing: 2 to 3 frames in steps of 1, 2 or 3
Live View
Lens servo	Autofocus (AF): Single-servo AF (AF-S); full-time-servo AF (AF-F) Manual focus (M)
AF-area modes	Face-priority AF, wide-area AF, normal-area AF, subject-tracking AF
Autofocus	Contrast-detect AF anywhere in frame (camera selects focus point automatically when face-priority AF or subject-tracking AF is selected)
Movie
Metering	TTL exposure metering using main image sensor
Metering method	Matrix
Frame size (pixels) and frame rate	[NTSC] · 1,920 × 1,080 (24p); 24 (23.976) fps · 1,280 × 720 (30p); 30 (29.97) fps · 1,280 × 720 (24p); 24 (23.976) fps · 640 × 424 (30p); 30 (29.97) fps [PAL] · 1,920 × 1,080 (24p); 24 (23.976) fps · 1,280 × 720 (25p); 25 fps · 1,280 × 720 (24p); 24 (23.976) fps · 640 × 424 (25p); 25 fps Choice of normal and high quality available
Maximum length	Approx. 20 minutes
File format	MOV
Video compression	H.264/MPEG-4 Advanced Video Coding
Audio recording format	Linear PCM
Audio recording device	Built-in monaural or external stereo microphone; sensitivity adjustable
Monitor
LCD monitor	7.5-cm (3-in.), approx. 921k-dot (VGA), low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD with 170° viewing angle, approx. 100% frame coverage, and brightness adjustment
Playback
Playback function	Full-frame and thumbnail (4, 9 or 72 images or calendar) playback with playback zoom, movie playback, slide show, highlights, histogram display, auto image rotation and image comment (up to 36 characters)
Interface
USB	Hi-Speed USB
Video output	NTSC, PAL; images can be displayed on external device while camera monitor is on
HDMI output	Type C mini-pin HDMI connector; camera monitor turns off when HDMI cable is connected
Accessory terminal	Remote cord: MC-DC2 (available separately) GPS Unit: GP-1 (available separately)
Supported languages
Supported languages	Arabic, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish
Power source
Battery	One Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15
Battery pack	Optional Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D11 with one Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15 or six R6/AA size alkaline, NiMH or lithium batteries
AC adapter	AC Adapter EH-5a; requires Power Connector EP-5B (available separately)
Tripod socket
Tripod socket	1/4 in. (ISO 1222)
Dimensions / weight
Dimensions (W x H x D)	Approx. 132 × 105 × 77 mm (5.2 × 4.1 × 3.0 in.)
Weight	Approx. 690 g (1 lb. 8.3 oz.) camera body only; approx. 780 g (1 lb. 11.5 oz.) with battery and memory card but without body cap
Operating environment
Temperature	0 to 40°C (32 to 104°F)
Humidity	Less than 85% (no condensation)
Accessories
Supplied accessories (may differ by country or area)	Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL15, Battery Charger MH-25, Eyepiece Cap DK-5, Rubber Eyecap DK-21, USB Cable UC-E4, Audio Video Cable EG-D2, Camera Strap AN-DC1, LCD Monitor Cover BM-11, Body Cap BF-1B, Accessory Shoe Cover BS-1, ViewNX 2 ROM

• *Microsoft and Windows, Windows 7 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
• *Macintosh and QuickTime are registered trademarks or trademarks of Apple Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
• *The SD logo is a trademark of the SD Card Association.
• *The SDHC logo is a trademark.
• *PictBridge is a trademark.
• *HDMI, the HDMI logo and High-Definition Multimedia Interface are trademarks or registered trademarks of HDMI Licensing, LLC.
• *Google Maps™ is a trademark of Google Inc.
• *Products and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
• *Images in viewfinders, on LCDs and monitors shown in this website are simulated.

• Global site
• Imaging Products
• Support
• Brand & Technology
• Events & Culture

Back to top

»»  Read More
Read more!