Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection review: U.S.S. Defiant (NX-74205) – Video

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Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection review: U.S.S. Defiant (NX-74205)
This ship may be small, compact, but the U.S.S. Defiant can pack a punch against the Borg. The U.S.S. Defiant is a Defiant-class starship, this ship is stationed at Deep Space Nine to protect...

By: Dustin Krueger

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Star Trek: The Official Starships Collection review: U.S.S. Defiant (NX-74205) - Video

Dramatic video shows lightning strikes from space

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Using the Nightpod camera stand aboard the International Space Station, an astronaut captures a series of dramatic lightning strikes as seen from above our clouds.

This electrical storm looks decidedly sci-fi when seen from the ISS. ESA/NASA

Trying to take a snapshot of the Earth from aboard the International Space Station -- let alone a series of them -- is tricky business because they're both rotating at some pretty impressive camera-blurring speeds.

So how do you capture lightning flashes down on Earth with the clarity seen in a new, seven-second video from the European Space Agency? By using the Nightpod camera stand, that's how.

The Nightpod is a special camera stand mounted in the cupola of the ISS that tracks a specific point on Earth as it zooms around the planet at 28,800 km/h (about 17,895 mph), according to the space agency. By compensating for both the rotation of our planet and the ISS itself, it allows cameras to snap super-sharp pictures free from the blur that would otherwise ruin the shots.

"To calibrate the motors, an astronaut enters the Space Station's altitude, as well as its yaw, pitch and roll," according to the Nightpod website. "These parameters change in orbit but are readily available to astronauts on the Space Station computers. After calibration, all the astronaut has to do is point the camera at the target, release the shutter and Nightpod will automatically compensate for the movement of the Station, keeping the subject steady in the camera's viewfinder during its exposure time."

In the case of the video below, the ESA stitched together 49 Nightpod-aided images of an electrical storm above eastern Romania, according to the Daily Mail. The shots were taken by astronaut Andr Kuipers from the ISS in June 2012, although the video montage was released by the ESA just last week. Kuipers is the Dutch astronaut who brought the Nightpod camera mount to the ISS .

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Dramatic video shows lightning strikes from space

The electric eye of Cyclone Bansi

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IMAGE:Tropical Cyclone Bansi was seen from the International Space Station. view more

Though this image may look like they come from a science fiction movie, it is in fact a photograph of tropical cyclone Bansi as seen at night by astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS). The image was taken when the ISS was east of Madagascar.

Bansi formed in the southwestern Indian Ocean on January 11, 2015. By the time the photo was taken on the following day, Bansi had achieved tropical cyclone strength, with sustained maximum winds over 185 kilometers (115 miles) per hour. The cyclone would reach category 4 strength before becoming a weak extra-tropical system on January 19.

The dim swirl of the cloud bands covers the ocean surface in this night image. The eye of the cyclone is brilliantly lit by lightning in or near the eye wall. The low-light settings of the camera used to take the image accentuate the contrast. The camera also accentuates the yellow-green airglow above the Earth's limb, an atmospheric phenomenon frequently seen by astronauts. Stars appear above the airglow layer, and the solar panels of a docked Russian spacecraft jut into the image (upper left).

Astronaut photographs ISS042-E-135015 and ISS042-E-135030 were acquired on January 12, 2015, with a Nikon D4 digital camera using a 28 millimeter lens, and are provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by the Expedition 42 crew.They have been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by William L. Stefanov, NASA-JSC.

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NASA's Earth Observatory/NASA JSC/ISS - Digital Camera

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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The electric eye of Cyclone Bansi

Ballooning offers platform for performing research in a space-like environment

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New discoveries are being made on an annual basis by researchers flying their instruments on a high-altitude balloon platform. Ease of access to ballooning, relatively low cost and the potential for quick turn-around response times create a large appeal for using this platform to perform novel science and to train new scientists. This appeal is reinforced by the availability of a range of balloon sizes to accommodate various payload types, multiple launch sites (for shorter and longer duration flights), and more sophisticated gondolas.

Since the 1950s, and the invention of the 'natural' shaped polyethylene balloon, there has been a surge in the quality and amount of science being performed on this platform. The flexibility, reliability and relatively low-cost of the high-altitude balloon platform, over that of a satellite, makes for an attractive means of carrying out novel science in a space-like environment across multiple disciplines, which include: high-energy astrophysics (particle, x-ray and gamma-ray), IR/sub-mm (CMB to planetary), heliophysics, geospace and atmospheric research.

Existing balloons are capable of carrying large payloads to high altitudes for flight durations lasting tens of days. The longest flight to date was that of SuperTIGER in 2012-2013 on a vented zero-pressure balloon. This payload weighed 2,025 kg (not including flight straps) and flew to a maximum altitude of ~39.6 km. The entire flight lasted for just over 55 days. The development of the Super-Pressure Balloon holds promise for achieving even longer flights launching from Antarctica (> 100 days), and Long Duration Balloon flights from mid-latitude launch sites.

This capability, combined with improved payload pointing, light-weight gondolas and more sophisticated instrumentation will enable scientists to make new discoveries and develop novel instrumentation suitable for orbital missions. This platform will also continue to provide a training ground for the next generation of scientists and engineers.

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The above story is based on materials provided by World Scientific. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Ballooning offers platform for performing research in a space-like environment

Boston Red Sox's Sleeper Prospects to Watch in Spring Training

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Jason O. Watson/Getty Images Zeke Spruill is a name Red Sox fans may not have heard of.

The start of spring training is only a few weeks away for the Boston Red Sox. A revamped Boston squad is set to take the field in Fort Myers, Florida, next month looking to bounce back from a last-place finish in 2014.

Top draft picks like Blake Swihart and Henry Owens are sure to capture everyone's attention when they suit up for the Red Sox in February and March. On the other hand, who are some of the lesser-known youngsters looking to make a splash this spring?

Whether they're on the 40-man roster or likely to be in camp as non-roster invitees, here are a few of Boston's sleeper prospects to keep a eye on when the 2015 exhibition season begins.

Zeke Spruill, RHP

Zeke Spruill is a 25-year-old righty who stands 6'5" and already has some brief major league experience under his belt. The Red Sox acquired Spruill from the Arizona Diamondbacksfor minor league pitcher Myles Smith in an under-the-radar trade back in December.

Via Ryan Hannable of WEEI, Boston general manager Ben Cherington had this to say about Spruill at the time of the deal:

We liked how he looked out of the bullpen, how his stuff played out of the pen. Guy who keeps the ball on the ground. Has good stuff, good life on his fastball and breaking ball. Just looked like a different guy out of the pen and we wanted to take a shot at it because in the series of trades we made this week, obviously moving Alex Wilson and a couple of guys in this trade for Wade [Miley], it just helps us replenish some of the young pitching depth we gave up this week.

Spruill pitched a total of 34 innings with the Diamondbacks in 2013 and 2014, posting a 4.24 ERA and 1.56 WHIP. He has slightly better numbers over the course of his minor league career, including a 47-50 record with a 3.85 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. Spruill will likely be among several relievers competing for one of the Red Sox's final bullpen spots to start the season.

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Boston Red Sox's Sleeper Prospects to Watch in Spring Training

Timro Nasa Mero Ragat | New Nepal Lok Dohori | By Yograj Pokhrel – Unique Movie Presents | HD – Video

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Timro Nasa Mero Ragat | New Nepal Lok Dohori | By Yograj Pokhrel - Unique Movie Presents | HD
Don #39;t forget to Share with all if you liked! Album: Timro Nasa Mero Ragat Song Title: Timro Nasa Mero Ragat Vocal: Bijaye Pokhrel, Rajendra Pokhrel, Jamuna Rana Lyrics: Yograj Pokhrel Music:...

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Timro Nasa Mero Ragat | New Nepal Lok Dohori | By Yograj Pokhrel - Unique Movie Presents | HD - Video