According to a report from CNN, residents from New York to North Carolina were supposed to be treated to the sight of “blue-green and red clouds” early on Saturday morning. This was because the NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s eastern shore was preparing to launch the Terrier-Improved Malumute sounding rocket between 4:26 a.m. and 4:41 a.m. ET.

Unfortunately, that launch didn’t take place as scheduled, as NASA wrote earlier today in a press release confirming the postponement to Sunday, June 4, with the same launch window of 4:26 to 4:41 a.m. ET. According to the space agency, weather was a factor in previous postponements, but this time, it was another unforeseen event that forced the launch to be moved one day later.

“While the winds and skies were the issues the previous two launch attempts, this morning’s attempt was scrubbed because of boats in the second stage impact area.”

[Image by NASA]

Had NASA’s Wallops facility gone forward with the rocket launch, the Terrier-Improved Malumute would have released 10 soft drink can-sized canisters, each loaded with colored vapor that would allow sky gazers to witness something akin to a light show. According to NASA, the clouds that appear when the vapor is released are created when barium, strontium, and cupric-oxide interact with each other. And while this may sound like a dangerous mix of elements, the space agency assured mid-Atlantic coast residents that the clouds do not pose any risk whatsoever due to the fact they would be formed about 100 miles above ground.

Hopefully the FOURTH time will be the charm…

— Ed Vaughn (@EdFromEarth) June 3, 2017

Im getting tired of no sleep to go up to the beach to watch but keep hearing that the launch is being scrubbed yet once again!!!

— Jim Peters (@nuthut1) June 3, 2017

@NASA_Wallops scrubbed again!#Ugh Alarm set for tomorrow am 0400hrs
At least you’ve had me up for 3 sunrises!

— Jenny Raptor (@EMT4333) June 3, 2017

As seen on the above social media responses, many people have eagerly been waiting for NASA’s Wallops facility to launch the sounding rocket, waking up unusually early for three times, only for the launch to be scrubbed for one reason or another. NASA’s press release had extensively documented the previous times Wallops had prepared for the rocket launch before a series of last-minute hitches, mostly related to weather, pushed the event back.

This time, the last-minute hitch came in the form of boats in one of the impact areas, and it’s safe to say people are getting impatient and hoping that nothing will come in the way of the NASA Wallops “light show” on Sunday morning.

If the skies are clear, the launch this morning from Wallops and the resulting artificial clouds in space may be seen from NY to NC. pic.twitter.com/pydU9uOXtV

— NASA Wallops (@NASA_Wallops) June 1, 2017

For those who are interested in checking tomorrow’s oft-delayed rocket launch, NASA wrote that the vapor tracers will potentially be viewable from New York to North Carolina, and as far west as Charlottesville, Virginia. Again, weather will play a factor in visibility, as clear skies would be ideal for the “light show” to be as visible as it should be. That’s because the eight-minute launch requires scientists to observe how the artificially colored clouds move from ground camera stations in Wallops and Duck, N.C.

CNN recommends that sky gazers near the East Coast look toward the eastern horizon starting at about 4:30 a.m. Those farther north in cities such as New York, Philadelphia, or Washington, D.C. would be able to view the NASA Wallops light show in the lower southeastern sky. Those in southern cities such as Norfolk and Virginia Beach are advised to look toward the northeast, while those in Richmond and Charlottesville would get the best view directly to the east.

If you don’t live in any of the aforementioned areas, NASA will be live streaming the event as it happens and will provide updates on the NASA Wallops social media pages. It’s still unsure when live streaming will kick off on Sunday morning, following this latest rescheduling.

[Featured Image by NASA]

Star KIC 8462852 was detected in 2015 as presenting a peculiar dimming process, an event or action that somehow blocked up to 20 percent of the light being emitted from the distant star. As Popular Science explained, the amount of light being blocked was far too much to be an occlusion caused by the transit of an exoplanet. And since the dimming phenomenon was first detected by astronomer Tabetha Boyajian, there have been several hypotheses suggested — from swarms of comets to an artificial “alien megastructure” built by an advanced extraterrestrial civilization — as to what might be the cause of the bizarre effect.

But Jason Wright was first to sound the alarm that something was again occurring at Tabby’s Star — and referred to it as “dipping” — and astronomers needed to focus on the faraway stellar mass to gather data.

ALERT:@tsboyajian‘s star is dipping

This is not a drill.

Astro tweeps on telescopes in the next 48 hours: spectra please!

— Jason Wright (@Astro_Wright) May 19, 2017

Boyajian wasn’t too far behind, adding a “call to action” Twitter post with a retweet of Wright’s post.

CALL TO ACTION!! https://t.co/ll69iRowqi

— Tabetha Boyajian (@tsboyajian) May 19, 2017

The intent, of course, is for astronomers and scientists to direct as many detection instruments toward KIC 8462852 as possible so as to perhaps gather enough data to discover what might be producing the dimming, or “dipping,” effect around the star. According to Wright, the star had dimmed as much as two percent as of Friday (May 19) morning (per the Daily Mail).

Wright’s initial analysis was corroborated Saturday (May 20) by Fairborn Observatory in Arizona, which confirmed that Tabby’s Star had dimmed by three percent. To indicate just how unusual the dimming effect actually is, Popular Science offered the comparison of the planet Jupiter blocking the star, an action that would see the occlusion of only one percent of the star’s light, if that.

Abstract of a Dyson sphere, which is a possible explanation of for the ‘alien megastructure’ hypothesis presented as the cause for the dimming effect of Tabby’s Star. [Image by Alexander Mozymov/Shutterstock]

The most popular explanation for the star’s dimming has been the hypothesis that an “alien megastructure” has been constructed, or is being constructed, around Tabby’s Star. It has been posited that something on the order of a Dyson sphere, a construct built to surround a star so as to gather all available energy from the star as a resource, might be the answer to the strange dimming process.

It has been hypothesized that the dimming star KIC 8462852 might be caused by an alien megastructure, like a Dyson sphere. [Image by vrx/Shutterstock]

But popular consensus is not science and scientists, although just as excited as the next individual to entertain the possibility of the existence of an alien civilization, have been hard-pressed to come up with an answer to the dimming of Tabby’s Star. Back in September, the Inquisitr reported that scientists Valeri Makarov, of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., and Alexey Goldin, of Teza Technologies in Chicago, revealed their idea that the dimming effect of KIC 8462852 is not an “alien megastructure” but the result of an occluding cloud of space junk that has accumulated between the star and the observers on Earth. The hypothesis of a swarm of comets inside the system of Tabby’s Star producing the dip in light emission was simply transplanted into the idea that there was a swarm of “interstellar comets” causing the effect.

The list of observatories that have turned their telescopes toward KIC 8462852 includes Swift, Keck, Fairborn, and Lick.

Although the event presents an opportunity for scientists to study the star as it appears to be actually dimming (which it has noticeably done at over an extended period of time), Wright admitted, “I don’t think we’re going to solve the puzzle this weekend.” However, the astronomer was hopeful that the collected data from the weekend’s observations could eventually lead to the solution.

[Featured Image by vrx/Shutterstock]

Tabby’s star, also called the Boyajian star, is once again exhibiting an eccentric pattern of dimming and brightening, prompting astronomers around the world to turn their telescopes towards it in the hopes of solving the mystery behind its strange behavior, as reported by Gizmodo.

Back in September 2015, a team of scientists led by Tabetha Boyajian (the star’s namesake) detected an irregularity in Tabby’s star’s brightness. Scientists presented several interesting hypotheses that could explain its behavior, including a swarm of comets, a recently-destroyed planet, and massive electromagnetic activity. But perhaps the most exotic hypothesis that’s been forwarded is the possibility that the star’s dimming was caused by an “alien megastructure,” or a Dyson sphere. With the amount of alleged UFO sightings that have been reported since the Roswell incident, the “alien megastructure” theory has sparked interest from UFO enthusiasts around the world.

Jason Wright, Associate Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State, broke the news on Twitter, urging amateur and professional astronomers to point their telescopes towards Tabby’s star and to provide spectra results for further analysis.

ALERT:@tsboyajian‘s star is dipping

This is not a drill.

Astro tweeps on telescopes in the next 48 hours: spectra please!

— Jason Wright (@Astro_Wright) May 19, 2017

“At about 4 a.m. this morning I got a phone call … that Fairborn [Observatory] in Arizona had confirmed that the star was three percent dimmer than it normally is,” Wright said during a live webcast yesterday at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT). “That is enough that we are absolutely confident that this is no statistical fluke. We’ve now got it confirmed at multiple observatories, I think.”

What is a “spectra” and why was Mr. Wright asking for it? Fundamentally, a spectra is a set of data acquired using multi-color photometry. Its basic function is to give specific measurements at different wavelengths, helping scientists figure out what type of material is causing the star’s light to dip.

@ajebson @NASAKepler @LCO_Global @keckobservatory @AAVSO @nexssinfo @NASA @NASAHubble @Astro_Wright @BerkeleySETI @ESO its 2% in r’ band and looks like its the start pic.twitter.com/TjJdSY2ar9

— Tabetha Boyajian (@tsboyajian) May 19, 2017

“Whatever’s causing the star to get dimmer will leave a spectral fingerprint behind,” Wright said during the webcast. “So if there is a lot of dust between us and the star … it will block more blue light than red light. If there is gas in that dust, that gas should absorb very specific wavelengths and we should be able to see that. And so, we’ve been eager to see one of these changes in one of these dips of the star so we can take some spectra.”

It’s difficult to predict when and how long a dimming event would occur, which is why astronomers make it a point to schedule professional-grade telescope observations weeks or months in advance.

“We need to have a network of people around the world that are ready to jump on [and observe it],” Wright said. “Fortunately, Tabby’s star is not too faint and so there are a lot of observers and telescopes … that have graciously agreed to take some time out of their science to grab a spectrum for us [tonight].”

Astronomers are still baffled by Tabby star’s behavior. As established, no star has been detected to exhibit such behavior. Even the most conservative assumptions seem unlikely on account of current technologies and our limited undertanding of the universe. As previously reported by The Atlantic, the star’s brightness has dipped by more than 20 percent. To get an idea of how significant that is, consider the fact that Jupiter blocking the sun could cause it to dip by only two percent. Picturing a structure massive enough to cause a dimming behavior of such scale stretches the limits of the imagination, which is why it’s not so surprising to see claims that it was caused by an alien megastructure. As such, UFO hunters are having a field day with this.

Annnd here’s @marinakoren on the *new* dimming of the ‘alien megastructure’ star & what we might learn from it https://t.co/H5yhcN0noo

— Ross Andersen (@andersen) May 19, 2017

Of course, the chances that we’re looking at a construction project being undertaken by aliens from outer space — a UFO in space, so to speak — are pretty slim given the limited data our scientists have at this point. Ironically, it’s the explanation that makes the most sense. Even scientists, as beholden as they are to the scientific method, are excited about the possibility that they are out there.

@redplanet00 @TEDTalks as for theories, all we have are a bunch of bad ideas. Aliens are def one of them!

— Tabetha Boyajian (@tsboyajian) November 22, 2016

[Featured Image by Marc Ward/Shutterstock]

As Newsweek reported this week, NASA space probes were the first to detect the man-made barrier — a sheathe of very low frequency radio waves interacting with particles surrounding the Earth in space. Although not at all stable, the interaction acts something like a shield and defends the Earth from harmful radiation from space. And it is believed that the shield could potentially offer protection against CMEs (Coronal Mass Ejections), massive explosions that emanate from the Sun, where plasmas and magnetic field are ejected from the Sun’s corona, which is the outermost part of the star’s atmosphere. Such mass ejections can sometimes result in geomagnetic storms, which have the potential to knock out communication satellites in space and power grids on Earth.

The Carrington Event of 1859 is often used as a cautionary tale as to what a geomagnetic solar storm can do, being that it remains one of the largest geomagnetic storms ever recorded and the largest to have ever struck the planet. History.com relates that telegraph transmissions were disrupted around the world, caused by a solar flare that erupted with the energy of 10 billion atomic bombs. A 2008 National Academy of Sciences report revealed that a similar CME occurring with today’s extensive reliance on electrical grids and electronic devices could cause “extensive social and economic disruptions” due to its impact on said power grids, satellite communications and GPS systems. Such a disruption would cost an estimated $1 trillion to $2 trillion, according to the report, not to mention tremendous social upheaval and an untold number of casualties to the temporary and/or permanent loss of necessary life-saving and life-preserving services and facilities.

But the barrier, as NASA scientists discovered, is the result of very low frequency transmissions that, instead of finding their targets of submarines, end up in the Earth’s atmosphere. NASA found that the transmissions form what they call a “VLF bubble,” which extends from the inner edge of the Van Allen radiation belts that encircle the Earth out into space. It is when the VLF bubble interacts with the Van Allen belts that the barrier thus created can be observed.

Scientists contend that if the VLF bubble did not exist, the boundary of the radiation belts would be far closer to the Earth than they currently are. In fact, the Van Allen radiation belts, according to data from the 1960s, were indeed closer to Earth prior to the widespread use of VLF.

The Van Allen belts shield the Earth from harmful electromagnetic particles and radiation. [Image by Naeblys/Shutterstock]

Phil Erickson, one of the University of Michigan scientists involved in the research, said in a statement, “A number of experiments and observations have figured out that, under the right conditions, radio communications signals in the VLF frequency range can in fact affect the properties of the high-energy radiation environment around the Earth.”

Nuclear bombs helped create an artificial Van Allen belt throughout the duration of the atomic bomb tests. [Image by Dariush M/Shutterstock]

The research also showed, according to Discover magazine, that an artificial version of the Van Allen belts was created from the plasma of the explosions of all the atmospheric nuclear bomb tests conducted by the U.S. and Russia prior to 1963 (over 500). Various pieces of research carried out during the time, all of which are declassified now, included one test where the velocity of the charged particles were calculated and another (per the abstract of the paper published in Space Science Reviews) that detected the impact of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that was shown to have a devastating effect on an extended geographical area.

[Featured Image by Marc Ward/Shutterstock]

The odd shape was spotted in a black space behind the ISS by space fans watching the live feed.

And experts said the cylinder – which they claim was a UFO – was ‘partially transparent’, which may be a technique used to keep the craft safe so that it is not seen.

UFO expert Scott C Waring, shared the footage and said: “I noticed a UFO in the distance that was coming closer and closer to the space station. The UFO was partially cloaked, which made it look transparent.”

Mr Waring runs the website UFO Sightings Daily ,

He added: “In the deep blackness of spaces, blending into the environment means you will be safer from other alien species that may not be friendly.”

It is not the first time objects have been spotted on the ISS feed without explanation.

Experts believe the ringed image was partially cloaked to make it transparent (Photo: NASA)

In February, six large orbs were seen apparently creeping past the ISS in NASA footage.

In the live video, relayed by the American space agency, the UFOs move from the right of the screen towards the left. After they were seen conspiracy theorists claimed the live feed was cut.

Last year it was also suggested that a “nervous” astronaut was telling ground control about the appearance of a strange red-coloured UFO on the live NASA feed.

They claim he said the word “gospel” when the object appeared, and suggested this may have been a codeword as ground control replied “we pray for you.”

By Tim Collins For Mailonline

The site said the image showed an alien lizard on the vehicle.

In an article entitled “Lizard Crawling On @NASA Mars Rover This Week, March 2017,” the website’s editor Scott C Waring, said: “This little lizard was holding on for dear life on the Mars Curiosity rover’s camera.

“The animal looks a lot like a lizard with a tall fin back… much like one type of dinosaurs here on Earth… just much smaller.”

This still image strikes an uncanny resemblance to a figure of a woman

By

Harry Pettit For Mailonline

Published:
08:36 EDT, 6 April 2017