EarthSky News - Nov 18 - Top Stories This Week

November 18 Top Stories This Week by:

Scientists warn: Soon it will be too late to save Earth More than 15,000 scientists in 184 countries have signed a letter urging the world to address major environmental concerns. Photos of this week's spectacular dawn Photos from around the globe of Venus, Jupiter, Mars and the moon, which put on a show at dawn this week.  When mammals switched from nights to days A new study suggests mammals became active in daylight after the dinosaurs went extinct. 5 discoveries we owe to twins Twin research has led to insights into how our genes and the environment affect our health.  Scientists find teeth of early human ancestor Fossil teeth from tiny, furry-tailed creatures - thought by scientists to be a human ancestor - dating back 145 million years. November is the month of the Pleiades It's when this star cluster - aka the Seven Sisters - shines from dusk until dawn. How to see it. Tonight … Peer out our galaxy's south window Visualize looking away from our Milky Way galaxy's flat star-rich disk, into intergalactic space.

Keep up with all phases of the moon every night of the year! We sold out of these calendars quickly last year. Get yours now! P.S. They make great holiday gifts.

Morning triangle over Valletta Lighthouse The moon, Jupiter (top) and Venus make a triangle early in the morning of November 17, 2017 over Valletta Lighthouse. Photo taken from Tigné Point on the island of Malta, by Gilbert Vancell Nature Photography. More photos of this week's spectacular dawn here.

Tonight … Peer out our galaxy's south window When you look in this direction, you're looking away from the flat plane of our Milky Way – where most of our galaxy's stars reside – and toward intergalactic space Submit your photo to EarthSky here!

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NASA Digest, Vol 54, Issue 9

	November 18, 2017  RELEASE 17-086 NASA Launches NOAA Weather Satellite Aboard United Launch Alliance Rocket to Improve Forecasts At Vandenberg Air Force Base's Space Launch Complex 2, the Delta II rocket engines roar to life. The 1:47 a.m. PST (4:47 a.m. EST), liftoff begins the Joint Polar Satellite System-1, or JPSS-1, mission. JPSS is the first in a series four next-generation environmental satellites in a collaborative program between NOAA and NASA. Credits: NASA NASA has successfully launched for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) the first in a series of four highly advanced polar-orbiting satellites, equipped with next-generation technology and designed to improve the accuracy of U.S. weather forecasts out to seven days. The Joint Polar Satellite System-1 (JPSS-1) lifted off on a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, at 1:47 a.m. PST Saturday. Approximately 63 minutes after launch the solar arrays on JPSS-1 deployed and the spacecraft was operating on its own power. JPSS-1 will be renamed NOAA-20 when it reaches its final orbit. Following a three-month checkout and validation of its five advanced instruments, the satellite will become operational. "Launching JPSS-1 underscores NOAA's commitment to putting the best possible satellites into orbit, giving our forecasters -- and the public -- greater confidence in weather forecasts up to seven days in advance, including the potential for severe, or impactful weather," said Stephen Volz, director of NOAA's Satellite and Information Service. JPSS-1 will join the joint NOAA/NASA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite in the same orbit and provide meteorologists with observations of atmospheric temperature and moisture, clouds, sea-surface temperature, ocean color, sea ice cover, volcanic ash, and fire detection. The data will improve weather forecasting, such as predicting a hurricane's track, and will help agencies involved with post-storm recovery by visualizing storm damage and the geographic extent of power outages. "Emergency managers increasingly rely on our forecasts to make critical decisions and take appropriate action before a storm hits," said Louis W. Uccellini, director of NOAA's National Weather Service. "Polar satellite observations not only help us monitor and collect information about current weather systems, but they provide data to feed into our weather forecast models." JPSS-1 has five instruments, each of which is significantly upgraded from the instruments on NOAA's previous polar-orbiting satellites. The more-detailed observations from JPSS will allow forecasters to make more accurate predictions. JPSS-1 data will also improve recognition of climate patterns that influence the weather, such as El Nino and La Nina. The JPSS program is a partnership between NOAA and NASA through which they will oversee the development, launch, testing and operation all the satellites in the series. NOAA funds and manages the program, operations and data products. NASA develops and builds the instruments, spacecraft and ground system and launches the satellites for NOAA. JPSS-1 launch management was provided by NASA's Launch Services Program based at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Today's launch is the latest example of the strong relationship between NASA and NOAA, contributing to the advancement of scientific discovery and the improvement of the U.S. weather forecasting capability by leveraging the unique vantage point of space to benefit and protect humankind," said Sandra Smalley, director of NASA's Joint Agency Satellite Division. Ball Aerospace designed and built the JPSS-1 satellite bus and Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite instrument, integrated all five of the spacecraft's instruments and performed satellite-level testing and launch support. Raytheon Corporation built the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite and the Common Ground System. Harris Corporation built the Cross-track Infrared Sounder. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems built the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder and the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System instrument. To learn more about the JPSS-1 mission, visit: http://www.jpss.noaa.gov/ and https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/jpss-1
	Press Contacts Steve Cole Headquarters, Washington 202-358-0918 stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov John Leslie NOAA, Silver Spring, Md. 202-527-3504 john.leslie@noaa.gov

The Guardian today: UK considers tax on single-use plastics to tackle ocean pollution

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the guardian today Saturday 18 Nov 2017 Headlines More » UK considers tax on single-use plastics to tackle ocean pollution Chancellor to announce call for evidence on possible measures to cut use of plastics such as takeaway cartons and packaging Councils to spend £1bn on commercial property amid housing shortage Zimbabwe: huge protest begins as Mugabe runs low on options Nasa map of Earth's seasons over 20 years highlights climate change Four dead as helicopter and plane collide in mid-air in Buckinghamshire Divorcing parents could lose children if they try to turn them against partner Most viewed in last 24 hours More » Penis in the sky: US navy pilots grounded over 'obscene' stunt Navy not amused after electronic warfare plane created sky writings in the shape of male genitals over Washington state Granit Xhaka: 'My dad's first few months in jail were OK, then the beatings started' The white man's blunders of 'explorer' Benedict Allen feed racist myths | Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff Revealed: monk who abused children on Caldey Island for decades Irish Catholic priest urges Christians to abandon the word Christmas Norwegian heiress gets off lightly – with £23,000 drink-driving fine Sport More » Eddie Jones ready to throw his England pen if it makes great TV against Australia Shane Sutton defends Bradley Wiggins's use of TUEs for 'marginal gains' Andy Murray splits with coach Ivan Lendl for second time Comment is free More » Apu makes me laugh, but I can see the harm such stereotypes do | Ian Jack From Peppa Pig to Trump, the web is shaping us. It's time we fought back | Jonathan Freedland By knowing how abusers like Kevin Spacey work, we can root them out | Deborah Orr Culture More » Fever Ray: on pleasure, patriarchy and political revolution The best TV this week: Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It 'It was an extraordinary speech': the day I met Martin Luther King Business More » Frankfurt prepares for Brexit: 'It has put extra wind into our sails' Bitcoin breaks $8,000 barrier amid speculation over spin-off Technology More » Tesla Roadster: nine things we know about the 'smackdown to gasoline cars' Siri is my agony aunt – but is telling big tech my innermost feelings a bad idea? Travel More » 10 of the best Christmas shopping cities in Europe Eataly World opens but leaves a bad taste in Bologna Life and style More » I was a dad at 17, now I'm a grandad at 40 – it saved my life What happens when you fall in love across the religious divide? Football Comment is free Environment

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