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A supernova occurs when a star explodes. This can occur when a massive star runs out of fuel for nuclear fusion and undergoes a gravitational collapse into a neutron star or black hole. Another way that it can occur is when two white dwarf stars merge, or one white dwarf star parasitically accumulates mass from a nearby star.

When the star explodes, it does not have to explode symmetrically. The explosion could be asymmetrical. In the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), a nearby irregular galaxy, the Chandra X-Ray observatory has found evidence of just such an asymmetrical supernova. NASA looked at the remnant of N49 using both Chandra and Hubble images. These can be seen in the first image to the right.

Chandra looked at the remnant of N49 in the X-Ray spectrum and found two interesting features. These can be seen in the second image to the right. The first feature is a small envelope of gas, colored in blue, can be seen in the image to the lower right. This bullet of gas is traveling at 5 million miles per hour.

The second feature is a Soft Gamma ray Repeater (SGR). This is a neutron star that emits gamma rays and X-rays. Do you see how off center the neutron star is? If this SGR is part of the stellar core from the supernova, then the kick from the asymmetrical supernova has sent it careening off into space at an approximate speed of 490 miles per second. While that is fast, it is only a fraction of the speed of light.

The Hubble Space Telescope looks at our universe at optical wavelengths, and is shown in the third image to the right. The optical data from Hubble shows up in the image as yellows and purples. This is where the shockwave from the asymmetrical supernova is interacting with nearby clouds of gas.

The asymmetrical supernova remnant, N49, is approximately 160,000 light years from Earth. Using the data from Chandra and Hubble, astronomers think that the light from the supernova reached Earth approximately 5,000 years ago.

via : Chandra Observatory

Science astronomy, chandra, hubble, nasa

Back on December 7th, we reported that Intel’s GPU chipset codenamed “Larrabee” was shut down. While later rumors claimed that Larrabee would rise from the dead like Lazarus, it appears that today the final nail has been pounded into the coffin. In a blog post, Bill Kircos, Intel’s Director of Product & Technology PR, has said that in the short term future, “Intel will not bring a discrete graphics product to market”. You can read the relevant portion of his blog post below.

In a nutshell, Intel has three visual computing efforts. The first is the aforementioned processor graphics. Since we began integrating graphics inside our chipsets back in 1999 (and now integrate graphics inside our processor products), the majority of PC users are now using integrated solutions. Second, for our smaller Intel® Atom™ processor and System on Chip efforts, and third, a many-core, programmable Intel architecture and first product both of which we referred to as Larrabee for graphics and other workloads. Here’s the latest:

1. Our top priority continues to be around delivering an outstanding processor that addresses every day, general purpose computer needs and provides leadership visual computing experiences via processor graphics. We are further boosting funding and employee expertise here, and continue to champion the rapid shift to mobile wireless computing and HD video – we are laser-focused on these areas.

2. We are also executing on a business opportunity derived from the Larrabee program and Intel research in many-core chips. This server product line expansion is optimized for a broader range of highly parallel workloads in segments such as high performance computing. Intel VP Kirk Skaugen will provide an update on this next week at ISC 2010 in Germany.

3. We will not bring a discrete graphics product to market, at least in the short-term. As we said in December, we missed some key product milestones. Upon further assessment, and as mentioned above, we are focused on processor graphics, and we believe media/HD video and mobile computing are the most important areas to focus on moving forward.

4. We will also continue with ongoing Intel architecture-based graphics and HPC-related R&D and proof of concepts.

via Technology@Intel · An Update On Our Graphics-related Programs.

Hardware intel, larrabee

Nasa has combined the images of two satellites to produce a more detailed view of the ash plume from Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull Volcano. The top image is from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite. The lower image is from NASA’s CALIPSO satellite which uses a pulsating laser (lidar) to measure where clouds and ash are located in the atmosphere.

Many satellites can provide a bird’s-eye view (such as the top, nighttime image) that can identify thick plumes of ash, but few satellites can tell how high the ash is in the atmosphere. NASA’s Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) satellite, however, records a vertical profile of the atmosphere, which reveals the altitude of ash clouds, shown in the lower image. These observations help modelers in volcanic ash advisory centers improve forecasting models and issue more accurate warnings to pilots and others with aviation interests.

via Nighttime Ash Tracking with CALIPSO : Image of the Day.

Science nasa

On December 14, 2009, NASA launched the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) telescope. This space-born telescope has a 16 inch diameter and surveys light in the infrared wavelengths. The telescope’s focal planes and optics are cooled with a two-stage solid-hydrogen cryostat. This gives the mission an expected lifetime of 10 months. Over that time, it will take one image about every 11 seconds for about 1.5 million images in total.

The WISE team recently released an image of the Heart and Soul nebulae, or IC 1805 and IC 1848 respectively. The Heart nebula is on the right, and the soul nebula is on the left. The Heart and Soul nebulae are located in the constellation Cassiopeia, and are approximately 6.000 light-years from Earth.

Near the lower center portion of this image are two galaxies: Maffei 1 and Maffei 2. These galaxies are approximately 10 million light-years away from Earth. Maffei 1 is the bluish elliptical object and Maffei 2 is the spiral galaxy.

All four infrared detectors aboard WISE were used to make this image. Color is representational: blue and cyan represent infrared light at wavelengths of 3.4 and 4.6 microns, which is dominated by light from stars. Green and red represent light at 12 and 22 microns, which is mostly light from warm dust.

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/WISE Team

via WISE – Multimedia Gallery: Heart and Soul Nebulae.

Science astronomy, nasa, wise

Two websites that I frequent, Information is Beautiful and Flowing Data, have both posted a heatmap of where touristyness. More correctly, it is a heatmap of people using Panoramio to share their photos.

Bluemoon Interactive, a small codeshop, maps touristiness, based on uploads to Panoramio, a site where people share photos of their favorite places. Yellow indicates high touristiness, red is medium touristiness, and blue is low touristiness.

via World Map Of Touristyness @ Information is Beautiful
via: Map of where toursists flock @ Flowing Data

Graphics infographic

NASA has taken another beautiful picture from its Terra satellite using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument. In the image one can see the Phytoplankton Bloom in the Bay of Biscay. The Bay of Biscay lies along the south-western coast of France to the north-eastern coast of Spain.

A large phytoplankton bloom in France’s Bay of Biscay brought bright swirls of light blue and turquoise to the surface across much of the bay. There are likely a variety of species of phytoplankton blooming in the bay. The dark green hues are likely due to the green pigment chlorophyll, which phytoplankton use for photosynthesis (just like their land-based cousins). In contrast, the much brighter, light blue swirls suggest the presence of coccolithophores, a species of phytoplankton that produce a calcite (basically limestone) shell around themselves somewhat resembling a hubcap. While each individual coccolithophore shell is tiny—only about three one-thousandths of a millimeter in diameter—a large bloom such as this can contain trillions of the organisms, giving the ocean an almost milky appearance at the surface.

Coccolithophores are not hazardous to their environment, and it is not at all unusual to see such a bloom in the Bay of Biscay this time of year. In addition to the role these organisms play in the marine food chain, scientists are interested in tracking coccolithophore blooms as indicators of the physical state of the ocean and how the ocean may be changing in response to shifting weather patterns and longer-term climate change. Moreover, scientists are working to revise their estimates of the “productivity” of these organisms on a global scale; i.e., how much carbon do they absorb during photosynthesis and how much calcite do they manufacture in their shells as a result? Currently, scientists estimate that coccolithophores produce more than 1.5 million tons (1.4 billion kilograms) of calcite per year, making them the ocean’s leading producer.

via : Phytoplankton Bloom in the Bay of Biscay
via : Phytoplankton Bloom in the Bay of Biscay

Science nasa

We reported this back on May 3rd, but now Nvidia has announced the GeForce GTX 480M GPU for notebooks. The official specifications for the GeForce GTX 480M have not been announced yet. However, the rumors are that it is based on the Fermi architecture. In addition, it will feature, 352 CUDA cores, will have a 256-bit memory interface, will come with 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, consume 100 Watts, will be manufactured on a 40nm process, and be released in June. The core will run at 425MHz, the memory at 1.2 GHz, and the CUDA cores at 850 MHz. Thus far, Clevo is the only manufacturer confirmed to be using the GeForce GTX 480M. From the Nvidia Ntersect blog post:

Today we introduced the new GeForce GTX 480M GPU for Notebooks and with it we’re achieving some very impressive milestones. First, this is DirectX 11 done right for notebooks. Tessellation is the most important new feature for the DirectX 11 API, and the GeForce GTX 480M is a true tessellation monster for the notebook platform. It offers a dedicated Tessellation engine for up to 5x more performance than any other GPU.

Second, with the power of the GeForce GTX 480M GPUs, notebook manufacturers can set new records for notebook performance. Put simply: If a notebook maker wants to build the fastest possible system on the planet, they will start with GeForce GTX 480M as its foundation.

Third, we’ve now brought the vaunted Fermi architecture to notebooks. GeForce GTX 480M delivers nearly three times more NVIDIA CUDA cores over previous generation Notebook GPUs, which means users get unbelievably fast video transcoding, upscaling from standard definition to high definition and real-time movie clean-up with the click of a button.

And finally, the GeForce GTX 480M not only delivers the world’s best gaming frame rates, it also gives added features that no other GPU offers, including NVIDIA 3D Vision technology for an immersive gaming experience, NVIDIA PhysX technology that brings games to life with dynamic, interactive environments and NVIDIA Verde Notebook Drivers for the most up-to-date performance from your notebook.

We’re happy to partner with Clevo to introduce the first system based on GeForce GTX 480M. Stay tuned for more systems in the future.

via The NVIDIA Blog
via : NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480M: ‘world’s fastest’ mobile GPU now official, landing in June @ Engadget

Hardware geforce, nvidia

This year marks 35 years of epic special effects and filmmaking from Industrial light and Magic, the brainchild of George Lucas and the Star Wars saga.  Wired magazine takes a look through some of their greatest successes over the years, complete with videos of some of their greatest hits.

Hollywood’s penchant for visual wizardry goes back to black-and-white classics like The Thief of Bagdad and Metropolis, but no single f/x house has lent more reality to make-believe than George Lucas’ Industrial Light & Magic. What started out as a ragtag cluster of artists cobbling together an epic space adventure has matured into a 15-time Oscar winner with some 250 film credits—the most recent being this summer’s Iron Man 2.

via Screen: Celebrating 35 Years of ILM Magic | Magazine.

Graphics history, ilm, vfx

That’s right, Joss Whedon’s hilarious and entertaining web series is now out on BluRay, showing the epic struggle of Dr Horrible against Captain Hammer, and poor Felicia Day stuck in the middle.  If you already own it on or DVD, here’s why you might want to consider it:

Even if you’ve already watched or downloaded Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, a number of bonus features might entice you. There are two commentary tracks: Harris, the three Whedons, Tancharoen, Day, and Fillion recorded a spirited track discussing the movie, and there’s also “Commentary! The Musical” in which they ignore the movie and sing about the writers’ strike and each other (e.g., Fillion sings “I’m Better than Neil”)–the songs aren’t as good as the Horrible songs, but it’s good silly fun. A 20-minute making-of discusses the cast, the recording sessions, and how the movie became a phenomenon, and 10 videos (a half-hour total) were recorded by fans who want to join the Evil League of Evil. And when’s the last time you wanted to pause the FBI warning? –David Horiuchi

On sale today for a miniscule $10, and definitely worth watching.

Graphics bluray, movie

Barely a day after Google announced they would be opening VP8 to the world via their WebM initiative, lawyers for all the major codec agencies got together to start talking about how it’s not as free as Google would like it to be.  The MPEG LA group is already talking about creation of a ‘patent pool’ for the various infringing patents, and several engineers have spoken up regarding their feelings on the matter.  While they would love for Google’s claims to be true, the realities are far messier.  x264 developer Jason Garret-Glaser mentions a few specifically:

One specific characteristic of the codec that Garrett-Glaser considers particularly prone to patent risks is its handling of a feature called intra prediction. He accuses On2 of cribbing the technology from H.264.

“VP8′s intra prediction is basically ripped off wholesale from H.264,” he wrote. “This is a patent time-bomb waiting to happen. H.264′s spatial intra prediction is covered in patents and I don’t think that On2 will be able to just get away with changing the rounding in the prediction modes.”

Of course, Google probably has deep enough pockets to buy all the patents and then release it anyway, but only time will tell if they decide to go that far.

via Google support aside, WebM carries patent risks from MPEG LA.

Science google, legal, vp8, webm