Looking Up: Pondering life on other worlds Nov 7, 2009
Despite this possibility, life on other worlds is often heard as a prime motivation for space travel and supposedly is meant to help us understand life on Earth ... As observing techniques improve and observatory searches expand, the quest for more Earth-like planets proceeds ... Exobiologists start by assuming the best chance to find life will be on worlds similar to Earth. (Belmont Citizen Herald, MA)
3Giant Crack in Africa Will Become New Ocean» Nov 7, 2009
"We know that seafloor ridges are created by a similar intrusion of magma into a rift, but we never knew that a huge length of the ridge could break open at once like this," said Cindy Ebinger, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Rochester and co-author of the study. The result shows that highly active volcanic boundaries along the edges of tectonic ocean plates may suddenly break apart in large sections, instead of in bits, as the leading theory held. (Fox News)
Space Tourism a Reality by 2012 Nov 7, 2009
Routine commercial travel to outer space may be the norm as soon as 2012, as the next generation of spacecraft designed by private sector firms like Virgin Galactic, Orbital Sciences Corp., Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and others transport adventure-seeking civilians into low-Earth orbit. There, they can see the sun rise many times a day, and experience the breathtaking curve of planet Earth that only NASA astronauts such as Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldrin have previously seen ... "This is... (Fox News)
Creationists defeated in Kansas school vote on science teaching Nov 7, 2009
In redrafting guidelines for science teaching, the board removed language suggesting that key concepts such as a common origin for all life on Earth and for species change were seen as controversial by the scientific community ... Unlike traditional creationism, which claims that God created the earth in six days, proponents of intelligent design say the workings of this planet are too complex to be ascribed to evolution. (Yahoo News -- Church-State Issues)
Space elevator team wins $900,000 from NASA Nov 7, 2009
Despite LaserMotive's success, it is still a long way away from what would be needed to carry humans to Earth orbit, as proponents envision ... Instead, a ship could climb along a fixed structure, like a beam or cable, suspended in space from a permanent geostationary satellite 22,000 miles (35,000 kilometers) above Earth. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Spacecraft reveals much about Mercury's history Nov 6, 2009
Mercury is a third the size of Earth and slightly larger than Earth's moon. Scientists are interested in Mercury because it's one of four planets -- including Earth, Venus and Mars -- that resemble each other in composition. (Florida Today)
Column: Voices for climate change Nov 6, 2009
Tears of yearning for a different way of life, the way of living in balance and harmony with the earth and her creatures. Tears of hope and joy to know that we can bridge our differences, we can reach out across political and religious divides to stand together, united as a rainbow-colored, interfaith bundle of sticks that wraps all the way around the planet Earth. (Hudson Sun, MA)
Global warming draws heat at board meeting Nov 6, 2009
Joe Sixpack wrote on Nov 1, 2009 9:39 AM:" Clean renewable energy is a good thing to invest in regardless of the "global warming" debate.The fact of the matter is that the sun has a much bigger influence on temperatures on Earth than supposed "carbon costs". The carbon cost issue appears to be bogus and was perpetuated by global governments that need a way to tax and control all countries. The carbon tax is an elaborate way to take sovereignty away from the United States. It should be fought... (Rio Rancho Observer, NM)
Will E.T. Look Like Us? Nov 6, 2009
pointing out, correctly, that a certain inevitability would predict that humanoids should have evolved more than once on Earth ... In fact, Mayr calculated that even though there have evolved perhaps as many as 50 billion species on Earth, only one of these achieved the kind of intelligence needed to establish a civilization. (Scientific American)
Disney will give Mickey Mouse a makeover Nov 6, 2009
"Holy cow, the opportunity to mess with one of the most recognizable icons on planet Earth," said Warren Spector, the creative director of Junction Point, a Disney-owned game developer that spearheaded Epic Mickey ... "Holy cow, the opportunity to mess with one of the most recognizable icons on planet Earth," said Warren Spector, the creative director of Junction Point, a Disney-owned game developer that spearheaded Epic Mickey. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Juneau's Banghart named state's chief museum curator Nov 6, 2009
For example, at the system's Juneau museum, a 6-foot-diameter sphere donated by NOAA presents scientific information about the Earth and solar system. The Science on a Sphere exhibit uses computers and video projectors to display planetary data about the atmosphere, climate and the oceans. (Juneau Empire)
Mercury Throws Geologists a Curve Nov 6, 2009
There's sodium and potassium, which had been detected by observers on Earth, along with calcium and magnesium ... The evidence comes from Messenger's neutron spectrometer, which has found a dearth of low-energy neutrons coming from Mercury ... So one of three things happened: (1) somehow Mercury came together with a paucity of lower-density silicates, the kind found abundantly in Earth's crust; (2) it endured a period of extreme heating from the young Sun, which caused many elements simply to... (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Mickey Mouse to get a makeover Nov 6, 2009
Holy cow, the opportunity to mess with one of the most recognizable icons on planet Earth, said Warren Spector, the creative director of Junction Point, a Disney-owned game developer that spearheaded Epic Mickey. The effort to re-engineer Mickey is still in its early stages, but it involves the top creative and marketing minds in the company, all the way up to Robert A. Iger, Disneys chief executive. (India Times)
Looking to the Future on the 75th Anniversary of the Birth of Carl Sagan Nov 6, 2009
Paine was the NASA Administrator during the Apollo 11 moon landing and was a passionate and long time advocate for Mars exploration, writing, "driving forces will motivate humans to settle Mars...and will provide a unifying force that reaches out to all people on Earth.". Bill Nye, the Science Guy - Welcome duction. (NASA Watch)
Daze of the fathers Nov 6, 2009
Comics courtesy of Earth 638 (Lot 2. 13J, 2nd Floor, Atria Shopping Centre, Jalan SS22/23, Damansara Jaya, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor). (The Star Online, Malaysia)
* OTHER RELEASES Nov 6, 2009
In the future, when Earth has become almost uninhabitable, a greedy company seeks to make a handsome profit by taking control of an alternative planet to which some of the population can be moved, but its advance team comes under attack from dangerous creatures that resemble large bears. Actually. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
Stars:Cosmic road signs to alien life? Nov 6, 2009
When scientists search the heavens for habitable worlds beyond Earth, they don't necessarily know what to look for ... There is an approximate coincidence between the time it took intelligence to evolve on Earth and the lifetime of the sun. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Paleoecologists Offer New Insight Into How Climate Change Will Affect Organisms Nov 6, 2009
5, 2009) An article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences written by a team of ecologists, including Robert Booth, assistant professor of earth and environmental science at Lehigh University, examines some of the potential problems with current prediction methods and calls for the use of a range of approaches when predicting the impact of climate change on organisms ... The article was written by Stephen Jackson of the Department of Botany and Program in Ecology at the... (Science Daily)
Tech: UAVs converted to climate scouts Nov 6, 2009
In a modern-day rendition of beating swords into plowshares, a pair of unmanned military aircraft have been turned over to NASA for research on Earth's environment ... NASA plans to use a specially outfitted Global Hawk aircraft to verify measurements of atmospheric gases taken by the AURA satellite, one of 15 NASA spacecraft now monitoring Earth. (MSNBC -- Environment)
The Pilot Whose Book Soared Nov 6, 2009
After he finds that roses are common flowers on Earth, he cries because he believes his planet's flower was the only one in the world and special. It's OK, says the fox, who urges the prince to love his own rose: "You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.". (Investors Business Daily)
Water geysers on Saturn moon take center stage Nov 5, 2009
Striking new photos of water-vapor geysers erupting from Saturn's moon Enceladus were beamed to Earth this week by NASA's Cassini spacecraft in orbit around the ringed planet ... "If we can put the pieces together a liquid ocean under the surface, heat driving the geysers and the organic molecules that are the building blocks of life - Enceladus might turn out to have the conditions that led to the origin of life on an earlier version of Earth," Cassini scientist Bonnie J. Buratti wrote on... (MSNBC -- Technology)
Counting downNASAs uncertain future Nov 5, 2009
The space agency would give more consideration to buying rides into low Earth orbit on other people's spaceships, and give more thought to its own Ares I rocket project, which went through a largely successful test flight last week ... The long-term goal of exploration would shift from a high-tech replay of the Apollo moon effort to an incremental program with different, lower-gravity destinations, such as near-Earth asteroids or Martian moons. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Device like Star Trek replicator is in the works Nov 5, 2009
Taminger and her team managed to build a number of parts that looked exactly the same as parts built on Earth, down to the microstructure scale ... The effects of zero-g often comically exaggerated any mistakes, and allowed the team to improve the overall process for Earth manufacturing as well ... Spare parts for Mars Beyond low-Earth orbit, such new manufacturing technology could enable space colonists to use local metal resources , Mars or in the asteroid belt. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Must stop climate change Nov 5, 2009
Some people eagerly respond to impassioned statements about climate change, such as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's warning we cannot compromise with Earth ... The more of us who drag our feet on preventing climate change, the more likely it will be that the land will dry up that will be needed to grow the food for the expected 9 billion to 11 billion people on earth when the worlds population size levels out, resulting in widespread famine, disease and death. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Success in 'space elevator' competition Nov 5, 2009
Instead, electrically powered vehicles would run up and down a cable anchored to a ground structure and extending thousands of miles (kilometers) up to a mass in geosynchronous orbit _ the kind of orbit communications satellites are placed in to stay over a fixed spot on the Earth. Electricity would be supplied through a concept known as ``power beaming,'' ground-based lasers pointing up to photo voltaic cells on the bottom of the climbing vehicle _ something lik 00004000 e an upside-down solar... (India Times, India)
Astronaut and 'Terrible Towel' Return to Pittsburgh Nov 5, 2009
He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics as well as a Bachelor of Science in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; a Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University; and a Master of Science in Physical Sciences (planetary geology) from the University of Houston, Clear Lake. He entered the United States Air Force in 1990 and is a distinguished graduate from the United States Air Force ROTC,... (NASA Watch)
STS-129 Prelaunch Events and Countdown Nov 5, 2009
As Atlantis' flight concludes, the NASA blog will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog and continuous mission updates, visit. (NASA Watch)
Falling fertility Nov 5, 2009
All this misses the point: there are too many people for the Earth s fragile ecosystems. It is time to stop and ideally reverse the population increase. (The Economist)
Some Methane Formation Not Biologically Based? Nov 5, 2009
4, 2009) Scientists in Washington, D.C. are reporting laboratory evidence supporting the possibility that some of Earth's oil and natural gas may have formed in a way much different than the traditional process described in science textbooks ... Anurag Sharma and colleagues note that the traditional process involves biology: Prehistoric plants died and changed into oil and gas while sandwiched between layers of rock in the hot, high-pressure environment deep below Earth's surface ... Some... (Science Daily)
Global media campaign launched to mark Universal Children's Day Nov 5, 2009
The logo features rays of light -- symbols of the sun, longitude and latitude -- symbols of the earth, electronic waves that represent the media, and sprouts that symbolize children. Together, the four icons convey the message "Global News Day for Children". (Xinhuanet, China)
Malaysia Won't Return "Allah" Bibles Nov 5, 2009
by earth5661 November 5, 2009 12:26 AM EST ... by earth5661 November 5, 2009 12:33 AM EST ... These laws are understood by most peoples on Earth. (CBS News)
Creationists defeated in Kansas school vote on science teaching Nov 5, 2009
In redrafting guidelines for science teaching, the board removed language suggesting that key concepts such as a common origin for all life on Earth and for species change were seen as controversial by the scientific community ... Unlike traditional creationism, which claims that God created the earth in six days, proponents of intelligent design say the workings of this planet are too complex to be ascribed to evolution. (Yahoo News -- Church-State Issues)
Carbon Atmosphere Discovered On Neutron Star Nov 5, 2009
The researchers calculate that the carbon atmosphere is only about 4 inches thick, because it has been compressed by a surface gravity that is 100 billion times stronger than on Earth ... In Earth's time frame, the estimated age of the neutron star in Cas A is only several hundred years, making it about ten times younger than other neutron stars with detected surface emission ... The carbon atmosphere is thought to be only about four inches thick, with a density similar to diamond and a pressure... (Science Daily)
Green Is Cool, But US Land Changes Generally Are Not Nov 5, 2009
"What we highlight here is that a significant trend, particularly the warming trend in terms of temperatures, can also be partially explained by land use change," said Niyogi, a Purdue earth and atmospheric sciences professor and the Indiana state climatologist, who is the corresponding author of the article. "People realize that land use cover also is an important forcing and not only at local but at regional scale," said Fall, whose doctoral research at Purdue focuses on the impacts of land... (Science Daily)
Atlantis Gets Nov. 16 'Maybe' Launch Date Nov 5, 2009
Nicole Stott, an astronaut who is currently on the space station, will return to Earth with the Atlantis crew after living in space for more than two months. Her return on the shuttle will mark the final time it is used to rotate space station crew members. (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Messenger spies iron on Mercury Nov 5, 2009
Previous Earth and spacecraft-based observations had detected only very low amounts of iron in the silicate minerals covering the innermost world ... Closest planet to the Sun; smallest in Solar System Visited by Mariner 10 in 1970s; by Messenger currently Diameter: 4,880km, about one-third the size of Earth Second densest planet in Solar System; 5 ... 3x that of water Caloris basin is largest known feature (1,300km in diameter) Possibility of water-ice in permanently shadowed craters Huge iron... (BBC News -- Science)
Atheist group gathering in Seattle Nov 5, 2009
liv4fun wrote on Nov 4, 2009 1:36 PM:" TDN Bad Girl - Your "Truth and Science" has been proving it's self wrong for centuries!!! The earth used to be flat??? Coffee used to be good for you, oh wait, it not, oh wait, it is again. Global Warming??? Look over the years and see all the Truths that have been changed or altered by science. Scientists are always proving themself wrong and thats OK. We can now believe the next thing they say because they are "Experts"??? One thing science has proven... (Longview Daily News, WA)
Taming the Sandes Nov 5, 2009
The 4Deserts Series is one of a kind, made up of four seven-day stage races across some of the harshest terrain on earth the Gobi Desert in China, Atacama Desert in Chile, the Sahara Desert in Egypt and Antartica. Competitors can take part in any event at any time, except for The Last Desert in Antarctica which requires the completion of two of the 4Deserts, which includes the Gobi March, the Atacama Crossing and the Sahara Race. (iAfrica.com)
Weekend Magazine: Three Rivers Film Festival Nov 5, 2009
After a spacecraft from Earth lands, with a disc carrying images from the planet, Egon decides to build a spaceship and travel there. The journey through the heavens is heavenly, with Egon manning an instrument panel cobbled together from dandy detritus, such as manual typewriter keys, and with sounds like pinball machines and a car motor turning over. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
'Weird Creatures' Finds a Mole Lizard Nov 5, 2009
From the rainforests of Borneo to the Australian outback, host Nick Baker explorers some of the remotest corners of the Earth every Wednesday at 9PM. On last week's premier episode of the third season, Nick flew to Australia just after breeding time for a rare sighting of an extremely endangered fish the leafy seahorse ... So as part of this series I headed to Mexico City (the only place on Earth that this animal is native) and discovered a story that really moved me: This film may be the last... (Fox News)
NASA Probe Sees Changing Seasons on Mercury Nov 5, 2009
In addition to flying by Mercury, the spacecraft flew past Earth in August 2005 and Venus in October 2006 and June 2007. FOX NEWS VIDEOS. (Fox News)
Teams Battle For $2 Million At Space Elevator Games Nov 5, 2009
"The challenge is put on by Spaceward, but the prize money comes direct from NASA.And while $2 million is a lot of money, NASA said it will be money well spent.The same technology the teams are using for the challenge could be used in the future by NASA here on earth and even beyond.Andrew Petro with NASA's Centennial Challenge Program said, "We might be able to power instruments on the surface of the moon or on the surface of Mars from orbit, and beyond that, we see a real application of this... (KERO 23, CA)
Libraries need to promote learning atmosphere Nov 5, 2009
Tragically, even the Peace Corps Resource Library in Washington, D.C., does not keep published work written by its own volunteers, the salt of the earth. Popular government-sponsored programs are rare. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Giant crack in Africa may create a new ocean Nov 5, 2009
"We know that seafloor ridges are created by a similar intrusion of magma into a rift, but we never knew that a huge length of the ridge could break open at once like this," said Cindy Ebinger, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the University of Rochester and co-author of the study. INTERACTIVE. (MSNBC -- International)
BEN THERE, DONE THAT: Haven't we already done this? Nov 5, 2009
Here I am, 20 years later, grounded and perplexed at the billions of dollars fruitlessly spent, which have placed us numerous trips to the moon back into high-orbit around Earth, seemingly locked to the one planet that, surprisingly, still tolerates our existence ... NASA recently took one giant leap back to 1969 when it successfully tested the new Ares 1-X rocket, which didn t even leave the atmosphere before its boosters exhausted and it fell back to the Earth. (Allston Brighton TAB, MA)
EXCLUSIVE: Secrets of Google's 3-D Mars, Moon Nov 4, 2009
Michael Weiss-Malik, Product Manager, Mars in Google Earth So, Moon and Mars in Google Earth are a lot like a video game ... Noel Gorelick, Lead Engineer, Mars in Google Earth Prior to coming to Google, I worked on seven Mars missions and the Cassini mission to Saturn, for Arizona State University as a NASA contractor ... Michael Mars in Google Earth actually has imagery that I helped create and that Noel helped create. (National Geographic)
> read more Nov 4, 2009
There's sodium and potassium, which had been detected by observers on Earth, along with calcium and magnesium ... The evidence comes from Messenger's neutron spectrometer, which has found a dearth of low-energy neutrons coming from Mercury ... So one of three things happened: (1) somehow Mercury came together with a paucity of lower-density silicates, the kind found abundantly in Earth's crust; (2) it endured a period of extreme heating from the young Sun, which caused many elements simply to... (SkyAndTelescope.com)
This Week's Sky at a Glance Nov 4, 2009
How accurately can you time this event for your point on Earth. Telescope users in the American West can watch Jupiter's moon Ganymede partially occult Io from 9:06 to 9:13 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. (SkyAndTelescope.com)
Newfound Dinosaur Armored Like a Tank Nov 4, 2009
"For years, Bill and Kris have been collecting fossils from a critical time in Earth's history, and their hard work has paid off," said Lawrence Witmer, a paleontologist at Ohio University who was not involved with this study ... The dinosaur is described in the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences ... Man unearths largest hoard of gold ever found with metal detector. (Fox News)
The One Thing Nov 4, 2009
But the Earth god himself, Al Gore, whose net worth (including two houses) in 2000 was under $2 million, now he's worth hundreds of millions and stands to make even more as energy prices "necessarily skyrocket" (to quote President Obama) and government forces us to go green. And if he loves the Earth so much, why does he eat meat. (Fox News)
Deep space objects guide Earths GPS system Nov 4, 2009
Deep space objects guide Earths GPS system - Space ... Deep space objects guide Earths GPS system ... GPS satellites send signals to a receiver in down on Earth. (MSNBC -- Technology)
Astronomers see 'skeleton' of the universe Nov 4, 2009
SANTIAGO: Astronomers in Chile and Japan have for the first time seen part of the "cosmic web" of galaxies that permeates the known universe in a gigantic assembly some seven billion light-years from Earth ... Astronomers in Chile and Japan have for the first time seen part of the "cosmic web" of galaxies that permeates the known universe in a gigantic assembly some seven billion light-years from Earth. (India Times, India)
GORE'S BIG PROFITS FROM 'GLOBAL WARMING'... Nov 4, 2009
co.uk/earth/energy/6491195/Al-Gore-could-become-worlds-first-carbon-billionaire ... co.uk/earth/energy/6491195/Al-Gore-could-become-worlds-first-carbon-billionaire. (The Drudge Report)
Grant helps classes explore nature Nov 4, 2009
The science curriculum units, which the workshops enhance, are: Five Senses and Wind (kindergarten), Habitats (Grade 1), Earth and Space (Grade 2), Rocks and Minerals (Grade 3), Life Cycles: Plants (Grade 4) and Classification and Adaptations of Living Things (Grade 5). The LLCT hopes that their grant will support a key outcome as specified in the Massachusetts Science Frameworks: Students will understand that the fundamental purpose of science is to provide a clear, rational, and succinct... (Lincoln Journal, MA)
Top-of-the-line and affordable tech travel tools Nov 4, 2009
After your hike is over, connect the watch to your PC with its USB cable, and Google Earth will plot your trek. $599. (MSNBC -- Travel)
DreamWorks Studios and Doubleday Acquire Rights to 'Robopocalypse' Nov 4, 2009
His other books include "Where's My Jetpack?: A Guide to the Amazing Science Fiction Future That Never Arrived," "How To Build a Robot Army: Tips on Defending Planet Earth Against Aliens, Ninjas, and Zombies," and "The Mad Scientist Hall of Fame: Muwahahaha!" His next book, titled "Bro-Jitsu: The Martial Art of Sibling Smackdown," is scheduled for release next year. "Bro-Jitsu" was optioned by Nickelodeon Movies and Wilson hired to pen the screenplay adaptation. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Global warming Nov 4, 2009
Those gases are causing a dangerous warming of the earth, according to many climate scientists. "Not taking action is more expensive," said Kerry. (Salon)
Shuttle launch dress rehearsal wraps up amid uncertainty Nov 4, 2009
I can't predict the future, but I know that we will have a robust space program, that we will explore beyond low Earth orbit, and that KSC will play a prominent role in the processing, launch, and recovery of the payloads and spacecraft that are integral to making that a reality ... We are going to build a spacecraft to take humans beyond low Earth orbit; its name is Orion, and it is going to be built here at KSC. The first piece of tooling for this new vehicle has already arrived in the newly... (Florida Today)
Discovery offers clearer picture of Mercury Nov 4, 2009
Mercury is a third the size of Earth and slightly larger than Earth's moon. Scientists are interested in Mercury because it's one of four planets - including Earth, Venus and Mars - that resemble each other in composition ... Mercury, the planet nearest the sun, is often hard to see from the Earth. (AZCentral -- News)
GALAXY PICTURE: Cosmic Ray Mystery Solved? Nov 3, 2009
Cosmic rays, which are actually high-energy subatomic particles, are constantly bombarding Earth ... Unlike cosmic rays, light isn't affected by magnetic fields, so we can see it from Earth and accurately trace its source ... As expected, the VERITAS team found higher amounts of gamma rays coming from the starburst galaxy M82 (pictured), about 12 million light-years from Earth. (National Geographic)
Shedding light on the cosmic skeleton Nov 3, 2009
They have now used two major ground-based telescopes to study this structure in greater detail, measuring the distances from Earth of over 150 galaxies, and, hence, obtaining a three-dimensional view of the structure. The spectroscopic observations were performed using the VIMOS instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope and FOCAS on the Subaru Telescope, operated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. (EurekAlert!)
NASA preps for final shuttle launch Nov 3, 2009
Station flight engineer Nicole Stott will return to Earth aboard Atlantis. The weekend work kept NASA on track for the Nov. 16 launch. (USA Today -- Tech)
Skywatch: Leonid meteor shower Nov 3, 2009
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system, with a diameter more than 10 times that of Earth's ... At that scale, Earth would be the size of a BB.. (AZCentral -- Travel)
SMOS Satellite Successfully Launched: First-ever Satellite To Attempt To Measure Ocean Salinity From Space Nov 3, 2009
SMOS is part of ESA's Living Planet Programme, aimed at improving our understanding of the Earth system and the impacts of human activity ... 29, 2009) A new European Earth observation satellite will be launched in the early hours of Monday November 2 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia ... (May 28, 2009) ESA's next Earth Explorer, SMOS, has just passed the all-important Flight Acceptance Review, signifying that all the elements that make up the mission are in place for launch later... (Science Daily)
Saturns equinox brings longnight Nov 3, 2009
Like Earth, Saturn experiences two equinoxes per orbit ... 5 Earth years, to be exact so there is much more time between equinoxes than on Earth ... "Our solar system formed from a dusty disk, so by understanding the dynamics in a disk like Saturn's rings, we can gain insight into how Earth and the other planets in our solar system were made," Spilker said. (MSNBC -- Technology)
