What's the Climate like up there?

I tend to avoid the whole 'climate debate'.

At best it seems to be mostly a bunch of folk arguing about the number of angels who dance on the head of a pin; at worst a bunch of entrenched interest groups from two dogmatic extremes lobbing pretty much the same justifications for their views at each other over and over.

I am not saying it is not important, just that I feel it more productive to get on with what I think can help all sides and let others hopefully deal with an area I can see no value in get involved with, bar seeking to ensure the enviROI is always positive.

However, it is a pretty key aspect of many debates, and one thing that always comes up is the difference between 'climate' and 'weather'.

And I would hope these guys would know better than most what it is:

What's the Difference Between Weather and Climate?

The bigger picture

Another, new(ish) poster has suggested this link (just email info@junkk.com with anything and I'll get it eventually).

Views of Jupiter

Having had a gander such things are most certainly worth sharing, not just for the visual joy they bring, but to also help us position ourselves more humbly in the great scheme of things.

I noticed some bloggers replying that they wished they could live there. Can you imagine? How long before our race had to move on again, having...

Addendum:

As we are of a naturally poetic bent today, and I am feeling naughty but NASA:

Trendwatcher: northern-lights-explained-nasa

Newsnight - worth it for all sorts of related reasons... unanswered questions on helping posters add functions, despite promises, and unanswered questions on pay deals because, well, what goes up stays up. Some live on different planets, I guess.

New NASA Climate Change Website

NASA has launched a new climate change website - see NASA Website.

The site provides a plethora of data, including some quite scary time series flash animations (click on the Climate Time Machine tag), plus loads of very considered but reasonably concise documentation.

Well worth a visit.

Space. At a mall near you.

Ok, so you need to get to the USA first.

Into space - on a shuttle simulator

Love it. I hope this may be required reading for all billionaires
considering Virgin Galactic, whose contributions to atmospheric
emissions doesn't seem likely to be very positive to global warming.

ps: Is that the guy from Life on Mars? Appropriate if it is, considering
the topic

Fly me to the moon. Or Not.

I have no problem with reasonable expenditures of pretty much anything in the cause of science.

Get a rich lard-a**se a better view... less so.

I’d like a ticket to New York by hypersonic space rocket, please

"The two organisations would research hybrid rocket motors, which
use both solid and liquid fuel and are safer and more efficient than
solid fuel rocket engines."

Just asking, but by 'more efficient' what is meant by that?

Will it mean a kilo of person or cargo will get to the destination
for a lower carbon commitment?

Or not?

And if not, this is a commitment to global warming how exactly?

Gush, gush journalism at its best.