DS Forums

 
 

Space and Astronomy Thread


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 17-08-2009, 20:30
HenryGarten
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
I saw the moon in a half moon phase in the morning last week
Yes and if you carefully you could probably have seen it in the day sky too. It is a bit harder to see but still visible.
HenryGarten is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 17-08-2009, 22:01
Ricardodaforce
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alacant
Posts: 7,773

This is quite an interesting story.

Scientists studying matter from comet Wild 2 have found glycine, one of the fundamental building blocks of life (don't you just hate that expression!!).

Does it add weight to the panspermia theory?
Ricardodaforce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-08-2009, 22:15
swingaleg
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,816
Anything interesting in the night sky tonight ?

My telly is bust.............
swingaleg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-08-2009, 22:17
Ricardodaforce
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alacant
Posts: 7,773
Anything interesting in the night sky tonight ?

My telly is bust.............
Jupiter is big bright shining jewell again.
Ricardodaforce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-08-2009, 22:17
swingaleg
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,816
This is quite an interesting story.

Scientists studying matter from comet Wild 2 have found glycine, one of the fundamental building blocks of life (don't you just hate that expression!!).

Does it add weight to the panspermia theory?

Yeah........it's a bit of a circular argument.........it's a building of life on earth because it's here

If it wasn't here, something else would have been a building block...........
swingaleg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-08-2009, 22:18
Socha
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Laich Kintraes
Posts: 4,086
Anything interesting in the night sky tonight ?

My telly is bust.............
Watch out for Big Bear.... he might be on to something....
Socha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-08-2009, 22:20
swingaleg
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 76,816
Jupiter is big bright shining jewell again.
Yeah, been looking at that for the last few nights.......

*pops to window*

yep, it's out from behind the next door skyscraper.........

Tried my bins but it's only a dot of light..........but shiny !
swingaleg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-08-2009, 22:56
Assa2
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Solihull
Posts: 7,274
Jupiter was looking very beguiling tonight. Callisto out on her own, Ganymede & Europa in close proximity and Io just peeking around Jupiter's horizon - not sure if Io was heading in front or behind though. Also haven't seen the cloud bands quite so clearly for a while.
Assa2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-08-2009, 09:24
Assa2
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Solihull
Posts: 7,274
Need some advice. I quite fancy doing some simple astrophotography. I've done a bit of research into it and it looks like I should be able to get some reasonable results with my telescope using a digital camera for Lunar and major planetary shots. I'm in the market for a new digital camera at the moment anyway so what sort of features do I need to look out for and can anyone recommend a camera? Also, what mounts do people use?
Assa2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 25-08-2009, 11:10
Ricardodaforce
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alacant
Posts: 7,773
Need some advice. I quite fancy doing some simple astrophotography. I've done a bit of research into it and it looks like I should be able to get some reasonable results with my telescope using a digital camera for Lunar and major planetary shots. I'm in the market for a new digital camera at the moment anyway so what sort of features do I need to look out for and can anyone recommend a camera? Also, what mounts do people use?
Carlos is the man. Have you looked at his forum?
Ricardodaforce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 28-08-2009, 23:11
Ricardodaforce
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alacant
Posts: 7,773
The space shuttle Discovery is fully fueled for its planned launch tonight at 11:59 p.m. EDT (0359 Aug. 29 GMT). The 3-hour fueling process ended at 5:48 p.m. EDT (2149 GMT), filling Discovery’s 15-story external tank with the 526,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.
Ricardodaforce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-08-2009, 15:06
sg_
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 2,638
Clear night and no haze, so I took the camera out and pointed it up for 30 seconds -

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/o...IMG_0013__.jpg

I seemed to catch something streaking across the bottom of the image too, no idea what it was unless its a satellite or something?
sg_ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-08-2009, 15:31
BeethovensPiano
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
Posts: 11,556
Clear night and no haze, so I took the camera out and pointed it up for 30 seconds -

http://i378.photobucket.com/albums/o...IMG_0013__.jpg

I seemed to catch something streaking across the bottom of the image too, no idea what it was unless its a satellite or something?
That's almost certainly a meteor you caught there.

And did anyone catch the Shuttle launch this morning. Watched it on the news and went out about 20 minutes later to see it, got a fabulous view of the shuttle and the external tank flying in tandem. The orange colour of the tank was VERY vivid. A Spectacular sight.
BeethovensPiano is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 29-08-2009, 16:39
afcbfan
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,288
That's almost certainly a meteor you caught there.

And did anyone catch the Shuttle launch this morning. Watched it on the news and went out about 20 minutes later to see it, got a fabulous view of the shuttle and the external tank flying in tandem. The orange colour of the tank was VERY vivid. A Spectacular sight.
Me too! Been on holiday this week so took the opportunity getting up early to watch the launch, only to end up disappointed. Someone said they'd seen it going over after the last launch, so I figured that as the ISS is going over in the mornings at the moment then the Shuttle would be heading this this way, too. Found the n2yo website and saw it heading straight for the UK. Popped outside to watch and...Wow! Something I've *never* seen before! I've never seen the Shuttle so bright - I guess it was due to the angle the Sun was striking it at, it not being at full orbital height? And as you say, the contrast between the bright white of the Shuttle and the orange of the tank...amazing! Delighted to have seen that; may never have the chance again.
afcbfan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-09-2009, 21:29
Ricardodaforce
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alacant
Posts: 7,773
Look up!

That is the Moon and Jupiter in celestial harmony. Don't they look beautiful.
Ricardodaforce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2009, 15:53
BeethovensPiano
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
Posts: 11,556

It seems something weird is happening with the Sun

Are Sunspots Disappearing?

Related to these stories

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2...larminimum.htm

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2..._blankyear.htm

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2..._solarwind.htm
BeethovensPiano is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2009, 16:25
TelevisionUser
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,927

It looks like the retirement of the Space Shuttle has prompted the European Space Agency to start negotiations with the Russians with a view to buying a Soyuz capsule which will be crewed by Europeans (and possibly Canadians).

If it does go ahead, the ESA Soyuz will be launched from Baikonur as normal. More on this story here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8226309.stm

It seems the ESA is not prepared to wait years for the USA to develop the new Orion (=Apollo 2).
TelevisionUser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-09-2009, 16:28
Ricardodaforce
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alacant
Posts: 7,773
I also heard the other day that European unmanned supply vessel (can't recall its name) is going to be converted to include a heatshield so it has re-entry capability. From there it wouldn't be too difficult to add life support functionality.
Ricardodaforce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-09-2009, 15:24
TelevisionUser
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,927

No, I'm pleased to say it isn't a Daily Star headline but a serious piece of research that was published in the scientific journal Nature and here're the links:http://www.nature.com/nature/journal...9/03andromeda/.

It looks like the large mass of the Andromeda galaxy [M31] has resulted in the absorption of smaller neighbouring galaxies. However, its other companions M32 and M110 appear to have remained separate. I used the word 'appeared' deliberately because what we're seeing is the situation that occurred 3 million years ago.

On a separate note, it being the International Year of Astronomy, I thought we really ought to have an event locally to encourage adults and children to take an interest in the wider universe. It has taken months to organise but here it is http://www.filepanda.com/file/rqsqg2jbgmvn/.
TelevisionUser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2009, 16:58
BeethovensPiano
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
Posts: 11,556
The Space Shuttle undocks tonight.... and I think we may be able to see the two flying together a few hours later - but low in the sky unfortunately.

Appears at 21:44:49 from the SW, maximum height at 21:45:14, 13 degrees above horizon in the SW.
BeethovensPiano is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2009, 17:21
Ricardodaforce
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alacant
Posts: 7,773
The Space Shuttle undocks tonight.... and I think we may be able to see the two flying together a few hours later - but low in the sky unfortunately.

Appears at 21:44:49 from the SW, maximum height at 21:45:14, 13 degrees above horizon in the SW.
There is a brighter passing about 90 mins earlier. It is not visible there?
Ricardodaforce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2009, 19:07
Assa2
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Solihull
Posts: 7,274
There is a brighter passing about 90 mins earlier. It is not visible there?
Not from where I am at least. Less than 1 min of visibility at 15 degrees at 9:44pm.
Assa2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2009, 20:24
BeethovensPiano
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
Posts: 11,556
Also don't forget tomorrow we have a press conference to unveil the latest images etc from the newly refurbished Hubble Space Telescope
BeethovensPiano is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2009, 21:01
Ricardodaforce
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Alacant
Posts: 7,773
Did you see the latest Apollo 12 landing site image?
Ricardodaforce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2009, 21:19
Pearl McG
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 411
There is a brighter passing about 90 mins earlier. It is not visible there?
Saw it passing really brightly at 20:13 (in Norwich).
Pearl McG is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 03:39.