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Space and Astronomy Thread |
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#1251 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
Posts: 11,556
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Martian Rover "Spirit" has entered hibernation mode for the winter.
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#1252 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cybertron
Posts: 3,039
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Quote:
I think the Prof must have an obscene amount of airmiles!
![]() It's all very pretty and lovely in HD but pretty thin on the actual science content. Just looks like an excuse for him and the film crew to go on a massive global jolly. Not a patch on The Planets - can't believe that series in 10 years old now! Is 'The Planets' the one with Sam Neill narrating? |
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#1253 |
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Solihull
Posts: 7,269
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Quote:
I agree.
Is 'The Planets' the one with Sam Neill narrating? There was a great period of scientific TV 10 years ago but personally I think it's dumbed down somewhat at present. Even Horizon seems to have lost it's sparkle. |
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#1254 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Mercury and Venus meet in the evening sky.
See http://www.skyandtelescope.com/obser.../89721762.html This sight is best right about now. |
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#1255 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Good explanation on how to spot Mercury here. See http://www.popastro.com/youngstargazers/thismonth.html
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#1256 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Now here is a picture I have never seen before. It is of the South Celestial Pole. See http://astronomy.fm/aapod/
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#1257 |
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Osaka
Posts: 2,007
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Quote:
Now here is a picture I have never seen before. It is of the South Celestial Pole. See http://astronomy.fm/aapod/
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#1258 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Quote:
good pic south celestial pole erm ?
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#1259 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Not too many shuttles to go now. The next one due to launch on Monday. See http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sh...131/index.html
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#1260 |
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: In a birdsnest
Posts: 2,030
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Quote:
Mercury and Venus meet in the evening sky.
See http://www.skyandtelescope.com/obser.../89721762.html This sight is best right about now. Quote:
Good explanation on how to spot Mercury here. See http://www.popastro.com/youngstargazers/thismonth.html
Quote:
Not too many shuttles to go now. The next one due to launch on Monday. See http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sh...131/index.html
- I've got them in my tabs now to keep me busy! I got into the habit of popping outside at night to look for the ISS and I 've been missing it! Lots to look out for now, though . By the way I never did hear back from San Diego!
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#1261 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Space shuttle launches this morning with four women on board.
Launch due at 11.21 BST 10 minute window. |
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#1262 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Quote:
Thank you Henry, these links are great especially for a newbie like me
- I've got them in my tabs now to keep me busy! I got into the habit of popping outside at night to look for the ISS and I 've been missing it! Lots to look out for now, though . By the way I never did hear back from San Diego! |
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#1263 |
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Stoke-On-Trent
Posts: 7,158
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Next week is the 30th Aniversary of Apollo 13, The BBC have put a few items online about the incident and all of the Apollo programme.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereport...o-archiv.shtml http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/moonlandings/ |
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#1264 |
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Solihull
Posts: 7,269
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I was in Bristol over the weekend and took my daughter (aged 4) to the planetarium at the science museum (@Bristol - silly name). They were doing a special show for under 5's for the first time. Not very long and only went totally dark for a few seconds right at the end to stop the kiddies from freaking out. Very good and a nice intro to the planets, the nights sky, constellations etc... My daughter seemed to enjoy it so I'm going to take her to the planetarium in Birmigham this summer.
I'd highly recommend the Bristol museum, by the way. |
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#1265 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 21,640
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Quote:
Very good and a nice intro to the planets, the nights sky, constellations etc... My daughter seemed to enjoy it so I'm going to take her to the planetarium in Birmigham this summer.
I was disappointed. Then again, I'm not four... I have fond childhood memories of visiting the London planetarium, when it was a proper planetarium with an expensive and imposing Zeiss projector standing like some alien artefact in front of the audience. It was bristling with optics, and meant that you got a startlingly realistic depiction of the night sky, with pin-sharp stars, set against a jet black background. The modern breed of digital planetarium projectors are undoubtedly more versatile, but they can't do that (or at least, none that I've seen can). They lack the magic. |
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#1266 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Solihull
Posts: 7,269
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Quote:
Do you mean the one in the Think Tank?
I was disappointed. Then again, I'm not four... I have fond childhood memories of visiting the London planetarium, when it was a proper planetarium with an expensive and imposing Zeiss projector standing like some alien artefact in front of the audience. It was bristling with optics, and meant that you got a startlingly realistic depiction of the night sky, with pin-sharp stars, set against a jet black background. The modern breed of digital planetarium projectors are undoubtedly more versatile, but they can't do that (or at least, none that I've seen can). They lack the magic. |
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#1267 |
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 501
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This may have been mentioned before, but I haven't read through the whole thread.
On the Sky at Night last night they said Venus and Mercury could both be seen just after the sun has gone done. If you look west just after sunset (to be honest I looked about an hour after sunset last night, but it was still reasonably light), there is a bright 'star' with a much dimmer one to the right of it. They are quite close to the horizon. According to The Sky at Night the bright one is Venus and the dimmer one is Mercury. I'm fairly sure I managed to see Venus though was a bit less certain that the dimmer one was actually Mercury, and not a real star, although it wasn't really dark enough to see any other stars, so I'm hopeful it was. If this was already obvious to everyone or really boring I apologise! EDIT: And just after posting I scroll up the page and see it already mentioned. Sorry! |
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#1268 |
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Bishop-Auckland / Darlington
Posts: 6,636
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Quote:
I'm fairly sure I managed to see Venus though was a bit less certain that the dimmer one was actually Mercury....
Mercury doesn't seem all that bright while there us still some light in the sky, but it is still brighter than most of the stars. After Venus, Mercury is by far the next brightest thing in that part of the sky... The next brightest star in that part of the sky is 'Alpha Arietis', which is currently right and up a bit from Venus, but is 2 magnitudes dimmer than Mercury - In astronomy terms, a drop of 2 magnitudes is only about 1/6th as bright. It is reputed that the ancient 'great' astronomer Nicholaus Copernicus never managed to actually see Mercury for himself. Also - If you have a decent pair of binoculars, or a small spotting scope - anything capable of about 12x or more magnification... Take a look at Venus - It shows phases like the Moon, and currently looks like a tiny version of a roughly 3/4 full Moon. Worth watching every now and then over the next few months - It'll be down to half-phase by about July/Aug, and a crescent from about Sept onwards |
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#1269 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
Posts: 11,556
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Its clear out - I can see Venus easily - going to try Mercury with binoculars.
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#1270 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 501
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Quote:
Its clear out - I can see Venus easily - going to try Mercury with binoculars.
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#1271 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
Posts: 11,556
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Cool .... could just about make out Mercury next to Venus, first time i've seen it.
Also got a picture HERE |
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#1272 |
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Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 53,213
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saw venuis and mercury last night
![]() cloudy tonight though
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#1273 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Yes I saw Venus and Mercury in a lovely clear sky around 8.25pm. Nice to have seen them together.
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#1274 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: I Know Art. I've Lived Art!
Posts: 14,151
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Quote:
Yes I saw Venus and Mercury in a lovely clear sky around 8.25pm. Nice to have seen them together.
You have to be very close to low pollution area and try and catch it away from any buildings to catch that. |
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#1275 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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"Houston We Have A Problem" the man who said this is in BBC 1 very soon.
He then said "We have had a main bus B undervolt". |
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- I've got them in my tabs now to keep me busy! I got into the habit of popping outside at night to look for the ISS and I 've been missing it! Lots to look out for now, though