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Space and Astronomy Thread |
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#1301 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Quote:
Sorry, I meant to say in the West.
I was about to close my bedroom curtains about an hour ago and saw a planet or star very low and shining very brightly. I even went outside with my binoculars for a closer look. I wish I knew more about astronomy. I am fascinated with watching the sky but don't very often know what it is that I'm looking at. And, I have to admit, I've never heard of the Swan.The way to learn your sky is to look more often. Or better is to join your local astronomy club. |
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#1302 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lothlórien
Posts: 19,736
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Quote:
Venus set at about 11.40pm tonight.
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There is so much to gain and learn from it. It's all small steps of learning constellations and the movement of the sky but each step of the way gives you something new to learn and see.
The Summer doesn't have much darkness but it has a lot of packed stars for you to see. ![]() I even find it difficult to make out the more obvious constellations, even when someone points out the Plough or something. I know Orion though. That's easy enough to spot. I also feel strangely drawn to Orion for some inexplicable reason. |
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#1303 |
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: I Know Art. I've Lived Art!
Posts: 14,151
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Quote:
Thanks, Henry. That must have been what I saw then.
I have an astrology book but it's very complicated. So, I've loaned it out. ![]() I even find it difficult to make out the more obvious constellations, even when someone points out the Plough or something. I know Orion though. That's easy enough to spot. I also feel strangely drawn to Orion for some inexplicable reason. Leo is... parts of Gemini are and parts of scorpio and saggitarius will be as they begin to rise over the summer. If you set out time to step out on clear nights you should be surprised. If you go out now and look west then Mars is read and directly next to it a polygon of stars is Leo. |
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#1304 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,566
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Here is a tool for finding rising and setting times of celectial bodies.
See http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/mrst.php |
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#1305 |
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: I Know Art. I've Lived Art!
Posts: 14,151
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Jupiter is visible in the east right now, if you live somewhere north of Stoke.
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#1306 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Posts: 11,556
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#1307 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: South Tyneside
Posts: 63
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Wonder if someone can help me out.
Very early Friday morning, around 2am I spotted what looked like a satellite overhead. Moving pretty much dead south/north. Now, I've seen the ISS and other satellites countless times. This one was very different though. Every few seconds it flared up, getting brighter then dimmer. This repeated for as long as I could see it (about 1 minute). Never seen anything like it. Had a quick check on the iPhone NASA app and on heavens above but found nothing. Any idea what it could have been? |
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#1308 |
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Osaka
Posts: 2,007
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Quote:
Wonder if someone can help me out.
Very early Friday morning, around 2am I spotted what looked like a satellite overhead. Moving pretty much dead south/north. Now, I've seen the ISS and other satellites countless times. This one was very different though. Every few seconds it flared up, getting brighter then dimmer. This repeated for as long as I could see it (about 1 minute). Never seen anything like it. Had a quick check on the iPhone NASA app and on heavens above but found nothing. Any idea what it could have been? |
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#1309 |
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,288
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Possibly a satellite tumbling out of control, due to gyroscope failure or whatever. Did it look anything like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfcB4ByEl1U
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#1310 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lothlórien
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How many satellites are there up above us?
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#1311 |
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 15,979
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19
Nineteen Ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen |
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#1312 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lothlórien
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Quote:
19
Nineteen Ni-ni-ni-ni-nineteen Thanks for that. I'll not be able to get that song out of my head for the rest of the night, now.
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#1313 |
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 1,196
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Theres more than 19 satellites in space.
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#1314 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 21,640
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Quote:
Wonder if someone can help me out.
Very early Friday morning, around 2am I spotted what looked like a satellite overhead. Moving pretty much dead south/north. Now, I've seen the ISS and other satellites countless times. This one was very different though. Every few seconds it flared up, getting brighter then dimmer. This repeated for as long as I could see it (about 1 minute). Never seen anything like it. Had a quick check on the iPhone NASA app and on heavens above but found nothing. Any idea what it could have been? Flares from the Iridium satellites can be predicted very accurately, and there are online resources that will do this. |
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#1315 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
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Quote:
How many satellites are there up above us?
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#1316 |
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: Osaka
Posts: 2,007
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Quote:
Sounds like a satellite flare, caused by sunlight reflecting off the solar panels.
Flares from the Iridium satellites can be predicted very accurately, and there are online resources that will do this. |
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#1317 |
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 21,640
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Quote:
Would a low orbit satellite pass over so quickly ?
Sounds more like an aircraft, now I think about it! |
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#1318 |
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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Quote:
Possibly a satellite tumbling out of control, due to gyroscope failure or whatever. Did it look anything like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfcB4ByEl1U
Thanks, quite a sight! |
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#1319 |
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#1320 |
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
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Potential Shuttle successor has successful launch...
...according to the BBC report here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/science_a...t/10209704.stm and you can even watch a short video too.
In this case, it's SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9) that has successfully launched and it's one of two private corporations that are ultimately developing a crewed launcher system capable of taking NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. The other company in the running is Orbital Space Sciences with their Taurus II launcher which is scheduled to launch in March 2011 - more here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurus_II. |
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#1321 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Posts: 11,556
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#1322 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Well, they made it.
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#1323 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
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#1324 |
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Join Date: Jun 2006
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Mysterious Flash on Jupiter Left No Debris Cloud
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/arc.../2010/20/full/ |
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#1325 |
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
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Finding the green comet in the sky...
Quote:
Fortunately, Comet McNaught should be relatively easy to find in the night sky as it's following a line between the stars Mirfak (Perseus) and Capella (Auriga). |
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And, I have to admit, I've never heard of the Swan.