|
||||||||
Space and Astronomy Thread |
![]() |
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|
#1601 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,927
|
Quote:
The Messenger probe will go into orbit around Mercury tonight (00:45 GMT), the first spacecraft to visit the planet for over 30 years, the the first to go into orbit around the planet.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12761025 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/me...ain/index.html |
|
|
|
|
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
|
|
|
#1602 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
|
NASA TV now talking about Messenger going into orbit around Mercury.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1603 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
|
The burn has started.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1604 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
|
Messenger in orbit around Mercury.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1605 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 24,419
|
Quote:
I flew with Virgin Atlantic, stayed in Orlando at the southern end of International Drive which is close to all of the theme parks (which I wasn't bothered to visit!). I didn't hire a car but sort of wish I did as I could have visited more attractions on the days that I wasn't in the space centre.
My local travel agent sorted the flight, hotel, visa, and airport transfers for just over £900. The only thing I had to do was get on a trip to Kennedy on the Thursday, I booked on a Florida Dolphin tour through the Viator website, but you can book directly with Florida Dolphin on their website here. The tour cost $169 (£106) and gets you into Kennedy on the launch day (blue ticket) and out to the causeway (green ticket) for the launch. The blue ticket is good for a second visit: as most of the space centre is not accessible on launch days so you will need a return trip to see everything there. Florida Dolphin also do a 'transport only' for $55 which takes you to the Astronaut Hall of Fame and Kennedy Visitors Centre where you can do the full tour on a non-launch day. There were reports that there were about 250,000 people watching the launch that day and the next two will only get worse so if you want to see the launch you may need to decide soon. I was very, very lucky in that the launch actually took place, you need to remember that STS-133 was originally scheduled to launch in September which slipped to November and was scrubbed 5 times before it actually launched. I left everything till last minute as it gave me a better chance of seeing the launch rather than planning months ahead only to find out the date had slipped. You may not have that luxury with the launch day tickets as they will be getting huge demand for these last launches. I hope you do decide to go as it is really a 'once in a lifetime' experience and timing and luck had a lot to do with giving me the chance which I took with both hands and am really glad that I did. |
|
|
|
|
|
#1606 |
|
Inactive Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,378
|
Quote:
There are two left Henry, you still have time to see one. You need to do what I did, which was decide to go last minute you don't have time to change your mind as you're already travelling! Florida is hot anytime of year, so you get a nice holiday too, which is a bonus.
I'm even missing a Wales rugby game being out here and that's a bit like denying religion for a Welshman ![]() I thought the Saturn V was real, there was just no-one on them. ![]() ![]() |
|
|
|
|
|
#1607 |
|
Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
Posts: 11,556
|
The first post in this thread was about MESSENGER.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1608 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,927
|
Mega Moon & Mega Galaxy...
Firstly, tonight we'll hopefully have a clear sky because the Moon will be at it's closest distance to Earth since 1992 and there's more here http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/20...st-point-years. Nothing to worry about though.
![]() As for the Mega Galaxy, here's a link to a New Scientist article on the biggest things in the universe: http://www.newscientist.com/article/...e-universe.htm. In particular, that IC 1101 galaxy is just awesome http://astronomycentral.co.uk/astron...e-known-limits. It is 5 million light years across which is 50x the diameter of our own Milky Way galaxy and it's twice as long as the distance between our Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy. Finally, here's a link to an interesting discussion between Professor Brian Cox and Dr Brian Green which is hosted by Andrew Marr - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zdbhz. |
|
|
|
|
|
#1609 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Bishop-Auckland / Darlington
Posts: 6,636
|
Quote:
Firstly, tonight we'll hopefully have a clear sky because the Moon will be at it's closest distance to Earth since 1992 and there's more here http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/20...st-point-years. Nothing to worry about though.
I've seen many sources lately stating that the Moon will be 30,000 miles closer than usual, and linking it with the Japanese earthquake What these sensationalist sources always neglect to mention is that the Moon comes to perigee (close-point) every single month, and that this current perigee - though 30,000 miles closer than the Moon's average distance - is only a thousand or so miles closer than most other perigees. They also neglect to mention that on the day of the big one in Japan, the Moon was nearer apogee (furthest point) than it was to perigee. |
|
|
|
|
|
#1610 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,927
|
Quote:
Nice to see the Guardian isn't overplaying this 'supermoon' in the way that many other sources are.
I've seen many sources lately stating that the Moon will be 30,000 miles closer than usual, and linking it with the Japanese earthquake What these sensationalist sources always neglect to mention is that the Moon comes to perigee (close-point) every single month, and that this current perigee - though 30,000 miles closer than the Moon's average distance - is only a thousand or so miles closer than most other perigees. They also neglect to mention that on the day of the big one in Japan, the Moon was nearer apogee (furthest point) than it was to perigee. On a separate topic, the Moon really does look larger when it's near the horizon and there are objects to compare it with even though it's ultimately an optical illusion. |
|
|
|
|
|
#1611 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
|
Well you can never let truth get in the way of a good story can you?
![]() ![]()
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1612 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,104
|
a rubbish pic of the 'super' moon here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10823446@N04/5540986698/ Was a bit of an anti climax tbh... |
|
|
|
|
|
#1613 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 53,213
|
My pictures from today
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1614 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 53,213
|
Quote:
a rubbish pic of the 'super' moon here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10823446@N04/5540986698/ Was a bit of an anti climax tbh... ![]()
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1615 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,104
|
Quote:
mine was never that big
![]() ![]()
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1616 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
|
Quote:
My pictures from today
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1617 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 53,213
|
Quote:
Very good effort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1618 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
|
Quote:
really i didn't think they were of best quality
![]()
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1619 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Posts: 53,213
|
Quote:
Yes but none of us can control the weather!
![]() ![]() the cloud wasn't forcast and unfortunately it was just one of those things fortunately i saw it in some form though
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1620 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Hell of Upside Down Sinners
Posts: 263
|
We were lucky with mostly clear skies overhead on the south coast so had a terrific view of the Moon with some 12 X 50 binos. I was hoping to see M32 too as 8pm-ish is currently a good time, but too much cloud that way.
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1621 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Lichfield, Staffs
Posts: 8,642
|
Here are a couple I managed to get earlier before the cloud rolled in.
http://flic.kr/p/9rDMQD |
|
|
|
|
#1622 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 7,041
|
I was a bit disappointed, to be honest. From some of the articles I caught glimpes of, I half expected to open my front door tonight and find the moon right outside going boo! However, the moon is as beautiful as ever, even if it doesn't really seem any closer
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1623 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Pembrokeshire.
Posts: 40,686
|
Quote:
a rubbish pic of the 'super' moon here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10823446@N04/5540986698/ Was a bit of an anti climax tbh... Too cloud here grrrr and the night before was so clear
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1624 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
|
I discivered this little tool last night. I have not come across anything quite like it before. See http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s....php?t=1451015
|
|
|
|
|
|
#1625 |
|
Forum Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cambridgeshire
Posts: 14,044
|
Quote:
I discivered this little tool last night. I have not come across anything quite like it before. See http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s....php?t=1451015
|
|
|
|
![]() |
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 03:47.








