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Space and Astronomy Thread |
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#1826 |
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More exciting news: http://www.universetoday.com/88928/s...ace-telescope/ Quote:
The 2012 fiscal year appropriation bill, marked up today by the Senate, allows for continued funding of the James Webb Space Telescope and support up to a launch in 2018! Yes, it looks like this bird is going to fly.
So they have seen sense!
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#1827 |
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Quote:
Anyone been watching Jupiter? Got up at 4am for a toilet break and had a look out. Incredibly bright and was due south at the time. Rises in the east about 9.30pm. Didn't know what it was at the time so fired up stellarium. According to the sunday times column it's 3 times brighter than the brightest star. Oh , and then we also have this supernova , better find out where the plough is.
Might go outside and look at it through my binoculars tonight.
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#1828 |
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Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cambridgeshire
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Quote:
Yes, I too have been Jupiter watching - out of my kitchen window. It shines very brightly. It is beautiful.
Might go outside and look at it through my binoculars tonight. ![]() |
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#1829 |
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: in yo' mamma
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Quote:
That's a clunky old rocket! If NASA wants to move freight into space then it needs to get itself a a Corellian XS Light Freighter or two!! Ok, a Millenium Falcon type craft to the non geeks
Unfortunately the buggers pulled the plug on the X-38 and its beautiful Aerospike engines!You know that scene Lucas added into Star Wars IV, of the Falcon climbing up and out from Mos Eisley? we could have had that... |
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#1830 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
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Quote:
You should see four of it's moons through binoculars...
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#1831 |
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Join Date: May 2004
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Quote:
More exciting news:
http://www.universetoday.com/88928/s...ace-telescope/ That is excellent news and it'll guarantee also that America will benefit in prestige terms from this great new telescope and from all the good science that will derive from it. So they have seen sense! Quote:
Yes, I too have been Jupiter watching - out of my kitchen window. It shines very brightly. It is beautiful.
Might go outside and look at it through my binoculars tonight. ![]() Both the Moon and Jupiter were on display that night and many people got to see craters close up and the moons and clouds belts of Jupiter for the first time and many were awed by what they saw . I am pleased my council has continued these events annually so that others can experience the wonders of the heavens.
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#1832 |
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
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Free Online Astronomy Courses...
...and here they are:
http://www.khanacademy.org/#cosmology-and-astronomy Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics http://oyc.yale.edu/astronomy http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses http://www.openculture.com/category/astronomy-2 http://www.cam.ac.uk/video/contribute/ http://sms.cam.ac.uk/media/650158 http://www8.open.ac.uk/europe/key-fa...ning-resources http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/ouco....php?id=399366 http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/ http://www.open.ac.uk/openlearn/scie...ths-technology They do vary in detail and complexity but I am sure that many people can benefit from them. |
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#1833 |
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lothlórien
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Quote:
A couple oy years ago, I helped to organise a public astronomy for members of the public event which comprised of an illustrated talk followed by an outdoor telescope observation session.
Both the Moon and Jupiter were on display that night and many people got to see craters close up and the moons and clouds belts of Jupiter for the first time and many were awed by what they saw . I am pleased my council has continued these events annually so that others can experience the wonders of the heavens.One day I hope to go out into the sticks where there is no light pollution and take a better look at the night sky. I haven't yet had that privilege.
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#1834 |
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Join Date: May 2004
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Astro News Roundup...
Tatooine really does exist! (sort of))
Luke Skywalker's home planet with two suns was fictional...up until now: Tatooine may have been a harsh desert world, but Kepler-16b is positively uninhabitable. Still, like Tatooine, it orbits a dual-star system. http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...#ixzz1Y8ipJ4C5 http://www.newscientist.com/article/...-universe.html Super-Earth discovered in a habitable zone Called a super-Earth because it is only 3.6 times more massive than Earth and possibly rocky rather than gaseous, it resides in a 58-day orbit on the inner edge of its orange star's habitable zone. http://www.newscientist.com/article/...able-zone.html From what has been said elsewhere http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00k17lc#synopsis, this world be steaming hot given its proximity to its home star so it might be a home to robust bacteria but not humans .NASA officially unveils the Space Launch System The SLS Space Launch System is new a heavy duty launch vehicle that's scheduled to have its first launch in late 2017. It'll be Earth's most powerful rocket since the Saturn V and it will be able to send crews to the Moon, Mars and the asteroids. Whilst the initial version is less powerful than a Saturn V, the planned uprated version would exceed the Saturn V's thrust capability to become Earth's most powerful rocket ever. NASA has officially unveiled the plan for their next large-scale rocket: the Space Launch System, or SLS, will provide heavy-lift capabilities for cargo and spacecraft to go beyond low-Earth orbit and is proposed as a safe, sustainable and efficient way to open up the next chapter in US space exploration. http://www.universetoday.com/88941/s...ext-big-thing/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Launch_System Pluto's icy exterior may conceal an ocean PLUTO could hide a liquid ocean beneath its icy shell. Indeed, other bodies on the solar system's frigid fringe could also harbour subsurface oceans, and these could provide the conditions to sustain life. http://www.newscientist.com/article/...-an-ocean.html |
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#1835 |
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Derby
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I think we're entering a very exciting period for both astronomy and space flight. If I was a student today, I'd definitely be trying to get on a space/planetary science or a space systems engineering course despite all the maths and physics involved!!
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#1836 |
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Join Date: May 2008
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Quote:
I think we're entering a very exciting period for both astronomy and space flight. If I was a student today, I'd definitely be trying to get on a space/planetary science or a space systems engineering course despite all the maths and physics involved!!
and meet the people on this thread in space. I really belived that in the 1970's, now back to artist's impressions & crossing fingers. |
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#1837 |
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Join Date: May 2004
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Quote:
That's great. Astronomy is a fascinating subject.
One day I hope to go out into the sticks where there is no light pollution and take a better look at the night sky. I haven't yet had that privilege. ![]() ![]() And now for some spaceflight news... Spaceship Company Opens Assembly Facility in Mojave The Spaceship Company (TSC), the aerospace production joint venture of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic and Scaled Composites, achieved a significant milestone in making commercial space travel a reality with today’s opening of its Final Assembly, Integration and Test Hangar, or FAITH, at Mojave Air and Space Port. http://www.parabolicarc.com/2011/09/...ity-in-mojave/ China takes first step towards space station China is about to take the first step towards building its own space station with the launch of Tiangong 1, or Heavenly Palace, in a further sign of its race to catch up with the US and Russia. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c863c828-e...#axzz1YbwGqBNB |
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#1838 |
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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I was reading yesterday that scientists now beleive the solar system had a fifth gas giant planet in it's early history, some 4 billion years ago. Up until recently computer simulations of the early solar system failed to expalin the eventual configuration of the planets as we know them. Basically Jupiter is too big and in simulations one of Urunus or Neptune is always ejected from the solar system. Now by adding a fifth planet into the equation scientists have found that the simulation often comes up with a very good analogy of the solar system as we see it. The ejection of a large body 4 billion years ago also explains the 'late heavy bombardment' which is responsible for much of the cratering on bodies like our Moon, as a large planet being thrown out of the solar system would have disrutped the Oort Cloud and Kuiper Belt as it went.
p.s. I always knew Einstein was an idiot p.p.s if anyone can find the systematic error in my conclusion above, please PM me
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#1839 |
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Join Date: Dec 2008
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Quote:
Nice pics!
I love anything to do with astrology and space. I regularly look up the Nasa web site, it's got some good stuff on there. I particularly like watching the shuttle launches. |
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#1840 |
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Join Date: Jul 2005
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Interesting that the planets circling the sun....... are all in the same plane
as thought they were all positioned on a gigantic LP with the sun in the middle... then the LP was removed to leave them all in the same plane ! |
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#1841 |
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Quote:
Interesting that the planets circling the sun....... are all in the same plane
as thought they were all positioned on a gigantic LP with the sun in the middle... then the LP was removed to leave them all in the same plane ! |
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#1842 |
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Join Date: May 2008
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It really has been a bit of a week for news...
I may have misread what I read recently, but the Sun is a third generation star? EG.It died reformed started again, might have missed the memo on this one? |
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#1843 |
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Quote:
It really has been a bit of a week for news...
I may have misread what I read recently, but the Sun is a third generation star? EG.It died reformed started again, might have missed the memo on this one? 2 things suggest our sun is at least a 3rd generation star (the third star to exist in this location of the galaxy). Firstly super nova have very short life-sp[ans so if a 1st generation star formed shortly after the start of the univers 13 billion years ago and died soon after there wuld be a 8 - 9 billion year wait until our sun formed which is rather unlikley, so the chances are at least one other star has been born and died in the same location. Secondly the ratio of the heavy elements is too high for a single super-nova to have produced them meaning the material our solar system is made out of is likely to have been recycled through at least 2 super-nova. However there is a good chance the sun is actually a 4th generation star as the time factor - 2 short lived super-nova over 8 or 9 billion years - seems unlikely. most likely there have been 2 super nova and at least one smaller star like our own sun. This cycle will continue, over and over, until all of the light elements, mainly hydrogen and helium, which are used as fusion fuel in stars is used up. In around 100 trillion years it is estimated that the last stars, very small, dim, cold stars will eventually burn out and all the light in the universe will be gone. Eventually all of the material in the universe will disperse into a uniform medium and will cool to absolute zero. At this point time will cease to exist and the universe will have died (a theory called heat death). This will take an unimaginably long time. It's quite a somber thought until you realise that if the entire life time of the universe was a day, we have not even reached the smallest fraction of time known to man past midnight yet. |
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#1844 |
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Thank you Assa2,
The Sun is not my strong point maybe a little out of date,,,,, Once again thanks. |
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#1845 |
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Join Date: Nov 2004
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China is due to launch it's first 'space laboratory' in the next few days. Based on Russian technology (which I assume means it's a derivative of Mir as I assume Russia's ISS partners wouldn't allow Russia to sell ISS technogoy to China) the small module will spend several months in automated mode while China sends up two unmanned capsules to attempt automatic docking before manned missions start next year.
All pretty impressive stuff given China's manned space programme started less than 10 years ago. My concern is that it's all bought and re-engineered technology from Russia, is all vbetween 40 & 20 years old and as with anything that is reproduced will not be as good as the original. That said I've been impressed how China has taken thing slow and steady rathetr than throwing Taikonauts up at every opportunity. They seem to have a definite plan for progressing towards a permenant space station and moon missions and are sticking to it. |
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#1846 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: ♫ At The Keyboard ♫
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There is a comet diving towards or at the Sun right now
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/...24/latest.html Its in the 4 o'clock position in those images currently with a small tail, it will grow brighter and longer as it approaches the sun. Then it will appear in these images: http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/...24/latest.html It will likely disappear on the 1st of October |
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#1847 |
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Join Date: Nov 2008
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Have you seen the naked eye sun spot yet? It is just about visible with eclipse glasses, but be very careful.
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#1848 |
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Derby
Posts: 27,583
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Not looking!!
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#1849 |
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Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Derby
Posts: 27,583
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Quote:
China is due to launch it's first 'space laboratory' in the next few days. Based on Russian technology (which I assume means it's a derivative of Mir as I assume Russia's ISS partners wouldn't allow Russia to sell ISS technogoy to China) the small module will spend several months in automated mode while China sends up two unmanned capsules to attempt automatic docking before manned missions start next year.
All pretty impressive stuff given China's manned space programme started less than 10 years ago. My concern is that it's all bought and re-engineered technology from Russia, is all vbetween 40 & 20 years old and as with anything that is reproduced will not be as good as the original. That said I've been impressed how China has taken thing slow and steady rathetr than throwing Taikonauts up at every opportunity. They seem to have a definite plan for progressing towards a permenant space station and moon missions and are sticking to it. |
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#1850 |
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Bishop-Auckland / Darlington
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Quote:
Have you seen the naked eye sun spot yet? It is just about visible with eclipse glasses, but be very careful.
I looked with binoculars too, there are a few nice spots on the face of the Sun today. **Note****Important** NEVER look at the Sun through binoculars unless you have proper filtration AND you know how to use it safely. I use this stuff for casual viewing of Sunspots and surface granulation: http://www.firstlightoptics.com/sola...ilm-nd-50.html One of those A4 sheets will make filters for a 4" to 6" telescope, a pair of binoculars, and a coupla pairs of 'eclipse glasses' |
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