DS Forums

 
 

Space and Astronomy Thread


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 02-06-2014, 18:59
The Martian
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Mars
Posts: 1,489
There is a new class of planet out there that astronomers are calling the "mega-Earth".

It is an object with a hard surface like our own world but much, much bigger.

The necessity for the new designation follows the discovery of a planet which has a mass some 17 times that of Earth.

Known as Kepler-10c, it orbits a star about 560 light-years away. Scientists described its properties at an American Astronomical Society meeting in Boston.

They confess it is something of a head-scratcher.

Theorists had always thought that any planet that large would pull so much hydrogen on to itself that it would look more like a Neptune or a Jupiter.

"We were very surprised when we realised what we had found," said Xavier Dumusque of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), who led the research team.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-27669572

Super interesting article.

Going on holiday abroad would be quite laborious on a planet 17 times larger than ours, especially with our current technology.
The Martian is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 03-06-2014, 04:06
atg
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: London
Posts: 4,020
[

Going on holiday abroad would be quite laborious on a planet 17 times larger than ours, especially with our current technology.
One and a half times the density and double the diameter would imply what sort of surface gravity? It's too early in the morning for me for that sort of calculation. The distances wouldn't be all that much of a strain, although perhaps sub orbital flight might make things easier, and of course we don't know the orbital period but if long enough you would get more holidays.
atg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2014, 04:46
Sea_salt
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 456
One and a half times the density and double the diameter would imply what sort of surface gravity? It's too early in the morning for me for that sort of calculation. The distances wouldn't be all that much of a strain, although perhaps sub orbital flight might make things easier, and of course we don't know the orbital period but if long enough you would get more holidays.
g is proportional to m and inversely proportional to r-squared. So g(mega-earth) = 17/4 x g(earth) or about 40 m/s/s.

If you plan on flying anywhere it had better be somewhere warm as the luggage allowance will be enough for a pair of shorts, a few t shirts and your duty-frees, assuming the plane can get off the ground at all
Sea_salt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2014, 15:23
Inky Binky
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New Orleans
Posts: 2,088
LINK

Nice article on NASA's warp drive research and a possible Interstellar Starship to go with it. I read a different article about the warp drive research a few months ago and was very surprised that we've come to the stage where it's actually possible - maybe within our lifetime. Amazing.
Inky Binky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-06-2014, 16:28
RobinOfLoxley
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Devon
Posts: 12,830
Marcus du Sautoy's on BBC4 tonight at 10.25pm with the 'faster than light particles' story.

I guess that means this http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17560379

I hope the documentary has been updated with the correct results and findings.

And I'm sure I've watched it before, but will watch again.
RobinOfLoxley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-07-2014, 11:03
CLL Dodge
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: The Green Hills of Earth
Posts: 80,418
45 years ago today.

A giant leap for mankind.
CLL Dodge is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20-07-2014, 11:59
spiney2
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 24,096
manned moon landings lasted a much shorter time than the beatles ...... lunar bases got relegated back to "a vision thing" ......
spiney2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2014, 21:20
Wuthering
Guest
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,041
Supermoon tonight! Looks absolutely beautiful, and it's shining right into my bedroom. I love it.
Wuthering is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2014, 11:55
Wuthering
Guest
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,041
Did nobody see the moon last night? It was stunning.
Wuthering is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2014, 12:03
HenryGarten
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
Did nobody see the moon last night? It was stunning.
More stunning than normal?
HenryGarten is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2014, 12:21
Waj_100
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 3,640
Did nobody see the moon last night? It was stunning.
I wish I could have, but the clouds got in the way

I wanted to take some pictures.
Waj_100 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2014, 16:23
renard gris
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 935
Today is the 15th anniversary of the Total Solar Eclipse of Aug 11, 1999, which crossed part of south-west England.

Historical info:-

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsearc...p?Ecl=19990811

http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclipse/0411999/

I had booked the train to go down to Cornwall, but decided to cancel due to the poor weather forecast for the SW. So, I stayed at home and watched the partial eclipse instead. Tbh, even though the maximum obscuration was just under 94% (at my location), there wasn't any discernable light change at street level. What I remember most, was that the sky took on a 'watercolour blue' appearance and feel to it.

I still have some video recordings of the news clips and special programmes that took place that day on ITV, BBC and CNN.
renard gris is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-08-2014, 20:59
Wuthering
Guest
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,041
More stunning than normal?
Yes.

At one point it was like it was close enough to touch, so big and bright. Just magnificent.
Wuthering is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2014, 10:11
HenryGarten
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
Yes.

At one point it was like it was close enough to touch, so big and bright. Just magnificent.
So you actually watch the moon regular are could see the difference with the human eye?
HenryGarten is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2014, 10:12
HenryGarten
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 19,567
Today is the 15th anniversary of the Total Solar Eclipse of Aug 11, 1999, which crossed part of south-west England.

Historical info:-

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsearc...p?Ecl=19990811

http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclipse/0411999/

I had booked the train to go down to Cornwall, but decided to cancel due to the poor weather forecast for the SW. So, I stayed at home and watched the partial eclipse instead. Tbh, even though the maximum obscuration was just under 94% (at my location), there wasn't any discernable light change at street level. What I remember most, was that the sky took on a 'watercolour blue' appearance and feel to it.

I still have some video recordings of the news clips and special programmes that took place that day on ITV, BBC and CNN.
Oh thanks. I was in Redruth and all I saw was clouds and birds panicking that it had gone dark.

Yes I often try to explain that there is a huge difference between even a 99% partial and a total.

I was lucky enough to see the "Big one" from Baja on 11 July 1991.
HenryGarten is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2014, 14:15
Wuthering
Guest
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,041
So you actually watch the moon regular are could see the difference with the human eye?
If you mean did the moon look larger and brighter than usual, then yes.
Wuthering is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2014, 17:10
blue eyed guy
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,404
There is a new class of planet out there that astronomers are calling the "mega-Earth".



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-27669572

Super interesting article.

Going on holiday abroad would be quite laborious on a planet 17 times larger than ours, especially with our current technology.
I wonder if this big rocky planet is going to be named Melancholia?
blue eyed guy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-08-2014, 20:07
TelevisionUser
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,916
Did nobody see the moon last night? It was stunning.
Yes, the Moon has been relatively bright and large (see http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/28730727) and it's created some really atmospheric effects and lighting as the recent storm clouds have been moving across it.

On the subject of the Moon, Japanese scientists think that the Moon might still have a tiny molten outer core thanks to gravitational tidal heating (compare Io & Jupiter):

“The previous studies indicated that there is the possibility that a part of the rock at the deepest part inside the lunar mantle may be molten. This research result supports the above possibility since partially molten rock becomes softer,” the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan stated. “This research has proven for the first time that the deepest part of the lunar mantle is soft, based upon the agreement between observation results and the theoretical calculations.”
http://www.universetoday.com/113761/...rmation-study/

More lunar pics & info below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mk7h/galleries
https://www.flickr.com/groups/bbcskyatnight
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/arti...es-moon-guides
TelevisionUser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2014, 00:48
atg
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: London
Posts: 4,020

I had booked the train to go down to Cornwall, but decided to cancel due to the poor weather forecast for the SW. So, I stayed at home and watched the partial eclipse instead. Tbh, even though the maximum obscuration was just under 94% (at my location), there wasn't any discernable light change at street level. What I remember most, was that the sky took on a 'watercolour blue' appearance and feel to it.
I went to France and stood under some clouds. Schoolfriends went to Cornwall and found a gap in them.
atg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2014, 00:49
atg
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: London
Posts: 4,020
If you mean did the moon look larger and brighter than usual, then yes.
But might that have been the Moon illusion?
atg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2014, 01:32
Kapellmeister
Inactive Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Taedet animam meam vitae
Posts: 40,368
Today is the 15th anniversary of the Total Solar Eclipse of Aug 11, 1999, which crossed part of south-west England.

Historical info:-

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEsearc...p?Ecl=19990811

http://astro.ukho.gov.uk/eclipse/0411999/

I had booked the train to go down to Cornwall, but decided to cancel due to the poor weather forecast for the SW. So, I stayed at home and watched the partial eclipse instead. Tbh, even though the maximum obscuration was just under 94% (at my location), there wasn't any discernable light change at street level. What I remember most, was that the sky took on a 'watercolour blue' appearance and feel to it.

I still have some video recordings of the news clips and special programmes that took place that day on ITV, BBC and CNN.
Is it really 15 years ago?? I was walking on southern Dartmoor at the time. It was cloudy unfortunately but it did go remarkably dark very very quickly. It was uncanny and eerie and something I'll never forget.
Kapellmeister is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 14-08-2014, 06:22
balthasar
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Osaka
Posts: 2,007
Is it really 15 years ago?? I was walking on southern Dartmoor at the time. It was cloudy unfortunately but it did go remarkably dark very very quickly. It was uncanny and eerie and something I'll never forget.
Tempus Fugit,! it seemed to be a rather big event that turned into a damp squib, due to the cloud cover.
balthasar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-08-2014, 16:50
TelevisionUser
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Storbritannia
Posts: 28,916
It certainly has been a stormy time weather-wise...on Uranus:

A telescope on Earth has spotted huge storms brewing on the planet Uranus. Scientists using the Keck Observatory in Hawaii have recently seen a number of storms develop on the planet. One image, taken on Aug. 5, shows a few bright spots in infrared photos taken of the planet. The bright bits show storms in the planet's atmosphere. A second photo of Uranus, taken on Aug. 6, reveals more bright spots.
http://www.space.com/26794-uranus-gi...ms-photos.html

What is interesting is that now terrestrial telescopes are beginning to rival what the Hubble Space Telescope can see in terms of detail and resolution.
TelevisionUser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 15-08-2014, 18:47
atg
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: London
Posts: 4,020

What is interesting is that now terrestrial telescopes are beginning to rival what the Hubble Space Telescope can see in terms of detail and resolution.
I felt that this happened some years ago with the development of adaptive and dynamic optics actually, not to mention the computing power applied to the images obtained from ground based telescopes. In fact, given that the Hubble is mostly 1980s technology it is amazing it is still producing much of value.
atg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17-08-2014, 09:15
cmq2
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 2,090
ESA presser (87min) from last week detailing progress and objectives of Rosetta orbiter at comet 67P: http://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Vid...cience_results
cmq2 is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 13:48.