General astronomy discussion

sketch, Hooker 100" reflector, Mt. Wilson

WABarry — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:02:38 GMT

Not one clear night, here the Pacific Northwest, since September 28th. Rain, clouds, fog, etc. We have had it all, except a clear night........and it doesn't look like it's going to change anytime soon.

I am reduced to indoor astronomy. It's a good thing I am interested in the history of astronomy. Just re-read "The perfect Machine", by Ronald Florence, and "First Light" by Richard Preston. I highly recommend both books.

A sketch of the 100" Hooker reflector on Mt. Wilson, near Pasadena, Californina.,,,the third telescope developed by George Ellery Hale. This telescope was the one that finally settled the argument about "the Nebulae". Were they gas clouds inside the Milky Way, or "Island Universes" (galaxies in their own right)? With the help of many others, Edwin Hubble's published work in 1929, pretty well settled the issue.........finally! The 100" saw first light in 1917.

2012: A good site for those folks who are living in fear

leo731 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:30:52 GMT

Hello Friends,

Are being kept awake at night fearing the big bad space rock is coming straight for your noggin? Are you an amatuer astronomer being pestered endlessly about such things as Nibbler, Nibirui, (whatever), impending planetary alignments, galactic convergence with the core, or the super collider in Europe creating a black hole that will swallow us all? Is that what's bothering you Bunky?

Then fear no more! There is an astrobiologist form the Ames Research Center who has answered all these questions with straightforward scientific answers!

http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/ask-an-astrobiologist/intro/nibiru-and-doomsday-2012-questions-and-answers

Just forward this website to all those who are afraid, or think they might be afraid, or who just want to know better, that 2012 will not be the end. Well, some of us might die from old age or something but you get the idea.

Your welcome,

You can sleep soundly now,

Developing the ALMA Telescope in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

AndesEbla — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:47:58 GMT

Latest news from ESO says that the first 100-ton antenna of ALMA Radio Telescope was already carried by the Altiplano (5000 m altitude plateau) in San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) rendering a spectacular journey for the Humanity to reach the profundity of the Universe. There will be 66 of these giants forming just one super radio telescope. [More]

Raúl Hernández Olea - raul hernandez chile - raul hernandez

Vision problems

ice9001 — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:36:03 GMT

Hi everyone .

I recently noticed that when I look into my scope at say jupiter for the first few seconds the image is a little blurry then the image deteriorates to a fuzzy round blob with no definition . When I look away for around thirty seconds the image gets better when I look back in the scope but not great still then agian deteriorates into a fuzzy blob . I recently had my eyes tested and they were fine I do wear glasses and have a slight stigma from I was 22 I am now 34 . Has anyone had this problem and is there anything that can be done about it .

Thanks Mark

Dark Energy Theory

TAET — Sun, 17 May 2009 21:14:50 GMT

DARK ENERGY
"THE ATOMIC EMISSION THEORY"

A Proposed Explanation and Model Of Dark Energy

I am an amateur scientist, and believe I do not yet possess the experience and qualifications to be comfortable in preparing a formal paper for a journal, but feel comfortable in expressing my idea here in a forum.

I have recently developed a Theory I believe which may explain what Dark Energy is, and where it comes from. I would like to express my Theory here for open feedback, both positive and constructive, to the fellow readers. After some research and reading, I believe my Theory is both original and, above all, the correct solution to the Dark Energy enigma.

I call my idea, “The Atomic Emission Theory (TAET)”.

Briefly, Dark Energy (DE) are the emissions produced as a waste product, from all atoms. Like a car engine running, producing waste emissions and expelling it from it's exhaust pipe, so does the atom. From here now, the atom is viewed as a kind of micro engine. An Atomic Engine (AE). Continually running, the AE produces its own emission we refer to as DE. These emissions are expelled out from the atom in all directions, and are not able to re-enter the atom due to the continual buildup and outward pressure of the DE within the atom itself. Each different atom produces a slightly different amount of DE determined by its Relative Atomic Mass (RAM). But for simplicity of the explanation I will refer to a generalised unit of DE for all atoms, to be the same. But if the AE is expelling a waste product, then does it not also need an energy source to maintain it? More on this further down.

The amount, and the pressure of the DE produced is less than that of electrostatic forces, covalent bonds, or gravity. The integrity of the atom, their bonds with each other, and gravity are still maintained, even to the larger scales of people, planets, stars, galaxies and galaxy clusters.

As the DE is being squeezed out from the AE due to its continual production, it makes it's way past and around other AE's until it reaches an area of lesser density. DE continually moves from dense areas towards lesser dense areas. For example, DE builds up within a rock. As the DE becomes denser, the outer layers of the rocks' DE are pushed out further and further, creating a larger and larger DE bubble. A kind of a square dance occurs between the DE from deep inside the rock with it's neighboring AE's which are also producing their own DE. This dance continues all the way to the lesser dense area of the rock, and eventually out. All this occurs because the AE's are continually making more and more DE causing more and more pressure. But yet it is still not strong enough to rip the atoms, or their bonds with each other apart.

DE has been continually produced since atoms were in existence. DE is not absorbed by atoms or any other objects (It has not yet been determined if Black Holes adsorb DE or not. Mathematical modeling would be required to determine if this is, or isn't the case. From here on in, we will make the supposition that Black Holes DO NOT adsorb DE.).

DE has therefore been continuously filling the universe with time. Since DE cannot be re-absorbed back into atoms, it therefore exerts a pressure against them. And since atoms can be bound together with electrostatic forces, other bonds and gravity which are stronger than the DE's force, the DE therefore exerts a pressure on the Entire Combined Unit (ECU) as a whole. If the ECU is not bound to another ECU through electrostatic forces or gravity, then it may be pushed into a determined direction. A push into a determined direction, and its speed at which the ECU travels, is determined by the amount of DE that is being produced, and the surrounding environment.

Let us look at an example of three galaxies (3 ECUs) which are far enough apart that they are NOT locked in together with gravity. Picture the three galaxies at the three points of a virtual triangle all equally spaced apart. Because a galaxy is entirely locked in together with gravity to produce one single ECU, that galaxy is therefore producing one combined DE bubble as a whole. The DE is continually being pushed outwards from its host galaxy in all directions. As each galaxy's DE bubble expands, the inside of the virtual triangle of galaxies will eventually become filled with approximately three times the density of DE, as apposed to the outside of the virtual triangle which will approximately get one and two times the density of DE. Therefore the pressure of DE on the inside of the triangle will be greater than the outside of the triangle, thus allowing the gravitationally UNLOCKED galaxies to be pushed apart in equal and opposite directions. As the three galaxies keep producing more and more DE, they will keep being pushed further and further apart. This process will continue to separate the galaxies until other encroaching galaxies or galaxy clusters come close enough to effect them with their gravity or DE bubble. The universe keeps expanding.

This is the Theory in a nutshell. But then what about the energy required to run the AE's which produce the DE. After some thought, I come to the conclusion that each atom may come already pre-packed with its entire energy supply built into itself. Whether string theory may help solve this dilemma I am unsure. But if atoms do come with their own energy pre-packed, then that would lead to the conclusion that all atoms will eventually run out of their energy, and thus eventually stop producing DE. If they stop running what happens to the atoms then? Do they fall apart into their constituents and drift around, or be pushed around throughout the Universe? Are these constituent parts then the Dark Matter (DM) which is spread throughout the Universe? There is some evidence leading towards this hypothesis. We often experience and see atoms which break down and loose some of themselves. Radioactive decay occurs with carbon 14 giving it a half-life of 5730 years, the radioisotope ⁴⁰K has a half-life of 1.28 x 10⁹ years, and others such as ⁸⁷Rb and the nuclides thorium 232, uranium 238 and uranium 235 also decay with time.

My mathematical skills are quite rudimentary and have therefore not even attempted to do the complex mathematical calculations required to substantiate my Theory. My Theory is fully based on past research, reading, experience, and what I believe to be an elegant and logical solution. I look forward to any feedback received.

Did I just see a falling star turn green?

camiecm — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:53:02 GMT

First let me mention..I have absolutely no knowledge of this subject, and I don't by any means think that I saw a ufo or anything like that, but, I was looking out my window, there is a large field across the street from my house. I noticed a falling star that lasted longer than the average falling star. Usually when I see them...I go to focus on them, and they are gone. This time, I actually got to stand there for a second and take it in. It was a bright falling star, and as it came down, there was a tail, and in those few seconds, I thought it was never going to burn out! Then...i swear Im not crazy, but, it turned green just before it went out...not just "maybe green" it was GREEN! Why would that happen? Also, it seemed like it got closer to the horizon before it finally burned out. The things that got me are how bright it was, how long it lasted, how low it was before it burned out (i was half expecting to see an explosion of where it landed for a second!), and the green! It went down at an angle, just like I would expect. It didnt hover or do any tricks...except the whole green thing! Why would that happen?

I just recently discovered my love for astronomy but i dont understand this article. help..

macromido — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:27:16 GMT

http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=8611 i know its about magnetic fields and birth of our stars.. other than than i need someone to discuss the article with me.. im sooo confused.. im also wondering what kinds of equipment did they use.. they never stated it in the article..

Question about the Slooh online Telescopes?

billy — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:46:20 GMT

I just got a Slooh unlimited minute mission card and was wondering if there were any other Slooh members here? If so what is your opinion and experiences using the Slooh online Telescopes?

Please Help: Basic Astronomy questions

fifa2005 — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 04:30:14 GMT

Below are some questions. I have struggled with these questions so any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much.

The Earth orbits the Sun:

a. in a perfect circle

b.in an ellipse with the sun at the center

c.in an ellipse with the sun at the focus

d.in a shape called an epicycle

e. none of above

*I know that the earth orbits the sun in an ellipse but would it be b or c? I think the focus but can someone help me?

During the period of each year when we see Mars undergoing retrograde motion, what is going on? a.Earth is catching up and passing by Mars in our respective orbits

b.Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun

c.Mars is standing still

d.Earth is standing still

e. Mars is reversing its direction of orbit around the sun.

*I have no idea on this. Can someone please explain? My instinct is to say a or b...

Lastly, One reason to prefer the Copernican model for the solar system over the Ptolemaic one is

a. Occams razor b.compactification c. chaos d.determinism e.reductionsim

*I think this is Occams razor because what is simplest is best. Is this what you all think?

Water on the moon!!!!!!

MarieD — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:12:08 GMT

Hello All,

I am surprised that nobody seems to be rejoicing here about the news tonight regarding water on the moon???????

Well, it is Friday night after all and maybe a lot of people are dining out or even stargazing???

Take care

MarieD

2012, I saw the movie today November 13 2009 and survived!

Astrono — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 06:09:56 GMT

Hi all!

2012, I saw the movie today November 13 2009 and survived!

It is a long movie to sit through.

A lot of action and pretty good graphics!

General discussion

knowledge 1 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 17:57:41 GMT

My name is Todd and I just joined the community. I'm not really a stargazer but when I get a chance I do try to listen and learn from the researchers. I watch a lot of science programs that come on PBS and that's as far as my knowledge goes. What this post is about is what I have heard on some of these progams and being able to look at them from a non-biased view, like I said, basically to hear what's going on. What I want to do is run something by the community and see what kind of response I get. I know for a long time there has been an ongoing search for intelligent life in the universe. I'm 50 yrs. old and I used to look up at the stars from time to time myself. I have been watching this telecourse about astronomy on PBS and came across some interesting observations for myself. Lately they've been talking about the formation of galaxies, the thousands that are out there,quasars, ring galaxies, galactic census, seifert galaxies, etc. From what I heard them saying, it sounded to me like the intelligence we've been looking for is actually space itself, a different type of intelligence that we probably are too complexed to notice. We've looked for so long for some type of physical presence of intelligence or life, and I would argue that the universe IS intelligence! You look at what goes into the creation of solar systems and thus galaxies and tell me you don't see a type of intelligence at work. No, I'm not talking about GOD having a hand in this, I'm saying that the universe, the galaxies themselves are controlling what they do, how they interact with each other. The planets, moons and the solar systems are the conductors of the intelligence that goes on in the galaxies! I definitely see a similarity with what we socially do here on earth and how the galaxies and space itself respond to each other.

Near earth astroid flew very close.

mustachemurder — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:59:30 GMT

I found this link on one of my favorite news sites. Figured i'd show people since i didn't see anything on the forum about it.

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/07/close-call-asteroid-near-miss-for-earth-yesterday/

Sunday at the Griffith Park Observatory

leo731 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:53:17 GMT

Last Sunday the wife and I decided to get out of the apartment and take in an afternoon at the Griffith Park Observatory. We hadn't been there in a year and we looked forward to be outside in the warm but hazy sunlight. We arrived around 2:30 PM and while the grounds were busy they were not overly packed and we found a parking space easily in the upper lot. It was very nice to stroll across the grass and sidewalks enjoying the hazy view of the Hollywood Hills and its iconic sign. We spent some time exploring the scale model laid in the concrete and sidewalks of the planetary orbits which really gives one an idea of just how far out the outer planets really are.

We ventured inside the doors and walked over to the coelostat to view the sun in white and h-alpha light as well as its spectrum. It was a quiet day for our star with no sunspots visible and very small prominences on display as well. We had some fun looking at the various exibits with excited children running to and fro, a continual joyful ebb and flow of eager young minds that came and went like waves around us with only infrequent crashing into our slower moving forms. We especially enjoyed the new lower level with the solar system displays and the Gunther Depths of Space mural. It seems odd to have telescopes underground pointed at a wall but it does work in that one can get an idea of the vastness of the universe while enjoying a telescopic moment. My wife and I also enjoyed putting our hands, of touching, an actual large meteorite that once travelled the vastness of space before coming to alight on the Earth. We also enjoyed gazing at the Moon rock on loan from NASA, though we were not allowed to touch it! It was enjoyable to sit awhile with Albert Einstein, in bronze of course, and think about our place in the vastness of space and time.

I wanted to see a planetarium show. I had a choice for that afternoon of the very slick and quite amazing Centered in the Universe show which I saw last year and a newer show called Water is Life. The person at the ticket booth warned me that the latter was more of a kids show and probably didn't really understand why I smiled and eagerly paid $14 for my wife and I to see it.

It was a great show. The live host began with a short talk that encouraged kids of all ages to respond to her questions as the large room darkened. At first the sky was dimmed to a lovely sunset and then Jupiter popped out along with a few prominent stars as twilight came and departed. The lights of the vast metropolis of Los Angeles twinkled below the vantage point and she explained how light pollution was robbing us of the night. What would the sky look like from this hilltop before the spread of electricity? She showed us. The projector then erupted in a blaze of starlight. The Milky Way spread across the sky as the familiar constellations were now set in a carpet of diamonds. It was a breathtaking view.

As I had hoped she spent at least fifteen glorious minutes pointing out the constellations, the planets Jupiter and Mars, explaining how the stars move through their courses, the changes of the seasons, and even what the sky looks like and whirls around you should you live at the north pole. Eventually she went on to the topic of water is life. There were some awsome graphics and amazing vistas as we journeyed through the solar system, but that wonderful first half of the show under an artifical sky was by far the best money spent that day.

Perhaps I am too old to appreciate the stunning capabilities of all the new equipment, perhaps just gazing at the artifical sky projected on the dome above takes me back forty plus years ago when I was a lad staring wide eyed at a universe I could only before imagine, but this simpler live narrated show was by far more compelling than the opulent one I had seen the year before.

After the show we headed to the roof in the growing cold and increasing fog along the coast in hopes of seeing Jupiter in the big 12" Zeiss refractor but was disappointed to learn that it would not open until 7 PM. That was far too late for me to remain and so we walked back to our car and headed home for supper.

It was a nice way to spend the afternoon. Perhaps I did not get out to a real dark site this past weekend, but spending some time at the observatory, of being able to sit awhile under its artifical sky, was an enjoyable way to spend some time with the universe.

When was the last time you were at your closest planetarium?

It is worth a visit if you haven't been in awhile,

Thanks for reading,

Hubble Galaxy Wall Posters

StarScape — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:53:26 GMT

I am looking for new images of galaxies for a 24x36 to 36x36 size wall poster from the new upgraded Hubble space telescope. It would have to be glossy poster paper.

Are these posters available yet?

How Google became the George Washington of the Internet

AndesEbla — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:11:45 GMT

Dear friends, I want to share with you this article published today on the specialized IT site TechRepublic. Maybe both the editors of Astronomy Readers Forum and most of you are amazingly staring at the headline thinking that it has nothing to do with Astronomy, that it is only disruptive, but I guess all of us are devout of searching things on the Internet concerning Astronomy everyday, from trivial to important, essential or crucial things, thus forgive me for this little license. How Google became the George Washington of the Internet.

Raúl Hernández Olea - raul hernandez chile - raul hernandez

Tragic Stargazing

goozie — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:10:03 GMT

Hello friends:
This is a sad posting, but I was very saddly impressed with the death of
three N.Dakota university co-ed students on 11/04 who were returning
from what the news mentioned a night of stargazing. I became more sad
when I saw the word "stargazing". Who knows, if from their first experience
they might of been future professional stargazers.
Friends, when we go star gazing we must practice safety, for I know that
there are many of us, who wander to isolated places to hunt for the night gems.
To all astronomy readers, practice caution all of the time.
Clear Skies and regards.
Joseph

Recent HST Image of M83, the Southern Pinwheel Galaxy

DaveMitsky — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:15:10 GMT

A stunning new HST image of M83 has been posted at http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2009/29/image/b/

Dave Mitsky

Tomorrow is Carl Sagans Birthday.

Cwarren — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:14:42 GMT

http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/culturelab/2009/11/happy-carl-sagan-day.php

I've decided that for 24 hours starting at midnight tonight, until midnight tomorrow I will be going through Dr. Sagan's books, writing a memorial blog for him, and excluding all violent television and games for the period from my life.

Anyone else doing anything?

What have I seen?

slimon — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:47:27 GMT

Hi,

I will try to be as clear as I can. I saw on 20/09/09 around 20u35 in Rashaant(between Ulan Bataar en karaKorum) in Mongolia the following thing.
The sky was black, full of stars, in the west still little light of the sun.
then I saw south-east a white cloud appearing, moving direction west. Then it centrically widenend direction west, until it covered the whole south west atmosphere. In the beginning it was thick, but the stars could be seen through and the bigger it became the thinner it became, untill unvisible.
This took about one or two minutes or less. I have no foto.

Have you any idea what it was?

Thanks

simon

Are we just roaming or fantasizing?

AndesEbla — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 15:32:29 GMT

Recently Dr. Marek Kukula, the public astronomer at the Royal Observatory Greenwich, gave this concise definition: Astronomy is a science about the big questions in life, such as where do we come from and where does the Earth come from. It is a way of getting in touch with nature and the Universe in a very real way. [Naked Eye Astronomy-BBC]

I recalled a forum in April at the specialized IT site TechRepublic (CNET), which set this unusual subject: Kepler ejects its dust cover (First Kepler Spacecraft images). It did not get much engagement on that site, of course, but the post by an IT Consultant from Westminster, California, called my attention. He said: "So, let me get this straight. The stars that are going to be looked at are 13,000 light years away. That means, if we had a spaceship that could do warp drive, it would take 13,000 years to get there. Considering what Earth was like 13,000 years ago, even if we were to detect planets, how would we know if they are currently Earth-like when we are getting photographs of how they looked 13,000 years ago? If it would take us 13,000 years traveling at the speed of light and we left tomorrow based on something we saw, that planet would be 26,000 years old by the time we got there, assuming that the planet is still there now and hasn't been obliterated in the past 13,000 years. I don't think a lot of scientists really understand this. I heard a scientist on television say that there was a supernova in 1994. Do they really mean, 30,000 years before 1994 or do they mean that they are guessing and we would actually see the supernova 30,000 years after 1994? It boggles the mind."

Nice, isn't it? Then I posted my reply with the header They're just looking at (for learning) not going to (for now)!: "If we think so, then Kepler, Newton, Einstein and the others (even Darwin) should have done better silencing their insight. Since the ancient civilizations started thinking about the constellations, and later on Universe-Isles, Humanity has been progressing in the Plan B for saving our Mother-Ship. It is million-year effort, indeed, but we still have 5 billion ahead to rig many Kepler telescopes in such attempt. Saying it straightly: before the Sun, converted in a Red-giant, engulfs our planet, it does not matter whether all the celestial objects seen by the Kepler do not exist anymore and maybe we are just roaming or fantasizing; the point is that thanks to that Humanity will find the way to impel the very Earth to escape somewhere by the route of the Kepler and Chandra telescopes."

Now that I am assiduous learner and admirer of astronomers and scholars here on Astronomy Magazine, I am eager (and very curious!) of getting the proper answer that should have been given to that fearful IT Consultant from California. Warm greetings from Finis Terrae!

Raúl Hernández Olea - raul hernandez chile - raul hernandez

Earlier nightfall

Laidback — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:46:14 GMT

Hi, everyone!

I live in Ireland. From about the middle of October I noticed that nightfall occured earlier than the last year; by the end of the month, it occured approximately 1.5 hours earlier. I asked my friends in Ireland, Sweden and Russia whether they noticed the same: almost all of them did. However, I found no news or recent scientific publications regarding these changes. Anyone knows what's happening?

Moon man seeking help in contacting Neil and Buzz....

buzzlightale — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:13:42 GMT

Can you, or a friend, or a friend of a friend help? See my link below:

http://socyberty.com/history/wishing-on-a-moonbeam/

Any and all help appreciated

Thanks for reading

21st of the Month

gilbe — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:06:12 GMT

Does anyone out there know why the Solstices and Equinoxes in our calendar are tied to the 21st of the Month rather than to the beginnings or ends of the months?

String Theory

Black hole 81D — Thu, 12 Aug 2004 03:14:17 GMT

I would like to know peoples opinions on this theory. Do you believe there really are 11 dimensions? Do you believe that General relativity and quantum mechanics can actually be combined? What do yoo think the discovery (if we ever discover it) of string theory would mean for the every day person?