astronomy & space stuff

[linuxgeek]

BIG SUNSPOT: In less than 24 hours, sunspot 720 has blossomed from an almost invisible speck into a giant at least 5 times wider than Earth. Witness this movie from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory:

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2005/13jan05/720_big.gif

Solar activity could soar if sunspot 720 continues its rapid growth. Already the spot is big enough to see, but don't stare at the sun. Build a safe sun-projector instead. (http://www.spaceweather.com/sunspots/doityourself.html)

 

[linuxgeek]

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/eit_171/512/latest.gif

 

[gypsywitch]

So a Fourth of July impact for the thing they shot off yesterday, eh?

How do they collect the data back from that?!

 

[linuxgeek]

Yeah. Deep Impact is on its way. As I understand it, one section impacts the comet while another will be back far enough to avoid debris and will be sending back images and telemetry data.

 

[linuxgeek]

http://deepimpact.jpl.nasa.gov/images/banner-deepimpact04.jpg

http://deepimpact.jpl.nasa.gov/

 

[gypsywitch]

So this is a good thing then? I'm still not sure.

 

[linuxgeek]

Gives a chance to exam an object which hasn't been touched by humans before. Since the current theory is comets primarily come from the Ort Cloud surrounding our solar system, they believe the material within the comet will date back to the when our solar system was formed.

I guess the good or not question will ultimately be determined by how the information is used.

 

[gypsywitch]

Sometimes I think we should just bring all those poor people floating out in space back home and just do missions like this one.

The ozone impact of rocketry could be an issue too. Then we also have those darn volcanos spewing junk out.

 

[linuxgeek]

Knowing how being in a low gravity environment long term will affect humans is something we need to know if we do ever plan on doing perminate colonies off world. I also believe there are some of the science experiments are carried out easiest with a human present. There is alot which can be done via robot in the early stages.

Depending on the rocket fuel used, it likely has some atmospheric impact. I suspect, though, the output of byproducts from launching rockets is a very small percentage compared to what we do to our enviroment with the number of cars the US has on the road.

 

[gypsywitch]

Permanent space colonies off world? Yikes!! Such crazy talk.

But yea... comets and the ways our atmosphere can be effected are good things to learn as much as possible about.

 

[linuxgeek]

I'd like to see a permanent colony on the moon. Suspect there are a lot of interesting things which can be done at 1/6 earth's gravity. Also, no atmosphere to screw with telescope viewing capabilities.

I also see off world colonies the best way to keep the human race going. As it is, all our eggs are in one basket. One major event, man-made or natural, and most of the life on the planet can be wiped out. It's happened before. It will happen again.

The moon makes a logical first step. If we can make a colony work on the moon, we have a good chance of making it in other places like Mars and the moons of Jupiter and Saturn. Then there is the tech which would spin off just attempting to setup a moon colony. The cold war space race to the moon the first time produced more tech we use every day than ya can shake a stick at.

It's just one of those things that people have to be willing to be in the long haul for. There will be no instant gratifcation. People will probalby die in making the attempt. If they are willing to take the risk, then it is acceptable losses to reach the goal.

 

[gypsywitch]

Suspect there are a lot of interesting things which can be done at 1/6 earth's gravity.

Well I'd maybe try it in a space shuttle just out of Earth's orbit, but that's about it.

I don't even scuba dive anymore. Everything has become scary in my old age. I did go roller skating at a rink the other day though. I'm still pretty good at it too. Sitting yer arse in a rocket is a whole 'nother deal.

 

[linuxgeek]

If safety procautions are maintained, I see the chance of an accident space traveling being like the odds of crashing on an airliner. They are going to happen, but it is a risk I can live with.

 

[gypsywitch]

Silent Running is still one of my all-time fav flicks. Cool stuff.

 

[linuxgeek]

haven't seen that one.

 

[Guest]

...Suspect there are a lot of interesting things which can be done at 1/6 earth's gravity...... screw.... with telescope... capabilities.... eggs.... colony... instant gratification...

For some reason, these were the only words that really popped out at me when I read your post. I must be horny

 

[linuxgeek]

For some reason, these were the only words that really popped out at me when I read your post. I must be horny

which size telescope should I use? Should it be the long one for probing Uranus?

 

[Guest]

which size telescope should I use? Should it be the long one for probing Uranus?

It can be long, but I prefer to leave Uranus, erm... my anus... out of the mix.

 

[Saint Boner]

I think I saw on CNN this morning where that Deep Impact probe overheated on takeoff.

 

[linuxgeek]

I think I saw on CNN this morning where that Deep Impact probe overheated on takeoff.

that would suck. Don't find anything on the cnn site about it for the moment.

 

[linuxgeek]

It can be long, but I prefer to leave Uranus, erm... my anus... out of the mix.

Ok, I'll try to not be a pain in the ass.

 

[gypsywitch]

I think I saw on CNN this morning where that Deep Impact probe overheated on takeoff.

DRATS!!

So yea...

Title: Silent Running
Year: 1971
Director: Douglas Trumbull
Cast: Bruce Dern (Freeman Lowell), Cliff Potts (John Keenan), Ron Rifkin (Marty Barker), Jesse Vint (Andy Wolf)

Synopsis: Bruce Dern portrays a maniacal botanist (Freeman Lowell) on a space station, "Valley Forge," who resorts to murder in order to preserve the Earth's last forests, which are enclosed in these huge biodome-type structures. After he kills one of his fellow astronauts and jettisons the other two, Dern is all alone except for his robots Huey, Louie and Dewey.

Analysis: Silent Running consists of basically Dern talking to himself during about two-thirds of the flick, but somehow it all works. The special effects are kind of cheap even though this was the directorial debut of Douglas Trumbull, who was also responsible for the special effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey and Close Encounters. Joan Baez sings the title song.

 

[The Mutt]

All the Sci Fi I read as a boy said we would have space stations and moon bases and orbiting Howard Johnsons by now. I am VERY disapointed. I want to have Zero G sex, dammit! Viagra has extended my window of opportunity a few years, but they better get a move on!

 

[linuxgeek]

lol .. I wonder if they will ever make the full mission results made public from when they sent the married couple on the one shuttle flight. Surely, part of the experiments had to be what it took to have sex in zero-g.

 

[linuxgeek]

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2005/13jan05/midi512_blank.gif