The conjunction should be visible today or tomorrow before sunrise, depending on where you live.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamwoven
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The conjunction should be visible today or tomorrow before sunrise, depending on where you live.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamwoven
http://earthsky.org/space/shadows-pl...star-hd135344b Here EarthSky explains, simply, the way stars create planets.
Now a bit more about the star of the day the "zombie star":
http://www.astronomy.com/news/2017/11/zombie
How mountains can cast shadows on clouds: http://earthsky.org/todays-image/pho...shadow-mystery
that wound take time to set up, depending on where the planet(s) happen to be. I don't have a step-ladder in the house.Quote:
Originally Posted by Danik 2016
We have had a zombie star before, though never called that. I tried "reply with quote" but after 20 minutes spinning I gave up. It seems the new slower LitNet internet connection can't handle this.
Now a bit more about the star of the day the "zombie star":
http://www.astronomy.com/news/2017/11/zombie
I see. Yes, it would have to be prepared before the happening of the phenomena you want to watch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamwoven
Never mind, DW.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamwoven
Seems the solar system has got a visitor:
Update on `Oumuamua, Our First Interstellar Object
"When the first-known object from interstellar space slipped through the inner solar system last month, the welcoming party wasn't quite ready. It passed within 0.25 astronomical unit (37,600,000 km) of the Sun on September 9th — yet it wasn't discovered until October 25th."
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astro...ject-oumuamua/
We also live in a small house, don't have space for a stepladder to stand in the living room.
http://www.astronomytoday.com/astronomy/asteroids.html
This is a helpful article on asteroids.
Yes, I see.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamwoven
Sure. Their existence, variety and composition is attracting attention.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamwoven
Asteroids: the rocky debris of space
"Historically, asteroids have given us clues as to how our solar system was formed. According to a popular theory, the four inner planets were formed when asteroids of different sizes all clumped together and over time became round, forming Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Beyond that, many astronomers hypothesize that all or most of the asteroids making up the contents of the asteroid belt were actually all a part of a planet � probably rocky � that was ripped apart due to the gravitational effects of Jupiter (yes, it's that strong!). In our day-to-day world, asteroids inspire both awe and fear."
http://www.astronomytoday.com/astronomy/asteroids.html
China seems to be forging ahead: see http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astro...coming-months/.
Acing Man has today published a post on how China is doing well with its own research. Worth reading...http://www.acting-man.com
Very interesting articles, DW, from the astronomical as well as from the political point of view. It´s certainly no coincidence that they appear after the US president´s visit to China. China indeed forges ahead, without calling to much attention on its conquests.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamwoven
China seems to be forging ahead: see http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astro...coming-months/.
Acing Man has today published a post on how China is doing well with its own research. Worth reading...http://www.acting-man.com
https://www.universetoday.com/137856...eptunes-moons/
This was an interesting article. They argue that Triton became a moon of Neptune by being caught in its orbit, and Triton is bigger than the rest of the moons of Neptune combined, and is caught in retrograde motion:
"The study of the Solar System’s many moons has revealed a wealth of information over the past few decades. These include the moons of Jupiter – 69 of which have been identified and named – Saturn (which has 62) and Uranus (27). In all three cases, the satellites that orbit these gas giants have prograde, low-inclination orbits. However, within the Neptunian system, astronomers noted that the situation was quite different.
Compared to the other gas giants, Neptune has far fewer satellites, and most of the system’s mass is concentrated within a single satellite that is believed to have been captured (i.e. Triton). According to a new study by a team from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in Boulder, Colorado, Neptune may have once had a more massive systems of satellites, which the arrival of Triton may have disrupted.
The study, titled “Triton’s Evolution with a Primordial Neptunian Satellite System“, recently appeared in The Astrophysical Journal. The research team consisted of Raluca Rufu, an astrophysicist and geophysicist from the Weizmann Institute, and Robin M. Canup – the Associate VP of the SwRI. Together, they considered models of a primordial Neptunian system, and how it may have changed thanks to the arrival of Triton."
Discoveries increase almost on a daily basis, I feel. But it probably will take a lot of time until they are able to systematize this new knowledge.
I agree with that cautious view. Until then, this remains only a theory.
https://www.universetoday.com/137872...nd-quiet-star/
There are lots of these near our solar system. Still a long way away, though...
https://www.universetoday.com/137872...nd-quiet-star/
There are lots of these near our solar system. Still a long way away, though...
"CLOSEST POTENTIALLY-HABITABLE WORLD FOUND AROUND “QUIET” STAR
Astronomers also anticipate that more temperature exoplanets will be discovered in the coming years, and that future surveys will be able to determine a great deal more about their atmospheres, composition and chemistry."
https://www.universetoday.com/137872...nd-quiet-star/
Maybe not so long, DW. They won´t rest as long as they haven´t found something habitable more or less around the corner.
So you think the search for a "habitable" planet will continue until they find one? It is likely to be a long drawn out search, as the only space telescope actually in space and operable we have is Hubble, which is old and venerable. The Spitzer will be a while yet before it ready and launched.
There are a lot of space-based telescopes up there. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_space_telescopes. But with differing capabilities, and orbits. I had no idea there were so many!
I know too little about astronomy to be able to judge. But see https://www.space.com/6716-major-space-telescopes.html
Truly this is the golden age of astronomy!
Just having a look, before breakfast. My only readings about astronomy are these articles we most. But I noticed this urge to dominate the stellar world. I think the search for habitable worlds is the most important part of it. And again, it reminds me strongly of the Renaissance when the domain to be explored was the ocean and its hitherto unknown continents.
Very true, Danik. I also like to understand the present interest in astronomy in relation to past examples of the search for habitable worlds. Love it!
This article in Universe Today: https://www.universetoday.com/137884...heet-unstable/ may contribute to our understanding of what is happening in Antarctica.
A new form of registering telescopic images. Meet the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF).
"Sky-sweeping Telescope Sees First Light
The Zwicky Transient Facility has taken its first image, covering an area equivalent to 247 full Moons in a single shot. This beginning is part of an ongoing sea change in astronomy.
Pictures have long served as a foundation of astronomy. But very soon astronomers will be turning to videos. Humans have always known that the seemingly eternal sky changes from night to night — Aborigines even incorporated such changes into their mythology — but for the most part studying celestial transience has required a great deal of patience or a willingness to trawl the archives. Only in the 21st century, in the era of Big Data, has astronomy had the capability to truly step into the time domain.
The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is a part of that sea change: It just took the first image of many, a 47-degree field of view equivalent to the area of 247 full Moons, captured in 24,000 by 24,000 pixels. The scene holds a chunk of Orion, showing the Orion, Flame, and Horsehead nebulae. This image precedes the facility’s science phase, which is set to begin in February 2018 and complete by 2020."
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astro...s-first-light/
Yes, I'm sure this will be an important change, when it happens. No doubt we will see...
https://www.universetoday.com/137892...-itll-hunting/
Update on the Webb telescope due to be launched in 2019. This is the planned successor to Hubble.
Lots of information in this post.
https://www.universetoday.com/137872...nd-quiet-star/
Closest potentially habitable planet.
"In August of 2016, the European Southern Observatory (ESO) announced the discovery of a terrestrial (i.e. rocky) extra-solar planet orbiting within the habitable zone of the nearby Proxima Centauri star system, just 4.25 light-years away. Naturally, news of this was met with a great deal of excitement. This was followed about six months later with the announcement of a seven-planet system orbiting the nearby star of TRAPPIST-1.
Well buckle up, because the ESO just announced that there is another potentially-habitable planet in our stellar neighborhood! Like Proxima b, this exoplanet – known as Ross 128b – is relatively close to our Solar System (10.8 light years away) and is believed to be temperate in nature. But on top of that, this rocky planet has the added benefit of orbiting a quiet red dwarf star, which boosts the likelihood of it being habitable."
Another link on Ross 128:
"Astronomers are now detecting more and more temperate exoplanets, and the next stage will be to study their atmospheres, composition and chemistry in more detail. Vitally, the detection of biomarkers such as oxygen in the very closest exoplanet atmospheres will be a huge next step, which ESO's Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is in prime position to take " i suppose that´s the point.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/release...747.htmAnother article on Ross 128:
https://www.universetoday.com/137904...fairing-issue/
For a top secret exercise this gets a lot of publicity. I was not going to publish this but decided to anyway. Space X is a private company.
"KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – Liftoff of the clandestine spy satellite codenamed ‘Zuma’ on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has been postponed indefinitely to resolve a lingering issue with the testing of a payload fairing for another customer.
SpaceX announced today, Friday, Nov 17, that they will ‘stand down’ to allow engineers the additional time needed to carefully scrutinize all the pertinent data before proceeding with the top secret Zuma launch.
“We have decided to stand down and take a closer look at data from recent fairing testing for another customer,” said SpaceX spokesman John Taylor.
The super secret ‘Zuma’ spysat is a complete mystery and it has not been claimed by any U.S. government entity – not even the elusive NRO spy agency ! The NRO does claim ownership of a vast fleet of covert and hugely capable orbiting surveillance assets supporting US national security."
http://earthsky.org/earth/letter-sci...mental-dangers
Yes, I agree with this.
I quite agree with you. I am full of mistrust regarding Zuma. I specially disliked this statement:Quote:
For a top secret exercise this gets a lot of publicity. I was not going to publish this but decided to anyway. Space X is a private company.
"Zuma’s goals are veiled in virtually complete darkness. And as far as the taxpaying public is concerned its ownerless."
This has probably only been made public because it has been called off.
One excerpt of the letter:
"To prevent widespread misery and catastrophic biodiversity loss, humanity must practice a more environmentally sustainable alternative to business as usual. This prescription was well articulated by the world's leading scientists 25 years ago, but in most respects, we have not heeded their warning. Soon it will be too late to shift course away from our failing trajectory, and time is running out. We must recognize, in our day-to-day lives and in our governing institutions, that Earth with all its life is our only home."
One good reason for this frantic search for an habitable planet.
I agree, except that the definition of "habitable" is far to wide to be at all useful. Hopefully once the new Spitzer telescope is up and running it will become easier, possible to zoom in to discover temperate zones. What is needed is a planet where humans can move without radiation protection and that has a breathable atmosphere without using oxygen tubes.
But this combination of Earth-like conditions is very hard to find. I don't think any of the new "Earth-like" planets that we have discovered in recent years meet these criteria. So Mars, where you need to wear a space-suite, and protection from radiation, is still the most likely candidate.