Space
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Asteroid passes near earth!!!
Since when is a million miles "near"???0 -
The Edge of Jupiter
This enhanced color Jupiter image, taken by the JunoCam imager on NASA's Juno spacecraft, showcases several interesting features on the apparent edge (limb) of the planet. Prior to Juno's fifth flyby over Jupiter's mysterious cloud tops, members of the public voted on which targets JunoCam should image.
This picture captures not only a fascinating variety of textures in Jupiter's atmosphere, it also features three specific points of interest: "String of Pearls," "Between the Pearls," and "An Interesting Band Point." Also visible is what's known as the STB Spectre, a feature in Jupiter's South Temperate Belt where multiple atmospheric conditions appear to collide.
JunoCam images of Jupiter sometimes appear to have an odd shape. This is because the Juno spacecraft is so close to Jupiter that it cannot capture the entire illuminated area in one image -- the sides get cut off. Juno acquired this image on March 27, 20171 -
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SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »
Read the description. It explains it.
JunoCam images of Jupiter sometimes appear to have an odd shape. This is because the Juno spacecraft is so close to Jupiter that it cannot capture the entire illuminated area in one image -- the sides get cut off. Juno acquired this image on March 27, 20170 -
For the gaseous giants, what keeps them in the shape of a ball? Is it the gravity of the core center?0
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SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »For the gaseous giants, what keeps them in the shape of a ball? Is it the gravity of the core center?
So. I googled that for you and found this:
Since gravity pulls toward the center of the planet or star, everything gets pulled down into a sphere. However, planets and stars are not really perfect spheres. They spin, so they bulge out a little around the equator.1 -
SomebodyWakeUpHIcks wrote: »Asteroid passes near earth!!!
Since when is a million miles "near"???
Relative in space really. The moon is about 240k miles away and very visible. And asteroid at a million might be visible as well, so that is considered close. At least as close as I ever think we need to see one. I got to see a meteor coming down once, and that sound was damn scary.1 -
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MeeseeksAndDestroy wrote: »
Cassini took a picture between Saturn's rings, that's our Earth and moon
Wow! What an amazing perspective. So unusual.1 -
Finally seen some new Space's Deepest Secrets episodes. Some really good ones yesterday about planet atmospheres, some news about the James Webb ELT, updates on a bunch of other stuff.
Worth the watch
I think they have season one available too!
http://www.sciencechannel.com/tv-shows/spaces-deepest-secrets-2/
Holly Crap-A-Tolly! This is so visually interesting!
I'm having trouble trying to watch a whole episode...boo0 -
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MeeseeksAndDestroy wrote: »
Cassini took a picture between Saturn's rings, that's our Earth and moon
This is what I found. Is it the same?
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Hubble Observes One-of-a-Kind Star Nicknamed ‘Nasty’
Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have uncovered surprising new clues about a hefty, rapidly aging star whose behavior has never been seen before in our Milky Way galaxy. In fact, the star is so weird that astronomers have nicknamed it “Nasty 1,” a play on its catalog name of NaSt1.
The star may represent a brief transitory stage in the evolution of extremely massive stars. First discovered several decades ago, Nasty 1 was identified as a Wolf-Rayet star, a rapidly evolving star that is much more massive than our sun. The star loses its hydrogen-filled outer layers quickly, exposing its super-hot and extremely bright helium-burning core.
But Nasty 1 doesn’t look like a typical Wolf-Rayet star. The astronomers using Hubble had expected to see twin lobes of gas flowing from opposite sides of the star, perhaps similar to those emanating from the massive star Eta Carinae, which is a Wolf-Rayet candidate.
Instead, Hubble revealed a pancake-shaped disk of gas encircling the star. The vast disk is nearly 2 trillion miles wide, and may have formed from an unseen companion star that snacked on the outer envelope of the newly formed Wolf-Rayet. Based on current estimates, the nebula surrounding the stars is just a few thousand years old, and as close as 3,000 light-years from Earth.2 -
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@MeeseeksAndDestroy wrote: »
Cassini took a picture between Saturn's rings, that's our Earth and moon
The earth seems much bigger compared to our view of Saturn.0 -
Hubble Observes One-of-a-Kind Star Nicknamed ‘Nasty’
Astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have uncovered surprising new clues about a hefty, rapidly aging star whose behavior has never been seen before in our Milky Way galaxy. In fact, the star is so weird that astronomers have nicknamed it “Nasty 1,” a play on its catalog name of NaSt1.
The star may represent a brief transitory stage in the evolution of extremely massive stars. First discovered several decades ago, Nasty 1 was identified as a Wolf-Rayet star, a rapidly evolving star that is much more massive than our sun. The star loses its hydrogen-filled outer layers quickly, exposing its super-hot and extremely bright helium-burning core.
But Nasty 1 doesn’t look like a typical Wolf-Rayet star. The astronomers using Hubble had expected to see twin lobes of gas flowing from opposite sides of the star, perhaps similar to those emanating from the massive star Eta Carinae, which is a Wolf-Rayet candidate.
Instead, Hubble revealed a pancake-shaped disk of gas encircling the star. The vast disk is nearly 2 trillion miles wide, and may have formed from an unseen companion star that snacked on the outer envelope of the newly formed Wolf-Rayet. Based on current estimates, the nebula surrounding the stars is just a few thousand years old, and as close as 3,000 light-years from Earth.
That's it - how do I get a part time job observing this *kitten*?0 -
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Ceres's Southern Hemisphere Navigation Image
NASA's Dawn spacecraft took this picture as it reached its new orbit to observe Ceres in opposition, when Dawn is directly between the sun and the Occator Crater bright spots. Entering the very tight opposition geometry (explained here) is a major feat that requires extra checks for increased delivery accuracy. Hence, this picture was part of a series of images intended to help the navigation of the spacecraft relative to Ceres.
This vantage point highlights the southern hemisphere of Ceres. Abundant polygonal craters can be seen, starting with Kerwan, Ceres' largest crater at 174 miles (280 kilometers) in diameter, in the upper right of Ceres' circular disc. Kerwan's rims appear subdued and its floor is relatively relaxed. The crater found almost in the "bullseye" of the crater is called Insitor (16 miles or 26 kilometers in diameter).
The Inamahari and Homshuk craters featured here can be found at the top of the disc. Another large polygonal crater called Chaminuka (76 miles, 122 kilometers in diameter) is found toward the center. This map can be used to locate these and more features. The name "Kerwan" refers to the Hopi spirit of sprouting maize and "Chaminuka" to the Shona (Zimbabwe) spirit who provides rains in times of droughts. "Insitor" is named for the Roman agricultural deity in charge of the sowing.
This picture was taken on April 17, 2017, from an altitude of about 28,000 miles (45,000 kilometers).
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The Moon, or supermoon, is seen rising behind the Soyuz rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad in Kazakhstan, Monday, Nov. 14, 2016. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos, and ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan the morning of November 18 (Kazakh time.) All three will spend approximately six months on the orbital complex.
A supermoon occurs when the moon’s orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth.3 -
Ceres's Southern Hemisphere Navigation Image
NASA's Dawn spacecraft took this picture as it reached its new orbit to observe Ceres in opposition, when Dawn is directly between the sun and the Occator Crater bright spots. Entering the very tight opposition geometry (explained here) is a major feat that requires extra checks for increased delivery accuracy. Hence, this picture was part of a series of images intended to help the navigation of the spacecraft relative to Ceres.
This vantage point highlights the southern hemisphere of Ceres. Abundant polygonal craters can be seen, starting with Kerwan, Ceres' largest crater at 174 miles (280 kilometers) in diameter, in the upper right of Ceres' circular disc. Kerwan's rims appear subdued and its floor is relatively relaxed. The crater found almost in the "bullseye" of the crater is called Insitor (16 miles or 26 kilometers in diameter).
The Inamahari and Homshuk craters featured here can be found at the top of the disc. Another large polygonal crater called Chaminuka (76 miles, 122 kilometers in diameter) is found toward the center. This map can be used to locate these and more features. The name "Kerwan" refers to the Hopi spirit of sprouting maize and "Chaminuka" to the Shona (Zimbabwe) spirit who provides rains in times of droughts. "Insitor" is named for the Roman agricultural deity in charge of the sowing.
This picture was taken on April 17, 2017, from an altitude of about 28,000 miles (45,000 kilometers).
I was reading this at work and wondering if there was supposed to be a link to explain what "opposition geometry" is...I looked it up, unsurprisingly it didn't help me understand!
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I was reading this at work and wondering if there was supposed to be a link to explain what "diametrically opposed" is...I looked it up, unsurprisingly it didn't help me understand!
I couldn't find the link either. The only thing I found online was about how planets line up that way.
I did find this:
https://oppositionalgeometryblog.wordpress.com/
My best guess is it has to do with position in a 3D environment.
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Neptune
This picture of Neptune was produced from the last whole planet images taken through the green and orange filters on NASA's Voyager 2 narrow angle camera. The images were taken at a range of 4.4 million miles from the planet, 4 days and 20 hours before closest approach.
The picture shows the Great Dark Spot and its companion bright smudge; on the west limb the fast moving bright feature called Scooter and the little dark spot are visible. These clouds were seen to persist for as long as Voyager's cameras could resolve them. North of these, a bright cloud band similar to the south polar streak may be seen.
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Had a long discussion about privatization of space travel this last week after SpaceX relaunched a previously launched rocket. Trying to understand why NASA couldn't have, or hasn't designed the same cost saving measures for their exploration.
Anyway, the discussion came up about private space travel that is coming around, and I was curious. Would you go? I mean, do you have a real and factual plan to save up and do it? I have had a side savings account that was for buying a dream car when I retire, but the last few years I have been seriously contemplating this.
Thoughts?
Blue Origin Space Travel1 -
I also have this billion dollar idea to become a space garbage man, but that's a whole other discussion.1
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MeeseeksAndDestroy wrote: »Had a long discussion about privatization of space travel this last week after SpaceX relaunched a previously launched rocket. Trying to understand why NASA couldn't have, or hasn't designed the same cost saving measures for their exploration.
Anyway, the discussion came up about private space travel that is coming around, and I was curious. Would you go? I mean, do you have a real and factual plan to save up and do it? I have had a side savings account that was for buying a dream car when I retire, but the last few years I have been seriously contemplating this.
Thoughts?
Blue Origin Space Travel
By private space travel do you mean anyone with enough money can pay for a trip as you would a plane ticket like just for the sake of doing it? Sorry if I didn't understand the question correctly.
Yup. Virgin Galactic is currently charging around $200k for a ticket to travel in space. Since space tourism is in its' infancy, we can surely expect prices to drop over the next 10 years. By then I will have the money saved to do such a trip and spend 30 minutes or so in space. I am seriously considering this.
My issue is, with some of the medical crap this last year I am not sure physically I could. Not so much worried about single trips for issue with my body though, cuz i'll be almost 60 years old and, what the hell...I wanna collect memories and experiences more than anything. And space has been something in my life since I was young enough to start dreaming.
Edit to add, as of this week only 559 people have been in space.1 -
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MeeseeksAndDestroy wrote: »How far into space are we talking? Like space station at orbital speed or like to the moon...or not even as far as the ISS?
So far they are only talking below traditional LLO (low level orbit), so around 60 miles up, but in 10 years they may hit that true 100 mile mark. Edit again to add, that would be my goal...to spend a few nights in space to orbit the Earth.
There is a giant cave in Arizona that you can spend the night in. I have been down in it, but haven't done the overnight yet. That will be soon too.
http://azc.cc/2jNUJKs
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Had a long discussion about privatization of space travel this last week after SpaceX relaunched a previously launched rocket. Trying to understand why NASA couldn't have, or hasn't designed the same cost saving measures for their exploration.
Anyway, the discussion came up about private space travel that is coming around, and I was curious. Would you go? I mean, do you have a real and factual plan to save up and do it? I have had a side savings account that was for buying a dream car when I retire, but the last few years I have been seriously contemplating this.
Thoughts?
Blue Origin Space Travel
My first thoughts were how many people would be in the spacecraft and how long the trip would be. My first hesitation is being trapped in a small area with another person, if I could go alone I would say yes, as long as it wasn't for a really long time.
I looked up the planned trip for next year and it says 2 people for about a one week trip around the moon.
Assuming I could afford it, and if I felt that I would be OK with being around the other person for a week, I would go.
I do not have a savings plan organized for something like this. I can only imagine the cost of such a trip would make it something I would not be able to afford in the foreseeable future.
*edit, I could not watch the blue origin link until now, so my answer was not based on that.
It would depend on how long the trip was, and 6 people on board would make it seem a lot more crowded to me, that would be a big consideration.
*2nd edit, I read that it is a 30 minute trip? Hmm that might be too short for the cost, definitely too short for $200k!
...and maybe I should stop answering questions at work when it takes me an hour of interrupted typing to post!1
This discussion has been closed.
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