I just have to attach the Hubble Ultra Deep Field image as it is a perpetual source of wonderment to me.
There are a mind-boggling 10,000 or so galaxies visible in what is just a miniscule patch of sky!
To get a sense of the scale, one can zoom into the HUDF image here: YouTube
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It's an age of miracles and wonders in Space exploration.
SpaceX have named their latest craft Starship.
AFAIK, our own Milky Way galaxy is not very exceptional on a Galactic Scale. But an appreciable lump. Checking this took me into a unit of measurement called "Redshift". Sort of relates inversely to the age of the very distant and young appearing Galaxies that Hubble is picturing.
We also have a good time at the Cinema. Computer special effects have moved into the awesome. I was watching Passengers last night. Slingshot round Arcturus and onto a new World at 0.5 Lightspeed. Takes 120 years, ship's time. All goes horribly wrong, of course!
But I was quite moved by the predicament of the Passengers. All about making the most of things right now. And keep on keeping on. Whatever Life throws at you. I suppose that is Philosophy.
SpaceX have named their latest craft Starship.
AFAIK, our own Milky Way galaxy is not very exceptional on a Galactic Scale. But an appreciable lump. Checking this took me into a unit of measurement called "Redshift". Sort of relates inversely to the age of the very distant and young appearing Galaxies that Hubble is picturing.
We also have a good time at the Cinema. Computer special effects have moved into the awesome. I was watching Passengers last night. Slingshot round Arcturus and onto a new World at 0.5 Lightspeed. Takes 120 years, ship's time. All goes horribly wrong, of course!
But I was quite moved by the predicament of the Passengers. All about making the most of things right now. And keep on keeping on. Whatever Life throws at you. I suppose that is Philosophy.
Elon Musk's SpaceX isn't getting it all it's own way ATM.
NASA has not only redesigned its Logo in favour of Captain Kirk's Starfleet, but is designing Spaceship Orion:
What Is Orion? | NASA
This is all going to happen in the next 5 years, AFAIK. Exciting.
The Apollo Moon Missions died 50 years ago when people thought we should spend money on Hospitals rather than Space Exploration. A worthy idea for Sick Worms, IMO.
Anyway. "Per Ardua, Ad Astra" as the ancients said.
NASA has not only redesigned its Logo in favour of Captain Kirk's Starfleet, but is designing Spaceship Orion:
What Is Orion? | NASA
This is all going to happen in the next 5 years, AFAIK. Exciting.
The Apollo Moon Missions died 50 years ago when people thought we should spend money on Hospitals rather than Space Exploration. A worthy idea for Sick Worms, IMO.
Anyway. "Per Ardua, Ad Astra" as the ancients said.
Ah! 'Footfall' by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle.
The original Project Orion (which explored the possibility of nuclear pulse propulsion) was mentioned earlier in this thread.
In the novel the Orion spaceship which combats the ships of the invading Fithp is called 'Michael', named after the Archangel who cast Lucifer out of Heaven.
The original Project Orion (which explored the possibility of nuclear pulse propulsion) was mentioned earlier in this thread.
In the novel the Orion spaceship which combats the ships of the invading Fithp is called 'Michael', named after the Archangel who cast Lucifer out of Heaven.
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Project Orion: The Atomic Spaceship 1957-1965 - is on my must buy list!
Project Orion: The Atomic Spaceship 1957-1965: The True Story of the Atomic Spaceship (Allen Lane Science S.): Amazon.co.uk: Dyson, George: 9780713992670: Books
Project Orion: The Atomic Spaceship 1957-1965: The True Story of the Atomic Spaceship (Allen Lane Science S.): Amazon.co.uk: Dyson, George: 9780713992670: Books
It was always "Spaceship Orion" to me. The Ozark Mountain Daredevils:
Near full moon visible in our stunningly clear skies this afternoon. You can see Venus and Jupiter too in daylight if you know where to look.
Jupiter's moons Io, Europa and Ganymede doubtless doing their amazing Cosmic dance as usual: Orbital resonance - Wikipedia
Near full moon visible in our stunningly clear skies this afternoon. You can see Venus and Jupiter too in daylight if you know where to look.
Jupiter's moons Io, Europa and Ganymede doubtless doing their amazing Cosmic dance as usual: Orbital resonance - Wikipedia
Look forward to a 'supermoon' on Tuesday, April 7 when the Moon will appear roughly 8 percent larger than usual (not that easy to discern!).
One hour before sunrise on Thursday, April 9 Saturn sits halfway between Mars and Jupiter in the morning sky. Look to the southeast. See attachment.
Here's a link to the 'Astronomy' site where full information on what is happening in 'The Sky This Week' can be found.
The Sky This Week from April 3 to 10 | Astronomy.com
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Did we discuss magnetars and the 10^9 T mag fields?
Magnetar - Wikipedia
Recent research suggests that even higher field strengths are possible of the order of 10^15 T.
If the Earth was exposed to a field that strong from 125 k miles, , every single credit card would be wiped on the planet.
(Useless fact #343 )
Magnetar - Wikipedia
Recent research suggests that even higher field strengths are possible of the order of 10^15 T.
If the Earth was exposed to a field that strong from 125 k miles, , every single credit card would be wiped on the planet.
(Useless fact #343
)
The topic of magnetars has certainly not appeared in this thread recently!
Magnetars are new to me, so I was prompted to find out more about them. Here's a summary.
Magnetars are rapidly rotating neutron stars which emit unpredictable bursts of X-rays and gamma rays. The magnetic field of a magnetar is quadrillions of times the strength of the Sun's magnetic field.
When a neutron star forms during the explosion of a supernova and begins to rotate very fast (as fast as 1,000 revolutions per second) it may trigger turbulent internal motions that amplify its magnetic field in a so-called dynamo effect.
At least, that's one hypothesis!
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Incredible. I somehow thought they were ‘solid’ objects but from what I’ve read, the internal structure is quite fluid - I suspect it’s not the kind of fluidity we imagine in a liquid or gas.
Circa 12 miles in diameter with twice the mass of the sun - a tablespoon weights in at 100 million tons.
They were only theorized about quite recently from what I’ve learnt but a few candidate objects have been identified.
Circa 12 miles in diameter with twice the mass of the sun - a tablespoon weights in at 100 million tons.
They were only theorized about quite recently from what I’ve learnt but a few candidate objects have been identified.
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I read that there are ten supernova remnants that are known to house a magnetar, of which three emit enough X-ray radiation to permit analysis.
One of these three sits in the centre of the supernova remnant R103 (see attachment).
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Here’s Paul Sutter
Why Magnetars Should Freak You Out | Space
At those magnetic densities and gravitational field strengths, I suspect the two phenomena are mixed up and ‘frothy’.
The mag field decreases in strength more quickly with distance.
Why Magnetars Should Freak You Out | Space
At those magnetic densities and gravitational field strengths, I suspect the two phenomena are mixed up and ‘frothy’.
The mag field decreases in strength more quickly with distance.
This composite image shows RCW 103 and its central source in three bands of X-ray light detected by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. In the image, the lowest energy X-rays from Chandra are red, the medium band is green, and the highest energy X-rays are blue. The bright blue X-ray source in the middle of RCW 103 is the magnetar. The X-ray data have been combined with an optical image from the Digitized Sky Survey.
That's easy to work out if you start from the understanding that the magnetic field of our Sun is distinct from its gravitational field.
If I was a Science Fiction writer, I would certainly enjoy the events of March 5th. 1979.
AFAIK, Gloria Gaynor was at the height of popularity with "I will survive"!
TBH, I can't remember what went on that night.
Magnetar - Wikipedia
But a gripping plot with Russian probes Venera 11 and 12 overloading and crashing with Gamma Ray overload. It took down another 9 or so probes, by all accounts.
All because some Neutron Star exploded in the distant Megallanic Cloud.
Whatever next?
AFAIK, Gloria Gaynor was at the height of popularity with "I will survive"!
TBH, I can't remember what went on that night.
Magnetar - Wikipedia
But a gripping plot with Russian probes Venera 11 and 12 overloading and crashing with Gamma Ray overload. It took down another 9 or so probes, by all accounts.
All because some Neutron Star exploded in the distant Megallanic Cloud.
Whatever next?
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