|
 |
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Awe-inspiring image of the jets streaming from galaxy Hercules A, an object which is 2 billion light years* away.
Hercules A, the yellowy blob at centre of the image, is one BIG galaxy. For comparison, our own Milky Way galaxy is about 100,000 light years in diameter and it contains about 200 billion stars. Hercules A, is roughly 1,000 times more massive than the Milky Way and has at the centre a 2.5-billion-solar-mass central black hole, which spews out the jets at near-light speed.
The jets, which are only visible to a radio telescope, are about one-and-a-half million light-years long.
* 1 light-year = the distance light travels in 1 year at 186,000 miles per second. |
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Board Member | 18299 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Jun 2003 | 22 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Jan 2025 | Oct 2024 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
Moderator
|
|
I can't even begin to get my head around those figures.
|
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Star | 3338 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| May 2011 | 14 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Dec 2024 | Nov 2024 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="Wheels"I can't even begin to get my head around those figures.'"
a lightyear is about 9480000000000000 metres, that should make it a bit clearer for you  |
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Next time you are thinking of complaining about the weather, it could be worse - you could be in the giant hurricane over Saturn's north pole
 |
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| Player Coach | 13190 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Mar 2007 | 18 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Feb 2020 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="Wheels"I can't even begin to get my head around those figures.'"
Best not to try, I just go 'wow' these days.  |
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| 
Active sunspot region has produced a series of X-class (i.e. fookin BIG) flares in the past few days, luckily none in our direction. But the Sun is rotating the region towards us, so there's a good chance one may blow off with Earth's number on it. Tin hats on, please. |
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Board Member | 2236 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Jan 2003 | 22 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Dec 2018 | Dec 2018 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
The power of the Sun:
[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22556750[/url
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| Moderator | 12488 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| May 2007 | 18 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Oct 2023 | Mar 2023 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
Moderator
|
| Quote ="Dreamer"The power of the Sun:
[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22556750[/url'"
Time for everyone to make a Faraday box  |
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| Club Coach | 12425 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Jan 2005 | 20 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Jan 2025 | Jan 2025 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Board Member | 2236 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Jan 2003 | 22 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Dec 2018 | Dec 2018 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="B0NES"www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22736709
Kept that one quiet !'"
Do you think a Faraday Cage might help? |
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="B0NES"www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-22736709
Kept that one quiet !'"
Not at all, the whole astro community were anticipating it (for example,[url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-163JPL article 2 weeks earlier[/url) and every available telescope and instrument that could, watched it and studied it.
They even took [url=http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/33543225a video[/url
The fact is, unless it's going to be a close thing, nobody outside the astronomy community is even slightly interested. And at 15 times further away than the moon, nobody else would have given, or did give,a shhit!
If you really do want to have guaranteed advance warning (well, of those objects which are known to be coming by!) then all you have to do is follow @AsteroidWatch |
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
Just thought some of you might be entertained by a short video illustrating comparative sizes of stars, up to the biggest known. Just a couple of minutes, but I think fascinating as well as mind boggling.
You can find it on a popular video sharing site by searching for
Star Size Comparison HD AudioV2
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| Club Owner | 7195 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Oct 2003 | 21 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Jan 2018 | Dec 2017 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
Been really enjoying looking up at the ISS the last few nights. Sometimes followed by the ATV4. I'm 25 but as soon as I get the update on twitter that it is about to appear I'm 4 years old again!
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
Quote ="Robbo"Been really enjoying looking up at the ISS the last few nights. Sometimes followed by the ATV4. I'm 25 but as soon as I get the update on twitter that it is about to appear I'm 4 years old again!'"
Aye, it's great to watch, tonight (but prolly cloudy  ( ) the ATV is about 10 mins ahead of the ISS at roughly 23:19, in the South/ SW, rising from the west but fairly low down in the sky
As ever, people can create themselves a login on the free www.heavens-above.com/ website and then get full details, individualized predictions and sky charts, at a click. |
|
Quote ="Robbo"Been really enjoying looking up at the ISS the last few nights. Sometimes followed by the ATV4. I'm 25 but as soon as I get the update on twitter that it is about to appear I'm 4 years old again!'"
Aye, it's great to watch, tonight (but prolly cloudy ( ) the ATV is about 10 mins ahead of the ISS at roughly 23:19, in the South/ SW, rising from the west but fairly low down in the sky
As ever, people can create themselves a login on the free www.heavens-above.com/ website and then get full details, individualized predictions and sky charts, at a click. | |
|
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Star | 3338 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| May 2011 | 14 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Dec 2024 | Nov 2024 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
Three rocky planets, all "super-Earths" have been confirmed lying in the "habitable zone" around the star Gliese 667C where liquid water could exist. This makes them candidates for the presence of life. Only 22 light years away, you could send a message and get a reply within a human adult lifetime!
[url=http://www.astronomy.com/News-Observing/News/2013/06/Three%20planets%20in%20habitable%20zone%20of%20nearby%20star%20Gliese%20667C%20re%20examined.aspx?utm_source=SilverpopMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ASY_News_Sub_130628_Final&utm_content=Astronomy magazine article[/url
=#FFFFFFWell you could if anyone smart enough was listening, but even microbes would be sensational.
Meanwhile, in one of NASA's coolest stjnts, here's the link to the "Billion-Pixel View" from the Mars rover, Curiosity, at the[url=http://mars.nasa.gov/multimedia/interactives/billionpixel/index.cfm?image=PIA16918&view=cylRocknest site[/url. Go full-screen, and pan around and zoom in to the smallest of pebbles in astonishing detail.
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| Player Coach | 3829 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Oct 2005 | 19 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Jan 2025 | Sep 2024 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Don’t forget the Perseids start tonight, peaking 11/12th August  .
After years of getting giddy only to be thwarted by the weather, I’m off to Crete this year, so hoping for a decent show. |
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="The Devil's Advocate"Don’t forget the Perseids start tonight, peaking 11/12th August
.
After years of getting giddy only to be thwarted by the weather, I’m off to Crete this year, so hoping for a decent show.'"
Well, I presume you will be able to find a dark sky without going too far off the coast, and the best news is - no moon for you that night - so a comfy recliner, an mp3 player and headphones, and a case of cold beer or wine should see you right. I'm jealous.
Also if you're there on 7 August you will see the ISS go over from the W towards the NE bet. 701pm - 708pm |
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| The Indian military has spent six months investigating 'Chinese spy drones' violating its air space - only to discover they were in fact Jupiter and Venus.
[url=http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2378860/Stars-eyes-Indian-army-mistakes-Jupiter-Venus-Chinese-spy-drones.html#ixzz2aAmioCPxArticle[/url
 |
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
Rare treat- meteor shower and a clear sky - if you're not out then DO IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 3569 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Apr 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Nov 2014 | Nov 2014 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
any idea where i could buy a map/chart of the stars. we ve had some good clear nights recently and stepping out into our garden we have ursa major just on the right of us and i d like to learn other formations .
thanks in advance
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Board Member | 20474 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Mar 2003 | 22 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| Jan 2025 | Jan 2025 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24026153
Voyager 1 finally leaves the solar system, can't believe a craft launched a full two months prior to "Star Wars: A New Hope" hitting UK cinemas and the fact it travels away from us at 1.4 million km per day is only entering interstellar space around this time! 
|
|
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24026153
Voyager 1 finally leaves the solar system, can't believe a craft launched a full two months prior to "Star Wars: A New Hope" hitting UK cinemas and the fact it travels away from us at 1.4 million km per day is only entering interstellar space around this time!
| |
|
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
|
Quote ="CORNISH"any idea where i could buy a map/chart of the stars. we ve had some good clear nights recently and stepping out into our garden we have ursa major just on the right of us and i d like to learn other formations .
thanks in advance'"
To start, I would recommend a Planisphere. WH Smith do one, this is the basic
[url=http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/philips-planisphere-latitude-515-north-for-use-in-britain-and-ireland-northern-europe-northern-usa-and-canada/product/9781849071888planisphere for UK latitudes[/url, for an extra fiver they do a glow in the dark one but I recommend the plain one and a red torch.
Then I recommend a free resource: www.heavens-above.com
You need to register, and when you put in your approximate location then each time you log on, you can get the info for your particular sky.
So if you were going out to see what you could see tonight, you go to the Sky Chart, change the time to whatever time you will be out, and print off your own personalized chart.
As a great alternative to preview what you can see outside, a must-have is Stellarium, a brilliant free program which you can download here: stellarium.org/ - just click on your OS at the top of the screen. In fact, whenever it is cloudy, just fire Stellarium up - you won't miss a thing!
However Heavens Above will give you as much info as you want; for example it'll tell you if and exactly when you can see the ISS (space station) cross over. Or get a list of every single satellite that will be flying over. Or Iridium flashes. You'll be surprised how much action there is, and Heavens Above tailors it to your actual sky view. |
|
Quote ="CORNISH"any idea where i could buy a map/chart of the stars. we ve had some good clear nights recently and stepping out into our garden we have ursa major just on the right of us and i d like to learn other formations .
thanks in advance'"
To start, I would recommend a Planisphere. WH Smith do one, this is the basic
[url=http://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/philips-planisphere-latitude-515-north-for-use-in-britain-and-ireland-northern-europe-northern-usa-and-canada/product/9781849071888planisphere for UK latitudes[/url, for an extra fiver they do a glow in the dark one but I recommend the plain one and a red torch.
Then I recommend a free resource: www.heavens-above.com
You need to register, and when you put in your approximate location then each time you log on, you can get the info for your particular sky.
So if you were going out to see what you could see tonight, you go to the Sky Chart, change the time to whatever time you will be out, and print off your own personalized chart.
As a great alternative to preview what you can see outside, a must-have is Stellarium, a brilliant free program which you can download here: stellarium.org/ - just click on your OS at the top of the screen. In fact, whenever it is cloudy, just fire Stellarium up - you won't miss a thing!
However Heavens Above will give you as much info as you want; for example it'll tell you if and exactly when you can see the ISS (space station) cross over. Or get a list of every single satellite that will be flying over. Or Iridium flashes. You'll be surprised how much action there is, and Heavens Above tailors it to your actual sky view. | |
|
|
|
|
| Rank | Posts | Team |
| International Chairman | 28357 | No
Team
Selected |
| Joined | Service | Reputation |
| Feb 2002 | 23 years | |
| Online | Last Post | Last Page |
| May 2024 | Oct 2019 | LINK |
| Milestone Posts |
|
| Milestone Years |
|
|
| Location |
|
| Signature |
|
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="MattyB"www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24026153
Voyager 1 finally leaves the solar system, can't believe a craft launched a full two months prior to "Star Wars: A New Hope" hitting UK cinemas and the fact it travels away from us at 1.4 million km per day is only entering interstellar space around this time!
'"
What I find most amazing is that Voyager I's transmitter only has a power of 22 watts (yes, a quarter of a lightbulb) yet we can pick it up from 11.5 billion miles. But, in fact that's really bright when compared to most things radio telescopes study.
The signal, at 186,000 miles per second, takes around 17 hours to arrive back at Earth.
By the time it first arrived at Neptune, Voager I's fuel economy from Earth to Neptune averaged around 30,000 miles per gallon.
It is not leaving the solar system any time soon, though; that all depends on how you define it, but it is going to be a long while yet. The official Voyager site explains that one opinion is that the boundary is where the Sun’s gravity no longer dominates – a point beyond the planets and beyond the Oort Cloud. This boundary is roughly about halfway to the nearest star, Proxima Centauri. Travelling at over 35,000 mph, it will take Voyager nearly 40,000 years, and it will have travelled a distance of about two light years to reach that point.
It is however on the point of entering interstellar space, that is, crossing the heliopause.
But we will lose comms around 2025. |
|
|
|
|
|
( ) the ATV is about 10 mins ahead of the ISS at roughly 23:19, in the South/ SW, rising from the west but fairly low down in the sky
.
