Author Topic: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.  (Read 191575 times)

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Offline BlackInk

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #175 on: April 03, 2013, 04:25:23 AM »
^ That was actually cool, not what I expected.

Offline MrBoom_shack-a-lack

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« Last Edit: April 04, 2013, 04:01:24 AM by MrBoom_shack-a-lack »
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Offline Azyiu

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #177 on: April 10, 2013, 02:14:19 AM »
Hmm... Giant planet tastes so yummy!  :lol

A black hole is caught chowing down on what may be a giant rogue planet.

https://www.space.com/20580-black-hole-eats-giant-planet.html

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Online Chino

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #178 on: April 10, 2013, 08:43:57 AM »
Hmm... Giant planet tastes so yummy!  :lol

A black hole is caught chowing down on what may be a giant rogue planet.

https://www.space.com/20580-black-hole-eats-giant-planet.html

That's pretty wild.

A lot of computers have simulated the creation of our solar system and shown that we once had another gas giant that was ejected shortly after its formation.
« Last Edit: April 10, 2013, 11:02:10 AM by Chino »

Offline Azyiu

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #179 on: April 10, 2013, 10:44:59 AM »
That's pretty wild.

A lot of computer have simulated the creation of our solar system and shown that we once had another gas giant that was ejected shortly after its formation.

You are correct. Apparently rogue planets, especially those gas giants, are very common.
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Offline Tanatra

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #180 on: April 10, 2013, 11:32:31 AM »
That's pretty wild.

A lot of computer have simulated the creation of our solar system and shown that we once had another gas giant that was ejected shortly after its formation.

You are correct. Apparently rogue planets, especially those gas giants, are very common.

I've always found the concept of rogue planets fascinating, maybe because it originally came about in science fiction, unless I'm mistaken. Though in a way, I suppose a rogue planet is nothing more than an asteroid or comet with adequate mass to assume a spherical shape.

On that note, I wonder what it is about rogue bodies that prevents them from being captured by the gravity of another celestial body. For instance, the majority of the moons in the solar system are just captured asteroids, but how can asteroids of similar size zip right by a planet in very close proximity without becoming trapped by its gravity? Maybe it's the super slow moving asteroids that become moons?

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #181 on: April 10, 2013, 11:54:02 AM »
That's pretty wild.

A lot of computer have simulated the creation of our solar system and shown that we once had another gas giant that was ejected shortly after its formation.

You are correct. Apparently rogue planets, especially those gas giants, are very common.

I've always found the concept of rogue planets fascinating, maybe because it originally came about in science fiction, unless I'm mistaken. Though in a way, I suppose a rogue planet is nothing more than an asteroid or comet with adequate mass to assume a spherical shape.

On that note, I wonder what it is about rogue bodies that prevents them from being captured by the gravity of another celestial body. For instance, the majority of the moons in the solar system are just captured asteroids, but how can asteroids of similar size zip right by a planet in very close proximity without becoming trapped by its gravity? Maybe it's the super slow moving asteroids that become moons?

A rogue planet is different than an asteroid in the sense that it was formed as a planet and left orbit whereas a comet is the unused debris of a planet's formation.

As for moons, I think very few are actually captured asteroids. For example, our own moon is believed to have been formed due to a huge impact on our planet. The debris was caught in the Earth's gravity and it eventually coalesced into a new celestial body. The moon is made of Earth. 

Offline BlackInk

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #182 on: April 10, 2013, 12:45:03 PM »
For something to be actually caught in a sustainable orbit there are a couple of things that was to be right. Speed, if it's too slow it will be drawn in and crash on the planet and if it's too fast it will just pass by. Mass, if it's too massive the planet can't hold on to it and if it's to light it will be drawn in and crash.

It isn't this simple of course since either of these two variables changes if the other one does. So everything that comes close isn't caught in a gravitational orbit.

Offline Phoenix87x

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #183 on: April 15, 2013, 06:21:41 PM »

Offline Fiery Winds

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #184 on: April 15, 2013, 06:56:51 PM »
For something to be actually caught in a sustainable orbit there are a couple of things that was to be right. Speed, if it's too slow it will be drawn in and crash on the planet and if it's too fast it will just pass by. Mass, if it's too massive the planet can't hold on to it and if it's to light it will be drawn in and crash.

It isn't this simple of course since either of these two variables changes if the other one does. So everything that comes close isn't caught in a gravitational orbit.

That.  The odds of the speed matching the corresponding orbit level are tiny. 

For instance, all satellites have to be launched at a specific orbital speed and distance from the Earth, accounting for the mass of the satellite.  It also allows us to setup our own "planetary system" of satellites, grouped in different orbits.

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #185 on: April 23, 2013, 02:15:19 PM »
SpaceX's Grasshopper successfully hovers at 820 feet... triple that of it's March 7th debut!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xUvbh-Z8Abk

Offline MrBoom_shack-a-lack

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #186 on: April 23, 2013, 02:25:15 PM »
That's pretty cool!  :tup
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Offline wasteland

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #187 on: April 24, 2013, 07:09:33 AM »
Baby comet growing strong! (Hubble Picture)

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Offline Dublagent66

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Re: Astronomers discover the largest structure in the universe
« Reply #188 on: April 24, 2013, 03:56:31 PM »
It's amazing yea but what's sad is that it's only these really big discoveries that get some attention and as you said they come up every month with new discoveries but most of those are often just ignored or get in the limelight for other news. And the fact that about 90% of the earths population will never fully understand discoveries like these (including me sadly) or they don't really care. We're too obtained with our daily life, career and everything that we don't have time anymore or we don't care too look up at the sky and ask those questions that we all share and have in common.

Sry for my rant.  :)

Don't feel bad.  Having the interest and imagination is enough.  Most of us can't grasp the vastness of the universe or the mathematics involved.  That's part of what makes it so interesting.  I've been fascinated with astronomy since I was a kid.  I watch the latest shows on the Science Channel and History II whenever I get a chance.  I know people's lives are busy but they should never be too busy to look up at the bigger picture once in a while.  Life's too short not to... ;)
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Offline Azyiu

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #189 on: April 24, 2013, 11:47:05 PM »
SpaceX's Grasshopper successfully hovers at 820 feet... triple that of it's March 7th debut!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xUvbh-Z8Abk

Ok, this is off topic, but the Grasshopper reminds me of this rocket  :lol :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vzVgX1BtBY
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Offline MrBoom_shack-a-lack

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #190 on: April 25, 2013, 04:44:26 PM »
Quote
LED streetlamp aims to improve public's view of stars.

Researchers believe they have come up with a new type of LED-powered streetlamp that could radically reduce light pollution.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22292129

Very interesting.
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Offline BlackInk

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #191 on: April 26, 2013, 05:23:36 AM »
^ Indeed

Offline Sketchy

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #192 on: April 27, 2013, 01:31:44 AM »
Quote
LED streetlamp aims to improve public's view of stars.

Researchers believe they have come up with a new type of LED-powered streetlamp that could radically reduce light pollution.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22292129

Very interesting.

Not just that, but LEDs are horrifyingly efficient too. I remember a physics teacher of mine, back during my A-Levels, saying that a 150W LED would be somewhat akin to a lighthouse.
This is as exciting as superluminal neutrinos. The sexy thing is that this actually exists :D

Offline MrBoom_shack-a-lack

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #193 on: April 27, 2013, 02:09:21 AM »
I have said it before and i say it again, light pollution is a very low priority problem in society today so it's nice to see people trying to do something about it.
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Offline Sketchy

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #194 on: April 27, 2013, 03:20:32 AM »
Yar, and when you go out to the countryside and look up, you can see the bulge of the galaxy (in the northern hemisphere at certain times of the year). It's one of the most amazing things I've ever seen, and I've seen some pretty awesome stuff.
This is as exciting as superluminal neutrinos. The sexy thing is that this actually exists :D

Offline wasteland

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #195 on: April 27, 2013, 03:45:33 AM »
Yes. The Scorpius-Saggitarius region is stunning. Imagine how would it look like if there wasn't the galactic dust extinction!
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Offline Sketchy

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #196 on: April 27, 2013, 01:55:26 PM »
Brighter and bluer.
This is as exciting as superluminal neutrinos. The sexy thing is that this actually exists :D

Offline wasteland

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #197 on: April 27, 2013, 02:00:14 PM »
Brighter and bluer.

We would never be able to distinguish the increase in the blue, I think. I would dare anyone to tell that the orion belt's stars are blu and not white.
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Offline Sketchy

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #198 on: April 27, 2013, 02:27:44 PM »
Dust extinction does increase the redness of the total light passing through it, it's non-constant for wavelength. It does mean that the apparent age of some objects is higher than it actually is.
This is as exciting as superluminal neutrinos. The sexy thing is that this actually exists :D

Offline wasteland

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #199 on: April 27, 2013, 03:44:29 PM »
Age identification should not be a problem if you manage to have a decent absorption spectrum. It's not like you can mistake an extremely reddened A star with an M star :D
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Offline Sketchy

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #200 on: April 28, 2013, 05:25:32 AM »
Aye, but it would still appear bluer if there were no dust extinction, at least to the human eye.
This is as exciting as superluminal neutrinos. The sexy thing is that this actually exists :D

Online Chino

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #201 on: April 29, 2013, 05:57:07 PM »
Just got a new piece of desk swag!


Offline Heretic

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #202 on: April 30, 2013, 12:54:24 PM »
That's awesome.

Offline MrBoom_shack-a-lack

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #204 on: May 06, 2013, 06:12:45 AM »
 :metal

That's awesome. I follow Chris on FB. He posts so much awesome stuff from the ISS.

Offline MrBoom_shack-a-lack

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #205 on: May 17, 2013, 08:38:02 AM »
Speaking of Chris, this is pretty cool: Chris + Mythbusters about eating and cooking in microgravity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49TkVLRWKoc
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Online Chino

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #206 on: June 20, 2013, 05:11:52 PM »


I love this pic! ISS making a pass.

Offline Kotowboy

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #207 on: June 20, 2013, 05:17:25 PM »
Looks like Prometheus.

Offline BlackInk

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #208 on: June 20, 2013, 05:42:55 PM »
^ Haha yeah it actually does.

Offline MrBoom_shack-a-lack

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Re: The Official Space and Astronomy Thread v. Well, this is weird.
« Reply #209 on: June 21, 2013, 02:24:40 AM »
That's really cool!
"I said to Nigel Tufnel, 'The door is open if you want to do anything on this record,' but it turns out Nigel has a phobia about doors." /Derek Smalls