Search found 17621 matches
- Sat Sep 15, 2007 1:23 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: 'Hole in the Universe'? - Possible Explanation (27 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 33628
There's no reason that the workings of the Universe have to make sense to us on some intuitive level. One of the axioms of science is that if the axioms are not true we can't know anything. You may be correct, but if you are then the universe runs on magic and/or religion and there is no point in p...
- Fri Sep 14, 2007 3:21 am
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: 'Hole in the Universe'? - Possible Explanation (27 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 33628
- Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:42 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Discussion of APOD 15 August 2007: Mysterious Streaks
- Replies: 97
- Views: 79748
Can someone explain why the periferial stars are streaked away from the center ant the central stars are not streaked? Most likely this is caused by a combination of poor tracking (or no tracking) and field rotation. You get field rotation when you don't use a mount that rotates with the sky. It lo...
- Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:24 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Six Rainbows Across Norway... (APOD 12 Sep 2007)
- Replies: 22
- Views: 9741
Re: Six Rainbows
I once saw an amazing atmospheric display of sun halos while skiing at Alta one sunny day. I realize this phenomena has to do with ice crystals in the air lined up in a certain way, but the patterns looked similar in that there were reverse arcs among other bizarre rainbow patterns. Could there hav...
- Thu Sep 13, 2007 4:08 am
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Six Rainbows Across Norway... (APOD 12 Sep 2007)
- Replies: 22
- Views: 9741
My point is that it is impossible for the visible lake in the left front to be the source, as it is not in line. Lets ask the photgrapher to turn around, so we can see the lake behind him. That's true. But the lake to the left of the camera is where the reflection is coming from (the Sun is behind ...
- Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:34 am
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Six Rainbows Across Norway... (APOD 12 Sep 2007)
- Replies: 22
- Views: 9741
I think the second set of rainbows is caused by reflection off part of the lake behind the camera. This must be the case, as rainbows can only be observed when in-line with the light rays. As we can assume that the reflecting surface of the lake is horizontal, the only surfaces which can be candita...
- Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:43 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Scorpio/Scorpius (APOD 11 Sep 2007)
- Replies: 12
- Views: 5864
The correct, anatomical name for your thumb is 'pollux'. But you call it a thumb. A surgeon would too, though they would use 'pollucis' (of the thumb) of the muscles that move the thumb. But thumb doesn't also carry a meaning that is otherwise contrary to modern medicine. If the term had been inven...
- Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:37 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Scorpio/Scorpius (APOD 11 Sep 2007)
- Replies: 12
- Views: 5864
I think that scorpio is allowable since it IS a zodiacle constellation Of course, it's a matter of opinion whether Scorpio is an allowable synonym for Scorpius . But it shouldn't be based on the fact that the constellation is Zodiacal. Zodiacal just means that it is one of the twelve (really thirte...
- Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:45 am
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Scorpio/Scorpius (APOD 11 Sep 2007)
- Replies: 12
- Views: 5864
Scorpio/Scorpius (APOD 11 Sep 2007)
I regularly have to correct people when they call me an astrologer instead of astronomer, and now APOD decides to call the constellation Scorpius by its astrological name, Scorpio . What were you thinking? (I know that Scorpio is sometimes considered synonymous with Scorpius , but it goes against as...
- Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:47 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: 'Hole in the Universe'? - Possible Explanation (27 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 33628
- Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:05 am
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Lunar Eclipse (APOD 30 August 2007)
- Replies: 19
- Views: 7492
It will be different stars from Canada. Only a little bit: the difference is under 3°; the Moon stayed in Aquarius. Yes, but the pictures are oriented with respect to the horizon. So what's above the Moon in Canada is below it in Antarctica. The stars seen above the Moon are in completely different...
- Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:18 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Lunar Eclipse (APOD 30 August 2007)
- Replies: 19
- Views: 7492
The south pole and kalamalka lake eclipse photos both show numerous other objects tracking through the sky. What are these objects? If they are other celestial objects, why do they seem to mirror the same arc of travel as the moon? (my own guess...as the world turns the objects in the distance appe...
- Fri Sep 07, 2007 2:25 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Lunar Eclipse (APOD 30 August 2007)
- Replies: 19
- Views: 7492
- Thu Sep 06, 2007 1:23 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: 'Hole in the Universe'? - Possible Explanation (27 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 33628
- Wed Sep 05, 2007 3:11 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: 'Hole in the Universe'? - Possible Explanation (27 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 33628
At least some cosmologists are also of the opinion the universe is expanding. That would imply to me that everywhere in the universe is receding from ??? the center of the universe ??? That's true. But the center is a point in spacetime, not a three dimensional point that we can observe. There is n...
- Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:38 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: 'Hole in the Universe'? - Possible Explanation (27 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 33628
It is possible that the Universe itself is smaller than the visible Universe, Say what? That didn't come out right. What was that supposed to say? It was supposed to say just what it did. The actual Universe can be smaller than the observable Universe. Sounds odd, but nothing in theory precludes it...
- Wed Sep 05, 2007 4:34 am
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Aurigids (APOD 05 Sep 2007)
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1417
Aurigids (APOD 05 Sep 2007)
There's an error in the writeup for the 5 September 2007 image of the Aurigids. While the source of the debris that produced last weekend's shower was from the ~83 BCE passage of Comet Kiess (C/1911 N1), that wasn't the most recent passage of the comet through the inner Solar System. Its last passag...
- Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:09 am
- Forum: The Asterisk Café: Discuss Anything Astronomy Related
- Topic: Space Temperature
- Replies: 4
- Views: 2326
Re: Space Temperature
What is the temperature of interstellar space? Is it determined by the proximity of the nearest star? The distance between stars is so vast that logically it would be indescribably cold, especially if there is no nearby surface to reflect light or heat. Just curious. Most likely, it is very hot. Th...
- Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:59 am
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: 'Hole in the Universe'? - Possible Explanation (27 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 33628
- Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:40 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Lunar Eclipse (APOD 30 August 2007)
- Replies: 19
- Views: 7492
Maybe someone can explain something to me. Everyone seems to think a red moon is expected during an eclipse, even old hat. But when I saw one in the early 50s it was quite unexpected and it took a while for someone to figure out why it looked red. The newspaper said nobody had seen that effect befo...
- Mon Sep 03, 2007 1:38 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: 'Hole in the Universe'? - Possible Explanation (27 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 33628
- Sun Sep 02, 2007 2:51 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: 'Hole in the Universe'? - Possible Explanation (27 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 72
- Views: 33628
Re: " Hole in the Universe " ? - Possible Explanat
Cosmologists are of the opinion that there is no center and no edge to the universe and that the term "Big Bang" is misleading and confusing to lay people. It gives people an impression that the universe came into existence in an explosion, hence there should be a center of the explosion....
- Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:28 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Could Hydrogen Peroxide Life Survive on Mars? (28 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 14
- Views: 4612
Re: Wrong point
I a mont dismissing the possibilty of a water/peroxide chemistry for an organism at all. I am rejecting the idea that any significant amount of peroxide exists in the soil based on the clear evidence of the chemistry and the soil analysis. Then you are posting in the wrong discussion. The topic is ...
- Fri Aug 31, 2007 4:04 pm
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Lunar Eclipse (APOD 30 August 2007)
- Replies: 19
- Views: 7492
But, actually, how strong is the brightness? I'd like to know that if there is observed data. I made a few measurements off the images I took during the eclipse, and it appears that the surface brightness of the Moon was about 1000 times reduced at mid-eclipse. Your rendering is very attractive, bu...
- Thu Aug 30, 2007 6:04 am
- Forum: The Bridge: Discuss an Astronomy Picture of the Day
- Topic: Could Hydrogen Peroxide Life Survive on Mars? (28 Aug 2007)
- Replies: 14
- Views: 4612
Re: There is no hydrogen peroxide on Mars
The bottom line is that with these incompatible chemicals in the soil, it is physically impossible for any significant amount of hydrogen peroxide to exist on Mars. Doesn't somebody at NASA know a little basic chemistry? By perpetuating this peroxide myth, they really, really look like fools. The t...