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#76 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Comet Machholz - New Comet » 2005-01-06 07:22:28
Looks like Science@NASA used a similar image from Pete Lawrence but turned it 90 degrees. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005 … 90714]LINK
I've not had time to get the camera out 
will have to try this weekend, though my shifts are all over the place so fitting work/weather/time into a manageable combination to get photos could be impossible, thats why I carry the binoculars around with me (and if it looks like its going to be a good night I'll get the scope out) at least I get to see it, if not in the same detail as these pics.
Graeme
EDIT: just seen this image http://www.astronomike.net/photos/q/q2d … .jpg]image link posted in uk.sci.astro very nice and worth a look.
![http://www.astronomike.net/photos/q/q2d … .jpg]image](http://www.astronomike.net/photos/q/q2deuzproc1024_12384.jpg]image){kind=link}
#77 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Deep Impact Crashing mission - Comet Tempel 1 target » 2005-01-06 07:10:12
The "fly-by" craft is being used to relay data back to Earth, and probably to get as many close up images from different angles of the impact as possible - its a bit of an unknown after all! We're gonna have a busy couple of days in January launch of Deep Impact and then two days later Huygens dropping in to say hello on Titan.
Graeme
#78 Re: New Mars Articles » Ares Express - info thread » 2005-01-06 00:50:11
Here's the 2005 calendar from Ares Express 7, can anyone with any amendments or additions either post them here or pm me (I'm only human, so there's bound to be a couple of amendments!)
2005 Astronomy & Space Flight calendar
January
2nd January - Earth at perihelion
3rd January - Quadrantids maximum, Spirit 1 Year today
4th January - Jupiter 0.4 degrees North of the Moon
6th January - Saturn 7 degrees South of Pollux
7th January - Mars 3 degrees North of the Moon
9th January - Mars, Mercury, Venus & the Moon (photo time?)
10th January - Moon at perigee
11th January - Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon
12th January - Deep Impact spacecraft, to explore Comet Tempel 1 for NASA, on board a Boeing Delta 2 from Cape Canaveral. (launch date subject to change).
13th January - Uranus 4 degrees North of the Moon, Saturn at opposition
14th January - Huygens probe Titan descent, Mercury 0.3 degrees South of Venus
15th January - Venus 0.9 degrees South of Uranus
23rd January - Moon at apogee
24th January - Saturn 5 degrees South of the Moon, Opportunity 1 Year today
26th January - Tac-Sat 1 communications satellite on board a SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base.
27th January - Classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office in a flight staged from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
31st January - Jupiter 0.9 degrees North of the Moon
February
2nd February - Worldsat 2 telecommunications satellite onboard a Proton launcher, from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
3rd February - Neptune conjunction (Sun)
5th February - Mars 4 degrees North of the Moon
7th February - Moon at perigee
14th February - Mercury in superior conjunction, Venus 1 degree South of Neptune
20th February - Saturn 5 degrees South of the Moon, Moon at apogee. Classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office on a Lockheed Martin Titan 4B rocket from Cape Canaveral
25th February - Uranus in conjunction with the Sun
27th February - Jupiter 1.2 degrees North of the Moon. I-4 satellite on a Atlas 5 rocket, launching from Cape Canaveral
28th February - Progress 17 cargo ship on a Soyuz rocket to the ISS from Baikonur Cosmodrome
March
1st March - NROL-1 spacecraft to launch on a Being Delta 4 from Vandenberg Air Force Base
2nd March - DART spacecraft on board a Pegasus XL launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base. (launch subject to change)
6th March - Mars 5 degrees North of the Moon
8th March - Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon, Moon at perigee
11th March - Mercury 3 degrees North of the Moon
19th March - Saturn 5 degrees South of the Moon, Moon at apogee, The NOAA-N spacecraft to launch on a Boeing Delta 2 from Vandenberg Air Force Base
25th March - European Space Agency's Cryosat science spacecraft from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia
26th March - Jupiter 1 degree North of the Moon
29th March - Mercury inferior conjunction
31st March - Venus in superior conjunction
April
3rd April - Mars 4 degrees North of the Moon, Jupiter at opposition
4th April - Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon, Moon at perigee
5th April - Uranus 3 degrees North of the Moon
7th April - Mercury 3 degrees North of the Moon
13th April - Mars 1.2 degrees South of Neptune
15th April - Expedition 11 to the International Space Station on board a Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft and Soyuz booster from Baikonur Cosmodrome
18th April - Lyrids maximum
22nd April - Jupiter 0.6 degrees North of the Moon
29th April - Moon at perigee
May
1st May - Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon
2nd May - Mars 3 degrees North of the Moon
3rd May - Uranus 3 degrees North of the Moon
6th May - Mercury 3 degrees South of the Moon
12th May to 3rd June - Launch window for NASA's return to flight mission with STS-114 Discovery shuttle flight, Kennedy Space Centre in Florida
13th May - Saturn 5 degrees South of the Moon
14th May - Mars 1.2 degrees South of Uranus, Moon at apogee
19th May - Jupiter 0.4 degrees North of the Moon
26th May - CloudSat and Calipso spacecraft onboard Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base Moon at perigee
28th May - Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon
30th May - Uranus 3 degrees North of the Moon
31st May - Mars 0.5 degrees North of the Moon, Saturn 7 degrees South of Pollux
June
3rd June - Mercury in superior conjunction
5th June - DMSP 17 on a Delta 4 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base
8th June - Venus 4 degrees South of the Moon
10th June - Progress 18 cargo ship on a Soyuz rocket to the ISS from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Saturn 5 degrees South of the Moon
11th June - Moon at apogee
14th June - Pluto at opposition
16th June - Jupiter 0.4 degrees North of the Moon
21st June - Solstice
23rd June - Venus 5 degrees South of Pollux, Moon at perigee
25th June - Venus 1.3 degrees North of Saturn, Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon
26th June - Mercury 1.4 degrees North of Saturn, Uranus 3 degrees North of the Moon
27th June - Mercury 0.08 degrees South of Venue
28th June - Moon at apogee, Saturn 5 degrees South of the Moon
30th June - Classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office on board a Titan 4B booster, from Vandenberg Air Force Base
July
4th July - Deep Impactor to arrive at comet Tempel 1
5th July - Earth at aphelion
7th July - Mercury 1.6 degrees South of Venus
8th July - Moon at apogee, Mercury 5 degrees South of the Moon, Venus 3 degrees South of the Moon
13th July - Jupiter 0.8 degrees North of the Moon
21st July - Moon at perigee
22nd July - Neptune 4 degrees North of the Moon, Venus 1.2 degrees North of Regulus
23rd July - Saturn in conjunction with the Sun
24th July - Uranus 2 degrees North of the Moon
27th July - Navstar GPS satellite 2R M-3 satellite on a Boeing-built Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Base Mars 4 degrees South of the Moon
August
1st August - Moon at apogee
6th August - Delta & Iota Aquarids maximum Mercury in inferior conjunction
8th August - Neptune at opposition, Venus 1.2 degrees South of the Moon
10th August - NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on a Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Jupiter 1.3 degrees North of the Moon
12th August - Perseids maximum
18th August - Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon
19th August - Moon at perigee
20th August - Uranus 2 degrees North of the Moon
25th August - Mars 6 degrees South of the Moon
31st August - Saturn 5 degrees South of the Moon
September
1st September - Classified payload for the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office on a Boeing Delta 4 booster from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Moon at apogee, Uranus at opposition
2nd September - Venus 1.4 degrees South of Jupiter
4th September - Mercury 1.1 degrees North of Regulus
5th September - Venus 1.8 degrees North of the Moon
7th September - Venus 0.6 degrees North of the Moon, Jupiter 1.8 degrees North of the Moon
15th September - Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon
16th September - Moon at perigee, Uranus 2 degrees North of the Moon
22nd September - Mars 6 degrees South of the Moon, Equinox
28th September - Moon at apogee, Saturn 5 degrees South of the Moon
October
3rd October - Annular eclipse
6th October - Mercury 1.5 degrees South of Jupiter
7th October - Venus 1.4 degrees North of the Moon
12th October - GPS satellite 2R M-4on a Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon
14th October - Moon at perigee, Uranus 3 degrees North of the Moon
19th October - Mars 5 degrees South of the Moon
20th October - Orionids maximum
22nd October - Jupiter in conjunction with the Sun
25th October - Saturn 4 degrees South of the Moon
26th October - Moon at apogee
30th October - Mars closest approach
November
3rd November - Mercury 1.3 degrees North of the Moon, Taurids Maximum
5th November - Venus 1.4 degrees North of the Moon
7th November - Mars at opposition
8th November - Neptune 5 degrees North of the Moon
10th November - Moon at perigee, Uranus 3 degrees North of the Moon
11th November - WorldView imaging satellite on a Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base
15th November - Mars 3 degrees South of the Moon
17th November - Leonids maximum
22nd November - Saturn 4 degrees South of the Moon
23rd November - Moon at apogee
29th November - Jupiter 3 degrees North of the Moon
December
4th December - Venus 2 degrees North of the Moon
5th December - Moon at apogee
6th December - Neptune 4 degrees North of the Moon
7th December - Uranus 2 degrees North of the Moon
12th December - Mars 1.3 degrees South of the Moon
15th December - GPS satellite 2R M-5 on a Boeing Delta 2 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
16th December - Pluto in conjunction with the Sun
19th December - Saturn 4 degrees South of the Moon
21st December - Solstice, Moon at apogee
22nd December - Ursids maximum
27th December - Jupiter 4 degrees North of the Moon
30th December - Mercury 5 degrees North of the Moon
___
Graeme
#79 Re: Human missions » Hubble Mistake **2** - Action still Needed » 2005-01-06 00:38:43
...So, unless I hear of convincing arguments that contradict the above or present a worthy practical reason to salvage the antique HST, then there is simply no reasoned basis for your support for a repair mission... which automatically labels you as being sentimental about this extremely large investment of money.
So all I've got to do is make a convincing argument to save Hubble and you'll change your mind? Can I not prove that the sun will rise in the West instead 
Sounds like a good challenge - the former, not the rising of the sun - but it'll have to wait until I've time to attend to it properly (and not after a night shift! )
Second problem..... to prepare a good convincing argument that addresses all your concerns will likely take longer than the expected lifespan for HST!
Graeme
#80 Re: Not So Free Chat » Deep impact mission sounds scary!!! » 2005-01-06 00:32:52
We already have a DI thread in which you have already postedhttp://www.newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3432]Thread Link can we keep them together rather than have new threads spread all over the board.
Graeme
#81 Re: Human missions » Hubble Mistake **2** - Action still Needed » 2005-01-05 13:31:18
Adds nothing to the discussion? On the contrary, I am pointing out the one and only reason that people, including yourself Graeme, support the continued operation of the HST and required servicing missions. It "adds to the discussion" by being frank and not beating around the bush as to why the "save Hubble!" camp thinks the way they do.
In this case, the only practical reason is that you want to see Hubble saved for sentimental reasons. Shuttle-Huggers want to see Shuttle saved for sentimental reasons. Seperate issues yes, but similar in that their cause is the same.
No, there are more reason than sentimentality, many more, but in one way I'm happy to admit that I'm a sentimental person - there is nothing wrong with being sentimental.
I am not activly trying to be a wet blanket here, I will be thrilled when we get off this rock and get somewhere, but throwing away money for no good reason is counter-productive and actually puts the goal of extending humanity further out of reach.
Yes Hubble can be saved through application of technology available today, but I want to remind you yet again that this will come at a price. In order to have any chance of saving Hubble, we should assume that the December 2007 launch window is the last chance we'll get before Hubble is lost. This means that NASA has only one year from today aproximatly to finish development of a repair bot in order to begin construction, and another nine or ten months or so to finish construction, testing, and integration.
As you well know, doing a "rush job" on anything complicated will not come cheap, and right now the projected cost for such a robotic adventure would cost aproximatly $2.0-2.2 Billion dollars.
Realistically if NASA leave it any longer it will be too late, a rush job is not going to work this time. Like I said earlier in this thread I expect to see Hubble melt in 2007.
That is enough money to pay for all the modifications Boeing would need to make the Delta-IV powerful enough to reach the Moon. Enough money to restart the NERVA nuclear rocket program to make it practical to reach Mars. Enough money to build a prototype ISRU plant probobly. Enough money to develop the lander stage for Moon or Mars. Enough money to build the pressurized rover and then some. Enough money to develop the regenerative LSS system perhaps. Enough money to outfit a Martian science lab and design new super-suits.
Perhaps enough money for Being to sort out the timing mechanism on the Delta-IV
So we rob peter to pay paul? I don't like compromise in space (not that it comes out of my pocket being in the UK 
)
Enough money to do lots of things... all spent to squeeze another two or three years out of an obsolete telescope which is about to be massively out-classed by ground based scopes'.
Yes the amazing all singing all dancing adaptive ground based telescopes, which still don't make Hubble obsolete. I'm not in favour of a two year fix (I think I mentioned it somewhere else) I believe Hubble can survive for many years to come if its given the chance.
And then there is the risk... a robot repair mission will have an aproximatly 50/50 chance of suceeding if we started work today, and that is assuming there is no additional risk by it being a rush job. I think that it is safe to assume that the odds are against a robot mission working.
And yes the sky might fall in, the sun will explode...... Nothing is certain in this life.
As for a manned flight, well, every Shuttle is already tied up by international treaty for the ISS, and there would be a ~2-4+% chance of the crew not coming home. Even better, Hubble would still only have an additional two or three years of life in it, since some HST componets can't be serviced on orbit. And finally, losing another Shuttle crew in that death-trap to do something so dumb would obviously be held over NASA's head, which could very well doom the agency for a generation or more.
Any deaths from a shuttle accident would spell and bad period for NASA, using the risk factor as a negative in repairing HST is a double edged sword.
So, I am forced to conclude that the only reason you want to fly a repair mission to save Hubble is because it has sentimental value... and so it should not happen at all.
No, see the start of this post, you gave it a sentimental tag, its not my view at all.
Graeme :blues:
#82 Re: Human missions » Hubble Mistake **2** - Action still Needed » 2005-01-05 10:45:56
First space does cost a lot
second we must take some risks
Third we must do and succeed by doing, oh we can not do it
Well put IMO
Graeme
#83 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Comet Machholz - New Comet » 2005-01-05 10:43:57
Had half an hours good viewing last night (from the balcony at work) Nice clear view of the comet, hope the tails brighten up though!
Graeme
#84 Re: Not So Free Chat » Tsunami in Asia » 2005-01-05 10:34:16
I'm proud to say, the last time I heard, Aussies had privately raised $83 million in donations for the relief effort. That total is still rising and I think it may have stung the government, who were only promising about $65 million in aid, because there's now talk of Australia providing $500 million.
I certainly hope the rumour is true because we're a wealthy country and can afford to be generous in the face of all that suffering among our poorer neighbours.
Seen the following on BBC news
Australian Prime Minister John Howard has offered Indonesia $765m over five years to assist its recovery from the devastation of the Asian tsunami
Five years is good, means they are in for the long haul rather than looking for an impossible quick fix.
Graeme
#85 Re: Not So Free Chat » Tsunami in Asia » 2005-01-05 10:31:28
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p … .stm]Found after eight days amazing!
Graeme
#86 Re: Human missions » Hubble Mistake **2** - Action still Needed » 2005-01-05 10:19:02
The label seems apt to me because the only reason to save Hubble is because of sentimentality. The only reason to save Shuttle is because of sentimentality (Shuttle Army layoffs, people asthetlicly in love with Shuttle, etc). There is simply no good practical reason to invest in fixing Hubble, this isn't a matter of subjective opinion, this is simply a matter of fact. Better telescopes are available for less money and much less risk... thats all there is to it.
Fits like a glove.
Hubble and the Shuttle are two completely different arguments, you can't just decide that because you don't think its worth saving something then you can label it sentimental because that adds nothing to the discussion - I'm not a big fan of the Shuttle, its no longer efficient enough to be useful; Hubble can be with the right application of modern technology. However there are too many detractors that say they are all for space yet find fault with every aspect of it, you find them everywhere, on this forum, in government, in the media - thats why we don't have an effective prescence in space and thats why Hubble will become a molten mass in two years.
Graeme - my glass is half full!
#87 Re: Not So Free Chat » Tsunami in Asia » 2005-01-05 06:08:56
Well this mornings radio news had an arab news media as saying that a joint Japanese, US and a few other nations set off an atomic bomb that caused this catastrophy.
Thats just soooo believeable, first of all I can never see the Japanese and US collaborating in a nuclear strike, what would they achieve? In deed what would anyone think they'd achieve by doing this. I've heard of the child traffic on Sky news this morning.
They also commented that not much news of the American efforts to aid in this disaster were being broadcast as another way that the media was clouding the reality of things.
Just Great how the news media can play both sides to distort the truth. :angry:
I just think its poor form to use a major disaster such as this for political gains, which is basically what that news report seems to be doing. I've seen nothing from all the countries that are offering/providing aid that shouts this is a publicity stunt they all look genuine to me.
Graeme
#88 Re: Not So Free Chat » Tsunami in Asia » 2005-01-05 06:04:22
I predict that America will first of all be blamed for the shift in the Earth's crust that caused the tsunami. Then, when it becomes impossible to make the accusation stick, she will be denigrated for not doing enough to warn everybody it was happening, and then castigated for not doing enough to help those affected.
Its true, though it may be said in jest, but its because a lot of people need someone to blame - for everything, many can not understand that natural disasters are just that, natural, its easy to rant and rave afterwards in hindsight about early warning systems etc but in the end theres nothing we can really do about it, say they'd sent out a warning, sure many would have believed it, but many would not, the people on the remote islands would have no where to go so although it would have saved some, i don't think it would have made a major difference.
Graeme
#89 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Krakatoa eruption in the 1800's » 2005-01-05 05:53:42
Yup heard of the island that blewup the impact of the dust in the atmosphere lowering temperatures and making for some of the best sun sets.
I'll get my camera, I like photographing sunsets!
I'm just pleased I don't live in areas like that, though I suppose you get used to it, I like to watch from a distance (a few thousand miles). I wonder what the dust would be like in England if Yellowstone went up?
Graeme
#90 Re: Human missions » Hubble Mistake **2** - Action still Needed » 2005-01-05 05:49:42
*Shakes head* Hubble-huggers are almost as bad as Shuttle-huggers it would seem.
No, not at all, it's easy to revert to name calling just because people don't agree with a point of view - its just not constructive.
Oh by the way, there are now only about two years, thats 24 months, until Hubble likly loses attitude control and is lost for good.
I'm sure you and many others will have a party, I think its a mistake to waste Hubble, but I also this it will be burning up sometime in 2007/08
Graeme
#91 Re: Science, Technology, and Astronomy » Krakatoa eruption in the 1800's » 2005-01-04 22:44:23
Time to ecacuate USA ?
http://exodus2006.com/supervol.html]Yellowstone Supervolcano
I find it hard to take a site seriously that links to a bible code site.
The good news is that only 30% of it is molten.
Overdue by 40,000 years might indicate that it is cooling off ?
If you drilled for geothermal energy, it might cool it off more.
What if you weakened the area too much, might that not set it off early?
Graeme
#92 Re: Not So Free Chat » Neutron star material » 2005-01-04 06:09:02
It could expand into popcorn ?
Its as likely as us getting hit by it anyway.
Graeme
#93 Re: Life on Mars » More fossil-like images from Spirit - Wierd rock looks like brachiopod imprint » 2005-01-04 05:19:42
Of course, some people will insist it's just a trick of the light and shadow but why would you want to believe that sort of explanation when you can have some of David Bowie's "..Spiders from Mars"?!!
It's just a trick of the light
Though I can see what you mean, it would be nice to have had two different angles on it.
Graeme
#94 Re: Not So Free Chat » Tsunami in Asia » 2005-01-04 00:35:23
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific … 7.stm]Just Seen This
Runway accident with relief cargo plane, now limited to helicopter take offs only at the airport.
Graeme
#95 Re: Not So Free Chat » Neutron star material » 2005-01-03 23:43:56
But we already have a pretty good idea about what a Neutron star contains element wise - its old news.
Graeme
#96 Re: Unmanned probes » Opportunity & Spirit **8** - ...More... » 2005-01-03 23:41:42
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/sol … 5.html]One year on report
I hope NASA's publicity department milk the fact that S&O have lasted so long to the best of their ability. It's quite an achievement.
Graeme
#97 Re: Not So Free Chat » Tsunami in Asia » 2005-01-03 23:37:44
Just seen on the news this AM, that India have rejected foreign aid for recovery from the tsunami - seems a bit strange to me.
Graeme
#98 Re: Not So Free Chat » Neutron star material » 2005-01-03 23:17:53
Sounds funny. But it is not impossible.
Not good at probabilities, but whats the chances of two Neutron stars hitting each other, and then a fragment escaping to fly all that distance and hit Earth? We are talking so remote there's a better chance of me running the 3 minute mile.
If this happens I will happily sing the national anthem, naked from the top of the highest building in the country.
From a science standpoint, I'm not sure what would happen if two Neutron stars collided due to the already massive gravity involved. I'm not sure if anything could escape.
Graeme
#99 Re: Not So Free Chat » Neutron star material » 2005-01-03 22:54:09
How can a fragment escape from a Neutron star?
If another one hit it??
ROTFLMAO
This is a joke, right?
Graeme
#100 Re: Not So Free Chat » Neutron star material » 2005-01-03 22:42:10
The space telescope recently spotted one of these neutron stars traveling towards us.It won't reach us for 300 million years though.
I've just enough time for another coffee then
I am just worried about a fragment of this stuff hitting us.
How can a fragment escape from a Neutron star?
Graeme