Astronomy and Space

Get your science fix here: research, quackery, activism and all the rest
Post Reply
User avatar
Gfamily
Light of Blast
Posts: 5180
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:00 pm
Location: NW England

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Gfamily » Fri May 20, 2022 7:14 pm

Pishwish wrote:
Fri May 20, 2022 4:56 pm
Boeing's long delayed Starliner space capsule launched yesterday, on its second test flight. (The second test flight was necessary because the first one did not go well in 2019). The failure of 2 thrusters on yesterday's flight is being downplayed, but it does indicate that Boeing has a long way to go before it can re-establish its reputation for competence.
If it's clear across the UK this evening at about 11pm, there is a relatively high passage of the ISS, and while it's passing over UK, the Starliner capsule will be making its final approach before docking. I've no idea how visible the Starliner will be, but it'll be worth having a pair of binoculars to see if you can see a separate point of light next to the ISS.

For us in NW England, the ISS will be visible from about 23:08 BST - and will take about 6 minutes to cross the sky.
The docking itself is scheduled for 00:10 BST.
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

User avatar
Gfamily
Light of Blast
Posts: 5180
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:00 pm
Location: NW England

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Gfamily » Mon May 30, 2022 9:44 am

I sent this message to my BIL and SIL in California about an astronomical event that may be somewhat exceptional for one night only.
If it's clear tonight at about 10pm there may be a very intense meteor shower visible from the US.

There's a comet (Schwassmann-Wachmann 3) that returns every 5½ years that seems to be breaking up, and we may be passing through its debris this year. The meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, so best to get a recliner and look to the south east between 9:30 and 11:30 this evening. No equipment needed. Only a possibility, but worth keeping an eye out for. It's badly timed for us in UK so we'll miss it.
The peak time is reckoned to be at about 5:00 UT - so translate to whatever your local timezone.
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

User avatar
dyqik
Princess POW
Posts: 7527
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:19 pm
Location: Masshole
Contact:

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by dyqik » Mon May 30, 2022 7:06 pm

Gfamily wrote:
Mon May 30, 2022 9:44 am
I sent this message to my BIL and SIL in California about an astronomical event that may be somewhat exceptional for one night only.
If it's clear tonight at about 10pm there may be a very intense meteor shower visible from the US.

There's a comet (Schwassmann-Wachmann 3) that returns every 5½ years that seems to be breaking up, and we may be passing through its debris this year. The meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, so best to get a recliner and look to the south east between 9:30 and 11:30 this evening. No equipment needed. Only a possibility, but worth keeping an eye out for. It's badly timed for us in UK so we'll miss it.
The peak time is reckoned to be at about 5:00 UT - so translate to whatever your local timezone.
9pm Eastern, so conveniently just as it gets properly dark.

User avatar
Martin Y
Stummy Beige
Posts: 3080
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:08 pm

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Martin Y » Mon May 30, 2022 10:09 pm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/61617907

"This is the Perseid meteor shower..." No. It isn't. It's a dramatic view of star trails plus perhaps two meteors playing Where's Wally.

User avatar
Gfamily
Light of Blast
Posts: 5180
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:00 pm
Location: NW England

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Gfamily » Tue May 31, 2022 10:48 pm

Visible aerosol explains the appearance of Uranus

Spoiler:


Well, it amused me!
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

User avatar
Martin Y
Stummy Beige
Posts: 3080
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:08 pm

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Martin Y » Wed Jun 01, 2022 6:46 pm

Just needed a way to crowbar in bleaching instead of whitening to achieve peak puerility.

User avatar
Gfamily
Light of Blast
Posts: 5180
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:00 pm
Location: NW England

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Gfamily » Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:18 pm

First images from the JWST to be released today and tomorrow.

One today at 10pm BST, and four more (I think) tomorrow at 3:30pm BST.

Can be watched on NASA TV.
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

User avatar
Grumble
Light of Blast
Posts: 4746
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:03 pm

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Grumble » Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:57 pm

Gfamily wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:18 pm
First images from the JWST to be released today and tomorrow.

One today at 10pm BST, and four more (I think) tomorrow at 3:30pm BST.

Can be watched on NASA TV.
Nothing on there at the moment, are you sure?
where once I used to scintillate
now I sin till ten past three

User avatar
dyqik
Princess POW
Posts: 7527
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:19 pm
Location: Masshole
Contact:

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by dyqik » Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:59 pm

Grumble wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:57 pm
Gfamily wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:18 pm
First images from the JWST to be released today and tomorrow.

One today at 10pm BST, and four more (I think) tomorrow at 3:30pm BST.

Can be watched on NASA TV.
Nothing on there at the moment, are you sure?
It's at 5pm, in a couple of minutes.

It's been put off to 5:30.

https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive

User avatar
Gfamily
Light of Blast
Posts: 5180
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:00 pm
Location: NW England

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Gfamily » Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:28 pm

dyqik wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:59 pm
Grumble wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:57 pm
Gfamily wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:18 pm
First images from the JWST to be released today and tomorrow.

One today at 10pm BST, and four more (I think) tomorrow at 3:30pm BST.

Can be watched on NASA TV.
Nothing on there at the moment, are you sure?
It's at 5pm, in a couple of minutes.

It's been put off to 5:30.

https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive
Waiting on the President, I gather
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

User avatar
dyqik
Princess POW
Posts: 7527
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:19 pm
Location: Masshole
Contact:

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by dyqik » Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:29 pm

Gfamily wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:28 pm
dyqik wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:59 pm
Grumble wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:57 pm


Nothing on there at the moment, are you sure?
It's at 5pm, in a couple of minutes.

It's been put off to 5:30.

https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive
Waiting on the President, I gather
Aren't we all?

User avatar
Gfamily
Light of Blast
Posts: 5180
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:00 pm
Location: NW England

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Gfamily » Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:31 pm

dyqik wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:29 pm
Gfamily wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:28 pm
dyqik wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 8:59 pm


It's at 5pm, in a couple of minutes.

It's been put off to 5:30.

https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive
Waiting on the President, I gather
Aren't we all?
Just Biden' our time...
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

User avatar
Grumble
Light of Blast
Posts: 4746
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:03 pm

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Grumble » Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:46 pm

Is he having a nap or something?
where once I used to scintillate
now I sin till ten past three

User avatar
dyqik
Princess POW
Posts: 7527
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:19 pm
Location: Masshole
Contact:

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by dyqik » Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:49 pm

Grumble wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:46 pm
Is he having a nap or something?
I guess getting called Sleepy Joe all the time does give him an excuse.

User avatar
dyqik
Princess POW
Posts: 7527
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:19 pm
Location: Masshole
Contact:

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by dyqik » Mon Jul 11, 2022 9:56 pm

This is very on-brand for the JWST project though.

User avatar
Grumble
Light of Blast
Posts: 4746
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:03 pm

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Grumble » Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:18 pm

Now it’s started, but how much blather will there be?
where once I used to scintillate
now I sin till ten past three

User avatar
Grumble
Light of Blast
Posts: 4746
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:03 pm

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Grumble » Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:29 pm

Was that it? Didn’t even get a full screen of the image. Ah well, tomorrow should be a better show.
where once I used to scintillate
now I sin till ten past three

User avatar
dyqik
Princess POW
Posts: 7527
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:19 pm
Location: Masshole
Contact:

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by dyqik » Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:30 pm

Grumble wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:29 pm
Was that it? Didn’t even get a full screen of the image. Ah well, tomorrow should be a better show.
The full resolution image is on the NASA website

WFJ
Catbabel
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 7:54 am

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by WFJ » Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:54 pm

Huge lens flare. Is that not an issue for observations?

User avatar
dyqik
Princess POW
Posts: 7527
Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2019 4:19 pm
Location: Masshole
Contact:

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by dyqik » Mon Jul 11, 2022 11:16 pm

WFJ wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:54 pm
Huge lens flare. Is that not an issue for observations?
Not really, no.

It's a natural consequence of JWST's segmented mirror - like Keck, TMT, ELT, MMT, etc.

It can be deconvolved from images, or images can be taken at multiple boresight angles, if necessary. But for most things, it's not that important.
Last edited by dyqik on Mon Jul 11, 2022 11:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Gfamily
Light of Blast
Posts: 5180
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:00 pm
Location: NW England

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Gfamily » Mon Jul 11, 2022 11:17 pm

WFJ wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:54 pm
Huge lens flare. Is that not an issue for observations?
Diffraction patterns from a combination of the mirror segments and the secondary mirror supports.
It'll have an effect on faint objects very close to bright objects, but the main targets are going to be faint objects and hopefully not too close to bright ones.
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

User avatar
Grumble
Light of Blast
Posts: 4746
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:03 pm

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Grumble » Tue Jul 12, 2022 5:02 am

dyqik wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:30 pm
Grumble wrote:
Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:29 pm
Was that it? Didn’t even get a full screen of the image. Ah well, tomorrow should be a better show.
The full resolution image is on the NASA website
That’s what we wanted. Wow
where once I used to scintillate
now I sin till ten past three

plodder
Stummy Beige
Posts: 2981
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:50 pm

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by plodder » Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:53 am

The slidey thing here: https://www.theguardian.com/science/202 ... axy-images

It's not lined up right, right? These are two different bits of space?

User avatar
shpalman
Princess POW
Posts: 8241
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 12:53 pm
Location: One step beyond
Contact:

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by shpalman » Tue Jul 12, 2022 9:01 am

plodder wrote:
Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:53 am
The slidey thing here: https://www.theguardian.com/science/202 ... axy-images

It's not lined up right, right? These are two different bits of space?
Here's an actual comparison between Hubble and James Webb images: https://youtu.be/VvDqxFLcZKk
having that swing is a necessary but not sufficient condition for it meaning a thing
@shpalman@mastodon.me.uk

User avatar
Gfamily
Light of Blast
Posts: 5180
Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:00 pm
Location: NW England

Re: Astronomy and Space

Post by Gfamily » Tue Jul 12, 2022 9:06 am

For an idea of the scale, imagine the photo on your phone's screen.
Now imagine you're a goalkeeper and the other goalkeeper is showing you this image from their goalline (I don't know why they have your phone, but bear with me). That's the area of the image* on the sky.


*Appx 7cm at 100 metres.
My avatar was a scientific result that was later found to be 'mistaken' - I rarely claim to be 100% correct
ETA 5/8/20: I've been advised that the result was correct, it was the initial interpretation that needed to be withdrawn
Meta? I'd say so!

Post Reply