(orange you glad i didnt say banana!!! :)
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
carnival of space #47
this week's installment of space-related articles is up, for your reading pleasure, at the martian chronicles blog.
enjoy!
enjoy!
Friday, March 28, 2008
i'm your density
i've spent most of today writing!!! yippee! dissertation writing is not one of the most enjoyable experiences i've ever had, but a productive day always feels great!
i've managed to amuse myself quite a bit today while writing about the history of how many stars form in different types of galaxies during different epochs. (although i regret not having time right now to get into the details, i will have time at some point in the future and choose now to just skip to the punch line.) there are two main relations you investigate to study this process: the star formation rate density and the stellar mass density and how they change over time.
almost every single time i write the word "density" i accidentally type "destiny"!! the first several times it made me chuckle because of the obvious reference to the classic destiny/density mix up from one of the best science-fiction comedies ever created: back to the future - but backwards! i have to admit that at this point, it's just plain annoying because i think i've tried to write that word at least two dozen times today!! oh well. here you go....
there are sooo many good quotes from that movie!!
i've managed to amuse myself quite a bit today while writing about the history of how many stars form in different types of galaxies during different epochs. (although i regret not having time right now to get into the details, i will have time at some point in the future and choose now to just skip to the punch line.) there are two main relations you investigate to study this process: the star formation rate density and the stellar mass density and how they change over time.
almost every single time i write the word "density" i accidentally type "destiny"!! the first several times it made me chuckle because of the obvious reference to the classic destiny/density mix up from one of the best science-fiction comedies ever created: back to the future - but backwards! i have to admit that at this point, it's just plain annoying because i think i've tried to write that word at least two dozen times today!! oh well. here you go....
there are sooo many good quotes from that movie!!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
the international space station meets jules verne
i hope some of you got to the see spectacular and rare triple flyby tonight! the european space craft, jules verne, came into view first, rising in the southwest and brightly passing almost overhead. (jules verne was a popular author of the 19th century, who pioneered the science-fiction genre with popular novels like journey to the center of the earth and twenty thousand leagues under the sea).
it was difficult to spot jules verne at first because there were scattered clouds overhead which confused us into thinking all the stars were moving! jules verne was bright at about 1st magnitude, but it was nothing compared to the international space station (ISS), which followed about 5 minutes later. the ISS was negative two magnitudes.... which means super-bright! way brighter than anything else in the night sky other than the moon! the shuttle, endeavor, caught our eyes, as it followed the same path across the sky as the ISS, just 40 degrees or so behind it, not as bright, but still bright indeed! it was so cool to see both of them trailing across the sky in tandem!
i excitedly looked thru binoculars to try to find more details of the bright ISS. I could see the brightest central region reflecting the sun's light, then some extended metallic stuff sticking out to the sides... solar panels!
the ISS has been in orbit around earth since 1998. it constantly moves around the earth at 350-460 km (217-286 miles) above the surface, and moves at 27,700 km/hour! that means it makes nearly 16 orbits everyday!! so why is it so rare that we see the super-bright ISS pass overhead? since the ISS doesnt produce light of its own, we rely on reflected sunlight to see it. the ISS is only illuminated when it passes is in sunlight... which means most of the time that it passes overhead, its daytime which prevents us from seeing it, or it's nighttime, which prevents it from being illuminated. we can see the ISS over our heads when it passes near sunrise or sunset. at sunset, we are just barely in the darkness of earth's shadow, but the ISS, still floating above the surface, still receives and reflects the sun's light! the ISS is soooooo bright because its football-field size reflects a lot of light!
what a fun sight tonight!! thanks to my students who came to the roof with me after our lab class to watch the event :)
it was difficult to spot jules verne at first because there were scattered clouds overhead which confused us into thinking all the stars were moving! jules verne was bright at about 1st magnitude, but it was nothing compared to the international space station (ISS), which followed about 5 minutes later. the ISS was negative two magnitudes.... which means super-bright! way brighter than anything else in the night sky other than the moon! the shuttle, endeavor, caught our eyes, as it followed the same path across the sky as the ISS, just 40 degrees or so behind it, not as bright, but still bright indeed! it was so cool to see both of them trailing across the sky in tandem!
i excitedly looked thru binoculars to try to find more details of the bright ISS. I could see the brightest central region reflecting the sun's light, then some extended metallic stuff sticking out to the sides... solar panels!
the ISS has been in orbit around earth since 1998. it constantly moves around the earth at 350-460 km (217-286 miles) above the surface, and moves at 27,700 km/hour! that means it makes nearly 16 orbits everyday!! so why is it so rare that we see the super-bright ISS pass overhead? since the ISS doesnt produce light of its own, we rely on reflected sunlight to see it. the ISS is only illuminated when it passes is in sunlight... which means most of the time that it passes overhead, its daytime which prevents us from seeing it, or it's nighttime, which prevents it from being illuminated. we can see the ISS over our heads when it passes near sunrise or sunset. at sunset, we are just barely in the darkness of earth's shadow, but the ISS, still floating above the surface, still receives and reflects the sun's light! the ISS is soooooo bright because its football-field size reflects a lot of light!
what a fun sight tonight!! thanks to my students who came to the roof with me after our lab class to watch the event :)
triple flyby alert - TONIGHT!!
NASA's space shuttle, endeavor, just undocked with the international space station (ISS) and both are orbiting the earth very close to each other. in addition, the european space agency's cargo carrier, jules verne, is flying just 2000 km ahead of the first two space ships, creating a triple flyby tonight!! you'll see a bright (1st magnitude) jules verne, followed 4 minutes later by an even brighter ISS and space shuttle close together!
this event will be visible from austin, texas at 8:30pm tonight... look to the west! if you live in the US or canada, go to http://spaceweather.com/flybys/ for details. otherwise, you can use heaven's above to find out whether this stunning trio will pas over your head during the next couple days!
this event will be visible from austin, texas at 8:30pm tonight... look to the west! if you live in the US or canada, go to http://spaceweather.com/flybys/ for details. otherwise, you can use heaven's above to find out whether this stunning trio will pas over your head during the next couple days!
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
machine tattoo
i dont know if i'd really call this a science tattoo, but it sure is one hell of an awesome (and creepy) tattoo!!
Monday, March 24, 2008
godfather of fitness
here's jack lalanne speaking quite a while ago in an inspirational manner to convince us all to be happy by living a more natural life... eating properly, exercising and doing the things in life that we enjoy!
i'm convinced, especially since he's still kickin it at 93 years old!
i'm convinced, especially since he's still kickin it at 93 years old!
second best chocolate day of the year!
happy first sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox of march 21st!!
it's also the second best chocolate day of the year. the #1 chocolate day of the year is, of course, halloween, which wins in my eyes because everyone gets to dress up in costumes as well! and at halloween, there are fewer animals cast as chocolate bars. as a child i always thought it was a bit creepy to eat so many cute little bunny heads. but ultimately the "chocolate!!" factor won!
it's also the second best chocolate day of the year. the #1 chocolate day of the year is, of course, halloween, which wins in my eyes because everyone gets to dress up in costumes as well! and at halloween, there are fewer animals cast as chocolate bars. as a child i always thought it was a bit creepy to eat so many cute little bunny heads. but ultimately the "chocolate!!" factor won!
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