Astronomy

[MusicTurner]

Yes, and that's a bit of a time to wait ... but should it work, there'll probably be some really amazing discoveries from then on.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Yes, and that's a bit of a time to wait ... but should it work, there'll probably be some really amazing discoveries from then on.

So, is it a case that they won't reach "uncharted waters" 'til about 6 months?

PD

[MusicTurner]

So, is it a case that they won't reach "uncharted waters" 'til about 6 months?

PD

Yes - but which doesn't make today's launch less of a thriller, however

[BasilValentine]

So, is it a case that they won't reach "uncharted waters" 'til about 6 months?

PD

Not uncharted waters. The destination is Lagrange point 2 (L2), one of a number of points where the gravitational forces of multiple bodies (sun, earth, moon) more or less "cancel" one another, so that objects orbiting there tend to stay in place, thus minimizing fuel consumption to hold position. There are several other satellites stationed at L2. This point was chosen because at L2 the sun, earth, and moon will all be behind Webb as it looks into deep space, with an enormous solar array between the sun and the instrument, acting as power source and shield(?)

[Rinaldo]

Fingers crossed every little component works as intended. This thing truly is a marvel.

https://www.youtube.com/v/aICaAEXDJQQ

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Not uncharted waters. The destination is Lagrange point 2 (L2), one of a number of points where the gravitational forces of multiple bodies (sun, earth, moon) more or less "cancel" one another, so that objects orbiting there tend to stay in place, thus minimizing fuel consumption to hold position. There are several other satellites stationed at L2. This point was chosen because at L2 the sun, earth, and moon will all be behind Webb as it looks into deep space, with an enormous solar array between the sun and the instrument, acting as power source and shield(?)

Thank you for that info! 

PD

[MusicTurner]

It's fascinating stuff. Does anyone here perhaps have an economical amateur telescope? I wonder if, after all, the things you get from one of the cheaper ones, say around 250-300 Euros, are limited - & that one can maybe risk loosing interest in what is obtained with it, after a while? Or maybe I'm wrong?

But anyway, here are some of the main astronomical events in 2022:
- January 3rd - meteor shower

- February (?) - Launch of the NASA Artemis 1 probe, for lunar exploration, before future manned flights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis_1

- May 16th: partial lunar eclipse, in the Northern Hemisphere

- June (?) - James Webb Space Telescope/JWST in location & hopefully starting to work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope

- July (?) - Launch of the Russian Luna 25 probe, with similar purpose as the Artemis 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_25

- August (?) - Launch of the NASA Psyche probe, which will investigate the Psyche 16 asteroid, presumably the iron core of a former, small planet. But the trip will last until 2026 ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psyche_(spacecraft)

- August 13th - meteor showers

- September - Launch of the Exomars proble, a combined Russian-European project for Mars, that will include a rover, landing in 2023: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExoMars

- September 29th. The Juno probe will fly by the Jupiter moon Europa, at a distance of 320 km: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_(spacecraft)

- October 25th - partial solar eclipse, in the Northern hemisphere

- Nov 8th - total solar eclipse, in parts of the US, Japan, Australia, Russia, etc.

[vandermolen]

It's fascinating stuff. Does anyone here perhaps have an economical amateur telescope? I wonder if, after all, the things you get from one of the cheaper ones, say around 250-300 Euros, are limited - & that one can maybe risk loosing interest in what is obtained with it, after a while? Or maybe I'm wrong?

But anyway, here are some of the main astronomical events in 2022:
- January 3rd - meteor shower

- February (?) - Launch of the NASA Artemis 1 probe, for lunar exploration, before future manned flights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis_1

- May 16th: partial lunar eclipse, in the Northern Hemisphere

- June (?) - James Webb Space Telescope/JWST in location & hopefully starting to work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope

- July (?) - Launch of the Russian Luna 25 probe, with similar purpose as the Artemis 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_25

- August (?) - Launch of the NASA Psyche probe, which will investigate the Psyche 16 asteroid, presumably the iron core of a former, small planet. But the trip will last until 2026 ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psyche_(spacecraft)

- August 13th - meteor showers

- September - Launch of the Exomars proble, a combined Russian-European project for Mars, that will include a rover, landing in 2023: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExoMars

- September 29th. The Juno probe will fly by the Jupiter moon Europa, at a distance of 320 km: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_(spacecraft)

- October 25th - partial solar eclipse, in the Northern hemisphere

- Nov 8th - total solar eclipse, in parts of the US, Japan, Australia, Russia, etc.

I have a 'Sky-Watcher Infinity Telescope' it's aimed at children and is the shape of a rocket, complete with stickers! However, I was told by a serious astronomer at my school that it's far better than many more expensive telescopes.

Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onLtqw6Dzoc

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It's fascinating stuff. Does anyone here perhaps have an economical amateur telescope? I wonder if, after all, the things you get from one of the cheaper ones, say around 250-300 Euros, are limited - & that one can maybe risk loosing interest in what is obtained with it, after a while? Or maybe I'm wrong?

But anyway, here are some of the main astronomical events in 2022:
- January 3rd - meteor shower

- February (?) - Launch of the NASA Artemis 1 probe, for lunar exploration, before future manned flights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artemis_1

- May 16th: partial lunar eclipse, in the Northern Hemisphere

- June (?) - James Webb Space Telescope/JWST in location & hopefully starting to work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope

- July (?) - Launch of the Russian Luna 25 probe, with similar purpose as the Artemis 1: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna_25

- August (?) - Launch of the NASA Psyche probe, which will investigate the Psyche 16 asteroid, presumably the iron core of a former, small planet. But the trip will last until 2026 ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psyche_(spacecraft)

- August 13th - meteor showers

- September - Launch of the Exomars proble, a combined Russian-European project for Mars, that will include a rover, landing in 2023: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ExoMars

- September 29th. The Juno probe will fly by the Jupiter moon Europa, at a distance of 320 km: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_(spacecraft)

- October 25th - partial solar eclipse, in the Northern hemisphere

- Nov 8th - total solar eclipse, in parts of the US, Japan, Australia, Russia, etc.

Not here alas; I just wish that I had a good pair of binoculars for birding! 

I have a 'Sky-Watcher Infinity Telescope' it's aimed at children and is the shape of a rocket, complete with stickers! However, I was told by a serious astronomer at my school that it's far better than many more expensive telescopes.

Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onLtqw6Dzoc

Interesting Jeffrey!  When was the last time that you used it?

PD

[MusicTurner]

I have a 'Sky-Watcher Infinity Telescope' it's aimed at children and is the shape of a rocket, complete with stickers! However, I was told by a serious astronomer at my school that it's far better than many more expensive telescopes.

Review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onLtqw6Dzoc

Thank you, I watched the fine little video, and a rapid check shows that it's available, for example at Amazon.de for 76 Euros. Do you think it's possible to combine with a camera?

[MusicTurner]

Not here alas; I just wish that I had a good pair of binoculars for birding! 

PD

I think you can usually get them cheaply somewhere, maybe second-hand ... in the case of astronomy, I'd probably like a system where you could somehow use it for taking reasonable photographs as well.

[vandermolen]

Not here alas; I just wish that I had a good pair of binoculars for birding! 
Interesting Jeffrey!  When was the last time that you used it?

PD

Hi PD. I used it to look at the Moon a couple of months ago.

[vandermolen]

Thank you, I watched the fine little video, and a rapid check shows that it's available, for example at Amazon.de for 76 Euros. Do you think it's possible to combine with a camera?

Not sure. You'd need something to attach a camera to the eye piece.

[MusicTurner]

Not sure. You'd need something to attach a camera to the eye piece.

Yes, checking for example Amazon, there are also tons of various cheap devices and telescopes, meant for mounting on a mobile phone - for observing landscapes, the sky, birds etc. ... Clearly, if deciding for it, it's a subject that involves a good deal of research. Having read a bit further, it seems that for example the Orion Skyscanner 100 mm telescope
(130 Euros https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Orion-SkyScanner-TableTop-Reflector-Telescope/dp/B00D05BIIU/ref=sr_1_3?crid=33P8YBUH3LBWX&keywords=teleskop+astronomie+erwachsene&qid=1640781143&sprefix=teleskop+astronomie+%2Caps%2C229&sr=8-3)
makes it possible to see features on Jupiter, but not Saturn ... also, light pollution in the city will reduce effects, viewing is obviously better in areas with dark skies. But this summer, there were great, nightly views of the Milky Way on Sejerø island, way out in the sea, and of course other areas in the less populated provinces will also have dark skies.

[Iota]

Fingers crossed every little component works as intended. This thing truly is a marvel.

https://www.youtube.com/v/aICaAEXDJQQ

Indeed. Have been looking forward to this for a long time, and delighted/relieved at how well it's gone so far.

[Iota]

Poor James Webb Space Telescope has already taken a bit of a knocking. But its designed to withstand such things, which hopefully it will, as I'm very much looking forward to seeing what it sees through its unprecedentedly powerful eyes. First pics are due on July 12th.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-61744257

[relm1]

Carl Sagan's Cosmic Calendar was a visualization of the chronology of all 13.8 billion year history of the universe scaled down to a single calendar year.  The instant of January 1 was the Big Bang.  The first galaxies would have formed on January 26 with our galaxy forming on May 13.  At this scale, our Solar System formed on September 2.   The earliest microbial life was September 14.  By December 5, the first multicellular life, Dec 7, first simple sea creatures.  Dec 20, the first land animals.  Dec 25, dinosaurs reigned and went extinct on Dec 26.  The first flowers were on Dec 28.  The first primates on December 30.  The first hominids on December 31 at 2:24pm.  First modern humans on December 31 at 11:55pm.  First languages and all recorded history were 2 seconds before midnight. 

This made me think what if the time scale of the calendar year wasn't all history but the life of the entire universe.  The Big Bang would still happen on January 1 and Heat Death of the universe (last remaining subatomic particles cool to absolute zero) would happen at midnight of December 31. 

The entire 13.8 billion year history of Sagan's Cosmic Calendar would now fits in to January 1, by 6am.   Andromeda Galaxy collides with the Milky Way Galaxy on January 1, 9am.  The Sun dies turning in to brown dwarf by January 1, noon.  At this scale, the last star dies on January 31 (120 trillion years from now).  There will still be black dwarfs and black holes slowly losing heat to the universe.  Almost the entire timeline of the universe will be completely dark!  On June 15 (10^32 years), the last black hole has evaporated.  The next half of the year will be the very slow gradual breakdown of particles to subatomic particles that slowly get ripped apart and fade away until heat death at December 31, midnight.

Our universe is only in its infancy!

[LKB]

Just a reminder, right now early risers with an unobstructed horizon can easily see five of the planets before dawn.

If you have access to a quality scope, you might pull in Uranus and Neptune as well, depending on aperture.

[LKB]

NASA and SpaceX are in the initial stages of exploring a possible servicing/reboost mission for HST. No mission is as yet in the works, and no feasibility study. But their current discussions could result in the allocation of resources for such a study, and I'm hopeful. 

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-63084707

[relm1]

Just a reminder, right now early risers with an unobstructed horizon can easily see five of the planets before dawn.

If you have access to a quality scope, you might pull in Uranus and Neptune as well, depending on aperture.

Also, don't forget that Jupiter and Neptune are in opposition (closest they'll be to earth in our lifetime).  Though opposition happens every year (it's when the planet is opposite to the sun meaning the earth is right in the middle), this one is special because orbits of earth and Jupiter put them very close.  Jupiter's next closest opposition is in 2081 and Neptunes will be in a few hundred years.  Interesting side note, Pluto hasn't even completed one orbit since its discovery in in 1930!