Astronomy

Mycernius

Mycernius

The Hairy Wookie
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As some of you might have gathered, espcially those who have looked through the members intros, I have a keen interest in astronomy hence this thread for general discussion of all things cosmic. Plus this can also serve as a sister thread to Tsuyoiko chans thread on Quantum theory because the two subjects are closely linked. These are usually in the Big Bang theory and the first couple of million of years of the universe, but also such objects as black holes and singularities, and it is on singularities that I might begin.

I was reading an article in the Sky at Night magazine (a astronomy magazine that is issued by the BBC in line with the programme) about naked singularities. Now a singularity is an object that all physics of the universe break down, also thought to be they defining moment in the creation of the universe. They are thought to hide in the centre of black holes and are saeled away from damaging the surronding space/time by a black holes event horizon, but recent theories have shown that some are not protected by such things and could by directly observable. Here is an brief article on them
Okay such things are destructive and would render physics useless if one passed close to the solar system, as time and space as we know it would just go through the window, along with the entire human race. It just shows how little we know about the universe. I find black holes amazing objects, but these are mind blowing.
 
Hey, I find black holes amazing too. I want to hear more about them . I am a science student and astronomy is quite interesting to me. I am thinking of doing aerospace engineering after my 12th std if i get marks good enough.
 
I think I'm going to like this thread!

I studied astronomy as one of my 4 subjects at university, but haven't really dabbled since graduation. My g/friend presented me with a nice telescope for my b'day though, but the Tokyo light pollution means we have to take it out into the sticks... so it's been a good reason for w/e trips!
 
Here is a link full of wonderful astronomy pictures.

Hubble Heritage

It even contains full resolution pictures. You have to click on the "Index View" tab to access them.
 
I love to star gaze and love to name constellations.:-) Nebulas are one of my favorites to look at.
 
Nebulae are great to look at. A dying star seems to save the best until last.
Here is a hubble pic of what our sun will eventually do in several billion years time
Nebulaofasunlikestar-1.webp


To think that all that gas a dying star or even supernovae give off is what we are all made from.
I am currently reading a book by John Gribbin about the universe, its creation, life and eventual death and one chapter deals with life and the formation of various long chain molecules in these gas clouds (GMC: Giant molecular clouds). The book is The Universe: A biography.
The first couple of chapters deal with the Big Bang and deals with quantum physics rather than astronomy, mainly because it deals with how elemental particles came into being and their various properties.
 
I do enjoy reading about astronomy and about various aspect of physics, chemistry and biology too; however I think my knowledge is only enough to read 'pop science' really, not any serious stuff. :-(
 
Interesting.

My favorite constellation is ORION.

Does anyone own star charts?
 
I've been interested in Astronomy for as long as I can remember, and it was my dad who inspired my interest. Some of my fondest childhood memories involve my dad's interest in astronomy.

I remember a painting we had in the first house we lived in. We left there when I was four. It was a view of Saturn from its moon, Titan, and was painted by one of Dad's workmates. My dad explained so well what the painting was of that I understood it even at that early age.

Around the same time I remember Dad showing me a commemorative coin of the first moon landing, that his dad had bought for him at the time. Dad was 15 then, and was allowed to stay up and watch it live on TV.

When I was about 6 years old I think, I remember my dad waking us all up in the middle of the night to watch a total lunar eclipse from our back yard. I've often wondered if I could pinpoint the exact date when that happened, by going back over records of lunar eclipses that were visible from our area. Maybe I'll try :p

I also remember another late night viewing session in our back yard, this time of the Aurora Borealis. This phenomena is rarely visible so far south. Neither of my parents remember seeing it, so I'm not absolutely certain that it's a true memory, but I do have a clear picture of it in my head.

When I was at school I never felt like I fit in with the other kids and I got bullied a lot. Dad had a rather novel solution. He told me that he was an alien, and that his spaceship was parked on the dark side of the moon, and explained why no-one could see it there. He told me that's why we seem weird to other people, but hold on to that secret and be proud of being different.

Gackt21 said:
Interesting.
My favorite constellation is ORION.
Does anyone own star charts?
Click to expand...

I own a star chart because for my 21st birthday my parents had a star in Andromeda named for me, and I got a chart showing its location. :-)

I like Orion too, because it's so easy to identify. I was on a TV quiz show once, and I was the first person to get a question right because they asked me the name of the two constellations that represent Orion's hunting dogs 👍

Orion also helps us to find his prey, my favourite constellation, Taurus. I like it because it's my star sign, and because the Pleiades, which lie in the west of Taurus, were one of the first objects that I learnt to recognise on my own. When I was a teenager I used to get Astronomy Now magazine just for the sky charts. I lived in the countryside back then, and would sit on the front step of my house and examine the sky with my naked eye, or occasionally with my grandad's binoculars.

I can't separate the names of the constellations from the mythology - they are both equally interesting for me. When I was little, there were some encyclopedias on the family bookshelves that were my dad's when he was a kid. My favourite volumes were on Astronomy and Mythology. Whenever I learnt to recognise an object in the sky I would learn about its mythological counterpart, or if I found out that a Roman hero had a constellation named after him I would be determined to find it in the sky. Those encyclopedias also taught me that knowledge is always changing. I remember reading in there that one day man might be able to travel to the Moon, and that there appear to be waterways on Mars 😊
 
Tsuyoiko said:
When I was about 6 years old I think, I remember my dad waking us all up in the middle of the night to watch a total lunar eclipse from our back yard. I've often wondered if I could pinpoint the exact date when that happened, by going back over records of lunar eclipses that were visible from our area. Maybe I'll try :p
Click to expand...

This looks like the most likely candidate:

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEplot/LEplot1951/LE1982Jan09T.GIF

I must have misremembered the part about getting up in the middle of the night 😊
 
They have finally managed to take pictures of extrasolar planets
Article
👍
How long before we start to see smaller, terrestial planets? Can't be far off.
 
I used to have an interest in astronomy in the past but not as much as you like it, having a very basic knowledge on such issues.
I remembered when we had a stars & planets sighting in the Uni by using an electronic telescope. It was really nice to see the beauty of stars and the other planets as they were so close to us......we also watched the sun in a very close view and those black spots on it.......its really amazing to see such great things closely.
 
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Astronomy is simply amazing. It is one of my deep interests. I will spend hours watching programs on the TV about outer space. It's like, one of the coolest things ever. I'd never go there, though. I'm also very interested on the topic of UFOs and Aliens.
 
I love astronomy although I don't know a lot about it. It is fascinating and always a reminder of how small we are in the Grand Scheme Of Things!!
 
I do not go to this Japan Forum much, but I was surprised to see an Astronomy thread. I am into astronomy big time. I am a former telescope operator that used to work at Mount Wilson Observatory in California. Now I am in New Hampshire and my work is strictly of the amateur kind. I own a 10 inch GOTO SCT telescope, and 80mm APO refractor, a 90mm Maksutov Cassegrain, and a Coronado Helios H-alpha telescope.

I do a lot of public astronomy outreach, including hour long lectures as part of my volunteer work with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Cassini Huygens mission to Saturn, with the Saturn Observation Campaign.

Astronomy is a mind expanding passion, it gives you a perspective that most humans do not have. It does require an investment in learning, but that is what intellectuals do.

As for UFOs and "aliens", that has noting to do with the science of astronomy, I do not have anything to do with fractured ceramics.
 
astronomy has many fields

astronomy has many fields,but for any one has his thoert a bout some event at the universe ,my aspect is "if the universe could began with complete zero"
-ok now i am getting for my aspect lol.....


👍👍👍👍

nice thread...


icarus5
 
I had to share this latest video from Andromedaswake on youtube



BTW 2009 is the year of astronomy
 
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I saw this video, it's really good. I hope he releases a new "Welcome to the Universe" video soon.
 
He has a good channel and I subscribe to it. Obviously I do like his CrAP Debunked series.

How about this one for star sizes
 
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wow, i found this thread really interesting. astronomy is one of the most interesting science for me, though in recent years i don't have enough time to continue to go into this science.. and that's sad. :/
 
Found another vid on size comparison in the univere. This one doesn't stop at stars.
[YOUTUBE]2FwCMnyWZDg&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]
Alos found this one intereting
[YOUTUBE]l3D0AAFKcbQ&feature=fvw[/YOUTUBE]
 
Astronomy was my first love! I used to spend most of my free time as a kid reading articles and encyclopedias for kids, about astronomy. But now my great interest in maths and languages had overshadowed all else.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone had any Internet resources where I can find accurate and up-to-date information about Andromeda (and other galaxies if possible).
 
That is one fantastic picture. It may become my profile photo on facebook at sometime in the future.
 

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