JCC The All-New, All-Different JCC Astronomy Thread

Oh, this is news, just not for the reason under discussion. This is an indication that Kepler can, indeed, find earth-sized planets. It's supposed to, but this is the first one it's actually found.

 

Another Eye Of Sauron

[image=http://www.naoj.org/Pressrelease/2011/12/29/fig.jpg]

The ring you see there is twice the size of our solar system.

 

We're at perihelion, people.

 

160 Billion! The New Estimate of Alien Planets in the Milky Way


One little problem as someone points out in the comments. Estimates range from 100 billion to 400 billion for the number of stars in the Milky Way. So that makes 160 billion to 640 billion for the estimate of 1.6 planets per star.

 

I've started to take a stronger interest in astronomy thanks to both the Star Walk app on my iPad and, more importantly, the curiosity of my elder daughter. We've had one or two clear nights per week of late, and with the relatively early sunsets, we've gotten a pretty good night sky (especially Orion) as early as 6pm, ie, well before her bed time. Too bad for her, the view got even better later on last night, pretty sure I spotted the Orion nebula.

Question: Rather than get a telescope (not ready to shell out the cash for a really good one at this point) I was looking into getting binoculars. Any recommendations? I'd like to stay undeer ?200 (US$250, BGP170)? Thanks.

 

15x70 binoculars are best for astronomy.

 

Russian scientist claims signs of life on Venus

I don't think that's really something you can tell from photographs. But life on Venus shouldn't be completely dismissed either. Yeah, most life on Earth wouldn't survive a second on Venus, but that doesn't mean life can't exist there. Life on Earth has shown itself to be extremely adaptive, it could have evolved on Venus, not all life has to be so similar to terrestrial life.

 

No photos?

 

Life could adapt to exist in the conditions on Venus, but wouldn't it still have needed the right conditions to begin in the first place?... the likes of which Venus - due to it's proximity to the Sun - might never have had.

 

The proximity of Venus to the Sun would only be a part of its problems. Venus has like 5 to 10 times the number of volcanoes as Earth. It's all a big runaway. Off the top of my head I dod not know that its volcanoes are currently active as I never hear about eruptions on Venus though I suppose they can be difficult to observe.

Venus actually sits inside the habitable zome of the Sun, as does Mars. It is possiblt that Venus may have benefited from being a bit futher away but I don't know that it would have been much more Earth-like.

 

lol

 

[image=http://1000awesomethings.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/scorpion-mortal-kombat.jpg]

 

That is a horrible argument in favour of life. In particular, I'm skeptical of anything that wants to claim something as recognizable as "scorpion".

 

What life on Venus might look like:

[image=http://images.wikia.com/memoryalpha/en/images/e/e1/Tholian_pilot.jpg]

 

Good chance of auroras at unusually southerly latitudes tomorrow night.

 

There's been a chance of Auroras as far south as Austria the past few nights, apprently, but one problem -- no break in the cloud cover since the end of last week. Supposed to clear up tomorrow night, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

Still a strong possibility of aurora in the UK this evening, but unfortunately the whole country seems to be blanketed by cloud.

 

Apparently particularly spectacular, if you're fortunate enough to see it. Solar Storm Brings Dazzling Northern Lights

[image=http://i.huffpost.com/gen/476857/thumbs/r-NORTHERN-LIGHTS-large570.jpg]

 

Kepler announces 11 planetary systems hosting 26 planets


Isn't times like this when you wish you had a 1,000,000 X FTL spacecraft?

 

Get the yacht first, and then think about your next purchase.

 

[image=http://application.denofgeek.com/images/m/75spaceships/main/Geonesis_solar_sailor.jpg]

 

VLM FTL