*** The Official Astronomy & Universe Thread ***

B&W said:
Saturn's moon enceladus contains water apparently.

Thanks to Cassini.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26872184

Imagine the possibilities if every country gave a theoretical international space organisation 1% of its budget?
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Imagine if 1% of military budgets were redirected! But no, we need to be able to kill each other that 1% better!

I think the US spends more on their military in one year, than they have spent on NASA in total ever!
 
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Can't believe they're cutting back nasa's budget what with all the planets found by Kepler, the gravitational wave discovery, enceladus water discovery etc.

It's a joke like Neil said it seems we'd rather kill each other for some fraction this rock we call earth.

The way it's going I doubt we'll ever set foot in another solar system let alone another galaxy.
 
I checked out of the window about 45 mins ago and it was clear. I thought "Great! I'll get a good look at Mars and see if I can get a glimpse of Saturn".

I have just walked outside with the scope. Clouds!! :(
 
Progress on the Webb telescope.


Engineers install the Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) onto the Webb Telescope's Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) in NASA Goddard Space Flight Center cleanroom. This delicate procedure took place during March 24 and March 25, 2014 in preparation for the cryogenic test of a fully integrated ISIM structure to occur this summer.

The Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) is a near infrared multi-object dispersive spectrograph capable of simultaneously observing more than 100 sources over a field-of-view (FOV) larger than 3' x 3'. The NIRSpec will be the first spectrograph in space that has this capability. Targets in the Field of View are normally selected by opening groups of shutters in a micro-shutter array (MSA) to form multiple apertures. The microshutters are arranged in a waffle-like grid that contains more than 62000 shutters with each cell measuring 100 µm x 200 µm. Sweeping a magnet across the surface of the MSA opens all operable shutters. Individual shutters may then be addressed and closed electronically. NIRSpec is also capable of Fixed-slit and Integral-field spectroscopy and provides medium-resolution spectroscopy over a wavelength range of 1 - 5 µm and lower-resolution spectroscopy from 0.6 - 5 µm.
NIRSpec will address all of the four main JWST science themes, and much more. It will enable large spectroscopic surveys of faint galaxies at high redshift, obtain sensitive spectra of transiting exoplanets and image line emission from protoplanetary disks and protostars. NIRSpec is being built for the European Space Agency (ESA) by the Airbus Group with Dr. Pierre Ferruit guiding its development as the ESA JWST Project Scientist. Peter Jakobsen, the NIRSpec Instrument PI, retired in December 2011.
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Yesterday's lunar eclipse taken in Canada:

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Had my first go at setting up, polar aligning and imaging the other night :)

A lot of stuff isn't the best, I couldn't get proper focus, only got an hour's imaging as the moon rose at midnight, the scope is only a cheap one, the optics are pinched and there was a lot of internal reflection due to some scratches!

I also need to learn how to process a lot more :p

Cropped:

rm9IiAR.jpg

Mega cropped:

cvpjWqH.jpg
 
Stunning, I really feel we are missing something as a society. And somehow we would be better of if we could gaze up at the night sky regularly and be amazed and wonder at the sight.

cpnt.jpg
 
itchy said:
But the powers that be dont want us to see that, it makes you think you see. Oh no we cannot have that! :mad:
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Thankfully I've seen it, in Australia thousands of miles from the nearest city(perth) it was awe inspiring and so annoyed I didn't have a proper camera.
Even remote parts of uk, don't come close.
 
Tibbz2 said:
Had my first go at setting up, polar aligning and imaging the other night :)

A lot of stuff isn't the best, I couldn't get proper focus, only got an hour's imaging as the moon rose at midnight, the scope is only a cheap one, the optics are pinched and there was a lot of internal reflection due to some scratches!

I also need to learn how to process a lot more :p
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Buy or make a Bahtinov mask, if you're using a camera with Live view pick a nice bright star zoom in as far as you can and then focus.

Yep Glaucus the greatest light show is above our heads, sadly we cant see it in all its glory. :(
 
Does the tech of LED street lamps make light pollution a little bit less, i guess i am lucky living near two dark sky reserves, i would hate to live in a big city and see nothing of the sky.
 
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