Archives for March 2007
Multiple Suns?
Published on 31 Mar 2007 at 9:25 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under extrasolar planets.
It has long been a favorite in science fiction stories for the stories to be set in binary star systems. After all, that makes it all the more alien, right? You look up in the sky, and there are two suns, instead of just one. Even one of the early seens in the first Star […]
The Virgo Cluster
Published on 30 Mar 2007 at 10:38 pm.
No Comments.
Filed under galaxies.
It’s galaxy season! This time of year, shortly after sunset, when you look up, you are looking out of the Milky Way. That means that you can see galaxies. This is true at other times of the year, of course. But, at this time of year, you can look towards the […]
A possible Chinese-Russian joint Mars venture?
Published on 29 Mar 2007 at 7:58 pm.
1 Comment.
Filed under space exploration.
In a recent news report, the China National Space Administration and Russia’s Federal Space Agency have agreed to cooperate on a joint Mars mission to be launched in 2009, only two years from now. This has been in the works for months, and I heard rumors of it last October, but I hadn’t kept […]
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2007 EH: Another near miss
Published on 28 Mar 2007 at 7:05 am.
5 Comments.
Filed under asteroids.
Six months ago, I wrote about 2006 QM111, which passed close to Earth. It was discovered just hours before closest approach. It then came within half the Moon’s distance from Earth. At the time, I pointed out that such an event is not really all that rare. There are a LOT […]
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After the Rain
Published on 27 Mar 2007 at 4:05 pm.
No Comments.
Filed under amateur astronomy.
We just had a very nice rain here. It hasn’t rained in some time, and the air was full of dust and pollen. The rain cleared all that out. The ground had been dry, too, and the rain has helped a bit with the drought. After the storms, it is cooler […]
Julian Days
Published on 26 Mar 2007 at 5:00 pm.
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Filed under astronomy, calendars.
Last week, we were doing a laboratory exercise in my introductory astronomy class, and at one point the students plotted data. They were plotted magnitudes versus Julian days. Astronomers often use something called Julian days. Today, March 26, 2007, at 23:00 UT is Julian Day 2454186.467361. That is not to be confused […]
A new spacesuit in the making?
Published on 24 Mar 2007 at 11:49 pm.
3 Comments.
Filed under NASA, space exploration.
I recently read a report that NASA was looking to develop a new spacesuit. This new spacesuit, it is hoped, may be available by the time that NASA’s next space program becomes operational. The new suits would be multipurpose, lighter, and reusable. This would save on costs. Current spacesuits take a […]
