Bang..
The milkyway galaxy
Tis home.
Credit: Knut Lundmark, Copyright Lund Observatory.
There is also a nice explanation of the picture/drawing here.
Lets have another look..
Infrared image of the core of the Milky Way galaxy
So some facts for you.
The stellar disk of the Milky Way galaxy is approximately 100,000 light years in diameter, and is believed to be, on average, about 1,000 light years thick. It is estimated to contain at least 200 billion stars and possibly up to 400 billion stars, the exact figure depending on the number of very low-mass stars, which is highly uncertain. Extending beyond the stellar disk is a much thicker disk of gas. Recent observations indicate that the gaseous disk of the Milky Way has a thickness of around 12,000 light years - twice the previously accepted value. As a guide to the relative physical scale of the Milky Way, if it were reduced to 130 km (80 miles) in diameter, the Solar System would be a mere 2 mm (0.08 inches) in width.
Our location amongst the maelstrom
Sun’s location
The Sun (and therefore the Earth and Solar System) may be found close to the inner rim of the Galaxy’s Orion Arm, in the Local Fluff or the Gould Belt, at a hypothesized distance of 7.62±0.32 kpc from the Galactic Center. The distance between the local arm and the next arm out, the Perseus Arm, is about 6,500 light-years. The Sun, and thus the Solar System, is found in what scientists call the galactic habitable zone.
The Apex of the Sun’s Way, or the solar apex, is the direction that the Sun travels through space in the Milky Way. The general direction of the Sun’s galactic motion is towards the star Vega near the constellation of Hercules, at an angle of roughly 60 sky degrees to the direction of the Galactic Center. The Sun’s orbit around the Galaxy is expected to be roughly elliptical with the addition of perturbations due to the galactic spiral arms and non-uniform mass distributions. In addition the Sun oscillates up and down relative to the galactic plane approximately 2.7 times per orbit. This is very similar to how a simple harmonic oscillator works with no drag force (damping) term. Due to the higher density of stars close to the galactic plane, these oscillations often coincide with mass extinction periods on Earth, presumably due to increased impact events.
It takes the Solar System about 225–250 million years to complete one orbit of the galaxy (a galactic year), so it is thought to have completed 20–25 orbits during the lifetime of the Sun and 1/1250th of a revolution since the origin of humans. The orbital speed of the Solar System about the center of the Galaxy is approximately 220 km/s. At this speed, it takes around 1400 years for the Solar System to travel a distance of 1 light-year, or 8 days to travel 1 AU.
Lots going on here, in this space time reality, but what about our neighbors?
Andromeda Galaxy.
A visible light image of the Andromeda Galaxy.
approximately 2.5 million light-years away. So blow me away baby.. What is real?
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)
More, bring it on..
July 23rd, 2008
and smashed the orbits of Phobos and Deimos.
In part 2 of building a model solar system. See part 1 here.
Phase 2. Will be adding the gear wheel for the earth and moon system, plus the Earth itself.
Unfortunately the moon snapped off in the construction stage.
Now how is this likely to effect our planet.
Apparently if the earth was suddenly without its moon, there would be significant problems associated with the planets water.
The moon effects the global altitude of the water, so if this was taken away, a lot of water would be redistributed around the poles.
The effect on the planets rotation would also be changed, the moons location, and gravitational attraction keeps the planet in a relatively stable orbit, no wobbles as such, and as consequence a fairly predictable seasonal climatic balance.
Without this stability life on this sphere would likely have struggled to build itself to the complexity we see today.
So on a lighter note, it’s only a model after all, i’ll get out the super glue and try to restore equilibrium.
Phobos and Deimos
Again in the construction when trying to place the pin on the bottom of mars onto the orbiting moons arm their relative position was changed when I was forced to bring out the hammer to bash the pin in.
I have no idea how this turn of events would effect the solar system as a whole, dynamic interactions and connections are one thing, but i’m thinking not much, considering removing our own moon would apparently not cause all the planets to plunge headlong into a fiery death as we all race towards the sun.
Fate of the solar system in my hands.
July 10th, 2008
So it is with great pride I bring you this post in the category of science, and the newly created category of Nikon D40.
I say pride, for the technology that allows me with no previous Digital SLR experience to snap happy, in the many auto modes, or dabble with the settings in various programmable modes blows me away.
Just take a look at the beast.
Nikon D40
I have had the camera since Christmas, taken loads of indoor, and garden snaps, trying out the auto settings to learn how the camera reacts to conditions when it chooses it’s own shutter speed, aperture size etc.
Still haven’t got my head around the interaction between aperture and shutter speed, but slowly I think an understanding is developing as I become more familiar with the controls menus and settings. Looking forward to better weather conditions and getting out and about to see what our combined efforts can achieve.
Nikon D40 | Side profile
I plan to do a series of posts charting my progress, a list of useful resources as I find them and feature pics if I take any goodies.
I have often been frustrated in the past when viewing a scene with my eyes and not having the hardware to capture that image. With luck and practice, constant flipping through the manual I hope to get there.
Mayhem in the woods
I like this one:
The Mols
January 23rd, 2008
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
So I’m at home, the kids are in bed, and I have vodka, so what you gonna do. Well the story is I got this text from a friend about how to extract and see your own DNA, the idea sounded vaguely familiar, so I thought I’d give it a shot.
The ingredients
The experiment
Let me say for starters when your sat and the house is quiet, your watching the latest episode of bones wondering what exactly is a gormagon, don’t under any circumstances decide as I did to swill your mouth with salty water.
Anyway, getting past all that swilling business, swilling for about 30 seconds, I emptied the contents of my mouth into a clean glass containing 15ml water and 5ml washing up liquid, had a quick swig of my vodka laced with diet coke as indeed it should be enjoyed and commenced slowly stirring previously mentioned concoction. Scientists call this mechanical agitation, and the idea is to break up the skin cells from your mouth to allow the DNA to escape.
Get vodka from freezer and poor slowly so it remains on top of the salty you solution. This is when the magic should, or might happen.
If indeed it does work you should see a spindly white substance on top of the salty mixture. My sample fizzed a little, but alas no noticeable DNA strands.
Conclusion
Did I use too much alcohol, or was it the cheap tesco detergent, or perhaps I am an android like Data from the next generation, without the computational prowess. Who knows, questions like these have plagued scientist for millennia, but they do serve to push the frontiers of our understanding forward, and consolidate our place in the universe.
Hoorah..
A nice pic of what you might see, if unlike me you hadn’t been drinking the experiment before commencement.
Picture from 3D Science.com
December 14th, 2007
Edgar Allen Poe
The Raven
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`’Tis some visitor,’ I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.’
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,’
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,’ said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you’ - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!’
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!’
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,’ said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
‘Tis the wind and nothing more!’
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,’ I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!’
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.’
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.’
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.’
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.’
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,’ said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of “Never-nevermore.”‘
But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.’
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,’ I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!’
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.’
`Prophet!’ said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!’
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.’
`Prophet!’ said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?’
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.’
`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!’ I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!’
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.’
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!
How you got there
Funny how you travel in cyberville, with a search to find above poem I found myself doing another search on “Quoth” and ended up here Navigated to here via random connectedness, and ultimately to here where I spent a good time listing to scientific tunes. Very entertaining.
I should be doing anything else really, but was caught, hooked and thought any that pass this way might like to share the experience.
November 4th, 2007
A big, bright perigee Moon. Right: A lesser apogee Moon
The Moon’s orbit is an ellipse with one side 30,000 miles closer to Earth than the other. The full Moon of Oct. 25-26 is located on the near side, making it appear as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser full Moons we’ve seen earlier in 2007.
In the language of astronomy, the two ends of the Moon’s orbit are called “apogee” and “perigee.” Apogee is the farthest point, perigee the nearest: This week’s full Moon is a “perigee Moon”.
Source: Space weather
I actually wanted to talk about China’s one year Luna mission.
Chang’e-1, China’s first lunar probe, blasted off on a Long March 3A carrier rocket from the No. 3 launching tower in the Xichang Satellite Launch Center of southwestern Sichuan Province on Wednesday, October 24, 2007. [Photo: CCTV]
Chang’e-1, named after a mythical Chinese goddess who, according to legend, flew to the moon.
Will this one year expedition, providing of course nothing mysteriously goes wrong provide conclusive evidence of the much disputed landing on the lunar surface by the Americans in 1969.
The probe equipped with:
(1) An Optical Imaging System, a CCD Stereo Camera, and an Interferometer Spectrometer Imager. The CCD optical system will use a series of three, 2-dimensional original images of a target area taken before and reconfigure them into a 3-dimensional image of the lunar surface. The Interferometer Spectrometer Imager uses a special camera that is able to obtain images based on the fact that different objects have different spectrum properties. This multi-spectra, remote sensing of the lunar surface will then be integrated into the lunar terrain images obtained through the stereo camera; enabling scientists conduct researches on the properties of regional resources and materials.
(2) A Laser Altimeter will be used to provide complementary data to the elevation data of lunar surface and to refine the lunar surface digital model.
(3) Gamma/X-Ray Spectrometers will be able to obtain the distribution of different elements according to the differences of energy spectra of gamma and X rays emitted by various elements due to cosmic ray excitation, such as the gamma-ray spectra for elements of Th, U and K, and X-ray spectra for elements of Na, S and Ni. The data concerning elements of Fe, Ti, Al and Mg can be obtained through both gamma- and X-ray spectra.
(4) A Microwave Detector that will operate in four different frequency bands will allow different depths of the lunar soil to be penetrated based on the fact that microwave radiation brightness varies through the regolith soil.
(5) A Space Environment Monitoring System consisting of a High-Energy Solar Particle Detector will consist of a small probe that will be launched separately from Chang’e 1 to perform analysis of the space between the Moon and the Earth. Working in the region of 40,000 to 400,000 kilometres (25,000 to 250,000 miles) from the Earth, it will investigate the solar wind and other activities from the Sun.
Chang’e 1 is the first part of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP) conducted under the China National Space Administration (CNSA) — a civilian agency of the People’s Republic of China. The mission also has support from the European Space Agency (ESA), who are providing spacecraft and ground operations support services through ESTRACK (a tracking network comprising of 12 terminals sited at eight stations in five countries), and plans are that the two will work together on future Chang’e missions. The two agencies will also share data and encourage a visitors’ programme so that researchers can learn from each other.
Moonposter
So keep tabs on this one, It is going to be interesting regardless of the findings.
I expect they might pay special attention to this area.
I would like at this point to say I am a believer and expect the findings to confirm that Neil ‘one large leap’ was indeed the first to step foot on an extra terrestrial world. Who Knows..
October 26th, 2007
