Reminds me of us playing around with the new mounting and the new software it came with on our local observatory a few years ago. Took quite a time (and "some" points) until the orbits of known GEO-satellites converged to 1436 minutes...Arioch wrote:Kind of wonder how accurate the new calculated Formalhaut b orbit is. They somehow went from an 875-year orbit to a 2000-year one with the addition of just one more data point (which doesn't appear to deviate significantly from the previous three).
The Astronomy Thread
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Re: The Astronomy Thread
sapere aude.
Re: The Astronomy Thread
Seems that the size of star systems scales up pretty consistently with the mass of the central star.
I'd expect the red dwarf systems to be, conversely, pretty tiny - even 10 times as smaller.
I'd expect the red dwarf systems to be, conversely, pretty tiny - even 10 times as smaller.
Re: The Astronomy Thread
It all comes down to gravity.Victor_D wrote:I'd expect the red dwarf systems to be, conversely, pretty tiny - even 10 times as smaller.
Re: The Astronomy Thread
sapere aude.
Re: The Astronomy Thread
Quite the epic contrail con there
PS: that was a heck of an airburst those folks got slapped with over there.
PS: that was a heck of an airburst those folks got slapped with over there.
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Re: The Astronomy Thread
Does it still count as astronomy when it's in the atmosphere?
Re: The Astronomy Thread
Came from outside, was captured from above, too - so i dare to say yes:fredgiblet wrote:Does it still count as astronomy when it's in the atmosphere?
sapere aude.
Re: The Astronomy Thread
Between this and Tunguska, I'm not certain whether to think meteoroids love Russia, or hate it.
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Re: The Astronomy Thread
amusingly, we've discovered that actual meteorites are fairly common :p
And that a couple decent ones touch down every year, however most cities are small compared to the surrounding terrain. As our world becomes more urban, expect more meteorite stories,
And that a couple decent ones touch down every year, however most cities are small compared to the surrounding terrain. As our world becomes more urban, expect more meteorite stories,
Re: The Astronomy Thread
It came down a bit late for the centennial celebration of Tunguska.
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Re: The Astronomy Thread
And all forgot about Sikhote-Alin meteorite.
Yes, we loves meteorites and meteorites loves us)
Yes, we loves meteorites and meteorites loves us)
Re: The Astronomy Thread
Can you blame us? It was in the middle of the Cold War!
Re: The Astronomy Thread
I like how they put some of the "hell door" picture and claimed it was that meteorite that did it... when we all know (after i tell you) it actually a minin operation gone wrong 40 year ago (more or less)
Re: The Astronomy Thread
Next one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2013_A1
Oh please please please, let us see THAT spectacle!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2013_A1
Oh please please please, let us see THAT spectacle!
sapere aude.
Re: The Astronomy Thread
The closest estimates still have the comet passing more than 40,000 km from the centerpoint of Mars; since the diameter of Mars is less than 7,000 km, that doesn't sound like it's going to get the job done.
Re: The Astronomy Thread
Oh boy, if the comet would be at the upper limit of its size, and if an impact would happen, good-bye to plans of colonising Mars.
But at 0.08% chance, I don't see it happen.
But at 0.08% chance, I don't see it happen.
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Re: The Astronomy Thread
If it's smaller and hits it might help terraforming.
Re: The Astronomy Thread
By making the planet surface even frostier?fredgiblet wrote:If it's smaller and hits it might help terraforming.
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Re: The Astronomy Thread
Adding water.
Re: The Astronomy Thread
Which sublimes right into space again over time, until the atmosphere gets denser. :shrugs: