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Subject: More, different BIG science news
Date: Sat Jan 8 23:00:54 2022
User: redberet
Message:
I was thinking in the geometric tolerancing aspect. Those actuators I believe are for adjustments, but you have to know how much to adjust. Understanding ANSI standards was part of my job. There so many things you can attach a tolerance to. Profile of a surface, flatness, concentricity, runout, roundness etc. It is a small world, I retired from Northrop and I can see Lick Observatory from my home. My brother also worked there and ran their laser tracker for mapping out missile tubes, so he kind of gave me a rudimentary crash course.
User: redberet
Message:
I was thinking in the geometric tolerancing aspect. Those actuators I believe are for adjustments, but you have to know how much to adjust. Understanding ANSI standards was part of my job. There so many things you can attach a tolerance to. Profile of a surface, flatness, concentricity, runout, roundness etc. It is a small world, I retired from Northrop and I can see Lick Observatory from my home. My brother also worked there and ran their laser tracker for mapping out missile tubes, so he kind of gave me a rudimentary crash course.
Date: Sat Jan 8 23:13:23 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
I knew it wasn't *exactly* what you were after, but that was the closest I've seen. I gather that they have sensors that somehow measure all that.
User: TNmountainman
Message:
I knew it wasn't *exactly* what you were after, but that was the closest I've seen. I gather that they have sensors that somehow measure all that.
Date: Tue Jan 11 02:23:03 2022
User: Kaos
Message:
So, not different news but some great science news: Apparently, the European Space Agency (ESA) kicked as* (my choice of terminology but well deserved) with their part in launching the JWST. The Ariane rocket push was so accurate that the JWST will only need to use a fraction of its onboard propellant to get into its final correct orbit far beyond the orbit of the moon. This means more propellant to stay in orbit. Now estimated at enough for 20 years instead of assumed 10. Apparently, when test firing future engines, the ESA noticed one that was particularly accurate which they then set aside for the JWST launch. Well done. Everything with the JWST seems to be going great so far. Let’s hope that the good run continues.
User: Kaos
Message:
So, not different news but some great science news: Apparently, the European Space Agency (ESA) kicked as* (my choice of terminology but well deserved) with their part in launching the JWST. The Ariane rocket push was so accurate that the JWST will only need to use a fraction of its onboard propellant to get into its final correct orbit far beyond the orbit of the moon. This means more propellant to stay in orbit. Now estimated at enough for 20 years instead of assumed 10. Apparently, when test firing future engines, the ESA noticed one that was particularly accurate which they then set aside for the JWST launch. Well done. Everything with the JWST seems to be going great so far. Let’s hope that the good run continues.
Date: Mon Jan 31 17:35:56 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Go back to my back in this thread on Nov. 29, 2021 (page 2 for PC users) for some background on (the first part of) this. Amazing and scary. This starts off xenobot-ish.........but then goes deep into accelerated and adaptive evolution (the "plasticity" of life) - and how that affects humans. Long but well-structured and worthwhile.
Link: xenobots and accelerated evolution
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Go back to my back in this thread on Nov. 29, 2021 (page 2 for PC users) for some background on (the first part of) this. Amazing and scary. This starts off xenobot-ish.........but then goes deep into accelerated and adaptive evolution (the "plasticity" of life) - and how that affects humans. Long but well-structured and worthwhile.
Link: xenobots and accelerated evolution
Date: Wed Feb 2 10:06:34 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Not trying to be snarky (really)............but that was almost 6.5 years ago. Just curious how you see that as "news". In fact, clicking on the spitzer link at the bottom of that page takes one to an "archive.today" page. And............again truly not trying to be snarky here............what's really "BIG" about it?
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Not trying to be snarky (really)............but that was almost 6.5 years ago. Just curious how you see that as "news". In fact, clicking on the spitzer link at the bottom of that page takes one to an "archive.today" page. And............again truly not trying to be snarky here............what's really "BIG" about it?
Date: Wed Feb 2 15:22:59 2022
User: Kumquat-of-Conciliation
Message:
That's the same thing; same link, but you may know that.
User: Kumquat-of-Conciliation
Message:
That's the same thing; same link, but you may know that.
Date: Wed Feb 2 15:33:06 2022
User: Mobius
Message:
And I found this pic, but can't figure out what it is or if it is an artist's rendering... Can anyone help?
User: Mobius
Message:
And I found this pic, but can't figure out what it is or if it is an artist's rendering... Can anyone help?
Date: Thu Feb 3 12:38:17 2022
User: A_Briefs_Breeze
Message:
Thanks... my attempts to use google image search don't work out so well. Is that what you used?
User: A_Briefs_Breeze
Message:
Thanks... my attempts to use google image search don't work out so well. Is that what you used?
Date: Thu Feb 3 13:19:08 2022
User: cellmate
Message:
yes. i do it from Chrome. right-click on the image offers google image search
User: cellmate
Message:
yes. i do it from Chrome. right-click on the image offers google image search
Date: Thu Feb 3 16:18:21 2022
User: Mobius
Message:
I hate chrome (proxy google-hate)... but I'll try the image search function. Thanks again
User: Mobius
Message:
I hate chrome (proxy google-hate)... but I'll try the image search function. Thanks again
Date: Fri Feb 4 06:14:04 2022
User: sgmsgmsgm
Message:
Pretty sure that the spiral galaxy had right of way. I hope the insurance covers the damage.
User: sgmsgmsgm
Message:
Pretty sure that the spiral galaxy had right of way. I hope the insurance covers the damage.
Date: Mon Feb 7 03:19:12 2022
User: Malr
Message:
Impossibilium
Link: https://www.facebook.com/1306892564/posts/10221983231432336/?sfnsn=scwspmo
User: Malr
Message:
Impossibilium
Link: https://www.facebook.com/1306892564/posts/10221983231432336/?sfnsn=scwspmo
Date: Mon Feb 7 09:37:42 2022
User: BuzzClik
Message:
It just doesn't stick!
Link: https://youtu.be/cpwBM3eyRIY
User: BuzzClik
Message:
It just doesn't stick!
Link: https://youtu.be/cpwBM3eyRIY
Date: Wed Mar 16 22:09:29 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
First "test" alignment pic from the Webb received and released - and it draws rave reviews.
Link: "the team was giddy at times........"
User: TNmountainman
Message:
First "test" alignment pic from the Webb received and released - and it draws rave reviews.
Link: "the team was giddy at times........"
Date: Mon Apr 11 13:48:50 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
This is pretty interesting stuff, for us space geeks.....
Link: 130,000+ mph
User: TNmountainman
Message:
This is pretty interesting stuff, for us space geeks.....
Link: 130,000+ mph
Date: Wed Apr 20 07:45:11 2022
User: Klepp
Message:
Titled: "Explanation for formation of abundant features on Europa bodes well for search for extraterrestrial life." One can hope.
Link: Europan Life?
User: Klepp
Message:
Titled: "Explanation for formation of abundant features on Europa bodes well for search for extraterrestrial life." One can hope.
Link: Europan Life?
Date: Fri Apr 22 07:10:32 2022
User: sgmsgmsgm
Message:
Of course there is, didn't you watch Cowboy Bebop? I seem to remember reports of a liquid water ocean under the ice of Pluto as well.
User: sgmsgmsgm
Message:
Of course there is, didn't you watch Cowboy Bebop? I seem to remember reports of a liquid water ocean under the ice of Pluto as well.
Date: Fri Apr 22 11:06:21 2022
User: Klepp
Message:
You remind me of *American Astronaut*...
Link: Somewhere on Ceres, I believe
User: Klepp
Message:
You remind me of *American Astronaut*...
Link: Somewhere on Ceres, I believe
Date: Sat Apr 30 18:12:07 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
It's getting closer to being "on".
Link: Webb telescope continuing to be on target
User: TNmountainman
Message:
It's getting closer to being "on".
Link: Webb telescope continuing to be on target
Date: Sun Jul 3 22:21:24 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
The revealing of the first 'real' Webb pics is drawing closer and closer (9 more days!). We know most of this stuff already, but I wasn't aware that a rough exoplanet survey was perhaps the first thing they'd look at. That doesn't interest me nearly as much as the cosmology stuff, but could be some neat pics.
Link: Webb pics coming soon
User: TNmountainman
Message:
The revealing of the first 'real' Webb pics is drawing closer and closer (9 more days!). We know most of this stuff already, but I wasn't aware that a rough exoplanet survey was perhaps the first thing they'd look at. That doesn't interest me nearly as much as the cosmology stuff, but could be some neat pics.
Link: Webb pics coming soon
Date: Mon Jul 4 08:04:52 2022
User: sgmsgmsgm
Message:
I find it hard to believe that that they could actually take a photo of an exoplanet. All of what we know about them is inferred by wobbles of the host star. Or is there spectral data available?
User: sgmsgmsgm
Message:
I find it hard to believe that that they could actually take a photo of an exoplanet. All of what we know about them is inferred by wobbles of the host star. Or is there spectral data available?
Date: Mon Jul 4 08:22:40 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Did you read the article? It pretty clearly states that they *hope* to be able to capture absorption spectral data. In fact, a decent chunk of it addresses that very point.
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Did you read the article? It pretty clearly states that they *hope* to be able to capture absorption spectral data. In fact, a decent chunk of it addresses that very point.
Date: Mon Jul 4 09:24:22 2022
User: sgmsgmsgm
Message:
Sorry but I'm in bed on my mobile and I don't like opening extra browsers because of memory, data constraints etc. I'll read it tomorrow on my PC
User: sgmsgmsgm
Message:
Sorry but I'm in bed on my mobile and I don't like opening extra browsers because of memory, data constraints etc. I'll read it tomorrow on my PC
Date: Mon Jul 4 11:50:08 2022
User: Klepp
Message:
I brought this up searching "exoplanet biosignatures"--hopefully my poor background in chemistry doesn't inhibit my (shallow enough) grasp of this paper...
Link: Exoplanet Biosignatures: A Review of Remotely Detectable Signs o
User: Klepp
Message:
I brought this up searching "exoplanet biosignatures"--hopefully my poor background in chemistry doesn't inhibit my (shallow enough) grasp of this paper...
Link: Exoplanet Biosignatures: A Review of Remotely Detectable Signs o
Date: Mon Jul 4 13:17:23 2022
User: Dr.Bombay
Message:
I’m psyched to see the JWST pics too. My understanding is that they will be shots of galaxy’s and stars from long ago and far away. That’s what I’m most interested in. I think using the JWST in the exoplanet hunt is a sideline. sgm3, wobbles are just one of several methods used to detect exoplanets. There’s a nice graph I’ve seen that plots the total number of exoplanets detected by year broken into colored subsets based on the method used to detect them.
User: Dr.Bombay
Message:
I’m psyched to see the JWST pics too. My understanding is that they will be shots of galaxy’s and stars from long ago and far away. That’s what I’m most interested in. I think using the JWST in the exoplanet hunt is a sideline. sgm3, wobbles are just one of several methods used to detect exoplanets. There’s a nice graph I’ve seen that plots the total number of exoplanets detected by year broken into colored subsets based on the method used to detect them.
Date: Mon Jul 4 14:23:09 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Wow, Klepp - THAT is a world-class review article.
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Wow, Klepp - THAT is a world-class review article.
Date: Thu Jul 7 14:45:11 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Another preview pic from the Webb. Don't read too much into this, but the "deep field-ness" is quite astonishing.
Link: Can you count the galaxies? [No, you can't.]
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Another preview pic from the Webb. Don't read too much into this, but the "deep field-ness" is quite astonishing.
Link: Can you count the galaxies? [No, you can't.]
Date: Thu Jul 7 16:32:52 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Despite the sappy writing of this, it does indicate what we're about to see unfold (yes, pun intended).
Link: The huge eye causes other eyes to tear up
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Despite the sappy writing of this, it does indicate what we're about to see unfold (yes, pun intended).
Link: The huge eye causes other eyes to tear up
Date: Thu Jul 7 22:06:33 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Just be aware that even this magnificent tool may not be sufficient to figure out which planet, or planetary system, is the ancestral home of sasquatch. Or - it's possible that it *could* be. I guess.
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Just be aware that even this magnificent tool may not be sufficient to figure out which planet, or planetary system, is the ancestral home of sasquatch. Or - it's possible that it *could* be. I guess.
Date: Sat Jul 9 05:17:11 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
List of first 5 targets listed - and one of them is a deep-field view.
Link: Webb's first 5 targets revealed
User: TNmountainman
Message:
List of first 5 targets listed - and one of them is a deep-field view.
Link: Webb's first 5 targets revealed
Date: Mon Jul 11 04:29:03 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
They're gonna bust out the deep-field one tomorrow (later today for many of you) at 5 pm. The rest on Tuesday at 10:30 AM.
Link: Can you count the galaxies? [As I said - no, you can't]
User: TNmountainman
Message:
They're gonna bust out the deep-field one tomorrow (later today for many of you) at 5 pm. The rest on Tuesday at 10:30 AM.
Link: Can you count the galaxies? [As I said - no, you can't]
Date: Mon Jul 11 17:40:57 2022
User: Kaos
Message:
Life imitates the movies - in this case Don’t Look Up. The NASA.GOV feed says “… starting momentarily “
User: Kaos
Message:
Life imitates the movies - in this case Don’t Look Up. The NASA.GOV feed says “… starting momentarily “
Date: Mon Jul 11 17:47:19 2022
User: _.!._
Message:
From the comments section on that Webb link above,its obviously time for the old sandbox again for all those overgrown babies lost in their political mushbrain rabbit hole.
User: _.!._
Message:
From the comments section on that Webb link above,its obviously time for the old sandbox again for all those overgrown babies lost in their political mushbrain rabbit hole.
Date: Mon Jul 11 17:48:11 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Can this deep-field pic be any more impressive than the original? And I mean from the new baseline that one provided. I can't imagine it can match that degree of awe-inspirement, but would seriously love to be wrong.
User: TNmountainman
Message:
Can this deep-field pic be any more impressive than the original? And I mean from the new baseline that one provided. I can't imagine it can match that degree of awe-inspirement, but would seriously love to be wrong.
Date: Mon Jul 11 21:08:30 2022
User: ixtapolapoquetl
Message:
from the NASA website: Webb’s image covers a patch of sky approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground so how many grains of sand held at arms length would it take to cover the sky? that's a lot of galaxies
User: ixtapolapoquetl
Message:
from the NASA website: Webb’s image covers a patch of sky approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground so how many grains of sand held at arms length would it take to cover the sky? that's a lot of galaxies
Date: Mon Jul 11 22:22:48 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
I think you and and I, and those really paying attention already knew that - or to some approximation, at least. But also like you, I think that's perhaps the most stupifying part of this. To say the number of galaxies out there is inconceivable is a gross understatement. When one starts talking about the different conceptualizations of "infinity", this isn't that - but it rubs up against some of them. Wish we could reconcile the differences in the values of the Hubble constant. What an incredible time to be alive.......
User: TNmountainman
Message:
I think you and and I, and those really paying attention already knew that - or to some approximation, at least. But also like you, I think that's perhaps the most stupifying part of this. To say the number of galaxies out there is inconceivable is a gross understatement. When one starts talking about the different conceptualizations of "infinity", this isn't that - but it rubs up against some of them. Wish we could reconcile the differences in the values of the Hubble constant. What an incredible time to be alive.......
Date: Tue Jul 12 01:30:45 2022
User: Kaos
Message:
Well, a pretty ho-hum pic (or pick) compared to the test image published a while back IMHO. We've got the tell tale signs of gravitational lensing, but no annotations to know what's what. Plus, let's throw in some equivalent Hubble or earth-bound telescope comparison shots. There are many new, and awesome, earth-bound telescopes (or telescope clusters) with huge effective mirror sizes but they don't do well in infrared. So, can't we show some advantage after spending $20bn to design, build, and hoist this puppy into space?
User: Kaos
Message:
Well, a pretty ho-hum pic (or pick) compared to the test image published a while back IMHO. We've got the tell tale signs of gravitational lensing, but no annotations to know what's what. Plus, let's throw in some equivalent Hubble or earth-bound telescope comparison shots. There are many new, and awesome, earth-bound telescopes (or telescope clusters) with huge effective mirror sizes but they don't do well in infrared. So, can't we show some advantage after spending $20bn to design, build, and hoist this puppy into space?
Date: Tue Jul 12 01:35:44 2022
User: ixtapolapoquetl
Message:
>> but no annotations to know what's what exactly! my first thought was that i would probably be super impressed, if only i understood what i was looking at
User: ixtapolapoquetl
Message:
>> but no annotations to know what's what exactly! my first thought was that i would probably be super impressed, if only i understood what i was looking at
Date: Tue Jul 12 02:15:33 2022
User: ixtapolapoquetl
Message:
i was looking for an explanation of the six sided diffraction spikes and found this, it is a bit much for me but i think there's more than one here who will get it
Link: https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/james-webb-spikes/
User: ixtapolapoquetl
Message:
i was looking for an explanation of the six sided diffraction spikes and found this, it is a bit much for me but i think there's more than one here who will get it
Link: https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/james-webb-spikes/
Date: Tue Jul 12 02:30:05 2022
User: ixtapolapoquetl
Message:
>> Plus, let's throw in some equivalent Hubble or earth-bound telescope comparison shots. near the bottom
Link: https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/webb-first-science/
User: ixtapolapoquetl
Message:
>> Plus, let's throw in some equivalent Hubble or earth-bound telescope comparison shots. near the bottom
Link: https://bigthink.com/starts-with-a-bang/webb-first-science/
Date: Tue Jul 12 04:02:16 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
The link about the spiking does a very good job of explaining it, ix. I guess I somehow remembered from Hubble that the spikes mean it's a close star - meaning one in our galaxy, and thus qualifying as a "point source". So I knew Web would also have them, but didn't think out the details, as they're not (very) important. As that article notes, Webb isn't designed to look at stuff like that - altho with the exoplanet searches, they will have to somehow filter that out. I'm sure they have some kind of plan to do that, at least to the extent possible. It's not like they can focus on only "exoplanet-Hollywood" in a distant system. [BTW.........I *may* be able to help 'decipher' any absorption questions as brought up by Klepp above. Altho certainly not relating to exoplanets, I do have considerable background in absorption and emission spectroscopy. *MAY* - depending on how it's presented/packaged. I should certainly be able to explain the physics for those curious but not schooled in that stuff.]
User: TNmountainman
Message:
The link about the spiking does a very good job of explaining it, ix. I guess I somehow remembered from Hubble that the spikes mean it's a close star - meaning one in our galaxy, and thus qualifying as a "point source". So I knew Web would also have them, but didn't think out the details, as they're not (very) important. As that article notes, Webb isn't designed to look at stuff like that - altho with the exoplanet searches, they will have to somehow filter that out. I'm sure they have some kind of plan to do that, at least to the extent possible. It's not like they can focus on only "exoplanet-Hollywood" in a distant system. [BTW.........I *may* be able to help 'decipher' any absorption questions as brought up by Klepp above. Altho certainly not relating to exoplanets, I do have considerable background in absorption and emission spectroscopy. *MAY* - depending on how it's presented/packaged. I should certainly be able to explain the physics for those curious but not schooled in that stuff.]
Date: Tue Jul 12 05:00:01 2022
User: TNmountainman
Message:
That second link, ix, is also quite excellent. A great primer/primer+.
User: TNmountainman
Message:
That second link, ix, is also quite excellent. A great primer/primer+.
Date: Wed Jul 13 01:04:44 2022
User: Kaos
Message:
Interesting to see both of the articles linked by ix are written by Ethan Siegel. Very prolific, pretty darn popular (at least in the physicist’s nerd world) but I’m not a fan. I’ve read tons of things he’s written and started out impressed but he’s been dropping ever since. Maybe he’s too prolific. He should be a fan of one of my favorite quotes of all time which I understand is accredited to Churchill: “Apologies for writing such a long letter but I didn’t have time to write a short one”. I’m guessing he gets paid by the word.
User: Kaos
Message:
Interesting to see both of the articles linked by ix are written by Ethan Siegel. Very prolific, pretty darn popular (at least in the physicist’s nerd world) but I’m not a fan. I’ve read tons of things he’s written and started out impressed but he’s been dropping ever since. Maybe he’s too prolific. He should be a fan of one of my favorite quotes of all time which I understand is accredited to Churchill: “Apologies for writing such a long letter but I didn’t have time to write a short one”. I’m guessing he gets paid by the word.
Date: Wed Jul 13 01:18:30 2022
User: Kaos
Message:
What’s extremely intriguing to me is that NASA is releasing these photos so quickly. This means amateur astronomers and physicists around the planet will be able to analyze them within days of the time when the professional astronomers and physicists who proposed the shots see them. The JWST seems like the instrument that can finally resolve the question: “what’s the true value of the Hubble constant?” Noodle that out and you might have a Nobel prize in your future. Oh, and if you go beyond that and noodle out the nature of dark matter and/or dark energy, then you will surely have a Nobel prize in your future ;-)
User: Kaos
Message:
What’s extremely intriguing to me is that NASA is releasing these photos so quickly. This means amateur astronomers and physicists around the planet will be able to analyze them within days of the time when the professional astronomers and physicists who proposed the shots see them. The JWST seems like the instrument that can finally resolve the question: “what’s the true value of the Hubble constant?” Noodle that out and you might have a Nobel prize in your future. Oh, and if you go beyond that and noodle out the nature of dark matter and/or dark energy, then you will surely have a Nobel prize in your future ;-)
Date: Fri Jul 15 13:55:57 2022
User: _.!._
Message:
NASAs Perseverence rover,on July 12,just released a photo of something weird.
User: _.!._
Message:
NASAs Perseverence rover,on July 12,just released a photo of something weird.
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