Christmas week: Worlds will align for spectacular heavenly sight
Just after sunset on the evening of Dec. 21, Jupiter and Saturn will appear closer together in Earth’s night sky than they have been since the Middle Ages, offering people the world over a celestial treat to ring in the winter solstice. “Alignments between these two planets are rather rare, occurring once every 20 years or so,” said Rice University astronomer Patrick Hartigan. “You’d have to go all the way back to just before dawn on March 4, 1226, to see a closer alignment between these objects visible in the night sky.”
Jupiter and Saturn have been approaching one another in Earth’s sky since the summer. From Dec. 16-25, the two will be separated by less than the diameter of a full moon. “On the evening of closest approach on Dec 21 they will look like a double planet, separated by only 1/5th the diameter of the full moon,” said Hartigan, a professor of physics and astronomy. “For most telescope viewers, each planet and several of their largest moons will be visible in the same field of view that evening.”
Though the best viewing conditions will be near the equator, the event will be observable anywhere on Earth, weather-permitting. Hartigan said the planetary duo will appear low in the western sky for about an hour after sunset each evening.
http://news.rice.edu/2020/11/19/christm ... y-sight-2/
The Space thread
- mikechamp
- Hall Of Famer
- Posts: 10132
- Joined: April 17 06, 5:05 pm
- Location: Southwestern Illinois
Re: The Space thread
More planetary viewing news:
- GeddyWrox
- Caught you a delicious bass
- Posts: 12947
- Joined: April 20 06, 8:43 pm
- Location: Please use blue font for the sarcasm impaired.
Re: The Space thread
I sure hope it's clear here for this!!! WOW
-
- Perennial All-Star
- Posts: 5032
- Joined: June 15 06, 6:11 am
- Location: Minneapolis
Re: The Space thread
The Galactic Federation has contacted Earth
A former Israeli space security chief has sent eyebrows shooting heavenward by saying that earthlings have been in contact with extraterrestrials from a "galactic federation."
"The Unidentified Flying Objects have asked not to publish that they are here, humanity is not ready yet," Haim Eshed, former head of Israel's Defense Ministry's space directorate, told Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper. The interview in Hebrew ran on Friday, and gained traction after parts were published in English by the Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
A respected professor and retired general, Eshed said the aliens were equally curious about humanity and were seeking to understand "the fabric of the universe."
Eshed said cooperation agreements had been signed between species, including an "underground base in the depths of Mars" where there are American astronauts and alien representatives.
"There is an agreement between the U.S. government and the aliens. They signed a contract with us to do experiments here," he said.
Eshed added that President Donald Trump was aware of the extraterrestrials' existence and had been "on the verge of revealing" information but was asked not to in order to prevent "mass hysteria."
"They have been waiting until today for humanity to develop and reach a stage where we will understand, in general, what space and spaceships are," Eshed said, referring to the galactic federation.
The White House, Department of Defense and Israeli officials did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
- GeddyWrox
- Caught you a delicious bass
- Posts: 12947
- Joined: April 20 06, 8:43 pm
- Location: Please use blue font for the sarcasm impaired.
Re: The Space thread
Just waiting for that Warp Drive signature to show up on their monitors.
Someone get us Effram Cochrane! (I think that was the name in the prophecy)
Someone get us Effram Cochrane! (I think that was the name in the prophecy)
- redbirdjazzz
- Perennial All-Star
- Posts: 4952
- Joined: April 17 06, 10:50 am
- Location: Columbia, MO
Online
- obucard
- Perennial All-Star
- Posts: 8055
- Joined: April 18 06, 11:04 pm
- Location: Central AR
Re: The Space thread
This is the part I find dubious; Trump can't keep quiet about anything.Gashouse wrote: ↑December 8 20, 11:00 amThe Galactic Federation has contacted Earth
A former Israeli space security chief has sent eyebrows shooting heavenward by saying that earthlings have been in contact with extraterrestrials from a "galactic federation."
"The Unidentified Flying Objects have asked not to publish that they are here, humanity is not ready yet," Haim Eshed, former head of Israel's Defense Ministry's space directorate, told Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper. The interview in Hebrew ran on Friday, and gained traction after parts were published in English by the Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.
A respected professor and retired general, Eshed said the aliens were equally curious about humanity and were seeking to understand "the fabric of the universe."
Eshed said cooperation agreements had been signed between species, including an "underground base in the depths of Mars" where there are American astronauts and alien representatives.
"There is an agreement between the U.S. government and the aliens. They signed a contract with us to do experiments here," he said.
Eshed added that President Donald Trump was aware of the extraterrestrials' existence and had been "on the verge of revealing" information but was asked not to in order to prevent "mass hysteria."
"They have been waiting until today for humanity to develop and reach a stage where we will understand, in general, what space and spaceships are," Eshed said, referring to the galactic federation.
The White House, Department of Defense and Israeli officials did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
- GeddyWrox
- Caught you a delicious bass
- Posts: 12947
- Joined: April 20 06, 8:43 pm
- Location: Please use blue font for the sarcasm impaired.
Re: The Space thread
Nope, no joke, was just going from memory and incorrect. Too lazy to look it up. LOL
- redbirdjazzz
- Perennial All-Star
- Posts: 4952
- Joined: April 17 06, 10:50 am
- Location: Columbia, MO
Re: The Space thread
Fair enough. James Cromwell was pretty amazing in that role.GeddyWrox wrote: ↑December 8 20, 5:49 pmNope, no joke, was just going from memory and incorrect. Too lazy to look it up. LOL
- GeddyWrox
- Caught you a delicious bass
- Posts: 12947
- Joined: April 20 06, 8:43 pm
- Location: Please use blue font for the sarcasm impaired.
Re: The Space thread
Yeah, that movie was really enjoyable and he was great!redbirdjazzz wrote: ↑December 8 20, 9:01 pmFair enough. James Cromwell was pretty amazing in that role.GeddyWrox wrote: ↑December 8 20, 5:49 pmNope, no joke, was just going from memory and incorrect. Too lazy to look it up. LOL
- mikechamp
- Hall Of Famer
- Posts: 10132
- Joined: April 17 06, 5:05 pm
- Location: Southwestern Illinois
Re: The Space thread
The word choice by Musk (regarding the ending of this flight) is kind of funny. It helps it was an unmanned flight.
Elon Musk's Starship prototype makes a big impact
US entrepreneur Elon Musk has launched the latest prototype of his Starship vehicle from Texas. Codenamed SN8, the uncrewed rocket lifted away from the Boca Chica R&D facility on what had been billed as a brief flight to 12.5km (41,000ft).
The 50m-tall vehicle crashed on touchdown but Mr Musk was delighted with how much the test outing achieved. "Fuel header tank pressure was low during landing burn, causing touchdown velocity to be high & RUD," Mr Musk explained on Twitter. "RUD" stands for "rapid unscheduled disassembly". A crash, in other words.
Before the flight, the tech billionaire had dampened expectations, warning his fans that some mishap was likely.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55239628