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Post by jandl100 on May 26, 2017 21:25:27 GMT
More astronomy stuff. Have you guys seen the photos taken by the Juno probe satellite now orbiting the giant planet Jupiter? We're all familiar with the view of Jupiter as seen from the Earth. Atmospheric belts, Great Red Spot. Fabulous .... But those views are seeing Jupiter side on. The orbiting probe has gotten views of the top and bottom of the planet, and they are totally different and absolutely awesome!! .... Storm systems the size of our own planet. Mind boggling complexity. And utter beauty.
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Post by MartinT on May 27, 2017 10:53:52 GMT
Those storms are huge and right next to each other. Light spots, dark spots. It's all going to take some analysis to make sense of it.
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Post by jandl100 on May 28, 2017 9:17:46 GMT
The first time I saw a photo of Saturn's pole from the Cassini probe I was totally stunned - my first reaction was that it just had to be artificial, a construct. And the central vortex ...
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Post by MartinT on May 28, 2017 10:02:26 GMT
Amazing. I still love seeing photos of Miranda...
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Post by ChrisB on May 28, 2017 11:03:50 GMT
That hexagon shape is very surprising and rather fascinating.
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Post by jandl100 on May 28, 2017 18:54:42 GMT
Jupiter fly-by from the Juno probe. Just mind blowing.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 6, 2018 10:09:08 GMT
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 6, 2018 10:47:08 GMT
Yes, interesting! A free-roaming planet not orbiting a star. But going back to earlier this year, there was a discovery of planets in a galaxy far far away some 3.8 Billion light years away using gravitational lensing techniques. A very lucky and rare alignment of two galaxies at different distances. One jaw dropping conclusion from the observations was "Furthermore, the scientists said results suggest that in most galaxies, there are about 2,000 free-floating planets for every star. " I mean ... what?! ... wow! www.scientificamerican.com/article/did-we-just-find-exoplanets-in-another-galaxy/The universe just gets crazier the more we learn about it.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 6, 2018 11:22:56 GMT
there was a discovery of planets in a galaxy far far away some 3.8 Billion light years away Now seriously, I know we're good at this science lark but that just blows every circuit breaker in my brain. HOW DID THEY DISCOVER THAT???
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 6, 2018 11:43:14 GMT
Read the linked Scientific American article. --- basically, the galaxy between us and the far galaxy acted as a gravitational lens causing the light from the far galaxy to bend around it. This created 4 'images' of the far galaxy. And each image was subtlely different - and by far the best way to explain these differences is a multitude of free planets in that galaxy all contributing to initial gravitational distortions in the light. The best fit explanation, assuming 'typical' sized planets was for there being trillions of them.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 6, 2018 12:12:43 GMT
I did! I still can't comprehend it. 3.8 billion light years away.
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 6, 2018 12:19:25 GMT
Well, yes - it is quite a long way. But they used a whole intervening galaxy as a telescope. Does that help?
And they didn't 'see' the planets explicitly, just inferred their presence as by far the best explanation for the distorted images.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 6, 2018 12:50:46 GMT
I know, I know. I just <boggle> at the concept of such a distance.
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Post by jandl100 on Aug 6, 2018 13:13:49 GMT
3.8 billion light years. Pah, that's practically next door. Here's a photo of the most distant galaxy yet seen - 13.3 billion light years away.
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Post by MartinT on Aug 6, 2018 13:25:58 GMT
Well, yes - it is quite a long way. Pah, that's practically next door. You, sir, are a master of understatement. So, you travel at the speed of light (which you can't) and it takes 3.8 billion years to get there. The universe is too big!!
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Post by Slinger on Aug 6, 2018 13:45:09 GMT
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 7, 2018 5:41:56 GMT
So, it's safe to say that if you set out to go there, you wouldn't be back in time for your tea?
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Post by MartinT on Aug 7, 2018 5:48:44 GMT
I think 'tea' may have morphed into a life form and objected strongly.
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Post by ChrisB on Aug 7, 2018 5:54:56 GMT
Ha!
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Post by jandl100 on Oct 4, 2018 7:31:31 GMT
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