Image via Wikipedia

Asteroids are just the latest element to make predicting the weather difficult. Specifically there are two asteroids, Ceres and Vesta, which are large enough to wreak havoc in earth’s atmosphere. These giant asteroids are large enough to interact with the other planets in Earth’s solar system and in turn this affects the weather. It also makes predicting the weather difficult as shifts in these asteroids flight path may cause weather patterns to change.

In addition to changing weather patterns, asteroids could have a huge effect on the planet if absorbed improperly into Earth’s orbit. A worst case scenario involving an asteroid would entail a direct impact with the Earth. A giant asteroid could cause mass extinction shortly after contact with the planet; a problem much more serious than weather forecasts. The impact from an asteroid would likely cause either a cooling of the globe or an extreme heating of the world. In either case, many lives would likely be lost and there would be impending fallout after the first death toll.

In addition, there would be ground shocks and dust kicked into the atmosphere could make air difficult to breathe. There would also likely be mass fires and tremendous atmospheric pressure. Luckily, there is little fear from astronomers of a direct asteroid hit that would harm the planet. We will likely only be inconvenienced by inaccurate weather forecasts caused by the shifting of these two major asteroids and don’t need to fear an asteroid destroying the planet and life as we know it.

Image via Wikipedia

According to the International Astronomical Union (IAU), there are eight planets. These planets include Mercury, Venus, Mars, Neptune, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Earth. Are you wondering what happened to Pluto?

Pluto is considered a dwarf planet. There are five dwarf planets, including Ceres, Haumea, Makemake, Eris and Pluto. This was clarified in August 2006. These five planets were potentially going to be considered IAU planets, but the definition of a planet was clarified with a formal defined by the IAU.

The IAU determined that a planet must have three qualifications in order to be considered a planet in the Solar System. First, it must orbit around the sun. Secondly, it must be big enough to be gravitationally dominant in it’s own orbit, so that no other large bodies are in the “neighborhood.” Thirdly, the planet must be large enough to be round (or, at least, almost round). If the planet does not meet all three of these qualifications, it’s considered a dwarf planet.

Not everyone agrees with this classification, of course. Some say that not all of the planets have actually cleared their own neighborhoods, for example. Many astronomers refuse to follow the classification. Also, scientists like Mike Brown say there are actually lots and lots of “dwarf planets” out there, soon to be discovered.

Naturally, many people in the non-scientific community have had trouble letting go of Pluto as a planet. Remember grade school? Or, perhaps the 1930′s discovery. Also, when Eris was first discovered it was called the “tenth planet” which has lead to much media attention and some confusion. Still, at this point, there are officially nine planets.

Image via Wikipedia

NASA has done a lot for human civilization over the past 50 years or so. It has introduced us to a wide variety of materials, and taught our scientists some incredible things about the world we live, and the vast expanses beyond this world. However, they do face some difficulty in defending themselves, due to the anonymity and sometimes obscurity of the discoveries they make, along with their unpredictability. This is why they have recently found their funding reduced.

Needless to say, NASA conducts a lot of research in collaboration with scientists all over the world. We know more about our sky and the universe surrounding us than we ever have before. However, much of this knowledge is esoteric and known only to a few people. NASA has never been especially good at tooting its own horn over the discoveries it makes. Without much press coverage, it can be very challenging to launch an effective sales pitch, which in turn leads to lessened funding for their endeavors.

Simply put, NASA lacks a sales person who can put drama, heroism and immediacy into the work the organization does. If they had such an individual, it might be easier to keep their funding increasing and the public clamoring for more missions and more knowledge. Unfortunately, most people are so stuck on Earth, the notion of being able to learn anything of any use from space travel seems absurd. For a lot of people, teflon and its ilk just are not that important. However, the very nature of discovery means that through denying NASA, we could all be denying ourselves some really wonderful things.

2011 Priorities
The 2011 Budget broke out with four priorities, all which will support initiatives and research for out goals of manned asteroid and Mars missions. The priorities include building a heavy lift rocket, building a Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, focusing on researching space technologies, and supporting the International Space Station.
As we move forward with these priorities, it may not seem like we are getting very close to our extended goals. However, these priorities will establish a much needed base for the more difficult missions.
A heavy lift rocket will enable us to explore the more hazardous asteroid and Mars, while a Crew Vehicle will make exploration easier. Researching technologies and supporting the space station will also help us establish much-needed information about safe space travel.

Image via Wikipedia

A spacewalk, schedule for February 16, at 7:15 a.m. CST, is planned for Russian cosmonauts Dmitry Kondratyev and Oleg Skripochka. The flight engineers have been on the International Space Station for over a month as part of Expedition 26.
The spacewalk will be televised on NASA-TV, beginning at 6:45 a.m. CST, and will take place from the Russian Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station.
This newest installment of the expedition — the second spacewalk in four weeks (the first completed on January 21, 2011 — will last almost six hours. In that time period, the cosmonauts will complete numerous tasks during their extravehicular activity (EVA), including installing two experiments, retrieving part of one experiment, and deploying a radio satellite transmitter, each which are examined in more detail below.
Installing Two Experiments
First, the cosmonauts will install two experiments. One experiment will be used to collect information, which can then be used in predicting earthquakes and forecasting seismic activity. The other experiment will examine lightning and thunderstorms in space, and will give scientists invaluable information about gamma splashes and optical radiation.
Retrieving an Experiment
Next, the Russian astronauts will retrieve an experiment: the pair of panels placed on the space station to test materials to be used in future spacecrafts. The panels should identify the best long-duration spacecraft building materials.
Deploying the Radio
Finally, the cosmonauts will deploy a ham radio transmitter. The nanosatellite will be used to transmit educational and congratulatory messages about the first human space launch. This educational satellite will mark the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s launch 50 years ago and is being presented by RAC-Energia, the Amatuer Radio on the International Space Station working group, Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. and the NASA Office of Educational International Space Station National Lab Project
The satellite will transmit the educational messages for three to six months, enabling ham radio operators a chance to connect with space and time.

Mark Kelly as Commander

After the tragedy of the Tucson, AZ, shooting, Mark Kelly has been featured in many news stories. As the husband of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), Kelly has stood by his wife’s side following the shooting, seeing her through ICU and a transfer to a care facility.

Although Kelly’s flight has been planned for years, the tragic events of the January 8, 2011, attack made Kelly’s attendance uncertain. Giffords’ critical condition challenged the commander’s desire to lead the mission — until Giffords’ recovery took a turn for the better.

Now, Kelly will be leading the mission, joined by a crew of Pilot Gregory H. Johnson and Mission Specialists Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and Roberto Vittori.

Endeavour to Retire

Additionally, the Endeavour is scheduled to retire after this mission. The shuttle has served the country well: Since its first flight in 1992, the Endeavour has flown in the first three-person spacewalk satellite rescue/repair, has been part in an unprecedented lengthy spacewalk (eight hours), and housed the Protein Crystal Growth experiment.

The space shuttle was also the first of many to incorporate new hardware designs, including the installation of an external airlock that made docking to the space station possible. Improvements also included a 40-foot-diameter drag chute, better Auxiliary Power Units, and a reduced payload.

The Endeavour’s last mission will prove to be intriguing, since the AMS Experiment scheduled to unfold will allow researchers insight and information into the workings of the universe. When Mark Kelly leads his team and the Endeavour into space, scientists may even discover the origin of the universe.

Like stars, meteors are best observed on a clear, dark night without any interfering light. Try to find a flat area to lie down on, such as a field. Sitting up will probably hurt your neck, especially since you could spend a long time waiting for the meteor shower to actually happen. You can use binoculars or a telescope if you prefer, but you would likely miss some of the meteor shower. The beauty of a meteor shower is in the total effect, and zooming in on one area will cause you to miss the bigger picture. Using a sky map can help you determine where the meteor shower will be coming from and what direction it will travel in.

Meteor showers happen throughout the year. In early January, Quadrantids occurs. Typically, the main dates are in the first four days of January. There is a three month break, and then Lyrids is visible in late April. Then there is a full summer of meteor showers! In early May, Eta Aquarids has its peak days. Lyrids, the same one as in April, has another peak period in the middle of June. Delta Aquarids can be seen in late July, and Capricornids is visible immediately afterwards.  Summer meteor showers wrap up with Perseids, which can be seen in mid-August. Draconids and Orionids are visible in early and late October. The year ends with Leonids in November and Geminids in the middle of December.

If you’re an avid stargazer, try watching a meteor shower for a change of pace. They are time-sensitive, so look at all the showers that occur throughout the year and try to catch one of them.

Since children learn so well with concrete examples, let them do as much as they can to physically see and manipulate astronomical concepts. A trip to a stargazing area is a good way of accomplishing this. Many museums also have astronomy exhibits with different things from space that you can touch; such an exhibit would be great for children, because it gives them a clear visual image of what you are teaching them.

When you are dealing with abstract concepts or ideas, try to tie it into their real life as much as possible. While talking about light-years and other huge units of measurement, don’t talk about how many times a certain distance stretches around Earth; talk about it in terms that kids understand. Although breaking the distance down to trips across the country or world may seem silly, they will understand that much better than any explanation that uses an abstract concept to teach an abstract concept.

Teach kids about NASA and other careers in space. Space may not be interesting to them until they can grasp the concept, but seeing people who go to space and explore it for a living can trigger a deeper interest within children.

Teaching astronomy is not always easy. However, by incorporating games, books, and children’s real lives, it quickly becomes a manageable topic. You can even make it interesting enough that they are begging to learn more.

If you know an experienced stargazer, ask them for help identifying stars. Once you know how to look for one star and use it to find the rest of the constellation, you can just use a star map. Until then, you may need a little bit of help. A green laser pointer is a good solution; while red laser pointers disappear amongst the night sky, the beam from a green laser pointer will show up on the night sky. Ask a close stargazing friend to use the laser pointer to show you different stars and constellations.

For those who are willing to spend a little bit more to get a great stargazing education, handheld star finding devices can educate a new amateur astronomer. The two most popular handheld star locators are Sky Scout by Celestron and MySky by Meade. These small devices have GPS technology in them; the technology uses the stargazer’s location to determine what stars and constellations are in their viewable area of the sky. You can compare what the handheld is showing you to the stars you see; a few tries with it and you will be able to pick out constellations easily. These devices are equally useful when you are traveling and stargazing. Going to new places means that you may see unfamiliar stars, and these devices can help you find them.

While both of these pieces of technology seem like large investments, they are great tools for people who want to learn how to identify constellations.

Most telescopes available for hobbyist use and purchase are small or mid-size, so you have to be careful about where you go to look. Light pollution is a serious problem for stargazers and you definitely want to avoid it; it refers to the light left over from city lights, streetlights, and even a moon that’s too bright. Ideally, you should go out on a night when the moon is just a sliver, preparing to start or end a new moon cycle.

Bring some additional equipment with you to stargaze. Star charts are an invaluable tool for finding constellations, naming stars, and learning something from your experience. You can’t enjoy the stars if you are uncomfortable, so be sure to bring blankets and sweatshirts in case the temperature drops too far. If you want to keep track of your stargazing progress, bring log sheets and something to write with. You can keep track of the stars and constellations you find, which is a good way to observe your growth as an amateur astronomer.

Set your equipment up early and be prepared. You do not want to be fumbling at the last minute for your telescope! This is especially true if you need to read the instructions; figure out ahead of time how to set the telescope up so you don’t waste any valuable time.

Stargazing with your own telescope is a very rewarding endeavor. As long as you prepare correctly and use your telescope properly, you will have lots of fun.

First, make sure that you are done with everything you need to do for the night. If the kids are awake, put them to bed. Nothing ruins a relaxing night more than having to interrupt your stargazing to take care of kids’ requests.

Since the majority of cities and suburbs have bright streetlights fairly close together, stargazing in your front yard is not a good idea; your view of the stars will be obstructed by pollution light. Instead, take a blanket or lawn chair to your backyard and stretch out.

Try to minimize extra lights from your house and your neighbors’ homes. If you have security lights on the back of your house, turn them off. If you don’t, you are going to get a bright light in your face every time you move. Hopefully, the neighbors don’t leave their lights on. If they do have lights on and they are distracting, move your chair to a location where the fence blocks the view of the neighbors’ homes.

Lastly, treat the stargazing experience just like you would if you had made a trip out for it. Stay quiet and enjoy the night. Just because you are at home does not mean you need to be accessible, so turn the phone off and head on outside.

These tips can help you change a boring night into a fun night full of stargazing. Just take every step you can to make your backyard a quiet, dark, and relaxing place and you’ll be on your way to relaxation.

Suburban parks are often a great place for stargazing. They are not as lit as city parks, so it’s possible to see the sky without interference. Suburban parks are also very quiet; since they are surrounded by homes and not businesses, they are a great place to have a quiet night of stargazing.

National parks and wilderness reserves are another good stargazing location. National parks are often required to have few lights, since too much lighting can disturb the animals and ruin their simulated habitat. The only downside is that these parks may often close before it’s dark, preventing any stargazing. There are those that allow visitors in at night, and it’s one of the most peaceful places for stargazing.

Deserts, while not easily accessible for most of the population, are the perfect spot for stargazing. They are flat, free of pollution light from streetlights or light-up signs, and very quiet. If you stargaze in the desert, you’ll have a clear, unobstructed view of the sky.

Islands are also good stargazing locations. Hawaii has a dedicated area just for stargazing. In that area, there are no lights and the view of the sky is completely uninterrupted.

Even if you live in the city, there are obviously lots of places you can go to get away from it all and enjoy the night sky. Bring a blanket, a good friend, and try one of these locations next time you want to go stargazing. You’ll feel more relaxed immediately.

Pluto is the most recently discovered planet in the solar system. In 1930, Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto. It did not come as much of a surprise; for many years prior, scientists referred to a mystery “Planet X” that they believed would turn up.

Pluto and its moons are located in the Kuiper Belt. It was previously believed that Pluto was the only planet in that area, and the moons simply orbited it. However, the belief is now that Pluto and its moons are several of many astronomical objects floating around in the Kuiper Belt.

The International Astronomical Union has several criteria in place for determining whether a body is a planet. The first requirement is that the object orbits around the sun. Pluto does this. The second requirement is that the object has substantial gravity for turning into a sphere. The third requirement is what trips Pluto up. In order to be a planet, the body must have cleared the area of its orbit.

To do so, the planets must become the main gravity body in their particular orbit around the solar system. Upon encountering other objects, they either absorb them or throw them far away due to the gravitational pull. However, Pluto does not have enough mass to be the main gravitational body in its orbit. As a result of this finding, Pluto was downgraded from a planet to a dwarf planet. Eventually, Pluto may collide with another celestial object and gain enough mass to become a planet.

In medieval times, the Bible was read and interpreted literally. Although the Bible made note of God creating heaven and Earth, there’s no mention of any of the other planets. Ancient astronomers noted that other planets certainly existed, since they were visible both with the naked eye and with rudimentary astronomy tools.

However, that is where they diverged from previous classical thought. The Catholic Church abandoned the astronomical findings of ancient scientists, findings that are still true today. They were remarkably advanced for their time, so it’s very unfortunate that they were so easily dismissed. The Catholic Church moved forward in astronomy by declaring that since man was created in God’s image, man was clearly the center of the Earth. Rather than the Earth revolving around the sun, which is what we now know to be true, they claimed that everything revolved around the Earth.

Although Christianity did significant damage to the growth of astronomy during the Dark Ages, Islamic astronomers continued to make great strides during this time. They based their work off of Greek and Roman astronomy findings, and they continued to perfect them. Additionally, they took European findings and refined them. These findings eventually advanced European astronomy again.

As Europe entered the Renaissance, the veil of the Dark Ages was lifted from the continent. Once again, astronomy began making massive strides. As the power of the church dissipated, people became curious about astronomy and made their own findings. It is the findings from the Renaissance that created part of the base of what we now know about astronomy.

90% of the mass of the Milky Way lies in a dark matter halo that it has. The halo of dark matter can’t be seen by the human eye, so the beauty of the Milky Way that we are able to see is really less than 10% of the entire galaxy. It is a fairly formidable galaxy; it’s considered a middleweight, so while it is far from being the largest known galaxy it’s also pretty large. Scientists estimate that the Milky Way has 200 billion stars. At any given point, about 2,500 stars are visible from any given point on the Earth.

The Milky Way didn’t get to be a middleweight by chance. Rather, the Milky Way is constantly expanding because it is absorbing other galaxies. Far back in the galaxy’s history, it took in the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy. Even now, the Milky Way is in the process of consuming the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy. It is still technically its own galaxy, although it is the closest one to the Milky Way. This is due to the Milky Way taking Canis Major Dwarf’s stars. Since it is almost 14 billion years old, the Milky Way has consumed many galaxies.

One of the most exciting parts of astronomy is the constant change; our galaxy is a perfect example of the unstable nature of space.

To start, binoculars are more lightweight and portable than telescopes. Even lightweight telescopes can be a heavy strain after a while, but it is rare to find a pair of binoculars that are heavy enough to be noticeable. This makes them a particularly good alternative for nights when you may be traveling between several different stargazing locations.

Binoculars also tend to be much more affordable than telescopes. A beginner’s pair of binoculars is very inexpensive, typically less than $100. However, finding a telescope that is worth toting around can cost several hundred dollars. If you aren’t sure whether or not you want to take up astronomy as a serious hobby, trying it out with an inexpensive set of binoculars is much more cost-effective than trying it out with a telescope.

However, there are also advantages to using a telescope for astronomy. Telescopes are known for their magnification levels. While binoculars can zoom in quite a bit, it doesn’t even compare to what a telescope can do. Binoculars that are made for astronomy use tend to have 20x zoom; however, telescopes may have more than 100x magnification.

Telescopes are also more flexible for stargazing. Although they are known for having high magnification levels, they can also be used with lower magnification lenses. It’s much easier to get a telescope with several different lenses than it is to find a pair of binoculars that has all the varying magnification levels you need for stargazing.

Clearly, there are benefits to both options for stargazing tools. Both are excellent choices; the right choice depends entirely on your preferences, budget, and long-term astronomy goals.

Some people think that when they are buying a telescope, the only thing to worry about it the zoom. However, there a lot of factors to look at when considering the features of a telescope. Aperture is one of the main factors to take into consideration. Aperture refers to the diameter of the telescope. Therefore, when the aperture is larger, more light can be seen. When you focus, the focal length is important as well. It is the length of refracted light.

Another thing to consider when looking at aperture is the usage of the telescope. A larger aperture usually means that the telescope is heavier; if you plan on taking long hikes out to different fields and areas to look at stars, you probably don’t want something that is very heavy. Although a smaller aperture doesn’t let you see as much, you can take it many more places. Finding a good compromise between aperture size and telescope weight can help you get the views you want without breaking your back.

Since focal length and aperture are related, you should also factor focal length into your decision. If your telescope has a short focal length, it will tend to give you brighter images. That’s good for stars and smaller objects, but it’s not good for planets. Looking at planets with a short focal length leads to poor images. Longer focal lengths lead to a dimmer image that is better for viewing large celestial bodies.

When you go to pick out your telescope, remember to look at aperture and focal length over magnification. Using those criteria will help you get the best telescope for your needs.

There are twelve main constellations that can be seen during the winter months. Several of these are constellations that have the same name as signs of the zodiac. Cancer is a small constellation that corresponds with the zodiac sign. It is primarily known as a zodiac constellation, but also means “crab”. It appears as a beautiful cluster of stars to the naked eye. Gemini, known as “the Twins”, is situated on the Milky Way. It depicts twin brothers with their arms around each other.

Other constellations are named after animals. Canis Major, known as the big dog or the great dog, is another important winter constellation. It’s easy to see the shape of a dog in the stars that create it. Canis Minor is similar to Canis Major; it means “little dog” and it is fairly close to Canis Major in the sky. Leo and Leo minor are lion constellations. Leo, like Cancer, is in the unique position of being both an animal constellation and a zodiac constellation. Lynx is a smaller constellation that isn’t as noticeable in the night sky. Hydra is the Water Monster, and it depicts a gigantic water snake in the sky.

Hydra has several companion constellations that are near it. Crater, Corvus, and the Sextans constellations all appear as if they are riding on Hydra’s back. They are all considered attendant constellations of Hydra. Looking for all of these constellations can make for a fun and romantic night of stargazing.

I’ve often found that I get great deals by searching a website’s discount and clearance sections. Even most well known clothing companies have clearance pages where they sell their designs at prices far below retail. Just check out the websites of J Crew, Banana Republic, Dereon, and Gap. They all have clearance sections. Rather than going to the store and picking through a single rack of clearance items, you get to choose from a wider range from all over the country.

This season you should also look for shipping deals. Many retailers have eliminated delivery fees for the holiday season. This entices consumers to purchase items through the website rather than crowding the store. When it comes down to it, retailers don’t care where the point of purchase takes place. They just want to make sure that you choose them. Eliminating shipping and handling fees is a real boon for the stores and consumers.

Finally, be sure to check coupon websites for instant savings. Search engines such as Google and Yahoo! make it really easy to find coupons that can save you as much as 40 percent off certain purchases. That can add up quickly when you’re buying gifts for the whole family.

You don’t have to feel like a scrooge this holiday season just because you have tightened your belt a little bit. Spend a little extra time searching for those deals online and you’ll be able to have a great holiday without suffering from a case of buyer’s remorse in the new year.

How did the study of Astronomy begin? Ironically enough, it began all the way back to the Neanderthals, as it took the form of idolatry. They would worship the sun, or the moon, or the stars. Later on in human history the idol worship continued, but people began to see a pattern that they found interesting, and hoped to make it work for their benefit. This began with the Ancient Sumerians, even before the Egyptians. They had developed a calender so detailed, that the current calendar we use barely deviates from the one they created.
The Egyptians, and ancient indigenous people also realized the power of the knowledge of Astronomy, and hoped to harness it through their construction, worship, and sacrifices. They aligned their temples of worship and burial temples under the strongest constellation that they could recognize, in hopes to achieve higher power, or eternal life. The constellation of choice for the Egyptians was the Ursa Major, or the Big Dipper. They believed that this constellation joined the primary brothers of the Pharaoh together in eternity, and that their legacy would never end. Essentially, they believed that this constellation would bring them immortality.
Other civilizations looked to the heavens for returning god’s. The Inca’s believed that Manco Capac, would protect the great city of Cuzco, and therefore bring the city eternal blessings.
Today we look to the heavens for meaning of life, a deeper understanding of how humanity began, and of course, is there other life on other planets, or in other galaxies aside from our own. While I focus has shifted to science, and a deeper understanding of our existence, it seems apparent that we still worship in some capacity. We respect our planet, and the surrounding stars and moons, but we are still in complete awe of what they are, how this planetary machine works.

Have you ever wanted to learn more about the star system? Have you wanted to see the craters in the moon up close? So close, in fact, you could detect mountain ranges? Many people have this desire, but they don’t always have the funds to buy observation equipment powerful enough to do so.

Where can you go to fulfill your stargazing desire if you don’t live near a major astronomy research facility that allows the public the opportunity to attend hosted events? Well, you might consider finding a local astronomy club. You can find astronomy clubs in rural communities, suburbs, and even cities.

The types of programs the clubs offer vary, depending on the location of the club, the size or the club, and the members of the club. Some groups host more events than others do, and the public can usually attend these events without having to join the clubs.

Take the North Halton Astronomy Club, for example. It recently hosted an event for the public, and two of the group’s members walked first-time stargazers through the process. The newcomers were able to see the moon with enough definition to make out the mountain ranges. As an added bonus, the group was able to focus in on Jupiter and see the red spot up close.

In addition to letting guests use their personal equipment, the club also offered demonstrations on comments and provided information about astronomy. Astronomy clubs all over the world offer similar opportunities. Many people can take advantage of working with individuals who have a better understanding of the night sky. After all, a newcomer may have trouble identifying what they are seeing through the scope.

If you are interested in taking your fascination with space to a new level but you want to keep your costs under control, consider finding a local group.

In an article recently published in the journal of Astronomy & Astrophysics, a German research team of astronomers reported finding a double star with two planets. The formation may indicate that the group has survived major changes in the solar system.

Led by Klaus Euermann, a researcher with the Georg-August-Universitat in Germany, the team reported two planets, about the size of Jupiter, orbiting the double star. The group found the double star and its planets in the NN Serpentis solar system, which is an estimated 1,670 light years away from Earth. The discovery was the result of analyzing information collected between 1988 and 2010.

Part of the date for the analysis came from the University of Texas at Austin, which has a telescope equipped to capture images. Don Winget is the main astronomer who operated the telescope during the time it collected the data.

Earth’s location along the same plane in the binary star system allows astronomical equipment to capture an eclipse of the double star group every 3 hours and 7 minutes. The eclipse occurs when the large star blocks the light of the other star. The eclipses allowed the astronomers to detect changes in the double star group based on the timings of the eclipses.

Out of the two planets, one is almost 6 times as large as Jupiter. It circles the double star, also called a binary star, on schedule of one rotation every 15.5 years based on six Astronomical Units. The other planet is smaller, weighing in at only 1.6 times the size of Jupiter, and it completes its rotation in a little under eight years.

In the grand scheme of things, the new discovery won’t help astronomers in the search for hospitable plants; however, it will allow researchers to learn more about red dwarfs and white dwarfs.
.

As scientists and other researchers continue to build bigger and better technological advances for space exploration, the current race among universities and other astronomical associations is to locate Earth-like planets. While these planets don’t need to have continents, mountains, or other things you may associate with Earth, they do need to have an atmosphere that can support life. The new research tools are continuing to expand the range of exploration, leading to the possibility that an Earth-like planet is just around the proverbial corner.

While it certainly sounds fun to be at the forefront of space exploration, devoting time and resources to finding Earth-like planets takes funding. For one university, a new grant will take care of that need, allowing researchers to focus on finding proof of another habitable planet. The Dharma Endowment Foundation of Alachua recently donated $500,000 to the University of Florida in order to help the university further the knowledge of the universe. The grant also supports the search for extra solar planets that could harbor life.

Jian Ge is the lead astronomer with the university and the main recipient of the grant. He hopes to find an Earth-like planet near bright stars. Ge will be able to use the grant to build the third high precision Exoplanet Tracker and form a network for research. The university hopes to have seven instruments to use in its exploration. The instruments will scan the sky on a 24-hour basis rather than waiting until nightfall.

The Exoplanet Tracker will use technology developed over several years and will incorporate the Doppler technique. Researchers have used the Doppler technique to find over 80 percent of the discovered planets. The technology may make it easier to detect exoplanets with less mass.

Using the funds from the grant, the university expects to have the network completed by 2014. The university will continue to raise funds to try to complete the network sooner.

Despite the advances in astronomical tools, such as new high-powered telescopes like the Spitzer and Mars space rovers, the red planet still holds mysteries for researchers. From previous study, astronomers and astrophysicists can tell that Mars once had oceans. But, one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the planet is the disappearance of the water.

Even though NASA’s Mars Exploration Rover Spirit is stuck in action, the device is still transmitting valuable data. It appears to have found proof that water did seep underground from the planet’s surface. The European Space Agency’s Mars Express probe discovered the first evidence of ice/water on Mars. Later, NASA confirmed the discovery with its Phoenix lander and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Using the new information from Spirit, researchers hypothesize that the water turned into ice, which then melted. At that point in time, the dirt may have absorbed the melting water. Ironically enough, the new information may be a result of Spirit’s unfortunate condition. The rover has been stuck in a sand trap. The machine’s wheels continue to churn in the sand, digging the machine deeper into the Martian dirt. This process has actually allowed the rover to expose layers of dirt.

Just as geologists and other scientists can tell much about Earth’s history from its dirt layers, researchers may be able to use the date from these newly uncovered layers to learn more about the red giant. For example, it looks like the layers have different mineral compositions. One layer has silica, while another has hematite and gypsum. Layers with ferric sulphates show at deeper levels.

The major changes to Mar’s surface may relate to the lack of a moon. Without something to help stabilize the rotation, the planet tends to tilt. These tilts may in fact cause major elemental changes in the planet’s conditions. As astronomical and space exploration tools continue to develop, many hold out hope that the mystery of Mar’s water may one day have an answer.

Recently, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, also known as the JPL, said it has been able to use NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope to discover a large amount of buckyballs in space. Buckyballs are clouds formed when dying stars release, or shed, material. Buckyballs shaped like soccer balls and have a molecular structure of 60 carbon atoms linked together. The name comes from architect Buckminster Fuller, whose designs include geodesic domes. Some researchers call Buckyballs by the more scientific-sounding name fullerences.

Researchers discovered buckyballs in 1985, but it took until July 2009 to confirm the existence of buckyballs using the advanced astronomical tool Spitzer. When scientists came across the first group, they were unable to determine whether the buckyballs would be rare or more common, as more research comes in from the latest batch of NASA space telescopes.

This last group of buckyballs is floating between three stars, similar to the sun, that are dying. The planetary nebulae is in the Milky Way galaxy. The Spitzer also detected a batch of buckyballs near a fourth dying star in the Small Magellanic Cloud, which is a nearby galaxy. Researchers called the amount staggering. To be a quantitative measurement to that, JPL reported the mass to be equal to about 15 of Earth’s moons.

Based on these findings, researchers, like Letizia Stanghellini with Tucson’s National Optical Astronomy Observatory, are leaning toward the idea that buckyballs will be more common than originally expected. As Spitzer continues to reveal more collections of buckyballs, researchers will begin to study them to determine more information about these molecular collection.

Some hypothesize that buckyballs may be seeds for life. This theory uses the concept that buckyballs are in pockets high in hydrogen. Even the presence of hydrogen is different from previous hypotheses. With new tools and a better understanding of buckyballs, researchers may learn more about the universe.

Have you ever laid out in field and looked up at the stars and night, wanting to learn more about the solar system and the stars twinkling above? At some point in time, almost every person has done this or will do this. Many people take this fascination to the next level by purchasing a home telescope, which allows them to get a better view. The idea of appreciating the stars in such a way is the principal behind sidewalk astronomy, and Halloween is a great time of year for it.

In most places, kids will stay up past dark to go trick-or-treating, making it a perfect time to extend the nighttime hours long enough to look at some stars. To help make sure you can show your kids something cool, consult the seasonal night sky map, which will give you several things to look for while you’re enjoying your time as an astronomer. Possible things to look for through the telescope include Jupiter, the moon, and the Owl Cluster in Cassiopeia, which is perfect for Halloween.

Some people may even want to set up a telescope near the candy station and allow kids to take a peek as they come around to collect goodies. If you want to get a better view than the sidewalk affords, check with local astronomy clubs to see what local spots they recommend for stargazing. As a general rule, the further you are away from the lights of a city, the easier it will be to see the stars clearly through your telescope.

Also, keep an eye on the weather. Certain conditions, such as a cloudy sky, will affect your ability to see the stars. Of course, if the weather is good enough to go door to door with the kids, it should be good enough to watch some stars.

From the moment man took an interest in the stars, people have wondered what else space might hold. Is there another planet capable of sustaining human life? With new developments in astronomical tools, NASA and other space researchers are learning more now than they ever had.

That’s why Greg Laughlin, an astrophysics and astronomy professor with UC Santa Cruz, will be hosting a free public lecture on November 17. The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. at Santa Cruz’s Rio Theater, and the topic will be “The Search for Other Earths.”

The lecture is free to the public as part of the Halliday Lecture Series, which uses donor gifts to the UCSC astronomy and astrophysics department to fund public awareness events, such as Laughlin’s lecture. The professor is a recognized expert in detecting extrasolar planets. He has degrees in physics and astronomy.

In his lecture, Laughlin will present information regarding UCSC’s research to find planet with conditions like Earth’s. Many believe these habitable planets may be as close as the nearest neighbors to the sun. Researchers are using new tools, such as NASA’s Kepler space telescope and the Automated Planet Finder Telescope to learn more about these Earth-like planets. These tools are producing more data than researchers have been able to collect in a decade-long period.

Laughlin’s own research projects include studying orbital dynamics, modeling hydrodynamics and atmospheres, observing the search for plants using the newer tools, and using the latest photometric transit techniques.

In addition to teaching, Laughlin maintains a Systemic blog, where he updates the public on the latest developments in astronomy and astrophysics. Laughlin co-authored “Five Ages of the Universe: Inside the Physics of Eternity,” which is a book investigating the long-term fate of the universe, the galaxy, the Earth, and the solar system.

Those who can’t attend this lecture can check the Halliday schedule for the next free lecture.

At a recent visit to Toronto, the Dalai Lama helped celebrate the opening of a new Tibetan cultural centre. More than 15,000 individuals joined him in the celebration. During his stay, the Dalia Lama answered questions from reports, and one answer in particular has set the world a buzz.

When asked whether the next Dalai Lama could be a female, the current one responded that he didn’t see why not. From his point of view, a female Dalai Lama could offer two benefits. The first one would be a woman’s ability to be sensitive. Many believe that a woman is biologically engineered to be more tender than a man, which could be a good asset. The second benefit brought a round of laughter from everyone at the meeting: a female Dalai Lama would be more attractive than him.

All kidding aside, the spiritual leader for the Tibetan faith reminded the crowd that the point of reincarnation is to serve Buddha, regardless of the sex of the servant. He also pointed out that he won’t live forever and is looking forward to retirement. At the age of 75, the Dalai Lama certainly has a right to retirement in human terms.

During the press conference, the spiritual leader also compared himself to the other 14 men who have held the title. He claims to be the most popular one and believes he falls somewhere between the best and worst Dalai Lamas.

Another topic broached was the human approach to peace. In his lifetime, the Dalai Lama lost his freedom and his country before finding the power of conversation. As everyone should know, peace will not fall from the sky, so people must take steps to create a better world. Conversation allows for dialogue, which can bring a measure of peace to two fighting groups.

At the end of the conference, the Dalai Lama showed just how far a sense of humor and the power of words can go.

According to Steve Kawaler, who works as a physics and astronomy professor at Iowa State University, NASA’s Kepler spacecraft is changing the study of stars. The main reason for this is the quality and the quantity of information the discovery machine is reporting.

The Kepler is part of the Kepler Space Mission that launched in March 2009. The spacecraft orbits the sun and reports the data back to researchers. The data comes from a variety of observation instruments, including a telescope and a photometer. The photometer measures the change in brightness for a star. The telescope connects to a 95 megapixel camera.

As the Kepler orbits, it keeps the tools trained on a specific part of the Milky Way, the Cygnus-Lyra region. Researchers working with the Kepler Asteroseismic Investigation hope to use the information sent from the spacecraft to discover new planets with a similar atmosphere to earth. These planets, if discovered, may be able to sustain life.

The project’s research team has four committee members: Ron Gilliland, Hans Kjeldsen, and Jorgen Christensen-Dalsgaard who join Kawaler. To put the scope of the project into perspective, Kawaler reports the Kepler has returned as much information in one year as other projects would take 300 years to deliver. So far, the studies have resulted in eight papers.

NASA expects the Kepler to orbit earth until at least 2013. During that time, it should record over 17,000 stars. The current data already indicates a variety of stars in the galaxy from white dwarfs to binary star systems to subdwarf B stars. The light variance detected by the Kepler helps demonstrate Einstein’s Special Theory of Relativity, which is another analytical tools the research team is using.

With all the information provided by the Kepler, the research teams hope to learn more about our galaxy, specifically the sun.

Astronomy is something that people like to do once in a while or all the while. When you see stars, not when you bump into something, but when you look up, you need a pair of good binoculars to support your view.

Binoculars that are only dedicated to be used for astronomical purposes are used. Whether you are serious about star-gazing or planet gazing as a career, or want to do it only for recreation, then good binoculars will help.
There are plenty of binoculars to choose. So it becomes kind of hard to choose between the best and latest. You should understand how binoculars work, and which ones are best suited for astronomy. It helps to initially understand the workings of a binocular before even venturing out to buy one.

Binoculars have a simple concept: A pair of telescopic lens that have the power to see far-away places. At the far end, there is a large lens which is called the objective lens. The main seeing lens are called ocular lens. A prism is attached to the binocular. The prism reflects light, and is triangular in structure. By getting the light path to bend, it makes sure that the binocular does not have to be as long as the telescope. Apart from that it gives the images a steady appearance, with the right dimensions. Different prisms have different light bending mechanisms. It all depends on the type of astronomical observation being done.

The ratio of the lens size is also important. The objective lens size will have a magnifying ratio. The size of the objective lens is proportional to the magnifying power of the binocular. In astronomy, different sizes of lens are used. And different binoculars are used. It all boils down to what is needed for your interests in astronomy. Like any other field, even astronomy is a learning process. Gradually you will also learn to understand things that are required for astronomy.

A person with a journalism or English degree can be just as useful to astronomy as an astronomy or physics degree. Doing the actual science is vital to astronomy, obviously, but so is the dissemination of the information and conclusions drawn from the research.

Many people without official astronomy training have made contributions through the written word. Robert Burnham’s three-volume “Burnham’s Celestial Handbook” is recognized as one of the most comprehensive astronomy guides ever created. In 2,138 pages, Burnham included a multitude of charts, photographic plates, diagrams and tables, as well as the history and easy-to-understand explanations of the different concepts in the book. “Burnhams’s Celestial Handbook” taught amateur astronomers just about everything they needed to know to study the objects in the sky. Even more impressive, Burnham did not receive any formal schooling past high school.

Walter Scott Houston earned an English degree from the University of Wisconsin. He combined his diploma with this boyhood hobby of astronomy to write the “Deep-Sky Wonders” column for Sky and Telescope magazine. Houston contributed these articles for 50 years. It inspired many amateurs to go beyond the typical stars, moon and planets, and instead observe galaxies, nebulae and star clusters. In addition to his columns in Sky and Telescope, Houston wrote and published The Great Plains Observer, a regional newsletter for amateur astronomers.

Like Houston, Robert Cox wrote an article for Sky and Telescope magazine. His column, “Gleanings for ATMs,” (Amateur Telescope Makers), ran for 21 years. His aim was to not only get amateurs to make telescopes, but to help them design and create high-quality telescopes that provided good images of the heavens.

Although Burnham, Houston and Cox became fascinated with astronomy when they were boys, they were still amateurs. Their main contribution was furthering the interest in the science communicating with the public through the written word.

It is a well-known fact that it is harder to practice astronomy in a big city. The millions of lights make the it almost impossible to view and study the night sky. Increased technology has been both a boon and a bane to astronomers. Technological advances have increased the ability of equipment, but it has likewise increased the size and brightness of non-rural areas. Usually, an astronomer can’t just go out on his porch and study the celestial objects above him.

The effect created by the lights of populated areas is called skyglow. To prevent this glow from hindering astronomy, the surroundings of most observatories are controlled in an attempt to prevent light pollution from eliminating the crucial contrast in the night sky.

Light pollution harms more than just the observational astronomy prospects of both amateurs and professionals. It can also be a danger to the health of humans and detrimental to the environment.

Too much light, called over-illumination, can cause headaches, fatigue, high blood pressure and increased stress in humans, as well as effect their mood and attention to detail. Being over-exposed to light in the night time can hold back melatonin production, thereby increasing the risk of breast cancer in women.

Excessive lighting creates a clutter that makes driving a car less safe. It has a tendency to blind drives for a moment. It usually lasts only a small amount of time, but it is enough time to cause an accident with another vehicle or put the lives of cyclists and pedestrians in danger.

Light pollution wastes massive amounts of energy. It is believed that over-illumination uses up over 2 million barrels of oil per day. It also affects the natural instincts of animals and plants.

If you’ve ever seen a shooting star, it’s most likely actually a comet or even an asteroid. Not many people understand what comets are, or even know much about them at all. There are some interesting facts about comets. Because of how a comet looks, the word comet actually comes originally from the word for hair in Greek. Comets are composed of rocky debris, ice, and dust. It’s believed that most comets come from some of the farthest areas of our solar system. In fact, they are so far out that even the orbit of Pluto doesn’t reach them. They are still in our solar system, though.

There is a chance that at some point in our futures a comet could hit earth and cause major destruction, but you are much more likely to win at your favorite sports betting sites than die from a comet crashing into the planet.

It was once believed that comets were a show of power from the gods. They were also seen by many as a curse, or a warning that something bad was about to happen. Others believe that a comet is the device which angels are carried through heaven.

You may see Halley’s comet again in your life, depending on your current age. It only comes around every 76 years. The next time it is estimated to come near our planet again is in the year 2061. There is at least a few meteor showers every year. In fact, the Perseid shower happens in August of each year.

Comets have been seen throughout recorded history. Some people have revered them, while others were terrified. We know today what comets are, and can track them through the skies. The orbits of comets are similar to earth’s orbit; an egg shape. Usually, these flying bits of rock and ice have a much, much larger orbit than earth.

Movie watchers tend to get so distracted at the beginning of “Back to the Future II” that they don’t grasp the most important aspect of the film: Grays Sports Almanac. They instead discuss hoverboards and how they haven’t yet been invented. The hoverboard conversation goes nowhere new. It starts with someone sarcastically reminding an acquaintance that hoverboards still haven’t been invented. The other member of the conversation expresses disappointment, and adds that having a hoverboard would be so awesome.

Meanwhile, in year 2015, the movie’s protagonist Marty McFly purchases Grays Sports Almanac, which contains all the major sports scores and statistics from 1950 to 2000. Marty recognizes the financial gain such information could bring. When Marty’s time-travel buddy Doc Brown sees the almanac, he confiscates it and tosses it in a garbage receptacle. Doc tells Marty that he insists the time machine not be used as a money-making vessel.

By now, the viewers have shifted about half of their focus away from the pink hoverboard, and are partially thinking about other items of the future, like flying cars, the odd clothing, thumbprints being used to make purchases and unlock doors, and the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series.

Unfortunately, Biff Tannen is still alive in 2015 and he overhears Marty get chewed out about the almanac and time travel. He retrieves the almanac from the trash and takes the abandoned DeLoreon back to 1955. There he visits his teenage self, educating him on how to use the almanac to get rich.

Teenage Biff puts old man Biff’s advise to use, and the riches he earns destroys the lives of Marty and Doc. The pair’s objective shifts to chasing down the almanac and undoing Biff’s damage. Just as the audience is about to grasp the vital nature of the Grays Sports Almanac, though, Marty pulls out the hoverboard, and the viewers are once again hypnotized.

Astronomers aren’t completely left out, though. Some movies do give them some semblance of the respect their profession deserves. For instance, in the popular 1997 movie, “Contact,” Jodie Foster plays an astronomer of sorts who is obsessed with trying to communicate with extra terrestrials. Eventually she does.

“Deep Impact,” released in 1998, features a young amateur astronomer, Leo Biederman, who notices a strange object in the sky during a star party. He goes to a nearby observatory and notifies Marcus Wolf, a professional astronomer, of his finding. Wolf learns the object is a comet and estimates that it is on a crash-course for earth. Although a car accident claims the life of Wolf before he can alert everyone of the on-coming threat, Leo and Marcus played a big role in preventing the earth from being destroyed. True to real life, the comet was dubbed Wolf-Biederman after its co-discoverers.

A less-known movie astronomer is Roxanne in the 1987 comedy, “Roxanne.” Daryl Hannah plays the title character, an astronomer, who watches a new comet fly over the earth when she isn’t getting wooed by two local fireman. Roxanne’s occupation takes a backseat to the romance, and Steve Martin’s enormous nose, but at least somebody in the movie business is looking out for astronomers.

A few lucky bands come up with a name instantly, others have to search high and low for something they like. Some go as high as outer space, choosing names containing words from the world of astronomy.

Star is one of the most common astronomy words to appear in band names. A Canadian indie pop group felt merely Stars would be a perfectly suitable moniker. When rappers Mos Def and Talib Kweli teamed up to make one album in the late 1990s, they dubbed themselves Black Star.

The name Atmosphere has served independent hip-hop group Atmosphere well. Renowned production duo Pharrell and Chad Hugo do their work under the name The Neptunes, inspired by the furthest planet from the sun. Some use a more generic astronomy word, like legendary East Coast hip-hop crew Digable Planets.

Sometimes a band’s name contains an astronomy-type word, but it is purely by coincidence. Irish indie pop outfit Oppenheimer chose their name because it sounded good. They say the moniker doesn’t come from Robert Oppenheimer, a physicist who is known for playing a crucial role in the Manhattan Project. He also made important contributions to astronomy, most notably to the modern theories about black holes.

If you have been to a casino recently, you may have noticed that there are no poker tables with a minimum lower than $5. I have not seen any in Atlantic City, New Jersey and there were very few that I noticed on my trip to Las Vegas. In this economy, very few people have the money to sit at a poker table inside a casino and play the high amounts. For those who enjoy the various poker games, online casino poker games can be a better solution.

Though online gambling is not legal in many states, you don’t always have to play on the US sites. Even if you do, you can play the free poker games and gain practice for the next time you are at a casino. You don’t have to worry about whether other players can tell what cards you have, and there is no need to hide your emotions. It’s a fun and exciting thing to do in your off time, to relax and get away from your everyday life. The best part for regular players on a budget is that you can still find one and two penny tables.

Just don’t keep your online playing mates hanging, and you should follow proper rules when playing online. Stay away from any kind of insulting or abusive gestures in the chat room, and be sure to only take the amount of time you need. Often, other players are just as experienced and if you keep bluffing, they will catch on to you and you will be left without a penny before you know it. As with any other gambling, play smart and do not bet over your head. Be sure to follow all the rules set, and you too will have a joyful and relaxing game.

The Jantar Mantar is actually an observatory though it looks like a palace. It could be called more of a palatial observatory. It was built in the seventeenth century. Part of the commission of 5 astronomical observatories in India by the Maharaja then, Jantar Mantar is now a popular tourist place in India.

Jantar Mantar’s observatories are known by jantar mantars. It was actually the name of the observatory that was taken for the name of the building. The jantar mantars have very good geometric features, which are intriguing and mysterious. Architects, artists, astronomers and the like have been captured with the structure of the observatories in Jantar Mantar.

The Jantar Mantar has a lot of astronomical instruments that have observatory value. In the seventeenth century, the maharaja of Jaipur was delegated the job of revising all the astronomical tables. This need created the Jantar Mantar.
Jantar Mantar was primarily built t o make astronomical tables, which progressed to be used in astrology. Astronomical tables served the purpose to understand and route the ways of the celestial bodies, namely the Sun, Moon, and the other planets.

A giant triangle stands in this building. It was built for tracking the movement of the sun. It is called Samrat Yantra. Standing around seventy feet tall, this triangular structure’s hypotenuse is equi-distant but not intersecting to the line of Earth’s axis.

Recently the Jantar Mantar has been conferred world heritage site status. UNESCO named Jantar Mantar as a site of heritage, and preservation. Making it the twenty-eight addition to the world heritage site list from India, Jantar Mantar stands testimony to the unique ways of ancient India.

The status had made the Rajasthan government to set up a committee that looked into site management. This beautiful observatory will not be restored, and persevered by the government. Apart from this even the UNESCO will monitor the developments in restoration and preservation activities of the government. The Jantar Mantar Observatory is forever.

Astronomy and astrology are often confused as being one and the same. They are related to each other at various levels. But still there is no real link between the two disciplines. Astronomy revolves more on physics. This means it can take aspects of mathematics as well into consideration. On an observational level, astronomy describes to us what we see in the heavens. The movements of the planets and other celestial bodies are what astronomy studies closely.

Astronomy provides answers to how the universe will evolve tomorrow. It explains the creation of the universe. The existence of Earth, and its existential calculation is calculated using astronomical calculations.

Right from the big bang to the red shift of the universe, astronomy has made derived answers from years of close observations of movements in the solar system. Astronomy has made so many inroads in everyday life of human beings. The calculation of the sunrise and sunset time is done use observatory calculations of astronomy. Even the amount of time it will take for the sun’s rays to reach Earth is done using astronomy. Astronomy is used to detect possible entries of comets into the Earth’s atmosphere.

Astronomy is used extensively to track the orbital paths of Earth’s man made satellites. When a satellite is off-track, astronomical observatory telescopes either fixed on Earth or space, send alarms to the control station. So much can be done with astronomy. It is truly an indispensable part of our lives.

Without astronomy everything would have remained unknown. The Earth would have still remained a flat surfaced planet, and people would have been frightened to wander far and wide, lest they fell of Earth. Astronomy gave us the universal knowledge of the solar system and the billions of solar systems in the universe. Astronomy also told us that there are a billion more suns in this universe. But astronomy hasn’t yet told us if we are alone in the universe or not.

A picture taken by the Hubble Space Telescope may hold evidence of the oldest thing in existence, a galaxy. The picture captures what appears to be a blurry light, and European astronomers believe this is a galaxy. Based on their calculations, this system of stars would date back 13.1 billion years. It also appears to be the farthest galaxy discovered to date.

Matthew Lehnert, an astronomer with the Paris Observatory, is the author of a study that analyzes this newly discovered galaxy. According to research, the star system probably is a shadow of its earlier existence, with much of it incorporated into larger neighbors. For those who have trouble grasping what this means for the system, astronomy professor Richard Ellis offers an analogy. He says the studying the system is like looking at a young child from an adult lifespan.

Ellis, who works with the California Institute of Technology, said the study appears to have valid research; however, other studies have made similar claims about the distance and age and failed to live up to expectations upon further research. Some experts are already questioning the finding for this particular study.

To determine the age of the galaxy, the team of astronomers working on the study spent 16 hours viewing light signatures through a telescope located in Chile. They also analyzed cooling hydrogen gas. From these observations, the team calculated the date.

One thing to keep in mind is astronomers use the Big Bang theory to indicate the beginning of time. Therefore, these calculations estimate the age from the Big Bang. Astronomers will continue to study the unnamed galaxy, currently referred to as the high red-shift blob, to try to confirm the European team’s findings.

If the findings hold up, it could help astronomers put a date to our galaxy, assuming the Milky Way appeared shortly after the high red-shift blob formed.

Guides are also more prevalent for things that aren’t getting revamped or modified. In many instances, a new type of guide is merely being added as a complement to what already exists. Maps are a good example. New York City is where it has always been, and people still have a map stored in their vehicle. They still know how to use the map, and it still shows them how to get to New York. But the map is no longer the only medium that provide directions. Most smartphones include a map application that will provide specific, written instructions on how to get from one place to another. The folded up paper map remains in the glove compartment, though, because it provides a larger perspective of an area, and does not rely on batteries or need a Wi-Fi connection to be put to use.

Even non-electronic guides, often referred to as books, have become more common. Despite the constant avalanches of technology, guide books continue to be published. Increased sophistication has made brought increased awareness of the things that need to be fixed or improved. Often times a less-confusing, more user-friendly explanation of how to keep up with the ever-changing world is desired. Many of guides fit these requirements have titles that contain derogatory words, such as dummies or idiots, that can be incredibly humbling,but also extremely helpful.

In March of 1997, when one of history’s most viewed and talked about comets, the Hale-Bopp, was at it’s brightest, there was a buzz in the astronomy unlike any other. Though not astronomers themselves, a religious group called Heaven’s Gate was about to add to the comets lore. The members of group, located in San Diego, California, were among those who claimed a spacecraft was trailing Hale-Bopp.

The group’s white-haired leader and founder, Marshall Applewhite believed the spaceship could take them to a higher level of existence, but to get aboard the ship they would have to leave this earth. They accomplished this by methodically committing mass suicide over the course of three days. Each of the 39 members put on identical outfits, consisting of a black shirt, black pants and black Nike shoes. They then laced applesauce or pudding with a barbiturate called Phenobarbital, and then laid on their bunk beds until they had passed away.

More than three years later, actress Anne Heche’s unusual behavior in Fresno, California, caused a stir in Hollywood. In August of 2000, a She knocked on a strangers door and asked to take a shower. When police officers arrived at the home, Heche said she was a god with a spaceship that would take everyone to heaven.

Heche later attributed her strange actions up to Ecstasy and mental illness brought on in her childhood by her abusive father. Heche also talked of Celestia, an alter ego she invented for herself that was God’s daughter and Jesus Christ’s half-sister. As Celestia, she was supposed to guide the people of the world back to God with a message love.

What do Anne Heche and the Heaven’s Gate cult have in common? They both knew enough about astronomy to use it as a tool to explain themselves to people who didn’t quite understand what they were going through.

To author Michael Weinreb, 1986 was a watershed year for the culture of the United States. In his book “Bigger Than the Game: Bo, Boz, the Punky QB, and How the ’80s Created the Modern Athlete,” Weinreb discusses how the 1980s, as a whole, were changing sports, but 1986 is the year all the forces of change game together. Weinreb focuses the book on the individuals he believes were the harbingers of this shift in perspective: Bo Jackson, Jim McMahon and Brian Bosworth.

These three athletes had the talent to be lauded for their individual efforts. They also had the personality to eat up such specific attention, and the creativity and brashness to keep it going. The book details how none of them were interested in living up to the expectations others had for them on the field or off the field, especially those that the people in authority had created.

McMahon was a cocky quarterback who thought he knew more than his coaches did about how to win football games. Brian Bosworth was a master at drawing attention to himself. He had long, blonde hair, pierced ears and a bad attitude. Both McMahon and Bosworth went to great lengths to irritate their elders. They knew that anything that got them in trouble with authority only endeared them more to the public.

Weinreb’s book also focuses on Bo Jackson. He didn’t have the bluster of the other two, but he is arguably the greatest athlete to ever live. He was so great at football and baseball that he played both at a high level professionally.

McMahon, Bo and The Boz also came along at a time with money was infiltrating sports. Companies recognized that such massive personalities made incredible pitchmen for their products. This gave athletes the chance to make more money than every. Unfortunately, all the money brought corruption, of which Weinreb breaks down throughout the book.

There are people who work more than 40 hours per week in order to increase the fun of their recreation. This ambition is admired, but if treated recklessly it is misguided because there is so much that can go wrong. See, your bosses might take advantage of your additional effort and subtly add more and more time to your workdays. Before long, they see you as “management material.” This added responsibility increases your income, which would enhance your recreation, but it might also increase your work hours, which decreases your recreation chances. Furthermore, how terrible would you feel if you had to start taking away the leisure time of others by requiring those you preside over to work additional hours?

To stop such a disaster, it is crucial that each person get together with their family and put together a plan of recreation. This plan should include the free-time activities each individual wants to accomplish in the upcoming month or two. It is recommended that the activities are ranked in order of importance. The family should also come up with an oath that binds each member to follow through with their personal plan of recreation. Consequences for failure to meet expectations are frowned upon because punishments often cut into free time. Also, because planning isn’t a very leisurely thing to do, try to do this planning session while at least one of you are on the clock.

Ten years in, one of this millennium’s trends has been band names that contain the words wolf and bear. With 21st century only adding to the technological advances made at the end of the 20th century, it hardly seems appropriate to release music under monikers relating to animals that have been roaming the earth for thousands of years. Band names inspired by the vast world of astronomy would be much more fitting.

Not only would these astronomy names be more suitable to the times, they would also serve as a metaphor for the boundless musical possibilities of the musical outfit that chooses them.

A clever band would use astronomy to inspire their band name, then buy a star and christen it likewise. If nothing else, it would give them a story to tell as they promote their initial album.

To get the ball rolling, I will share some astronomy-based band names, followed by the kind of band they would be.
1) Hubble and His Body Double: This hip-hop MC and his hype man would gain immense popularity from a few club hits, but be panned by critics for their weak rhymes, despite having great beats.
2) Stand-up Comets: Masters of atmospheric instrumentals.
3) Stars Upon Thars: As would be expected from a band who got their name from a Dr. Seuss book, this group specializes in silly, unambiguous lyrics. They would score two big hits, both about the absurdities of teenage relationships. Their bit would soon become old and their popularity would wane.
4) Not Seen Through Your Telescope: A certain faction of high school kids will love this band. Most music lovers would criticize the band for being downers who take themselves too seriously.
5) Supermassive Black Hole: Witty, yet poignant lyrics with take-no-prisoners guitar and drum accompaniment. They might be the best band of the millennium.

It is common knowledge that the Milky Way candy bar’s moniker is rooted in astronomy. Not as well known, though, is exactly what the less-delicious, non-chocolate Milk Way is.

In astronomy, the Milky Way is billions of stars that make up a galaxy with an estimated circumference of 2500,00 to 300,000 light years. It is thought to be as old as the universe, which is roughly 13 billion years old. Democritus, a Greek philosopher, was the first person to concluded that the Milky Way was a collaboration of stars.

The Milky Way features spiral arms that are made up of interstellar matter, which is a gaseous and dusty material, diffuse nebulae and the open star clusters and young stars that come from the aforementioned interstellar matter.

This galaxy was likely dubbed the Milky Way because it is a luminous band of white light that has the appearance of milk. Many different cultures have different mythologies of the existence of the Milky Way. The Greeks believe it came from milk that spewed from Hera’s breast after she awoke to find herself breastfeeding Hercules, a boy born to a mortal woman. Other ideas include the Milky Way being a pool of cows milk or the path by which birds migrate. Some believe it came about when a dog spilled stolen cornmeal, or when the Armenian god Vahagn dropped snow-covered straw he had pilfered.

The Milky Way is so popular, even outside of astronomy, because of how visible it is from earth (though not in well-lit places such as bit cities). Well, and also because it is a tasty candy bar.

Next time your mouth gets a hold of one of those little logs of chocolate, nougat and caramel, you might better appreciate how wonderful it tastes, knowing it is named after one of astronomy’s favorite and most prominent galaxies.

If popular slang words, phrases, acronyms and abbreviations are said because of how they sound or how it makes a person feel when they speak them, then we need to look to astronomy to gain an even better repertoire of words and terms.

Expressions like supermassive black hole, electromagnetic spectrum, active galactic nuclei, supernova remnant, stellar parallax, Hipparcos satellite, cosmic distance ladder and dwarf planet exist in astronomy. Words like supernova, supermassive and parallax make common slang like dope, emo, whack, sick, ill or fly look like the mumblings of a newborn baby.

Even without knowing the proper context, these astronomy phrases could be incredible slang. A supermassive black hole could refer to a person who dominates a conversation without letting anyone else speak. Cosmic distance ladder could replace 10-foot pole as the apparatus not quite long enough to touch an undesirable object with. An ex-boyfriend or girlfriend could be called a supernova remnant. Since high school freshman are such a common target, upperclassmen could build themselves up by calling a collection of these freshmen a dwarf planet.

Some of the words used in astronomy, like stellar or referring to celebrities as stars, are already use in the English language. There needs to be a renewed commitment, though. Our words and phrases need be held to a higher standard, and by ‘higher,’ I mean, out of this world.

Despite the massive amount of fuss, “The Book of Basketball” is not the best of the many basketball books published recently. That honor goes to “When the Game Was Ours,” by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, along with former Boston Globe basketball writer Jackie MacMullan.

“When the Game Was Ours” details the story of the relationship and rivalry between Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird, in their own words. Together, the two players took basketball to an unprecedented level of skill and popularity.

The book begins with the first time Bird and Johnson took notice of each other as bench players on an international team made up of college all-stars. Soon after, both ascended to the top of the college basketball, and brought their respective teams with them to the 1979 NCAA championship game, where Johnson’s Michigan State team defeated Bird and his Indiana State teammates.

That fierce competition of that game continued in the NBA, where Bird played for the Boston Celtics and Johnson the Los Angeles Lakers. The two teams often faced off in the NBA Finals, and achieved eight NBA championships between them, five for the Lakers and three for the Celtics.

The more the two players competed against each other, the more respect for the other they gained. This respect led to a friendship that has blossomed in the years since their playing careers ended. Before calling it quits, the two were able to play together with for Team USA. After years of trying to prevent the other from winning championships, they were finally able to combine their talents to win one: the gold medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Hopefully you have the gumption to cut them off, before they proceed deeper into their astrological sign, and tell them you want to discuss astronomy, not astrology.

To your friend’s credit, the two entities aren’t entirely dissimilar. In fact, they were in cahoots for many years as aspects of astronomy. When humans were first looking to the skies, they felt there was a connection between what they learned and what happened on the ground. Eventually, some people became more interested in the physical science part of astronomy and others in the divination of it. They continued to drift apart and the scientific folks came to discount astrology.

For the most part, astronomy and astrology are quite different. Astronomy studies the physical characteristics and behaviors of planets, galaxies, stars, cosmos, comets, moons and asteroids. This study requires instruments, such as telescopes, and like others sciences, findings must be accompanied by truths.

Astrology is concerned with the correlation between what is going on in the heavens and what occurs on earth. Astrological conclusions require no proof. Astrology is more of a spiritual belief than a science. It attempts to predict future happenings rather than explain the science of the skies like astronomy does.

After the hopefully enlightening discussion about the differences between astronomy and astrology, you can decide whether or not you want to continue the friendship with this Taurus pal of yours, considering you are a Sagittarius with a preference for people with a more airy disposition.

Has it been a life-long dream of yours to make some sort of contribution to science, but you’re stuck with only a journalism or business degree? Well, your dreams have hopes of coming to fruition. Astronomy offers amateurs the opportunity to make an impact in a variety of ways. This science has actually been an amateur pursuit for most of its history. Only in the last century or so has funding created a distinction between amateur and professional astronomers.

Despite astronomy being a science that studies objects that are light years away from the earth’s surface, it is relatively easy for a person to participate. Some astronomy work can be done with just a set of human eyes. With most undertakings, a pair of binoculars or an optical telescope is all that’s needed to examine the sky. High-tech telescopes are becoming more and more accessible to nonprofessionals, though they are often expensive. In many cases the most simple equipment is sufficient, and is sometimes preferred. It is not unusual for amateurs to build their own telescopes. In fact, many put all of their efforts in this facet of astronomy.

Also not necessary is prior training or a college degree. Many astronomers are beginners or self-taught. The Internet makes getting started even easier, with many websites devoted to recreational astronomy.

Perhaps the best part of having astronomy as a hobby is the freedom of choosing what to study. Most amateurs focus on planets, stars, comets, moons, meteor showers or the moon. Some choose to study the sky during the light of day, looking at eclipses and sunspots. A common foray for those with the means to get their hands on specialized cameras is astrophotography. This is typically a less scientific venture, the aim instead being to capture, and often share, the beauty of the sky.

Porter was one of the first amateur telescope makers. Armed with his experience in engineering and architecture, Porter started a telescope building class in Springfield, Vermont in 1923. Porter and his 15 adult students eventually formed a club, the Springfield Telescope Makers. The group built a now-famous clubhouse they called Stellafane.

Albert Ingalls, the editor of Scientific American, wrote columns about Porter and the Springfield Telescope Makers. Porter collaborated with Ingalls on many more articles about telescope making. Much of their work made up the different volumes of “Amateur Telescope Making.” This collection of books has been referred to as “the bible of telescope making.”

In 1928, Porter moved to Pasadena, California to help famed astronomer George Ellery Hale create what was, at the time, the largest telescope on earth. The 200-inch Hale telescope was completed in 1948. Porter’s detailed drawings were a critical contribution in the telescope’s design.

Dobson’s made less sophisticated telescopes out of materials like PVC, plywood, Formica, cardboard and carpet. Though simple, these telescopes are suitable for the needs of most amateur astronomers. On account of his role in building and promoting them, these telescopes are called Dobsonian telescopes.

Through the use of the Dobsonian telescopes, Dobson co-founded the San Francisco Sidewalk Astronomers in 1967. This group set up their telescopes on the sidewalks and taught anyone interested about things like galaxies, stars, planets and the moon. The sidewalk astronomy movement has since spread throughout the world. Due to the creation of inexpensive telescope making techniques and his role in the advent of sidewalk astronomy, Dobson is considered one of the foremost promoters of observational astronomy.

Hale-Bopp is also notable in the astronomy community. Many believe it was the most viewed comet in history, with studies showing that up to 69 percent of United States citizens had seen it flying through the sky. Additionally, it holds the record for being visible to the naked eye for 18 months, twice as long as the previous high.

Amazingly, one of the co-discoverers of the comet, Thomas Bopp, was an amateur astronomer who didn’t even own a telescope. He discovered the comet at a party, using a friend’s telescope.

Prolific amateur David Levy co-discovered Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, one of the most notorious comets in history, with astronomers Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker. The Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashed into Jupiter, allowing the astronomers the rare opportunity to observe such a collision in outer space.

Levy has discovered or co-discovered over 20 comets and had written approximately 30 books about astronomy.

Will Hay was a comedian, actor an film director during the first half of the 20th century. He appeared in 20 films from 1933 to 1943. Hay was also an esteemed amateur astronomer, and his most lasting accomplishment is the white spot he discovered on Saturn in 1933. These Great White Spots are storms that occur on Saturn approximately every 30 years.

These amateur astronomers prove that there is much to discover in the vast skies above, and that it doesn’t necessarily take diplomas and high-power tools to do it.

Above all other schools of thought, science has sparked the minds of humans throughout the ages. The big questions in life are still relatively unanswered, and science plays its part in unraveling the greater mysteries of life. One aspect of science that has captured the imagination of people for decades is science fiction – the possibilities and potential feats we could achieve in the future through the evolution of today’s scientific knowledge. It’s easy to see science fiction’s influence on society.

One of the areas where science fiction is at its most prevalent is books. There have been many great authors of science fiction whose work has progressed both the genre and the art of science itself. Isaac Asimov is one of the greats whose novels such as I, Robot discussed the role of robots in our society and how the intelligence we program them with may one day classify them as free individuals. Philip K Dick. whose title Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? again explored the notion of artificially created automatons growing their own personalities and becoming human. Of course, these works could not come into being without the original books from great scientists such as Isaac Newton and most famously Albert Einstein.

Nowadays you can even get a free ringtone for your mobile phone based on science fiction. Literally thousands of science fiction films are produced each year and the most popular ones often have a ringtone available for their theme music. Hits like Twilight and Harry Potter have proved popular downloads in recent years, although iconic science fiction films such as Star Wars, which surely has one of the most recognizable themes ever created, are still big draws in the download market.

With the variety of films, music and books that are created each year, it is easy to see how science fiction still plays an important role in our society.

Russell W. Porter is known as a founding father of telescope making, but he is also aided in the creation of some of the most renowned observatories in the United States.

In 1920, Porter organized and taught a telescope making class in Springfield, Vermont. After a few years, Porter and the members of the class eventually formed the Springfield Telescope Makers club. They built a pink clubhouse that they named Stellafane, which translates to “shrine to the stars.”

Stellfane became the location for the the world’s longest-running astronomy convention. Since 1926, the Stellafane Convention has welcomed amateur telescope makers who come to discuss techniques , share ideas and participate in sanctioned competitions. The attendance at these conventions often reaches into the thousands.

The Stellfane 3140 asteroid, discovered in 1983, was named for the Stellfane Observatory. In 1989, the observatory was named a National Historic Landmark.

While Stellafane is the observatory for which Porter is most well-know, it is not the most celebrated observatory he helped design. The famous Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California, earns this distinction. It was built using drawings sketched by Porter.

The Griffith Observatory was opened in 1935. Despite the many astronomy exhibits and equipment, astronomy is not what Griffith is known for. It’s location on Mount Hollywood has made it a common place for movie and television scenes. Most notorious is the legendary movie “Rebel Without a Cause,” starring James Dean. The observatory played such a prominent role in this film that a bust of Dean was placed on the grounds as a tribute to the actor after his death at the age of 24.

Other movies filmed at the Griffith Observatory include “Terminator,” “Bowfinger,” and “The Rocketeer.” Television shows like “24,” “Beverly Hills, 90120,” “Quantum Leap,” and the pilot episode of “MacGyver” taped scenes at Griffith.

Since its genesis in 1995, the Los Angeles Galaxy have been one of the most celebrated teams in the MLS. They have captured two MLS Cups (2002 and 2005), second only to DC United’s four, and have reached the MLS championship game six times. The Galaxy’s main claim to fame is employing some of the most famous players the MLS has had. Midfielder Landon Donovan is the most decorated American soccer player of all-time, as well as one of the most prolific goal scorers in MLS history. In 2007, the Galaxy added the most popular soccer player in the world, David Beckham, also a midfielder.

The Astros and Suns haven’t quite been cornerstones of their respective leagues like the Galaxy have.

The popularity of the Suns has never been quite like it has been the last five years. A run-and-gun attack, led by point guard Steve Nash, has brought admirers from around the NBA, but has yet to earn Phoenix a championship.

The Astros claim to fame seems to be that legendary pitcher Nolan Ryan played for them for nine season. During Ryan’s tenure in Houston, he threw one of his MLB-record seven no-hitters.

Perhaps organizations looking to nickname a sports team resist looking to astronomy because such monikers haven’t exactly been associated with success.

There are some terrific options. Bellatrix would be a pretty girls name. It is almost like it is a mixture of Beatrix and Bella, so Bea and Bella would work well as nicknames. Beware of using Trixie, as it doesn’t live up to the intended astronomy theme.

Copernicus, Neptune and Neutrino are solid boy names. Cope or Nic would be good variations of Copernicus. Copernicus is so fun to say, though, that short names are only preferred when the little guy is in trouble. Neptune is the forgotten planet. This isn’t a bad thing when it comes to a name. People will understand the intent and see it as a hip name for a boy to have. A son named Neutrino is sure to be the ultimate peacemaker.

If you’re expecting a girl, avoid Luna. This name isn’t extremely uncommon in the world, but think about the non-stop teasing a lass would get. Luna is way too similar to Loony.

You might be tempted to name your daughter Moon. Fight it. At the most, limit this to a middle name. Gamma Ray is fun to say out-loud, and with Ray being a common middle name makes it an easy justification. Take a step back, though. The first name Gamma will only be cute when the baby is crawling and when she is a grandma. A majority of her life will be lived in between those two stages, so give you daughter a break and find something else.

But such a science was not always so precise (not like it is now). Novas confused; planets were mistaken as myths; and there was the certainty that Earth truly was the great center of everything. The desire for answers was limited by misconceptions.

That all changed, however, with the much needed invention of the telescope.

In 1608 Hans Lippershey was a lens-crafter, working tirelessly within the German city of Middleburg. His days were devoted to glass and careful magnification, studying the abilities of the eye, deciphering how an iris could be manipulated (and subsequently improved). And it was through these improvements that he discovered an all too vital truth: the stars could not be seen by determination alone. Their subtleties were all too blurred. But his lenses, when coupled correctly, could increase sight and perception; which would allow all secrets to then be learned.

So the telescope was created.

And it began a small revolution. Lippershey quickly requested a patent for his idea, offering it to the world as an invention without equal. News of this spread across countries, drawing interest (and envy) from others. And soon the telescope was being reimagined, its design pulled apart and then bolted back together. It was improved; it was changed; it was made into a more modern machine.

And the sky seemed suddenly not so far away.

Astronomy has existed since humans could marvel at the moon; but it was simply a science defined to awe and riddles. It was a question without understanding. Through Lippershey and his peers, however, it became an obtainable answer. The telescope made it real.

It begins with a glance. You look up (Because you must. Because you’re compelled to) and see the worlds that are poised beyond you. There are other stars, other suns, other universes. You want to conquer them all. But, of course, you can’t. You’re limited instead to the answers of your telescope, the texts you so devotedly read. You learn all you can; you observe all you find; and your gaze never falls. It is forever staring beyond.

You are not the first to follow this pattern. And you certainly won’t be the last.

The sky has forever held a fascination for humankind, with civilizations charting its every eclipse and new dawn. And, through this fascination, a study of galaxies has been formed: it is called Astronomy.

Simply defined, Astronomy is the examination of all celestial bodies and occurrences formed beyond Earth. It is dubbed a natural science (far different than the criticisms of the formal sciences or the philosophic humanities). Through it elements of mathematics and religion are combined–allowing the history of the world to be charted by the discoveries found beyond it.

It is not, as some may assume, a collection of assumptions and mysticism. Stars are not shaped into mere stories. They are instead noted, explored and understood. And their patterns have become the foundations of such elements as navigation, time and physics. Through the careful observation of constellations (and all the planets they circle), the world has been offered far more than myths. It has instead received an understanding of creation. The universe is learned.

There are some who would malign this claim, however. They confuse Astronomy to lesser practices (the harmless thrills of Astrology or the premature discoveries made by amateurs). It is instead, though, the oldest science in the world–with origins predating even the empires of Babylon and Assyria–and the most vital. It explains Earth and its place among the galaxies. There is no other methodology that can challenge that.

And there is no methodology that could even try.

http://digg.com/news/science/Nasa_scientists_braced_for_solar_tsunami_to_hit_earth

http://digg.com/news/science/New_Solar_System_Discovered_3

http://digg.com/news/science/Model_Describes_Universe_with_No_Big_Bang_No_Beginning

http://www.gutefrage.net/picoftheday/carwrecks.html

http://www.gutefrage.net/picoftheday/sporn.html

http://digg.com/news/science/glind_what_nasa_means_to_america_s_future_neil_degrasse_tyson_http_ff_im_ounec

http://digg.com/news/science/Neptune_to_Complete_Its_First_Orbit_164_Yrs_After_Discovery

It’s another midnight, another sprawl of sky and stars; the twisting trails of constellations and lunar cycles. You recognize the patterns. You’ve learned them all, have devoted your evenings to memorizing every shape, every aspect. The distance is well charted and well known. And this is why you immediately understand that something has… changed. Your universe is not as it was the day before. It has instead yielded a prize.

And you’re the one who found it.

There is one truth in Astronomy that can never be denied: its discoveries are without prejudice. Men may struggle for years, hunched behind the rattle of their equipment, charting out all possibilities. And yet their theorems will offer no realities and their efforts will only bring frustration. They will give month after month of their lives, only to receive nothing in return. Their sacrifice will be in vain. And you–a hobbyist, spending your idle hours on a hill–will suddenly discover what others have been seeking.

And it was all simply by staring in the right direction at the right time.

Unlike the harder sciences (which can only by followed by those versed in their principles, in obscure mathematics and formulas), Astronomy is accessible to all. It can be understood by any who wish to learn it and requires little more than patience and a telescope. And, through this, amateur exploration is possible–and is often accomplished. Revelations can be made by luck and simple curiosity.

And such a notion distinguishes Astronomy from its sister-sciences. This is not a field dominated to impossible codes and technological intrigue. It is instead a field that allows any to participate. There is no limit to the sky and there is therefore no limit to the ones who can view it.

And this allows vital discoveries to be made by simple good fortune. All have the chance to achieve greatness. All have the opportunity to leave their mark on the world.

Astronomy offers equality and the far more important hope.

But what may not be understood, however, is that Astronomy is not a singular process. Its rules are not kept to just one idea, one study. It is instead divided into countless fields–each a mastery of their own tiny corner of the stars. There is simply too much beyond this world to gather as one piece. The elements must instead be broken apart and examined individually.

And the two most prevalent examinations are Theoretical and Observational Astronomy.

Theoretical: as the name implies, Theoretical Astronomy is a collection of possibilities. Unlike most sciences–which offer constant proof and consistent answers–this is a realm composed of few facts and more assumptions. Due to the limitations of man (unable yet to reach the far recesses of planets and constellations), Theoretical Astronomy relies of simulations, calculations and good sense. The sky is studied and then predicated through software and computer programs; which comprise the majority of this work. The intention is the future.

Observational: acting as a perfect counter to theories is Observational Astronomy. Through this current patterns and celestial systems are tracked. All data is collected and used to understand the universe as it is at that moment (rather than what it will be). Utilizing telescopes and radio waves, scientists can learn of any irregularities and their effects on Earth, as well as seeking out new possibilities. Unlike the more imaginative Theoretical, this is a field devoted to what is known; not what may be one day be seen. It strives to prove, not simply postulate.

It must be noted, however, that both of these fields play a vital role in understanding the universe. They rely on each other to create progress and discover truth. Neither is more important and both must be used.

Since the beginning of time astronomy and space have intrigued mankind. The number of almanacs, books and guides published is an indication of the popularity of this field of study. There are even giant observatories all over the globe dedicated to star watching. Observatories can be equipped with a high powered telescope or smaller, less advanced equipment depending on location. One high tech observatory if NASA Kepler space telescope.

This vast reaches of space still continue to surprise us with their unfolding mysteries. Each year some new discovery is revealed as satellites find never before known bodies.

The discovery early in 2010 of five exoplanets was a major breakthrough in space exploration. These exoplanets are the first finds from NASA’s program to locate planets outside the Earth’s solar system. They were discovered using NASA’s Kepler space telescope which was designed for that very purpose.

In March 2009, the Kepler space telescope, a spacecraft was launched to identify other planets similar to earth that were orbiting around suns in other galaxies. The planets that have been discovered to date by the Kepler’s space telescope have been classified as giant planets. This means that they are bigger than or equal in size to Jupiter. Jupiter is 141700 km or 88,000 miles at its diameter. This makes its diameter 11 times bigger than that of the Earth. In fact, Jupiter’s mass is over 300 times more than the earth.

It is expected that over time smaller planets further away will be discovered. The major differences between the Kepler and Hubble space telescope are:

•Kepler focuses on one starfield for extended periods unlike the Hubble. In fact, 150,000 stars were selected to be the focus of Kepler. These stars are monitored continuously and simultaneously.
•Kepler’s space telescope field of view is much larger than the Hubble ever was.

It is expected that astronomy lovers will find much to amaze them in the coming years.

An explosion, detected by satellite in 2009, was found to be coming from gamma rays calculated to be 13 billion light years away. The redshift, a measurement used to calculate the distance and speed of objects that are really far away, was the highest ever measured for any space object. The explosion was then measured by telescopes in Hawaii as well as in the United Kingdom and Japan.

The estimate also means that the star exploded when the universe was just a few hundred million years old. That seems like an old universe, but considering that it’s widely accepted that it is over 13 billion years old, that’s relatively young. Star explosions give a sudden opportunity to measure things that ordinarily may be missed or haven’t been seen yet. Such discoveries give more insight into the universe overall every time they happen.

As these discoveries are made, we get closer to knowing how old the universe is as well as what its real size is. Events such as a Gamma ray burst occur sporadically, so sometimes there is the opportunity that allows us to see even more into the past. As new telescopes are built, the ability to see farther out gets greater. With so many unknowns in the universe, there could be more bursts like that which have yet to be detected, or their light has not gotten anywhere near the Earth to see.

Even the closest star is over 4 light years away, so traveling anywhere at the fraction of the speed of light would take very long. The Andromeda Galaxy is 2.5 million light years away, and is by far the closest galaxy to us. Probes launched from Earth many years ago still haven’t left the solar system, even though they continue to travel at high rates of speed.

As for the actual size of the universe, this is difficult to tell because there could be light from distant places that has not yet gotten here. Even the most powerful telescopes, like Hubble, would not see it if the light hasn’t arrived yet. By mapping galaxies and galaxy clusters, it is now known that there are millions and probably billions of galaxies in the universe.

The size of the universe is now measured in the many billions of light years. There are millions of light years of space between galaxies and even the Milky Way is 100,000 light years across. We couldn’t even travel across it in the lifetimes of many generations, even at the speed of light, and it is known that no object could travel that fast.

With all of the advances in technology like computerized tracking and observing, super powerful telescopes, and the ability to get into space, there are no definite estimates on how big space is. As more discoveries are made, the calculations of their age can debunk old theories. It is not scientifically proven that the universe is infinite, but an actual number still remains elusive despite our advanced state of technology.

Image by krazydad / jbum via Flickr

There is something so endearing about having a pet. You love the companionship and the love a pet can show you. They can keep your apartment or house from feeling lonely. So what is stopping you from bringing one into your life? There is a lot to consider before making such a big commitment. But if you take your time to figure some things before you get a pet, it can make having one an absolute joy.

The first, and biggest concern, should be cost. Having a pet is not a cheap endeavor. There is everything from leashes to daily dog food to bowls that can add up in cost very quickly. Not to mention there is the prospect of pet medicine such as routine meds like Frontline Plus to expensive prescription meds like valium and augmentin. Paying for the cost of a pet isn’t cheap so make sure you have a long look at your budget and find out if you have the money necessary to care for a pet. What you might find is that your budget isn’t ready to include a pet or that you may have to cut back on other indulgences in order to pay for your pet.

The other thing to keep in mind is the time commitment. Pets take time. If you have a dog then you need to walk them every day. Even if you have a big backyard, the dog needs to be let outside to go to the bathroom at least every 8 hours. This means you can’t be gone forever, or you have to find a friend or family member to come over and let the dog out. Pets can be time consuming from the very start so if your life is too busy you may have to consider waiting. This shouldn’t deter you from purchasing a pet, just helps to make you aware.

In our daily routines, we work, take care of household chores and other errands, and hopefully, by the end of the day, have time to relax, go out to dinner or mingle with friends. We don’t often have time to think about what is beyond planet Earth. The night sky gives us some glimpse of what may be out there, but most stars are invisible through the light that is generated by the urban landscapes that most of us live in.

Sometimes a large park or a beach is enough to escape the light pollution, but in some places it is necessary to travel to get a good view of the night sky. If you do have an unobstructed view of the stars, then taking time to observe the constellations is one of the simplest and most inexpensive recreational activities there are. All you need to do is lay back and stare at the sky. To the south there are Scorpius and Sagittarius, and to the north is the Big Dipper, one of the most identifiable constellations in the sky.

There are many guide books that feature star charts which can help you identify everything in the sky, from stars, planets, nebula to whole galaxies and the Milky Way itself. Our own galaxy is visible as a sprawling cloud of stars that stretches across the sky. Star charts and atlases can also be found online and interactive maps can make the experience even more intriguing.

Visually, you can only see so much detail, but observers have noted the positions of stars and planets for thousands of years. Today, massive observatories sit atop mountains and accumulate massive amounts of data from images made by their telescopes and giant mirrors. Designed to follow specific points, they can turn to compensate for the Earth’s rotation to observe a single star or spot in the universe.

You may just be focused on life here on Earth, but there is a whole universe full of undiscovered space and worlds beginning just a few miles above the sky.

The typical guide for a mountain resort details activities such as hiking. Walking trails often go for miles and you can experience nature from the inside. Animals of all sorts are out and about in their natural habitat, and this is also a great chance to clear your head while you get some exercise. The views at the summit or other spots along the way are well worth the wait and the effort to get there.

There are also usually opportunities for swimming, fishing, picnicking, camping, biking, or just lounging around somewhere. In some places, there is the chance to see interstellar exploration at its best. For example, at the Griffith Park Observatory near Los Angeles, you can book tours of the facility and get an up close look at how space observation is done. The super powerful telescopes that sit atop the mountain help scientists get the best view of space possible from the ground.

You also tour the Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii. This mountain site not only has unique sites such as lava and volcanoes, and unobstructed views for stargazing with the naked eye, but you can visit one of the most powerful and well known ground observatories in the world. A trip to Hawaii would not be the same without visiting Mauna Kea, because it is just about the most unique location than anywhere you’ll ever be.

Camping brings lots of wildelife. Wildlife is an intriguing part of the southern United states including sea turtles, humming birds, dolphins, and lizards. Get your Florida vacation rentals today and have fun experiencing nature, just watch out for those alligators.

Travel books and online guides will help you sift through the destinations, but if you want to relish in some natural wonders and witness innovations in astronomical science, then these are two places that might make a great getaway.

These reports are often discounted eventually, but if a large asteroid was going to hit, would there be a way to stop it? One asteroid, named Apophis, has been estimated to have a chance of hitting Earth in 2029. Other estimates have the 885 foot rock smashing the planet later, perhaps in 2036 or 2069.

An impact by something just around 300 feet would kill millions of people, and it would take a rock just over 3,000 feet across to wipe out the human race altogether. The hit and miss chances of such objects coming so close to Earth means that some way must be devised that might deflect them in a dire situation.

The most effective way to destroy something is to use a nuclear bomb. Just exploding the rock won’t do, because smaller ones may end up assaulting the planet, but detonating one nearby could heat up or vaporize parts of the asteroid enough to change its path. Scientists in Russia have also proposed creating a dust cloud in front of one; the particles would strike the rock and create large craters. Enough of them could disintegrate the asteroid altogether.

Launching and landing a rocket engine on an asteroid is another theory. The propulsion from the rocket could move the object away. Not only would the rocket have to be guided correctly and landed with precision, but the proper calculations and control need to be constantly monitored in the process.

There are a few ideas on how to deflect such an object. For the most part, the technology exists for most of them, but the problem is getting the job done right and not inadvertently creating more hazards later on.

Many people claim that the best reason to use emergency cash loans is that they are very fast and easy. The majority of lenders have websites where an individual can fill out some information about the amount of money they need, the reason for the loan, and some other small details. After a loan has been approved, the person will typically receive their money in about an hour.

One of the biggest appeals of an emergency loan is that a person can receive up to $5000 – if they provide enough information. In the case of a car accident, sudden illness, or getting laid off work, a person can simply head to one of these loan offices or fill out forms online, and receive their loan quickly. These loans are also known as cash advance or payday loans. They are so popular due to the easy process, quick return, and low amount of complications.

While emergency loans can be heaven sent for people who need money quickly, it is not the answer for when people need a large sum in a short period of time. Loans over $500 will need more information such as recent bank statements, voided checks, and as assortment of other documents. However, for an individual who simply needs some a small amount of money right away, an emergency or cash advance loan could be exactly what they are looking for.

Rocket engines have been used to get to orbit for decades. Combustion using hydrogen or other gases has worked well for rockets and the Space Shuttle for going into orbit. The amount of fuel needed to support long distance travel, however, would be too heavy and too expensive.

Propulsion using ions is a possibility, and has been successfully tested. Using electrostatic or electromagnetic forces to propel a ship is not a new idea, but innovations in technology are making this possible. A small stream of ions blasting out the back of the vehicle at high speed steadily increases the overall velocity of the craft. During space travel, this can result in a very high speed over a longer period of acceleration than a rocket.

Within the solar system, there is plentiful light from the sun, so solar powered propulsion is a possibility. Some scientists have proposed using huge sail-like structures which are light enough to be pushed by particles from the sun. These would have to be miles across, however, and so thin the smallest impact could destroy the structure.

The traditional sci-fi and theoretical warp drive has been long considered, but there are theoretical limits as to whether a ship could actually reach the speed of light. If it even were possible, the amount of energy required would be enormous, and then there are the factors of whether you could navigate and guide the ship at such speeds.

There are many other possibilities for space propulsion. Each comes with the questions of what to do when you get to the destination, and how feasible it would be to get back to Earth.

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

offers.com has a multitude of deals just waiting for you to take advantage of seven days a week and 24 hours a day. In almost any category of goods that you’re shopping for, you’ll find promotional offers, online coupons, discounts and coupon codes. Special credit card offers are available as well as free shipping, clearances, free product trials and offers you see on television.

If you’re looking for a specific product, you’ll find it quickly and easily in the organized format. The 190 categories are logically grouped by type, store or company. The offers and categories are updated every day, and the Offers.com editors are meticulous about researching and verifying the offers before posting them so you’re assured the deals are all legitimate.

You’ll find offers from major stores and companies and deals in such categories as travel, clothing, computers, home and kitchen. One fun category is Holiday Savings where you’ll find specials for almost all major holidays, including Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Halloween. If you like to buy your merchandise online, you can combine the convenience of Internet shopping with the bonus of saving money through offers.com.

The editors work hard to give you the best, most current offers available by doing random checks on the specials to make sure they’re still valid. They also enjoy blogging about their favorite deals so you get a personal perspective and opinion on the categories you’re interested in. The blogs include such topics as tips on how to save money and the best coupon codes. You can set up your own personal file that allows you to keep an eye on offers in your favorite categories and companies. You’ll be notified when new offers come up or when others are ready to expire. You’ll also receive a free newsletter in your email inbox each week that highlights the latest offers.

The objects that enter the atmosphere during a meteor shower are usually no larger than sand grains. Their high speed and relatively high temperatures of the atmosphere cause them to burn up from the intense friction. The resulting flash, though small, is bright enough to be seen from the ground. Some meteors are faint, and flash so quickly that you’ll blink if you miss them. Others can be very bright and last for a few seconds, or if a rock-sized object comes in, can last for longer and even leave a dust trail.

The occurrence of small meteors concentrates around the time of well-documented meteor showers such as the Perseids in the middle of August. This tends to be a consistent event from year to year and also is one of the most active ones of the year. The meteors tend to radiate from around the constellation Perseus in the northeast sky and there could be up to 80 per hour, or even more in active years.

The Quandrantids in January are quite vivid, and concentrate near the constellation Bootes as well as the Big Dipper. Other well known events include the Leonids, which occur in November and peak in cycles of 33 years, as well as the Gemenids, during the month of December. They feature a mixture of colors and are considered to be one of the more reliable of meteor showers.

Then, in the 1960s, nuclear power became in vogue. WPPSS spotted an opportunity. It wanted to be poised to meet the burgeoning power demand in its service area. So, a system of five nuclear power plants was planned. It would be financed by a public bond issue. That, in turn would be paid with revenues generated from the plants. The bonds were issued.

However, the rosy sales projections didn’t match reality. The project was beset by poor management, cost overruns and incompetence. An example of this was a pipe hangar that was redesigned and rebuilt 17 times! Each revision cost more. This led to safety regulations. And as a result of that, the hangar needed to be torn down yet again.

By the 1980s, only two of the five plants were close to being completed. Plus, by this time, nuclear plants were beginning to fall out of favor. In fact, some municipalities boycotted power from the plants before they even began to produce.

In the meantime, the cost overruns had swollen to where more than $24 billion would be needed to complete the work. But, now with a gloomy sales forecast, recouping any of the funds looked iffy. Construction was halted on everything but the second plant. WPPSS defaulted on $2.25 billion worth of municipal bonds.

Even though the second plant became operational in 1984, it was too late for the investors. A settlement was finally reached where the investors received only about 10 to 40 cents on the dollar.

Telescopes have come a long way since the pioneers like Galileo; high-tech ones are in every astronomical laboratory, and some pretty decent ones can be found in retail stores as well. You can buy one of your own if you have the cash to spend. However, you can actually build one quite easily using common materials.

It may seem surprising that cardboard tubes are suitable for building a simple telescope, but these are your main ingredient for something quick and simplistic. Add a couple of lenses, along with two tubes of different diameters, some glue or cardboard rings to hold the lenses, and you can assemble a scope in no time. The project won’t even cost more than a few dollars.

To ensure an even more secure fit for the cardboard tubes, you can add wooden rings between them. If you want to get more technical with the lenses in a Galilean telescope, you can set up an optical bench, which will allow you to attach different lenses and set them at different distances to see how the system will work, before you fit them into the scope. Once you are ready to assemble, you can also add some stain or lacquer to darken the inside of the tubes.

Building a simple telescope is easy, and all you have to do is look through it and adjust the two tubes to get a clear focus. You can try looking up at the sky at night. Although you won’t see crystal clear images of far away nebulas like with Hubble, you may see some more detail on the moon than you would ordinarily see with the naked eye. The scope might also be useful when looking at things on the ground, similar to using binoculars.

There are many websites that feature instructions on how to do this as well, so there is no shortage of resources. Astronomy stores also have many guidebooks that can also help you along if you want to fill in some time with a fun project.

But of course, all of that natural beauty is going to need to be remembered somehow. Maybe you’re a painter, and can do something impressionistic to commemorate what you see out there — a nice field stacked with hay, how the Sun’s light drifts over the water (especially in the morning, when there’s just that little foggy haze), or maybe a yearling dear that is just figuring out what the rut is all about, and trying to figure out how to participate in that old tradition. No matter what kind of beauty you find out in the world of summer time, you owe it to yourself around January to immortalize this time right now.

And is there a better way to do that than with a nice offset frame? You can pick them up for practically nothing online — especially if you have a Pottery Barn promo code to use for the purpose. You can have some materials delivered right to your door, get your creative juices flowing like a water fall (which is also a great bit of inspiration), and create something that you can look at when the cold weather comes back — to remind yourself that great times will return once again.

Fortunately, there are all kinds of cheap cruises where that’s not the case. Many of these are offered in the off-season when there aren’t as many people wanting to take trips. Because the cruise lines aren’t as heavily booked during those times they lower their rates to entice people to travel. That makes perfect sense, and it’s a great way for you to save a lot of money and still have a wonderful trip. The amenities are just as good and the weather is usually nice, as well.

There just aren’t as many people, and you can either spend less for what you’d planned to get or spend the amount you’d planned on and get a bigger, better room or some other kind of amenity that would’ve been out of your reach otherwise. In short, don’t give up on the idea of finding a cheap cruise that still gives you everything you want. There are plenty of choices out there, and until you explore them, you won’t know if you can find what you’re looking for at the price you’re willing and able to pay.

Total blindness makes up for about ten percent of the legally blind people. The rest of the legally blind have a vision of 20/200 or less. If a person with average vision views an object at 200 feet away a person who is legally blind would need to stand 20 feet or closer to see it with corrective lenses. If a person loses their vision recently and/or is older they are more likely to be classified as blind according to the Department of Health. This is because it is more difficult to adapt to the vision loss. According to the circadian rhythm total blind people can still register light non-visually through the 24-hour light/dark cycles.

Cataracts and glaucoma are the main causes of blindness. The leading cause of blindness in one eye or monocular blindness is due to an injury often happening to people under the age of 30. The blind are often mobile and can use several different techniques to get around. The international symbol for blindness is the long white cane with the red tip. There is also a shorter white cane used as well. Guide dogs are perfect pilots to help the blind get around and go up and down stairs.

Image via Wikipedia

Do you know who is going to win the big football game? Can you anticipate who will dominate in basketball? Do you think you’re smarter than the average person? If your answer is yes, or if you just want to have a little extra fun and make things interesting, then online sports betting could be something fun for you to try. Online sports betting is perfectly legal in the United States and most of the world, and draws in a massive crowd. Online sports books and casinos offer tons of options for betting on all sorts of professional sporting events. Payment can be made with almost any credit card, debit card, or other options. These large sports betting sites are very reputable and have secure, discreet, and most importantly, safe methods of money transfer so that you can have a blast with some friendly wagering on your favorite sporting event. Betting online lets you sit on the edge of your seat for the game without having to worry about anything else.

The websites are incredibly simple and are great for both the novice and the seasoned gambler. There is a large variety of professional sports that you can bet on, so you can stay with the sports that are your favorite and about which you have the most knowledge. Besides the classic sports for betting like football, basketball, and horse racing, these sites also offer betting in the less common sports such as mixed martial arts, tennis, car racing, and even golf. International sports such as cricket and soccer are also available for wagering, so regardless of your preference or location, you are sure to find your sport online. So, if you really know your game or maybe just want to have a little extra fun and capitalize on your passion, then take the next step and give it a try.

Most optical telescopes use visible light and come in refracting types that use lenses to create images, reflecting types that use mirrors and compound telescopes that use lenses and mirrors. The larger the size of the mirror, known as the aperture, the finer the detail the system can see. There is a 100 inch reflecting telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory in Los Angeles, while home models tend to have mirrors or lenses down to just a few inches.

The basic kinds take the form of larger scopes used in laboratories, or smaller versions that you can buy in a store and use at home. There are also variations that detect and analyze infrared or ultraviolet light, depending on the light sources that scientists, or amateurs, want to analyze.

Radio telescopes are also widely used to scan the heavens. A form of directional radio antenna, a radio telescope detects radio waves and collects data from sources of radio waves in space. It must be shielded from electromagnetic interference rather than visible light, so is usually placed in a valley far away from urban areas. Examples are the Very Large Array in New Mexico and Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.

As the universe can be analyzed differently using different wavelengths, there are also ways to see where X-rays are coming from, as well as Gamma rays. X-ray and Gamma-ray telescopes are usually placed on orbiting satellites, as the atmosphere blocks this kind of light from reaching the surface.

One of the most well-known telescopes is Hubble, which was launched by the space shuttle in 1990. The Hubble Space Telescope is a Cassegrain reflector with two hyperbolic mirrors to image over wide fields of view. It has taken pictures of some of the most distant and oldest parts of the universe yet found.

The first consideration is the type that you want to get. The most familiar is the refractor telescope that has a lens at the front of the device’s tube. It is easy to maintain, but as the aperture gets larger, the product can be quite expensive. The least expensive, based on aperture, is the reflector type, with a mirror at the rear of the tube. However, the optical alignment needs frequent adjustment, especially if you move the scope or bump into it a lot.

The compound telescope features a combination of lenses and mirrors inside. The tube is more compact and the light bounces around inside between the lenses and mirrors before coming out through the eyepiece.

Regardless of the type, the most important part of the telescope is the aperture, or the diameter of the lens or mirror. Usually measured in millimeters, the aperture is the main indicator of the scope’s magnification power. A larger one makes it easier to see fainter objects in the sky, as well as finer details. Read the aperture size rather than magnification power to get a better idea when shopping around.

Another important consideration is the telescope’s mount, important in keeping the unit sturdy. Many scopes will come with tripods or mounts, but if there is only a mounting block, you can get altitude-azimuth or Dobsonian mounts which swing up or down or left and right. An equatorial mount turns on a single axis to track the motion of stars, and has to be aligned to the North Star to work properly. With all of these carefully chosen, you should enjoy your telescope for years to come.

We learn early on that the universe goes on forever, but scientists seem to focus on that, at 10 or 13 billion light years away from Earth, there is some kind of boundary that is the edge of the original energy from the Big Bang. The complex equations that astrophysicists have devised to explain things never seen such as black holes and wormholes are too much for the average person to comprehend.

Assuming we don’t need to know how to solve a differential equation or even algebra, it’s possible to find a book about space that is intriguing nonetheless. Books on skywatching can show the stars, constellations, and galaxies as well as comets and planets in a comical if not at least artistic fashion. With the assumption that the reader is stuck on Earth to do schoolwork or work a nine-to-five job, reading about the mysterious universe around us can at least serve as entertainment.

You can easily find something to read on the planet Earth, the solar system, and the satellites that orbit constantly. Pocket atlases are popular items as well, but the range of reading goes on until you get to authors like Carl Sagan who try to explain everything in one book. You can also read about time and the universe’s ability to make it not seem what we think from Steven Hawking.

Reading about space can also cover theories of hyperspace and travel at light speed. It can blend with science fiction, but space is so vast and unexplored that it is hard not to engage the imagination when you read about possible distant worlds, or even look up at the many stars in the sky.

Image via Wikipedia

Just like imagining a night sky without stars, it can seem hard to imagine life without a credit card, yet some people can’t get a traditional credit card, or they don’t want stress and risk of debt associated with these cards. Prepaid credit cards offer a safer option than cash without any chance of ruining your credit; you don’t have to worry about APRs, monthly payments, or credit limits. With a prepaid credit card, you can put a certain amount of cash on to the card and then use it until the money runs out. At that point, you either reload the card or throw it away. The benefits of prepaid credit cards include security, convenience and control.

People who are debt conscious or those who often overspend may find that prepaid credit cards offer the ease of a credit card without the drawbacks. Often, parents will choose prepaid credit cards for their teens, giving these young people a chance to learn about money management under the watchful eye of a concerned adult. For vacationers, prepaid credit cards afford more protection than cash and less hassle than traditional travelers’ checks, which require signatures for use. In recent years, prepaid credit cards have become popular gift items that allow recipients to select something they really want.

If you decide to utilize a prepaid credit card, make sure to do your homework first. For example, it costs money to purchase a prepaid credit card. As well, certain prepaid credit cards have fees associated with them, such as monthly charges, usage fees, and fees for inactivity. Make sure to review all the terms and conditions of your prepaid credit card. When it is time to purchase your prepaid credit card, shop around to find the best deal. Evaluate retail options, online offers, and prepaid credit cards through your bank or credit union.

Methods like fermentation were groundbreaking in making hydration available. Particularly in lands that were not always privy to consistent moisture, storing water was essential for survival. But water can easily become dangerously contaminated when not stored properly and in ancient times, knowing how to store it properly was not information that was available. Beer, mead, wine, and other types of alcoholic beverages were made by fermenting sugars derived from grains or fruits and were essential to the survival of some societies, as they had a much longer shelf life than improperly stored water.

Waste management was a major issue as well. During the Industrial Revolution in America, there was much wealth and commerce in the epicenter of American culture at the time, New York City. Because of the massive population growth at the time from immigration, many shoddy tenements popped up with people crammed in from wall to wall. Without any proper system for waste disposal, disease rates skyrocketed and mortality rates went through the barely constructed roofs. When a proper sanitation system was instilled, the disease rates drastically dropped. Obviously, cleanliness was a major issue in preventing illness.

Many people, however, are arguing that we have taken it to an extreme today. Most people know that washing hands after using restroom facilities, before eating and preparing food, and whenever contact with an ill person has taken place increases one’s chances of remaining healthy. But with the rampant use of hand sanitizers by some, the argument is that our immune systems are not getting enough exposure to bacteria to fight infection. Slightly relaxing their standards may sustain optimum health.

Wars, the economy, climate change and natural and human made disasters all fuel a sporadic debate on whether an apocalypse could happen. While a complete end to the world is improbable, disasters come and go. They can leave their mark, but for the most part, we weather them out, or in extreme cases, hopefully survive and recover from them.

A giant meteor is thought to have killed the dinosaurs, commonly believed to have happened 65 million years ago. It struck the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, geologists believe, and the shock wave swept across North America in minutes.

Even in modern times, massive earthquakes have struck California and Malaysia, and hurricanes have caused extensive devastation in Florida and Louisiana. This is nothing compared to what a large asteroid is capable of. There are millions of them in space. In our own solar system, an entire belt of asteroids lies between Mars and Jupiter, possibly containing millions of rocks.

Despite popular perceptions, however, this asteroid belt is not a solid conglomeration of rocks. They are spread apart and you could actually pass through the belt without ever seeing anything. Scientists have estimated it to have a total mass that is a fraction that of the moon. Most of the objects in this area are tiny, while only a tiny percentage of them are a few miles across. Ceres is the largest one; it is hundreds of miles across and is sometimes considered to be a mini planet.

While a few asteroids pass close to earth’s orbit, Scientists keep a close watch on the known objects that do. It is rare for anything large enough to pass by and be any cause for alarm.

An almanac is a very good reference to what you can see in the sky and when. For each year, month, week or even day, you might have details on when and in what part of the sky certain planets may appear. Mercury, Venus and Mars are always great objects to find in the sky, as are Saturn and Jupiter. Planets change position more frequently than stars, so a reference as to which stars they will be near is helpful as well.

Stars and constellations, on the other hand, are regular in their seasonal appearances and their respective locations in the sky. The Big Dipper remains a favorite of the summer, while Orion somehow gets many folks through the winter. Meteor showers occur in regular intervals in many cases, such as the Perseids in August. Space almanacs will tell you when these will occur and how active they are expected to be, and whether just a handful or tens or hundreds of meteors might be seen each hour.

An almanac for the sky will also tell you when lunar or solar eclipses may occur, and where. Since an eclipse is a rare event, keeping track of this information is important.

You can find various almanacs that detail the night sky, which are available in many places. The local bookstore or library is a good place to start, but you don’t have to go anywhere to find them online as well. There are many almanac and space related websites, with information on upcoming celestial events, which are relatively easy to find.

Many people consider the purchase of their first home to be the first major purchase in their lives. However, in most cases, the first-time buyers rarely have the funds available to pay (in full) for their new home.  Rather, people pay a percentage, or down payment, and apply for a loan.  In other words, people apply for a home mortgage.

There are hundreds of companies – either brick-and-mortar or online – that can help a person who is in the market for a mortgage.  The goal for people is to get a low interest rate and the right payment.  The “right payment” is one that fits one’s budget.

Individuals work with a mortgage-officer that will review a person’s credit score and discuss ways to obtain the best interest rate dependent upon one’s score and assets. The buyer, or buyers, must show proof of income to verify they will be able to take on the amount of the loan they are requesting.  In addition, one fills out a long loan application which is an agreement between you and the mortgage-lender stating the terms for financing. However, before one can “buy” the property, the property must be appraised to ensure it meets the stated value of the loan.  As you may guess, a mortgage company would not want to lend a person $200,000 for a home that appraises for $75,000.

A mortgage-officer may also be called upon to refinance a person’s mortgage.  In recent times, the interest rate on several types of home loans (for example a 30-year standard mortgage or a 15-year standard mortgage) have been close to historical lows.  Generally, for a nominal fee or what is often referred to as “closing costs”, it is possible to refinance your home loan and obtain a lower interest rate.  A lower interest rate means lower monthly payments.  Lower payments mean more savings.  More savings equals happier home-owners.

Many ideas have been thought up about ways to launch things into space without using rockets. One of these is the space elevator, a theoretical structure that would be anchored to the Earth near the equator, to a distance where it could achieve geostationary orbit. The concept has been around since the late 1800’s and if built, it would be a feasible method of elevating cargo into space. For such a system to be possible, the materials would have to be extremely light and strong. Carbon nanotubes are theoretically strong enough to support this kind of structure.

Using a space gun is another way to possibly launch things into space. This has actually been done, as the Navy once used a 100 caliber gun to shoot an object to a suborbital distance. The velocity and angle an object reaches from a gun, however, are too great to achieve orbit just from the gun, and the speed too high for humans to be safely launched. Similarly, an electromagnetic catapult, with motors and a sequential firing of electromagnets, could achieve the same thing, but the distance would have to be hundreds of miles long.

Other ideas include a space fountain. This is a tower so tall it could not support its own weight, but would be held aloft by a stream of particles. Satellite payloads could be lifted and lowered by the streams of particles. It would not require the superstrong materials a space elevator would, but would need a lot of power to stay in place.

Proposals also include building a ring around the Earth with elevators on each side, using a 1,200 mile long maglev system, or powering rockets using beams from the ground.

For amateur astronomers and hobbyists, there are many telescopes available. For under $1,000, you can find a 6 inch scope that will enable you to see such things as globular clusters and some details of Mars. If you’re just starting out, you can even find starter telescopes for under $250. The main things to consider when making the purchase are the quality of the optics, and how smoothly the device’s mount operates so you can move it around easily.

One starter telescope has a 4.5 inch mirror. It is great for beginners but even the experts find it useful, because when you look through the lens on a clear night, you can see the moon’s craters and even cloud bands on Jupiter. A steady base and easy maneuverability also make it a good choice. For just about $100, one reflector telescope includes a tripod, altazimuth mount, focuser, finder scope and two eyepieces; a nice choice for backyard observation for the whole family.

While many amateur telescopes are great for use around the home, portable models are also available, including one that can feature a 16x or 30x eyepiece. Its streamlined, red design allows it to be carried around and it can even be placed in an overhead compartment of an airplane. With this, you can view the universe from anywhere; the only limit is where you are able to travel to enjoy the scope’s benefits.

There are so many kinds available to beginners, all you have to do is look online or visit a scientific retailer to get an idea of what is best for you. Even a simple scope may spark your interest in pursuing a life-long career or hobby.

It is huge, much bigger than any of the other planets, asteroids and comets put together that lie within the solar system. Still, the sun is considered to be an ordinary star, as there are millions of stars as big or slightly smaller than it. However, it is many, many times the diameter of Jupiter, the second largest object in the system, and comprises nearly 99% of the solar system’s mass.

Nuclear fusion reactions are how it generates all the energy needed to constantly output light and the streams of particles that emanate from it. As big and as powerful as it is, the sun does have structural layers, including a solid core. Beyond that, each layer is somewhat fluidic and in fact, the sun does not even rotate evenly, as the surface of the equator rotates faster than that near the poles. The surface is called the photosphere and above the surface is the chromosphere. Huge areas of gases are constantly pushed away from the sun, and the main area where these are concentrated is the corona.

The sun also has a magnetosphere, which is the extent of its magnetic field, but this goes out billions of miles, and even beyond Pluto. The effects of the sun, other than the warmth and light we experience every day, include solar wind, which affects the tails of comets and can affect the movement of spacecraft. When streams of particles hit the upper atmosphere of Earth, there are auroras near the north and south poles.

In reality, the sun is responsible for everything we see on Earth, as the planet itself would never have existed without it, nor would have humans who live from, worship and observe it every day.

An occulation is very much like an eclipse, but an event is usually considered to be an eclipse when two objects similar in apparent size to one another are involved. The objects can be stars, planets, moons or any other entity, but it is the size as viewed from Earth that determines what we see. This eclipse-like event occurs when something large, like the Moon, obscures a star or other planet from view. The obscured objects have to be blocked by something that appears much larger than them.

Astronomical discoveries have been made just by observing occultations. The ring system of Uranus was discovered this way in the 1970’s. Stars that the planet passed over would dim and brighten several times before the planet moved over them. This led to speculation that there were rings, but this was confirmed when Voyager 2 passed by the planet. The space probe also found this to be the case with Neptune.

The Moon’s occultation of stars has led to discoveries such as binary stars, as one fades before the other. It sometimes passes stars right at its edge, which is a grazing occultation. When this happens, the star can actually disappear behind mountains and appear again through lunar valleys. Multiple observers who space themselves along a path have taken advantage of these events to profile the moons edge, which helps to detail the moons position, and also helped to map lunar topography before man ever went to the Moon.

Studying science is a wonderful opportunity to find out about the universe and its glory. The stars, sun, moon, and all of the majesty of the elements in the night life are awesome and give a spectacular show. Children especially enjoy the wonders of science, and it absolutely intrigues them with everything it holds. Cultivating a young life toward the appreciation and an interest in science can reap multiple beneficial rewards for many years.

The Wonders of the World Wide Web

Children can learn about the universe around them by studying books from the library or by visiting websites. There are several online sites where they can reference a myriad of material that will quench their thirst for knowledge. Parents can help to cultivate the children’s learning by participating in activities with them and by cruising the web together. Parents will find the research interesting too while they click through websites with the child and may even find other topics that interest them, including things like home improvement topics, refinance auto loan information, and college information. There are many things to do and learn online, and learning together makes it even more fun.

The Wonders of Learning

Online libraries are another rich source of information for children to study more about the universe. With a simple click, they can open up a brand new world of knowledge and explore in depth the subject that is so interesting to them. Many educational online resources grant the user access to photo galleries and links to other sites, so the learning is not only intriguing for the student, but it’s also a never-ending well of knowledge and discovery. A child exposed to as many educational opportunities as possible gets to enjoy wonderful experiences that he can share for years to come!

With a large amount of people today with these developmental disabilities there are a growing number of organizations dedicated to helping them. Some organizations want to help people with disabilities get jobs or careers that interest them and fits their disability. There are other committee’s who want to help adult people with disabilities have the freedom to choose who and where they live. These steps to help people with disabilities are kind. The goal is to integrate people with disabilities into the real everyday world instead of keeping them away and not challenging them.

Developmental disabilities are severe but that shouldn’t stop people with them from getting an education. In some cases special schools are necessary for teaching disabled persons. Some with mental disabilities may need classes that go at a slower pace. The schools that cater to these cases of mental disabilities also help teach the students how to deal with their disability at home and in public. In public learning how to make and keep friends and relationships is very important as well as common safety. The schools also teach the parents and care givers what to do and special care giving instructions. Even people with physical disabilities need special schools. The blind should learn brail and how to deal with their physical disability in the outside world.

Scanning the sky from Earth’s surface is difficult, but it is not always practical to send satellites into orbit. However, the atmosphere makes it hard for telescopes to provide accurate readings because of particles, gases, and temperature variations that can distort pictures. The higher up you go, the thinner the atmosphere is, so that is why there are many observatories placed on the tops of mountains.

You will also not likely to see one near a city. The light pollution would ruin any chances of making accurate calculations or even making new discoveries. Proof is given by the fact that you cannot see that many stars if you live near a city, but when you travel to the country where there is not much light, millions of them light up the sky.

Mauna Kea in Hawaii is over 13,000 feet high and, being far from any cities, is a prime location to look into space. There are 12 telescopes in all on the summit, while the University of Hawaii runs two of them. The site has been determined to be the best for image quality using both optical and infrared imaging. Countries such as the U.S., United Kingdom, Taiwan, Japan, and joint projects from those and others can be found on site.

The site of the Mauna Kea facility was established in 1967. An observatory in Bolivia at just over 17,000 feet was the world’s highest permanent one until the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory was built in 2009. The optical-infrared telescope was built on an 18,500 foot summit in Chile.

Perhaps the most visible and most accessible of these is the Mount Wilson Observatory in Los Angeles. It first began operating in 1908, and has studied the sun and other stars too, and has been steadily expanded over time There is a 100 inch telescope as well as a 40 inch system and other smaller ones on the site. The site is a popular research destination, although it is sometimes threatened by pollution from nearby Los Angeles and from fires in the surrounding woodlands.

A trip into space can be the most memorable moment of a lifetime. For astronauts, it is hard work, but the view can never be underappreciated, as well as the fun of being in zero gravity. As for food, that is another story.

Astronauts now have more of a choice in the foods they can choose, unlike early space missions like Mercury and Apollo. Because there is limited room to store things, foods must be stored in compact containers that are flexible. This aids in storage as well as in compressing the material for the trash.

The most interesting thing about space food is the food itself, which has to be rehydrated to be eaten. This is easy for things like chicken soup, but meals like chicken and rice, scrambled eggs, shrimp and cereals can also be prepared just by adding water to them. Many drinks, similarly, are stored as a powder, like tea, orange juice and lemonade, in a package that connects to a water dispenser to obtain the proper mixture.

Not all food that goes aboard the space shuttle is prepared this way. Some things such as nuts and cookies are put into pouches that just have to be cut open to use. Fresh foods like fruits and vegetables can be stored in their natural state, but can spoil on long missions. The shuttle has a module where astronauts can use its water dispenser and oven to prepare all the food they eat.

The most popular food items for astronauts are flour tortillas! Regular bread can crumble and takes up much more space, so these issues were eliminated when they started using tortillas in the 1980’s. Not only are they easier to eat, but they provide something to do during break time – tortillas also make for great Frisbees in microgravity.

The many foods that are eaten in space can be precooked and do not require refrigeration. They are prepared by adding water and by heating if necessary. Astronauts select their own food from a menu several months before the flight.

A municipal bond is issued by a government agency in order to fund a project. The projects can range from street repairs to hospitals and redevelopment projects. Municipal bonds are essentially loans to the government that will be paid back with interest at a specified time. The interest rates vary, but are usually very competitive. When you invest in the stock market, you are not guaranteed to make money. In fact, you are a lot more likely to lose money investing in the stock market than purchasing municipal bonds.

There are lots of other places to invest too, but municipal bonds are a good option because you are able to help a community and make some money at the same time. It can be satisfying to know that someone is living in a better place because you were able to contribute funds. You can purchase municipal bonds online or at almost any financial institution. You simply have to know the amount you are willing to invest and then find a municipal bond that fits in with your investing goals.

The way that a municipal bond works is that you lend the total amount of the bond, and then you are either paid in increments or when the loan matures. It can take a decade or more for a municipal bond to mature, so be sure that the bond you choose fits in line with your goals.

Even more fascinating is the discovery made in a shipwreck near Greece, not far from the island of Crete. A device determined to be a mechanical analog computer is one of the oldest geared devices ever found. Called the Antikythera mechanism, it features different gears that were actually used before 100 BC. It has over 30 differential gears and someone could use a crank to calculate the position of the sun or Moon. The machine could also track other planets as well.

All of the gears operating together work similar to old clocks. The whole system could add or subtract angular velocities as well as compute lunar cycles by subtracting the movement of the Sun from that observed of the Moon. The structure of the device included an outer ring marked with the days of a 365-day calendar years, while an inner dial had zodiac symbols with delineations for degrees. The outer ring could also be moved to account for leap years.

The Antikythera mechanism also had components that indicated the rising and setting of specific stars and could track the positions of Venus and Mars. It was capable of even more and is an example of the things that complex mechanical systems are capable of. Even without miniaturized circuits and powerful computers, driving huge telescopes and observatories, astronomical observations could still be made thousands of years ago.

The pull of the Moon’s gravity affects the oceans on a regular and predicable basis. The tides change times regularly each day as well, as they occur about 50 minutes later from one day to the next for the most part. Twice a month, when the Moon is full, and when it is dark during a New Moon, the tide is exceptionally high and lower than usual. Sometimes this exposes different parts of the sea floor and beach goers can find interesting shells and sea life that they don’t ordinarily see.

Aside from being the subject of interest from travelers and people relaxing on the beach, the tide can affect thing such as shipping, as shallower water in shipping lanes can be a hazard to large cargo ships, freighters, and tankers. In some places, boat captains must be aware of the tide schedule so they can safely time their entry and exit into harbors.

The tide can also affect fishing. The water depth can be a factor for some fish, but when the tide creates currents, the flow of the water can determine where the best places to fish are, and what kinds of fish are easier to catch.

Tidal flow can even affect how pollution moves through the water. When input into computer models, tide data can help predict how pollutants might advance and what areas they might or might not affect.