Physics and astronomy thread (4 Viewers)

[El Floppo]

1st US landing on the moon in 50+ years appears compromised.

Rocket took off fine, but the lander had some issues after separation and engineers don't expect a soft landing on Feb 23

A 2nd US lander will also be on its way for Feb arrival.

Both are through private companies... The first time for that.

Is this Artemis?

I think that's the manned mission... This is something else and unmanned. I absolutely should have said that at the giddy up

Peregrine flew on Monday as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which arranged to get five agency science instruments on the lander.

It was the first launch for CLPS, which aims to boost lunar research ahead of crewed visits to the moon via NASA's Artemis program later this decade. The next CLPS mission is targeted for next month, when Houston company Intuitive Machines' Nova-C will lift off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

 

[Galileo]

NASA has revealed the sample of material collected from asteroid Bennu in the OSIRIS-Rex mission. This was the stuff dropped in Utah back in September.

The high resolution image available for download can be zoomed in to see some detail

 

[El Floppo]

NASA has revealed the sample of material collected from asteroid Bennu in the OSIRIS-Rex mission. This was the stuff dropped in Utah back in September.

The high resolution image available for download can be zoomed in to see some detail

Cool.

Did they ever explain why it was so difficult to remove the top?

 

[El Floppo]

I've been quiet about all of Ingenuitys recent flights. She's been going strong until... Thursdays Flight 72. They lost radio contact with her at as she was descending.

Digits crossed they can reestablish contact.

 

[The Z Machine]

72 flights. Crazy

 

[El Floppo]

I've been quiet about all of Ingenuitys recent flights. She's been going strong until... Thursdays Flight 72. They lost radio contact with her at as she was descending.

Digits crossed they can reestablish contact.

They reestablished contact and determined it had landed upright... PHEW!!

Going to do a systems and spin test (may have already done this) and then hopefully back flight 73!

 

[TennesseeJed]

I've been quiet about all of Ingenuitys recent flights. She's been going strong until... Thursdays Flight 72. They lost radio contact with her at as she was descending.

Digits crossed they can reestablish contact.

They reestablished contact and determined it had landed upright... PHEW!!

Going to do a systems and spin test (may have already done this) and then hopefully back flight 73!

Sad news to report:

After Three Years on Mars, NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends - NASA

NASA’s history-making Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has ended its mission at the Red Planet after surpassing expectations and making dozens more flights than

www.nasa.gov

 

[El Floppo]

I've been quiet about all of Ingenuitys recent flights. She's been going strong until... Thursdays Flight 72. They lost radio contact with her at as she was descending.

Digits crossed they can reestablish contact.

They reestablished contact and determined it had landed upright... PHEW!!

Going to do a systems and spin test (may have already done this) and then hopefully back flight 73!

Sad news to report:

After Three Years on Mars, NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Mission Ends - NASA

NASA’s history-making Ingenuity Mars Helicopter has ended its mission at the Red Planet after surpassing expectations and making dozens more flights than

www.nasa.gov

Was just coming in to post this. :sad:

Damaged rotor, they think from bland terrain screwing up it's sensors.

Hoping for proof of concept with 1, maybe 5 flights... Instead- 72 freaking flights as an active partner to Percy. Flat out amazing.

RIP Ginny.

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Could a Giant Parasol in Outer Space Help Solve the Climate Crisis?

Interest in sun shields, once a fringe idea, has grown. Now, a team of scientists says it could launch a prototype within a few years.

www.nytimes.com

Mind blown. Though it would be an excuse for bad climate actors to keep acting, I would love to see us try this.

 

[BlackCrowes]

Could a Giant Parasol in Outer Space Help Solve the Climate Crisis?

Interest in sun shields, once a fringe idea, has grown. Now, a team of scientists says it could launch a prototype within a few years.

www.nytimes.com

Mind blown. Though it would be an excuse for bad climate actors to keep acting, I would love to see us try this.

I gotta think Earth’s albedo is dropping faster than anything like this could possibly counter, but who knows

 

[Nick Vermeil]

Could a Giant Parasol in Outer Space Help Solve the Climate Crisis?

Interest in sun shields, once a fringe idea, has grown. Now, a team of scientists says it could launch a prototype within a few years.

www.nytimes.com

Mind blown. Though it would be an excuse for bad climate actors to keep acting, I would love to see us try this.

I gotta think Earth’s albedo is dropping faster than anything like this could possibly counter, but who knows

I just like that it’s weird. Would like to see them try it.

 

[The Man With No Name]

Telescope deal https://www.space.com/celestron-ast...-46B0-AB0B-7E582D7201E3&utm_source=SmartBrief

 

[Andy Dufresne]

This is the brightest known thing in the universe

This 17-billion-solar-mass black hole is chowing down on a disk of matter that shines brighter than 500 trillion Suns.

www.astronomy.com

 

[Galileo]

First private company's attempt to soft land on the moon is scheduled for today... watch here

 

[BlackCrowes]

First private company's attempt to soft land on the moon is scheduled for today... watch here

Supposedly they’ve got some new tech that will let them predict their landing spot and hit it with pretty good accuracy

 

[El Floppo]

First private company's attempt to soft land on the moon is scheduled for today... watch here

Supposedly they’ve got some new tech that will let them predict their landing spot and hit it with pretty good accuracy

Is that the same tech the Japanese lander used?

 

[El Floppo]

I was actually being serious... They nailed a very small landing window with their own new tech, just didn't quite stick the landing (faceplant).

 

[Galileo]

I was actually being serious... They nailed a very small landing window with their own new tech, just didn't quite stick the landing (faceplant).

Well, I hope their technology is better than the audio technology i am getting on this live feed. I can barely hear it.

 

[El Floppo]

I was actually being serious... They nailed a very small landing window with their own new tech, just didn't quite stick the landing (faceplant).

Well, I hope their technology is better than the audio technology i am getting on this live feed. I can barely hear it.

Huh... My audio has been fine. Meeting a friend for drinks - my ight jump back on for the landing

 

[heckmanm]

I picked a great time to check this thread again. Watching the stream now

 

[heckmanm]

Just threw "all your base are belong to us" in the live chat

 

[Phil Elliott]

I was actually being serious... They nailed a very small landing window with their own new tech, just didn't quite stick the landing (faceplant).

Well, I hope their technology is better than the audio technology i am getting on this live feed. I can barely hear it.

Huh... My audio has been fine. Meeting a friend for drinks - my ight jump back on for the landing

There's many different live streams on YouTube. Maybe another source might help.

 

[BlackCrowes]

“We copy you’re down Eagle?”

 

[Phil Elliott]

Trying to establish communications. Should be on surface.

 

[Phil Elliott]

Appears there is a signal but not effective communications. When all else fails, reboot everything.

 

[BlackCrowes]

On the surface and transmitting

 

[Phil Elliott]

The signal seems to be faint so they need to amplify it but they are claiming success.

 

[IrishTwinkie]

The dude(ette) who hacked the NASA LIDAR into their landing control loop? In two hours? That person should have their salary doubled and get the closest parking spot to the door forever.

 

[Phil Elliott]

Looks like it switched antennas and signal is better but still somewhat weak. There was some question during the last phase of descent that it may have tilted slightly and landed tilted so the antennae weren't directly pointed at earth-but that was never confirmed.

https://x.com/amsatdl/status/1760827687596102054?s=46&t=sB97txzPHo78S6e754HUZQ

 

[Phil Elliott]

In NASA update currently underway, they believe the IM-1 was slightly tilted dropping at 6 mph vertically (wanted 2 mph) and 2mph horizontally (wanted no horizontal movement), caught a leg as it hit the surface and tipped over and it's now lying basically horizontal. Solar charging working and unit is 100% charged.

 

[The Z Machine]

In NASA update currently underway, they believe the IM-1 was slightly tilted dropping at 6 mph vertically (wanted 2 mph) and 2mph horizontally (wanted no horizontal movement), caught a leg as it hit the surface and tipped over and it's now lying basically horizontal. Solar charging working and unit is 100% charged.

Damn lucky that the lander still works while lying on its side and hitting 3-4x faster than planned.

 

[Phil Elliott]

In NASA update currently underway, they believe the IM-1 was slightly tilted dropping at 6 mph vertically (wanted 2 mph) and 2mph horizontally (wanted no horizontal movement), caught a leg as it hit the surface and tipped over and it's now lying basically horizontal. Solar charging working and unit is 100% charged.

Damn lucky that the lander still works while lying on its side and hitting 3-4x faster than planned.

Yes, I think they said it was related to the "hack" that had to do with the LIDAR system ( they had to reprogram the guidance system and reboot it-the simulation test during the reprogramming didn't go well but in the end it worked ok). It didn't perform perfectly but got them down on to the surface. Sounded like all the payloads (12?) were still ok with it laying horizontal.)

 

[Sand]

So no dark matter?

 

[BlackCrowes]

So no dark matter?

Always thought “dark gravity” was a better name.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Scientists find galaxy supercluster as massive as 26 quadrillion suns

The Einasto Supercluster is so vast that it would take a light signal 360 million years to get from one end to the other.

www.space.com

The Einasto Supercluster is staggering in terms of its sheer size and mass. It contains the same mass as around 26 quadrillion suns (26 followed by 15 zeroes). This supercluster is so vast, in fact, that it would take a light signal 360 million years to travel from one side of it to the other.

So, in other words, it's 360m light years in diameter?

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Move over, solar eclipse: Scientists predict a once-in-a-lifetime nova explosion in the coming months

The nova T Coronae Borealis explodes about once every 80 years.

www.bbc.com

 

[Galileo]

Move over, solar eclipse: Scientists predict a once-in-a-lifetime nova explosion in the coming months

The nova T Coronae Borealis explodes about once every 80 years.

www.bbc.com

Good luck predicting when...

 

[Sand]

Move over, solar eclipse: Scientists predict a once-in-a-lifetime nova explosion in the coming months

The nova T Coronae Borealis explodes about once every 80 years.

www.bbc.com

Good luck predicting when...

I think you should be telling us here.

 

[Phil Elliott]

I posted this in another thread but good info on the April 8 eclipse. If you are planning to drive there are maps predicting traffic basically by state if you go in the Visitation link;
Easier to zoom in on pc.

Eclipse tourism visitation projections — Great American Eclipse

www.greatamericaneclipse.com

 

[The Man With No Name]

Don't have to leave home to see full eclipse. Got my glasses back in October

 

[Phil Elliott]

Forecasts for central Texas are starting to call for cloudy skies and chance of storms. 3-4 days out will be more accurate probability.

 

[El Floppo]

Will we see any of it in NYC? I see it goes through the upper corner of NY state for total.

 

[Phil Elliott]

Will we see any of it in NYC? I see it goes through the upper corner of NY state for total.

So far it's looking like every major city in the totality area in New York area forecast for mostly sunny skies. New York City forecast is for clear weather too and you should be able to see about a 90-95% eclipse of the sun.

 

[dunfee555]

This site is the best one I've found to get the specific information for any particular area. You can zoom in and click on an exact location to get all the details for that spot. I'm in Ohio and my house falls right into the totality zone. Not the center of it, so only about a minute and a half of the full eclipse vs the almost four minutes in the center of the zone.

Eclipse Map - April 8, 2024 - NSO - National Solar Observatory

Explore the path of totality of the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse in this interactive google map.

nso.edu

 

[Galileo]

Posted this in the eclipse thread but figured I would drop it here too...

The planets will be in a convenient alignment during the eclipse. Jupiter and Venus should definitely be bright enough to see with the naked eye. Mars and Saturn are also good candidates to be able to see without any observational tools. Mercury, Jupiter, and Uranus should be roughly in the 10 O'clock direction from the sun. Venus, Neptune, Saturn, and Mars would be in the 4 O'clock direction. As an added bonus comet 12P/Pons-Brook should be passing through that region of the sky as well. The image below shows the arrangement for the eclipse...

https://starwalk.space/gallery/images/april-8-2024-alignment-1/1920x1080.jpg

If you just like the planetary alignments, the Venus, Neptune, Saturn and Mars alignment will be visible in its closest grouping tomorrow morning (4/4) just before sunrise. you do not need an eclipse for that show.

 

[Phil Elliott]

Your opportunity to see a once in a life time nova which occurred 3,000 years ago.

Move over, solar eclipse: Scientists predict a once-in-a-lifetime nova explosion in the coming months

The nova T Coronae Borealis explodes about once every 80 years.

www.bbc.com

 

[Yo Mama]

An interesting read on some extreme long distance repairs on Voyager:

NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth – Voyager

blogs.nasa.gov

 

[Phil Elliott]

An interesting read on some extreme long distance repairs on Voyager:

NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth – Voyager

blogs.nasa.gov

Was going to post this also. Interesting how they split the code up.

 

[Yo Mama]

An interesting read on some extreme long distance repairs on Voyager:

NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth – Voyager

blogs.nasa.gov

Was going to post this also. Interesting how they split the code up.

Yeah those people are way too smart. Reminded me of some of the problem solving from The Martian.

 

[The Z Machine]

An interesting read on some extreme long distance repairs on Voyager:

NASA’s Voyager 1 Resumes Sending Engineering Updates to Earth – Voyager

blogs.nasa.gov

Was going to post this also. Interesting how they split the code up.

Yeah those people are way too smart. Reminded me of some of the problem solving from The Martian.

They also look quite old... like these are the only FORTRAN people that are still working.