The concept of a ”’time machine”’ has captured the imagination of humanity for centuries, fueling endless speculation, science fiction narratives, and scientific inquiry. From H.G. Wells’ classic novel to blockbuster movies, the idea of traveling through time has fascinated generations. But beyond the realm of fiction, is it truly conceivable to construct a device capable of bending the fabric of time itself? In this comprehensive exploration, we delve into the scientific theories, technological advancements, and philosophical implications surrounding the quest to unlock the secrets of time travel.
Understanding Time and Space
Before delving into the intricacies of ”how to build a time machine”, it is imperative to grasp the fundamental concepts of time and space as elucidated by modern physics. According to Einstein’s theory of General Relativity, space and time are intricately intertwined, forming a four-dimensional continuum known as spacetime. This revolutionary concept posits that massive objects such as planets and stars can warp the fabric of spacetime, creating what we perceive as gravity.
Moreover, Einstein’s equations suggest that time is not immutable but rather a dynamic dimension that can be influenced by gravitational fields and relative motion. This phenomenon, known as time dilation, has been experimentally confirmed through observations of high-speed particles and the synchronization of atomic clocks at different gravitational potentials. Thus, the notion of time as a fixed, linear progression is challenged by the intricate interplay of spacetime geometry.
Theoretical Frameworks for Time Travel
Within the framework of modern physics, several theoretical approaches have been proposed to elucidate the possibility of ”’time travel”’. One such concept is the notion of closed timelike curves (CTCs), postulated by physicist Kurt Gödel and further developed by mathematician Frank Tipler. According to this hypothesis, it may be feasible to traverse a loop in spacetime, enabling a traveler to revisit points in their own past or even journey to the future.
Another intriguing proposal stems from the theory of wormholes, hypothetical tunnels that connect disparate regions of spacetime. While the existence of wormholes remains speculative, their theoretical viability as shortcuts through the cosmic fabric has captivated the imagination of physicists and science fiction writers alike. By traversing a wormhole, one could potentially bypass the constraints of conventional spacetime and emerge at a distant point in both space and time.
Challenges and Conundrums
Despite the allure of ”’time travel”’ and the tantalizing possibilities it presents, the quest to construct a functional time machine is fraught with formidable challenges and paradoxes. One of the most notorious conundrums is the infamous grandfather paradox, which posits that traveling back in time and altering past events could lead to self-contradictory scenarios. For instance, if a time traveler were to prevent their own grandfather from meeting their grandmother, would they cease to exist?
Furthermore, the energy requirements for manipulating spacetime on a macroscopic scale are staggering, surpassing the capabilities of current technological prowess. Theoretical constructs such as negative energy and exotic matter have been proposed as potential ingredients for constructing a time machine, yet their existence remains speculative, if not elusive. Moreover, the stability of traversable wormholes and the avoidance of catastrophic feedback loops pose formidable obstacles to practical implementation.
Ethical and Philosophical Implications
Beyond the realm of scientific inquiry, the prospect of ”’time travel”’ engenders profound ethical and philosophical considerations. The ability to alter past events or glimpse into the future raises profound questions about free will, causality, and the nature of reality itself. Would the act of intervening in historical events constitute hubris or heroism? Could the knowledge of one’s own future alter the course of individual destiny?
Moreover, the implications of time travel extend beyond the confines of human agency, encompassing the fate of entire civilizations and the evolution of the cosmos. From the perspective of cosmology, the concept of closed timelike curves raises the specter of the chronology protection conjecture, which postulates that the laws of physics conspire to prevent the formation of causality-violating events. Thus, the quest to unlock the mysteries of time may ultimately reveal deeper truths about the fabric of existence.
In conclusion, the pursuit of a functional ”’time machine”’ represents a quintessential confluence of scientific inquiry, technological innovation, and philosophical introspection. While theoretical frameworks such as closed time like curves and traversable wormholes offer tantalizing glimpses into the possibility of time travel, formidable challenges and paradoxes loom large on the horizon. From the enigmatic nature of spacetime to the ethical dilemmas of altering the past, the quest to unravel the secrets of time remains an enduring testament to humanity’s insatiable curiosity and boundless imagination. As we continue to probe the frontiers of knowledge, perhaps one day we will unlock the keys to the temporal realm and embark on a journey through the annals of history and the vistas of the future.


You might’ve read about the ‘aurora borealis’ or Northern Lights and want to photograph the phenomenon. Well, if you’re planning to capture this show of lights, you’ll have to visit Norway. The northern parts of this country are among the best places to capture Northern Lights. The landscape here perfectly complements the aurora with mountains soaring above blue fjords and coastal towns.
The captivating sight of colors spreading across the Arctic sky is something you wouldn’t want to miss. You can witness these lights from the seashore or a mountainside. They can also be seen from the observation deck on one of the ships of Hurtingruten. If you’ve just started landscape photography, here are some valuable tips on photographing Northern Lights:
1. Wear warm clothes
Frozen fingers and shaky hands won’t be of any use if you want to photograph the aurora. The northern parts of Norway are extremely cold during winter. So, you’ll need to put on many layers of clothing. Don’t be concerned about your appearance after wrapping yourself up in this manner. The real star in your photograph is Northern Lights.
2. Check the forecasts
You must pay attention to the aurora forecast as well as the weather forecast. This will help you in getting to the right spot on days when the sky is clear. You must also ensure that the light show is visible during your visit. You can book a guided trip of Northern Lights, as the guides would know the local weather.
Consider installing the forecast app NorwayLights on your smartphone. This will give you easy access to the Northern Lights forecast on-the-go.
3. Move away from the city lights
To photograph the aurora you’ll need to move away from the city lights. This is absolutely necessary if you wish to click some excellent photos. Make sure you find an ideal spot, which is far from the city center. You can also consider hiring a local guide who knows the right spots for watching this natural phenomenon. Don’t use a flash when you’re photographing this fascinating show of lights.
4. Use the manual camera settings if available
Manual camera settings are always the best when you’re photographing this fabulous show of lights. Of course, the automatic settings would make things a lot more easier for you. However, when it’s dark, manual settings would be your best companion. If you rely on automatic settings, you might not get the Northern Lights in your photograph at all.
The manual settings allow you to adjust the shutter speed, focus, aperture, and ISO. To begin with, you must familiarize yourself well with the settings of your camera. Once you’re good at using them, you can travel to the designated spot confidently and get the perfect shot.
5. Keep the camera steady
To keep your camera steady while capturing the images of Northern Lights, use a tripod. The blurry images might seem quite artistic to you, but you wouldn’t want your photograph to appear like them. In case you don’t have a tripod, look for a big rock to keep your camera still. You can also consider placing it on the hood of a car. Use anything that can keep the camera steady for getting the right shot.


|Sunset, Gilleleje, Zealand|
We do not worship and sacrifice to the sun like the ancient people did. The sun's power over mankind was always great, especially in the countries to the North, where the sun at midwinter is like a far disc, pale, golden and cold as the moon - and in some places like in The Land of the Midnight Sun it disappears for a period. No wonder the ancient people tried to recreate the sun above the southern horizon, the warmth had to come back to bring life over nature after a dark winter - and when the sun appeared again, its return was celebrated with cheers throughout the settlements.
|Trundholm Sun Chariot|
|Petroglyphs with sun sign|
The horse was in Bronze Age a sacred animal, it was only used in religious celebrations, stallion fights and in the first sacred ploughing of the New Year. The chariot and the horse is an unambiguously witness that the sun was worshipped in early Bronze Age - or else the sun is in ancient times most often reproduced by a sign: a wheel cross, a circle, a spiral or a fully carved disc which is seen on some petroglyphs. It is known that in the near Orient and in North India the wheel was in ancient times a commonly used image of the sun. The circle or the ring is the simplest reproduction of the sun, and together with the spiral those signs decorated the disc of the Trundholm chariot.
|Midsummer celebration, Sweden, 1969.|
|Sami family in spring celebration.|
When the Sames got lost in the mountains because of bad weather and fog, they placed as a sacrifice to the sun a holed wooden disc : a wheel. On Christmas morning they saluted the sun and drank its tribute and took omens about good or bad luck in the year to come from the sunshine upon a brass ring in water. After the homecoming they drank a tribute to the fertility gods and brought sacrifices to the sun, the bones of the sacrificed animals were placed in a circle upon a sacred table - or meat hung up in a circle-bend wicker twig. The sun would then recognize its sacrifice through the sun signs. At midsummer wreaths of leaves and grass were hung up in honour of the sun.
|Swedish Christmas cakes 16th century.|
A link between midwinter's solstice, old ancient sun-belief and the fertility of the next year, were up till present time kept in the Swedish Christmas bread,which was decorated with the signs of the sun, the wheel and the spiral. The Christmas bread was stored in winter - and in spring it was crumbled and given in small bites to both humans and animals in the farm on the first day of the spring-sowing in order to secure a good harvest.
Archaeological magazine SKALK nr. 4, 1961: P.V.Glob, "Solens Tegn".
photo Gilleleje: grethe bachmann
other photos: wikipedia.


✅Commander Sarah Hayes had dreamed of traveling to the stars since she was a child, gazing up at the night sky with wonder and awe. With determination in her heart and a twinkle in her eye, she dedicated her life to the pursuit of that lofty goal, studying tirelessly, pushing herself to the limit, and never once wavering in her resolve.
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After years of rigorous training and preparation, Sarah finally earned her place among the elite ranks of astronauts, selected for a groundbreaking mission to explore the far reaches of the solar system. With a sense of anticipation and excitement coursing through her veins, she embarked on the journey of a lifetime, leaving behind the familiar comforts of Earth in search of adventure among the stars.


我们课题的研究方向之一是星系的金属丰度、星族及恒星形成历史（Metallicities, stellar populations and star formation histories of Galaxies）.
We are working on the properties of galaxies, including their metallicities, stellar populations and star formation history. We use the ESO/VLT and SDSS spectral data. We also study the multiwavelength spectral energy distribution (SED) of galaxies. The observational data are taken from SDSS optical, 2MASS NIR, GALEX UV and IRAS IR.
我们发表文章列表：Please see our publication list.


China’s Chang’e 5 lunar probe has discovered the first ever evidence of water on the Moon’s surface. The probe captured photos of the Moon rock and the surrounding lunar soil where the water was found.
The Chinese scientists published the discovery in a peer-reviewed article entitled “In situ detection water on the Moon using the Chang’e 5 Lander” on January 7th in the peer reviewed journal Science Advances.
How water on the moon was discovered up-close
Scientists from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of China Academy of Sciences (IGGCAS), led by a joint research team, analyzed photos and reflectance spectral information captured by Chang’e 5 lander. The Chang’e 5 lander’s onboard lunar mineralogical spectrometer was used to analyze the data at the landing site. This instrument analyzes the mineralogical composition in a small area of the Moon’s surface using visible and infrared lights.
Based on how water molecules absorb light, you can estimate the water content. However, infrared light is not able to detect water. The heat from the moon’s surface can alter the readings. Researchers in the study were able compensate by using a thermal correction model.
The data showed that both soil and lightweight and porous Vesicular Rock had water content. However, it was very low: the lunar soil contained less than 120ppm and the rock had about 180ppm. This is equivalent to 120 grams (4.06 fluid-ounces) of water per ton of soil, and 180 grams (6.09 fluid-ounces/ton) of water per ton of rock.
Scientists think the soil may have been water-infused from solar wind. However, the rock’s higher water content may be due to an unknown source beneath the Moon’s surface. The rock could have been ejected from the moon’s interior during a previous volcanic eruption.
After analysing the soil and rock samples, Chang’e 5 landed on the Chang’e 5 lander to collect them (which weighed 1.73kg/3.82lbs) and return them to Earth scientists.
Lin Honglei, an IGGCAS researcher tells Xinhua that the returned samples contain a mix of granules on the surface as well as beneath. This explains the importance of on-site detections. An in-situ probe is able to measure the outermost layer on the lunar surface.
Another First: Water on the Moon Detected
Although there have been previous evidences of water on the Moon’s surface, these were based on lunar samples that were returned from Earth or data from instruments far away.
A 2008 study of samples of lunar rock collected during Apollo missions in 1960s and 1970s found evidence of water molecules trapped within volcanic pebbles.
2018: Scientists used data from NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper to prove that water ice exists on the Moon’s surface.
NASA announced that scientists have found evidence of water ice on Moon’s surface in the darkest and most remote parts of the polar regions. These ice deposits could be ancient and are scattered around the globe. The majority of the ice at the southern pole is concentrated in lunar craters. However, the northern pole’s ice spreads more widely but is less scattered.
NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, (SOFIA), flew a modified Boeing 747 with a powerful telescope in 2020. It confirmed for the first-time that water is present on the moonlit surface.
NASA stated that “this discovery suggests that water may be distributed across lunar surface, and is not limited to cold, shaded places.” SOFIA detected water molecules (H2O), in Clavius Crater. Clavius Crater is one of the largest craters visible on Earth. It’s located in the Moon’s southern hemisphere. This location has data that shows water concentrations between 100 and 412 parts per millions. That’s roughly the equivalent of a 12-ounce water bottle. The soil is spread over the lunar surface in a cubic meter.
Paul Hertz, Director of NASA Astrophysics Division, stated that there were indications H2O – the familiar water that we know – could be present on the moonlit side. It is now known.
The latest confirmation that water is on the Moon’s surface by the Chang’e 5 Lander was not done from Earth orbit or lunar orbit, but on-site. This is a historic first.
In a press release, the Chinese Academy of Sciences stated that “many orbital observations and samples measurements made over the past decade have shown evidence for the existence of water (as H2O and/or hydroxyl) on the Moon.” However, in-situ measurements on the lunar surface have never been made.


|When I consider your heavens, |
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?
|When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?|
|When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, |
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
|Psalm 8:3-4 |
To gaze into the heavens at night should give us great thoughts about God. The moon and the stars are the work of His fingers! When we think of the numberless myriads of stars, of the vast distances in the universe, and of the power that holds the planets in orbit with mathematical precision, it boggles the mind.
MacDonald, W., & Farstad, A. (1997, c1995). Believer's Bible Commentary : Old and New Testaments (Ps 8:3). : Thomas Nelson.


Shooting in square format is foreign to me. I am so used to planning, composing and processing my images in the default DSLR 3:2 format that it is difficult for me to think square. I sometimes find a 'better' composition and crop square during post-processing but for this challenge I wanted to concentrate on designing square images while in the field.
With a full moon tonight, I headed for Point Lonsdale to shoot the rising moon adjacent to the jetty and to look for square compositions of the setting sun framed by some of the formations on the rock platform below the lighthouse.
I arrived early enough (about an hour before sunset) to scout the location - even though I know this location very well, it pays to be there early to line up the compositions in advance rather than running around in a mad panic at the last minute as the light is happening.
My first composition was to frame the western sky between two large rock formations with another formation in the mid ground and use the last rays of light as a diagonal line leading the eye from the bottom left corner through the gap between the rocks.
It didn't take me long to realise that I had miscalculated the sunset location so I was forced to move a few steps to my left and reframe for sunset.
Done there, I went to the jetty to line up a composition with the jetty dominating the left side of the frame and the rising moon appearing behind the haze on the right hand side. Fortunately, my mental calculations of the location of moonrise were bang on (unlike sunset) and 70mm gave me the tight crop that I was looking for. The challenge with shooting the full moon rising is the exposure difference between the moon, which is reflecting sunlight so needs to be shot at typical daylight settings, and the surrounding landscape which is dark so requires long shutter speeds. The moon is also moving quickly relative to the Earth and this movement is exaggerated with tele lenses so a long shutter speed results in a streak of moon rather than the circle you expect and want. To overcome this, I shot two images: one at 30 seconds to correctly expose the landscape (in particular to get the colour in the jetty pilings) and one at 2 seconds to get a reasonable exposure and reduce the movement of the moon. The smoky haze on the eastern horizon dulled the moon's brightness so I could get away with the 4-stop difference between these shots. The only tricky part was blending the second shot of the moon into the first shot but the pink haze helped.
Here's the video of this shoot from my YouTube Channel:
Please feel free to comment below - constructive criticism and debate are always welcome.
♦ K Verticals


Each individual Monday I decide on out the northern hemisphere’s celestial highlights (mid-northern latitudes) for the 7 days ahead, but be guaranteed to check out my primary feed for extra in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and additional.
What To See In The Night time Sky This 7 days: June 13-19, 2022
No prizes for guessing what the “best” celestial sight of the week is going to be. The 1st entire Moon of summer time 2022 in the northern hemisphere is not only likely to be clinging specially very low to the horizon, but it’s also the year’s most important and brightest “supermoon.” Never overlook it!
Monday, June 13, 2022: The Moon and Antares
The 99%-lit Moon and the shiny star Antares will be just 3° aside at dusk this evening. See the two alongside one another in the southeastern sky at dusk.
Tuesday, June 14, 2022: A entire ‘Super Strawberry Moon’
Dusk this night is when to be seeking to the eastern horizon mainly because that’s specifically when a “Super Strawberry Moon”—a entire Moon and 2022’s biggest and brightest “supermoon”—will seem in attractive orangey hues. Check out the exact instances of moonrise for your site and get outdoors hunting east. You will be rewarded with a magnificent orangey orb looking large on the horizon!
June’s entire Moon is the lowest and the most current to increase of 2022. It rises in the southeast in summer season and sets in the southwest, staying as very long in the summer evening sky as the Sunshine does in the wintertime daytime sky.
Thursday, June 16, 2022: Mercury farthest from the Solar
Appear small in the jap sky just ahead of sunrise and you may well glimpse Mercury at its greatest western elongation‚ the farthest it will get from the Sunlight in the early morning sky. Super-shiny Venus in its apparition as the “Morning Star” will be a stunning neighbor.
Object of the week: Comet C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS)
It is not as remarkable as summer months 2020’s Comet Neowise, but if you have a 6-inch telescope you could check out wanting for C/2017 K2 (PANSTARRS). It is been on stargazers’ want-record for five years—even because it was uncovered a whopping 16 au (Earth-Sunlight distances) away, but it’s not brightened as significantly as experienced been hoped. It is at the moment magnitude +11 in the constellation of Ophiuchus and really should be seen from the northern hemisphere till all over October. Here’s a skychart for C/2017 K2.
K2 has been traveling for tens of millions of many years from its home in the Oort Cloud, a spherical area at the edge of our solar system. When it was discovered it was the the farthest active comet at any time observed moving into the solar procedure.
Wishing you very clear skies and wide eyes.


D7.1: Catalog of gas and orbit responses to typical potentials of DAGAL network from the People Programme (Marie Curie Actions) of the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme PITN-GA-2011-289313.
Bars are ubiquitous in disc galaxies in the local universe and are the main drivers of the secular evolution phase of galaxies. Bars are responsible for redistributing angular momentum in the galaxy, and for funneling gas to the central regions where it forms discy(pseudo)-bulges, and may create a fuel reservoir for AGN activity.
Here you can find a catalog of different barred galaxy potentials, with information on their gas flows. On the left panel you will find three sections. In each section, the models have all the parameters the same, apart from one. For example in the section of "Axial Ratio", all the parameters of the models are fixed, apart from the axial ratio of the bar, which we increase for each model. If you need a snapshot of the simulations (in RAMSES or other format) please contact me.
For each model we have four different panels:
Here is an example for model 010. The models are as described in Athanassoula 1992a:


|Artwork by Sila Velez|
We are the Galactic Council. We are overseeing the coordination of all the processes of Ascension in the Milky Way Galaxy. It is our duty to observe the progress of each planet and to maintain communication throughout the Galaxy. We have been carefully monitoring Earth as she moves toward the coming events of revaluation of currencies, Disclosure of our presence, and the landings. We keep all parties, including the Intergalactic Council, informed of the events on the ground, and we are responsible for the final decisions that are made concerning the unfolding of important events.
Permission is given to share or copy this message in its entirety, without additions or deletions, provided credit is given to the author and website.


PRINTABLE 2022 CALENDAR WITH HOLIDAYS
Printable 2022 Calendar With Holidays – Got bored and tired of searching for the most suited 2022 yearly calendar for you? Then, I am glad you reach here.
Here you will get various 2022 yearly calendar templates that help you remember your important work on time. These templates are suitable for almost every device. So, don’t be hesitant to download your favorite template for the 2022 yearly calendar.
You will get various fully customized templates and ready to use. We believe in providing the best calendar templates that solve most problems.
Having a well-organized calendar at your desk will always cut down your burden. A calendar can absorb your essential dates, meeting, events, and to-do list so that you get extra space for other important stuff. Don’t treat your brain as clutter.
It can only happen when you start freeing your mind from unwanted things. These things include remembering dates, points, lists, days, etc. So, clear your mind by writing down important things in our Blank Yearly 2022 Calendar.
The Blank 2022 Yearly Calendar will have dates and a spacious area to write down your notes and points. If you have too many things to remember, you must download our Blank yearly 2022 calendar for Free.
Click on the download link below, and you are ready with your 2022 yearly calendar.
THE NON-LEAP YEAR 2022
The year 2022 has 12 months and only 365 days. That means 2022 is not a leap year. A Leap year has one extra day in February month which is the 29th of February. It is nearly added every four years. The last leap year we encounter is 2020, and the next leap year we encounter is 2024.
We need leap year to stay aligned with the astronomical seasons. However, to complete one orbit of Earth around the Sun will take around 365.25 days. Just because of the .25 difference, our calendar can’t sync with the seasons. So, adding an extra “Leap Day” day will sync with the calendar dates.
If we don’t have a leap year, our calendar will be off by 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds each year. So, can you bear the loss of 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds every year?
Getting an updated calendar will make you remember about leap year or non-leap year month. So, plan your year, month, and days accordingly and make your year more productive.
The calendar could be used as a planning tool that you can’t afford to miss out on. We have a pre-formatted and fully customized 2022 yearly calendar that doesn’t require much energy. You get your favorite template, download it and get ready to rock your 2022.
Our yearly printable calendars are designed in the format of 8.5” X 1 1”, which suits every paper size. Apart from this, our one-page 2022 yearly calendar makes your work easier. You don’t have to roll over pages to find your special dates.
Place the 2022 yearly calendar at your best place, and have a wonderful year ahead.


Originally posted by Cybes:
1) is it just me, or does it seem to anyone else entirely unreasonable that a huge gas giant, with a breathable atmosphere, should have a *maximum* population of 500m, and 5 facilities, while the medium rock planet in vaccuum next door can support 8000m/25?
2) why is it not possible to see at least approximately how large a given colony will *before* settling it? i know i'd rather invest my colony ship in an 8000m/25 planet than a 500m/5 one, given a choice.
1: If the gas giant can only support 500m that it is a domed colony and your race can't breath its atmosphere. No medium planet (that I know of) can support 8000m. Also, any colony built on a vacuum world must be domed, further limiting the population. If you want all of your planets to have populations in the billions, only colonize planets with little green stars next to them, which represents a breathable atmosphere.
2. Stats in parenthases (sp?) are for breathable atmospheres.
Tiny: 100m, 1 facility (500m, 5 facilities?)
Small: 200m, 2 facilities (1000m, 10 facilities)
Medium: 300m, 3 facilities (2000m, 15 facilities)
Large: 400m, 4 facilites (4000m, 20 facilities)
Huge: 500m, 5 facilites (8000m, 25 facilites)
Cargo space for all colonies is equal to twice the maximum population. This information is from the PlanetSize.txt file.


GodSpace Galactic Beta
A downloadable game for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android
GodSpace is a sandbox space simulation game, in which the player can influence the physics of planets, stars, asteroids, comets, and even black holes. The player is free to spawn such objects, as well as control the flow of time itself.
But what is a God without life? Planets have limited metal resources, which they use to build ships, capable of mining asteroids or waging war with ships from other planets. The fate of this universe’s inhabitants is in your hands; will you save them from catastrophe, or push their home planet into the path of a black hole?
GodSpace Galactic 2 is currently in the works, you can vote for it on Steam Greenlight.
Simply unzip the file and run the .exe, simple as that!


5.44 mi, 52:41, 9:41 avg
Ran with Jamie in the neighborhood on usual t-shaped route. Was nice and cool out.
On the drive to my house I was able to see the Super blue blood lunar eclipse. It was pretty amazing to see. I had actually forgotten about the eclipse at first. It looked like a piece was missing from the moon but it was supposed to be full so I was confused until I remembered later about the eclipse.
Post run, push-ups: 25-25-30, pull-ups: 10-10-14


Excuse me for my obsession with this heavenly object, but I want to report yet another brilliant siting of the comet, this time during a dinner party held in honor of our friend Jane Fenn's birthday. The dinner was held at the Wharf Restaurant located on Pier 4, offering a great view of Sydney Harbour Bridge to the east and a fairly unobstructed view of the western sky. Again, the comet appeared at around 8:45 pm and stayed in the sky for maybe a half hour before setting behind Pier 6.
The highlight of the experience was being able to share it with the other dinner guests, many of whom weren't aware that the comet existed. Fortunately I'd had the foresight to bring along my binoculars, so several people were able to see it in greater detail.
I caught this shot of the comet just before it disappeared. Again, it doesn't do justice to the real thing.


The Chair of Space Technology of Technische Universität Berlin has a wide network of partners in the European space industry, which provides the Masters students with an opportunity to gain internship experience and establish valuable contacts during their studies.
DLR – German Aerospace CenterDLR is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. DLR has approximately 8000 employees at 16 locations in Germany.
OHB System AGOHB System AG is one of the leading systems providers in the European aerospace sector. Its core business comprises developing low-orbiting and geostationary small satellites for navigation, communications, scientific research and earth observation. The company is developing and executing such key projects as the Galileo navigation satellites, the SARah reconnaissance system, the MTG meteorological satellites, the EnMAP environment satellite, the TET-1 technology testing vehicle and the HispaSat, ELECTRA and EDRS-C telecommunications satellites. Its manned space flight activities include the participation in the assembly and outfitting of the International Space Station ISS, the Columbus research laboratory and the ATV automatic transfer vehicle. The exploration segment works on studies and models for studying our solar system, primarily the moon and Mars.
AZIMUT SPACE GmbHAzimut Space GmbH provides its customers with thermal engineering and hardware as well as bespoke payloads and systems , with the enthusiasm, flexibility and efficiency of an SME, relying on its 12+ years heritage in thermal systems and complex payloads, such as the thermal system of DLR’s MASCOT Asteroid Lander or the HP³ Mars instrument, onboard the NASA-JPL INSIGHT mission.
VECTRONIC Aerospace GmbH
VECTRONIC Aerospace GmbH combines the knowledge of over a decade of research and development in space technology and wildlife monitoring. It has now become one of the world wide leading companies in the area of wildlife monitoring and offers a wide range of superior-quality products for small satellite applications.
Astro- und Feinwerktechnik Adlershof GmbH
Astro- und Feinwerktechnik Adlershof GmbH’s core competencies are the development, manufacture and testing of components and systems for the aerospace industry. The company has considerable expertise in the production of bus components for small and microsatellites, e.g. AOCS (such as reaction wheels, gyro systems, GPS receivers, AOCS test facilities and simulation software), power systems, mechanisms, structures and complete satellite systems. It also has comprehensive experience in the fields of optical and mechanical ground support equipment (OGSE and MGSE), as well as apparatus engineering for space applications, special scientific payloads and, in particular, optical and opto-electronic equipment.
ASTRIONICS GmbH has developed a proprietary evaluation method based on commercial “on ground” manufacturing processes to provide components and electronic parts optimized to the growing space industry, considering in particular the needs of the so called NewSpace. ASTRIONICS’s tested and upgraded commercial (COTS) parts are called SpaceCOTSTM and available in a catalogue.
Founded in 2010 in Berlin with the aim of developing lunar infrastructure and offering transport services, PTScientists works with the European Space Agency ESA and other institutions on studies for future missions. The company develops and demonstrates technology to lower the costs for space exploration – to the Moon and beyond -, to make it commercially viable and inspire a new generation of explorers and engineers.
On their first privately funded lunar mission, PTScientists will take two lunar rovers, a multitude of scientific instruments and experiments to the Moon to conduct technology demonstrations on the lunar surface as well as send the rovers to explore the Apollo 17 landing site.
Would you like to talk?
If you would like to talk about any aspects of the MSE study programme, please send us a message or give us a call on +49 30 314 259 22.


Laurel Blair Salton Clark on Findagrave
Birth: Mar. 10, 1961
Death: Feb. 1, 2003
United States Astronaut. Chosen as an astronaut in 1996, she was serving as a Mission Specialist on the United States Space Shuttle "Columbia" when on February 1, 2003 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration lost all communication and radar contact with the shuttle just minutes before a 9:16AM scheduled landing time. A short time later it was confirmed that the "Columbia" had exploded over eastern Texas, and that there were no survivors. Lost in the tragedy along with Specialist Clark were crew members Commander Rick Husband, Israeli Payload Specialist Ilan Ramone, Pilot William McCool, Payload Commander Michael Anderson, Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, and Mission Specialist David Brown.
(bio by: Julie Karen Hancock (Cooper) Jackson)


Binary Star Systems
There is only one thing to say about binary star systems: LONG TRAVEL TIMES. Although yes, there are more stations and loot, it isn't very fun to wait for five minutes to travel from one star system to another, and it certainly isn't very fun when to get attacked by one of the Sapiens in between the interstellar void between two suns. It does, however, drive the vastness of space into the mind of the player, and sometimes be very fun to explore (if the long travel time can be tolerated). Usually stargates also spawn in one star and the second one spawns in the other star, so the average space traveler is forced to go through the distances between the two stars.


Eclipse Blessing Card
This Monday, August 21 at there will be a full eclipse of the sun across the US. Here in Portland, we will experience it as a 99.6% eclipse begin at 9:06am, reaching its maximum 99.6 percent totality at 10:19am. While Jewish tradition in the past has had differing feelings about eclipse’s (at one time it was thought to be a sign of brokenness) today we are celebrating this rare natural phenomenon. As such, we are providing blessing cards that you can download or pick up in the building to help express the awe of this event through a Jewish blessing.
Click here for PDF to download the card.
Blessing on seeing wonders of nature: lightening, shooting starts, high mountains, vast deserts, a sunrise and an eclipse.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, עוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית
Baruch atah Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam, oseh ma’aseh bereshit
Blessed are You Adonai our God, ruler of the universe who engages in acts of creation.
Click below for an essay published by The Rabbinical Assembly entitled:
The Blessing to Be Said Upon Witnessing a Solar or Lunar Eclipse
by: Rabbi Joshua Heller


Moon Child by Morgan Soulantikas
She brightens the sky with a Cheshire grin.
Her stars dance among the glow.
What it must feel like to trace the curves and shadows of a celestial goddess.
How do the nebulas contain their colors in her presence?
The milky way can’t help but overflow its banks with her radiance.
The sun must melt when dusk blankets the hemisphere.
She has always been his greatest weakness.
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. For more information, see my disclosures here.


A series of rare, military-style, high-altitude skydives took place over Portland, TN on August 21, both during and after the day’s total eclipse. Accompanied by a team of elite jump professionals, an international group of adventurers made both tandem “HAHO” and “HALO” jumps, enjoying an unrivaled view of the sky and setting several records.
Accompanied by a team of elite jump professionals, three Canadians, including international businessman and philanthropist Frank Giustra, completed tandem HAHO jumps that kept them in the air nearly 30 minutes during the day’s total and partial eclipse. They became the first to ever make high-altitude tandem jumps during a total eclipse. They were fitted with special eclipse-viewing goggles and supplemental oxygen for their jumps.
“It was surreal to watch a dark shadow cast over the ground below us as a halo of light remained on the horizon,” said team member Frank Giustra, who skydived with friends, to celebrate his 60th birthday.
Click here for more Eclipse Skydive photos
The Eclipse HAHO Event is just a week away. Our jump crew has completed several practice jumps, to insure skydivers will be in exactly the right place at the right time, to witness the historic eclipse from the sky.
Incredible Adventures has published an event fact sheet for those interested in learning more about the upcoming event.
“Navy SEALS”, a 1990 movie starring Charlie Sheen, features a classic HALO jumping scene that has inspired several Incredible Adventures clients to schedule their own high-altitude skydiving adventure.
HALO jumping scenes also appear in the 2014 movie “Godzilla” and in the movie “Act of Valor”.
Note: Video clips may contain adult language.
Navy SEALS Clip
On August 21st, a series of special high-altitude “HAHO” jumps are set to take place near Nashville, Tennessee, when the moon crosses the sun and turns day into night. Nashville lies in “the path of totality” and is one of the best places in the US to observe this rare natural event. Skydivers will have a ringside seat in the air for the total eclipse of the sun. If you’d like to be part of this historic skydiving event, call 800-644-7382.


There is a moon high above me.
Bigger and brighter than you could have ever seen it.
A myriad of unknown, unseen, untouched constellations.
And the blackness of empty space.
You can see it slowly fade away.
You can trace the line of the sky and see it slowly grow from black to purple and from purple...
To the deepest, brightest blue a sky can ever be.
And then you see the sun.
This enormous, bright, rejuvenating orb of pure, untouched, untainted light.
The sky is shining... Then you trace it to the clouds of mists... And then to those of thunderous rage.
It is all I want to do.
We are godless you and I.
We have ourself. We have our compass and we have our bag.
We want forgiveness. We need to be forgiven.
Yet the only ones we ask it of is our selves.
The only one that can forgive is me.
In the vastness of this forest that we call out world...
In all its shrines and ruins.
In all its caves and rivers.
Even in the tents of wandering tribes.
There is not a single mirror.


Mission 2 Mars Challenge
Welcome to Mission to Mars 2.0 – in this interactive challenge developed by BSB staff supported by a UNL Honors student design team, participating youth will work to develop and share key features making up a successful Mars colony – and be eligible to win prizes.
Learn about M2M 2.0 challenge by viewing this engaging, short launch video--which the CEO of the Earth Space Agency will provide youth with an overview of this exciting challenge. Housed on its own website, the M2M 2.0 challenge will grow throughout the summer and will have opportunities for students of all ages to learn about Mars, explore creativity and hone engineering skills as they participate in mini-challenges. Go to the Mission to Mars website to learn how you can participate.


Iceland is one of the best positions in the world to see the northern lights or the lights of the north. Here at 65 ° N, at the southern end of the Arctic circle, you can see almost all the Aurors. Today we are trying to know that what is the best time to see northern lights in Iceland?
It is also easy to reach a dark place in the land of fire and ice. Only 300,000 live on a smaller island in the state of Kentucky.
Between the hot springs and the glaciers on foot, you will most likely see the northern lights during your trip to Iceland. Especially if you follow these instructions to recognize the phenomenon of natural light, you will appreciate it more.
The best opportunity to experience a Northern Lights storm is during the maximum number of days that the sun is at the most active point in its 11-year cycle. The maximum of the next day will not appear until 2024. Although northern lights frequently occur during the day, they can occur at any time.
They are more common than many belief. If you are in Iceland and your camera is facing north with a light and dark sky, your photo will almost always contain a pale green sunrise. And it could quickly become a solar storm.
Best time to see northern lights in Iceland
The northern lights are caused by electric charges of solar particles that collide with the Earth’s magnetic field. This “solar wind” is directed towards the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres and creates a horse form of new green, red and blue parts that rotate in polar circles and change shape. All you need is darkness, and there are no clouds of heaven to see them.
What are the predictions of the Northern Lights 2020 for Iceland?
The high season for the Northern Lights is always from September to March when the nights in Iceland are long. Even if you travel to Iceland in the winter, you should never go wrong when planning a Northern Lights hunt under the full moon, as the show can drown. Come about five days before the new moon, and you have a dark week ahead, perfect to see the lights.
However, there is an exceptional reason to go to Iceland near one of the two equinoxes of the year. The equinox means “same night” with 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness.
Meanwhile, the solar wind’s magnetic field is oriented south of the Earth, which could result in brighter and more powerful screens. In 2020, the spring equinox will be on March 19, 2020, and the autumn equinox on September 22, 2020.
Do you see the northern lights in the summer?
In the weeks around the summer equinox at the end of June, the sun never sets in Iceland. Instead, go around the sky, hit the southern horizon, but don’t sink below. The brightness of the “midnight sun” completely obscures the northern lights. At the end of May, throughout July and early August, the nights are still evident for Auror.
However, the northern lights are still vulnerable to the short hours of darkness in early and late summer. They usually look cloudy in a dark sky, which often offers a unique and beautiful view, given the bright colors of Icelandic days.
However, these times are less likely to see the northern lights, as they need to be more intense to see them, and there is a smaller window to find them.
If you want to see the northern lights in Iceland while enjoying a mild climate and participate in most summer activities, we recommend that you arrive in September.
What time of night is it better to see the sunrise?
The northern lights in Iceland can be seen when the sky is dark. In December, they are seen from three in the afternoon until nine in the morning. However, due to the revolution of the Earth, the atmosphere, and the magnetism around Iceland’s position in the world, they are more likely to be seen between 10 pm and midnight.
Fortunately, this is the time when most of the northern lights, whether by boat, super jeep or bus, hunt. It also means that at the end of the activities, you make sure not only to find the best time but also not to leave it too late to damage your plans the next day.
Whether you are renting a car and looking for lights independently, either based on Reykjavík, or a winter-free itinerary suitable for the northern lights and many other winter options, you can search for the view of the north throughout the night. The least effective moments are sunrise and sunset, when light pollution reduces them considerably.
What can I do to make sure best time to see northern lights in Iceland?
In addition to waiting for a clear winter night, there are many other things you can do to maximize your chances of enjoying spectacular views of the northern lights in Iceland.
However, keep in mind that experiencing this incredible natural vision always requires a certain degree of luck, regardless of the steps you take.
Some unfortunate travelers looking for Auror may be covered in clouds or lack of solar activity every night of their vacation, while others traveling on an August night can enjoy a spectacular view. without looking for them
However, this is probably not the best option to hope for luck on the Northern Lights screen without laying the groundwork if you can take simple steps to increase your chances.
First, avoid urban areas when the northern lights fall, as all types of light in the aurora have the same dark effect as the sun.
You can do this by finding places in Reykjavik away from light pollution, taking a boat to the island of Víðey or a bus to the Seltjarnarnes Nature Reserve, although you are more likely to get better results if you book or travel through the dark scenes.
First and foremost, you should avoid urban areas when Northern Lights hunting, as all forms of lights have the same dimming effect on the auroras as the sun. I hope my research is enough for the answer of our question “best time to see northern lights in Iceland”.
Also Read: Best things to do in San Francisco


FROM SEA TO WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN.
Friday: February 24 - Mission to Mars
||Take your class on a trip to Mars! Learn how the planet Mars compares to Earch. Find out how NASA digs into the surface of Mars. Study the moons of Earth and Mars. Make your own moons to keep!
Mid-Winter Recesss Science Made Fun Camp: Five days of enrichment! Choose from one to five days. Science Made Fun! programs run 9 am to 3 pm. Students may attend Kids' Club (open play opportunities) before and after the program at no additional cost. Students must bring their own lunch, morning snack, and beverage in a non-breakable container. Photo ID will be required at pick up. NO ON-SITE REGISTRATION WILL BE ACCEPTED. Registration closes two business days prior to the day of camp. Registration after the close must be made by phone to 248-203-3800 and will be subject to a $10 per child late fee and space availability.


NASA and the European Space Agency are set to release the first close-up images of the sun from their joint Solar Orbiter mission, according to Fox News.
“In mid-June, Solar Orbiter made its first close pass of the Sun following its Feb. 9 launch, turning on all 10 of its instruments together for the first time,” said NASA, in a statement on its website. “This flyby captured the closest images ever taken of the sun.”
NASA will reveal the images, along with the first data from the Solar Orbiter mission, during a briefing at 8 a.m. EDT on Thursday.
“During the briefing, mission experts will discuss what these closeup images reveal about our star, including what we can learn from Solar Orbiter’s new measurements of particles and magnetic fields flowing from the sun,” NASA added in its statement.


"Books are for people who wish they were somewhere else."
"Yes, the universe had a beginning. Yes, the universe continues to evolve. And yes, every one of our body’s atoms is traceable to the big bang and to the thermonuclear furnace within high-mass stars. We are not simply in the universe, we are part of it. We are born from it. One might even say we have been empowered by the universe to figure itself out — and we have only just begun."
"Your mind is like an unsafe neighborhood; don’t go there alone."
"Why must one talk? Often one shouldn’t talk, but live in silence. The more one talks, the less the words mean."
— Jean-Luc Godard, La Nouvelle Vague
"Sometimes people have nothing to say because they’re too empty and sometimes people have nothing to say because they’re too full."
"Had I not created my whole world, I would certainly have died in other people’s."


Kepler, which I have mentioned before as a dedicated mission for finding exoplanets, simultaneously measures the brightnesses of 160,000 stars to try to find exoplanets that transit, or pass in front of, their host stars. Because Kepler was designed to detect planets like Earth transiting stars like our Sun (which results in a very small signal), Kepler is made to be excruciatingly sensitive to very small changes in a star's brightness. As such, it has been able to see some very strange things, including planets orbiting binary star systems (Kepler-16, -34, -35, -38, -47) and even one planet orbiting a binary star system that is itself part of a quadruple star system!
Earlier today, in a press release, NASA announced that Kepler had detected the gravitational lensing of a red dwarf star by its binary white dwarf companion. White dwarfs are a type of stellar remnant, consisting of the leftover core of a star that was once of similar size to our Sun or a bit more massive. White dwarfs squeeze an amount of mass near that of the Sun into a sphere that is about the size of Earth, so it's no surprise that they would have strong gravitational fields.
Gravitational lensing is an interesting effect predicted by Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity. In general relativity, massive bodies can actually cause light to bend around them as a result of the mass of the object warping spacetime. The general analogy is a heavy ball placed on a rubber sheet, where the rubber sheet represents spacetime. Of course, this is only a two-dimensional analog, but it works for visualization purposes.
There are also different types of gravitational lensing that depend on the mass of the object warping spacetime and the amount of distortion you get in the images of background objects whose light is getting bent. Strong and weak lensing both occur on the scale of entire clusters of galaxies. Strong lensing produces multiple images of a background object and what have come to be called Einstein rings, where the light from the background object becomes smeared out into a circular pattern around the lensing cluster. Weak lensing is far more common, and causes a small distortion in the appearance of the background object.
Gravitational microlensing works on the scale of individual stars, and can even be used as a way of detecting exoplanets! Microlensing doesn't produce the same spectacular images as strong and weak lensing do. Rather, it re-directs some of the light emitted by the background object that would otherwise completely miss us towards Earth. This causes the background object to appear temporarily brighter when the alignment of the two objects is just right.
We've detected white dwarf/red dwarf binary systems before, so we know pretty well what to expect from the observationally. Kepler, however, is sensitive enough to observe that the light curve (the graph of the system's brightness over time) was a bit wonky from what we expected. Sadly, because the paper hasn't been published yet, I can't show you what this actually looks like, but I will post an update when the data become available. I can however, show you this nifty video representation of what is going on in this system. The main observable distortion occurs when the white dwarf is first moving in front of the star and the edge of the star becomes distorted. Here's a frame from that video that shows the beginning of the transit.
|Image credit: NASA, JPL, Kepler Team|


Ilmoitus on sulkeutunut
Huudettavana kuvan ja otsikon mukainen Hyperstar linssi, joka on tarkoitettu Celestron C6 SC XLT Schmidt Cassegrain kaukoputkeen.
Uusi ja käyttämätön.
Ainoastaan testikuva otettu pihan tuija-aidasta ja linssi toimii niinkuin kuuluukin.
Valmistaja: Starizona - Made in USA
Kauppaan kuuluu kuvan Storm Case M2050
Celestron USA was one of the first big telescope manufacturers who was able to design fast Schmidt cameras for the consumer market.
With the Hyper Star system, Celestron tied in with this tradition. In a few minutes, you can turn your Schmidt-cassegrain into a fast f/1.9 Schmidt camera suitable for the high resolution of modern CCD sensors.
The Hyper Star system replaces the secondary mirror:
By easy adapting the Hyper Star system to the Schmidt plate, you can change within a few minutes between the f/1.9 and the f/10 focus of your SC telescope.
Each 6" SC telescope from Celestron is Fastar compatible, so you just need to install the Hyper Star kit.
What is the Hyper Star system and how does it work?
Hyper Star is a multi-lens corrector system which replaces the secondary mirror and corrects for the remaining abbreviations of the main mirror. Coma and field curvature are completely eliminated so you have a wide and flat field for photography. Simply spoken, you get an easy-to-use Schmidt Camera for the digital era.
The Hyper Star's advantages:
-- your old Schmidt Cassegrain is turned into a Schmidt Camera
-- all functions of your telescope remain
-- no expensive special optics are necessary - you have two telescopes in one
-- by the very short exposure times, even alt-azimuthal mounts can be used successfully
-- moderate exposure times are possible even using narrowband interference filters
Effective exposure time savings with the Hyper Star system: In 30 seconds, you achieve the same result as with 12.5 minutes at f/10. So the necessary exposures times are reduced by the factor of 25. Many other distortions caused by seeing or periodic errors of the mount are also reduced. The overall image definition is raised. Alt-azimuthal mounts can be used, too. The field rotation effect does not harm your picture within 30 seconds.
Use of SLR cameras with the HyperStar for 6" SCs:
The HyperStar for 6" SC Telescopes will not work with DSLR Cameras with the standard 45mm distance from the bayonet to the chip. The HyperStar allows only 39,8mm maximum. Cameras with the new "micro 4/3 bayonet will work with the kit becaouse these cameras only have 20mm distance.
-- Effective focal ratio with the Hyper Star: f/1.9
-- Effective focal length: 300mm
-- Usable sensor sizes: up to 16mm diagonal
-- Coatings: multi coatings on every glass/air surface
-- Camera connection: via special factory adaptation
-- Collimation: Via collimation screws
-- Rotation: the camera can be turned by 360° with no loss of focus
-- Dimensions: 81.3x76.2mm (length x diameter)
-- Weight: -- Distance to the focus from end of the hyperstar tube - beginning the connection thread ... 39,8mm
Huom! Huuto.netin viestissä tulee automaattisesti maksuohjeet / tilitiedot, joten sinun ei tarvitse niitä erikseen pyytää.
Katso myös muut kohteet!


About The Observatory
The Observatory consists
Activity Room;- can
seat 30 people has a digital projector showing directly to a screen on the
end wall, connects to broadband. Houses the meteorite and geology
collection, spectrometers and tea making facility. Conveniently located
near the campsite toilet block. Turned into TV Studio both for ITV and
the BBC for outside broadcasts.
Is located at the top of the
telescopes. The biggest
reflector on site is Bill's Big Un a 9" reflector with a fixed pier
in a stock proof fence. Children love climbing the ladder to look at the planets or Moon!
The other fixed telescope is a 7" refractor mounted on a telegraph
pole and gives splendid views of Moon and planets.
There is a range of smaller scopes, which school children and visitors can use as well. Plus
Green Laser &
Celestron Sky Scout to support the fixed telescopes. Large Compass, Sun
Dial & Sunshine Recorder etc.
Starting with the normal 10 X 50 pair on a small tripod we have a
Celestron 15 X 70 binocular on a large tripod, excellent optics, and a
Revelation 25 X 100 binocular on a giant tripod.
Station. Based on a Maplin
"Professional Weather Station" it measures rainfall, wind speed,
temperature as well as a number of derived parameters. Its relay station
is located in the window of the outreach facility
store- for benefit of our visitors.
Area 51 contains;-
The Observatory Studio
roof now finished houses medium sized scopes (150
- 200mm) under ideal conditions. Cameras can be fitted to allow brighter
objects to be imaged and or viewed on computer screens. Good for GCSE
Astronomy project work. The scopes include the LX90
200mm, 150" Skywatcher refractor, 200mm Orion Reflector.
Supported by an ETX 105 and Celestron 15 X 70mm binoculars. Is
supported by a computer notebook running Stellarium on to a computer flat
screen. A portable Sidereal Clock and Giant Compass allows RA & Dec to
The solar observatory.
This consists of a Bench-mounted 10" Newtonian reflector projecting
on to a screen for direct viewing or to a camera for imaging. The scope is
contained in a light tight module which allows access for small numbers of
students. The sunlight is fed into the module by a 20" heliostat -
the largest in the country. This large mirror is equatorially mounted and
so can track to keep the sunlight pointing directly at the main mirror of
the telescope. (The commissioning of this instrument heralded the longest
period without sun spots since the Maunder Minimum.)
The Radio Telescope being re-commissioned
the picture also
shows Paul with his 4" apo Tak and a Radio
Credit Robb Sidston of our Imaging team
Scopes. We have satellite
observatories housing specialist equipment and a whole range of cameras of
a variety of types.
Research Library; Contains
about 300 specialist texts ranging in date from 18th Cent to
prepublication. Plus a large number of periodicals.
Web Site; Is
updated almost every day often using images taken by the Observatory team.
The observatory was started by Clive Purchase in 1998 to prepare for
the Cornish eclipse in 99. This was very successful apart from the
Following the eclipse, Clive moved the bulk of the equipment to form
the Callington Space Centre and Brian Sheen relocated the Observatory to
For the first year or two we operated mostly during the summer
holidays and it soon became apparent that a large number of the visitors
appreciated the opportunity to learn about the night sky and to look
through the telescopes.
In 2005 we replaced the outer walls of the Activity Room and
decorated the inside. We also supported Eurojam at
2006 we got Broadband channelled in and with a digital projector
expanded the teaching to youth groups. We set up the Solar
2007 saw a concentration on the World Scout Jamboree 40,000
teenagers also at Chelmsford, we organised a linkup with the International
Space Station and helped with the launch of over 1000 model rockets.
2008 We spent trying to sort out a four metre Radio
Telescope and prepare for the Expedition to the River Niger. A
main aim of the expedition was to teach astronomy in some of the poorest
countries in the world. We also established the Outreach
2009 We mounted the 7" Roseland Refractor, and
are worked on the micrometeorite collector. The weather station is
now up and running.
2010 We built a 15' X 10' Observatory
Studio with sliding roof. This houses three main telescopes designed to be used by visiting students. We also
have the Sky Scout and Green laser plus a computer notebook running
Stellarium onto a computer screen.
2011 Broadband established throughout he
Observatory., together with the Magnetometer and solar radio telescope.


SpaceX’s Starship has been the talk of the space industry for years, with its promised capability of interplanetary travel and lunar missions. However, during its first orbital test flight, the Starship unexpectedly exploded. This event caused significant concern within both the scientific community and the public. As professionals in the space industry, it is essential that we analyze the explosion and its potential causes. In this blog, we’ll explore what led to the Starship’s explosion and what can be learned from it.
The Starship’s first orbital test flight took place on December 8th, 2021. The launch appeared to go smoothly, with the Starship reaching an altitude of around 10 kilometers. According to SpaceX’s CEO, Elon Musk, the issue occurred during the Starship’s “landing flip maneuver,” where it flips onto its side to prepare for a historic self-landing. However, an issue with the Raptor engines led the Starship to come down hard on its side, causing the explosion.
One possible cause of the explosion was related to the Raptor engines. In a tweet, Musk stated that “initial data suggests that the engines performed well, but something significant happened after the start of the landing burn.” The cause of this issue is currently unknown, but some professionals speculate it could be due to a malfunction or damage to the engines during flight.
Another potential cause of the explosion was related to the Starship’s heat shield. The Starship must withstand extreme temperatures during re-entry, and one theory is that the heat shield was damaged, leading to potential structural problems that caused the explosion during the landing maneuver.
Despite the Starship’s unfortunate explosion, there are several takeaways from this event. Firstly, it shows the complexity and difficulty of designing and launching a spacecraft. Spacecraft designs must factor in a myriad of variables that can impact the mission’s success, and even with the best designs, unforeseen events can occur.
Additionally, the decision to test the Starship via unmanned orbital tests before manned missions turned out to be a wise one. Testing unmanned will always be an essential step in the development and testing of future spacecraft, as it significantly reduces the risks involved with human spaceflight.
The SpaceX Starship explosion during its first orbital test flight was undoubtedly an unfortunate event, but as professionals in the industry, it’s essential to learn from these types of accidents. The causes of the explosion are not yet known, but the possibilities include the Raptor engines or damage to the heat shield during re-entry. Regardless of the cause, it serves as a reminder of the complexity involved in designing and launching a spacecraft. Still, the Starship’s failure underscores the importance of thorough testing, continuing research, and an awareness of potential risks to ultimately forge a safer path forward for space exploration.


Space tourism is a branch of the tourism industry that involves space-based tourism, where a customer travels into space on a seat in a spacecraft or rocket. The industry has been popularized by the success of Virgin Galactic and will continue to grow as new companies, such as Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Orbit join the fray after they conclude successful test flights.
Space tourism is the act of traveling to another celestial body to live and work for extended periods of time in space. Early space tourism companies consisted of suborbital spaceflight companies. They achieved their first successful launch in 2001 with the suborbital spaceflight of SpaceShip One, which set several records for the rocket industry, including the first successful experimental manned space flight to the edge of space and the first to cross the speed of sound.
Before space tourism was a thing, the public dreamed of going to space and then going back to Earth in one piece. In the 1970s, NASA first tested a BFR for a space tourist; Paul Allen and Jeff Bezos, among others, were once involved in developing it. But it wasn’t until the 1990s that the first private space tourism company was founded. The first successful suborbital spaceflight of a space tourist was SpaceShip One in 2001, which set several records for the rocket industry, including the first successful experimental manned space flight to the edge of space and the first to cross the speed of sound. Since then, space tourism has soared in popularity. Now, space tourism companies are flying customers into space to visit the International Space Station and other locations.
Over time, development of the BFR was halted, and today’s space tourism companies are focusing on suborbital spaceflights. Space tourism is still in its infancy, so it is too early to predict how many people will be able to afford the experience. It is projected that Blue Origin’s New Shepard space plane could carry up to six people in the future, and Virgin Galactic plans to offer suborbital spaceflights.
by Ιωάννα Γιάννινα


A Black Hole is Not a Hole by Caroline Cinami DeChristafano
If a black hole in space isn’t really a hole, what is it? Is it true that black holes can literally warp time and space? Can they really suck in entire planets? How did we learn about black holes and what should we do with them? Packed with photographs and illustrations, this book explains one of astronomy’s most bizarre phenomena.
Aliens on Vacation by Clete Barrett SmithTurns out humans aren’t the only ones who like to travel. According to this funny chapter book, aliens like to visit Earth to rest and enjoy our planet. But what if somebody finds out about these alien tourists?
Recommended by Leigh, children's librarian at Collins Garden Branch.


In the vast expanse of the cosmos, NASA has been at the forefront of human exploration, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the universe. One of the fascinating aspects of this exploration is the communication with deep space spacecraft, which relies on powerful transmitters to bridge the vast distances. But as we send these signals into the depths of space, an intriguing question arises: could other civilizations out there be receiving these transmissions?
The Cosmic Conversation
NASA's deep space missions, such as the Voyager probes and the Mars rovers, are equipped with advanced communication systems that rely on powerful transmitters to send signals across immense interstellar distances. These transmissions include valuable scientific data, images, and messages from Earth, creating a cosmic conversation that stretches across light-years.
These signals are beamed into space as electromagnetic waves, traveling at the speed of light. While they may have started their journey with a specific destination in mind, such as a distant spacecraft, they continue to propagate through the cosmos indefinitely. This raises the intriguing possibility that these signals could eventually reach extraterrestrial civilizations.
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)
The idea of extraterrestrial civilizations intercepting our signals has been a topic of interest for scientists involved in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). SETI is a scientific endeavor dedicated to detecting signs of intelligent life beyond Earth. While the primary focus of SETI has been on listening for signals from other civilizations, the reverse scenario, where our signals are received, has also been considered.
SETI researchers have pointed powerful radio telescopes at the sky, scanning for any unusual or artificial signals that may indicate the presence of extraterrestrial intelligence. However, the vastness of the universe and the limitations of our technology make the chances of detecting such signals slim.
The Challenges of Detection
Detecting signals from deep space spacecraft amidst the cosmic noise is a daunting task. The signals weaken as they travel through space, spreading out and becoming fainter with distance. By the time they reach the depths of interstellar space, they are incredibly weak and indistinguishable from the background radiation of the universe.
Additionally, the precise direction of these signals can change due to the motion of both the Earth and the distant spacecraft. This makes it even more challenging for potential extraterrestrial observers to pinpoint the source of the signals and decipher their content.
The Fermi Paradox
The Fermi Paradox, named after physicist Enrico Fermi, raises the question of why we have not yet detected any clear signs of extraterrestrial civilizations despite the vast number of potentially habitable planets in the galaxy. The possibility of our signals being intercepted by alien civilizations is just one facet of this complex paradox.
Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain the apparent absence of extraterrestrial contact, ranging from the limitations of interstellar travel to the possibility that intelligent civilizations are rare or tend to self-destruct. The lack of direct evidence continues to fuel scientific curiosity and the search for answers.
In our quest to explore and communicate with deep space, we send out powerful signals that traverse the universe, carrying fragments of human knowledge and curiosity. While the chances of these signals being received and understood by extraterrestrial civilizations remain slim, the cosmic conversation we engage in reflects our boundless ambition to connect with the cosmos. As we continue to explore the mysteries of the universe, we can only wonder if, somewhere out there in the great cosmic expanse, an alien civilization might one day receive our faint cosmic whisper.


With her work taking her away from home on Election Day, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins cast a unique early ballot Thursday, voting aboard the International Space Station (ISS), more than 200 miles above Earth.
From her NASA Astronauts Twitter account, Rubins posted a picture of herself smiling broadly and pointed to a hand-written sign saying, "ISS Voting Booth."
Rubins is among several NASA astronauts who are registered in Texas, home of the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Texas law allows them to vote from space using a secure electronic ballot, which is relayed to their respective county clerks by mission control.
Rubins, the first person to sequence DNA in space, is currently aboard the International Space Station for a six-month stay. She plans to work on cardiovascular experiment and conduct research using the space station's Cold Atom Lab.
She'll celebrate the 20th anniversary of continuous human presence on the space station and welcome members of the second SpaceX commercial crew mission, who are expected to arrive in late October.


On May 25, 2015, a radio telescope in Zelenchukskaya, Russia, picked up a signal coming from star HD164595 in the Hercules constellation. We don’t know much about this star located 95 light years from Earth, other than that it resembles our sun in temperature, age, and composition, and has at least one planet in its orbit.
The signal, which only came to public attention in late August, may be a product of interference from Earth or have some other non-alien origin—it’s only been observed once, for four seconds, at a single location. Even though the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence believes the signal to be from Earth and says the likelihood that it is an extraterrestrial attempt at contact “is not terribly promising,” the imagination runs wild—maybe aliens are reaching out to us, perhaps the Kremlin is in cahoots with them, or maybe this is more evidence of governmental cover-ups and conspiracies.
The lack of verifiable evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence forms the basis of the Fermi Paradox. Given the high probability of intelligent life elsewhere, based on the billions of sun-like stars in the Milky Way (not to mention other galaxies), and the likelihood that planets orbit at least some of these stars, and life exists on at least some of these planets, the silence seems strange. In 1950, physicist Enrico Fermi reasoned that aliens should have already contacted Earth, leading him to ask, “Where is everybody?” Nicola Tesla suggested using radio waves to look for alien life in 1896 and we’ve been looking ever since. Perhaps intelligent life isn’t common in the cosmos or is still too far away. Perhaps aliens have visited Earth without our knowledge. Or perhaps aliens have intentionally kept their distance.
But what would happen if this signal were proven to come from intelligent aliens? To call it a game changer is an understatement. What would we do? How would we react? Regardless of what this signal turns out to be, it’s also worth thinking about why aliens might attempt to contact us and what they might have already picked up from our transmissions.
Science fiction offers countless thought experiments in response to these questions. In these stories, the knowledge that humans aren’t alone in the cosmos often causes society to unravel. The discovery of intelligent extraterrestrial life would shift paradigms, particularly within certain religions, political systems, and cultures, and those shifts would be messy. Some people might flee or fight, while others welcome an alien species. Perhaps most of all, sci-fi suggests that a signal from an alien life may threaten humankind—not because of anything the ETs might do, but because of the way such a game-changing encounter would highlight and exacerbate existing divisions within humanity, forcing open those cracks. We can’t control what actions aliens might take or what motives might bring them to Earth, but three stories—two novels and one movie—offer compelling guidance about how humans themselves should react to signals from space.
In Close Encounters of the Third Kind, UFOs abduct people, cause electrical disturbances, and attempt to communicate with humans using via a five-note melody. Throughout most of the film, the government denies these occurrences, positioning itself as the voice of reason and authority in the midst of chaos. In one of the film’s most famous scenes, Richard Dreyfuss’ character uses mashed potatoes to construct an image he can’t get out of his mind. His obsession alienates his family, but eventually leads him to Devils Tower, where the spaceship lands. The ship releases people who had been abducted or had gone missing years earlier, all of whom appear both unharmed and unaged, and the aliens appear peaceful and non-threatening.
While it’s never entirely clear why the aliens abduct humans, their benevolent nature suggests curiosity, and since it can no longer deny their existence, the government sends 12 officials to board the ship, but in the end, the aliens permit only Dreyfuss to accompany them to their home world. As in Spielberg’s subsequent film E.T., the aliens aren’t the villains—if anything, the government that chooses not to believe its citizens and to withhold the truth is. The aliens underscore this point by opening their doors only for a true believer, as though humans must prove themselves worthy of aliens, rather than the other way around.
In Carl Sagan’s 1985 novel Contact, humans receive from the star Vega a transmission consisting of prime numbers, which astronomers eventually decode into a visual message—Adolf Hitler commencing the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The Vegans had been monitoring adjacent planetary systems and sent back the image of Hitler—the first indication of intelligent life (oh, the irony) from Earth that the aliens were able to pick up. They beamed the message back in receipt. “What are they going to think of us?” wonders astronomer Ellie Arroway, worried about Hitler serving as Earth’s “ambassador.”
Later, one of the Vegans—a simulacra of Arroway’s father—explains why they made contact upon receiving the broadcast:
The picture, of course, was alarming. We could tell you were in deep trouble. But the music told us something else. The Beethoven told us there was hope. Marginal cases are our specialty. We thought you could use a little help. … You’ve got hardly any theory of social organization, astonishingly backward economic systems, no grasp of the machinery of historical prediction, and very little knowledge about yourselves. Considering how fast your world is changing, it’s amazing you haven’t blown yourselves to bits by now. That’s why we don’t want to write you off just yet.
Imagine what extra-terrestrials would discern about human civilization if they detected one of our transmissions. What would they pick up? BBC broadcasts? Talk shows? Fox News? Cartoons? What would they conclude about humanity based on those glimpses of our culture?
Before he wrote Contact, Carl Sagan chaired a committee tasked to decide what to include on the “Golden Record,” a copper disc carried by the Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977. (Voyager 1 is now beyond the solar system.) The Golden Record contains 115 images and sounds, including music, animal calls, greetings in 55 different languages, human brain waves, and images of DNA, the Solar System, maps, humans, and wildlife. This carefully curated time capsule could serve as a helpful introduction to the human race—depending on who or what receives it.
Might aliens determine, based on our signals, that they don’t want contact with earthlings? Might they see them as a call for help? In Liu Cixin’s 2008 book The Three-Body Problem, a disillusioned astrophysicist transmits a message into outer space asking for assistance. The message is picked up by the Trisolarans, aliens looking to settle a planet with a stable orbit. The responder warns that its race will invade Earth, but the astrophysicist figures nothing could be worse than the havoc humans have wrought on the planet, so she persists. Some humans plan defense strategies, while others welcome the alien overlords. These opposing factions spend centuries attempting to outwit one another, each trying to save Earth.
In Contact, Sagan also explores the fracturing of the human race in the aftermath of the discovery that humans aren’t alone. International politics become a free-for-all, as astronomers from around the world work to harness and decode the signals amid fears that countries with tepid relationships with the U.S. might withhold or alter data. America and Russia compete to build the spacecraft depicted in the transmitted blueprints. International debate rages over who will comprise the five-person crew and countries trade seats for other privileges. The heightened tensions culminate in the bombing of the first craft and crew, for which dozens of international political, religious, and military organizations take credit. The schism between science and religion manifests in distrust. Arroway consults a religious leader who asserts that the “scientists and the politicians and the bureaucrats are holding out” on and deceiving them. “Do you want people like that to decide the fate of the world? … Do you want a pack of unbelievers to do the talking to God?” he asks.
Sagan brings up a good and difficult question that could easily get lost in the furor over proving the origin of an extraterrestrial signal. Who should serve as ambassadors for the human race in the event that aliens want to communicate?
Close Encounters, Contact, and The Three-Body Problem offer answers here. They suggest that the curious and open-minded humans make the best liaisons. Our earthly ambassadors should be people who embrace the unknown, believe the impossible, and who don’t shy away from the crucible of alien contact despite its dangers. Perhaps it’s a moot point—we may have unwittingly picked our intergalactic liaisons already. The prospect of intelligent life requires that we consider our legacies not just on Earth, but throughout all space and time, just in case.
Joelle Renstrom lives in Boston, where she teaches and writes about all things geeky. Her blog, Could This Happen?, explores the relationship between science and science fiction.
*Image from Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959). Courtesy of Internet Archive.


Edge of the Sol system
Silas asks the ship’s AI to plot a course to Mars and fly us there. IT should take us 4 days to arrive.
3 ships in the area change their course, and one of them course corrects to match our trajectory. The Sol Defense ship has matched us. We continue course, and hope to lose them in the asteroid belt.
We ask the Kitik what we should do. He suggests we change course and evade. Tor disables the transponder.
With some searching we discover that the Sons of Herra hold an Asteroid near Jupiter, and are hostile towards the Ares marshals. The Asteroid is in the shape of a humanoid skull. We change course to Saturn. It will take us 16 hours to get there. We plan to gravity burn around Saturn to slingshot us towards Jupiter and go dark for the rest of the ride.
The Sol Defense ship has altered it course as well to match ours.
We begin our burn as we approach Saturn, and somehow manage to successfully sling ourselves towards Jupiter. We shut all systems on the ship down in order to avoid detection by the Ares marshals.
After 4 hours the whole ship jerks violently throwing everyone to the port side. From the bridge I can tell that the ship is spinning out of control. We will have to bring the power back online. Silas and Kit-katt head to engineering in order to manually restart the core.
I manage to stabilize the ship once the core is powered up. According to the external cameras, cargo bay one was dented by something impacting it, but we managed to shake the Marshals and the Sol Defense.
We manage to make it to Jupiter, and scan for the Asteroid that the Sons of Hera occupy.


Forty years ago next week on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong of Apollo 11 became the first man to walk on the moon. Eleven men followed him with the last man to be on the moon being Gene Cernan of Apollo 17 . Apollo 17 left a plaque on the ladder which read "Here Man completed his first explorations of the moon. December 1972 AD. May the spirit of peace in which we came be reflected in the lives of all mankind."
Most people are celebrating this anniversary remembering one of the finest examples of engineering, project management, and project execution ever attempted. I vaguely remember watching one of the subsequent lunar landings in the elementary school gym with the whole school looking at a very small black and white television.
Yet, this anniversary makes me sad. Since Apollo 17 no one has walked on the moon. In fact, no one has even attempted it since then.
Neil Armstrong is currently 78 years old. Gene Cernan is 75 years old. Three of the twelve astronauts that have actually walked on the moon have died. I'm sure you realize that while the astronauts might be the most recognizable faces of the space program, they were not the only ones involved. There were teams of people that figured out how to get it done and got it done. Lots of lessons learned and ideas that were considered but not chosen. Some of these smart people have died. Other are getting on in years.
Where is this knowledge today? While some was written down, I'm sure some is gone forever. This anniversary made me realize this loss. Our current generation doesn't even know what was lost.
Sorry for the bummer soapbox speech but I'm sure that if you show the picture below to someone of my generation, many will immediately identify it as something to do with space. They might not know it as the Lunar Excursion Module (LEM) but they will say it had something to do with landing on the moon. If you show it to most kids of our next generation, they will immediately identify it as Lego.


Hawaii By Sextant
Hawaii By Sextant by David Burch and Stephen Miller
An In-depth Exercise in Celestial Navigation Using Real Sextant Sights and Logbook Entries.
In the spirit of early Bowditch editions, we offer navigation details of a full ocean passage as an excellent way to learn the ropes of practical celestial navigation. With your own tables and plotting sheets, you can analyze 224 timed sextant sights to obtain 26 position fixes to find your way along a 2,800-nmi voyage lasting 17 days. We use sun, moon, stars, and planets.
After completing this passage you will be prepared to navigate by celestial navigation on your own – if you choose to, or need to.
The book includes an in-depth discussion with examples of the Fit-Slope Method, along with the formulation and examples of numerical LOP advancement for small DR corrections during a sight session and other suggestions for optimizing cel nav when combining traditional and modern solutions to position fixing.
Also included is a record of our rendezvous with the remnants of Hurricane Daniel, and other nuances, such as evidence of loose-cannon mesoscale current eddies–something that we (and most other navigators at the time) did not even know existed in these waters.
Solutions are provided by computation, filled-out workforms, and detailed plots using universal plotting sheets. After each fix, the range and bearing DR to Fix is recorded and discussed in light of proposed guidelines for ocean DR uncertainty.
Landfall at night using computed navigation light ranges is also discussed and illustrated.
Note that this is not a book on how to learn basic celestial navigation. This is an extended realistic exercise in using the celestial navigation you already know to enhance your knowledge and expand it with advanced methods that could be needed in special circumstances.
This book is unique.
There never has been in the past, nor will there likely be in the future, such a thoroughly documented training exercise based on a voyage relying purely on celestial navigation to cross an ocean.
# of pages: 162
Size: 8.25" x 11"
Authors: David Burch and Stephen Miller


Subject: Using a full moon to illuminate landscapes. The object is to use the cameras ability to collect light over time using the natural illumination from the moon to give detail and color to landscapes.
This essay is just a start on a process that I hope to perfect. I started out wanting a milky way shot with moonlit foreground but it is difficult to get the milky way with a bright moon. I ended up deciding that a dark sky with visible point like stars and visible landscape makes a great image. This essay represents what I know so far and I solicit feedback for advice or errors.
Choose your image style.
- Star Trails are one style but are outside the scope of this essay.
- The milky way on a dark night and dark setting with no land or land in silhouette is another.
- A more conventional landscape that includes a dark sky and stars, but which is mostly about the landscape. Individual stars will show but the milky way may not be prominent or even visible as such. This is what typically happens with a full moon. This is the goal of this essay.
- Use light painting to illuminate terrestrial subjects. This can be used for any type, but is outside the scope of this essay.
Note: Some of the techniques described here are useful for all the above styles except star trails. However the main subject of this essay will be type 3.
Choose your subject.
- A snow covered mountain reflecting in a still lake is a great subject.
- The land subject ought to be fairly reflective.
- Bright city lights will look garish when you bump up exposure for other elements. Some is ok, but too much can spoil it.
- This sort of image needs a fairly wide angle lens to freeze the stars, so you need a subject suitable for the focal length.
- When we had the super moon last May, I was able to get an ISO800 50mm image at f5.6 but the star trails were too long. I should have stopped down.
- Avoid including very near subjects unless it is water or something without much detail. At f2.8 your DOF is limited. See table at the end.
- Once while shooting to the east the moon went behind the local mountain and I lost my eastern illumination. But when I looked north, the hillside was still illuminated. It made for an interesting shot.
Some observations on taking the image.
- Have the moon at your back, The full moon usually sets very near to sunrise, so getting on scene about 1-2 hours prior to sunrise works well for east facing shots. West facing shots would need to be done after sunset. It usually takes a couple hours to get really dark and sometimes more for the moon to clear the local mountains.
- Shooting into the moon is tough. The moon is a bright object on a dark night and will be blown out by the time you get the rest of the exposure bright enough. This angle is required for a moonbeam on the water however. You can clone in a well exposed moon but you also need to deal with flare around the moon and its really hard to paint out the bright area on the lighter exposure. I have a sample but the work in post processing was tough and the results ok for web, but not print.
- Use TPE for moon angle and setting times. http://photoephemeris.com/
- If you have mountains, the rising and setting times may be as much as an hour before or after the official time.
- To avoid star trails, use this formula. 600/FL. Example for a 24mm lens, 600/24=25 seconds. This works ok, but still has short star trails so err towards a faster shutter.
- Wider and faster is better to prevent star trails.
- Use the fastest lens you have that that has good wide open image quality. I have the 24-70f2.8 mk2 that is great at f2.8 but 24 falls short on the 600/FL test if you want a bright milky way, but it is good for type 3 styles. I have a Samyang 14 f2.8 but it has distortion issues which you will see in one of the samples. I also have a 17TSE f4 but it is on the slow side for this work.
I have a Zeiss 15 which I have not yet tried and it may be the ultimate night lens.I tried it, and returned it. you can read about here. A great star lens if it does not need to be pointed upward.
- To get lots of sky and just a bit of land, you almost always end up pointing the lens at a steep angle. A lens with lots of distortion may really produce strange results for the land part of the image. Distortion in the sky probably does not matter but can really make a shoreline look funny..
- For milky way shots, vertical works good because it gets more sky less land.
- Try to know where the milky way is for the time of the shot so you can find a good composition that includes it. I don’t know how to do this and the aps I have tried are so confusing I gave up. If you have a tip, please share it. I end up fishing around and generally only find it after it is nice and dark.
- Focus is critical. The focus needs to be at infinity but if it is dark, it will be difficult. The moon is a good target if it’s up. A distant light source is also good using live view. UWA lenses can be focused via the focus dial if you calibrate for infinity.
- You can pre focus before dark but be careful not to touch it later.
- It does not matter if you change position after focus, infinity is infinity east or west.
- You will need a long exposure and probably a high ISO. Set the longest shutter speed you can use per the 600/FL rule. Then set your fastest aperture. Be sure to have long exposure noise reduction on if your camera has it. This will reduce noise.
- After setting shutter speed and aperture, experiment with ISO next. Take one at ISO800. If it does not produce a bright enough image, keep going higher until you get the exposure desired or until you reach the highest ISO.
- My 1DS-mk3 is ok to about ISO1600, and maxes out at ISO3200 at which point it is so noisy I am unhappy with the image. ISO800 is better but ISO1600 will work.
- If you have a lot of ambient light say from a city or from the moon reflecting off clouds, you may find ISO400 is enough. At this point you can start reducing shutter speed or increasing the aperture.
- The final look image needs to be dark, you may find that less exposure is required than first thought. So make some images a bit darker than what you see on the LCD. You want terrestrial subjects to have color and detail, but just enough to show. You want a very dark sky with near black or very dark blue sky and visible white points for stars. Clouds will be white, gray or with just a tiny bit of color. Its not supposed to look like day, just a moonlit scene.
- Post processing
- Preserve the land exposure and probably darken the sky at raw conversion. IE a mask of the sky.
- Run noise probably everywhere for ISO400 and up. Sharpness is not as important for these shots and noise is a killer if viewed full size or printed.
- Mask the sky and perhaps water or other dark areas. Work on dark and light separately.
- The sky can be darkened in the hue saturation dialog selecting the blue channel and reducing both saturation and lightness.
- It can be further darkened with a dupe layer set to multiply and faded to taste. Surprisingly, the stars will stay white while doing this but the clouds and sky will darken. Turn on the land layer so you don’t get too far ahead and mismatch the overall luminance.
- Work the land layer as required to get saturation and luminance as desired. Work back and forth with the sky and other dark layers.
- A water foreground may need different treatment than the sky, but it will be similar. Perhaps allow more blue, or lighter luminance.
- The rest of the processing is per your favorite methods, these are specific things that apply to this type of image.
- After my last trip, I found that there was a heavy yellow component. I desaturated yellow and got what I think is a more pleasing look. See recent additions further down.
The following tables are useful for night photography when using f2.8 focused at infinity.
I used the online DOF calculator with default CoC of .030. We should not have any near detail to preserve so if we get a good infinity focus, the following table shows the nearest acceptable sharpness. Note, I used 10,000 feet as a proxy for infinity.
FL ____Nearest sharp focus
15mm— 8.7 feet
If you want to cut the CoC in half to .015, just double the acceptable focus numbers.
Shutter speed table using the 600/fl rule
FL _____shutter speed
The samples show my learning curve. My more recent samples are getting closer to what I want have a darker sky.
One of my better examples but it can stand improvement.
Into the moon showing a cloned in moon and painted in dark sky around the moon.
This next is an example of a blown out moon.
Example of 50mm f5.6 shot at ISO800. The star trails are too long however and the stars are hard to see at this size, view the larger one in the link at the end.
Samyang 14mm showing excessive distortion from the lens and uptilted angle.
Example of too many city lights.
Moon on north hillside.
New findings as of 11-14-2012
On a recent trip to Zion, Nov 4-6 and with only a half moon, I discovered some more valuable information.
With fairly bright foreground, like some of the Zion Canyon walls, a 1/2 moon provides enough light and allows a darker sky.
Here are some samples:
Samples from November 28th full moon:
I am finding the 17TSE a great moonlight lens. It is very sharp at f4 and the shift feature allows me to get lots of sky without angling the lens upward.
The Samyang 14 f2.8 is pretty good as well but even the slight uptilt I had to apply hears causes a distorted showeline.
You can see large samples here.


Eclipse Viewing Party
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Make history on the Plaza with this total eclipse! Main Plaza Conservancy will be passing out eclipse viewing glasses. Join the fun with food trucks, vendors, and midday entertainment will be on hand to celebrate this phenomena with unobstructed views from the Heart of the City.
Don’t miss your chance. The next total solar eclipse won’t come back around until 2044!
Arrive early to get your free glasses – while supplies last – or bring your own protective eyewear.