What a summer

Took a much needed vacation!

Sun, Sep 13, 2009  Permanent link

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Exoplanets discovered?

Out of this World Pictures:
First Direct Photos of Exoplanets



Two groups of researchers searching for extrasolar planets—planets orbiting stars other than our own sun—laid claim today to an astronomy milestone: photographing extrasolar planets directly, rather than inferring their presence through effects on their parent stars.

A team led by astronomer Paul Kalas of the University of California, Berkeley, detected a planetary candidate orbiting Fomalhaut, a star 25 light-years away in the constellation Pisces Australis (the Southern Fish), using visible-light observations from the Hubble Space Telescope. Another group, led by astronomer Christian Marois of the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics in Victoria, British Columbia, used infrared to image a family of three planets orbiting HR 8799, a star nearly 130 light-years distant. (Marois was also a member of Kalas's group.) Both teams report their findings online today in the journal Science.

Of the more than 300 other known exoplanets, all have been detected indirectly by their effects on their parent stars—either a wobble in induced by the object's orbit or a decrease in detected light from the star as the planet passes in front of it. Other photographed objects have been too massive to be conclusively labeled planets, falling instead into the brown dwarf category (objects about eight to 80 Jupiters in size that lack sufficient mass to ignite hydrogen fusion in their cores, thereby never becoming true stars); have been found to themselves orbit brown dwarfs rather than stars; or have not been shown to be gravitationally bound to a star.

"Finally, we now have separate images where you can see, actually see, the planet," says astronomer Mark Marley of the NASA Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., who did not participate in the research but wrote an article for Science summarizing and analyzing the teams' results. (Marley commented for SciAm.com as a scientist in the field, not as a representative of NASA.) "I've been using the analogy," he says, that "it's like you're in an apartment building and you can hear the people in the next apartment through the walls, so you know they're in there, but now you have opened the door and you can see the people."

Kalas and two of his co-authors, astronomy professor James Graham of U.C. Berkeley and astrophysicist Mark Clampin of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., had ventured in 2005 that Fomalhaut should harbor planet-size objects in its orbit, based on the disk of dust ringing the star. "At that time we hypothesized that there should be a planet shaping the ring," Kalas says. By looking at Hubble images from 2004 and 2006, Kalas and his colleagues were able to track a speck, dubbed Fomalhaut b, inside that ring that seemed to be orbiting the star.

"When you look at Fomalhaut b, its location is consistent with where we expected to find a planet, interior to the dust ring, and it shows orbital motion—and that's also encouraging," he says. "If this speck of dust had moved in a different direction between 2004 and 2006, we wouldn't believe that it was associated with Fomalhaut."

Fomalhaut b is significant for its small size, estimated to be between the mass of Neptune and three times the mass of Jupiter, which would place it squarely in the realm of planets. An object larger than about 13 Jupiter-masses is considered a small brown dwarf rather than a large planet. "The upper bound to Fomalhaut b is unprecedented," Kalas says. "Our upper bound definitively excludes that Fomalhaut b is a brown dwarf or a star." The planet, he says, "can't possibly be more than three Jupiter-masses," because a more massive object would clear its gravitational sphere of debris, meaning that the dust belt would have to be farther away than it is.


MOVING RIGHT ALONG: The first visible-light image of what appears to be a planet orbiting the star Fomalhaut, 25 light-years away. In this composite, the object's position in 2004 [below] and in 2006 [above] follows its projected counterclockwise orbit [green lines].

Marley notes that Kalas and his colleagues saw the exoplanet at two different wavelengths from Hubble, but attempts to see it from the ground failed. As a result, they lacked data points describing the object and, so, still had to make some inferences about it.

"If you look at the other exoplanet discoveries, or shall I say the other candidate exoplanets found by ground-based observations, the contrast [between them and their stars] is a factor of 10,000 or 100,000," Kalas says. "The contrast between Fomalhaut b and the central star is 100 million. And it's impossible to get this from the ground" in visible wavelengths. "Our selection is fairly rigorous and conservative. There may be specks in there that are also planets, but we've not been able to confirm them as such. Fomalhaut b is the most rigorously tested."

Marois and his team used ground-based infrared detection to seek out exoplanets around nearby, young, massive stars—those whose planets would have wide orbits and emit significant amounts of radiation as they cool from their relatively recent births millions of years ago. After narrowing some 80 candidate stars to 20 "really, really interesting" ones with infrared excess (indicating the presence of orbiting dust), the researchers settled on a particularly appealing star.

"For HR 8799, the infrared excess was consistent with dust orbiting at around 80 astronomical units," or roughly 80 times the distance from the Earth to the sun (7.4 billion miles, or 11.9 billion kilometers), Marois says. "And that's usually a sign of planet formation, the residue of the planet formation. So that's usually a very good sign."

By comparing data captured by various telescopes in 2004, 2007 and this year, Marois's group selected three objects, all estimated to be below the brown dwarf threshold, orbiting HR 8799. "These are the first images of a multiplanet system, but these are as well the first detections of planets at separations that are similar to the outer planets of our own solar system," Marois says. The innermost exoplanet around HR 8799 has an orbit that would place it between Uranus and Neptune in our solar system. (Fomalhaut b, by contrast, orbits at nearly twice the distance of the farthest-flung planet around HR 8799, albeit around a larger star.)

"Kepler himself would recognize these as planets," Marley says, referring to the German astronomer Johannes Kepler, who formalized his laws of planetary motion in the 17th century. "You can see the planets in close to circular orbits, you can see them moving, and this system also has a dust disk, as people now believe our own solar system out beyond the orbit of Neptune has."

Marley acknowledges that the exact mass of the objects could be called into question, even pushing two of the masses into the realm of brown dwarfs, but does not view that uncertainty as a deal-breaker given the magnitude of the discovery.

Further characterization of the objects from both groups will enhance astronomers' understanding of star and planet formation. Toward that end, Kalas is awaiting the repair of the Hubble's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, which failed in 2004, to give a more detailed look at Fomalhaut b. Hubble could also help confirm the exoplanet's status next year by photographing it farther along its predicted orbital path. As for Marois, "there are actually two other objects that we're tracking" around another star, he says. "We're not sure if these are background objects or planets, so we're going to be confirming these next summer."


MP3 Audio:

VIA:http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=exoplanets-direct-imaging

NOTES: EU: List of exoplanets, WIKI: List of exoplanets

Thu, Mar 19, 2009  Permanent link
Categories: extrasolar, planets, lightyeats, Paul Kalas, Berkeley, Fomalhaut B, HR 8799, Christian Marois, Herzberg Institute, Astrophysics, 300 exoplanets

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The Hyperdimensional Election of Barack Obama and 2012

Based on Hyperdimensional Physics, Hoagland successfully predicted the historic results of this election almost two years ago! In this production, based on further application of this HD Model, Hoagland now presents never-before-seen clues to what America and the world may expect from this incoming, unique "Hyperdimensional Obama Administration" — including, what Barack Obama may finally do with NASA's decades of classified data on intelligent artifacts discovered on the Moon and Mars, as well as what could be in store for all of us at the end of Obama's first term ... in "2012."

NOTE: Food For Thought, Quack Or Science?

Thu, Mar 19, 2009  Permanent link
Categories: Hyperdimensional, Physics, Writing, Hoagland, Predictions, Politics, Meta-Physics

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Purchase your very own Robbie The Robot (lost in space)

http://www.lostinspacerobot.com/

This one is for all of you social networking Guru's who cashed in on our utter boredom. Okay, I admit that I really want one. I just cant afford it! Man just think ROBBIE and my very own authentic NASA spacesuit. AHHHHH... Dumping the garbage and cutting the grass would never be the same.

Pricing

- $24,500 (Price includes shipping within the continental United States. Contact us for overseas shipping details.)




Materials

- Acrylic bubble based on the existing original.
- Laser cut steel brain with polished stainless steel top cover and crown.
- CNC machined light rod ends brain cup and neck bracket.
- Accurate acrylic collar & vents, hand formed based on the original jigs used.
- Torso based on the original stone molds.
- Welded steel torso hooks.
- Laser cut aluminum bezel with engraved acrylic chest buttons.
- Machined & clear anodized aluminum microphone with stainless steel screen.
- Actual Dialight sockets and Lens (not reproductions!)
- Hundreds of individual parts fabricated from Fiberglass, acrylic, aluminum, steel, etc.
- All metal tread sections, knee plates and hinges.
- Real rubber tread belts, knee bellows, leg bellows, arms & neck bellows.
- 32 machined aluminum wheels with v-groove.

Accuracy / Season

- 3rd season version (paint & finish as seen in the final season).
- B9Creations was granted access to all remaining original materials. Needed items are on loan here for further study/duplication. All our parts are retooled based on this original material.
- B9Creations is leaving no stone unturned to produce the best possible replica of the Robot character, not the prop. In accordance with this focus, we will not replicate "prop" details that were never meant to be part of the Robot character nor meant to be seen by the viewers. (For example, we will not replicate dents, scratches, excessive texture, suit latches, etc.)

Audio features

- Internal 240 watt stereo sound system.
- Torso knob functions as Robot volume control.
- Over 500 voice tracks by Richard Tufeld, the voice of the original Robot. These are stored on an internal Compact Flash memory card to allow easy updates and customization.
- An external stereo input jack allows the user to override the built in voice library and use the Robot as a normal stereo system, juke box, etc.

Animation

- Animated Crown
- Animated Finger Lights
- Animated Ear Sensors
- Animated Torso Rotation
- Animated "functional" Soil Sampler

Control

- A 5 button key chain remote control allow you to discretely activate the Robot. Functions include turning the Robot's torso left/right, directing the Robot's voice to respond "Affirmative/Negative", activating the Robot's soil sampling sequence.
- The 10 chest buttons are functional and activate various phrases. These phrases can be customized by Richard Tufeld at an additional cost.
- Master power switch on the back of right tread section, next to power cord plug and external audio input jack.
- The "Programming bay" toggle switches will be used for Robot Activation, Audio Source Selection and animation enable/disable.
- Functional Power Pack - Pulling the Robot's "Power Pack" will shut down the Robot with the "Aaghhhhhh..." sound, just as it did in the TV series. Plugging in the power pack activates the Robot and he will speak an appropriate phrase, "Who turned out the lights?", etc.
- Torso knob functions as the Robot's sound system volume control.

Articulation

- Torso is motorized and rotates automatically and via Remote Control
- Radar (head section) rotates manually
- Arms extend / retract manually
- Claws, rotate open and close in sync manually

YouTube Em: http://www.youtube.com/user/B9Creations

Tue, Mar 3, 2009  Permanent link
Categories: Lost In Space, Robbie Robot, Will Robinson

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Rent A Space Suit

As of this date, WonderWorks has seven new High Quality Apollo A7L and three modern Shuttle EMU Spacesuits added to our rental department. We also have three new Apollo IVA suits with bubble helmets. These are all rented and we will be posting pictures from Moonshot once they are released . These photos show the level of detail and quality that goes into a WonderWorks suit. Ours are not halloween suits or awkward museum pieces, they are designed from the ground up to be comfortable and user friendly by technicians with 30 plus years of experience.

Visit Wonderworks

Mon, Mar 2, 2009  Permanent link

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What's up in Space: spaceweather.com

Space Weather - Funny video clips are a click away

Essential link for: Current conditions in space, Aurora Alerts, Solar viewing and more.

HERE

Mon, Mar 2, 2009  Permanent link
Categories: Sun, Space, Weather, Aurora, Asteroids

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The Thief and the Cobbler

The Thief and the Cobbler (2007 Recobbled Cut) [v2.0] - 1:37:17 - Nov 18, 2006
Richard Williams Animation Ltd.

Possibly the greatest animated film. A true masterpiece of craftsmanship, as well as humor. An ancient prophecy foretells that if the Golden City's balls are stolen, death and destruction will fall upon it. After a thief takes them, doom impends if a meek cobbler cannot save the city. A special fan edit of The Thief and the Cobbler reconstructed by Garrett Gilchrist of Orange Cow Productions. Combines the fabled uncut work print with other footage from the released versions, as well as other rare materials to create the most complete film - not to mention the most faithful to the original vision. The film itself was directed by Richard Williams, best known for his Oscar-winning animation direction for Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The voice cast includes Vincent Price, Sir Anthony Quayle, Hilary Pritchard, Joan Sims, and Felix Aylmer. Also featuring cameo vocal performances by Donald Pleasance and Sean Connery.

Sun, Feb 22, 2009  Permanent link
Categories: wisdom, Craftsmanship, Mastepiece

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Nasrudin excerpt

Via One Pair of Eyes: Dreamwalkers

Sun, Feb 22, 2009  Permanent link
Categories: wisdom, Hikma, Sufi

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The Relationship Between Plants & Humans (note one)

This is a subject that inspires me. It came from the statement and thought from William L. Robinson, "Humans are closer to plants then animals."

POSSIBILITIES:

A.) IMMUNITY

In findings that some might find reminiscent of science fiction, scientists at the Scripps Research Institute have shown for the first time that humans and plants share a common pathogen recognition pathway as part of their innate immune systems. The data could help shed fresh light on how pathogen recognition proteins function and the role they play in certain chronic inflammatory diseases.

The study provides new evidence that Nod1, a member of the Nod-like Receptor (NLR) protein family, is activated by the protein SGT1, which also activates Resistance (R) proteins in plants; R proteins protect plants from various pathogens. The study also confirms structural similarities between the Nod1 protein, which plays a pivotal role in the innate immune system’s recognition and response to bacterial infection and members of the R protein family.

Source:



B. ) COMMUNICATION

They say plants can communicate with each other by using a range of chemical signals. (Don Burke)


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EXPERIMENTS:
from "The Secret Life Of Plants"




OTHER SOURCES:










































{image 2}

Sun, Feb 22, 2009  Permanent link
Categories: Communication, human, Plant

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Mystery radio signal could be from universe's first stars

A balloon-borne experiment has turned up a mysterious radio signal that seems to be coming from beyond the Milky Way. Astronomers do not yet have a clear explanation for the static, but say it could come from the universe's first generation of stars.

The noise was found with a balloon-borne instrument called ARCADE, which flew for four hours at an altitude of 37 kilometres above Texas in July 2006. The instrument mapped a doughnut-shaped region that covered some 7% of the sky.

The team intended to look for slight deviations in the spectrum of the cosmic microwave background, the first radiation emitted after the big bang.

Instead, after subtracting known radio sources in the Milky Way and other galaxies, an unexplained radio static was left that seemed to pervade the sky and was some six times louder than all known astronomical sources combined at the same radio frequency.

"It is exciting evidence of something new and interesting going on in the universe," ARCADE leader Alan Kogut of the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said on Wednesday at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Long Beach, California.
First starlight?

The source of the signal is not clear. One possibility is that it is the last gasp of the universe's first stars, stellar behemoths that were hundreds of times more massive than the Sun and died within the first billion years after the big bang. As their cores collapsed into black holes, the stars may have spewed out jets of charged particles that produced radio emission. That emission might account for the unexplained signal.

In 2005, another team of astronomers made a similar claim about detecting infrared light from the earliest stars. They said that infrared light that the Spitzer telescope could not trace to individual stars or galaxies might have been the diffuse glow of the universe's first stars, but others counteredMovie Camera that it came from nearby galaxies that were just too faint for Spitzer to see.

Another possibility is that the mysterious radio signal could be created in distant galaxies, whose supermassive black holes whip charged particles up to high speeds, generating radio emission.
High precision

This signal has not been seen until now because ground-based telescopes did not have the required precision to detect it, team member Michael Seiffert of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California told New Scientist.

To see the radio signal, ARCADE carried some 2000 litres of liquid helium to cool its detectors and instruments, bringing it to some -270 °C. Creating similar conditions on Earth would require sealing a telescope in a vacuum chamber. That would reduce the precision of the observations by placing a barrier between the telescope and the radiation it is meant to detect.

The team is confident they have found a true signal. "We don't think there's a lot of wiggle room in the result," Seiffert said.

But Lawrence Rudnick of the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, who was not part of the team, says it will take time for others to interpret the result. "It's a really tricky measurement, since you're trying to subtract all these [known] sources," he told New Scientist.

If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.

Source: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn16378-mystery-radio-signal-could-be-from-universes-first-stars.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=online-news  src="userdata/25jmdmHh/1231458022/dn16378-2_300.jpg" border="0" width="300" height="229" align="right" class="padLeft">

Thu, Jan 8, 2009  Permanent link
Categories: Science, Astronomy, Cosmic, Entropy, Big Bang, Background Radiation

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