Journey to the Edge of the Universe

[swampdragon]

I really like this video, so figured I'd post it here too.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr7wNQw12l8&feature=related

The whole thing really gives quite a perspective of just how small and insignificant we really are.

[L1A1Rocker]

Very cool. Thanks.

[swampdragon]

Very cool. Thanks.

I thought the film was really cool.
No comments on it though.
Oh well...

[hi_capacity]

"It is a spectacular tapestry, so vast & diverse in its' design that the power of its' creator must truly surpass all human understanding."
:wow:

[swampdragon]

"It is a spectacular tapestry, so vast & diverse in its' design that the power of its' creator must truly surpass all human understanding."
:wow:

A "creator" can be just about anything...

[slamfire51]

I like.
Thanks for posting.

[old Grump]

A "creator" can be just about anything...

The creator is anything, and everything.

[HDR]

That was pretty good.

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/rjn/apod/archivepix.html

NASA posts a picture of space everyday, enjoy.

[gungorilla]

Search for Pale Blue Dot on YouTube, another video similar to this one narrated by Carl Sagan.

[slamfire51]

Search for Pale Blue Dot on YouTube, another video similar to this one narrated by Carl Sagan.

Speaking of Sagan, I always wondered if he had more than one set of clothes. Same outfit in every episode.

[O.S.O.K.]

We are bits of floatsom and jetsome living on an electron in an atom that makes up part of a complex molecule within a small rat turd laying in the sewer of the next level up "verse".

[swampdragon]

Search for Pale Blue Dot on YouTube, another video similar to this one narrated by Carl Sagan.

Yes. I've seen that.
I thought it was really good too.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnFMrNdj1yY

[O.S.O.K.]

We are bits of floatsom and jetsome living on an electron in an atom that makes up part of a complex molecule within a small rat turd laying in the sewer of the next level up "verse".

[gungorilla]

The ultra deep field pictures that the Hubble space telescope took are also rather awe inspiring. To think they pointed Hubble at some dark spot in the sky over a few days then that's what it showed, truly amazing. To see these just do a search on 'ultra deep field view' and a bunch of stuff should pop up.

[imanaknut]

My adopted brother, the Hubble Space Telescope has taken some great photos, and I am glad that the new NASA admin allowed the shuttle to make that last repair/update.

My father was a major player in the building of the 9th wonder of the world. The Hubble is built to such standards that if it was above the Empire State Building in New York, and assuming a straight line, you held a dime on top of the Golden Gate Bridge, it could focus on it for hours. It could see and focus on a small flashlight on the moon, and as we have seen, take some amazing photos of deep space.

Another amazing feature of the Hubble, it's mirrors. After the primary mirror was finished ground, before plating, my father wanted to measure it to make sure that it was in limits. NASA said no. My dad called me and for the first time in my life I heard him use words only a Marine DI would use. He was furious that NASA wouldn't spend the money to check the mirror. As we learned, they should have listened to him.

Granted the mirror was ground slightly off, but it was ground to the most perfect smoothness of any object ever made by man. If the earth was as flat at the Hubble mirror, the highest mountain would be 5 inches tall, and the deepest valley only 5 inches deep. Surface finish over the 96 inch diameter was about 3 millionths of an inch variance.

And to think, two NASA admins ago they were going to let the Hubble fall back to earth because even though every astronaut volunteered to service the Hubble, the admin thought it was too dangerous. Fortunately the current admin feels the Hubble was worth it, too bad he feels the same way about our earth-bound enemies.

There are some great photos on the Hubble website!
http://hubblesite.org/

[HDR]

There are some great photos on the Hubble website!
http://hubblesite.org/

That was pretty neat, thanks!

[Krupski]

I really like this video, so figured I'd post it here too.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr7wNQw12l8&feature=related

The whole thing really gives quite a perspective of just how small and insignificant we really are.

Looking at the night sky fills me with awe... and if I'm out in the country on a pitch dark, clear night and look up and see the "fuzzy" spots... each of which is an entire galaxy... a chill goes up my back. We are nothing. We are less than dust in the wind.

Then I think of the fanatical religious types that believe ALL of it was created just for us... just for humans... little invisible specks living on one insignificant planet... then I get annoyed at their arrogance... their audacity.

If there is a God, He sure as hell didn't create all of it for US... in fact God has probably forgotten about us (or given up on us as an arrogant, hopeless species).

[Full Otto]

http://i32.tinypic.com/20036hd.jpg



http://i31.tinypic.com/f56lw6.jpg

[JTHunter]

Thanks Swampy. Great video!
Sagan died WAY too young. He made astronomy FASCINATING! And his voice was fun to listen to as well.

[printerman]

....still haven't put men on the moon though !

[slamfire51]

....still haven't put men on the moon though !

Oh no, not that conspiracy theory AGAIN.

[alismith]

Looking at the night sky fills me with awe... and if I'm out in the country on a pitch dark, clear night and look up and see the "fuzzy" spots... each of which is an entire galaxy... a chill goes up my back. We are nothing. We are less than dust in the wind.
Then I think of the fanatical religious types that believe ALL of it was created just for us... just for humans... little invisible specks living on one insignificant planet... then I get annoyed at their arrogance... their audacity.

If there is a God, He sure as hell didn't create all of it for US... in fact God has probably forgotten about us (or given up on us as an arrogant, hopeless species).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2w6Oxx0kQ&feature=avmsc2

[chiak47]

Swampy...Great video. It really does put things into persepective.


....still haven't put men on the moon though !

Fuck off...Alot of men dedicated their lives to our space program at the height of this countries industrial age. You have no idea what it took and just how many it took to achieve this countries goals.

[Krupski]

....still haven't put men on the moon though !

I shouldn't even bother... but let me ask you this P-Man... (we're gonna get to the moon incrementally)... do you believe that the Space Shuttle can be launched from the ground and reach, then stay, in orbit around the earth until it decides to come down by doing a retrograde rocket burn?

Yes [ ]
No [ ]

[l921428x]

Here is the wall paper on my monitor, truly one of the most facinating things I have ever seen.

http://hubblesite.org/gallery/wallpaper/pr2010013a/

[swampdragon]

The sheer scope and size of space makes me realize how small and woefully ignorant we all really are.

Instead of finding this depressing...I instead find this fantastic. It means there is still so much more to learn that it is beyond our comprehension.

That means we will always have something to do and not be bored....

[printerman]

I shouldn't even bother... but let me ask you this P-Man... (we're gonna get to the moon incrementally)... do you believe that the Space Shuttle can be launched from the ground and reach, then stay, in orbit around the earth until it decides to come down by doing a retrograde rocket burn?

Yes [ ]
No [ ]

the answer is yes

[O.S.O.K.]

Dust in the wind came out when I was in HS and I always get a particular mood when I listen to it.... those are weird and in many ways hard times in a man's life.

I often lay in bed and wonder what it all means. Why are we here? Why do are we concious of our mortality and live with this our whole life, counting the days unitl our personal demise.

I have to agree that religion that puts man in the postition of all importance - and with the perfect mechanism to answer our fears... is highly suspect of being a human contrivance.

I personally try to aleviate the knowledge of my own mortality with the promise of my children. I feel very bad for those who lose thier kids before they themselves pass and for those who have no children. Because that's the thing that bouys me up.

Yes, I try and make the most of life and enjoy the blessings of the here and now but I can't shake the light of the coming train...

[Krupski]

the answer is yes

Good. We're making progress. You do acknowledge that humans can travel into space and stay there for at least several days, then return safely.

Now, the Space Shuttle is basically a truck... a cargo carrier. Due to it's design, it really can't venture much further than earth orbit.

So, on to the next question: Do you believe that a smaller spacecraft with an ample fuel supply can accelerate to the earth's ESCAPE velocity (that is, fast enough to continue outward and not be pulled back by gravity)? To aid in your decision, numerically, the escape velocity of an object is the circular orbital velocity multiplied by the square root of 2. In other words, if a rocket is in ORBIT, and then it goes 1.4 times faster, it will escape the earth's gravity and continue outward.

Do you believe that this is possible? (again, Y/N).

[swampdragon]

I find it funny how we can land on the moon, yet a fuckin' Professor and a Captain couldn't get off Gilligan's Island.

[Krupski]

I find it funny how we can land on the moon, yet a fuckin' Professor and a Captain couldn't get off Gilligan's Island.

You do have a good point there.

[imanaknut]

I find it funny how we can land on the moon, yet a fuckin' Professor and a Captain couldn't get off Gilligan's Island. That's it, thanks for causing my brain to blow up! Never thought of it that way. Blast that Gilligan!!!!

[Full Otto]

I find it funny how we can land on the moon, yet a fuckin' Professor and a Captain couldn't get off Gilligan's Island.

Hey Gilligan wasn't always screwing thing's up because he was stupid

http://i32.tinypic.com/28jpk0.jpg

[Mark Ducati]

http://blueollie.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/you_are_here_galaxy.jpg