Space
Did NASA ask anybody?
Nov 16th
So did NASA ask you (or anybody else out there) if it was ok to crash something into the moon? Doesn’t that seem like a bad idea? To crash something on purpose… not just once, but twice? What if they had broken the moon? Split it in half? Then what? Can’t put it back together. What if they had changed its orbit and sent it off into space and we were moonless? Then there would be no more surfing (not that I surf).
And while we are on the subject… Did they ever ask anyone if it was ok to create the 2nd brightest object in the night sky by adding all of those solar panels to the International Space Station (ISS)? Did they ever think how it might impact the sociology of the earth by knocking Venus to #3? Maybe I don’t want some marvel of modern science brighter than everything else floating over my house. Ever think of that Mr. Griffin or Mr. Bolden? (ok maybe I think its cool)
Well NASA lucked out this time. The moon didn’t crack or have it’s orbit changed, or float away (not yet anyway-could be awhile before we know for sure). And I guess they found water or something useful like that.
You can check it out on the LCROSS NASA mission on their website or on Fox News
Or get the cool NASA iPhone app here (free).
© 2009, The Geek. All rights reserved. Click here for the Disclosure Statement
Geek iPhone App Review: NASA
Nov 3rd
A true geek would have this app in their arsenal. NASA has created a great iPhone and iPod Touch app that lets you keep track of what’s going on in the real world of space. Finally assurance that your tax dollars are being well-spent (at least on this app anyway ;o)
Click on the iTunes icon to get more info and download to your iPhone of iPod Touch
Cost: Free!
Company: NASA (your tax dollars at work)
- You can select a mission and read background information, get the current mission updates, view mission images and videos.
- From the International Space Station page you can see a real-time view of where the space station currently is.
- Browse the extensive NASA photo and video galleries
- Read the latest NASA updates
UPDATE 12/7/09: The latest NASA iPhone app update allows you to get ISS / Space Shuttle viewings based on your location or and entered address. From in the app select the “International Space Station” or “Space Shuttle” missions and click on the globe icon in the bottom left corner.
This is a fun, educational and entertaining app providing an opportunity for more great stuff from NASA.
Enjoy,
The Geek
© 2009, The Geek. All rights reserved. Click here for the Disclosure Statement
400th Anniversary of Galileos Telescope-Part 2
Aug 31st
Ok now that all of the partying has stopped from the 400th anniversary party…
(See 400th Anniversary of Galileo’s telescope-Part 1)
About a year later (1610) Galileo published his work, Sidereus Nuncius (Starry Messenger), which verified that the earth does in fact, revolve around the sun, a theory that Nicolaus Copernicus had speculated about 120 years before, but couldn’t fully prove. This theory is called the Heliocentric theory-“how the planets revolve around the sun” vs. the predominant theory of the time called the Geocentric theory-“how the planets and sun revolve around the earth”. His theory was so crazy it landed Galileo in house arrest for the last 8 years of his life, ordered by the Pope himself. Back then the geocentric theory was so engrained that going against it was heresy.
So it makes me wonder (along with the “How do you really know it was Aug 25th“ thing see part 1), if you lived before Galileo’s time and we had this conversation:
You: “So what do you do for a living?”
Me: “I’m an astronomer”
You: “Ok. [pause]. So what do you do?
Me: “Oh. I study how the planets revolve around the earth”
You: “Oh, ok”
If you think about it this is profound. Before Galileo’s ideas became accepted the definition of what an astronomer did completely precluded him from ever getting the right answer because the planets don’t revolve around the earth. They, of course, revolve around the sun.
So back to my wondering… how many things in our life fall under a similar assumption, that precludes us from ever getting the right answer, because we think the planets revolve around us.
Just wondering…
Photo courtesy of PhotoExpress.com
© 2009, The Geek. All rights reserved. Click here for the Disclosure Statement
400th Anniversary of Galileos Telescope-Part 1
Aug 25th
On this day Aug 25th 1609 Galileo Galilei presented the world with the first commercial terrestrial telescope – the Spyglass (Though I wonder how do you really know for sure 400 years ago it was this day exactly? Hmmm…)
Quite amazing if you think about it. Galileo’s leather and wood contraption all the way to today’s Hubble telescope? AND it also happens to be Lady Bug’s 3rd birthday too. I know, I know. You are wondering how the Wyf and I planned that so well and, hmm, I am not sure really, but its cool ;o).
Anyway, the spyglass was not originally developed to look at the stars. He had sold it to the Venetian Senate as a way to spot the Turks, who kept raiding their ships (pesky Turks). It was the first telescope of the time that did not have its images upside down and this was the greatest feature ever invented until sliced bread was first introduced 319 years late in Missouri on July 7, 1928.
© 2009, The Geek. All rights reserved. Click here for the Disclosure Statement
Man on the moon 40th anniversary… Wow!
Jul 21st
It is quite amazing to think that 40 years and 4 days ago 3 men steped into a tiny capsule attached to Saturn V rocket loaded with enough rocket fuel to take them 0 to 6000 mph in 2.5 minutes in the one stage, then from 6000 mph to 15,300 mph in another 6 minutes. They were targeting the moon, ~240,000 miles away moving at ~ 2200 mph… and 4 days later the made it there and then they came back home!
After 40 years its hard to appreciate the magnitude of that accomplishment. It is utterly amazing! Reading stories about the moon landing and seeing the creation of the space shuttle as a kid is what made me want to be an engineer, so I could create things that could accomplish amazing feats like a moon landing (and maybe even be an astronaut).
Several years ago my mom had all of my grandmother’s 8mm home films converted to VHS tape (yes it was a while ago). My Grandmother had recorded some of the Apoll0 video footage from her TV. Watching it stirred excitement in me again.
(My VHS to DVD dubber is not working, because its fairly useless technology now, but I will try and post the video soon)
If you are really geeky check this out: as part of the free software foundation open source code project, scanned copies of the original Apollo command module and lunar module software have been transcribed. You can even compile and run it if you want (that is so cool… if you are into that sort of thing ;o)
http://googlecode.blogspot.com/2009/07/apollo-11-missions-40th-anniversary-one.html
© 2009, The Geek. All rights reserved. Click here for the Disclosure Statement
