Chaotic Astronomy

Reflecting Telescopes consist of a set of curved mirrors used to focus light. With a concave mirror in the back it consentrates the light making the image brighter.

Refracting telescopes is an optical telescope the refracts light at each end using lenses.

So why do astronomers prefer refracting telescopes other than reflecting?
All help is appreciated!

Refracting telescopes put a very serious limitation on how large the telescope’s aperture can be because they require a large area of unsupported glass. Reflecting telescope mirrors can be supported from behind, so can be built in almost any size. Since aperture is the most important characteristic of modern telescopes, all modern research instruments are reflectors.

It’s for a competition relating to only variable stars and I know basically nothing about astronomy. I don’t need a book on how to observe them, just more on the information about them. It would also be helpful if it would contain information about the most famous ones.

I use "Discovering the Cosmos" by R.C. Bless for my college Astronomy 101 course. It has a good deal of info on stars and the sun

Last week we did a story on the Hubble telescope and the upcoming and final servicing mission to fix it up. The James Webb Space Telescope was mentioned, but not many details were given. This video found on the NASA site shows what is new with JWST, why it is better than the Hubble and a bit of what we can expect. The telescope is still being built and it is possible it will be delayed a bit, but JWST is scheduled to fly no earlier than 2013, so we have a bit of time to admire the images from Hubble a bit longer.

Duration : 0:9:56

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Technorati Tags: ESA, HST, hubble, James, jwst, NASA, sm4, space, spacevidcast, sts-125, stsi, telescope, Webb

Radio Astronomy & the Drake Equation. How many technically advanced civilzations are possible in the Universe? The Drake Equation can tell us.

Duration : 0:9:49

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Technorati Tags: Astronomy, Atoms, Carl, Chemistry, Cosmos, earth, Evolution, Humanity, Math, Physics, Sagan, science, space, stars, universe, World

1)how might Telescopes help astronomers fight extra-terrestrial intelligence in the universe?

2)what are the advantages of using satellites for ocmmunication?
3) Whatis special about the period of orbit of a geosynchronous satellite??

PLZ HELP!

1) I don’t no why you need to fight it, but then again the human race likes war so we probably would. But it could let us see an attack or a race of people coming towards us so that we could get defenses ready

2) It is better to use satellites because they can cover a wider area then something such as a telephone wire.

3) I have no clue

Science fair projects are meant to solve problems, not to show how something works. I’d really like to do a science fair project in the astronomy category but I can’t think of any problems that could be solved by me in Astronomy. If you have any suggestions, I would greatly appreciate seeing them.

Are you kidding? Astronomy is perhaps the one science left where the amateurs can contribute as much as the professionals, indeed many professionals rely on information e-mailed to them by amateurs.

A strong pair of binoculars and a lot of patience is all you need to discover your own comet. New comets are being discovered on an almost daily basis. Once you have found a comet with your binoculars (you can easily spot the ones near the earth as they are bright enough to be seen with binoculars and have a distinct fuzzy tail thrown out by solar winds) then you can look up the location on an astronomical web site (there are many) to see if it has already been catalogued if it hasn’t e-mail some professionals and see if they can independently verify your observation and you not only have your science project but you have made a contribution to the astronomical community.

That’s something simple anybody at any age can do, if you want something more technically complex then you could register with the Slooh web-site and have a chat with professional astronomers about your question.

www.slooh.com

While you’re there take a good look at their awesome Telescopes.

http://hubach.deviantart.com/

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10k Views 3/6/09

This is my father’s garage where he is currently working on his telescope hobby.

The glass casting oven is a oven made from scratch where it is able to make up to a 20′ mirror blank.

Diamond Curve Generating Machine/Mirror grinding & polishing- Own personal design/invention, uses a roller coaster, where the diamond grinder rides the curve track. Able to do any curve of radius(negative or positive) because of the spring steel track design. Able to grind/polish up to a 32′ mirror.

40′ Vacuum Tank. The mirror sits vertical, attaching itself to the door with an aluminum ring. Vaporization process is horizontal.

Our Goal;
Seeing amateur Astronomy going to a larger level & to promote larger telescope making in amateur astronomers

If you have any further questions regarding this video and its contents, please feel free to email;

Hubach88@gmail.com

#77 – Top Favorites (Today) – Science & Technology – Global

TAGS:

Glass casting mirror blank telescope mirror aluminizing metal vaporization space oven constellation glass art

amateur astromony anstromers telescope making home made atm vaccum chamber grinding machine diamond curve generator

Duration : 0:7:54

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Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2010/04/24/David_Morrison_Surviving_2012_and_Other_Cosmic_Disasters

NASA scientist David Morrison shares some of the most outrageous questions and comments he has received regarding 2012 and Nibiru (“Planet X”) conspiracies. One of his favorites? “I am getting tired of all the CIA and NSA planes buzzing around my house in circles like I am some freak at a carnival show.”

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This program was recorded in collaboration with the 2010 SkeptiCal Conference, in Berkeley, CA, on April 24, 2010.

Dr. David Morrison is the Director of the NASA Lunar Science Institute and Senior Scientist for Astrobiology at the NASA Ames Research Center. He holds a Ph.D. in Astronomy from Harvard and is internationally known for his research on small bodies in the solar system, including advocacy for developing plans to defend the Earth from impacts by comets and asteroids.

A Fellow of CSI, he has written extensively on such fringe science topics as Velikovsky, cosmic catastrophes, UFOs, the creation science movement, and most recently the climate crisis caused by global warming. For the past two years he has been the primary scientist critic of the widespread fear that the world will end in 2012, and of the doomsday sleaze artists who use the Internet, blogs, and cable TV to frighten people for profit.

Dr. Morrison’s discussion largely centers around the hoax of 2012. – SkeptiCal Conference

David Morrison is the senior scientist at the NASA Astrobiology Institute, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., where he participates in a variety of research programs in astrobiology — the study of the living universe.

Dr. Morrison obtained his doctorate in astronomy from Harvard University. He is the author of more than 155 technical papers and has published a dozen books. He has been a science investigator on NASA’s Mariner, Voyager and Galileo space missions. Morrison is recipient of the Dryden Medal for research of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Sagan Medal of the American Astronomical Society for public communication, and the Klumpke-Roberts award of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for contributions to science education. He has received two NASA Outstanding Leadership medals and he was awarded the Presidential Meritorious Rank for his work as director of space at NASA Ames. Morrison was a founder of the multidisciplinary field of astrobiology, and he provides on-line answers to questions from the public sent to “Ask an Astrobiologist,” found at: http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/astrobio/

Morrison is perhaps best known for his leadership since 1991 in defining the hazard of asteroid impacts and seeking ways to mitigate this risk. Asteroid 2410 Morrison is named in his honor.

Duration : 0:5:29

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Technorati Tags: 2012, Astronomy, coverup, Debunked, government, nibiru, planet, secrets, skeptical, skeptics, Theory

Telescopes mounted on Earth-orbiting satellites are better for observing the universe because they

1. collect only gamma radiation for images.

2. are outside the influence of Earth’s atmosphere.

3. collect only infrared radiation for images.

4. can be remotely controlled.

Answer #2
A powerful telescope on earth is still at a disadvantage with a mediocre telescope above Earth’s orbit because of the atmosphere that can scatter light coming in from space.

So yes, they are better because they are not influenced by the Earth’s atmosphere.

I have finished my graduation in Maths and now want to do my Post graduation in Astronomy. Can anyone suggest me a very nice but at the same time not expensive university?

Cambridge.