Chaotic Astronomy

We have crafts, vehicles and junk there; are any earth based Telescopes able to see any of it?

No, the resolution of Earth-based scopes is not sufficient to be able to see those items. We do have photographs of them that were taken by subsequent spacecraft. For example, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter took several photos:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/multimedia/lroimages/lroc_200911109_apollo11.html

Hubblecast 22: Hubble Space Telescope Directly Observes Exoplanet Orbiting Fomalhaut.

The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has discovered an extrasolar planet, for the first time using direct visible-light imaging. The strange world is far-flung from its parent star, is surrounded by a colossal belt of gas and dust, and may even have rings more impressive than Saturn’s.

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Credit:
- ESA/Hubble (M. Kornmesser & L. L. Christensen)
- Visual design & Editing: Martin Kornmesser
- Animations: Martin Kornmesser & Luis Calçada
- Web Hosting: Leibniz-Rechenzentrum (LRZ)
- Web Technical Support: Lars Holm Nielsen & Raquel Yumi Shida
- Written by: Lee Pullen & Lars Lindberg Christensen
- Host: Dr. J
- Narration: Bob Fosbury
- Cinematography: Peter Rixner
- Music: movetwo
- Footage and photos: A. Fujii, Digitized Sky Survey 2, NASA, ESA, and P. Kalas (University of California, Berkeley). Acknowledgment: Davide De Martin (ESA/Hubble)
- Directed by: Lars Lindberg Christensen

Dr. J is a German astronomer at the ESO. His scientific interests are in cosmology, particularly on galaxy evolution and quasars. Dr. J’s real name is Joe Liske and he has a PhD in Astronomy.

Hubble European Space Agency Information Centre
Garching/Munich, Germany
• http://www.eso.org
• http://www.spacetelescope.org
• http://hubblesite.org
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Duration : 0:5:2

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• Identifies celestial objects with the click of a button
• Locates over 6,000 stars, planets and constellations from built-in celestial database and provides scientific information for each object
• Provides comprehensive text and audio descriptions providing history, mythology and other entertaining information for the most popular objects
• Tonight’s Highlights: A customized list of the 20 best objects to view for your exact date, time and location anywhere in the world
• Constellation Lessons: if the star you identify or locate is part of a constellation like the Big Dipper, you can actually take a guided tour through all the stars in that constellation and even see an onscreen map of the constellation
• Built-in Field Guide Includes: Introduction to Astronomy: a six part audio lesson on the origin and history of astronomy, Glossary of Terms: text defining popular astronomy terms including planets, comets, galaxies and more, Great Astronomers: text bios on some of the world’s greatest astronomers including Galileo, Einstein and Copernicus, Man Made Space Objects: text description of some of the coolest objects man has sent into space including the International Space Station, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Space Shuttle, Comet Guide: text descriptions about history’s most famous comets including Halley’s Comet and Comet Hale-Bop
• SD card slot: for optional -Sky Tour- audio presentations that provide hours of entertainment on a variety of topics
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• Backed by Celestron’s 2-year warranty

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What are the different uses for different types of telescopes [refracting, reflecting and catadioptric?]

refracting Telescopes are used to examine the visible-light region of the electromagnetic spectrum. typical uses include viewing the Moon, other objects of the solar system such as Jupiter and Mars, and double stars

the reflecting telescope is commonly used in Astronomy because it is much easier to create a large convex mirror than to create the huge lenses that would be necessary to gather the light to see dim far-away objects

catadioptric telescopes use a combination of curved lenses and mirrors as objectives to collect light. they are good for all-around viewing because they have the attributes of both refractors and reflectors.

Science@ESA (Episode 4): Following The Redshift (Part 2) – Hubble’s Successor: The James Webb Space Telescope.

In this fourth episode of the Science@ESA vodcast series Rebecca Barnes will identify some of the key discoveries achieved with the famous Hubble Space Telescope, look at the concept of redshift, and meet a new telescope that will be used to uncover the early Universe.

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Named in 2002 in honour of NASA’s administrator during the Apollo programme, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mission is a collaborative project between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency.

JWST will address many of the outstanding issues of modern Astronomy related to the ‘Early Universe’ and is expected to yield scientific breakthroughs as did its predecessor, the Hubble Space Telescope. JWST will be a general-purpose observatory with a suite of astronomical infrared-sensitive instruments.

Compared to existing or planned observatories, JWST will have the unique advantage of combining superb image quality throughout a wide wavelength range, a wide field of view and unparalleled photon sensitivity due to its 6.5-metre diameter telescope primary mirror.

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=29

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The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a planned infrared space observatory, the partial successor to the aging Hubble Space Telescope. The JWST will not be a complete successor, because it will not be sensitive to all of the light wavelengths that Hubble can see.

The main scientific goal is to observe the most distant objects in the universe, those beyond the reach of either ground based instruments or the Hubble. The JWST project is a NASA-led international collaboration with contributors in fifteen nations, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

Originally called the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), it was renamed in 2002 after NASA’s second administrator, James E. Webb (1906-1992). Webb had headed NASA from the beginning of the Kennedy administration through the Johnson administration (1961-68), thus overseeing all the manned launches in the Mercury through Gemini programs, until just before the first manned Apollo flight.

Current plans call for the telescope to be launched on an Ariane 5 rocket in June 2014, on a five-year mission (10 year goal). The JWST will reside in solar orbit near the Sun-Earth L2 point, which is on a line passing from the Sun to the Earth, but about 1.5 million km farther away from the Sun than is the Earth.

This position, which moves around the Sun in exact orbital synchrony with the Earth, will allow JWST to shield itself from infrared from both Sun and Earth, by using a single radiation shield positioned between the telescope and the Sun-Earth direction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope
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Duration : 0:6:42

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Technorati Tags: agency, apollo, ariane, Astronomy, canadian, ESA, european, gemini, hubble, infrared, James, jwst, mercury, NASA, observatories, redshift, science, space, successor, Telescopes, universe, Webb

Tasco Specialty 1AGST is a classic, hand-held telescope with a gleaming brass finish and leatherette trim. Extends from 5.25″ to 14″ and includes an attractive leatherette carry case with wrist strap and belt loop.

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what are the advantages and disadvantages of using radio telescopes and probes to search for life in the universe?

How are radio waves used to detect objects in space?

They are less expensive that actually sending astronauts.
They can detect elements that light telescopes can’t.
Radio waves indicate a lot of tel-tale things that may indicate the possibility of life on those other heavenly bodies.

Disadvantages:

We can’t be sure until we get there…or it gets here.
It’s a tricky and sometimes high-maintinance thing to keep these Telescopes and/or probes up there doing there thing.

Understanding Reflector, Refractor, and Schmidt-Cassegrain Telescopes, Alt-Azimuth and Equatorial mounts, benefits, and comparisons.

Duration : 0:7:39

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Technorati Tags: alt, astronomers, Astronomy, azimuth, cassegrain, eyepiece, how, mirror, mounts, optics, reflector, refractor, schmidt, stars, telescope, tristate, universe

NorthStar Telescopes offer amateur astronomers state-of-the-art computer-driven location and tracking capability with simple, push-button control. With a built-in data base of 20, 000 celestial objects, you simply call up your target on the hand-held control module, enter a simple “Go To” command and the NorthStar computer does the rest. Once locked on, tracking the object for prolonged viewing is automatic. Innovative RVO (Real Voice Output) feature provides a fun, interactive way to explore the night sky. The remote, hand-held control module features red, backlit push buttons and a red, illuminated LCD read-out for easy viewing without impairing your night vision. The telescopes also feature new 1x wide-angle, red dot finder scope. Additional features include a quick-release tripod and accessory tray for fast, easy assembly.

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Suppose I had an arrangement of two telescopes to look through with both eyes, would I see more light than if I was using just one telescope?
Perhaps, if not more light, using binocular vision will provide other benefits? For example, sharpness, clarity, or something like that.

You mean like this:
http://www.davetrott.com/GiantBinoculars.html

Because of the way your brain processes images a pair of binoculars produces an image more than twice as good as the image for a telescope the size of one half of the binoculars. But I think everything has to be very accurately matched between the two sides, you can’t just take two Telescopes and stick them together – which is why you don’t see them very often; if at all.