Chris Lintott’s Universe

I’m delighted to host the 42nd (42nd!) edition of the Carnival of Space, the largest and (even if we do say so ourselves) the best collection of astronomy and space writing on the web. Thanks to everyone who sent entries in - I had an excellent time sorting through them.

I thought we’d start as far away as possible today, and head toward Earth. When traveling about the Universe, it’s best to bear in mind that we can’t see most of what’s there (not matter how hard we try) as Starts with a Bang reminds us. Speaking of the invisible, there’s bad news from the observatory that discovered the first black hole.

We are making progress in exploring the nearby Universe, though, and APOD have the details on a familiar-looking solar system.

Entering the solar system, we pass an unremarkable point some 550 times as far from the Sun as the Earth is. Unremarkable, that is, apart from the fact that, as Centauri Dreams reports, it could be the destination for the FOCAL mission to create the world’s most powerful telescope. For basic navigation, Phil’s found someone to give him a hand.

My favourite post of the week is from Emily at the Planetary Society, who spent some time taking a good, hard look at Saturn’s moons. So should you. And while we’re here, join Catholic sensibility in taking a good long look at Tethys, the ‘Jan Brady of the Saturnian system’.

Anyone flying about the crowded inner solar system better have a better grasp of celestial mechanics than even that 7-year-old, and Ian Musgrave’s explanation of why Venus doesn’t reach greatest elongation in 2008 is a good place to start.

Any traveller visiting the solar system for the first time would be stuck by the Earth’s unusually large neighbour, the Moon. I’m convinced that watching the subtle drama of a lunar eclipse would rank high on any guidebook’s list of ‘must sees’. Of course, you haven’t lived untyil you’ve seen one from the Moon, and Rob at Orbiting Frog has a sneak preview.

On the way into the atmosphere, be careful to dodge the remnants of the American spy satellite which had an encounter with a guided missile last night. Astroprof’s article, here, discusses hydrazine’s role in
spacecraft. As you might expect, shooting down spacecraft also provides fodder for the space cynic, and Mars Odyssey joins in too.

After all that traveling, it’s good to hear about a safe return to Earth. Visual astronomy has a shuttle’s eye video for you. If all of that whets your appetite for more space travel, then Next Big Future has details of the development of private manned spaceflight.

Or if you’d rather stick to good ol’ government work, here’s New Frontiers on NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Orion will be launched on top of their new Ares boosters, and Robot Guy says they’re having some problems. The astropixie, meanwhile, tells us about the NASA logo which comes free with every purchase of a NASA system. But why stick to rockets from the USA? Pradeep has a round up of essential reading. Or if you want to check out your options, why homeschool wants your help (in Phoenix at the end of March).

Whatever spacecraft you choose, drive safely, watch out for missiles, and see you at next week’s Carnival of Space.

Chris

As you probably realised, my trip to Hawaii was more or less a complete washout. Of the four nights we had on the telescope, we made it to the summit for one and a half of them. The last night was the most depressing, when we sat there for hours waiting for fog to clear only for it to start snowing heavily. Once that happens, you need a team with shovels to be able to open up and it’s time to head down. We did manage to get about an hour’s data on the third night, for a program which didn’t need as good conditions as mine did, providing data on targets which will be viewed by the new Herschel telescope.

Herschel doesn’t need to worry about snowstorms, as it’s ESA’s new space telescope. With a 3.5m mirror, it will be the largest telescope ever to fly. Designed to work in the far-IR – a region of the spectrum that hasn’t been covered by recent missions – it should produce spectacular views of the coolest bits of the Universe, from nearby star formation to the most distant galaxies. In order to make sense of the results expected when it launches later this year, scientists are currently carrying out large surveys with existing ground based telescopes. These will be used to calibrate and to help interpret Herschel’s results – which will no doubt send scientists scurrying back to Mauna Kea. If it isn’t snowing, that is.

Just got back to the UK - got very little from the observing run (more on which soon) - but Andy’s reporting that the UK is at least temporarily back in Gemini. The release from the board, here says negotiations are underway, but the important thing is that those astronomers who’d put so much effort into getting time for the next few months will get the results from their efforts. Writing observing proposals takes a huge amount of time and effort, and for people to be successful only to see their time whisked away from them was heartbreaking. Obviously, a lot will depend on the outcome of the talks, but this is a good start.

Just a thought, though - the UK flag had been removed from in front of the Gemini HQ in Hawaii. I hope they didn’t burn it…

With Atlantis docked with the space station there’s no denying that manned spaceflight makes for compelling watching. The first spacewalk has been postponed due to a mystery (but non-life threatening) illness to astronaut Hans Schlegel, and blogger Damaris Sattia is reporting that there may be a problem with the thermal blanket on the shuttle.

While attention is focussed on the station, I’ve been continuing my devate with Mark Hempsell about whether the UK should join the ISS project. My latest response is below, and previous posts are here, here and here.

Dear Mark

Chris

Whether you’re European or American, your space agency needs you to help rename a spacecraft. Europe first; the ExoMars rover is approaching another milestone in its long and complicated story, and it’s still five years from launch. ExoMars - ESA’s first rover - is now due to launch in 2013, carrying a suite of instruments including several focussed on the search for life on the red planet. As designs progressed, it became clear that the only options were dramatically reducing the scope of the mission, or building a larger, more expensive rover that will launch on a larger rocket. Somewhat to my surprise, ESA went for the more ambitious option, but they still need the approval of the politicians later this year.

Speaking to BBC News Online’s Jonathan Amos, ESA boss Jean Jacques Dordain explained it needs a new name. Perhaps being more honest than he intended, he explained

I am asking [my officials] to find a different way to define ExoMars because if we say ‘this is ExoMars’, for most of the ministers it means ‘over-cost’. And this is not over-cost because we are not speaking at all of the same mission; it is a completely different mission. This is to try to make ministers understand that this is not over-cost.”

Let’s hope no politician in Europe reads BBC News Online. Meanwhile, NASA is asking the public to rename GLAST, the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope. Any ideas?

I’m delighted to finally be able to say that Bang! will be available in the US in April, published by Johns Hopkins University Press. More news when we get it!

With space shuttle Atlantis having successfully reached orbit as the first of six planned shuttle flights this year, it seems a good time to return to my debate with Mark Hempsell about whether the UK should invest in the International Space Station. Following the first parts of our debate here and here, I asked Mark to elaborate on the type of science that could be done on the space station. Here’s what he wrote:

To give a taste of the sort of science the UK is already missing out on
consider the programme conducted on Mir and Space Shuttle and
continuing on the ISS which is studying calcium loss in the bones which has already
contributed a lot to medical understanding of osteoporosis and to
exploring preventive measures and cures. Or consider the tissue culture working
contributing to growing replacement organs of transplants with the
patent’s own DNA using cloning techniques. Or consider the research into protein

And although in the UK there is a group who belittle this science as in
some way second rate, I think if you suffered from Osteoporosis or were
awaiting a life saving transplant (with resulting lottery of whether a
suitable donor will die at the right time) your perspective of what is
important science research may differ. The truth is Britain is staying
out of all the space research that will actually have an impact on peoples’
everyday lives, which, by the way, is completely contrary to the UK
Government slogan “putting space to work” i.e. only spending money
where there is a proven direct economic return which cannot be said of
astronomy and space physics.

All those who signed the astronomy petition on the Downing Street website will have received an email pointing them to the STFC press releases as a response from the government. The upshot of these not very clear documents is that nothing has changed; UK astronomy is still facing large cuts. It would have been nice if the government has responded to that fact instead of saying the same thing over again.

This week’s Carnival of Space is up over at Orbiting Frog….always worth a look.

Chris

No telescopes open and more snow on the way. We could do some laundry for excitement, but are saving that for tomorrow in case we need more excitement then. Chris needs cheering up - please help!

And in a rash moment, he gave posting access to his fellow observers, heheh… so
Chris Quote of the day: (we were walking past the visitor centre where someone was grappling with a shiny metal thermos) “Look, that man has a telescope!” Um… yeah, that’s why they pay you the big bucks, Chris…
Survival Tactic of the day: not eating the Prawns of Death, which re-appeared again on the salad buffet. They’re kinda brown now.