Look outside at the moon now, go . . . I'll wait

RikkFlair wrote: »

Its very high in the sky, I had to lie on the ground to get a proper gawk at it.

Are you a lego man?

RikkFlair wrote: »

Its very high in the sky, I had to lie on the ground to get a proper gawk at it.

Handy tip
Your head is able to pivot in the vertical plane, as well as the more common horizontal plane which we're obviously all familiar with.
Don't believe me?
Try saying 'yes' to something with real conviction.
Now, what is your head doing?

You're welcome.

LordSutch wrote: »

I heard somewhere recently that the moon is moving away from Earth at a rate of 1cm per year, which might be interesting )

Closer to 4cm per year actually.

Senna wrote: »

The curtains are closed in my room, could someone take a photograph, I really want to see it.

Not a very good picture but I took this earlier.

Pherekydes wrote: »

Ah do! Make a scale model of the earth, the moon and Jupiter. And then demonstrate Jupiter passing between the earth and the moon.

Also, calculate the effects this would have on us.

Report back.

So, just to be clear here, you're saying Jupiter is quite big?:D

Once every year on a clear night the local authorities should switch off all public lighting and everyone should gather in parks to watch the skies





















I'll be in your house!

recyclebin wrote: »

Is anyone else's dogs barking? They don't normally make noise this time of the night.

Mine barked once, then went to sleep. I don't think he's fully embracing the concept. Vitamins may help.

Was just out having a look actually. To the "left" of the moon and "down" a bit is the constellation Orion.

This constellation was made famous by Orion Pictures where you would see the three stars spinning into the O of Orion at the start of one of their films.

But it's not just those three stars that make up the constellation. Above the three stars (which are Orions "belt") are two stars at a much wider distance that make up his "shoulders" and two similar stars that mirror his shoulders below the belt that are his "knees".

Immediately below the belt at a perpendicular angle is his "sword" (stop it) which is made up of three faint stars under the left most star of the belt.

The top left "shoulder" is a blazing star (you can see it's twinkling volatility) called Betelgeuse (pronounced like Beetle Juice if you like or I have heard it pronounce betel guys) is a red giant, a massive unstable star, that if it occupied the suns position in the solar system, would go well past the orbit of Jupiter.

Given it's age, size and status, it is likely that Betelgeuse will soon die and form a supernova (and may already have done, but we won't witness it for very many years if it has).