Look Out Of Your Window Now! Astronomical events.

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
Rain rain rain :(
I learnt a long time ago not to depend on the UK's weather if you want to view 'once in a lifetime' astronomical events. In fact I think the only 'once in a lifetime' astronomical event I have ever seen in this country was totally unplanned and that was to witness a meteorite come down.

Fortunately, most big astronomical events can be witnessed over several days/weeks (e.g. great comets) or occur on numerous occasions (e.g. aurora) so, eventually, you will get lucky.
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
This is what the great conjunction looked like from near Valencia, Spain tonight:
EpyGbVKXYAMzNCP
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
This may lead to the weather getting better, worse or staying much the same...

This sounds like one of my backup weather forecasts when I was at sea and had missed the transmission for one reason or another:

Winds variable force 1 to 12.
Weather heavy rain with occasional bright sunny periods.
Visibility variable.
Seas slight to phenomenal.
Outlook similar.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
Ten days from now NASA engineers will be going through their 'seven minutes of terror' as Mars rover Perseverance does one of those fantastic sky crane landings on Mars. I'll bet the tension is a building already. :eek:

 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
Watched the landing on NASA TV this evening. From the earliest age I can remember, I have always looked into space in awe and wonder and I got completely swept up by tonight's landing. I look forward to seeing what new discoveries this mission will bring.

Oh and it feels great to be focused on another planet for a change because, let's face it, this one is completely f****d up at the moment.
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
If Perseverance discovers even ancient signs of life, microbial or otherwise on Mars the consequences of that are astounding. Because if life can start on two planets within the same stellar system, then it suggests it is abundant throughout the Universe.

This isn't to say it's full of aliens with acid for blood or gigantic interstellar battlecruisers ... there's a big leap from a microbe to 'intelligent' life. And the development of intelligence might be the ultimate extinction event if our world is anything to go by.
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
If Perseverance discovers even ancient signs of life, microbial or otherwise on Mars the consequences of that are astounding. Because if life can start on two planets within the same stellar system, then it suggests it is abundant throughout the Universe.
The Drake equation, which I do like, has no chance of being calculated with even the slightest degree of accuracy, whilst we rely on a sample of one positive for fl (the fraction of planets that could support life that actually develop life at some point). Two would be a massive leap forward, albeit with a strong note of caution.

We would need to careful about about drawing any absolute conclusions, if we do discover life elsewhere within our solar system, because of the risk that it is as a result of cross contamination.

Indeed, there are those that believe that life here began out there, far across the universe............
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
If there are many 'live' places out there, then it seems to me that we are probably more likely to be discovered by someone a bit 'in front' of us, although somebody does have to be first, of course.

If we use the Earth as a model, then interactions between isolated populations would generally have you 'discovered' by rather aggressive nutters.

The North Sentinel approach may be a sensible one...
 

BobClay

Well-Known Forumite
I always wondered if that plaque on the Voyager spacecraft was a good idea ! Given evolution is suggesting life follows a combative rule i.e. dog eat dog etc, and given they put a pulsar diagram on the plaque to indicate the position of the Earth as the origin of the spacecraft, you might not be too happy at the result if something nasty finds it.

Maybe it's better to listen and keep a low profile until you're better informed as to what's out there.

This diagram might be saying to something nasty like: "Chest bursting tasty noshes to be had this way .... " :eek:

voyagerdiagram.jpg
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
I always wondered if that plaque on the Voyager spacecraft was a good idea ! Given evolution is suggesting life follows a combative rule i.e. dog eat dog etc, and given they put a pulsar diagram on the plaque to indicate the position of the Earth as the origin of the spacecraft, you might not be too happy at the result if something nasty finds it.

Maybe it's better to listen and keep a low profile until you're better informed as to what's out there.

This diagram might be saying to something nasty like: "Chest bursting tasty noshes to be had this way .... " :eek:

View attachment 9995
It could be worse, we could have sent this one:
CvVZ5Zh.jpeg
 

Noah

Well-Known Forumite
Don't know if aliens would have problems but it has been said that most humans would be regarded as unfit for human consumption if assessed in the same way that food animals are.
 
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