the vastness of our solar system

This is a scroll of our solar system, with the planets and distances between them to scale if the moon was represented by one pixel.
It certainly makes you realise how far apart the planets are, and how big even our solar system is.
From Kottke.org

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the largeness of space

Space and the planets.
It's big.
Very big.

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comet ison looks like it has died

Bloody typical!!
You wait all year for a 4.5 billion year old comet to turn up, and just as you are getting all excited and preparing for some early morning spotting,  it goes and destroys itself going around the Sun, according to the latest reports from NASA (The Nasa Comet ISON Obseravtion site).
It was hoped that ISON had survived, but that seems to have been wishful thinking.
Damn!!!
I blame God.

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gravity - alfonso cuaron (2013)

 

 

Well, we got to go and see Alfonso Cuaron's 'Gravity' film this afternoon at Richmond Station, and it was well worth the time, effort and money.  The 3D made it seem as though you were in space with the astronauts, and the cinematography (by Emmanuel Lubezki) was outstanding, especially when the viewpoint changes from outside of a helmet to the inside.  I wasn't too keen on some aspects, as a lot of the film seemed to be an excuse to show Sandra Bullock in her grundies, but George Clooney was pretty cool, and provided an unexpected twist which certainly caught me out. I also appreciate the fact that the film clocked in at an hour and a half, which to me, is long enough for any movie, and left plenty of time to hit the pub afterwards.

Marvellous stuff.  I may even consider going to see it again, while it is still showing at the large cinema screens, and trust me, that is a rare occurrence.  

At the end, l had a flashback and commentated that it was like 'Planet of the Apes' when they first land back on Earth. It turns out l was correct, as the lake is the same one (Lake Powell).  Maybe my brain hasn't completely given up on me yet (although it's only a matter of time). 

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shane black - adventure is calling time lapse video

This time lapse video by Shane Black (Adventure is Calling) was shot using over 10,000 photographs he took during a couple of months travelling the USA, and it is stunning.
He (and a couple of friends) quit their jobs to go travelling and take photographs, and it has certainly produced some great images.  It sounds ideal, but l would be a bit dubious about spiders (especially the large sort) crawling into my tent in some of the remote locations and biting my bum (amongst other things).
More information is available at the National Geographic website.

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other life forms / possible masters

As l think space is infinite and therefore has infinity possibilities regarding life on other planets, I've also often thought that if we ever get to come into contact with another  life form, they may look like some of the creatures that have evolved on our own planet, that look really strange compared to even the strangest looking human.
Three examples are above.  The top one is a human head louse on a strand of hair, the middle one is a mosquito, and the bottom one a fly.
Just think of how quickly a fly reacts as you try to swat it. One day their larger space travelling relatives may be our masters (and l bet they will be pissed off).
You have been warned.

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ben leshchinsky photographs of easter island

What fantastic photographs these are. They are by Ben Leshchinsky and have the Easter Island statues (Moai) set against The Milky Way in the background.  The top one would look great in a large frame.
If only the house was bigger.

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the scale of the planets

After the earlier post about the planets close to Earth, here's the scale of them.  The one that shows the Earth in relation to our Sun emphasis just how tiny and insignificant we are in the great scheme of things.

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the planets close to earth - ron miller

 Jupiter

 Mars

 Mercury

 The Moon itself

 Neptune

 Saturn

 Uranus

Venus

Ever wondered what the planets would look like if they were the same distance away from us as the Moon? Wonder no more, as artist Ron Miller has produced all of the above. Uranus and Jupiter look the best to me, as Jupiter looks amazing, but Uranus is downright spooky.

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voyager 1 has buggered off and left us

So, NASA have agreed that Voyager 1 has now gone and entered interstellar space, which is an amazing accomplishment when you think that it was built using 1960's and 70's technology.
The above photograph was taken by Voyager in 1990, and it shows the Earth, a long way in the distance. Since then, we are a lot further away, and in another 40,000 years Voyager will be closer to star AC+79 3888 than our own sun (and the star is heading towards us faster than we are going towards it!). To state that space is vast is somewhat of an understatement.

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the gravity film release schedule

The Gravity film is coming out soon, but l have noticed on its webpage that it is to be released in Thailand and Hong Kong on the 3rd of October, and not in the UK until the 8th of November.  What a splendid idea, releasing it over a month early in the market that provides a lot of the pirated DVDs, that will no doubt also be uploading it onto the net before its UK release. Prats.

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infrared photographs of space

Space is endlessly fascinating, and there is still so much we don't understand about it (dark matter anybody?).  It is however, also amazing to look at (with the right equipment) as these photographs of visible space and space as seen through infrared lenses highlight.
From here.

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the gravity trailers

I am looking forward to Alfonso Cuaron's  'Gravity' movie soooooooooooo much.  Even though l suspect it will be a lovey dovey weepie with a nice ending (starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock), the CGI images of the Earth and space look amazing, and a total trip (in more ways than one).  It should also rabbit on about The Kessler Effect / Syndrome, which, unless we find a way to get rid of the debris orbiting the planet in Low Earth Orbit, will prevent us going into space in the future (at least for a long time).
Splendid and interesting stuff, and it had better not let me down.

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the big bang - simon singh

 

Well. l've finally managed to finish Simon Singh's 'The Big Bang', and if you have even a passing interest in space, time, creation, mathematics and physics, it's the book to head for.
The majority of it was interesting, and Singh explains the subjects well, but l got a bit bored when it came to the breakup and formation of atoms. l prefer the mathematical side of working out and judging planets sizes and distances, as it's something l can get my head around easier.
As for the title and conclusion of the book, there are still so many unanswered questions regarding  'The Big Bang' itself, and my own view is l am in favour of infinite expanding and contracting multiverses that have always been, and will always be, requiring no creator (or start up from nothing).
Mindblowing, but the only option to me that makes sense.
More scans of the cartoon type/diagram pages from the book can be found here.

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the solar system to scale

A superb representation of the solar system's planets and sun - to scale.
It all makes us look so insignificant, and that's just in our tiny little part of space.
From here.

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the endeavour space shuttle transfer

This must have been pretty amazing to see, with a side order of surreal thrown in for good measure.  The Space Shuttle Endeavour has completed it's last flight, so has been moved from LAX (Los Angeles) Airport to it's new home at the Californian Science Centre in Exposition Park.  Along the route, it had to travel very, very  slowly, as it could only just fit past some of the houses and trees, and overhead wires and some signs had to be dismantled.  It's something you don't get to see on an everyday occurrence, that's for sure.
The photographs are from The LA Times and more details of the day by day transportation can also be found on their page.

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cowboys and aliens (2011) - jon favreau

Cowboys? And Aliens?  In the same film, and with Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig?

Bring it on!  Much better than l expected (which wasn't a lot).  Based on the graphic novel.

toodle pip.