| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| earht | 11/9/2009 |
Q: what is the age of earth?.how the earth formatted from starting?
A: The age of the Earth...and Solar System...is estimated at 4.6 billion years. This age is the ...
|
| measuring the moon | 11/5/2009 |
Q: I need help figuring some things out about the moon with some data I have gathered. I have observed ...
A: If you are really interested in where the moon is located in the night sky from night to night (and ...
|
| built-in barlow | 10/29/2009 |
Q: Whiting: I recently purched a Celestron Powerseeker 127 EQ. The label on the scope says that it has ...
A: Sorry, but I'm not up on the newer scopes with the built-in barlows, built-in eyepieces, permanently ...
|
| Orange Oscillating Star | 10/28/2009 |
Q: I live in Omaha, NE. Currently in the night sky beginning at dusk I can see a yellow/orange star ...
A: Yes, that is the very bright zero magnitude star Capella in the constellation Auriga. It's common ...
|
| Astronomy and "global warming" | 10/23/2009 |
Q: Is "global warming" affecting the recreational astronomer? Do you have any images from the past to ...
A: First, there is no global warming. In fact, if you check your numbers yourself, you'll find there is ...
|
| Earth Magnetism | 10/12/2009 |
Q: What do you know about the Earth's magnetic fields? What causes them to change? How does the ...
A: I'm not a big expert on the Earth's magnetic field (singular, not plural)...but I know a little ...
|
| Radiation | 10/10/2009 |
Q: What do radio waves, infrared radiation, visible light, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma ...
A: You've just named off all the forms of radiation on the electromagnetic spectrum. All of those are ...
|
| Radiation | 10/10/2009 |
Q: What is diffraction, and how does it relate to the behavior of light as a wave?
A: You can do 3 things with light....reflect it, refract (bend) it, or diffract (split) it. One can ...
|
| Midterm Help | 10/6/2009 |
Q:
A: Well, if the moon were greater than 93 million miles, then it couldn't be orbiting the Earth, it ...
|
| astronomy | 10/6/2009 |
Q: when you look at jupiter through a telescope why do the moons orbit so fast around jupiter(my ...
A: According to Kepler's laws of motion, orbital time is based on distance from the primary planet, (or ...
|
| motion of planets | 10/5/2009 |
Q: if the earth revolves and rotates in the opposite direction will we be able to go in the past?
A: NO. Time passage is not dependent on our position in space or how or where we are traveling. So ...
|
| Enormous Orange Planet-like Object | 10/1/2009 |
Q: Mr. Whiting, When I was a child, my mother saw something in the night sky that she couldn't ...
A: ...yes, I know my night sky quite well as that's been my specialty for over 50 years. But I wish I ...
|
| Enormous Orange Planet-like Object | 9/30/2009 |
Q: Mr. Whiting, When I was a child, my mother saw something in the night sky that she couldn't ...
A: Without exact information....dates, times, compass directions, locations...one can only take an ...
|
| how to conduct a one year syudy of polaris motion | 9/29/2009 |
Q: I am try to collect data to visulize the motion of polaris as viewed from a latitude of zero over a ...
A: You collect data by traveling to the equator (latitude zero) and viewing Polaris for yourself.... ...
|
| Halley's comet | 9/24/2009 |
Q: What causes comets to die out?
A: Do you mean over their multi-million year total life span or do you mean as they exit the inner ...
|
| Halley's comet | 9/24/2009 |
Q: When did Halley's comet look the best and explain how it looked?
A: Halley's comet looked the best in the 1910 return because we, the Earth, actually zoomed through the ...
|
| New moon sighting | 9/16/2009 |
Q: When do U think the new moon will be visible? 19th or 20th of September.
A: By definition, the new moon is never visible from the Earth's surface, being too close to the sun. ...
|
| Lights in sky over HoldenBeach NC | 9/16/2009 |
Q: This evening around 9- 10 pm we also saw lights in the sky over Holden Beach on the southern end of ...
A: It's summertime and a lot of reservists are attending their 2 weeks of required military duty ...
|
| how long it would take to travel to the planets | 9/15/2009 |
Q: How long would it take to travel to venus(from earth)travelling 100kmph? how long from venus to ...
A: Yes, being in the USA, I have all the distances of the planets from the sun memorized...in miles. So ...
|
| The ecliptic plane | 9/14/2009 |
Q: I am new to astronomy and would like to know if the ecliptic plane is right above my head in the ...
A: Only those observers that live on the equator and 23.5 degrees north or south of the equator have ...
|
| Halley's comet | 9/13/2009 |
Q: What makes Haley's comet so different from other comets
A: There are two types of comets, periodic - ones that return at regular intervals, and non-periodic ...
|
| Halley's comet | 9/13/2009 |
Q: what makes Halley's comet so famous?
A: It was the first comet determined to be in an orbit around the sun, and therefore would return at ...
|
| Halley's comet | 9/13/2009 |
Q: Where was Halley's comet observed?
A: When? Tom FOLLOW UP: I first observed Halley in February 1986 from Erie, PA...then we took vacation ...
|
| an angular distance question | 9/8/2009 |
Q: Whiting! I was wondering if you knew how to calculate the angular distance from horizon to horizon ...
A: At sea level, it's 180 degrees. It is 90 degrees from say the western horizon up to the zenith ...
|
| What is the brightest star or planet in the texas sky? | 9/6/2009 |
Q: What is the brightest star or planet in the Texas sky? Thanks David
A: 1. THE SUN (rises at sunrise)...at -26.7 magnitude (the sun is a star). 2. Venus rises in east ...
|
| Lacerta | 9/4/2009 |
Q: If I named a star in the lacerta constellation would you be able to see it in san antonio, tx?
A: Yes, the area of Lacerta is visible from anywhere in the northern hemisphere. It's not a very ...
|
| orbit | 8/12/2009 |
Q: Why all the planets more or less lie in the same plane with the sun? Why can't they differ more ...
A: Our Milky Way stars are not spiraling inward; We call our galaxy (and all spiral galaxies)...a ...
|
| Universe | 8/11/2009 |
Q: Is it a waste of time and resources to listen for signals from intelligent life in the Universe ?
A: Realize this is a "matter of opinion" question, and more of a biological or astrobiology (the only ...
|
| orbit | 8/11/2009 |
Q: Why all the planets more or less lie in the same plane with the sun? Why can't they differ more ...
A: Nature and gravity tends to draw a rotating loose mass down into a pancake shape as the cloud ...
|
| Neutron stars | 8/11/2009 |
Q: What are neutron stars? Is sun a neutron star? How many types of stars are there in our universe?
A: The sun is not a neutron star...it is a common garden variety, normal, average Main Sequence star ...
|
| astronomy | 8/6/2009 |
Q: Explain the difference between Absolute Brightness and Apparent Brightness Is the answer: Absolute ...
A: Yes, you are discussing apparent magnitude (m) versus Absolute Magnitude (M). And yes, apparent ...
|
| Astronomy | 7/27/2009 |
Q: Will it be possible in the future to travel to other stars? What difficulties are there?
A: In my opinion, yes...interstellar flight is not impossible, it's just very very difficult (as was a ...
|
| Sunset | 7/27/2009 |
Q: I am getting married October 24th, 2009 in St. Joseph, Missouri, what time will the sun set???
A: My skyglobe computer program gives 6:22 pm CDT on October 24th for Kansas City, which you are about ...
|
| Astronomy | 7/26/2009 |
Q: I was reading that the plan to land people on the Moon and Mars will be very expensive. It means ...
A: Well, even at the height of the Apollo program, not everyone supported it. There were those that ...
|
| Shooting Stars in Texas | 7/26/2009 |
Q: Mr. Whiting, My friend and I have been star-gazing for some time now. We usually see little ...
A: Actually, what you and your friends saw was a "typical" random night out under the starry night sky ...
|
| Mercury again | 7/23/2009 |
Q: Just as follow up, what do you think of the value of the Messenger mission, and can we ever see ...
A: Last question first...Yes, Mercury is sometimes visible to the naked eye, but you have to work at ...
|
| Mercury | 7/23/2009 |
Q: I recently read where we sent a spacecraft called Messenger to Mercury in 2004, but doesn't get ...
A: Normally it's easier to go in toward the sun, than outward, like if you just want to do a flyby, or ...
|
| what is this? | 7/22/2009 |
Q: http://www.flickr.com/photos/vichiousfishes/3746126984/ ...
A: Yes, I used to have, on my old Pentax K-1000 film camera, one of those lined, color filters that ...
|
| Astronomy | 7/21/2009 |
Q: I was reading that the plan to land people on the Moon and Mars will be very expensive. It means ...
A: Yes, space is very expensive....however, realize the money is not really sent out into space; it's ...
|
| Satellite tracks | 7/20/2009 |
Q: Why are tracks of satellites and other spacecraft appear wavy when shown on a tracking map (up/down ...
A: Oh, you mean the sine waves across a flat 2-dimensional map of the entire Earth? Because that's the ...
|
| meteor/meteorite/asteroid impacts:direction | 7/19/2009 |
Q: I've been wondering: do meteor/ite, asteroids that impact the earth come from totally random ...
A: Sporadic meteors (and other space junk) can come in from any direction at any time (same for comets ...
|
| Jason 323 Comet Chaser | 7/17/2009 |
Q: We have a Jason 323 Comet Chaser Reflector Telescope 160X Power 480 MM Focal Length 3" Diameter. It ...
A: As a matter of fact, nothing is wrong. You don't want to "fix it"!! On all good astronomical ...
|
| Space and Time and gravity | 7/16/2009 |
Q: I am led to believe that light is the fastest know moving item/object in space and time, But also ...
A: Ok, first a few factual ground rules. If we could travel light speed (we can't) then time becomes ...
|
| life | 7/14/2009 |
Q: The Huyghens probe landed on Titan and searched for life. Spacecraft landed on Mars also which also ...
A: Actually, the actual search for 'life' is all for publicity.... or secondary to the real mission. ...
|
| Autumnal Equinox 1975 | 7/10/2009 |
Q: I'm an author, writing a novel set in 1975. I have done some research and I know that in that year, ...
A: Sorry BUT.....I'm afraid you have the "rarity" wrong and incorrect....June 22 was the date for ...
|
| Autumnal Equinox 1975 | 7/10/2009 |
Q: I'm an author, writing a novel set in 1975. I have done some research and I know that in that year, ...
A: Yes, and actually it occurs every 4 years...to the solstice dates, the equinox dates, the ...
|
| astro | 7/7/2009 |
Q: In a hypothetical problem, it is calculated that an asteroid 15 km in diameter will hit the Earth in ...
A: Well, hypothetically, there are two things that can be attempted....give it a little hypothetical ...
|
| space-craft | 7/3/2009 |
Q: Why do space-craft not melt in the heat of the million degree corona.?
A: There is heat, and there is temperature...the two are not the same. You are confusing the two, as ...
|
| Energy | 6/29/2009 |
Q: The Sun produces a tremendous amount of energy and will for the next 5 billion years, should we ...
A: (Pretty name, I always liked that name for a girl). I take it this is more an opinion question ...
|
| Problem with a Meade ETX 90 telescope | 6/29/2009 |
Q: The right ascesion drive does not engage. Do you have any troubleshooting suggestions? Many thanks!
A: Bad teeth, bad worm drive, no current available to motor, scope not plugged into portable battery, ...
|
| astronomy | 6/25/2009 |
Q: When we are experiencing Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, which season are people in the Southern ...
A: Yes, you are correct...the S. Hemisphere experiences exactly the opposite season that the N. ...
|
| Refractors VS SCT's | 6/25/2009 |
Q: People say aperture is everything, on the contrary they say, most of the small premium refractors ...
A: The contrary view depends on what you are viewing, but usually, aperture is everything. That's why ...
|
| ASTRONOMY | 6/24/2009 |
Q: It is now 40 years since astronauts were walking on the Moon. Should we return?"
A: Yes, of course...and then onward to Mars, the Main Asteroid Belt (lots of mining of minerals and ...
|
| ASTRONOMY | 6/24/2009 |
Q: On the day of a solar eclipse, at what time does the Moon rise? Why does it rise at that time?
A: Since the moon would have to be quite near the sun, it would have to rise just minutes before the ...
|
| Very bright flash in Orphiucus 6/23/09 | 6/23/2009 |
Q: I was outside this morning between 4:50 and 5:10 am CDT in San Antonio, TX. I was looking (naked ...
A: Are you aware of Iridium Flare Satellites? There are over 90 of them and they get as bright as -9th ...
|
| Telescope | 6/18/2009 |
Q: I have a question that I've been thinking about for years. The Hubble telescope has been bringing ...
A: It's a question of resolution. While those distant galaxies are billions of lightyears distant, ...
|
| June 15, 2009...(1:00 AM CST) | 6/16/2009 |
Q: I reside in Chicago and was up late last evening/early morning. I looked out my window and noticed ...
A: but I wish you could furnish a more exact time for my Skyglobe Computer program. Nevertheless, I'll ...
|
| sunset on October 17, 2009 | 6/15/2009 |
Q: my daughter is getting married on October 17, 2009 in kansas city mo. I read your answer to a ...
A: .. Congratulations! Yes, my skyglobe computer program shows a KC MO. Oct 17th sunset at exactly ...
|
| Space | 6/15/2009 |
Q: How are the weights and sizes of planets like neptune, Uranus and earth and asteroids, etc. ...
A: The planets mass are determined by their gravity effects on other bodies, and then using Newton's ...
|
| star | 6/11/2009 |
Q: I live in Nelson,B.C.,Canada.January 25,2009 on a very dark night we watched with binoculars a star ...
A: No, I really thought you had a legitimate question with no drinking involved. So, just joking. I ...
|
| star | 6/10/2009 |
Q: I live in Nelson,B.C.,Canada.January 25,2009 on a very dark night we watched with binoculars a star ...
A: You guys weren't drinking or "other stuff"...were you? ;-) Stars remain in the same location ...
|
| star | 6/10/2009 |
Q: I live in Nelson,B.C.,Canada.January 25,2009 on a very dark night we watched with binoculars a star ...
A: Ok, first a few astronomy basics. The human eye cannot detect distance (or even size because we ...
|
| time dilation | 6/9/2009 |
Q: i understand that as you get further from a mass (say, earth) gravity weakens and therefore time ...
A: Time passes at it's fastest speed when no gravitational field is present, (basically the same speed ...
|
| time dilation | 6/9/2009 |
Q: i understand that as you get further from a mass (say, earth) gravity weakens and therefore time ...
A: I'm afraid you have it backwards...time runs normal speed in low, or no, gravitational field, and ...
|
| Astronomical mid-night | 6/8/2009 |
Q: Is there a difference between midnight (12:00 am) and astronomical mid-night when the sun is at ...
A: Yes, you are correct...I did not factor in the equation of solar time where the sun runs slow or ...
|
| Astronomical mid-night | 6/8/2009 |
Q: Is there a difference between midnight (12:00 am) and astronomical mid-night when the sun is at ...
A: Yes, there is a big difference betweeen astronomical midnight and standard time midnight of 12 am. ...
|
| moon | 6/6/2009 |
Q: the moon rotates very slowly on its axis. and how does this affects the lunar surface temperature??
A: Yes, the moon rotates once for every one revolution around the Earth, thus keeping the same face ...
|
| the big bang | 6/4/2009 |
Q: do scientists have any idea as to what exploded, or expanded? ANSWER: Hi Brian, The short answer is ...
A: I'm afraid your initial premises are not correct. A black hole does not "pull" light (or anything ...
|
| the big bang | 6/4/2009 |
Q: do scientists have any idea as to what exploded, or expanded?
A: The short answer is no, we as yet, don't know how or what happened. I hate to use the word ...
|
| astronomynews?club?info? | 6/4/2009 |
Q: I have loved astronomy since I was a child. How can I get daily emails advising what astronomical ...
A: You can explore the site http://www.skyandtelescope.com For events in the night sky, and even find ...
|
| different wavelengths | 6/2/2009 |
Q: is it possible that there are different types of waves between the known waves, or is this a finite ...
A: Not only our Milky Way galaxy, but it seems all galaxies, at least the very large massive ones, ...
|
| different wavelengths | 6/2/2009 |
Q: is it possible that there are different types of waves between the known waves, or is this a finite ...
A: Wavelength has an inverse relationship to frequency; formula is f = v/wavelength where v is ...
|
| star visibility | 6/2/2009 |
Q: What stars can be seend from both the southern and northern hemispheres ANSWER: Hi Susan from ...
A: Well, I'm very close to New York's latitude, so the New Yorkers and the Pennsylvanians see the ...
|
| star visibility | 6/2/2009 |
Q: What stars can be seend from both the southern and northern hemispheres
A: The easy, but less accurate answer is....that part of the sky in the middle, or the equatorial ...
|
| the moon in the daytime? | 5/31/2009 |
Q: Just a curiosity really, but when the UK can see the moon the daytime, what does Australia see at ...
A: Everyone sees the same phase of the same moon, but not quite at the same time. If you see a first ...
|
| Meteor / Shooting Star? | 5/28/2009 |
Q: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 around 9:45 p.m. I was in my backyard and noticed a very bright white light ...
A: Meteors come in many varieties and many forms, from directly head on point sources of light lasting ...
|
| Cat's Eye Nebula | 5/23/2009 |
Q: I recently saw an amazing photo of the Cat's Eye Nebula and read that it is considered to be one of ...
A: Like our webpage says, since astronomy is a learning hobby, and not a flashy visuals hobby, read all ...
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| comet project | 5/22/2009 |
Q: Whiting! If you would be so kind as to give a little definition of comets for me i would greatly ...
A: Be glad to, although I can't take credit for it, the best definition I ever heard for a comet is, at ...
|
| Cat's Eye Nebula | 5/22/2009 |
Q: I recently saw an amazing photo of the Cat's Eye Nebula and read that it is considered to be one of ...
A: Last question first....there are a lot of things that are still unknown in space...What is the dark ...
|
| Asteroid Belt | 5/21/2009 |
Q: Can you give me a quote about the asteroid belt for a project I am doing for science?
A: What used to be the vermin of the night sky have now become the darlings. We are now looking upon ...
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| Axis of rotation | 5/17/2009 |
Q: What keeps the rotational axis of the Earth largely in line with the celestial background? It seems ...
A: The rotation of a massive Earth is the same as a rotating gyroscope, and it obeys the laws of same. ...
|
| Measuring dark matter/energy. | 5/13/2009 |
Q: I am fascinated by dark matter/energy and I was wondering what the problem is with scientists not ...
A: Well, all astronomers and cosmologists are just as fascinated as you are, and just as much "in the ...
|
| the sun | 5/10/2009 |
Q: i always enjoyed reading your articles online. but i have a question for you today.. how far out in ...
A: Yes, that would be pretty close for an older astronaut....double 10 parsecs would be 20 pcs or about ...
|
| GETTING UP CLOSE | 5/10/2009 |
Q: I was wondering would you please tell me: why do we have daylight savings? Thanks
A: Actually most of us astronomers hate it as we have to wait that extra hour for it to get dark. I ...
|
| Before the Big Bang | 5/7/2009 |
Q: my question is what was there before the big bang, some people say there was a small point in space ...
A: Well, I can un-confuse you, a little bit. The honest answer is....we just don't know, in fact, no ...
|
| Space | 5/1/2009 |
Q: Sir I've the following questions: 1. How is the distance between 2 planets determined? 2. How is the ...
A: In the old days, astronomers used triangulation and parallax, and timing a planet's eclipses and ...
|
| Time | 4/27/2009 |
Q: I was reading an article about Einstien's theory of relativity and I had 3 quick question? what ...
A: First off, you HAVE to know about a lightyear, because it's a unit of DISTANCE, not time or ...
|
| Morning star | 4/24/2009 |
Q: I come to work early around 5 am. The past few days I have seen an extremely bright star or planet ...
A: That's Venus, brightest starlike object in our night sky. The same planet that we were viewing in ...
|
| solar system motion | 4/21/2009 |
Q: How fast (miles per day, hour, min or sec) is the solar system moving in it's up and down 26k year ...
A: Some of these numbers are only approximate as it seems each reference has their "pet" set of ...
|
| Black holes | 4/21/2009 |
Q: i have a few questions about black holes. I have always wondered what happens to things when they ...
A: A black hole can form from the compressed core of a very massive star as it goes supernova...the ...
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| revolution of stars, planet | 4/16/2009 |
Q: why all planet moving around star(For example sun)in same direction? or satellite revolving around ...
A: Guess I could answer, "Why not?" Solar systems form out of a slowly rotating nebula of dust and gas ...
|
| more about the big bang | 4/8/2009 |
Q: by accepting the theory we will also be accepting Big Freeze,Big Rip,Big Crunch and Big Bounce these ...
A: You cannot have another "Big Bang" inside an original Big Bang.... if that is what you are thinking, ...
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| more about the big bang | 4/7/2009 |
Q: by accepting the theory we will also be accepting Big Freeze,Big Rip,Big Crunch and Big Bounce these ...
A: Well, two of those final destruction methods are now eliminated with the recent discovery that the ...
|
| stars | 4/6/2009 |
Q: My niece majored in astrology; she said turbulence like that of a tornado is one cause of violent ...
A: I didn't know any college had a major in astrology (fortune telling) ...because that's all astrology ...
|
| astronomical twilight | 4/2/2009 |
Q: I'm interested to know the exact end of astronomical twilight. I read that there are three types of ...
A: From Canada, our great neighbor to the north....beautiful country up there. Well, No, those are not ...
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| after the bang matter and anti matter | 4/2/2009 |
Q: after the bang the energy and mass were released (skip to we have protons) i am not really sure ...
A: One of the unanswered questions still to be determined in cosmology....how was there a very slight ...
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| how does aproton becomes ahyrdogen | 4/2/2009 |
Q: after the bang the energy and mass were released (skip to we have protons) i am not really sure ...
A: By definition, a bare proton IS A hydrogen nuclei. So all it's missing to become a neutral hydrogen ...
|
| Choice of telescope | 4/2/2009 |
Q: I'm about to buy my first telescope (for general viewing). It seems that there are a number of ...
A: In reality, there really is no such thing as an "excellent" general viewing....telescope. You ...
|
| gravity as aforce | 4/1/2009 |
Q: Can you give a detailed explanation about what is gravity in astronomy and why does it exists i ...
A: Einstein's correct view of gravity replaced Newton's view of gravity. So technically, all of ...
|
| sun's orbit | 4/1/2009 |
Q: Can you give a detailed explanation about what is gravity in astronomy and why does it exists i ...
A: No, no one in our Universe ever 'runs out of space' because the Universe (the space-time part) is ...
|
| gravity and astronomy | 3/31/2009 |
Q: Can you give a detailed explanation about what is gravity in astronomy and why does it exists i ...
A: Anything that has mass has gravity. So we, as people do have gravity, but since our mass is small, ...
|
| Bright star in the northeast sky | 3/21/2009 |
Q: My husband has been watching a bright star in the northeastern sky that seems to have several ...
A: 9 pm local time is Arcturus (Alpha Bootis) rising in the ENE.Vega (Alpha Lyrae) rises about 2.5 ...
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| Bright star in the northeast sky | 3/21/2009 |
Q: My husband has been watching a bright star in the northeastern sky that seems to have several ...
A: Well, you didn't give me a time of night, (the most critical factor) but I'm going to guess it's ...
|
| mars | 3/17/2009 |
Q: when can mars be viewed in our nighttime sky
A: Anytime it's not within 30 degrees of the sun. Right now Mars rises in the east about 40 minutes ...
|
| very bright star western sky from Northern NY | 3/15/2009 |
Q: Tom, this evening and last evening we saw a very bright star or planet due west of our current ...
A: Yes, that' the super-bright planet Venus we've been watching in the West...well, SW from December ...
|
| Space travel | 3/14/2009 |
Q: Why can't the Cassini–Huygens space craft travel above or below the Asteroid Belt and the rings of ...
A: Kelly, Excellent question....I was asking the exact same question about 50 years ago concerning the ...
|
| fireballs | 3/12/2009 |
Q: my name is .I've been in love with the heavens since childhood.On Oct.30 or 31st,1964 in Burlington, ...
A: That's 45 years ago, my records don't go back that far. What you'd have to do is research the local ...
|
| revolution of Earth around sun | 3/11/2009 |
Q: I know that the orbit of the Earth around the Sun is an ellipes and that the Earth's axis is tilted, ...
A: Sorry, I guess I wasn't clear on that one. Of course Polaris is relatively "fixed" in our night sky ...
|
| question | 3/11/2009 |
Q: 1.what are some of the biggest breakthroughs you have made? 2. What do you think the merging with ...
A: So, are you a cop or something?? ;-) Just kidding! (Bad Don Rickles Joke). I had a 5th grade ...
|
| question | 3/10/2009 |
Q: 1.what are some of the biggest breakthroughs you have made? 2. What do you think the merging with ...
A: You doing a survey? ;-) I'm just an advanced amateur so I don't get involved in research. My only ...
|
| revolution of Earth around sun | 3/10/2009 |
Q: I know that the orbit of the Earth around the Sun is an ellipes and that the Earth's axis is tilted, ...
A: Yes, the Earth's axis performs a little wobble, similar to what you see when a child's toy top is ...
|
| revolution of Earth around sun | 3/9/2009 |
Q: I know that the orbit of the Earth around the Sun is an ellipes and that the Earth's axis is tilted, ...
A: Very good question, but the answer will surprise you. Perihelion is on or about January 3/4 at ...
|
| your thoughts | 3/8/2009 |
Q: I have a few questions that I was hoping you could answer, from a real astronomers point of view. 1. ...
A: 1. Did you use the word "theory" in that first question because you are not an advocate of same? Or ...
|
| red lights night sky | 3/5/2009 |
Q: Last night we witnessed three huge lights horizontally in the sky right above our house. Very low ...
A: lights at night are the toughest thing to analyze properly...an aircraft headlight is visible for ...
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| comets | 3/2/2009 |
Q: I have got two questions concerning comets. I would like to know 1. how fast in general do comets ...
A: The answers to your questions are way to variable to give you a definitive answer. I suggest you do ...
|
| radiation spectrum | 2/27/2009 |
Q: What are ways in which the thermal radiation spectrum of an 8000 k star would differ from a 4000k ...
A: I generally don't do homework, but look up Stefan-Boltzmann Law ...
|
| planetary observation | 2/24/2009 |
Q: Mr. Whiting, I am currently living in Shenzen, PRC, and for the past two nights I have noticed an ...
A: Yes, that's the planet Venus, brightest 'starlike' object in our night sky. The 3 day old crescent ...
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| Telescope sellers | 2/23/2009 |
Q: Do you know any of the websites that sell large size truss tube dobs over 18 inch,I have searched ...
A: Yes, I prefer very good used equipment so I use Astromart.com and have bought several scopes there ...
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| Age of the universe | 2/19/2009 |
Q: In an article entitled "Age of the Universe" posted on the website aish.com, MIT scientist Gerald ...
A: I couldn't find the article on the aish website, but by googling it I found it at ...
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| Night sky visibility & crowded satellites? | 2/19/2009 |
Q: I'm a bit confused with the recent news item about our "crowded satellite space" (the news started ...
A: First, the collision was not in the geostationary orbit at 22,800 miles high, it was in what is ...
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| astronomy | 2/13/2009 |
Q: can you tell me at least 5 facts that can justify that the earth is spherical and not flat.
A: Yes, I believe that I can come up with five (or more) reasons for that one. 1. The ancient Greeks ...
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| Atmosphere | 2/12/2009 |
Q: What are the five components of the atmosphere?
A: I'll assume your components means layers, as there are 5 of them. From the bottom, the troposphere, ...
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| Global warming and holes in the ozone layer. | 2/12/2009 |
Q: I am working on a project for my Problem Solving class @ ITT-Tech and I need to develop a strategy ...
A: They don't...see below; but isn't this more of a meteorological or climatological question?No ...
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| phases of the moon | 2/10/2009 |
Q: I'm being really dense about understanding some of the phases of the moon. I get the full moon and ...
A: The moon phase we see on the Earth is strictly caused by the angle in the sky between the sun, ...
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| States of water on certain planets | 2/3/2009 |
Q: What state does water appear in the form of on Mercury, Venus, and Mars. My guesses: Mercury- ...
A: First right off the top, planet Earth is the only body in the Solar System that can sustain liquid ...
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| bright star | 1/31/2009 |
Q: I live in a suburb just outside chicago, and for the past few weeks ive noticed a really bright ...
A: Yes, we've been getting a lot of questions about Venus in its current apparition, so I suspected ...
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| Venus--How can we see it? | 1/31/2009 |
Q: Its about 7 PM and I am able to look out and see Venus along with the moon. But Venus is closer to ...
A: . Obviously, we are NOT facing in the 'wrong' direction..... Well, it's not an instant 180 degree ...
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| bright star | 1/30/2009 |
Q: I live in a suburb just outside chicago, and for the past few weeks ive noticed a really bright ...
A: We need the time of night and as far as using the moon as a reference we need what day or date. The ...
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| Astronomy | 1/29/2009 |
Q: How does a solar eclipse occur?
A: In very basic and simple terms, the moon simply passes in front of the sun from our vantage point on ...
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| Eyepiece for a compact telescope | 1/29/2009 |
Q: I just got a tube for Meade's little compact beginner telescope, with 60 mm focal length. My scope ...
A: I am not familar with that scope (perhaps all experts Paul Wagner is as telescopes are his ...
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| Steller Astronomy | 1/29/2009 |
Q: I'm a 9th grader at Laguna-Acoma High School and I'm wondering, if i want to become a Stellar ...
A: I see on the map that you are located about 50 miles west of ABQ out I-40 where there are some small ...
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| Solar system formation simulation | 1/28/2009 |
Q: Good day sir, I was watching a tv show the other day about our sun and there I caught one ...
A: Yes, this has already been done with very high speed, massive computers many times ...
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| using my telescope | 1/28/2009 |
Q: Hey Tom, Can you please direct me as to how to line up my telescope to view the moon? I got it as ...
A: Unfortunately, later on, once you enter our great hobby the correct way, after you read our website ...
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| Telescopes | 1/27/2009 |
Q: How can telescopes see back to almost the Big Bang?
A: Even looking at the night sky with naked eye, you are actually "looking backward" in time. You see ...
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| solar system | 1/23/2009 |
Q: I am an creationist and do not believe the big bang myth,I do not know if you are but if you are an ...
A: Well, we evolutionists are 'creationists' too, but by a process of evolution (as we Christians ...
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| help me in my 1st telescope | 1/20/2009 |
Q: Finally I'm getting my 1st telescope... I'm confused between celestron 114EQ which lens is about 4 ...
A: So what do you plan on specializing in your observing? Deep sky objects, lunar/planetary details, ...
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| The Big Crunch | 1/19/2009 |
Q: with the available facts of the Big coming up sometimes in the future, what do you think will be the ...
A: The Big Crunch is out. With the knowledge gained in 1998 and beyond with results from Type Ia ...
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| flag on the moon | 1/18/2009 |
Q: I'm just curious, is there a telescope with which a stargazer could see the U.S. flag which was ...
A: Yes, I have several friends that live in that nice area, since I am originally from New Castle, PA, ...
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| flag on the moon | 1/18/2009 |
Q: I'm just curious, is there a telescope with which a stargazer could see the U.S. flag which was ...
A: Which flag?... as I believe there are 6 of them (all 6 landings). No matter. No, it has to do with ...
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| Telescope | 1/13/2009 |
Q: What telescope would you recommend for an entry level/hobbyist that is both economical and easy to ...
A: As you see with your experience with the cheap Bushnell, you have learned a valuable lesson about ...
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| bright light in the sky like a head light then got smallar and disappeared. | 1/12/2009 |
Q: Me and my cuzin were walkin around the block and we seen this really big bright light hooving in the ...
A: Light (or lights) at night, especially low on the horizon, are very deceptive and very hard at times ...
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| earth axis shift | 1/9/2009 |
Q: on 11/17/08 12:13 am central time southern tennessee the stars appeared to shift in the sky was this ...
A: Sorry, it didn't happen. Something like that would make National News and be in all the ...
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| earth axis shift | 1/8/2009 |
Q: on 11/17/08 12:13 am central time southern tennessee the stars appeared to shift in the sky was this ...
A: The stars are always "shifting" in the sky...read that 'apparently moving', because the Earth ...
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| Science fair telecope | 1/7/2009 |
Q: Exactly how and were should we get the supplies to make the telescope? Can we take a picture of ...
A: Sorry, but I don't build scopes; I only know how to use them on the night sky. (I pay people to ...
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| solstices and day lengths | 1/1/2009 |
Q: I understand that the sun "stands still" (apparently) at the solstices. I thought that also means ...
A: The sun never "stands still" apparently, in our sky. It's apparent motion is the result of the ...
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| Interesting to study for astronomy. | 12/27/2008 |
Q: i m Donald from Malaysia.(next to singapore) i m really interesting in Astronomy.. Could you let me ...
A: Astronomy and astrophysics are very difficult professional fields to get into, even for a ...
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| Our earth | 12/24/2008 |
Q: Just wanted to ask you about our earths energys.How a live is the earth that most people wouldn't be ...
A: At the cost of perhaps responding to either a metaphysics or an occult question....I can only offer ...
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| Moon Rotation | 12/24/2008 |
Q: The moon and earth orbit their common barycenter axis, but does the moon also rotate on its internal ...
A: Yes, it's called synchronous rotation, and is very common for most of the moons in the Solar System. ...
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| Asteroids | 12/21/2008 |
Q: 000 years and that if an asteroid were detected we could send rockets to change its course. Is this ...
A: I really don't know what the percentage is (does anyone really know for sure?) but I know we just ...
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| Asteroids | 12/21/2008 |
Q: 000 years and that if an asteroid were detected we could send rockets to change its course. Is this ...
A: Yes, I saw that communication too, as we typically read each other's answers. And of course, we all ...
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| Moon's brightness at edges vs middle | 12/19/2008 |
Q: If I hold up a piece of paper with the sun behind me, it appears darker as I turn it from ...
A: Your picture of Jupiter doesn't count...that's NOT a full Jupiter as it's only about 98% ...
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| Asteroids | 12/17/2008 |
Q: I have read alot lately about asteroids and the fact that there is not a system in place to protect ...
A: Well, I've covered the question as well as I can from a logical and scientific standpoint- it is so ...
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| astronomy | 12/17/2008 |
Q: which of the following statements is not true. A. a planet outside the orbit of the Earth can ...
A: .. Answer A is not true (from an observer on the Earth); the true statement is; A planet outside the ...
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| Asteroids | 12/16/2008 |
Q: I have read alot lately about asteroids and the fact that there is not a system in place to protect ...
A: I think we should be reasonably concerned, not frightened to death. Besides, what could anyone do ...
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| Asteroids | 12/15/2008 |
Q: I have read alot lately about asteroids and the fact that there is not a system in place to protect ...
A: The liberal Democrats back in the 1980's shot down...then President Ronald Reagan's SDI (Strategic ...
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| This is my cousin's question | 12/15/2008 |
Q: In the solar system revolving around the star is _________.
A: ....revolving around the star (our sun) is.... 8 major planets, hundreds of thousands of asteroids ...
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| Halo stars of the Milky Way | 12/13/2008 |
Q: Whiting, can you help me figure out which of the following belongs in the two Catogories of DISK ...
A: Yes, in reverse order, the older elliptical galaxies have little dust, are older, (read that-redder ...
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| meteorite light trail | 12/12/2008 |
Q: How long, on avg., is the the light trial emitted by a meteorite (shooting star) as it enters the ...
A: There are too many variables to determine an 'average' length of a residual "meteor light trail". ...
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| Astronomy | 12/8/2008 |
Q: 1. What is the rate of retardation of earth movement around sun? 2. Has it been constant or the ...
A: In astronomy, rotation is movement about an axis; revolution is motion around another body. So your ...
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| Astronomy | 12/7/2008 |
Q: 1. What is the rate of retardation of earth movement around sun? 2. Has it been constant or the ...
A: With respect to our orbit around the sun, science currently thinks that its a cycle, not a ...
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| moon | 12/2/2008 |
Q: how does the moon revolve around the earth but never falls to Earth or gets lost in 'space'?
A: For the same reason that the Earth revolves around the sun, and Jupiter's moons revolve around ...
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| Astronomy | 12/1/2008 |
Q: Whiting for your time and sharing your knowledge. My question concerns my 20 year old son. He ...
A: Well, if he still has aspirations to be a pilot, there are still two alternatives (the latter of ...
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| jwst | 11/27/2008 |
Q: you've helped me before and always was great. My Q this time: Will the James Webb Space Telescope ...
A: It's my understanding that the JWST will mainly operate in the infrared on very deep space objects ...
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| q:reversion of Poles | 11/22/2008 |
Q: I've heard last week from my English literature professor that the North and the South Pole will ...
A: Partially. Although the magnetic pole flip is certainly not instantaneous, and we're not quite sure ...
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| Pegasus | 11/21/2008 |
Q: I'm doing a project for science, and we have to study a constellation. My constellation is Pegasus, ...
A: Yes, Pegasus is a very prominent Autumn constellation (area of sky as are all constellations) which ...
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| large ring around the moon | 11/13/2008 |
Q: Time viewed: after 10:30pm, Nov. 12, 2008 from Glenville, NY (near Schenectady, NY) with the naked ...
A: You are seeing the very common 22 degree halo around the bright moon, caused by ice crystals in the ...
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| Spacetime continumm | 11/7/2008 |
Q: i know less abt this topics .lately some one told me he is for ever as diamonds are for ever .I told ...
A: The spacetime continuum (not the matter in the Universe, the space and time) could very well ...
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| Star to East of Orion's Belt | 10/29/2008 |
Q: I know virtually nothing about astronomy. There is a bright star to the East of Orion's belt. I'm ...
A: Yes, in fact all stars have a name and are part of something larger, called a constellation. If not ...
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| cluster off Orion's belt | 10/29/2008 |
Q: here is my question. At about 4 in the morning in Portland, Or (Oct 20thish) Orion is in my SW sky. ...
A: Well, the only other option I see on my star chart is the littlegrouping of stars that make up the ...
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| A second question | 10/27/2008 |
Q: I know how to point out saturn.but the telescope information i can get here in my country is ...
A: Focal ratio determines the degree of curvature of the primary mirror. f3 to f6 are considered fast ...
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| Venus | 10/27/2008 |
Q: Since the atmosphere of Venus is continuously being stripped by the solar winds, does any of it end ...
A: In reverse order, I would think that the planet is geologically active in part due to the high ...
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| bit curious | 10/21/2008 |
Q: well thanks
A: Well, a constellation...Orion, Leo, Scorpius, whatever....is just an area of sky just like a USA ...
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| Telescopes | 10/21/2008 |
Q: I need help again, I would really appreciate it WHICH WORD BELONGS TO WHICH SENTENCE? 1.The ____of ...
A: In reverse order, 7. a refracting telescope. 6. light collecting area. 5. grazing incidence mirrors ...
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| Light observed w/ground telescope | 10/21/2008 |
Q: Which forms of light can be observed well (throughout their wavelength ranges) with telescopes on ...
A: Our atmosphere is only fully transparent for the visible light, and the radio portion of the ...
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| Moon in ralationship to the earth | 10/12/2008 |
Q: Is there a chart where I plan where and when there will be a full moon. What do I need to use it. ...
A: U.S. Naval observatory has a website for all the phases and their dates and times in UT (remember to ...
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| draco constellation | 10/7/2008 |
Q: do you know the full name of the constellation draco? ANSWER: Hi Caro, That is it's full name, ...
A: Well, the number of major stars in Draco depends on what you consider your limiting magnitude. My ...
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| draco constellation | 10/7/2008 |
Q: do you know the full name of the constellation draco?
A: That is it's full name, precisely Draco, the dragon (in old days when men pictured animals and men). ...
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| astronomy | 10/3/2008 |
Q: why might a star show evidence of containing titanium oxide, but no evidence of hydrogen? Thanks ...
A: Name here is Tom, not Paul. Paul is another allexpert. In any case, with stellar spectra, which is ...
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| Gamma ray bursts | 9/30/2008 |
Q: I am trying to find a cheap way to record the radio waves emitted by gamma ray bursts or even better ...
A: Sorry, there isn't any way to do it. Most UV, all X rays and Gamma radiation doesn't make it thru ...
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| Astronomy | 9/30/2008 |
Q: It takes light about 1 sec to reach Earth from the Earth's moon.How far away is the moon from the ...
A: It's more like 1.3 seconds, one way. I take the average distance to the moon, 238000 miles and ...
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| Big Bang | 9/29/2008 |
Q: Tom: I watched History Channel last night, and saw that Big Bang was proven in 1965 by Princeton ...
A: Yes, the discovery of the remnant radiation by Arno Pensias and Robert Wilson in 1965, who ...
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| light in the sky | 9/29/2008 |
Q: I was in my backyard, looking at the night sky as i always do, and i saw what looked like a shooting ...
A: While the fireball in question may have looked very close and bright, most of those meteors are ...
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| Coordinates etc.... | 9/28/2008 |
Q: yesterday i asked the follwoing" How can we calculate the altitude of the Sun along the meridian on ...
A: Sorry, I mis-interpreted your question, as I thought you wanted me to do your homework. Yes, you ...
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| light in the sky | 9/27/2008 |
Q: I was in my backyard, looking at the night sky as i always do, and i saw what looked like a shooting ...
A: Well, I wasn't there, but my best guess is what you guessed, a meteor with a terminal burst. A ...
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| calculating the moons gravitational force | 9/23/2008 |
Q: Is it true that the pull of the moon is greater than that of the sun on water. Does it have the ...
A: Yes, on water, or any other particle of Earthly mass, because it's closer. What's the formula for ...
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| star maps | 9/22/2008 |
Q: Do you know which is the best book on detailed but clear star charts, I have one but its kind of ...
A: The two we recommend to our beginners are either: 1. Cambridge Star Atlas 2000.0 for about $25-30 or ...
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| moving bright white light | 9/21/2008 |
Q: I saw something last evening at approx 2030 hrs. I was located on the ground about 20 statute miles ...
A: Yes, you were seeing the International Space Station (ISS) going over top of you....we were outside ...
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| lens | 9/21/2008 |
Q: I bought a telescope at an auction, it's a Jason 480 and when I got it home the small lens was ...
A: There are thousands of telescopes on the free market; I am not familar with this series, but as a ...
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| Eclipses | 9/11/2008 |
Q: Suppose that instead of being inclined to Earth's orbit around the Sun, the Moon’s orbit was in the ...
A: The minimum number of solar eclipses each year is 2. (And also this is the average number, although ...
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| Eclipses | 9/11/2008 |
Q: Suppose that instead of being inclined to Earth's orbit around the Sun, the Moon’s orbit was in the ...
A: You would have a solar eclipse at each new moon, or 12 per year. You would also have a lunar eclipse ...
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| TELESCOPES :) | 9/10/2008 |
Q: Mr. Whiting, I'm looking to buy a first telescope, likely an 8 or 10 inch Dobsonian to use ...
A: In addition to your mentioned air current problem (plus a 'warm' mirror much greater than the ...
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| 11yr old science homework | 9/10/2008 |
Q: What is the furthest object known,that could be seen with a telescope? ANSWER: Hi Jackie, Depends ...
A: Well, to an astronomer, "power" is a relative term. It usually means magnification, but believe it ...
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| 11yr old science homework | 9/10/2008 |
Q: What is the furthest object known,that could be seen with a telescope?
A: Depends on what kind of telescope you are thinking of, and what you mean by "seen"....photographed ...
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| migrating planets | 9/1/2008 |
Q: I read about Uranus and Neptune forming closer to the sun and then migrating outwards past Jupiter ...
A: Ok, Yes, you are correct. I got mixed up in the confusion of higher/lower, bigger/smaller orbit, ...
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| Gravitation | 8/31/2008 |
Q: My question is about the Gravitational field around the objects. I have two questions, 1. What will ...
A: Yes, out in deep space, the Earth would still have it's gravity because it's all based on the mass ...
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| Gravitation | 8/30/2008 |
Q: My question is about the Gravitational field around the objects. I have two questions, 1. What will ...
A: Since you are studying Einstein's General Relativity, why are you then still using the word 'force' ...
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| migrating planets | 8/29/2008 |
Q: I read about Uranus and Neptune forming closer to the sun and then migrating outwards past Jupiter ...
A: Yes, the new evidence suggests that several major planets may have originally formed in closer to ...
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| vacuum energy | 8/28/2008 |
Q: I've been reading about vacuum energy density which can expand space. I think it is the same as dark ...
A: Yes, I belive the two terminologies are identical, see ...
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| Space expanding? | 8/21/2008 |
Q: I was reading a book yesterday and it was talking about how space is expanding and we can tell that ...
A: Well, you're combining some real science (stuff that's testable, observable, we can develop ...
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| night sky | 8/19/2008 |
Q: Sir, thank you very much for your reply. I did not know I could see red stars with naked eyes (I ...
A: Yes, that checks out almost exactly; at that time, 9:15 pm local time, on December 29-30, 2007, the ...
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| Ra and Dec | 8/18/2008 |
Q: I also have a program for the pc wich show deep sky objects and gives ther Ra and Dec of them but ...
A: At the cost of another bad rating, I'll tell you what to do....Yes, you want to purchase a fairly ...
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| night sky | 8/18/2008 |
Q: Sir, at the end of 2007, let's say December 29 or 30, I went out on a boat trip to the ...
A: Unfortunately you didn't supply me with a compass direction (due East?) or a time of the night ...
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| Ra and Dec | 8/16/2008 |
Q: I also have a program for the pc wich show deep sky objects and gives ther Ra and Dec of them but ...
A: FOLLOW UP: It doesn't matter if you have a goto scope or not; You stated that you are a beginner in ...
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| Space communication | 7/31/2008 |
Q: Next time I will post my follow up question using the option you said. I have an other query about ...
A: Yes, yes, and yes. (And please see my follow up to your previous message, about the Vikings, ...
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| Space communication | 7/31/2008 |
Q: Next time I will post my follow up question using the option you said. I have an other query about ...
A: Yes, radio waves are photons at different wavelengths compared to visible light photons, but they ...
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| Scopes | 7/30/2008 |
Q: I am not that old. I am only 17 years old, but I find space very interesting. I have this Telescope ...
A: No, actually you don't need anything except your eyes and a good star chart (map of the sky- just ...
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| Scopes | 7/30/2008 |
Q: I am not that old. I am only 17 years old, but I find space very interesting. I have this Telescope ...
A: Odds are pretty good that it is a nearly useless scope; The D stands for diameter of your mirror or ...
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| Bright Moving Light | 7/29/2008 |
Q: Last Friday, 7/25/08, around 9:45 am, I saw a small, bright circle of light. At first I thought it ...
A: Unfortunately, you didn't state your location or the direction of travel of the object, or how high ...
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| Milky Way and more | 7/26/2008 |
Q: Tom: I have not written to you before, but I am very impressed by your previous answers. And since ...
A: Your question is not dumb at all, in fact a very intelligent one, logically. Yes, you are exactly ...
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| signals | 7/26/2008 |
Q: Your answers are so helpful and easy to understand so i was wondering if you would answer another of ...
A: BTW thanks very much for the nice comments and ratings. Well, on this one I'm not quite sure what ...
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| Planet or Star? | 7/24/2008 |
Q: I live near Clark and Addision in Chicago Illinois, ZIP 60657. Lately, I've noticed an extremely ...
A: Your star chart is for 7/24 at 22:50 Universal Time (time in England) so that's your CDT time at (-5 ...
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| Planet or Star? | 7/24/2008 |
Q: I live near Clark and Addision in Chicago Illinois, ZIP 60657. Lately, I've noticed an extremely ...
A: Yes, you are correct, it's the planet Jupiter at -2 magnitude, just past opposition now (as we just ...
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| Cosmological constant - Big bang expansion | 7/23/2008 |
Q: The General theory of relativity was written based on a static universe without taking the big bang ...
A: Realize right off the top that just because Albert Einstein believed in a static Universe, that does ...
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| optical telescopes | 7/22/2008 |
Q: I was wondering if optical telescopes detect light from Earth sources (interference) like radio ...
A: Not directly, but indirectly, it's called "light pollution".... Lightglow from our cities reflect ...
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| large/small telescopes | 7/21/2008 |
Q: What is the difference between large and small radio telescopes? do big telescopes detect weaker ...
A: In reverse order, (2); all radio telescopes are like normal radio receiving antennae in that all ...
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| steering in a vacuum | 7/21/2008 |
Q: If it is a vacuum in space how are rockets propelled through, or turned in space?
A: Actually rockets perform at their best in space as there is no atmospheric friction to slow them ...
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| Black Holes | 7/21/2008 |
Q: If the Sun were to suddenly become a black hole (I understand it can't) what would happen to the ...
A: Actually, nothing. The mass of the orginal sun is still there, so gravity would act as normal. In ...
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| large/small telescopes | 7/20/2008 |
Q: What is the difference between large and small radio telescopes? do big telescopes detect weaker ...
A: Yes, bigger radio telescopes can receive weaker signals than the smaller ones. Yes, both detect ...
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| wr 104 | 7/19/2008 |
Q: Yeah i know this may be a complicated question to answer. But, I'm wondering about the wolf rayet ...
A: Well, I think the time frame could be from today and for the next 100,000 years, as opposed to ...
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| wr 104 | 7/18/2008 |
Q: Yeah i know this may be a complicated question to answer. But, I'm wondering about the wolf rayet ...
A: You know, ever since you brought this up to my attention, I was thinking almost the same line, a ...
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| wr 104 | 7/18/2008 |
Q: Yeah i know this may be a complicated question to answer. But, I'm wondering about the wolf rayet ...
A: I really don't think anyone knows for 100% certainty. That article, along with the rest of them that ...
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| wr 104 | 7/18/2008 |
Q: Yeah i know this may be a complicated question to answer. But, I'm wondering about the wolf rayet ...
A: Oh, part 3 of your question...that's easy. No one really knows..... whether it will be (at some ...
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| wr 104 | 7/18/2008 |
Q: Yeah i know this may be a complicated question to answer. But, I'm wondering about the wolf rayet ...
A: Well, there are a lot of variables here, so don't lose any sleep over it. First, the distance from ...
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| martian polar caps | 7/11/2008 |
Q: Okay, so what's the big deal about sending a robotic "geologist" to Mars to see if there's ...
A: Actually, it's not a very good bet at all! I wouldn't put any money on it. Reason: the liquid water ...
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| astronomy | 7/10/2008 |
Q: what determines planets distance from the sun?
A: Using Kepler's Third Law; Period (in Yrs) squared = distance (in AU) cubed. So it's the planet's ...
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| Age of a star | 6/17/2008 |
Q: I am a grade 7 student and need to know all about measuring age of a star.
A: We don't really measure the age or length of life of a star, but we can "estimate" it by various ...
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| ordering for a telescope | 6/15/2008 |
Q: i belong to Pakistan where is the technology is so costly as compare to the foreign countries. now i ...
A: Telescopes should never be purchased by power. We already know that the maximum effective ...
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| core temps. | 6/13/2008 |
Q: How does the temperature in the core of a star affect the star's lifespan and luminosity?
A: With a single star, ALL physical characteristics of the star, core temperature, surface ...
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| long range nature viewing | 6/10/2008 |
Q: can astronomy telescope be used for long range nature viewing?
A: Yes, I've done it. The image is inverted in an astronomical telescope, but that's the only problem. ...
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| Jason Comet Chaser Telescope | 6/9/2008 |
Q: I am hoping you can provide me with some info. or at the very least direct me to where I might be ...
A: I have no idea, but I can give you a rough estimate word picture... in general terms. Back then, 40 ...
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| Moon Phases & Constelations | 6/6/2008 |
Q: I am becoming more and more interested in astrological gardening. I know which moon phase we are in ...
A: I think it would be called "astronomical gardening", not "astrological". That's a "dirty" word among ...
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| Help Please! | 6/4/2008 |
Q: I have bought a SkyQuest XT8. I bought the XT8 that came with the IntelliScope adapter and I was ...
A: Yes, here are 2 Riverside Clubs you can look into, to join, at ...
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| Help Please! | 6/3/2008 |
Q: I have bought a SkyQuest XT8. I bought the XT8 that came with the IntelliScope adapter and I was ...
A: Yeah, like I said, you have to learn your constellations...you have yet to mention that you even ...
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| Help Please! | 6/3/2008 |
Q: I have bought a SkyQuest XT8. I bought the XT8 that came with the IntelliScope adapter and I was ...
A: All your problems would be solved if you would have just followed my recommendations on our club ...
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| PRECESSION OF THE EQUINOX | 5/26/2008 |
Q: If the earth had a zero tilt, how would that affect the precession of the equinox. Is there any ...
A: Well yes, of course, but YOU yourself strictly specified a perfect zero axial tilt forever, under ...
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| PRECESSION OF THE EQUINOX | 5/26/2008 |
Q: If the earth had a zero tilt, how would that affect the precession of the equinox. Is there any ...
A: Since the Earth Axis' precession is conical around a circle, while maintaining it's current 23.5 ...
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| Global Warming | 5/10/2008 |
Q: Identify some sources for finding the data necessary to calculate the quantities that you think are ...
A: Sorry to ruin your liberal/strictly political...for getting lots of taxpayer funding only..."party", ...
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| accretion disks | 4/30/2008 |
Q: Could you please answer thisWhy doesn`t matter (from a star e.g.) fall directly in a black hole, but ...
A: Yes...look at it this way. If a comet from the outer Solar System was to suffer an orbit change, ...
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| school project | 4/30/2008 |
Q: I am doing a school project and i need you to answer a few questions. 1. Do you believe in UFOs? ...
A: Ok, thanks for the nice response....and since you are a gifted teacher, you are also free to use our ...
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| Big Bang Theory | 4/30/2008 |
Q: Hey, I was just wondering: Do you have any information on the Big Bang Theory?? How did it created ...
A: But you are, in a way, correct...this is a very nice planet. Look at it this way, WE hit the ...
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| Big Bang Theory | 4/30/2008 |
Q: Hey, I was just wondering: Do you have any information on the Big Bang Theory?? How did it created ...
A: Well, as yet no one knows what caused it, or how it came about, but we're working on it. I'm ...
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| school project | 4/17/2008 |
Q: I am doing a school project and i need you to answer a few questions. 1. Do you believe in UFOs? ...
A: FOLLOW UP: Hi again Nathaniel,, Thanks for the very nice comments. Just thinking that if you are ...
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| Planes of Orbit - Equator(s) | 4/6/2008 |
Q: Can you explain the quote below? It seems to relate that the orbit of the earth is below a plane ...
A: the question has not much to do with astronomy, more to do with weather. Since it's a fictional ...
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| planetary motion | 4/6/2008 |
Q: I have been driven crazy trying to determine the difference between libration and nutation. I hope ...
A: Libration is an equatorial oscillation (or east-west) of a rigid body. Usually both of these terms ...
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| bright orange moving lights in night sky | 4/5/2008 |
Q: We witnessed 4 bright orange light moving across our night sky at about 11.30pm tonight. They ...
A: .. The Plutonians are angry that we downgraded their body from planet status to asteroid ...
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| Telescopes | 4/2/2008 |
Q: Tom! I read a question you annswered about telescopes, so here goes. I have loved telescopes, the ...
A: I meant that 30-40 inch scopes are the largest "PORTABLE" scopes around, that observers can use ...
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| Astronomy? | 4/2/2008 |
Q: I did see the funny side. I'm sorry if my idea was silly. However, It has had recieved some positive ...
A: Oh, I wasn't knocking the theory...I was just simply suggesting that astronomy is not the correct ...
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| Telescopes | 4/1/2008 |
Q: Tom! I read a question you annswered about telescopes, so here goes. I have loved telescopes, the ...
A: Honestly, no one "looks" through the Keck 10 meter, or any other very large observatory telescope. ...
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| Galaxy blind spot? | 3/31/2008 |
Q: I’m sure I must be missing something. Last night I was coming to grips with a star chart on my ...
A: Yes, the dust and gas lanes in our Galaxy provide an effective block in visible light for distant ...
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| Telescopes | 3/27/2008 |
Q: Tom! I read a question you annswered about telescopes, so here goes. I have loved telescopes, the ...
A: We typically recommend to our newer members to plan on spending around $500 or thereabouts on their ...
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| Flat Galaxies and Solar Systems | 3/27/2008 |
Q: If rotational velocity controls the shape of galaxies and solar systems, why doesn't it effect ...
A: I think we are still studying the initial formation of galaxies, especially the very first ones ...
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| Flat Galaxies and Solar Systems | 3/27/2008 |
Q: If rotational velocity controls the shape of galaxies and solar systems, why doesn't it effect ...
A: I guess the standard traditional answer would be, they ARE different....atoms behave at very close ...
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| telescope | 3/24/2008 |
Q: This a simple question, and perhaps not terribly interesting, but I'm trying to determine the value ...
A: No. Silver, white, doesn't matter; here is your scope for $45 used, but probably a newer model, at ...
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| telescope | 3/24/2008 |
Q: This a simple question, and perhaps not terribly interesting, but I'm trying to determine the value ...
A: Unfortunately these rickity 60 mm (about a 2.3 inch lens up front) are good for the moon and reading ...
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| space and health | 3/23/2008 |
Q: A person infected with virus sent to space.Is it true that they will be multiplied in number making ...
A: Not right of the top of my head, no. We aren't traveling around the Universe at 90% light speed as ...
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| distance | 3/19/2008 |
Q: What is the closest distance to the sun during Earth's orbit?
A: Perihelion is 91,402,725 miles (147,098,074 Km) on or about January 4 + or - one day. (closest) ...
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| How fast can we run on the moon | 3/12/2008 |
Q: Given that the moons gravity is 1/6 of what it is on earth will we be able to run faster on the ...
A: Good thing you said, without a spacesuit inside a closed dome space-camp, because the spacesuits are ...
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| space and temp | 3/12/2008 |
Q: How much temperature is there in the space?
A: The temperature in outer space, well away from the heat of any star (like the sun) is about 3 ...
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| space and health | 3/12/2008 |
Q: A person infected with virus sent to space.Is it true that they will be multiplied in number making ...
A: This is more a medical or biological question, as space (or location) would have nothing to do with ...
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| planet | 3/11/2008 |
Q: why is Venus a brighter object in the sky than mars?
A: Venus is bigger, it is closer, and it's more reflective than Mars because of the perpetual cloud ...
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| Thea or Theia | 3/7/2008 |
Q: According to the giant impact theory, the early Earth was hit by the planet Thea (Theia). The two ...
A: Before the moon landings, several theories accounted for our moon. 1. large asteroid captured by the ...
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| Terraforming Mars | 3/6/2008 |
Q: What is a realistic goal for terraforming another planet or moon? Also, in your opinion will we ...
A: Well, the reward would be another Earth-like planet in our Solar System...By "goal" do you mean a ...
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| White Holes | 3/6/2008 |
Q: To Whom it May Concern, Do you think there is any way a white hole could actually exist? ...
A: No. Not from a gravitational standpoint. The term came up (erronously) many years ago when ...
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| astronomy | 3/4/2008 |
Q: hi what colour are stars? and what can change colour and shape?
A: Stars come in all colors....from deep blue to deep red, with every color inbetween. EVERY star has ...
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| Galxies? | 3/4/2008 |
Q: I can't seem to find the answer for theys questions and was hoping you could help me with them. 1. ...
A: Although it appears as a homework question, we're having a slow day so I'll be glad to help you. 1. ...
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| Calculating stellar magnitude | 3/4/2008 |
Q: I have recently looked at a book that shows how much / little the intensity of sunlight is on other ...
A: On Second Thought, I can only use the inverse square law, where if you double the distance, the ...
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| RA tracking using drive motor | 3/1/2008 |
Q: I have a F8 Catadioptric Newtonian on a Equatorial mount. The clock drive motor is an EQ3 single ...
A: I've never owned a motorized scope, but I have read that IF you're getting north or south eyepiece ...
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| Astrophysics with BA | 2/28/2008 |
Q: I've been considering attending St. John's College, which is based on a great books program and ...
A: Tough decisions....we all had to go through it our senior year of highschool...what to do? Since the ...
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| dobsonions | 2/27/2008 |
Q: I'm looking at a tracking platform ad on Astro-Mart, hoping it will hold my 14.5" Antares. The owner ...
A: I also used to have a 13.1 Coulter and it weighed in at about the same, around 70-80 lb. counting ...
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| explosions in space | 2/27/2008 |
Q: I saw the shoot down of the ailing spy satellite with a missile. There was an explosion. I was ...
A: Well, there are collisions and explosions...two types of explosions can occur...one is when there is ...
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| Colorful Object | 2/26/2008 |
Q: On Feb. 25th in Homer, AK. Viewing the sky, I saw an object in the sky with the naked eye that was ...
A: Unfortunately you don't give me a time of night, nor a direction. But I do know that it had to be a ...
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| Oxygen gas giants | 2/25/2008 |
Q: Tom, Would it be possible for a hypothetical gas giant to have a habitable oxygen layer or band as ...
A: I did not see the movie in question, but no, with gas intermixing, Boyles Law, Charles Law, the ...
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| questions | 2/22/2008 |
Q: I have a few questions: 1. How can using different portions of the electromagnetic help us with ...
A: Hundreds of years ago, Galileo didn't know that "light" came in with differents forms....different ...
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| couple of questions | 2/22/2008 |
Q: 1. how does an atom produce a photon of light and what causes these photons to vary for any ...
A: The easiest explanation...all atoms, the electrons going around them, the electrons' orbit have ...
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| galaxy naming | 2/13/2008 |
Q: how are the galaxies and celestial objects named. in 'm41' what does 'm' and '41' represents. ...
A: Sorry but M-41 is not a galaxy...it is an open star cluster in Canis Major (Big Dog) about 4 degrees ...
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| about Planet & galaxy | 2/11/2008 |
Q: actually i have two questions need to be answered... 1- can you tell me how the space created and ...
A: I'm not much into either archeo-astronomy or archeo-theology. I think we attribute way too much ...
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| about Planet & galaxy | 2/11/2008 |
Q: actually i have two questions need to be answered... 1- can you tell me how the space created and ...
A: No. "THEY" may have mentioned it or even suggested it, but they couldn't PROVE it..see below. Until ...
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| tides and the moon | 2/11/2008 |
Q: I have a third grade girl wanting to do her science experiment for school on "how does the moon ...
A: FOLLOW UP: Thanks for the nice comments..... Oh, I was exploring the internet for anemometer ...
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| about Planet & galaxy | 2/10/2008 |
Q: actually i have two questions need to be answered... 1- can you tell me how the space created and ...
A: The current view is that all space and time and energy and matter all came into existence 13.7 ...
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| Sunset | 2/4/2008 |
Q: Tom, Hello... I am getting married October 11th and I am trying to set the time. The wedding is ...
A: Congratulations....also I notice the similarity to our names. Ok, my Skyglobe program shows a ...
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| Moon Phases | 2/4/2008 |
Q: I was in Costa Rica mid january 08 and saw a quarter moon in the evening in the western sky. It was ...
A: Yes, you are talking about the angle that the quarter (or crescent) moon makes with the closest ...
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| meteoroids | 1/29/2008 |
Q: We all fear of falling meteoroids. So why don't we send up rockets that will follow these meteoroids ...
A: ... Great suggestion, and I'm sure that NASA has already considered doing this, along with high ...
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| astronomy | 1/28/2008 |
Q: Which of the following wavelength regions cannot be studied with telescopes on the ground? A. ...
A: You will only find radio, visible light, and infrared (heat) telescopes on the surface of the Earth, ...
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| (some astronomy questions) | 1/26/2008 |
Q: In which direction on the horizon does the sun appear to rise on July 4 in New York State? Which ...
A: We don't normally do homework questions, but most of these are fairly simple, and I think you just ...
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| Earth's tilt | 1/26/2008 |
Q: If Earth's tilt increased from 23.5 degrees to 33.5 degrees, what would the result be?
A: Believe it our not, these hypothetical astronomy questions are virtually worthless.....tell your ...
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| Existance of Stars 6000+ light years away | 1/26/2008 |
Q: Although they may have existed at one time, is there any way to prove that stars that are more than ...
A: I have pulled this question from the question pool, so please don't penalize me for time...I think ...
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| Question about the Earth's rotation | 1/24/2008 |
Q: What would occur on a planet that rotated 10 degrees per hour West, revolved 2 degrees per day West, ...
A: To be honest, these hypothetical questions are a waste of time....tell your instructor (and your ...
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| SIPS 1259-4336 | 1/20/2008 |
Q: I am interested in the star SIPS 1259-4336. Does anyone know any details about this star yet and ...
A: I researched it on Google, probably like you did, and I can find no current information on that ...
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| sunrise / sunset | 1/15/2008 |
Q: Mr Whiting After Dec 21, why is the extension of daylight in the eve not equal to the ext of ...
A: It doesn't work that way...like 60 seconds on each end AT the same time.... The disparity is caused ...
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| sunrise / sunset | 1/15/2008 |
Q: Mr Whiting After Dec 21, why is the extension of daylight in the eve not equal to the ext of ...
A: If we were in a perfectly circular orbit around the sun, then earliest sunset/latest sunrise would ...
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| Space Phenomenon | 1/14/2008 |
Q: Tonight me and two of my friends were stargazing and saw about 5 shooting stars scattered across the ...
A: Yes, well that 30 second after-trail confirms my explanation, as generally it's only the very bright ...
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| Space Phenomenon | 1/14/2008 |
Q: Tonight me and two of my friends were stargazing and saw about 5 shooting stars scattered across the ...
A: Yes I can, because a very similar thing has happened to me also. What you saw (or didn't see, ...
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| Career Shift | 1/14/2008 |
Q: I am now working as a Quality Engineer(24 years) after having done my engineering in Mechanical ...
A: Well, I am not familar with India, but I believe one of our allexperts is from India and works there ...
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| The Universe and the Neurons | 1/12/2008 |
Q: I am a researcher looking into science and religion and during my studies I have found out that ...
A: Actually, wouldn't ANY filamentary structure (some spider web formations, microscopic views of foam ...
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| Meteors | 1/11/2008 |
Q: I was wondering, since most matter in the solar system seems to be revolving around the sun in the ...
A: Actually, most of the matter in the Solar System is IN the sun, 99.86% of it in fact. Yes, the ...
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| time travel | 1/11/2008 |
Q: is time travel possible?are scientist from nasa working on this?if it was possible do you thing ...
A: Under normal circumstances, time travel is not possible. (We have to keep science fiction separate ...
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| 5th grade science | 1/10/2008 |
Q: What would happen if only gravity were operating on Earth? and What do you think would happen if ...
A: What do you mean by the Earth "not moving"? Not rotating, or not revolving around the sun? Actually ...
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| Discovering Extrasolar Planets | 1/9/2008 |
Q: Whiting, One of the most commonly used methods for finding planets is observing the wobble of a ...
A: Actually, the "wobble" method (side-to-side motion) is the least used now. The most accurate and ...
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| 3rd grade constellation project | 1/8/2008 |
Q: I'm planning a project with 3rd graders so they can learn a few constellations. You may have seen ...
A: Three of my favorite areas (And they are AREA's now since 1930 when the IAU - International ...
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| Aliens | 1/5/2008 |
Q: Is there a such thing as Aliens? thx by.
A: The real answer is.....we don't know....as yet. The textbook answer is... probably, BUT...at the ...
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| astronomy & atmospheric physics | 1/2/2008 |
Q: We observe stars to scintillate through our naked eye (aperture about 5mm). I recorded Sirius with ...
A: No. Scintillation is not dependent on aperture....the same "guy" (jet stream, moisture, dust, etc) ...
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| Martian atmosphere | 12/31/2007 |
Q: I understand Mars has winds at the surface approximately 400 km/hr. It also has a surface pressure ...
A: You would barely feel it as a gentle breeze, just before you die, as the liquid water in your body ...
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| Flammable Planets? | 12/30/2007 |
Q: I know our Sun burns Hydrogen, and that Hydrogen is a very flammable gas. My question is, if ...
A: Yes, they are indeed, fantasies, so I'll set you straight on why all that doesn't happen, and can't ...
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| asteroid belt | 12/28/2007 |
Q: is the asteroid belt really a 'belt' with a singular elliptical orbit or does it spherically house ...
A: I don't quite understand the question....mankind isn't "waiting" for anything. We don't have to go ...
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| asteroid belt | 12/27/2007 |
Q: is the asteroid belt really a 'belt' with a singular elliptical orbit or does it spherically house ...
A: Well, it's certainly not fully spherical, but neither are they all in one plane on the ecliptic. ...
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| bright star/planet below orions belt | 12/21/2007 |
Q: I live in las vegas and beneath orions belt, i.e. toward the horizon, at 11:45 pm on Nov 16, 2007 I ...
A: Well, it's a big jump from the Dog Star to a scope. Reason being that in our great hobby of ...
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| Solar System Creation | 12/19/2007 |
Q: I just started reading Carl Sagan's "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" and he writes that solar ...
A: Actually, both. I think we know of only two or three extra-Solar stars that have more than one ...
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| Solar System Creation | 12/17/2007 |
Q: I just started reading Carl Sagan's "Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors" and he writes that solar ...
A: Sorry but I've never read Sagan....while he was a great promoter of astronomy to the general ...
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| sun and stars | 12/16/2007 |
Q: how are auroras formed? , what is a solar spectrum? why do stars twinkle? and why does some stars ...
A: Aurora, or northern lights, are created when high energy charged particles come in from the sun, ...
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| How big does a 'body' have to be to be considered a planet? | 12/14/2007 |
Q: I am doing a project on Space for school, and all of my class (and myself) have been wondering - How ...
A: FOLLOW UP: By "Sweep Up"...they mean...clear out the neighborhood of other bodies, so that you are ...
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| The ring around moon | 12/13/2007 |
Q: I often use to observe the sky with naked eye and with a telescope. Amateur I should say. While ...
A: Yes, your analysis is quite correct, relating the ring (or halo as we generally call it, if it's ...
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| seasons | 12/2/2007 |
Q: I am evaluating a children's book about the spring equinox. I believe and illustration contained in ...
A: No, you don't have to scan it...you are absolutely correct as they have the summer and winter ...
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| Speed of eyesight? | 12/1/2007 |
Q: Greetings from the Jamestown, NY area, Tom. I have a question for you. Does eyesight move at the ...
A: our neighbor, I've seen this same question before, asked of allexperts astronomer "Heather"....and ...
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| MOON'S ORBIT | 11/30/2007 |
Q: 1.DOES THE MOON ORBIT DIRECTLY OVER THE EARTH'S EQUATOR OR IS THE PLANE OF THE ORBIT TILTED? 2.IS ...
A: No, the moon's orbit is not directly over the Earth's equator and neither is any other body in the ...
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| Max Wilhelm Meyer | 11/30/2007 |
Q: Greetings from digital outerspace. I am filmmaker currently working on a short film. I was ...
A: Oh, I care less about social conditions, homosexuality, and stuff like that....I only watch the ...
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| Max Wilhelm Meyer | 11/30/2007 |
Q: Greetings from digital outerspace. I am filmmaker currently working on a short film. I was ...
A: Well, I just googled Max Wilhelm Meyer at ...
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| sunset | 11/26/2007 |
Q: Why does the sun set in Fla. later than in N.J.?
A: When? Now in November, or in June? It's different. Local Sunset time is based upon your location ...
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| Speed of the Earth | 11/19/2007 |
Q: Astronomers tell us that with the new telescopes they can see events that occurred 1 billion years ...
A: ... Hmmm....very interesting question...very good question too....let me think about that one for a ...
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| How are orbits formed? | 11/18/2007 |
Q: I have always been so much interested to know so much about the universe, infact all about the ...
A: In reverse order, Yes, the bodies in orbit around another body are moving so fast that they do not ...
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| How are orbits formed? | 11/18/2007 |
Q: I have always been so much interested to know so much about the universe, infact all about the ...
A: Actually the moon does fall "around" the Earth, and the Earth does "fall" around the sun.....but for ...
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| Astronomy | 11/17/2007 |
Q: What is the distance between plant Mercury and planet Venus?
A: It varies, depending on which side of the sun the two planets are on..but I assume you mean what is ...
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| bright star/planet below orions belt | 11/17/2007 |
Q: I live in las vegas and beneath orions belt, i.e. toward the horizon, at 11:45 pm on Nov 16, 2007 I ...
A: Yes, that's the brightest star in our night sky, the Dog Star Sirius, at -1.5 magnitude. And that's ...
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| Radio Telescopes | 11/6/2007 |
Q: What space exploration problems have radio telescopes helped with and what have they helped to ...
A: Well, I'm not into radio telescopes, being strictly naked eye visible light, but I do know a little ...
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| Galactic Alignment | 11/2/2007 |
Q: I've heard the talk of winter solsice sun aligning with our galactic center. It's often mentioned ...
A: Yes it does, Joe...I stand corrected....it could make sense in the long run...I'm just not sure I ...
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| Galactic Alignment | 11/1/2007 |
Q: I've heard the talk of winter solsice sun aligning with our galactic center. It's often mentioned ...
A: Oh, sorry, guess I did misunderstand your question.... Well, I am aware of the discovery of Iridium ...
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| stars or galaxies? | 11/1/2007 |
Q: i live in the midst of chicago, so you can imagine the limited viewing conditions i have. in the ...
A: Yes, 3 are planets, and all the rest are....stars, nearby stars in fact, relatively speaking, since ...
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| Galactic Alignment | 11/1/2007 |
Q: I've heard the talk of winter solsice sun aligning with our galactic center. It's often mentioned ...
A: Yes. It's all a bunch of hogwash. (You've been reading too many of those "National Enquirer" type ...
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| star cluster, gravity | 10/31/2007 |
Q: What keeps star clusters gravitationally stable? Star clusters don't appear to rotate and they are ...
A: You really mean "revolve" don't you....not "rotate"...see the PS at the very end of this ...
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| A question about stars. | 10/29/2007 |
Q: Whiting, For school we are conducting research about stars. We have already found out that in ...
A: We need to separate your question into 2 parts the dust ......and the gas. Well, for starters, you ...
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| white holes | 10/29/2007 |
Q: How are white holes formed,and where can they take you? I saw them on t.v. with my dad.(This is my ...
A: .... I answered a similar question 3 years ago, but it was about black holes, worm holes, and white ...
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| amateur astronomer | 10/29/2007 |
Q: I've had a telescope for a while now (which is probably cheap because I got it for free) and have ...
A: Well, I think the best way I can help you is to cut and paste off our club website, "Tom Whiting's ...
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| building a telescope | 10/28/2007 |
Q: Do you think you could give me some direction on building a 10 to 12 inch telescope? Where should I ...
A: but unfortunately, I don't build telescopes, I only know how to USE one. So could you please ...
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| science/space | 10/22/2007 |
Q: why doe shooting stars shoot?
A: The terms "shooting star" and "falling stars" are obsolete now. Back a few centuries ago, men did ...
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| Astronomy | 9/27/2007 |
Q: According to Kepler's 3rd Law, which of the following planets has orbited the Sun the least number ...
A: A and B are obviously false. C is close, but not completely accurate. My answer would be... D. We ...
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| Astronomy | 9/27/2007 |
Q: According to Kepler's 3rd Law, which of the following planets has orbited the Sun the least number ...
A: Kepler's 3rd law states that the Period Squared (in Years) is equal to the distance cubed (in ...
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| planets | 9/24/2007 |
Q: I remember when I was in school that they said if you saw a planet in the sky it would fliker red ...
A: Actually, it's the reverse!!....it's the brighter stars that our atmosphere causes to twinkle, ...
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| Astronomy | 9/23/2007 |
Q: Stars twinkle, because of earth's atmospheric disturbances, as the starlight passes thru the ...
A: Actually, the planets and moon will scintillate (twinkle) too, under very disturbed atmospheres, ...
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| How many amateur astronomers | 9/18/2007 |
Q: How many amateur astronomers are there in the united states? in the world? Thanks for trying to ...
A: No, I've never seen it either....although I've never really researched it either. Well, first off, ...
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| Astronomy | 9/6/2007 |
Q: Do people in other parts of the world see the same constellations,asterisms,lunar phases,lunar ...
A: From your question, we have to separate out the standard viewing items of the ...
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| Cloud ring surounding moon | 8/30/2007 |
Q: today , the full-moon day , I am seeing a strange phenomenon , the moon is full and cloud is ...
A: Yes, that is the standard 22 degree halo around the bright moon (it also happens around the sun ...
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| Cloud ring surounding moon | 8/29/2007 |
Q: today , the full-moon day , I am seeing a strange phenomenon , the moon is full and cloud is ...
A: Yes, this is a very common event. It's not an optical illusion. It's called a corona around the ...
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| astronomy fest | 8/26/2007 |
Q: sir, we are students of iit india and we are planning to include astronomy as a part of our ...
A: All of the regional and national star parties (or star fests) I've been to are mainly based on night ...
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| General astrophysics/astronomy for an "engineer-type" | 8/21/2007 |
Q: I have a plethora of questions regarding astronomy so I would appreciate links to good web sites or ...
A: Wow! A truly monumental question, and task for me; one that another engineer (myself, metallurgical ...
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| truss dob | 8/6/2007 |
Q: I have many questions, especially about cosmology & deep space, but right now you're my only ...
A: Sounds like either a simple balancing problem or perhaps you aren't setting up on a very level ...
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| Age of universe | 7/14/2007 |
Q: The age of our (i.e., the observable) iniverse if fourteen billion years. But, say there are stars ...
A: Yes, the age of our Universe (date of Big Bang) was about 13.7 billion year ago, + or - 0.3 billion ...
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| astronomy | 7/9/2007 |
Q: what best or worst can happen,if the earth's gravitational field collapses for a few seconds.explin ...
A: ... By "collapse" do you mean....disappear or become zero? I'll assume so. Well, anything not tied ...
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| telescopes and observitories | 7/8/2007 |
Q: and thank you for taking the time to read this. First question, did you buy or build that ...
A: I assume you mean the picture of my 30 inch portable truss Dobsonian mounted telescope. Yes, it is ...
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| sun setting in MN | 7/6/2007 |
Q: I was reading other questions that you've answered and it makes me want to know about Minnesota. I ...
A: Sorry for the slow response but this website accidently eliminated me from their site back in ...
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| Observing Satellite by Naked eyes | 2/3/2007 |
Q: Is it possible to see a satellite using our naked eyes. I recently saw an object in the sky in the ...
A: Oh Yes, there are over 10,000 artificial satellites now, and nearly half of them are big enough to ...
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| books | 2/2/2007 |
Q: I would like to get into viewing the night sky (with appx a 6-8" telescope, all objects- planets, ...
A: , The very best I can help you with, is for you to go to our club website and punch on "Tom ...
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| Scince | 1/30/2007 |
Q: What is the axis pointing towards in the Northern Hemisphere during spring and fall?
A: The Earth's axis in the N. Hemisphere always points to the star Polaris, as far as laymen are ...
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| buying advice | 1/24/2007 |
Q: My Q is, I would like to get a Meade 8" (see if would, this link)= ...
A: The only real way you can tell if it's a "good deal" is go to www.astromart.com where amateurs sell ...
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| The moon and the Sun | 1/20/2007 |
Q: When looking at the moon, sometimes it appears to be lit from slightly to the rear, and sometimes ...
A: The moon's orbit is tilted 5 degrees to the ecliptic plane, so at times ....for half of it's monthly ...
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| stellar distances | 1/18/2007 |
Q: I find star distances to be stated inconsistently in various sources. For example, I just ...
A: Yes, stellar distances (especially those beyond 100 lightyears) are one of the toughest quanitities ...
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| Big Bang | 1/16/2007 |
Q: If the universe started from a single point and exploded outwards from that point, Why is the milky ...
A: Well, basically, the two events are not really related because the time frames are so widely ...
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| supernova | 1/5/2007 |
Q: what r the steps leading to a supernova?
A: .... Supernovae status is directly related to the starting mass of the star. (We're talking only ...
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| can you please help me with these questions | 1/4/2007 |
Q: can you please answer these questions for me? Thank you so much!! 1. what did Hubble include when ...
A: technically, we are not supposed to "help" with homework questions.....doesn't it kind of defeat the ...
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| astronomy | 1/2/2007 |
Q: For the last couple of evenings, as the sun sets I've noticed a bright star South of the sun. I ...
A: Yes, that "bright star" is not a star at all...it's simply the planet Venus returning to our early ...
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| What i should start to study!! | 12/30/2006 |
Q: I am in the 8th grade and ever since i was little i have wanted to learn something new about space ...
A: Well, you are off to a good start because....it's not only the knowledge that's important, it's also ...
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| Any Galaxy That is Similar to picture? | 12/20/2006 |
Q: Tom, Many thanks for that great reply. It will keep me going for a while. To explain, I'm a photo ...
A: your art patterns. In fact, the one you just forwarded sure reminds me of the spiral density waves ...
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| Any Galaxy That is Similar to picture? | 12/20/2006 |
Q: I'm looking for a picture of a spiral galaxy that looks like the image at this page :- ...
A: The hardest part of your "diagram" is trying to determine whether or not there is a horizontal "bar" ...
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| Temperature in highest layer of atmosphere | 12/15/2006 |
Q: I have aWhat are temperatures in the highest layers of atmosphere, and lets say if there is an ...
A: Actually this is a meteorological (weather) question, but no matter as I taught Meteorology too. The ...
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| name farthest known milky way star | 12/4/2006 |
Q: I would very much like to know the designation and approximate distance from earth of the star which ...
A: Boy, that's a tough one...I really don't know. I do remember reading an article in Sky & Telescope ...
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| astronomy | 10/15/2006 |
Q: What is the distance between the earth and the sun in light years?
A: Well, the Solar System is so very small compared to the distance of one light year (about 6 trillion ...
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| birthday telescope help | 10/14/2006 |
Q: First, thank you for taking time to review my issue. My name is Amanda Moody and my ...
A: Yes, good telescopes are very expensive......and this is one hobby that you have to go 'first class' ...
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| The Pleiades | 10/14/2006 |
Q: Tom, is it true to say the stars of the Pleiades are gravitationally bound whereas the stars of most ...
A: Well, first a definition is in order... a constellation is a defined area of the sky.....no ...
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| earths axis | 10/8/2006 |
Q: what does the tilt of earths axis cause the north and south poles to do?
A: Actually, the 23.5 degree tilt of the Earth's axis from the vertical, simply causes our poles to ...
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| Angle of impact for craters on the Moon | 10/5/2006 |
Q: Has it ever been worked out what angle of impact the Meteor that made Crater Tycho on the Moon? Or ...
A: I had no idea, previous to your question, that anyone had any interest in "impact angle" of lunar ...
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| Earth and Asteroids. | 9/29/2006 |
Q: but i was watching a show last night on the History channel about asteroids and comets and how ...
A: Well, this rock, 99942 Apophis, isn't big enough to pull that trick off --a major extinction. Of ...
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| Earth and Asteroids. | 9/28/2006 |
Q: I dont know the difference between astronomical and astrological so im sorry if i get this wrong. Do ...
A: Well, astronomical, or astronomy, is the scientific study of the Universe and the bodies contained ...
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| Life in the universe | 9/25/2006 |
Q: how can i find out whether an object is a)in our solar system b)outside our solar system but inside ...
A: By "i"...I assume you mean "you". Unless you are a professional astronomer working for a large ...
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| tasco 302012 | 9/15/2006 |
Q: I did some searching and found this.. ...
A: Well, that low price tells me that it would be ok for terrestrial viewing only (not astronomical) ...
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| tasco 302012 | 9/14/2006 |
Q: I have a tasco 302012 reflector and haven't used it in a while. I am trying to find an eyepiece ...
A: Sorry, but I am not familar with that 302012 designation, but I do know that the device you are ...
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| organic molecules | 9/14/2006 |
Q: I've been searching on the internet and I can't seem to find an definitive answer to this question. ...
A: Marc, Well, this is kind of out of my field (but I'll still give it a shot) ;-) I never had an ...
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| plane of the ecliptic | 9/5/2006 |
Q: I don't understand the concept of the ecliptic plane. Is it an imaginary outline of the earth's ...
A: Yes, one can think of it that way...but the real definition,..... it's the plane (like a table top - ...
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| Astronomy | 9/5/2006 |
Q: 1.Cracks in the moon's bedrock are called A.highlands C.maris B.rilles ...
A: We're not supposed to do homework questions on this site, but these are so simple, I'm going to ...
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| Celestron Powerseeker 76? | 8/13/2006 |
Q: Would you happen to know anything about Telescopes because I recently got one 2 months ago its the ...
A: Welcome to our wonderful world of astronomy and the night sky...unfortunately....you made the same ...
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| double stars orbit | 8/12/2006 |
Q: Is the double stars orbit circular or elliptical, and is there deference between orbit of each star? ...
A: Yes and yes and yes. Most double stars are true binaries, that is, they orbit a common center of ...
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| telascopes | 8/8/2006 |
Q: i have a 600mm refractor telascope. if i put a 1.25 focuser on it do i need to tack the meatle ...
A: Sorry, but I can't help you with your first question because I know nothing about refractor ...
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| Time keeping | 8/6/2006 |
Q: I have found a few resources about time keeping and how people do it. The most obvious measure of ...
A: Oh, thanks for the very nice comments on Allexperts, I really appreciate that. As for your ...
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| Time keeping | 8/5/2006 |
Q: I have found a few resources about time keeping and how people do it. The most obvious measure of ...
A: Time is no longer measured with respect to the Earth rotating, or by the Earth's revolution around ...
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| shooting | 7/31/2006 |
Q: Foremaost i am grateful that you have made yourself available free of charge. Now then, my brothers ...
A: Well, thank you for the questions and I am very glad to help you out. Last Question First....Yes, ...
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| Silly question of the day (apologies!) | 7/18/2006 |
Q: I wonder if would be possible to see the flag on the moon? Would it feasibly possible to take such ...
A: No, it's a "resolution" problem....you are asking for 5 feet resolution (5/5280) or 0.000947 mile ...
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| Stars | 6/15/2006 |
Q: I would like to know that why do most nearby stars turn out to be low-mass, low luminosity ones? ...
A: Science does not answer the questions "Why" or "Who".... those are questions for the theologians and ...
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| bright light in the sky | 6/7/2006 |
Q: I hope you can help me with this puzzle. Last night, around 1:45 AM PT, I went out on my deck to ...
A: Yes, I am no UFO nut either....in fact, 99.99% of us astronomers do not buy into astrology, Alien ...
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| Sunset | 6/7/2006 |
Q: Does the sun set at different speeds at different times of the year? I am getting married in ...
A: Congratulations on getting married, but to your questions. Since sunset is simply the Earth's ...
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| Couldn't see the moon? | 6/7/2006 |
Q: I recently went on a cruise in the Caribbean. While walking on the deck one night, I noticed that I ...
A: Yes, easy answer. The moon, just like the sun, or any other star......for most of the world, except ...
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| Effect of solar flares | 6/6/2006 |
Q: I am an amateur researcher now day researching the subject of solar flares, what I want to know is ...
A: I am not an expert on solar astronomy, but I can cover your other questions. However, I do know that ...
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| seeing stars | 6/5/2006 |
Q: I know that seeing the stars from the Earth's surface depends a lot on background light, atmospheric ...
A: No, an astronaut out past Mars sees the same starry sky as we do IF we can find a totally dark, ...
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| tides | 5/31/2006 |
Q: could you give me an explanation on why the tides change. thank you
A: I think most people know that the moon and its gravity causes the ocean tides.... but they are only ...
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| Regarding the SUN... | 5/25/2006 |
Q: Why the sun does not consume?
A: By consume, I'm thinking you mean, Why does the sun not use up matter? It does consume--- use up--- ...
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| flat solar systems and galaxies | 5/24/2006 |
Q: This is something I've wondered about for a while: Why is it that solar systems and galaxies are ...
A: Well, it's one of those 3-D spherical trigonometry vector thingy's.....(Sorry, I slept through that ...
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| flat solar systems and galaxies | 5/23/2006 |
Q: This is something I've wondered about for a while: Why is it that solar systems and galaxies are ...
A: Well, not all galaxies are flat, in fact most galaxies ARE of the elliptical kind, are all pretty ...
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| solar system | 4/22/2006 |
Q: how was the moon formed
A: The short, honest answer is....we don't really know. BUT that having been said, there are several ...
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| comet, meteor, swamp gas? | 4/16/2006 |
Q: What did we see? My description: On April 14 at 9:00 pm CDT a dry, clear, warm evening in Northern ...
A: Obviously a meteor...but perhaps more than a meteor.... for 40 seconds you may have seen a decaying ...
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| Right ascension | 4/12/2006 |
Q: I am struggling to grasp where right ascension starts from a longitudinal view. I understand that it ...
A: (another Tom)! Ok, it's not a "geographical" point on the Earth. So there is, and cannot be, no ...
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| What am i seeing | 4/8/2006 |
Q: As im relaxing in bed about to nod off. I ocassionally notice a bright light appear then go across ...
A: If your eyes are open, and you are seeing, looking at, the actual night sky, then perhaps you are ...
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| SOLAR ECLIPSE | 4/4/2006 |
Q: WITH THE RECENT SOLAR ECLIPSE, VIEWED BY AMERICANS ON TELEVISION, I AM CURIOUS WHAT IT TAKES FOR A ...
A: and you've come to the right person as I've been to 5 of them, from 1979 thru 1999. How often? ...
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| schmidt-newtonian telescope | 3/24/2006 |
Q: How does a SNT work? What does it consist of?. george phelps
A: Boy, I had to look that one up on Google...I thought initially you meant SNR (Supernova Remnants), ...
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| new telescope | 3/20/2006 |
Q: I recently purchased a celestron 10 inch advanced series newtonian reflector telescope and I was ...
A: Tom Whiting here, president of the Erie Astronomy Club, so I'm sure we'll be able to help you. You ...
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| Uranus | 3/12/2006 |
Q: Tomorrow (13 March) is the anniversary of the discovery of the planet Uranus by Sir William ...
A: I believe it was around 1820 (or thereabouts) that the cartographer Johann E. Bode changed the name ...
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| black hole | 3/2/2006 |
Q: What is in a black hole and what is on the other side of it, if anything at all
A: Actually a black hole is composed of mostly empty space. (Although we can't prove that; it's simply ...
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| What is a year? | 1/19/2006 |
Q: regardless of any change in earth's orbital speed. The factors that may affect that speed is also an ...
A: and thanks very much for the kind comments on the Allexperts website..... How fast are you moving? ...
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| stars | 1/19/2006 |
Q: regard's Brian PS What a fantastic service you guys provide.
A: Actually, you CAN see stars from a plane, but it's rather difficult as a passenger in the back, ...
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| What is a year? | 1/18/2006 |
Q: What is a year? Is it the time it takes the earth to complete an orbit around the sun or is it the ...
A: The Earth's axis doesn't "wobble"....it maintains its orientation in space precisely like a fast ...
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| invention after gravity | 1/6/2006 |
Q: how you doing? I'm recently doing a project on how gravity impacted the world. I looking for some ...
A: ... How are you doing? You probably need to pick a different project... Why? Because gravity wasn't ...
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| Thank you!!! | 12/26/2005 |
Q: You may not remember me, but I had asked you about advice on binoculars and telescopes that I could ...
A: Yes, I do remember, and I'm so glad you followed my advice. See, telescopes are a very personal ...
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| The Sun | 12/17/2005 |
Q: how hot is the sun
A: Tom here (age 64 -well, tomorrow).....63 for another 5 hours) How hot the sun? What part? The ...
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| Gravitational Waves | 12/13/2005 |
Q: If the sun suddenly collapses,then when would the earth feel it's effect? Instantly or after 8 ...
A: ... Good "trick" question from your instructor! (Or textbook) Answers: #2 first..... Velocity of ...
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| star finder | 12/11/2005 |
Q: Tom I am thinking of buying the Excaliber Night Navigator-cost about $100.00 Do you recommend this ...
A: Don, I don't even know what that is....I had to Google it to find out.... seems it's just an ...
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| telescopes | 11/25/2005 |
Q: I have a bit of a question regarding telescopes and binoculars. My father is a big space buff, and ...
A: ...too bad others don't consider a purchase of that nature before hand, like you have here. Hands ...
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| retrogade motion?? what is it? | 11/22/2005 |
Q: is this information regarding astronomy true??? As the strong belief of we muslims is that when ...
A: ...and peace be with you.... Well, what you are doing is confusing daily rotation of a planet ...
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| Globular Cluster Classification | 11/21/2005 |
Q: My question is this: How can I interpret the classification scheme of Globular Star Clusters. ...
A: and cheers to you too.... Well, the Classification system for concentration of the cores of globular ...
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| Rotation of Galaxies | 11/14/2005 |
Q: I've dropped you notes before on a number of topics that I've helped my kids with (orbit of the ...
A: Yes, I remember you from your previous questions...hope all is well with you and your family. No, I ...
|
| Lunar azimuth | 11/9/2005 |
Q: Unless I am wrong, the moon's orbit is tipped only 5 degrees off of the equatorial plane of the ...
A: I've had this question before, so I've researched the answer.... seems that 5 degree swing on each ...
|
| experiment | 11/7/2005 |
Q: Can you suggest a HS science project using a 5" Celestron telescope and/or a Nikon 35MM film camera? ...
A: Yes, just repeat the same experiment (assuming it's not the same teacher) that you did two years ...
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| Herschel and Uranus | 11/3/2005 |
Q: Could you please give me a little information about Sir William Herschel and the Telescope he used ...
A: Sorry, but I don't know a thing about Sir William Herschel's telescope, or what he used to find ...
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| Cross Refs for NGC / IC and star records | 11/3/2005 |
Q: I was recently suprised to find a number of 'single star' entries in the Revised NGC / IC catalogue, ...
A: It's my understanding that the project...re-visiting all NGC and IC objects to eliminate errors, it ...
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| HELP!!!! | 10/30/2005 |
Q: Im hoping you can help me. Im an American guy who retired here in Cebu Philippines about 5 years ...
A: Sorry I didn't answer sooner, but we were down at Cherry Springs State Park (PA) observing all ...
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| adaptive vs space | 10/24/2005 |
Q: Tom, Hello, you've helped me many times and I've always been highly pleased. Thanks for the good ...
A: and thanks for the nice compliments. Well, I don't think we can compare a device (TPF) that will ...
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| Comets | 10/6/2005 |
Q: Do comets lose mass each time they go round the sun? Because the tail is created by melting ice, so ...
A: Yes, comets lose some slight mass everytime they pass through perihelion, so actually astronomers ...
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| Career in astronomy | 10/4/2005 |
Q: Now I know why they say astronomy can turn into a lifestyle! I had a dog names Sirius once, but ...
A: FOLLOW UP: Well, by science writer, I assume you mean science textbooks and such....no, I think ...
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| Career in astronomy | 10/4/2005 |
Q: But, I don't understand how amateur astronmers have any time to stay up at night after their day ...
A: FOLLOW UP... Well, until you're retired, it's a tough schedule....(but not that ...
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| Career in astronomy | 10/3/2005 |
Q: Is it possible to go into the astronomical field for a career without a math or science degree?
A: Is it possible? Yes, almost anything is possible. But is it likely? In today's world, no, not ...
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| stars | 10/1/2005 |
Q: why do stars twinkle? if you know please tell me
A: Stars twinkle because of our air, our atmosphere. If we had no air surrounding the Earth, stars ...
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| astronomy | 9/16/2005 |
Q: I'm doing a beginners course on astronomy and I was wondering if you know some information about ...
A: Yes, I can tell that you are fairly new to our great hobby (and subject). Right off the top ...
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| looking for a project subject | 9/10/2005 |
Q: I want to work on an astronomical project and I'm looking for a subject, and is better if the ...
A: Gee....with all that experience, and even a 6 inch Newt. scope, it sounds like you don't need my ...
|
| More HST | 9/7/2005 |
Q: Could you be really kind to answer a few more questions? In a part of your answer you said that ...
A: Sorry Leila, I just don't know if there is a current UV scope in space.... I just don't keep up with ...
|
| Red shift and Blue Shift | 9/7/2005 |
Q: My co-workers and I are trying to figure out this question. If we are correct, we are assuming that ...
A: ... Very good questions, and I'll take them from bottom to top. 1. Our position in space, the sun, ...
|
| HST | 9/5/2005 |
Q: Could you please help me with these questions about HST? How would you compare the Hubble Space ...
A: Sorry I would have answered much sooner, but I just returned from 5 nights of all night observing at ...
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| new to astronomy | 8/25/2005 |
Q: I just got a telescope and have never used one. I've been searching online for astronomy sites and ...
A: Didn't I answer this very same question about 2 weeks ago? From You? Maybe not....age takes its ...
|
| Basic telescope advice for a gift | 8/10/2005 |
Q: I am looking for a gift idea for my father. I was thinking maybe a telescope, somewhere in the $500 ...
A: Well, in our great hobby, equipment (scopes) come last, not first. Knowledge of the night sky comes ...
|
| see a planet | 7/31/2005 |
Q: What planet is suppose pass close to earth this month that will not pass by again for over 100 ...
A: ... None. You have been reading a circulating "hoax" E-mail announcement stating that Mars will be ...
|
| telescopes | 7/29/2005 |
Q: I am interested in buying a telescope to view deep space as well as the planets. I have found a new ...
A: ... Initially, you sound like the guy with a new Private Pilot License with 50 hours in Cessna ...
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| historical accounts | 7/23/2005 |
Q: I'm a recent college grad. I was talking a lifer friend of mine (he's been in college for 6 years) ...
A: Well you've come to the right person as I've made a study of both of these topics for years, being ...
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| Beginner to astronomy | 7/21/2005 |
Q: I've always had a love of space, stars and planets and have been lucky enough to acquire a large Sky ...
A: You actually answered in part, your own question....when you said, " I wish I knew what I was ...
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| achromat | 7/14/2005 |
Q: I'm re-immersing into my childhood hobby in my retirement years, and am kind of new at scope ...
A: Sorry, but I never received your original question....and then my first thought upon Allexperts ...
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| stars | 6/26/2005 |
Q: I understand or think I do that the light we see in the skies are of stars. This is at night of ...
A: .. If you don't mind, I'll do your questions in reverse. Under our current knowledge of mass, space, ...
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| nebulas and O5 class star | 6/19/2005 |
Q: As a student I have two question and I am asking you. These two questions came to my mind: 1.Why ...
A: Any O ar A spectral class massive star does not live long enough, so using our own standards of ...
|
| telescope | 6/10/2005 |
Q: what is the basis of building a telescope and requirements
A: The telescope simply gathers light-- -a big light bucket; (the eyepiece does the magnifying). You ...
|
| Universe and speed of light | 6/2/2005 |
Q: I read that the current thinking is that the universe is around 18 billion years old (give or take ...
A: Well, I think the current age is stated as 13.7 Billion, plus or minus 0.3 billion years...but no ...
|
| planets | 5/18/2005 |
Q: or whatever that come ever 3,600 years?
A: ... Absolutely not! There is no tenth planet of the solar system.....this has been checked and ...
|
| Big Bang Theory | 5/16/2005 |
Q: Can you give me some observation evidence in favor of the Big Bang Theory? Thanks, Mike
A: Yes, I can give you a lot of observational evidence and data concerning the Big Bang versus Fred ...
|
| true? | 5/11/2005 |
Q: some guy said this plus many disasters?? 1/3 OF THE EARTHS POPULATION WILL BE GONE IN A TWINKLING ...
A: .. Great Handle for an e-mail name!..... Well, What Body? Actually, in any case, it doesn't ...
|
| earth's rotation | 4/24/2005 |
Q: Hve you ever been into space? if so what was the expierence like? What would happen if the earth ...
A: No, but I have been up to 55,000 feet in a KC-135 USAF Tanker aircraft on a high altitude mission ...
|
| Saturn's moon: Titan | 4/21/2005 |
Q: Just from your own prospective and a scientific point of view, do you think that Titan (Saturn's ...
A: Sorry for the delay, but I thought I answered this question already....evidently the allexperts site ...
|
| Earth | 4/20/2005 |
Q: could we speed up the earth's rotation?
A: More information required..... How? Or rather, by what mechanism are you thinking of doing it, AND ...
|
| Solar Eclipse | 4/17/2005 |
Q: My science teacher and I have been trying to find out when the next total solar eclipse will be in ...
A: Well, I've been to 5 of them so I know when they all are. Actually, you won't be too far from the ...
|
| asteroids/comets | 4/9/2005 |
Q: If there was a large comet or asteroid on a collision coarse with earth, would we know before it ...
A: Sorry I didn't answer sooner but we've been down at Cherry Springs State Park observing all weekend, ...
|
| planet? | 3/30/2005 |
Q: is this website true about this planet mr astronomer just wondering?? ...
A: No! Absolutely Not! This is all so-called "meta-physical" Bullsh....! Many of these metaphysical ...
|
| space | 3/27/2005 |
Q: i had a few questions and hope you can answer them:) Will the black hole at the center of the Milky ...
A: You seem to be pre-occupied with black holes, and fearful of them....not to worry as the nearest one ...
|
| -------------------------
... | 3/24/2005 |
Q: I Have just got a newtonian telescope which is 76mm diameter and 900mm focal length.I have got 2 ...
A: ...I did think it strange for Egypt, the country that helped to start astronomy thousands of years ...
|
| hi
I Have just got... | 3/24/2005 |
Q: I Have just got a newtonian telescope which is 76mm diameter and 900mm focal length.I have got 2 ...
A: Gee, I was told by an Egyptian (or was it you?) a few months ago that the Egyptian government did ...
|
| Lacerta | 3/23/2005 |
Q: I have a few questions pretaining to the constellation Lacerta. First of which is, what is Lacertas ...
A: You won't find any mythology on Lacerta because it is a very "recently" named area of the sky ...
|
| The Earth | 3/16/2005 |
Q: Can you help me? I have emailed the following questions to people who should know the answers, i.e. ...
A: Well, this is kind of out of my field....astronomy....we actually don't "look" at the Earth, but ...
|
| Gravity | 3/14/2005 |
Q: Does gravity effect a person's height???
A: Probably, but more indirectly than one individual person, which is probably what you are thinking. ...
|
| stars | 3/8/2005 |
Q: Why does the sky seem more populated with stars one night, and the next there seem to be far fewer? ...
A: .... Easy question, but a very good one. Well Ashley, first realize that there is the same number ...
|
| Careers In Astronomy | 3/4/2005 |
Q: my name is Mitchell, and I have a question relating to astronomy careers. I just started college ...
A: I had exactly the same problem 40 years ago! Not that good at higher math, but pretty good with the ...
|
| I have been doing a bit of... | 3/2/2005 |
Q: I have been doing a bit of research, and I recently ran into this bit of text: "A simulation of ...
A: Yes, that was an article published in Oct 1999 at Berkeley and picked up on, (and probably ...
|
| Moon | 2/12/2005 |
Q: I'm originally from Northern Germany. At home, when we have a waning/waxing moon, the tips of the ...
A: ..... Congrat's for being an AllExperts participant too... Ok, the crescent moon, and I assume you ...
|
| telescopes | 2/12/2005 |
Q: Looking to buy a nice scope. Can you suggest a good place in NYC?
A: ... In our great hobby, it's one of the few activities that you really have to mail order, to get a ...
|
| foci | 2/4/2005 |
Q: I was watching the 2nd DVD of Cosmos yesterday and Sagan was discussing Kepler's laws of planetary ...
A: I believe..... that is still Kepler's first law, the second being ... equal area's are swept out in ...
|
| TRIVIA HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!! | 1/28/2005 |
Q: The sun surly does not emanate from here. Take a look at the front and then look to the lowest ...
A: ..... I'm still trying to figure out the question..... Was there a picture or something, supposed to ...
|
| correction on earlier email | 1/23/2005 |
Q: I believe I mentioned in my earlier email that I read you could see saturn with a 45mm lens. Oops! I ...
A: .. that's a mis-print....it should read..."even a small telescope will show the planet's ring ...
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| Please help with my new telescope! | 1/23/2005 |
Q: I NEED HELP! :-) I'm totally amateur in astronomy and I just got a new telescope before I read ...
A: If you paid less than $300 dollars for your scope....if you didn't send away for it, in other words, ...
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| pics | 1/17/2005 |
Q: These recent, ASTOUNDING pics of Titan, especially the ones which shows what appears to be a coast ...
A: I'm really not sure...I also was a little disappointed, BUT I'll offer 3 suggestions why.... 1. ...
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| I want to thank you for your... | 1/14/2005 |
Q: I want to thank you for your time and effort in providing this response. I am still attempting to ...
A: Ok Stephen, I'll be standing by, although not for real long because I am a 63 year old man with ...
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| Telescopes | 1/14/2005 |
Q: I would like to try a little amateur astronomy in my holidays. I want to get a cheap telescope for ...
A: Amateur astronomy is not just a weekend event like a skiing trip to the Alps, or a visit to Pisa to ...
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| What I seek is a referral... | 1/7/2005 |
Q: What I seek is a referral to a chart, list, or some such that provides the number of stars by their ...
A: I don't know how specific you need the information you asked for, but I will give you what I know. ...
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| Moon & Sun sometimes appear larger than usual | 1/7/2005 |
Q: Why is it that sometimes both the moon and the sun appear larger than normal? Is it a function of ...
A: Yes, anything to do with size change, shape change, color change like the orange sunsets or deep ...
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| Our galactic core and planetary objects. | 1/6/2005 |
Q: I am doing research for a sci-fi novel I am writing. I was hoping you could help clarify a few ...
A: To answer your questions in a word, yes yes yes, yes, and yes....the rest near the bottom are all ...
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| Milky Way Galaxy | 12/27/2004 |
Q: Our science teacher gave us an assignment over the holiday break. I not sure if one of the questions ...
A: .... I don't know if I'd call it a "trick Question"...but with just a little thought, it's quite an ...
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| Measuring the Skew of the Moon's Orbit | 12/15/2004 |
Q: I have to read your answer over again and ponder it for a bit. What I meant by the moon's orbit ...
A: Well, easiest way to explain the ecliptic (which as you know is the center of sun-center of Earth ...
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| direction of sunrise | 12/14/2004 |
Q: ------------------------- Hi Tom Thanks for your prompt reply. I've been having trouble getting a ...
A: Yes, well you win some and lose some, on total solar eclipses.... It was clear on P.E.I. for the ...
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| direction of sunrise | 12/13/2004 |
Q: I have a question, but first I would like to say how lucky you are to have seen 5 eclipses. I saw ...
A: .... Never been on a ship, so no, no cruises (180 combat missions in Nam in KC-135 tanker aircraft ...
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| Measuring the Skew of the Moon's Orbit | 12/13/2004 |
Q: You helped my son with a project involving light pollution last year for which he won first place at ...
A: .. Glad to help in the past and congratulations on his 1st place results. Well, I'm not familar ...
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| What exactly is a "Saros cycle"... | 12/13/2004 |
Q: What exactly is a "Saros cycle" in layman's terms please, Thank you! Lola
A: Yes, it's simply the time it takes for the moon to return back to almost its exact same position in ...
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| astronomy | 12/11/2004 |
Q: How big is our solar system
A: ... Well, depends on how you want to define the Solar System..... If you are just thinking of the 8 ...
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| Astronomy | 12/10/2004 |
Q: I wanna help you could you tell me please that. What type of telescope detects energy that's outside ...
A: Easy question.....telescopes that detect and receive energy outside the visible light spectrum are: ...
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| Asteroids | 11/29/2004 |
Q: Tom, I am an Amateur Astronomer taking an online course. It has come time for my final section. I ...
A: Becky,.... I don't know....but if it were me, I would start E-mailing colleges that teach astronomy ...
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| -------------------------
... | 11/28/2004 |
Q: In egypt, telescopes are illegal and can't be found. But I am a real fan of astronmy and I want to ...
A: Yes, the eyepiece at "the other end of the telescope" The piece of glass you look into with your ...
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| hi
In egypt, telescopes are... | 11/27/2004 |
Q: In egypt, telescopes are illegal and can't be found. But I am a real fan of astronmy and I want to ...
A: I've never heard of a country or a civilization that did not allow their citizens to own and operate ...
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| space | 11/18/2004 |
Q: A is a long tailed ball of ice, rock, and gas that orbits the sun.
A: ... BTW, that's my middle name, except its spelled "Allen".... A comet. (A "dirty snowball"...name ...
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| Moon sighting | 11/15/2004 |
Q: I was wondering if it was scientficly possible to see the crescent of the moon with the naked eye on ...
A: ... From Where? And which date...November 12 in Greenwich England, Christchurch, New Zealand? Or ...
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| Finding Deep Sky Objects... | 11/15/2004 |
Q: Hey! ... So I bought a nice 200mm apeture telescope(Celestron C8-N), and based off of my research, ...
A: Ok, everyone that's been in astronomy for a while knows that those RA and DECL setting circles on ...
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| term | 11/11/2004 |
Q: Can you help me define "emission spectra?"Thanks.
A: I believe the full name is "bright line emission spectra".... simply the spectrum of an incandescent ...
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| travel of light across the universe | 11/11/2004 |
Q: Theoretically, if a person could be instintaniously "zapped" from earth to a point in space that is ...
A: Yes, you are correct.....IF a person, theoretically, could be instantly placed to a point 2000 ly ...
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| Saturn | 11/3/2004 |
Q: I'm currently working on a Science Inquiry. Consulting with experts is part of the process, and was ...
A: glad to help.... 1. Light gets to Saturn the same way it gets to any other planet, or any starlight ...
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| age of universe | 10/30/2004 |
Q: The recent "Hubble Ultra Deep Field" - (HUDF) showed some smudges believed to be galaxies at a ...
A: ... Sorry, but I never received your question from the Allexperts group; I typically answer within ...
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| thermal expansion coefficient of optical substrates | 10/29/2004 |
Q: it's me again. I have more questions! I've learned that the substrates of dichroic filters have to ...
A: Sorry Bridget, I (and most astronomers) don't manufacture the filters, we just use them. (Just ...
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| Huygens | 10/28/2004 |
Q: With the recent flyby of Titan, I was wondering about the pictures that (hopefully) will be taken by ...
A: Well, I think that the cameras installed are at least equivalent to what the Mars Rovers use, ...
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| optical filters | 10/20/2004 |
Q: How do filters (such as light pollution and colored filters) only let one frequency group through ...
A: Well, I'm not into the manufacturing field, but I've read that the so-called light pollution and ...
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| mars | 10/4/2004 |
Q: why is mars known as the the red planet ...
A: Bart, because to the naked-eye, the planet appears with a slight reddish shade...not fire-truck or ...
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| Solar System | 9/30/2004 |
Q: I just want to know: 1)If the Outer Core is so hot that the metal is melted, then why isn't the ...
A: This is somewhat out of my field....the Earth is a geology topic, and not specifically an astronomy ...
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| Magnetic Field | 9/25/2004 |
Q: How did the Earth's Magnetic Field created? Thanks
A: Samson, it's the dynamo principle....a rotating liquid iron core surrounded by a solid substance ...
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| Strange red pusling object! | 9/24/2004 |
Q: I'll get right to it! I live in Ottawa Canada, and as of late, my family and I have observed a ...
A: I would have answered sooner, but the AllExperts website has been down for repairs. You are seeing ...
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| Equinoxes | 9/24/2004 |
Q: I have noticed that the solstices and equinoxes seem to be falling on the 22nd of the month lately ...
A: I would have answered much sooner, but the AllExperts website has been down. Well, I know its not ...
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| Thought I'd Mention... | 9/15/2004 |
Q: In your answer to Paul's question you forgot both the the Pegasus Dwarf Galaxy and the Canis Major ...
A: FOLLOW UP: Hi AW, Yes, you are correct, but...... Paul is a newbie...his question was not, "What ...
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| choosing telescope | 8/30/2004 |
Q: What telescope do you recommend? I have $400. Thanks. Mike.
A: The 200 inch Hale Telescope on Mt. Palomar...Just Kidding! First, are you ready for a ...
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| The Cassini Mission | 8/22/2004 |
Q: Has The Cassini Mission launched in 1997 reached Saturn and do you have any good interrnet sources ...
A: Yes, Cassini went thru its 96 minute burn for SOI (Saturn Orbital Insertion) on June 30 without a ...
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| Galaxy info | 8/19/2004 |
Q: Is there a Galaxy called Pegasus? If so, haw far is it from earth? Do you know of any websites ...
A: Not specifically, as Pegasus (as you probably know) is a constellation (area of the sky) and there ...
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| Toutatis | 8/14/2004 |
Q: TOM, For Toutatis being a global threat,I read it has a 67% chance of impact Sept.29th, the experts ...
A: .. Well, the 60+% chance is pure hogwash....strictly out of the National Enquirer and types like ...
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| telescope | 8/8/2004 |
Q: My six year old son has become fascinated with the solar system and the stars. Obviously, we want to ...
A: Mike, 6 year olds are typically still in the 'concrete' phase of life (as opposed to the ...
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| asteroids | 8/6/2004 |
Q: . why is it that the asteroids are placed between mars and jupiter? thanks...
A: Raiza.... I think what you really mean to ask is...what process put the asteroid belt between Mars ...
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| Stars | 7/26/2004 |
Q: Why don't stars stay on zero-age main sequence while they are main sequence stars? Any information ...
A: Nathan, Because there is a compositional change as the star begins to fuse hydrogen to helium in the ...
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| Velocityq | 7/20/2004 |
Q: Sir, Can you explain how velocity is effected in concerns with planets (i.e Mercury to the Sun ...
A: Nathan, Comparing planet to planet as you are, you are dealing with Kepler's 3rd law where the ...
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| PICS | 7/13/2004 |
Q: I'm sure there's an easy answer to this, but why are most of the new images from Cassini in B&W? I ...
A: Yes Tim, thank you for the question... Well, Saturn is just emerging from conjunction on the back ...
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| light from outer space | 7/10/2004 |
Q: for the detailed answers, altho it is mind boggling for me. Nevertheless, I can roughly understand ...
A: Justinchoo... Sorry I missed this question on my E-mail, as I was out of town observing at Cherry ...
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| light from outer space | 7/7/2004 |
Q: I cannot understand how light can travel for millions of years without disappearing. The light ...
A: Well, (2) if we could magically "switch off" the stars, the light would be extinguished too, and ...
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| Upgrade | 7/4/2004 |
Q: I currently own a 4.5 inch reflector telescope with 900 mm focal length. Is it worth it upgrading to ...
A: Well, you actually have two separate questions...size of scopes and light pollution; the two are ...
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| moon / earth | 6/15/2004 |
Q: How long does it take the moon to travel around the earth and how do they calculate this and when ...
A: It does not have to be calculated...it can be done by simple observation. In fact, the moon's ...
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| Right ascension/declination | 6/14/2004 |
Q: Just one more small question... Is it worth it upgrading to a 8 inch in a light polluted sky? Thank ...
A: Deeb, Yes! Most definitely, as long as you stick with high quality equipment...right now stick to ...
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| Right ascension/declination | 6/12/2004 |
Q: I own a 4.5 inch reflector telescope and have been looking at the sky "manually" for a few months. ...
A: Deeb, Small scopes, even my old Celestron 8 came with RA and Decl. circles...but they put them on ...
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| Horizon | 5/22/2004 |
Q: Would the horizon be the equator?ie depending on the tilt of the earth, the equator would change ...
A: No, your horizon is dependent on the curvature (and thus the radius) of the body you are standing ...
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| Uranus and its Seasons | 5/21/2004 |
Q: ------------------------- I was thinking around the same lines, thanks again for the fast reply ...
A: Yes, well it takes Uranus 84 years to orbit the sun, so for your starting point, only the southern ...
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| Would the constellations as seen from the Moon be the same as those seen from Earth? | 5/21/2004 |
Q: That makes sense, basically its the reversal of what we would see on Earth. One other things i do ...
A: Rahul, Yes, the constellations (positions of the stars relative to each other) would be identical ...
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| The Earth viewed from the moon, how would the earth look over the course of weeks? | 5/21/2004 |
Q: the earth would goes through diffrent phases. Since the moon revolves at approximately 13 degrees ...
A: Rahul, Very simple and very logical....the Earth, as seen from the moon, is the exact opposite ...
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| Black Holes, White Holes, Worm Holes | 5/12/2004 |
Q: my name is Henry Wakley. I am currently a senior in the Miller School in Albemarle County, Virginia. ...
A: .. Well, for starters, looks like you are working with old material there....in astronomy, any ...
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| stars, order of magnitude | 5/10/2004 |
Q: Tom,Hi,I read your answer, thank you,I understand about Polaris,I just wish I could see more stars ...
A: Mike, Not familar with nuclear explosions or lasers, but I believe your quotation deals with ...
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| stars, order of magnitude | 5/10/2004 |
Q: Tom, I read one of your other answers and it made me want to ask you a question.First,I always had ...
A: Yes Mike, glad to make your acquaintance.... well, don't feel bad as most people think that Polaris ...
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| orbit insertion | 5/6/2004 |
Q: I've heard it's very difficult to send a probe/satellite towards Mercury (or any inward object, say ...
A: Yes Tim, What you read is exactly true; it's much more difficult... read that more energy ...
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| Re: what star is that? | 4/27/2004 |
Q: I found your answer to someone who asked a question about a star just west of Orion's belt. (3/6/04) ...
A: Christina, Well, that was 6 weeks ago...things have changed...planets have moved, and do move....but ...
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| asteriods | 4/23/2004 |
Q: How can we measure the temperatures of two asteroids? and what can we deduce from the measurements? ...
A: Rain, Simply photograph the body in question using an infrared telescope with infrared sensitive ...
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| cloud | 4/12/2004 |
Q: How come Saturn's cloud decks are less colorful than Jupiter's? Thank You -ken
A: You must be taking the same course as "James"...as he just asked the exact same question! Ken, ...
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| moon and tidal braking | 4/4/2004 |
Q: Whiting, I don't quite understand how even if the moon is spinning, why is it not subject to tidal ...
A: Raichu, It was, and they are...in fact, they both are subject to tidal braking...actually, ...
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| Light pollution, etc. | 4/4/2004 |
Q: I live in a light polluted area with a 5.4 magnitude limit. A few months ago, I bought a 4.5 inch ...
A: Deeb M, in Reverse order, (3) yes, a refractor is more appropriate in this situation, since you will ...
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| oxygen | 3/22/2004 |
Q: Whiting, I'm curious about oxygen. How come oxygen molecules do not all have identically the same ...
A: Well Bob, If I remember my gas laws of physics, any gas, be it oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine, ...
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| gasses | 3/21/2004 |
Q: Why do heavier molecules, say, carbon dioxide, move more slowly than to the oxygen molecules when ...
A: Kai, Simply because they are larger, heavier, and therefore, need more momentum to escape....just as ...
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| Astronomy | 3/12/2004 |
Q: please can u tell me the effects, advantages and disadvantages of astronomy to man? I need this ...
A: Well sorry, but I am not signed up for Yahoo, but we can communicate by E-mail directly....I'm at ...
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| Hi Tom,
In pictures we... | 3/10/2004 |
Q: In pictures we see of galaxies throught telescopes or Hubble, they are of course these awe-inspiring ...
A: Tim, Interesting questions! Actually, had you stayed out at night in the desert long enough to ...
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| what star is that? | 3/6/2004 |
Q: Is is a star or a planet? I'm in San Diego and there is a really bright star to the West of Orion's ...
A: I would have answered your question much sooner, but I could not get on the allexperts website for ...
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| observatory | 3/5/2004 |
Q: if you were in charge of selecting site for a new observatory, what factors would you consider?
A: Chris, Well, obviously you'd want dark, dry skies, access to the entire sky, even the S. Hemisphere, ...
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| space | 3/3/2004 |
Q: please could you let me know how many miles away is the sun and the moon if you could help it would ...
A: Yes Richard, the sun is very close to an average distance of 93 million miles...but our distance ...
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| Mars | 2/27/2004 |
Q: I know that Mars' spin axis has a similar tip angle to that of Earth, but why does this cause ...
A: Kai, Yes, Mars 25 degree axial tilt gives Mars 4 seasons, just like the Earth, during its 687 day ...
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| Help with some terms | 2/22/2004 |
Q: I am planning to reenter the hobby of astronomy after many years. I had just a very basic reflector ...
A: Casey, would have answered this last night, but the allexperts website was down....could not access ...
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| thermal spectrum | 2/21/2004 |
Q: Does a thermal spectrum emitted by an object have a peak? or does it have the same intensity at all ...
A: Bob, I can't think of a single case where ANY spectrum does not have a peak somewhere, which ...
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| sun | 2/20/2004 |
Q: I know that nuclear fusion reactions takes place in the core of the sun where the temperature and ...
A: James, The high temperature and density are required for hydrogen fusion to occur because you are ...
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| Detection | 2/19/2004 |
Q: Why can't we use normal light (observable light) to detect the birth of stars and protostars but ...
A: Shawn, Because stellar birth occurs in dense interstellar clouds like the Great Nebula in Orion ...
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| escape | 2/14/2004 |
Q: Does a heavier rocket need to reach a higher speed than a lighter rocket in order to escape from ...
A: James, The weight, mass, volume, whatever....is unimportant.... The body in question simply has to ...
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| space | 2/13/2004 |
Q: If there is a fabric of space and time does it expand across the whole univere? Like is there one ...
A: Arpan, The word 'fabric' is just a connived or convenient term to describe the space-time continuum ...
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