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Astronomy/Questions Answered by Expert Tom Whiting
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Unable to see through telescope | 1/6/2012 |
| Q: I received a used Celestron 114 mm Newtonian 910 mm telescope for christmas. It came with a Bartow ... A: That's why we always recommend for novices to wait a while before a telescope purchase, and never ... | |
| buying my first telescope | 1/2/2012 |
| Q: I read your answer to a question about "celetron powerseeker 76 reflector".I was lucky,I read it ... A: I would make my next purchase a solid tripod for your fine 20 x 50 binoculars and use those on the ... | |
| RA DE | 1/2/2012 |
| Q: Hi i have a EQ mount for my Celestron 114 Astromaster telescope and i have heard about the RA an DE ... A: Sorry, but I (and most other amateurs) star hop to objects rather than using celestial coordinates. ... | |
| relative movement | 1/1/2012 |
| Q: I have a general question Sir, I've read that our Solar system is headed towards the Leo ... A: You jumped one phase too many, of our true motion... by too much "skip" reading. First, the Solar ... | |
| Using coordinates | 12/31/2011 |
| Q: Ok, i just got a telescope for Christmas and im really into it but i am clueless on how to find ... A: That's exactly why, in our great hobby, equipment (scope) comes LAST, not first. Knowledge comes ... | |
| Celestial coordinates | 12/30/2011 |
| Q: Whiting: Regarding the celestial coordinate system is it correct to say that the declination always ... A: Yes, the (North-South) declination value will remain nearly constant (see below) AS LONG AS you only ... | |
| stars in the sky | 12/22/2011 |
| Q: My daughter and I were outside looking at stars, and we noticed a very sparkly star. Red and bluish, ... A: First, Orion is NEVER in our Northwestern sky. The constellation of Orion currently rises around 6 ... | |
| Star clusters | 12/13/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering specifically about the coma cluster if you had any knowledge on that in particular ... A: just from what I read on the internet, like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coma_Cluster (The galaxy ... | |
| bright star in same place | 12/9/2011 |
| Q: every clear night in the same place all year around there is a very bright star. it is in the ... A: Oh Cheryl, Just a word on astrology versus astronomy... ask the kid to get you an ASTRONOMY book ... | |
| bright star in same place | 12/8/2011 |
| Q: every clear night in the same place all year around there is a very bright star. it is in the ... A: NOT TRUE that planets can only be seen AT dusk or dawn... planets (and stars too) can be seen FROM ... | |
| bright star in same place | 12/7/2011 |
| Q: every clear night in the same place all year around there is a very bright star. it is in the ... A: Since the Earth revolves around the sun, it is impossible for the same object to remain in the same ... | |
| New planet discovered | 12/7/2011 |
| Q: A new Earth-like planet has been discovered, c.600 light years away. Based on the information in ... A: Yes, I've seen basically the same information you have, but off the Kepler spacecraft website. Other ... | |
| bermuda triangle | 11/21/2011 |
| Q: sir i am suraj from india i want to ask u that what is the main history or hidden story behind ... A: You've been watching too much of that science fiction on TV (or reading too much metaphysics reports ... | |
| Apparent size of Jupiter | 11/19/2011 |
| Q: I have what I think is possibly a fairly simple question to answer but the thought of what the ... A: Since Io orbits Jupiter at about the same distance as our own moon, we can proportion it from the ... | |
| Things to do on a budget..... | 11/12/2011 |
| Q: Several of my friends and I have a lot of interest in astronomy and wish to get into backyard ... A: Not much in this the 21st Century. Even strictly visual observations are down to about 2 items ... | |
| brown clouds | 11/7/2011 |
| Q: On my google sky map I notice brown clouds extending from the north pole, down past the moon and to ... A: You're welcome. Tough to see those northern lights, even from Michigan, with a near full moon. I'll ... | |
| brown clouds | 11/4/2011 |
| Q: On my google sky map I notice brown clouds extending from the north pole, down past the moon and to ... A: Probably, but on most charts the Milky Way swath is colored dark blue. The 1st quarter moon tonight ... | |
| Binary system | 11/2/2011 |
| Q: Was our Sun ever part of a binary system and are binary systems the norm or the exception ?. Thanks. A: It's thought that about half (50%) of all stars are part of a binary, or multiple system. Whether ... | |
| dark matter | 10/12/2011 |
| Q: maybe this is more of a Physics Q, but I've liked your answers before so I'd like to give you a try! ... A: Even if you allow for unknown "free-floating" black holes, and unknown very massive black holes, ... | |
| Astronomy beginner | 9/26/2011 |
| Q: My love for physics and astronomy is of cosmical scale! I am an absolute beginner and recently got a ... A: Congratulations on finding M-31, and yes, we can only see the primary galaxy naked eye. The other ... | |
| Astronomy beginner | 9/22/2011 |
| Q: My love for physics and astronomy is of cosmical scale! I am an absolute beginner and recently got a ... A: In our great hobby, typically equipment (scopes) come last, not first. Knowledge of astronomy comes ... | |
| Planetary Defense Iniatives | 9/7/2011 |
| Q: I've been researching different security implications for a planetary defense response program if we ... A: Do you mean "fantastically" or... fanatical? i think we, the USA, are doing enough on this subject. ... | |
| Planetary Defense Iniatives | 9/6/2011 |
| Q: I've been researching different security implications for a planetary defense response program if we ... A: We already have a space telescope up there looking for any NEO's; WISE (widefield Infrared Survey ... | |
| red lights | 8/12/2011 |
| Q: Last Saturday my family saw what looked like a red flare rising from the East in went up to 40 ... A: I have no idea... but I (like you) already know that it is something (someone) man-made, because I ... | |
| The creation of the Universe | 7/31/2011 |
| Q: During hundreds of years scientists have been concerned about “how” the Universe was created. ... A: The "where" is easy... namely, everywhere, as far as our visible Universe is concerned. You and I ... | |
| General question | 7/23/2011 |
| Q: I am very interested in astronomy, but awful at math. How can you get involved with astronomy beyond ... A: I am almost exactly the same... so do what I did; forget the professional field and become an ... | |
| camera to Telescope setting | 7/9/2011 |
| Q: I have a bracket to attach it to a 8" telescope. Could you help me with the setting or any hardware, ... A: Sorry, I don't do pictures... I am strictly eyeball to the eyepiece with strictly a manual non-goto ... | |
| Telescope | 7/5/2011 |
| Q: Sir, I just want to ask that how come the telescope in space like Hubble can magnify and clarify ... A: Yes, it's an angular measurement (which in turn defines resolution) so we don't have to worry about ... | |
| Telescope | 7/4/2011 |
| Q: Sir, I just want to ask that how come the telescope in space like Hubble can magnify and clarify ... A: Since our atmosphere limits Earth-based telescopes to about 1 arc-second resolution, or on a very ... | |
| Can an ordinary person determine the day of the vernal equinox for themselves by simple means? | 6/26/2011 |
| Q: A follow-up question... >> Yeah, that sounds good to me, except I prefer the "due West setting" >> ... A: Yea, that involves some complicated spherical trigonometry... which is way beyond my knowledge of ... | |
| Can an ordinary person determine the day of the vernal equinox for themselves by simple means? | 6/26/2011 |
| Q: If someone were to ask me how to determine the day of the vernal equinox using simple means, how ... A: Yeah, that sounds good to me, except I prefer the "due West setting" or due East rising, so I don't ... | |
| Red/White light | 6/17/2011 |
| Q: I am hoping you can help me figure out what I am seeing. I feel you are the best person to answer ... A: No, there is no UFO's here (or anywhere)... plus you re-identified it in nearly the same place in ... | |
| telescopes | 6/7/2011 |
| Q: I have a 12inch telescope with a limited resolution of 1 arcsecond. How far can a planet be seen ... A: Sorry, but this is a homework math problem... how do I know? No one gives a planetary diameter in ... | |
| shapes of stars and planets | 6/6/2011 |
| Q: . I have two questiohs 1- Is all the stars are spheric like our sun? if yes.. why they weren't ... A: I'm not sure what you mean by a "disc"... you mean that you think the sun is just 2 - dimensional ... | |
| shapes of stars and planets | 6/4/2011 |
| Q: . I have two questiohs 1- Is all the stars are spheric like our sun? if yes.. why they weren't ... A: The sun is not perfectly spherical either... but differs by 0.001% or only about 10-20 miles between ... | |
| Light | 6/2/2011 |
| Q: Sir, Can we re-create the magnetic field alone from a ray of light or an electro-magnetic wave? A: I think you mean to say, can we make a magnetic field from just a ray of light (which IS an ... | |
| Astronomers | 5/22/2011 |
| Q: Good Morning, I know you said no astrology questions, but I feel you could help me with a question ... A: .. Yes, the believers in astrology in the astronomical community probably number far less than 1%; I ... | |
| Choosing A Telescope | 5/18/2011 |
| Q: i want to buy a telescope to see the solar system's planets, bright stars, nearby galaxies and ... A: You could, but I don't know the size of glass up front on your spotting scope. The bigger the piece ... | |
| Choosing A Telescope | 5/10/2011 |
| Q: i want to buy a telescope to see the solar system's planets, bright stars, nearby galaxies and ... A: Well, if you want a device that views all those things (constellations are too big an area to view ... | |
| Galaxies | 5/9/2011 |
| Q: Q1: Has anyone been inside another galaxy in history? Q2: Would any other galaxies be like our Milky ... A: 1. NO. We haven't even been to the nearest star, Alpha Centauri, in our own Galaxy, at only 4.3 ... | |
| Jason 323 | 5/8/2011 |
| Q: Sir, I've just bought a Jason 323 w/out instructions. I can't seem to get the 'bore site' part ... A: Sorry, I'm not familiar with that type of scope. I don't even know what a bore site is. Why not ... | |
| moon | 4/21/2011 |
| Q: can the moon cause the clouds to act differently, if they have high water compositions. ANSWER: Hi ... A: Well, fortunately our very thin atmosphere (and it IS very thin compared to Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, ... | |
| moon | 4/20/2011 |
| Q: can the moon cause the clouds to act differently, if they have high water compositions. ANSWER: Hi ... A: Air is fully saturated when there is about 4% water vapor content, or completely saturated air for ... | |
| moon | 4/20/2011 |
| Q: can the moon cause the clouds to act differently, if they have high water compositions. A: No. (All low clouds by definition, have high water composition because the air temperature is at the ... | |
| Solar Flares and Red Rain | 4/19/2011 |
| Q: Hey Tom, Bit of an odd question this, but for the purpose of a screenplay I'm writing, I have a ... A: You get the answer you probably expected (and should have known)... '..uhhh....no'. And what you ... | |
| Uranus and Venus | 4/16/2011 |
| Q: 1. Does the planet Uranus get hit by earthquakes? 2. What association do the Moon and Venus have in ... A: 1. No. The 4 gas giant planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are, as the name implies, all ... | |
| Strange asteroid orbit | 4/7/2011 |
| Q: This asteroid orbit makes absolutely no sense to me. How could it arise and exist in this way? It ... A: The horseshoe diagram is misleading as it keeps the Earth stationary... therefore the horseshoe ... | |
| the Moon | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: What did we learn from samples of moon rocks that we did not hitherto know or suspect? Articles for ... A: The main perception from lunar samples was that the moon came from the Earth because the samples ... | |
| The death of our universe | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: When is the earliest possible 'date' for the death of the universe? Will We be able to do ... A: Several caveats here... 1. Could you define Universes' "death" for me?; some feel that there is no ... | |
| Why can we not imagine that? | 3/25/2011 |
| Q: The book "A brief history of nearly everything" by American author Bill Bryson discussed the fact ... A: Sure, there probably are... just like we drink the same water that the dinosaurs were drinking some ... | |
| What is your counterargument? | 3/23/2011 |
| Q: The ice core drillings that should tell us what the temperature was many years ago are hypothetic ... A: Not true... while we cannot know the absolute dates, we DO know the relative dates are accurate, ... | |
| gravity induced polarization | 3/17/2011 |
| Q: I have tried searching the web but cannot find a short explanation of this phenomenon. I think it is ... A: There is no question here, but doesn't matter as I have no idea what that is. That is far beyond my ... | |
| What was before Big Bang? | 3/13/2011 |
| Q: Do we know that? A: To be perfectly honest, we don't know. (And since current 'time' didn't exist as yet, we may never ... | |
| Does the world temperature rise? | 3/13/2011 |
| Q: Does the world temperature rise or fall at the moment? A: There is no 'at the moment' when it comes to average global temperature. There are so many factors; ... | |
| angle of moon phases | 3/8/2011 |
| Q: Is it possible for a moon phase to be a perfect saucer with the points of the moon pointing straight ... A: You mean a crescent moon with the cusp points pointing straight up? Happens almost all the time ... | |
| space | 3/6/2011 |
| Q: according to the special relativity theory of Einstein when a mass is moving away from gravitational ... A: Yes, special relativity (dealing with velocity and light speed) makes the clock run slower because ... | |
| space | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: what is time dilation? please give me detailed information with relevant examples in a clear words A: Review Einsteins special relativity. Time dilation is simply the slower passage of time relative to ... | |
| space | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: what is warm hole?please give detailed information about this with relevant examples A: A worm hole connects one location in space to another, more distant location. There are no examples ... | |
| Thank you | 3/3/2011 |
| Q: Mr. Whiting ~ I just wanted to finally thank you for advising me on the Southern Cross observation. ... A: Your Welcome. Tell your friend that in Mid May from Miami and farther south, the Southern Cross ... | |
| Moon Libration | 2/28/2011 |
| Q: I understand that Libration allows us to see a total of about 9% of the far side of the moon, but ... A: Yes, I also can find nothing on the longitudes or latitudes either, but I do know that we're only ... | |
| Moon Illusions | 2/16/2011 |
| Q: Can you explain how, usually on a cooler(50s low 60s,)low humidity (less than 50%, low for here N. ... A: The eye responds to a movement or deflection of... a bright source, quicker than a dim source. I ... | |
| Telescope eyepiece | 2/14/2011 |
| Q: i! I just pick up a older Celestron Newtonian 114 mm 910 mm Telescope . Could you recommend the best ... A: so in plain English terms, you have a 4.5 inch mirror with an f8 focal ratio (910 mm focal length ... | |
| Do you think that it will hit us? | 2/1/2011 |
| Q: Asteroid Apophis is reported to has a chance of striking Earth on April 13, 2036. Do you think that ... A: Didn't I just state in a previous answer that is the next doomsday "event" after the Mayan calendar ... | |
| Why do people believe in it? | 1/30/2011 |
| Q: Why do people believe in pseudoscience and global warming when there is no scientific evidence for ... A: Lack of a proper education for one. Most people like astronomy, but either don't want to spend the ... | |
| Focus trouble w/filter selector | 1/23/2011 |
| Q: Tom, I'm a 4 year astronomy hobbyist & have a NP101 refractor. I've just added a Lumicon 1.25 ... A: Sorry but I have zero experience with refractor telescopes, never having owned one. Suggest you ask ... | |
| Dark Matter As A Possible Misinterpretation of Data | 1/16/2011 |
| Q: I am only an armchair amateur physicist, but I have a nagging question that may have been answered ... A: Of course we're seeing the light of the past; that's all we can do. (Nature allows us no choice). If ... | |
| PHYSICS | 1/13/2011 |
| Q: WHICH ARE THE THREE FUNDAMENTAL (MAIN) FORCES IN UNIVERSE, SCIENTISTS ARE TRYING TO EXPLAIN WITH A ... A: Sorry, but I am not a math major or physicist... just an amateur astronomer for over 50 years. But I ... | |
| physics | 1/12/2011 |
| Q: Why do , at first place , a)things start orbiting around the earth (means under what ... A: Why (and Who?) are philosophical, or theological questions; Why is Saturn here? Why are we here? ... | |
| 3 dimensional model project | 1/10/2011 |
| Q: I am a fellow expert over in the animals section. I am a Biology teacher by trade and for some ... A: The Earth is smoother than a billiard ball by comparison. Those few miles of elevation (Everest or ... | |
| 3 dimensional model project | 1/7/2011 |
| Q: I am a fellow expert over in the animals section. I am a Biology teacher by trade and for some ... A: Unfortunately, your basic premise is corrupt... constellations, BY DEFINITION, are only ... | |
| Rogue Black Holes | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering(and this has nothing to do with any 2012 doomsday scenario :)), if a rogue black ... A: How fast do they move? Relative to what? I thought I made it clear that all places, times, events, ... | |
| Rogue Black Holes | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: I was wondering(and this has nothing to do with any 2012 doomsday scenario :)), if a rogue black ... A: Part one - Depends entirely on the mass of the "rogue" black hole; 50 solar masses or 3 billion ... | |
| Solar Storms and Sleep | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: Should I be losing sleep on the upcoming solar storms that are predicted to impact earth during the ... A: I try to intersperse some logic and common sense to all this high-science stuff. Science is nice ... | |
| Solar Storms and Sleep | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: Should I be losing sleep on the upcoming solar storms that are predicted to impact earth during the ... A: Michio Kaku is a very nice man... he does a very good job both entertaining and educating the public ... | |
| Solar Storms and Sleep | 1/4/2011 |
| Q: Should I be losing sleep on the upcoming solar storms that are predicted to impact earth during the ... A: No, and no. High sunspot cycles occur (peak) every 11 years on average (that can vary from 9-13 ... | |
| space | 12/21/2010 |
| Q: what is a newmoon weekend A: Just what the name implies... Obviously, it's the weekend that the new moon falls on, or is closest ... | |
| telescopes | 12/21/2010 |
| Q: Where can I go to buy a telescope in person I would like there web sites too if possible A: Generally, that's not a good idea. Telescopes... good telescopes that actually work... are best ... | |
| spiral galaxies | 12/20/2010 |
| Q: what are some caracteristics of sprial galaxies with some explanation. A: Spiral galaxies are sort of pancake-shaped (due to rotation) similar to our own Solar system. Local ... | |
| juipter | 12/20/2010 |
| Q: I am watching several documentaries on the " Star of Bethlehem" and that seemed to be one of the ... A: One of the best, and most plausible suggestions was put forth by Dr. Michael Molnar of the ... | |
| object of interest | 12/19/2010 |
| Q: It is the point in the sky towards which we are moving, according to the CMBR. I want to plot (not ... A: Sorry, I'm not into computers or the higher math... I can barely do E-mail and get on the internet, ... | |
| object of interest | 12/19/2010 |
| Q: It is the point in the sky towards which we are moving, according to the CMBR. I want to plot (not ... A: Oh, you said... celestial "object" in your first request. I don't think that point is determinable ... | |
| Crux Constellation Belize viewing | 12/17/2010 |
| Q: A friend with cancer wants to see the Southern Cross and cannot make the long trip to Australia from ... A: Your friend does not have to leave Florida to see the Southern Cross... it's visible right down on ... | |
| saturn in orions belt | 12/15/2010 |
| Q: Please answer this question. Hou often has saturn been in the center of orions belt.When was the ... A: Never does, never has, never will. Nor does any other major planet. Because Orion is not a Zodiac ... | |
| astronomy | 12/12/2010 |
| Q: what is the relationship of time and gravity?what is the reality of time dilation in space? ANSWER: ... A: It doesn't stop... it becomes infinitely dilated, so one second takes an infinite amount of Earth ... | |
| astronomy | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: one day of earth is equal to fourteen days of moon.how is it possible?please explain it with ... A: This statement about "one day on the moon" has nothing to do with relativity or the "normal" passage ... | |
| astronomy | 12/11/2010 |
| Q: why time stops as we go higher and higher from the earth A: It's the other way around... it stops (infinite dilation) as you enter a strong gravitational field, ... | |
| A star that changes color to red and green | 12/10/2010 |
| Q: A pilot friend asked me what star it would be that pilots see in the east that changes color to red ... A: It's probably the brightest one, Sirius... although Betelgeuse and Rigel in Orion can do the same ... | |
| Planet position on the sky | 12/6/2010 |
| Q: How do we map the planet position we see on the sky onto the two-dimensional paper ? At night we see ... A: No, I'm afraid there are certain functions in this world that still require the old-fashioned analog ... | |
| Astromomy | 12/3/2010 |
| Q: I have been studying solar radiation and gravity since 1999 when I invented the "Solar Plasma Meter" ... A: 5.6 degrees. On page 338 of my star Atlas, Uranometria, Vol 2 Southern Hemisphere, we see the ... | |
| sunset | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: How far north would be the sunset June 21st? In Venice Fl A: My Skyglobe program gives an azimuth of 296.2 degrees for Miami on that date, and 297.0 degrees for ... | |
| Spacesuits | 11/17/2010 |
| Q: ''The orange suits they wear for launch and landing are called Launch and Entry Suits (LESs), which ... A: Yes, BUT... the Leonid meteor shower currently only produce about 15-20 meteors per hour, and Leo ... | |
| Concerned Father | 11/15/2010 |
| Q: First I apologize in advance for what is most probably a moronic question. I, however was coerced by ... A: .. it's always good to dispose of irregularities. Of the 10 visibly unknown infrared objects ... | |
| Telescope making | 11/13/2010 |
| Q: I have a 8" Newt just replaced the secondary mirror and with the 2" eye pieces only I can see the ... A: Sorry Tim, I just use them, I don't build (or modify) them. (I pay another club member to build all ... | |
| Quick help with question before test | 11/12/2010 |
| Q: Hey, I have a test early tomorrow morning and I'm doing review questions but I just don't know how ... A: That's not an astronomy question, that's a physics question, I believe involving Newton's second ... | |
| Focal lengths | 11/7/2010 |
| Q: I have been doing some research to determine what scope I should buy. My first impression was that ... A: Yes, a larger mirror provides more light and a 12 inch is our desirable minimum size for seeing ... | |
| Ring Nebula | 11/2/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Whiting, Hoping you can help me identify an object I'm seeing.... I'm new to astronomy and ... A: Anytime you need help with the night sky objects, give me a shout. I know it better than the ... | |
| Space/Time | 11/2/2010 |
| Q: As a follow-up question, let me ask this: Light and matter that have entered into a black hole are ... A: Thought I was quite clear with my previous answer... in any case.... First, yours is an impossible ... | |
| Ring Nebula | 11/2/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Whiting, Hoping you can help me identify an object I'm seeing.... I'm new to astronomy and ... A: Yes, that's it... a small "fuzzy star" at only 40 power. You'll have to up the power to magnify it ... | |
| Planet sizes and mass | 11/1/2010 |
| Q: I'm just wondering is there a limit to the size and mass of a planet? If so why? Your help is much ... A: I don't know. I know of nothing that would prevent a rocky planet from obtaining the size of ... | |
| Planet sizes and mass | 10/31/2010 |
| Q: I'm just wondering is there a limit to the size and mass of a planet? If so why? Your help is much ... A: Yes, there is an upper limit, but it's typically not well defined because of other factors, mainly ... | |
| Space/Time | 10/28/2010 |
| Q: As we know, when we view a night sky we see the light from distant stars or distant galaxies as they ... A: First, we need to straighten out your question, like the first sentence. A light year is a unit of ... | |
| Planet Kolob | 10/26/2010 |
| Q: Have you ever come across the imaginary planet Kolob that the LDS believes in? I am sure it is ... A: Planets do not "float around out there somewhere", they always orbit a star, or the sun. There is no ... | |
| Exoplanets | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: My question is about when scientists discover an exoplanet around a distant star by means of ... A: They are capable of separating the results of say, 2 eight-mass planets in different orbits around ... | |
| Gravity | 9/27/2010 |
| Q: In Einstein’s theory where time and space is bending around earth my understanding is we are being ... A: Yes, we and every other mass (including the atmosphere) is being kept on the surface by the ... | |
| bright object in the southwestern sky | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: I live in the Central Texas are and have a very good view of the night sky with very little light ... A: Be careful there... in our great hobby of observational astronomy, equipment comes LAST, not first. ... | |
| career guidance | 9/25/2010 |
| Q: I am a student of class 11th. My subjects are Physics,chemistry and mathematics,also biology.I am ... A: You are on exactly the correct path... continue taking mathematics, chemistry, and physics as those ... | |
| bright object in the southwestern sky | 9/24/2010 |
| Q: I live in the Central Texas are and have a very good view of the night sky with very little light ... A: But you said "southwestern" sky in the evening. Jupiter (and coincidentally Uranus nearby, barely ... | |
| bright object in the southwestern sky | 9/23/2010 |
| Q: I live in the Central Texas are and have a very good view of the night sky with very little light ... A: Sorry, but my skyglobe program shows that Venus doesn't set for 80 minutes after your Texas sunset, ... | |
| Nibiru | 9/22/2010 |
| Q: Is there a planet Nibiru which is reported to come close to Earth on 12 December 2012? The NASA ... A: Unless you are into witchcraft and the occult, and the odd-ball conspiracy theories.... there is no ... | |
| Near Black Hole Model. | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could answer this question regarding the formation of a Near Black Hole, ... A: FOLLOW UP: Sorry, I don't speak German... I barely got thru English. So no, I was not familiar with ... | |
| Near Black Hole Model. | 9/19/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could answer this question regarding the formation of a Near Black Hole, ... A: From bottom to top... yes, I see slight color tinges in M-42 thru the 30 inch. One can see Venus ... | |
| Good material for light baffles? | 9/18/2010 |
| Q: I want to make some light baffles to go inside my 12" metal-tube Dob. What would you recommend? ... A: Sorry Paul, I can't help you there... I just assumed they were made out of thin plywood circles, and ... | |
| Good material for light baffles? | 9/17/2010 |
| Q: I want to make some light baffles to go inside my 12" metal-tube Dob. What would you recommend? ... A: I don't think Kydex is suitable for that; you want light-weight black flocking material. I've never ... | |
| Magnification | 9/15/2010 |
| Q: If there is an object 1760 yards away, - how close would it appear to be if viewed at full zoom by ... A: I don't know about your "zoom" or what that means. But you are correct about the power divided into ... | |
| sun's position | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: I understand the earths tilt relative to the sun. Question is simple and kind of dumb I guess. How ... A: The suns apparent position in our sky changes by about one degree eastward every 24 hours... 360 ... | |
| Making a diagram of the solstices and equinoxes | 8/29/2010 |
| Q: What is the best way to illustrate in a diagram the eastern horizon going from northeast to ... A: Depends on how complicated you want this to be... the ultimate answer involves some trigonometry, ... | |
| Jason model 348 Mercury Telescope | 8/28/2010 |
| Q: I have the same problem as questioner below! bought this at an auction to get my grandsons ... A: At only one inch in diameter, why bother to mess with it? Get the grandson a pair of 10 x 50 (mm) ... | |
| Please kindly respond to this question | 8/21/2010 |
| Q: I have found some interesting arguments from various experienced scientists regarding the origin of ... A: I didn't define God, you do. I simply stated that that our "invisible good friend" entity (God in ... | |
| Please kindly respond to this question | 8/21/2010 |
| Q: I have found some interesting arguments from various experienced scientists regarding the origin of ... A: FOLLOW UP: Oh, and this is NOT a "belief" thingy. I have no 'belief' on this particular subject. ... | |
| telescopes | 8/18/2010 |
| Q: I am contemplating buying a telescope in the near future and whilst I have some knowledge regarding ... A: Well, reading is really the first big step... we all do a lot of that in the hobby all the time; I ... | |
| telescopes | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: I am contemplating buying a telescope in the near future and whilst I have some knowledge regarding ... A: I also am almost 69, but unfortunately, the same rules apply to us seniors as do the younger ... | |
| Axis Shift | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: If there hasn't been an axial shift as you assert then how do you explain the sun rising in a ... A: I don't have to explain it. It's a normal reflex action of both our tilt and our revolution around ... | |
| telescopes | 8/16/2010 |
| Q: I am contemplating buying a telescope in the near future and whilst I have some knowledge regarding ... A: You're probably not yet ready for a scope, as yet. How do I know that? Because you didn't bother to ... | |
| a star in North East sky | 8/13/2010 |
| Q: I know very little about astronomy. I have a star chart which only confuses me. Looking NE I see a ... A: You failed to give me a location and time zone so I'll just have to work off the compass direction ... | |
| Energy | 8/9/2010 |
| Q: What is energy ? Please explain it in brief because i am too much confused about it. Give me answer ... A: Energy is a measurement of the quantity of radiation given off by some form of activity, usually ... | |
| Tasco Model 17TR telescope | 8/7/2010 |
| Q: I live in Louisiana and tried to go view the stars in a park last weekend and it was just a tease. ... A: Never heard of it, had to look it up at http://www.smarter.com/se--qq-tasco+telescope+80mm+17tr.html ... | |
| Saturn's North Pole Hexagon | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: Tom, bxg66 I understand that there's several theories regarding this phenomenon. Since hexagons in ... A: the best explanation I could find is a dissimilar flow of a jet stream relative to the planet's ... | |
| right ascension | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: I have tables for Long & Declination etc but don't know how to convert that to RA. could I have the ... A: There is zero (no) correlation between star positions (RA and Declination) on the celestial sphere, ... | |
| right ascension | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: I have tables for Long & Declination etc but don't know how to convert that to RA. could I have the ... A: Places on the Earth's surface do not have a "celestial" Right Ascension or RA. I'm afraid you are ... | |
| 21 Aug 2017 | 7/24/2010 |
| Q: Seeing a total solar eclipse is in the top ten of my "bucket list," a list of things I'd love to do ... A: I also plan the 2017 event; it will be my 6th total solar eclipse on the totality line. Well, ... | |
| Thanks | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: I am satisfied with the previous answer & i like it, thanks. Give me some details neuclear reactions ... A: Light, and all electromagnetic radiation... radio, heat, UV, X-rays, and Gamma Rays, have no mass. ... | |
| Question | 7/16/2010 |
| Q: What is shockwave, how we can break sound barrier. A: A shockwave is really a pressure wave that builds up in front of the object that is approaching the ... | |
| Space; Black Holes | 7/13/2010 |
| Q: I would like you to confirm if this statement is correct followed by a question. A black hole with ... A: Not being a math major, I really don't know. But I do know that a billion tons is practically ... | |
| Regarding sun | 6/30/2010 |
| Q: What is the planet like is seen near the sun when a photograph of sun is taken. Some kids has seen a ... A: ... Anytime you attempt to photograph a bright light source, there are always ghost images, streaks, ... | |
| Nostradamus | 6/20/2010 |
| Q: I guess I used the wrong words, if you took my previous question and replaced it with high density ... A: Well there is no large Earth-crossing asteroid right now... most are just a few feet across up to ... | |
| Nostradamus | 6/19/2010 |
| Q: I have a few questions to ask about a doomsday prediction by Nostradamus for a story I'm writing and ... A: We really don't worry about comets unless they impact the Earth. The reason being, they are all very ... | |
| Air Force career | 6/19/2010 |
| Q: Were you a member of class 68B at Williams AFB? I was also a member of 68B. A: Honestly, I don't remember the actual class designation... it was Williams AFB and it was 1968. But ... | |
| Northeast Night Sky | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: I read your bio after a few questions you answered seemed to deal very closely with a Science ... A: The Big Dipper stars range from magnitude 1.8 to 3.3 and are given at ... | |
| Ref: question | 6/3/2010 |
| Q: Good day, It has been said that most of the universe is dark matter and that it is unseen. How do we ... A: We know dark matter exists because if it didn't, then the clustered galaxies would all fly apart ... | |
| laws of celestial bodies | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: I am very interested in astronomy and was wondering if you could help me with information (or direct ... A: Sounds like....Your first step is to either go to the library (or a local collage bookstore that ... | |
| Venus | 5/27/2010 |
| Q: How long will we be able to see Venus in the sky over the west and how often does it appear. Thank ... A: Us Earthlings will be able to observe Venus through the end of September 2010, at which time our ... | |
| Moon's speed | 5/22/2010 |
| Q: I heard about a method for calculating mean Moon's speed (around the Earth) in a model where Sun's ... A: Sorry, but I am not a math major, so I can't help you... I'm an astronomical observer and don't get ... | |
| buying a telescope | 5/19/2010 |
| Q: im doing my graduation second year and i have planned to buy the best telescope within a range of ... A: Save your money and wait until you have $400 to $500 USD, the minimum entry level (at least in the ... | |
| Air Force Career | 5/18/2010 |
| Q: To: Tom Whiting Sorry if i don't address you correctly. I really appreciate the time you take out ... A: Well, your very best thing to do is apply to the United States Air Force Academy at Colorado ... | |
| planets | 5/14/2010 |
| Q: i would really appreciate it. whats the distance from earth to the following planets in AU; mars, ... A: As you probably know, the Earth-Sun distance of 93 million miles is 1 AU. So all you have to do is ... | |
| orbit | 5/11/2010 |
| Q: So I've been told that the planets all orbit around the sun is this true? Do all planets orbit in ... A: Kepler's first law... All planets orbit the sun on ellipses. They all orbit in the same direction, ... | |
| Is mars a stable planet? | 5/10/2010 |
| Q: I know that earth is a stable planet due to the presence of it's nearby moon. But i was wondering if ... A: Stability requires a time frame to be stated. Over 10,000 years (past and future) all major planets ... | |
| Saturn | 5/9/2010 |
| Q: Ton - do you know the last time Saturn crossed the Earth's orbit... thenks Neil A: Neil, You don't really mean "crossed over our orbit" do you? You mean, when was the last time that ... | |
| space | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: Why is the moon's orbit tilted? This was a question on a homework page from school. Is there a ... A: Why is Mercury's orbit tilted 8 degrees to the ecliptic? Why is Pluto tilted 18 degrees? Why are ... | |
| 2012 doomsday | 5/3/2010 |
| Q: Will we die in 2012? Please provide the most concrete evidence possible to back up your statements. ... A: .. I assume you're speaking of the "end" of the Mayan calendar so-called event of 12/21/2012? Did ... | |
| career guidance | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: Sir,I'm Genny from India.I'm in 10th standard now.I have a great passion towards astronomy and would ... A: About the same requirements as astronomy above... heavy on math and science. Besides a weight ... | |
| Venus | 4/28/2010 |
| Q: Venus perplexes me. It's retrograde rotation, youthful surface, and extreme atmospheric pressure ... A: Actually I consider Venus the most stable planet in the Solar System, with it's near-perfect, almost ... | |
| question about a lens | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: Good afternoon Mr. Whiting, I recently bought a Jason 348 Astronomical telescope and it is missing ... A: Sorry but I am not that familar with commercial telescopes; suggest you ask allexperts Paul Wagner ... | |
| View from the Moon | 4/20/2010 |
| Q: Suppose you live on the Moon, near the center of the face that we see from Earth. During the phase ... A: The Earth would remain stationary, high overhead, and go through phases exactly opposite of what ... | |
| space | 4/10/2010 |
| Q: optimistic values for the terms in the Drake Equation particularly for L, will give a large N, ... A: More of a 'biology' question as opposed to astronomy, isn't it? In any case.... All true, BUT... ... | |
| if we live on the moon | 4/8/2010 |
| Q: "If we lived on the Moon, how would the position of the Earth change in our sky over time? Would the ... A: It wouldn't move. Since the moon keeps its same side toward the Earth, the Earth remains "frozen" in ... | |
| Mars | 4/7/2010 |
| Q: Whiting, I have a question about life on Mars. I know it sounds science-fiction, but I am not ... A: No. So far we haven't sent an electron microscope (or even an old-style optical microscope) there. ... | |
| Atmosphere Pressure on Mars and Venus | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: What is the atmosphere pressure of these 2 planets? Are they higher than Earth's atmosphere ... A: The URL given below gives all planets' atmospheric pressure. Venus is about 92 times the Earth and ... | |
| Large grouping of moving Orange Lights | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: I have just spotted interesting activity within the sky, I am located in Dulverton, Somerset, UK and ... A: .. I'd never thought of a Chinese wedding with paper lanterns with candles in the paper bag. (Isn't ... | |
| Large grouping of moving Orange Stars | 4/4/2010 |
| Q: I have just spotted interesting activity within the sky, I am located in Dulverton, Somerset, UK and ... A: Your subject line should read, "Orange Lights" and not orange stars. (Stars don't move relative to ... | |
| Vernal Equinox | 4/1/2010 |
| Q: if I have understood this correctly, the vernal equinox is regarded as the first day of spring when ... A: No trouble, we're just volunteers that like to help the people with their astronomy questions. Yes, ... | |
| How to calculate Doppler Shift? | 3/31/2010 |
| Q: In hydrogen, the transition from level 2 to level1 has a rest wavelength of 121.6 nm. suppose you ... A: Like sound, the wavelength of light will lengthen if object is moving away, and shorten when ... | |
| I want to do Astro physics in my future | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: I am pranav S complted 8th standard and now i am in 9th standrd(ICSE) .I am very much interested in ... A: Take all the "heavies"....2 years algebra, plane geometry, a year of trigonometry, chemisty, physics ... | |
| The earth viewed from the moon | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Whiting You've answered question related to the earth viewed from the moon. But does this ... A: A lunar observer on the moon viewing the Earth sees a stationary (but rotating) Earth in the lunar ... | |
| science (astronomy-stars) | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: We are studying the evolution of brightest stars in a constellation. I have to do a star report. We ... A: I couldn't find much on it either on the internet.... my best try was at ... | |
| Vernal Equinox | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: if I have understood this correctly, the vernal equinox is regarded as the first day of spring when ... A: If it's due west and low, yes, it's Venus just slowly climbing up into our evening western sky, from ... | |
| Vernal Equinox | 3/20/2010 |
| Q: if I have understood this correctly, the vernal equinox is regarded as the first day of spring when ... A: Gary, Technically, the sun is at the Vernal Equinox is when the sun crosses the celestial equator ... | |
| Moving Line of Lights | 3/18/2010 |
| Q: the other night me and my friends were driving my on friend back to his house in Polk Township,Pa in ... A: Not really...BUT...The odds are pretty good that it probably was, in fact, a flight of night flying ... | |
| Refracting Telecopes | 3/17/2010 |
| Q: A very simple refracting telescope (perhaps the first one invented) had a CONVEX lens as an ... A: All good astronomical telescopes invert the image at the eyepiece, irrespective of curvature. We ... | |
| Weights on other worlds | 3/13/2010 |
| Q: Calculate the acceleration of gravity on the surface of each of the following worlds. How much you ... A: There are two webpages that do that for you... the first is at ... | |
| Cygnus (the swan) | 3/11/2010 |
| Q: How many stars are in the constellation cygnus? A: Down to what magnitude (brightness)? There are thousands and thousands of stars visible in even a ... | |
| astronomy | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: what is the parallax angle of a star that is 32.6 Ly distant? A: A star at one parsec ( = 3.26 ly) would have a parallax angle of 1 arcsec. (The simple formula is ... | |
| National History Day | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: My name is Dustin and for my National History Day project I am doing the innovation of space travel, ... A: 1. Human space travel has spurred a general interest in astronomy in the past 50 years, and we did ... | |
| National History Day | 3/5/2010 |
| Q: My name is Dustin and for my National History Day project I am doing the innovation of space travel, ... A: Didn't know that there was a National History Day? Which day is that? There is a National ... | |
| Big Bang | 3/4/2010 |
| Q: Sir, - Hubble's law explains about an expanding of universe everywhere in the PAST or in the ... A: Yes, in a way, we do; I guess one can look at it that way. I'm no expert on spectral analysis, but ... | |
| Big Bang | 3/3/2010 |
| Q: Sir, - Hubble's law explains about an expanding of universe everywhere in the PAST or in the ... A: The "standard spectrum" is the laboratory spectrum that is observed in a laboratory at zero velocity ... | |
| stars | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: i need the name of any star that would set/rise in the skies of cape town at around the middle of ... A: I don't have Cape Town on my skyglobe program, but I do have Johannesburg a few hundred miles to ... | |
| astronomy | 2/26/2010 |
| Q: THIS IS A SERIOUS QUESTION YOU HAVE TO THINK IT OVER. DO YOU BELIEVE IN MEDITATION? I CAME TO KNOW ... A: No, I don't believe that. If we COULD really do that, then why spend all the money for space probes ... | |
| Brightest Quasar visible to amateurs? | 2/25/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering what the current record holder for the brightest quasar is, and would it be visible ... A: 3C 273 still remains the brightest quasar at magnitude 12.9v in Virgo, a few degrees NW of naked eye ... | |
| request for details of career guidance for astronomy | 2/24/2010 |
| Q: SIR MY NAME IS KIRAN KUMAR, I AM FROM INDIA I AM DESPERATE TO LEARN ASTRONOMY VERY MUCH. BUT I DONT ... A: I learned astronomy first by reading everything I could at the public and school library, and by ... | |
| astronomy | 2/17/2010 |
| Q: Is 2012 the end real? A: For the Mayan calendar, I guess so, although I'm not Mayan. BUT, for the rest of us, our Gregorian ... | |
| Planets with dark/light sides | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: I'm writing a science fiction story about a world with a 'sunny side' from which the sun appears to ... A: The term is synchronous rotation... the moon keeps one side facing the Earth because it rotates once ... | |
| lights in space | 2/11/2010 |
| Q: WHat are the lights people are talking about that are coming closer to the earth? A: I have no idea of what you're talking about... Send me the internet reference. Sounds like a little ... | |
| age of universe | 1/28/2010 |
| Q: firstly would like to thank you on your previous replys to myself. As far as i am aware we have ... A: No confusion at all. Big Bang occured 13.7 billion years ago. (In current time)... so that's our ... | |
| age of universe | 1/28/2010 |
| Q: firstly would like to thank you on your previous replys to myself. As far as i am aware we have ... A: Sorry, I did not mean to imply that I disagree with the 13.7 billion year value. I accept that ... | |
| ecliptic? | 1/28/2010 |
| Q: my father (83y.o.) keeps talking about a line that runs diagonally around the world & through ... A: There is a special line that runs right through the middle of Australia (just misses Alice Springs) ... | |
| age of universe | 1/27/2010 |
| Q: firstly would like to thank you on your previous replys to myself. As far as i am aware we have ... A: Second question first....We have, in our own club, about 3/4 of the members are just like you. They ... | |
| star | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: What is the first sunlike star to possess a planet? A: You mean the first one discovered outside the Solar System? The star 51 Pegasi in the constellation ... | |
| Jupiter | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: Why isn't Jupiter habitable? A: By definition, Jupiter is one of 4 gas giants in the Solar System, the others being Saturn, Uranus, ... | |
| speed of light | 1/24/2010 |
| Q: im hoping you can help me with my memory! Many years ago i wrote to Stephen Hawking,no less, and ... A: He probably meant "speed of light" instead of speed of sound...BUT your entire question is ... | |
| mid-latitude | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: what kind of weather conditions an observer would experience if the center of a mid-latitude cyclone ... A: In the northern hemisphere, air around a low circles counter-clockwise. So in the northern ... | |
| water | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: What is the process by which water changes from one state to another? ANSWER: Hi Charlie, When ... A: It's both, depending upon the outside surroundings of the environment around the substance. If ... | |
| water | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: What is the process by which water changes from one state to another? A: When water (or any other substance) changes from a solid to a liquid, that's called melting. The ... | |
| aerosols | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: What are the main sources of human-generated aerosols and what kind of effects do these aerosols ... A: An aerosol is defined as a suspension of either a droplet or a solid in a gas, in this case, the ... | |
| Stars, constellations, and asterisms | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Whiting In a previous post I asked if one could view the moon on two consecutive nights. I did ... A: Yes, but not necessarily at the same time. You in Cuba, and your sister in Virginia are basically ... | |
| Hubble looking back in time? | 1/21/2010 |
| Q: To keep things as brief as possible, I understand the concept of red shifting. I also go along with ... A: We have far far more than that...but it would take a physics and astronomy course to explain it ... | |
| The Sun in the Milky Way | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: What is the radial velocity of our sun relative to the galactic core? More generally, are galaxies ... A: Galaxies, in fact all matter, are relatively fixed in size for the time being (see last ... | |
| astronomy | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: Is the "dog star" located near the moon? To the bottom left? ANSWER: Hi Linda, Since the moon moves ... A: Oh, while Sirius is the brightest real star at -1.5 magnitude, there are a couple of planets that ... | |
| Full moon | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Whiting I read that on 31 December 31/1 January and 29/30 January there are two consecutive ... A: No, you misinterpreted what you read....the date December 31/1 January means that part of the world ... | |
| astronomy | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: Is the "dog star" located near the moon? To the bottom left? A: Since the moon moves like a speeding freight train all around our sky, it's best not to use the moon ... | |
| global warming | 1/17/2010 |
| Q: Are you for or against Global Cooling? A: Actually, I'm not for or against anything. But I do know that this planet is self-regulating over ... | |
| Supernovae | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Whiting I have a few questions I would like to ask. How does a star "die?" How do Type I ... A: The starting mass of a star determines it's method of death, and not surprisingly, ALL the other ... | |
| Hubble looking back in time? | 1/14/2010 |
| Q: To keep things as brief as possible, I understand the concept of red shifting. I also go along with ... A: Lots of questions but I'll try to do my best. There is a very very high confidence in using Red ... | |
| Eclipses & Phases of the moon | 1/13/2010 |
| Q: Its known to us that the moon takes 29.5 days to go around the earth which denotes that we ... A: Lunar eclipses can only occur at exact full moon, the other condition being that the moon must be ... | |
| About moon | 1/4/2010 |
| Q: if one conceives an Earth-Moon system isolated from influence of the solar system, (the Sun ... A: No, the difference between the two periods is the 27.3 days (lunar sideral period) the Earth ... | |
| Sun following speed | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: I am a sculptor and I have this idea for a kinetic sculpture that the top needs to be under the sun ... A: Do you mean rotate (motion around an axis) or apparent travel across our sky, based on the Earth's ... | |
| thunderstorm | 1/2/2010 |
| Q: What causes thunderstorms in countries, close to the North Atlantic Ocean? A: The same thing that causes thunderstorms anywhere else; rapid uplift of the relatively warm ... | |
| gravitons | 12/31/2009 |
| Q: "Hi,i have heard scientists have no evidence for a graviton but beleive it to be real,as a force ... A: Oh, I'm a big fan of good sci-fi, especially the TV series of Startrek. However, later cast ... | |
| gravitons | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: "Hi,i have heard scientists have no evidence for a graviton but beleive it to be real,as a force ... A: That's just my personal opinion, but I could be wrong... (how does one test for that?) Well, perhaps ... | |
| gravitons | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: "Hi,i have heard scientists have no evidence for a graviton but beleive it to be real,as a force ... A: Second question first....the balloon analogy is a poor one conceived in the early days, butit breaks ... | |
| Looking for a beginner telescope | 12/30/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell me where I could buy an inexpensive telescope in the Erie area? I bought one for my ... A: Sorry but this is one of the few activities that requires you to purchase a telescope by mail order ... | |
| black hole universe | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: "Hi wondered about your views on the following idea. We have 'calculated' expansion rates of the ... A: Well, you are free to do any research you wish. Just remember to maintain the integrity of the ... | |
| black hole universe | 12/26/2009 |
| Q: "Hi wondered about your views on the following idea. We have 'calculated' expansion rates of the ... A: I don't think we can do the same for a black hole, which simply represents the most compact (or ... | |
| black hole universe | 12/26/2009 |
| Q: "Hi wondered about your views on the following idea. We have 'calculated' expansion rates of the ... A: Yes, I've read the theory that the entire Universe may be one giant black hole. Don't know if I ... | |
| Telescopes | 12/26/2009 |
| Q: I bought a set of Nikon 7x50 binos and a Celestron Star Map for my 8 year old nephew this Christmas. ... A: Yes, equipment (scopes) come last in our great hobby, not first. It's the same as if I gave you a ... | |
| Telescopes | 12/26/2009 |
| Q: I bought a set of Nikon 7x50 binos and a Celestron Star Map for my 8 year old nephew this Christmas. ... A: Yes, you are going about it exactly the correct way. A 6 inch (mirror diameter) scope improves on ... | |
| astronomy | 12/24/2009 |
| Q: are there any stars that are around the entire year and sets when half the night is gone? A: All the stars "are around"....exist, all the time. (Even the sun). It's just that you can't see the ... | |
| meterology | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: ok this is what I got for liberia weather. These results were from this afternoon at 1400Z. ... A: Not knowing anything else, it appears that a weak cold front passed thru your region. 1. ... | |
| Universe | 12/12/2009 |
| Q: Is the universe finite or infinite? If it is finite, how big is it? A: Depends how you define our Universe. If you're talking about the baryonic matter, the 4% that we and ... | |
| Science of an Intelligent Universe | 12/11/2009 |
| Q: Greetings Mr Whiting, My work on www.ascensionq.20fr.com is religion and science based and is a ... A: FOLLOW UP: In addition, if one has to 'drop down' to the use of volunteer astronomers on the ... | |
| meterology | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: How do I make an analysis of local pressure in Liberia? A: You'd have to get a multitude of barometric pressure readings from all over the country, preferably ... | |
| Astronomy/Electromagnetic radiation (starlight) | 12/4/2009 |
| Q: Good evening Mr. Whiting I have a few questions regarding starlight. If starlight is ... A: All of it. Starlight is composed of radio, infrared, visible light, UV, X-ray and gamma rays, the ... | |
| Current State of Stars and other Space objects. | 12/3/2009 |
| Q: For the longest time I have been confused on whether or not our current telescope technology allow ... A: Of course not. That's not a technological problem "to solve"... but simply a hard physical law ... | |
| collision of the two galaxies | 12/2/2009 |
| Q: what would be the effect upon impact, post impact and the long lasting effect if the collision of ... A: Well, there really is no "impact"...these aren't hard frisbee disks. In fact, in all the galaxy ... | |
| can i see the stars | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: Greetings, I have a Jason model 323 yellow piece of equipment along with a Hollywood Gemini 2806 ... A: Sorry, but I'm not much up on the smaller scopes and their associated equipment. Paul Wagner is our ... | |
| clouds | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: WHy is it that its 5 a.m. where I'm at and I don't see any clouds? ANSWER: 1. I don't know your ... A: While you're on the coast of West Africa, true it's probably always humid at the surface, ... | |
| clouds | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: WHy is it that its 5 a.m. where I'm at and I don't see any clouds? A: 1. I don't know your location. (And therefore I don't know your current weather synopsis.) 2. Could ... | |
| weather | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: What are the types of precipitation found in NY seasonally during the entire year? ANSWER: Hi ... A: Georgia, especially southern Georgia, is nearly a sub-tropical region...so they are subject to ... | |
| weather | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: What are the types of precipitation found in NY seasonally during the entire year? ANSWER: Hi ... A: Las Vegas is further south and is in a western desert region. So it's hotter and dryer with far less ... | |
| weather | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: What are the types of precipitation found in NY seasonally during the entire year? A: All 9 different types of precipitation are found in the New England region, including my home state ... | |
| Relative | 11/30/2009 |
| Q: Tom, was your Mother or Grand mother named Kendrick? Was she from somewhere around Hominy, ... A: Sorry Joe, no relation. All my relatives were Allentown PA and Western PA around New Castle....poor ... | |
| Orbits | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: I shall try to clarify my originalThe moon orbits the earth. The Earth Orbits the the Sun. The Sun ... A: The Milky Way appears to have a random motion inside the Local Group. That's capital L and G. (Our ... | |
| global warming | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: is global warming a hoax and that we should burn more fuel to prevent a next ice age? when volcanoes ... A: There have been more ice sheets than megavolcano eruptions, the last being Yellowstone some 640,000 ... | |
| the volume of material substance in comparison to the entire universe | 11/25/2009 |
| Q: How large is the volume of matter in the universe?Say we take containers each holding inside 1 cubic ... A: Yes, regular matter is scarce... I've read where it's density is more like one atom (mainly ... | |
| moving lights in the sky | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: My boyfriend and I were in Defiance, MO. He lives there and we are building a new house. We were ... A: Lights at night are the most difficult to determine, as the eye can only detect brightness and ... | |
| opinion | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: what do you find interesting about the below paragraph? The coordinates for Fussa Japan are: 35° ... A: My opinion? I agree with it...topography (mountains and valleys) and bodies of water greatly ... | |
| spotting a meteor | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: Last evening, 11/21/09 at 6:00 PM I was taking some compost to my compost pile. It was dark and my ... A: No, your meds are fine. It probably was walnut or softball sized. Somewhere on the Earth about once ... | |
| spotting a meteor | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: Last evening, 11/21/09 at 6:00 PM I was taking some compost to my compost pile. It was dark and my ... A: No, in fact my last question was about this exact same meteor sighting at 6 pm on that date. That ... | |
| meterology | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I got a question. I am stationed in Liberia (africa) and there are two seasons which is the wet from ... A: Isotherm lines on a synoptic weather map are important in a historical sense. One can go back say 50 ... | |
| night sky 11/21/09 | 11/22/2009 |
| Q: I was looking into the north eastern sky at 6:30 p.m. and saw what I think may be a meteor. It was ... A: Yes, they can and do. They can come in many varieties...no tail, no trail, long trails that ... | |
| meterology | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: I got a question. I am stationed in Liberia (africa) and there are two seasons which is the wet from ... A: Isotherms, by definition, are lines of constant temperature on a weather map over a large area. ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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. ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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% ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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". ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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). ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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' ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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. ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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", ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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. ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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) ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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. ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| (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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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) ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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. ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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" ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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' ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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) ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 - ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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--- ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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? ... | |
| 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), ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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? ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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. ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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. ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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: ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| ------------------------- ... | 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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, ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
| 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 ... | |
Astronomy
Answers by Expert:
Tom Whiting
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Astronomy has been my hobby/pasttime for over 50 years. Currently own 3 telescopes, the largest of which is a 30 inch Newtonian truss Dob that is portable.I taught Astronomy/Meteorology at the University Level for 13 years before retiring in 1995. Being retired and home most of the time, I am able to answer all questions relatively quickly, unless it's a new moon weekend with good observing conditions. No astrology questions please, or questions about alleged UFO picture identifications.
Experience
Experience: Astronomy has been my hobby and study for over 50 years. We currently now own a 30 inch portable telescope (Updated - Pennsylvania`s largest portable telescope). It can be seen on our website at:http://www.velocity.net/~bwhiting and also attend several regional starparties during the year, and have been on 5 total solar eclipse expeditions.
Organizations: President, Erie County Mobile Observers Group for over 15 years.
Publications: Wrote the "Over Erie Skies" newspaper article in our local newspaper for 11 years (1975-86).
Education: Masters Degree- Taught at the University level for 13 years. Retired 20 years -USAF Pilot - KC-135 with 180 combat missions; Also Eagle Scout, Philmont staff 2 Yrs, Order of Arrow Lodge Chief, Ham Radio (inactive).
Awards: two discoveries: The mini-coathanger asterism in Ursa Minor (the little dipper) And the mini-ladle- another asterism in the bowl of Ursa Minor. Clients: Currently President of the ECMOG as mentioned above.
Education/Credentials
BS Metallurgical Engineering Grove City College, PAMaster's Degree, Gannon University, Erie, PA
Also retired USAF pilot, 20 years.
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