Off-Topic Space, the final frontier, these are the voyages of NASA

[ddann]

I'd argue otherwise. The research and development that goes into such endeavors pays huge dividends in other areas. It's money far better spent than on social media technology, weapons, or political lobbying.

Well, if my choices are:

a) Spend tons of money on colonizing space, that will never result in actually colonizing space, but will end up producing some really cool tech to be used in everyday life applications

Or

b) Spend tons of money on funding unnecessary foreign wars and whatnot

Then, yeah, I guess I would sort of prefer choice “a” if those are my only two options.

 

[JD08]

Well, if my choices are:

a) Spend tons of money on colonizing space, that will never result in actually colonizing space, but will end up producing some really cool tech to be used in everyday life applications

Or

b) Spend tons of money on funding unnecessary foreign wars and whatnot

Then, yeah, I guess I would sort of prefer choice “a” if those are my only two options.

Realistically, b) will happen because there are votes to be bought and cronies to enrich.

 

[JD08]

Imagine inexpensive, abundant energy.

Nuclear fusion for the grid is coming much sooner than you think

Commercial nuclear fusion has gone from science fiction to science fact in less than a decade. Even well-informed members of the West’s political class are mostly unaware of the quantum leap in superconductors, lasers, and advanced materials suddenly changing the economics of fusion power.

news.yahoo.com

 

[Memnon]

900 Rocky Exoplanets Visualized! — Halcyon Maps

With the help of scientific models and up-to-date information, this poster attempts to artistically visualize together over 800 of known exoplanets believed to be rocky or terrestrial, including dozens of Earth-like habitable worlds, comparing their relative sizes and providing a window to how they

t.co

 

[ddann]

900 Rocky Exoplanets Visualized! — Halcyon Maps

With the help of scientific models and up-to-date information, this poster attempts to artistically visualize together over 800 of known exoplanets believed to be rocky or terrestrial, including dozens of Earth-like habitable worlds, comparing their relative sizes and providing a window to how they

t.co

 

[Memnon]

View attachment 284571

Or one of these,

Keck Observatory | Mauna Kea, Hawaii, Telescopes, Astronomy | Britannica

Keck Observatory, astronomical observatory located near the 4,200-metre (13,800-foot) summit of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on north-central Hawaii Island, Hawaii, U.S. Keck’s twin 10-metre (394-inch) telescopes, housed in separate domes, constitute the largest optical telescope system of the

www.britannica.com

 

[ddann]

Or one of these,

Keck Observatory | Mauna Kea, Hawaii, Telescopes, Astronomy | Britannica

Keck Observatory, astronomical observatory located near the 4,200-metre (13,800-foot) summit of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on north-central Hawaii Island, Hawaii, U.S. Keck’s twin 10-metre (394-inch) telescopes, housed in separate domes, constitute the largest optical telescope system of the

www.britannica.com

Impressive.

But that thing isn’t observing any of exoplanets.

 

[Memnon]

Impressive.

But that thing isn’t observing any of exoplanets.

That's quite literally the first discovery it made when it was built...

 

[ddann]

That's quite literally the first discovery it made when it was built...

What was actually observed?

 

[Memnon]

What was actually observed?

HD 209458 b; an exoplanet 157 lightyears away from the Milky Way

What was observed:

- The transits of the planet around its Star
- The Mass
- The radius
- The orbital period
- The eccentricity
- The Inclination of the highest altitude point of the planets surface
- The radial velocity semi-amplitude
- The atmosphere
- The Cosmochemistry
- The Albedo
- The surface gravity
- The temperature
- The revolution period around its Star

A whole bunch more.

This planet was not & is not theorized; it was actually seen & detected spectroscopically.

 

[ddann]

HD 209458 b; an exoplanet 157 lightyears away from the Milky Way

What was observed:

- The transits of the planet around its Star
- The Mass
- The radius
- The orbital period
- The eccentricity
- The Inclination of the highest altitude point of the planets surface
- The radial velocity semi-amplitude
- The atmosphere
- The Cosmochemistry
- The Albedo
- The surface gravity
- The temperature
- The revolution period around its Star

A whole bunch more.

This planet was not & is not theorized; it was actually seen & detected spectroscopically.

Indirect Detection​

Astronomers have had much better success at indirectly detecting extrasolar planets. Instead of detecting the planet, they infer its existence by observing the effects that it has on its parent star. Remember that both the star and the planet move around a common center of mass.

Detection - Extrasolar Planets - NAAP

 

[Felonious Monk]

HD 209458 b; an exoplanet 157 lightyears away from the Milky Way

What was observed:

- The transits of the planet around its Star
- The Mass
- The radius
- The orbital period
- The eccentricity
- The Inclination of the highest altitude point of the planets surface
- The radial velocity semi-amplitude
- The atmosphere
- The Cosmochemistry
- The Albedo
- The surface gravity
- The temperature
- The revolution period around its Star

A whole bunch more.

This planet was not & is not theorized; it was actually seen & detected spectroscopically.

Is it an M class planet?

 

[pubmedu]

 

[JD08]

 

[pubmedu]

@Memnon @SpikeUM @JD08 @IndayArtHauz @ddann

 

[TpaBayFlyFisher]

Imagine inexpensive, abundant energy.

Nuclear fusion for the grid is coming much sooner than you think

Commercial nuclear fusion has gone from science fiction to science fact in less than a decade. Even well-informed members of the West’s political class are mostly unaware of the quantum leap in superconductors, lasers, and advanced materials suddenly changing the economics of fusion power.

news.yahoo.com

I think most "futurists" agree that cheap abundant power will drive the future in almost all areas. Space travel is nice, but it is almost certain to be conducted by robots. The tech it spins off would be cool, but if there was cheap power on earth, there would be abundant water, food and shelter. That would end the need for most wars as everyone would have all they need and desire.

 

[pubmedu]

@Memnon @SpikeUM @JD08 @IndayArtHauz @ddann

 

[JD08]

I think most "futurists" agree that cheap abundant power will drive the future in almost all areas. Space travel is nice, but it is almost certain to be conducted by robots. The tech it spins off would be cool, but if there was cheap power on earth, there would be abundant water, food and shelter. That would end the need for most wars as everyone would have all they need and desire.

As long as people desire power over other people, there will be wars.

 

[TpaBayFlyFisher]

As long as people desire power over other people, there will be wars.

"most" was included for a reason..............

 

[pubmedu]