2015 Lunar Eclipse
Gresham, Oregon. September 27, 2015
Copyright © 2015 A. F. Litt, All Rights Reserved
Showing posts with label Space/Astronomy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Space/Astronomy. Show all posts
Sunday, September 27, 2015
2015 "Supermoon" Eclipse
2015 Lunar Eclipse
Gresham, Oregon. September 27, 2015
Copyright © 2015 A. F. Litt, All Rights Reserved
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Wanderers
An amazing little film. Watch on full screen, if possible!
Wanderers - a short film by Erik Wernquist from Erik Wernquist on Vimeo.
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Monday, September 10, 2012
Photo of the Day by A. F. Litt: September 10, 2012, Moon & Plane
Moon & Plane. Portland, Oregon. April 2, 2012. Photo of the Day by A. F. Litt: September 10, 2012.
Products featuring photography by A. F. Litt:
deviantArt: Prints, cards, mugs, mouse pads, magnets, puzzles and other products.
500px.com – Quality Canvas Prints
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Space Shuttle Program: Images, Vehicles, & Space Flights By Year
For our summer studies, the big one and I are going over the history of space exploration…
Challenger (OV-099) started life as the Structural Test Article (STA-099)
U. S. Space Shuttle Program – 1972 – 2011
- Program officially launched in 1972
- Planning discussions since 1969
- 1st reusable spacecraft
- Originally planned to have 50 flights per year
- Planned to be a cheaper method of reaching low Earth orbit, this did not pan out for NASA.
- Crew: 7 astronauts
- Total Missions:
- 135 flights
- 1981-2011
- 2 lost spacecraft
- Five Shuttles were built to maintain a fleet of four operational vehicles
- Program ended in 2011
Enterprise - OV-101 - 1977
· Flights: 5 solo atmospheric test flights
· Years in service: 1
· Days in space: 0
· First solo flight: August 12, 1977
· Location of decommissioned spacecraft: Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, New York City, New York.
· Prototype vehicle not designed for space flight
- Launched from Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft
- Constructed without engines or a heat shield
- Used for glide-approach and landing tests
- Later used for spare parts for operational shuttles
· Originally named Constitution, but the named was changed after a petition movement by Star Trek fans.
Columbia – OV-102 – 1982-2003
· Flights: 28
· Years in service: 21
· Days in space: 300
· First Flight: April 12, 1982 (20th Anniversary of First Manned Spaceflight)
· Final Landing: Breaks up on Re-entry, February 1, 2003
· Prototype design that was heavier than later shuttles
Challenger – OV-099 – 1983-1986
· Flights: 10
· Years in service: 3
· Days in space: 62
· First Flight: April 4, 1983
· Final Landing: Explodes on Launch, January 28, 1986
· Built as Structural Test Article (STA-099) and later converted to be a fully operational vehicle
Discovery – OV-103 – 1984-2011
· Flights: 39
· Years in service: 27
· Days in space: 365 (One Full Year)
· First Flight: August 3, 1984
· Final Landing: March 9, 2011
· Location of decommissioned spacecraft: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, in Virginia.
· “Discovery flew all three "return to flight" missions after the Challenger and Columbia disasters.” (Wikipedia)
Atlantis – OV-104 – 1985-2011
· Flights: 33
· Years in service: 26
· Days in space: 306
· First Flight: October 3, 1985
· Final Landing: July 21, 2011
· Location of decommissioned spacecraft: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, Florida.
· Last shuttle in space: July 8 – 21, 2011
Endeavour – OV-105 – 1992-2011
· Flights: 25
· Years in service: 19
· Days in space: 296
· First Flight: May 7, 1992
· Final Landing: July 21, 2011
· Location of decommissioned spacecraft: California Science Center in Los Angeles, California
- · Built as replacement for Challenger
- “NASA chose to build Endeavour from spares rather than refitting Enterprise or accepting a Rockwell International proposal to build two shuttles for the price of one of the original shuttles, on cost grounds.” (Wikipedia)
| U.S. Space Shuttle Flights - By Year | ||
| Year | Flights | Milestones |
| 1981 | 2 | Columbia - 1st Flight - April 12, 1982 (20th Anniversary of First Manned Spaceflight) |
| 1982 | 3 | |
| 1983 | 4 | Challenger - 1st Flight - April 4, 1983 (1st U.S. Spacewalk in 9 years) |
| 1984 | 5 | Discovery - 1st Flight - August 3, 1984 |
| 1985 | 9 | Atlantis - 1st Flight - October 3, 1985 |
| 1986 | 2 | Challenger explodes on Launch: January 28, 1986 |
| 1987 | 0 | |
| 1988 | 2 | |
| 1989 | 5 | |
| 1990 | 6 | |
| 1991 | 6 | |
| 1992 | 8 | Endeavour - 1st Flight - May 7, 1992 |
| 1993 | 7 | |
| 1994 | 7 | |
| 1995 | 7 | |
| 1996 | 7 | |
| 1997 | 8 | |
| 1998 | 5 | |
| 1999 | 3 | |
| 2000 | 5 | |
| 2001 | 6 | |
| 2002 | 5 | |
| 2003 | 1 | Columbia breaks up on Re-entry: February 1, 2003 |
| 2004 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 4 | |
| 2006 | 3 | |
| 2007 | 3 | |
| 2008 | 4 | |
| 2009 | 5 | |
| 2010 | 3 | |
| 2011 | 3 | Discovery - Final Landing - March 9, 2011; Endeavour - Final Landing - June 1, 2011; Atlantis - Final Shuttle Landing - July 21, 2011 |
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Sunday, May 20, 2012
Photo of the Day by A. F. Litt: May 20, 2012, Annular Eclipse from Gresham, Oregon
Annular Eclipse. Gresham, Oregon. May 20, 2012. 6:28 PM Photo of the Day, May 20, 2012.
Products featuring photography by A. F. Litt:
deviantArt: Prints, cards, mugs, mouse pads, magnets, puzzles and other products.
500px.com – Quality Canvas Prints
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Monday, May 07, 2012
Supermoon 2012
Deflated Supermoon | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
This amazing shot was taken by astronaut André Kuipers from the International Space Station on May 5, 2012, as the perigee full Moon set behind the Earth’s limb. The Earth’s atmosphere bends light from the Moon, acting like a lens, pushing the bottom part of the Moon up into the top.
Dropping a dime on the Moon | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
So, tonight is the so-called Supermoon, when the Moon happens to be full at the same time it’s at perigee, the point in its orbit closest to the Earth. This makes it somewhat larger and brighter than normal, and that’s getting a lot of attention in the press. I pointed out a few days ago that in reality, you almost certainly won’t notice the difference between this full Moon and any other, mostly because the difference is small, and our eyes and brain are terrible at judging things like that without something to directly compare it to.
The Supermoon stuff? AGAIN? | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
Sigh.
You may’ve seen some folks writing about this weekend’s so-called Supermoon. I suppose I’m not surprised, but it’s still irritating. Why? Because it’s just hype (and to get this out of the way immediately, will have no real effect on the Earth, either). Here’s the scoop.
This weekend, on the night of May 5/6, the Moon will be full. This happens every 29 days or so when the Moon is opposite the Sun in the sky, and we see its face fully illuminated.
As it happens, the Moon’s orbit is elliptical, and so sometimes the Moon is a bit closer to the Earth than other times. Every now and again the Moon is full when it’s also closest to Earth — the point in its orbit called perigee. May 5th is one of those times.
Kryptonite for the supermoon | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
If you believe the mainstream media, you might think this weekend’s "supermoon" will cause earthquakes, volcanoes, bad weather, halitosis, dust bunnies, and hangnails.
Guess what I think of this idea! Hint: check the name of my blog. Got it? Good.
Supermoon Skeptic Check | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
Every now and again I chat with astronomer Seth Shostak about some astronomical skullduggery as part of the SETI radio show "Are We Alone". The segment is called Skeptic Check, and the latest is now online, where Seth and I apply a little kryptonite to the idea of the "supermoon" causing earthquakes.
Why does the Moon look so huge on the horizon? | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
If you’ve ever seen the Moon rising over the horizon, looking so fat and looming that you felt like you could fall right into it, then you’ve been a victim of the famous Moon Illusion. And it is an illusion, a pervasive and persuasive one.
So, how does this thing work? Ah, step right up.
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Saturday, May 05, 2012
Photo of the Day by A. F. Litt: May 5, 2012, Supermoon
“Supermoon." Gresham, Oregon. May 5, 2012. Photo of the Day, May 5, 2012
Dropping a dime on the Moon | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
So, tonight is the so-called Supermoon, when the Moon happens to be full at the same time it’s at perigee, the point in its orbit closest to the Earth. This makes it somewhat larger and brighter than normal, and that’s getting a lot of attention in the press. I pointed out a few days ago that in reality, you almost certainly won’t notice the difference between this full Moon and any other, mostly because the difference is small, and our eyes and brain are terrible at judging things like that without something to directly compare it to.
The Supermoon stuff? AGAIN? | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
Sigh.
You may’ve seen some folks writing about this weekend’s so-called Supermoon. I suppose I’m not surprised, but it’s still irritating. Why? Because it’s just hype (and to get this out of the way immediately, will have no real effect on the Earth, either). Here’s the scoop.
This weekend, on the night of May 5/6, the Moon will be full. This happens every 29 days or so when the Moon is opposite the Sun in the sky, and we see its face fully illuminated.
As it happens, the Moon’s orbit is elliptical, and so sometimes the Moon is a bit closer to the Earth than other times. Every now and again the Moon is full when it’s also closest to Earth — the point in its orbit called perigee. May 5th is one of those times.
Products featuring photography by A. F. Litt:
deviantArt: Prints, cards, mugs, mouse pads, magnets, puzzles and other products.
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Monday, April 23, 2012
“Death from the Skies” by George Hrab & Phil Plait
Nerd rock. Accept it. Love it.
Two Versions…
Skeptical singer songwriter and BA friend George Hrab was at NECSS. On Geo’s last album, "Trebuchet", he wrote a tune called "Death from the Skies" — based on the brilliant book of the same name. He plays the funky beat, and I read statistics of getting killed by various astronomical events. We performed this song live both at Paddy Reilly’s, a bar where Geo had a gig, and to close out the ceremonies.
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Wednesday, March 14, 2012
A history of violence: The Moon
A prelude to violence…
The Moon’s history of violence | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
According to current thinking, the Moon itself formed after a planet roughly the size of Mars slammed into the Earth at a glancing blow. This colossal impact threw billions of gigatons of debris into space. Some of that fell back onto Earth, and some formed a huge disk around the (now once again liquefied) planet. This material eventually coalesced to form the Moon.
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Wednesday, March 07, 2012
Tonight’s solar storm & some recent Bad Astronomy
First, just a massive dose of awesome.
Neil Tyson’s most astounding fact | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
What do you get when you ask astronomer Neil Tyson what he thinks the most astounding fact about the Universe is?
An awesome answer.
Hoping to see some aurora tonight. Usually we are too far south, too close to the city, and living in Oregon which means that the skies are more often than not hidden by clouds. But we can still hope.
Tonight, it is clear and misty and we have the brightest full moon I’ve seen in ages. Actually, it’s the brightest I’ve seen it since the peak of the Perseids meteor shower last summer, which was almost completely blanked by yet another full moon.
HD footage of last night’s flare | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
This flare was very powerful, and blasted out a wave of particles that’s expected to hit Earth sometime tonight after midnight EST (the exact time is difficult to determine). We’ll be OK down here on Earth, but there may be sporadic communication issues, power outages (maybe), and aurorae. If you’re on Google+, Camilla Corona SDO is the person to follow. She has updates and great links!
NASA | Massive Solar Flare gets HD Close Up - YouTube:
Take a closer look at the flare that erupted on March 6, 2012.
This movie of the March 6, 2012 X5.4 flare was captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in the 171 and 131 Angstrom wavelength. One of the most dramatic features is the way the entire surface of the sun seems to ripple with the force of the eruption. This movement comes from something called EIT waves -- because they were first discovered with the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on the Solar Heliospheric Observatory. Since SDO captures images every 12 seconds, it has been able to map the full evolution of these waves and confirm that they can travel across the full breadth of the sun. The waves move at over a million miles per hour, zipping from one side of the sun to the other in about an hour. The movie shows two distinct waves. The first seems to spread in all directions; the second is narrower, moving toward the southeast. Such waves are associated with, and perhaps trigger, fast coronal mass ejections, so it is likely that each one is connected to one of the two CMEs that erupted on March 6.
Solar storm heads for Earth – Light Years - CNN.com Blogs:
The Space Prediction Center expects that we are in a favorable pattern for at least the next week to potentially bring more solar storms to the earth. What is not known is the magnitude of future events. What is expected is quite a show from the Northern Lights Wednesday night and Thursday night, which may be visible as far south as Michigan and Illinois.
Biggest solar storm in years races to Earth | kgw.com Portland:
For North America, the good part of a solar storm, the one that creates more noticeable auroras or Northern Lights, will peak Thursday evening in North America. Auroras could dip as far south as the Great Lakes between Canada and the United States or lower, Kunches said, but a full moon will make them harder to see.
Auroras are "probably the treat we get when the sun erupts," Kunches said.
Still, the potential for problems is widespread. Solar storms have three ways they can disrupt technology on Earth: with magnetic, radio and radiation emissions. This is an unusual situation, when all three types of solar storm disruptions are likely to be strong, Kunches said. That makes it the strongest overall since December 2006.
And in other news from Plait…
Creepy video of an icy finger of death | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
This is a clip from the Discovery Channel show Frozen Planet, and if that’s the sort of thing they’ll have on the program, it’s definitely worth a watch.
Worlds bigger than worlds | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
Because I love each and every one of you, here is a fantastic portrait of two worlds: Saturn and its ginormous moon Titan, courtesy of the Cassini spacecraft:
My Late Late Show segment is now online | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
If you want to see those pictures Craig and I were looking at and find out more about them, I’ve written about all three: Picture 1(Rudolph), Picture 2 (the star spewing jets of gas that Craig made fun of), and Picture 3 (the cluster of galaxies with the swoosh of gas). I’ve heard from a few folks with the Chandra Observatory – the one that took the last picture — and they were thrilled it got press. I’m wondering if they had their volume turned all the way down when they watched…
That is enough semi-plagiarism for tonight. Time to go and look at the sky.
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Saturday, February 04, 2012
Photo of the Day by A. F. Litt: February 4, 2012, Moon
Products featuring photography by A. F. Litt:
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Monday, January 23, 2012
Project Yosemite time lapse video & some notes on time lapse videos in general
Yosemite HD from Project Yosemite on Vimeo.
This video is a collaboration between Sheldon Neill and Colin Delehanty. All timelapses were shot on the Canon 5D Mark II with a variety of Canon L and Zeiss CP.2 Lenses.
Project Yosemite Website: projectyose.com
Contact info: info@projectyose.com
For the most part recently, I’ve been trying to focus the RubbleSites on my own content, but this one is really nice and I couldn’t resist posting it here.
I must admit, though, that while all these time lapse videos are very pretty, a part of me is starting to get a real “been there, done that” feel with them. Not that I have done it yet, but they are starting to blur together a bit.
A lot of good photographers all producing work that looks too much alike?
Or a lot of mediocre photographers using proven techniques that will always produce interesting results?
Probably a little from both.
And it probably won’t stop me from trying one myself this summer.
I do like this one. It stands out a bit which is probably why I am going ahead and posting this here. It’s hard to beat Yosemite and I really liked the shot of the tiny climber’s light on the cliff at night.
This is Quite Possibly the Most Beautiful Yosemite Time Lapse Ever | Motherboard:
This is the product of Project Yosemite by Sheldon Neill and Colin Delehanty, a pair of time lapse enthusiasts who apparently met through Vimeo. What started off as one trip into the park turned into a whole series of excursion in their bid to document Yosemite at its most gorgeous.
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Friday, January 06, 2012
Photo of the Day by A. F. Litt: January 6, 2012, Moon and Clouds
 |
| From 000-FB Photo of the Day |
Photo of the Day, January 6, 2012. Moon and Clouds. Gresham, Oregon. January 5, 2011.
Products featuring photography by A. F. Litt:
deviantArt: Prints, cards, mugs, mouse pads, magnets, puzzles and other products.
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Thursday, January 05, 2012
2012 Apocalypse Grab Bag
 |
| From 2011-11 (Nov) |
Just as the calendar you have on your kitchen wall does not cease to exist after December 31, the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on December 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan long-count period but then — just as your calendar begins again on January 1 — another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar.
10 Failed Doomsday Predictions | End of the World & Apocalypse | LiveScience:
Most prophets of doom come from a religious perspective, though the secular crowd has caused its share of scares as well. One thing the doomsday scenarios tend to share in common: They don't come to pass.
Here are 10 that didn't pan out, so far:
With more and more technologies able to wreak mass destruction, a greater knowledge of what cosmic threats our planet faces, and more forms of media capable of trumpeting Armageddon, it seems as if there is more hype than ever about one supposedly impending apocalypse or another in 2012, despite all the failed doomsday predictions over the years.
Here are 10 apocalyptic scenarios that have raised fears about the end of civilization, in alphabetical order.
According to DiTommaso, the apocalyptic worldview isn't uncommon. At the extreme end are people like Camping or Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese doomsday cult that carried out sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway in 1995. But doomsday appeals to the secular and well-adjusted as well, through books such as Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" (Knopf, 2006) and movies like "The Terminator" (1984). Meanwhile, economic hard times and crises like Japan's earthquake and tsunami have spiked interested in survivalism and "prepping," or stashing food and supplies in preparation for a coming collapse.
Apocalpytic beliefs have been on rise for the past 40 to 50 years, said DiTommaso, who has been researching doomsday believers for an upcoming book, "The Architecture of Apocalypticism." What ties these disparate groups together is a sense that the world's problems are too big to solve, DiTommaso said."
Source:LiveScience
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Wednesday, December 07, 2011
Timescapes by Tom Lowe
Some videos on editing this film and some preview clips. Yes. This is why I am very excited about the possibility of getting a better camera for Christmas. I’d like to start putting together some video projects like this.
Maybe not quite at this level, but just for fun, for me.
I’ve been stalling on my One Day On Earth video all day. Partially, it is because I am frustrated with the image resolution of the video clips (mostly, I am sick of the song I am using)…
I am not looking at moving all the way up into the 4K and 5K range that Lowe is working in, but it would / will be nice to hit the full 1080 HD mark.
Anyway… Here’s the clips. I posted one of them earlier, but I thought they deserved their own post.
4K EDIT in Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5 from Tom Lowe on Vimeo.
Timescapes: "Death is the Road to Awe" from Tom Lowe on Vimeo.
TimeScapes 4K from Tom Lowe on Vimeo.
This is production footage from my forthcoming debut film, "TimeScapes," a portrait of the American Southwest. This video was filmed and edited at 4K (4096x2304) resolution, four times greater than regular 1080p HD. A 4K DCP file is available upon request. Shot on Red Epic and Canon RAW still cameras.
You can pre-order the movie "TimeScapes" here: timescapes.org/pre_order.asp
Follow the film here:
1) twitter.com/timescapes
2) facebook.com/TimeScapes
3) gplus.to/tomlowe
If you have a 30" monitor and fast computer you can download a 2560x1440 copy of this video here: red.cachefly.net/TimeScapes4K2560p.mp4
4K version only if you have a 4K monitor or projector: coming soon.
Here is a 4K version on youtube: youtu.be/e-GYrbecb88
Thank you to Terrence Malick and Godfrey Reggio for their support and inspiration. Also thanks to Eric Kessler, Curt Morgan, Jim Jannard, Vincent Laforet, Bruce Allen, Phil Plait, Dave Finley, and to Helio Collective for the beautiful title logo. My most sincere and humble respect to Mark Magidson and Ron Fricke.
TimeScapes: Rapture from Tom Lowe on Vimeo.
Timelapse Crane Unleashed from Tom Lowe on Vimeo.
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Bad Astronomy and space round up, including Plait's favorite images of the year
20 Hz from Semiconductor on Vimeo.
Mesmerizing visualization of a geomagnetic storm | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
That’s the science. But there’s art here, too: the Lighthouse agency commissioned artists to create digital artwork based on science, and one group, Semiconductor, used the CARISMA data to do so. Based on the data, they translated the radio waves (which are like the light we see, but less energetic) and converted them to sound. This has been done many times before, but what’s cool is that they then created an animation based on the converted sounds, an astonishing and odd and mesmerizing animation. Watch:
TimeScapes 4K from Tom Lowe on Vimeo.
Time lapse: the VLA dances in TimeScapes 4k | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
I have to admit the whole video is stolen by the sequences of the Very Large Array in New Mexico as the dishes move from one cosmic target to the next (seemingly in time with the music, which is pretty cool). Tom wanted to get access to the array, and asked me for help. I steered him to my pal Nicole Gugliucci (pronounced "Grrrflappenklarven"), a radio astronomer, who was able to get him set up with the folks at VLA. So I’m pleased to have been involved with this video, even if in an indirect and small way. And this, by the way, is only a small portion of an entire film he is making. You can find out more about that and how to pre-order it on his Vimeo page.
Top 16 Pictures from Space 2011 | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
Every year, I pick my favorite astronomical images over the past 12 months and collect them for your eyeball pleasure... and every year it gets harder. This year, when I listed out hundreds to choose from, I realized I had a problem. So I decided to break them up into categories and then post each group as a separate gallery. It was a huge amount of work, but when you see these glorious images, I hope you'll agree it was totally worth it.
NASA’s Voyager 1 to Go Where No Spacecraft Has Gone Before
The edge of the solar system is marked by the outer reaches of the sun’s magnetic field and solar wind. Scientists estimate the ship will reach interstellar space in either a few months or a few years.
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Tuesday, December 06, 2011
RAMA Arrives... What's that mysterious object near Mercury?
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| From 2011-12 (Dec) |
In the footage, one sees a huge spurt of plasma and other solar ejecta washing over Mercury; peculiarly, the material seems to flare up as it hits another nearby object, too. "It's cylindrical on either side and has a shape in the middle. It definitely looks like a ship to me, and very obviously, it's cloaked," YouTube-user siniXster said in his video commentary on the footage, which has quickly spread across the Web.
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Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Phil Plait talks up TED
I post so much of his material here that I might as well rename the blog Rubble Stolen From Bad Astronomy… It would be wrong of me not to post his TED talk.
My asteroid impact talk is now on TED! | Bad Astronomy | Discover Magazine:
I am extremely honored and pleased to announce that my talk, "An asteroid impact can ruin your whole day", is now featured on the TED website!
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