Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Hubble reveals unavoidable collision between our galaxy and Andromeda]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/hubble-milky-way-andromeda-collision/http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/hubble-milky-way-andromeda-collision/http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/hubble-milky-way-andromeda-collision/#comments http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/01/hubble-milky-way-andromeda-collision/

The Hubble team over at NASA has confirmed what it's suspected for a while: that our galaxy is destined for a direct collision / love fest with Andromeda, culminating in the birth of "Milkomeda." But don't go lobbying Virgin Galactic for ring-side tickets just yet because the fireworks won't go off for another four billion years -- and last another two billion after that. Scientists also predict that the earth won't be threatened thanks to the sheer amount of empty space between stars, but we could lose the sun as its flung out to some other part of the new system. You hear that? We could lose the freakin' sun!!

Hubble reveals unavoidable collision between our galaxy and Andromeda originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andromedaastronomyhubblehubble space telescope teamhubble telescopeHubbleSpaceTelescopeTeamHubbleTelescopemilky wayMilkyWaynasaspacetelescopethe milky wayTheMilkyWayFri, 01 Jun 2012 10:32:00 EST<![CDATA[NASA preps black hole-hunting space telescope for launch next month]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/nasa-preps-black-hole-hunting-space-telescope-for-launch-next-mo/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/nasa-preps-black-hole-hunting-space-telescope-for-launch-next-mo/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/31/nasa-preps-black-hole-hunting-space-telescope-for-launch-next-mo/#comments NASA preps black hole-hunting space telescope for launch next month

Scientists will soon have a new tool at their disposal in their search for black holes and a greater understanding of what NASA describes as "the most energetic and exotic objects in space." The space agency announced today that it has begun preparing its Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array -- otherwise known as NuSTAR -- for launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, with a liftoff planned for no earlier than June 13th. The telescope is by far the most advanced of its type to date, boasting ten times the resolution and more than 100 times the sensitivity of its predecessors, as well as a new design that relies on a complex set of 133 ultra-thin nested mirrors -- a setup NASA compares to a Russian Doll. Those interested can get a brief overview of the mission in the video after the break

Continue reading NASA preps black hole-hunting space telescope for launch next month

NASA preps black hole-hunting space telescope for launch next month originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 02:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>launchnasaNuclear Spectroscopic Telescope ArrayNuclearSpectroscopicTelescopeArrayspacespace telescopeSpaceTelescopetelescopevideox-rayx-ray telescopeX-rayTelescopeThu, 31 May 2012 02:58:00 EST<![CDATA[World's largest telescope underway, scientists definitely observe big bang]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/24/worlds-largest-telescope-underway/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/24/worlds-largest-telescope-underway/http://www.engadget.com/2012/03/24/worlds-largest-telescope-underway/#comments ImageOnce again astronomers are observing formative explosions, but this time a little bit closer to home. Three million cubic feet of planet earth is being blasted from the Chilean Andes as work on what will be the world's largest telescope begins. The location is the Carnegie Institution's Las Campanas Observatory, and the project is a collaboration between South Korean, Australian and American institutions to create the Giant Magellan Telescope. The first mirror segment is just being completed, and is so precise, it matches its optical prescription to within a millionth of an inch. The project will cost $700 million once complete, small change we say for a chance to glimpse light from the edge of the Universe.

World's largest telescope underway, scientists definitely observe big bang originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 24 Mar 2012 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>andesastronomyCarnegie InstitutionCarnegieInstitutionchileGiant Magellan TelescopeGiantMagellanTelescopeGMTlas campanasLasCampanassciencetelescopeworlds largest telescopeWorldsLargestTelescopeSat, 24 Mar 2012 17:10:00 EST<![CDATA[NASA to launch Hubble space telescope successor in 2018, will clean its room later]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/07/nasa-to-launch-hubble-space-telescope-successor-in-2018-will-cl/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/07/nasa-to-launch-hubble-space-telescope-successor-in-2018-will-cl/http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/07/nasa-to-launch-hubble-space-telescope-successor-in-2018-will-cl/#comments You know you're going to miss the Hubble Space Telescope once ceases operation and they let it simply burn up in orbit. But don't cry, dry your eye, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has announced plans to put its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope, in orbit in 2018. The telescope, which will be 100 times more sensitive than the Hubble, faced being cut completely by a Congressional subcommittee earlier this year as a result of budget constraints given its $8.8 billion price tag. After much Capital Hill grilling over the project being billions over budget, NASA has moved is scheduled launch -- initially set for 2013 -- to October of 2018. Although not the best news, it'll still get up there and you can hug your Hubble plushie tightly tonight knowing distant worlds will be that much closer.

NASA to launch Hubble space telescope successor in 2018, will clean its room later originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>20132018Capital HillCapitalHillCongressionalHubbleHubble Space TelescopeHubbleSpaceTelescopeJames WebbJames Webb Space TelescopeJamesWebbJamesWebbSpaceTelescopelaunchNASANational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNationalAeronauticsAndSpaceAdministrationspacesubcommitteetelescopeWed, 07 Dec 2011 17:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Scientists capture birth of new planet on camera, mother and child doing just fine]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/scientists-capture-birth-of-new-planet-on-camera-mother-and-chi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/scientists-capture-birth-of-new-planet-on-camera-mother-and-chi/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/21/scientists-capture-birth-of-new-planet-on-camera-mother-and-chi/#comments
After all the pushing, squeezing and screaming, the universe has finally given birth to a new planet, in an eruption that two scientists managed to capture on film. The newborn pile of planetary pudge, named LkCa 15 b, was discovered by Drs. Michael Ireland and Adam Kraus, who, over the course of 12 months, successfully documented the event using Keck telescopes and a technique called aperture mask interferometry. Their findings, published in Astrophysical Journal describe a Jupiter-like gaseous planet that likely began forming some 50,000 to 100,000 years ago. Located about 450 light years from Earth, it's also the youngest planet ever observed, having dethroned the previous record-holder, which was about five times older. According to Ireland and Kraus, the LkCa 15 b is still being formed out of a circle of dust and gas (pictured above) surrounding a 2-million-year-old star. By observing a "young gas giant in the process of formation," the researchers hope to find answers to fundamental questions that have long eluded them. "These very basic questions of when and where are best answered when you can actually see the planet forming, as the process is happening right now," Kraus explained to the AP. Head past the break to see an artist's rendering of the newborn, and if you get the chance, be sure to send flowers.

Continue reading Scientists capture birth of new planet on camera, mother and child doing just fine

Scientists capture birth of new planet on camera, mother and child doing just fine originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 22:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adam krausAdamKrausaperture mask interferometryApertureMaskInterferometryastronomyastrophysicsgasgas planetGasPlanetimageimageryjupiterkeckkeck telescopeKeckTelescopeLkCa 15 bLkca15Bmichael irelandMichaelIrelandnew planetNewPlanetphysicsplanetresearchspacestartelescopeuniverseFri, 21 Oct 2011 22:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Alma observatory captures stars being born, reports back on universe's awkward teenage years]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/alma-observatory-captures-stars-being-born-reports-back-on-univ/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/alma-observatory-captures-stars-being-born-reports-back-on-univ/http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/03/alma-observatory-captures-stars-being-born-reports-back-on-univ/#comments A baby book for our cosmos? That'd be a happy by-product of the massive insight star-gazing scientists are set to glean from Alma -- the telescope responsible for ushering in a "new golden age of astronomy." The Atacama large millimeter/submillimeter array (as it's known in long form), located 3,000 meters above sea level on a Chilean plateau, goes beyond the voyeuristic powers of current optical telescopes, delivering detailed imagery of the dense gas clouds that birth baby stars. Why is this significant? Well, using the complex 20-antenna strong array (a total of 66 are planned), astronomers from North America, Europe and Japan will get a first-hand glimpse of the gaseous mix that was our universe a few hundred million years post-Big Bang. Consider the research a time-traveling peek back into the formative years of existence. Heady stuff, yes, but the array won't have its multiple, celestial-focused eyes trained solely on star nurseries; scientists from around the globe already plan on getting an up close look at the Sagittarius A black hole. When these "Pyramids of the 21st Century" finish construction in 2013, we'll be just one step closer to viewing the limits of our cosmic fishbowl.

Alma observatory captures stars being born, reports back on universe's awkward teenage years originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AlmaAlma ObservatoryAlmaObservatoryastronomyatacama desertAtacama large millimetresubmillimetre arrayAtacamaDesertAtacamaLargeMillimetresubmillimetreArrayBig Bangbig bang theoryBigBangBigBangTheoryChilegalaxiesgalaxyresearchtelescopeMon, 03 Oct 2011 19:09:00 EST<![CDATA[Volunteer scientists discover two possible planets, tell NASA it missed a spot]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/22/volunteer-scientists-discover-two-possible-planets-tell-nasa-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/22/volunteer-scientists-discover-two-possible-planets-tell-nasa-it/http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/22/volunteer-scientists-discover-two-possible-planets-tell-nasa-it/#commentsProving it's not all about edu-mah-cation, a group of casual star-gazers has stumbled upon what might well be a pair of new planets. Following on from gamers' success with complicated medical puzzles, an army of 40,000 online volunteer astronomy nerds signed up to the Planet Hunters project to help mine through NASA data. One of the possible planets they discovered is roughly two and a half times the size of Earth, while the other a whopping eight times bigger than this revolving ball of blue and green we call home. The project uses data from NASA's Keppler telescope, which registers fluctuations in brightness as objects pass in front of distant stars -- a setup that's helped scientists discover 1,235 potential alien planets in its first four months. Obviously, though, the technology isn't perfect, which is where the project's muggle volunteers (assisted by Oxford and University of Chicago researchers) come in. They've been combing through NASA's readings and are now sifting through the next 90 days of Keppler observations.

[Image credit: NASA]

Volunteer scientists discover two possible planets, tell NASA it missed a spot originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Sep 2011 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astronomerastronomersastronomydiscoveryKepplerKeppler TelescopeKepplerTelescopeoxfordplanetPlanet HunterPlanet Hunter projectPlanetHunterPlanetHunterProjectplanetssciencetelescopeuniversity of chicagoUniversity of OxfordUniversityOfChicagoUniversityOfOxfordvolunteervolunteersThu, 22 Sep 2011 15:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Trojan asteroid caught circling Earth, the Greeks deny involvement]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/29/trojan-asteroid-caught-circling-earth-the-greeks-deny-involveme/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/29/trojan-asteroid-caught-circling-earth-the-greeks-deny-involveme/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/29/trojan-asteroid-caught-circling-earth-the-greeks-deny-involveme/#comments Hide your kids, hide your wife, there's an asteroid circling Earth's orbit and we're all gonna... be just fine? Yeah, no need to stock up those '60s fallout shelters folks, this approximately 1,000 feet wide space rock is sitting pretty and safe in one of our Lagrange points. The so-called Trojan asteroid, known as 2010 TK7, was uncovered 50 million miles away by the infrared eyes of NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) telescope, and is the first of its kind to be discovered near our humble planet. Typically, these near-Earth objects (NEOs) hide in the sun's glare, but this satellite's unusual circuit around our world helped WISE and the Canada-France-Hawaii telescope confirm its existence. The finding has our best and brightest giddy with the hope similar NEOs "could make excellent candidates for future robotic or human exploration." Unfortunately, our new planetoid friend's too-high, too-low path doesn't quite cut the space mission mustard. No matter, 2010 TK7 still gets to call "First!"

Continue reading Trojan asteroid caught circling Earth, the Greeks deny involvement

Trojan asteroid caught circling Earth, the Greeks deny involvement originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 05:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2010 TK72010Tk7asteroidasteroidsastronautsCanada-France-Hawaii telescopeCanada-france-hawaiiTelescopeEarthlagrangeNASANASA WISE telescopeNasaWiseTelescopenear earth objectnear earth objectsNearEarthObjectNearEarthObjectsplanetoidplanetoidsspacespace explorationSpaceExplorationtelescopetrojantrojan asteroidTrojanAsteroidWide-field Infrared Survey Explorer telescopeWide-fieldInfraredSurveyExplorerTelescopeFri, 29 Jul 2011 05:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Russia's RadioAstron telescope finally set to launch, blanket space with its radio eye]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/17/russias-radioastron-telescope-finally-set-to-launch-blanket-sp/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/17/russias-radioastron-telescope-finally-set-to-launch-blanket-sp/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/17/russias-radioastron-telescope-finally-set-to-launch-blanket-sp/#commentsConsidering all the space nostalgia we've been swimming in recently, it's somewhat appropriate that a Cold War-era telescope is gearing up to make its maiden voyage, after more than three decades of development (and delays). The Russian mission, known as RadioAstron, will finally become a reality on Monday, when a radio telescope launches from Kazakhstan's Baikonur cosmodrome before soaring into orbit some 350,000 kilometers away from the Earth. At just ten meters in width, the craft's antenna is small in comparison to other radio 'scopes, but its reach can be dramatically expanded when combined with signals from those on the ground. This technique, called interferometry, will effectively create the largest telescope ever built, covering an area nearly 30 times the Earth's diameter and allowing RadioAstron to capture interstellar images in 10,000 times the resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope. There remains, however, one major hurdle -- because the spacecraft collects data at about 144 megabits per second, it must constantly transfer information to antennas on the ground. Problem is, there's only one antenna capable of receiving RadioAstron's signals and, unless others are constructed soon, a healthy chunk of its observations could be lost. How do you say "buzz-kill" in Russian?

Russia's RadioAstron telescope finally set to launch, blanket space with its radio eye originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 17 Jul 2011 20:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antennaastronomyBaikonurBaikonur cosmodromeBaikonurCosmodromecold warColdWardatadata collectionDataCollectiongalaxyinterferometrykazakhstanlaunchobservationradio telescoperadioastronRadioTelescoperesearchrocketrussiaspacetelescopeZenit-2SBSun, 17 Jul 2011 20:14:00 EST<![CDATA[SKA radio telescope to pump out more data than the internet in 2020, spot ALF before he lands]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/12/ska-radio-telescope-to-pump-out-more-data-than-the-internet-in-2/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/12/ska-radio-telescope-to-pump-out-more-data-than-the-internet-in-2/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/12/ska-radio-telescope-to-pump-out-more-data-than-the-internet-in-2/#comments SKA radio telescope to pump out more data than the internet in 2020, spot ALF before he lands Unfortunately for Desmond Dekker fans, this SKA telescope has nothing to do with the Jamaican music sensation. No, the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) radio telescope has much more otherworldly concerns, and according to the director of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), Peter Quinn, it should have the internet beat in terms of data when it goes online in 2020. The telescope, which will end up in either Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa, is aimed at searching for Earth-like planets, extraterrestrial life, dark matter, and black holes, and will require a central supercomputer with "the processing power of one billion PCs." What's more, it is expected to be 10,000 times more powerful than any telescope in existence and "generate the same amount of data in a day as the entire planet does in a year." We say anything that gets us closer to having our very own hairy, Hawaiian-shirt sporting alien on hand is well worth the $2.1 billion it will cost to create. Willy!

SKA radio telescope to pump out more data than the internet in 2020, spot ALF before he lands originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alienaliensouter spaceOuterSpaceradio telescopeRadioTelescopeska radio telescopeSkaRadioTelescopespacespace explorationSpaceExplorationsquare kilometer arraysquare kilometer array telescopeSquareKilometerArraySquareKilometerArrayTelescopetelescopetelescopesTue, 12 Jul 2011 19:22:00 EST<![CDATA[Spy satellites become reluctant space celebs, get their own paparazzi]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/19/spy-satellites-become-reluctant-space-celebs-get-their-own-papa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/19/spy-satellites-become-reluctant-space-celebs-get-their-own-papa/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/19/spy-satellites-become-reluctant-space-celebs-get-their-own-papa/#comments Not only do American military satellites have to put up with the constant threat of ultrasonic space droppings, now they must also suffer the prying lenses of a couple of Frenchmen. Thierry Legault and Emmanuel Rietsch have spent the past two years turning consumer-grade components into a system that can keep up with the zippy and supposedly secret movements of craft like the X-37B space plane and the NROL-49 low-Earth orbit spy sat. Hit the source link and you'll see videos of the International Space Station, which they also managed to capture with steady-ish focus as it hurtled through space-time. Looks like nothing will thwart these guys, except maybe nano-satellites.

Spy satellites become reluctant space celebs, get their own paparazzi originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 19 Jun 2011 07:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astronomical imagingAstronomicalImagingastronomy camerasAstronomyCamerascustomcustomizedEmmanuel RietschEmmanuelRietschenthusiasthobbyhobbyisthomemadeInternational Space StationInternationalSpaceStationISSmilitarymilitary techMilitaryTechmoddedNROL-49orbitprecisionsatellitesatellitesspacespacecraftspy satelliteSpySatellitetelescopeThierry LegaultThierryLegaulttrackingX-37BSun, 19 Jun 2011 07:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Brando's iPad 2 telescope is perfect for watching the next Apple keynote]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/14/brandos-ipad-2-telescope-is-perfect-for-your-next-apple-keynote/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/14/brandos-ipad-2-telescope-is-perfect-for-your-next-apple-keynote/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/14/brandos-ipad-2-telescope-is-perfect-for-your-next-apple-keynote/#comments If you're like us, you've spent entirely too much time wondering how the movie Rear Window might have played out differently, had someone just handed Jimmy Stewart's character an iPad to play with. With the introduction of the Super Gear Telescope, it seems that the plot would've been mostly the same, just as soon as he finished beating Angry Birds. The Brando add-on brings 6x zoom to the iPad 2 and generally looks far less awkward than its iPhone predecessor. All in all, $26 seems like a small price to pay to see what the neighbors are looking at on their own iPads.

Brando's iPad 2 telescope is perfect for watching the next Apple keynote originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>6xadd-onapplebrandocameraipadipad 2ipad peripheralIpad2IpadPeripherallensopticssuper gearSuperGeartelescopezoomTue, 14 Jun 2011 18:17:00 EST<![CDATA[VLT Survey Telescope snaps out-of-this-world photos with 268-megapixel camera]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/10/vlt-survey-telescope-snaps-out-of-this-world-photos-with-268-meg/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/10/vlt-survey-telescope-snaps-out-of-this-world-photos-with-268-meg/http://www.engadget.com/2011/06/10/vlt-survey-telescope-snaps-out-of-this-world-photos-with-268-meg/#comments The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has just released the first batch of shots taken by its VLT Survey Telescope (VST), and, given the results, we'd say the thing's got a bright future in photography. Not to be mistaken for its cousin, the VLT (very large telescope), the VST sports a 268-megapixel camera, known as the OmegaCAM, and a field of view "twice as broad as the full moon." The images released by the ESO feature the Omega Nebula (located in the Sagittarius constellation) and Omega Centauri in stellar detail. Annie Lebovitz, eat your heart out -- the rest of you hop on past the break for another shot by this up and coming shutterbug.

Continue reading VLT Survey Telescope snaps out-of-this-world photos with 268-megapixel camera

VLT Survey Telescope snaps out-of-this-world photos with 268-megapixel camera originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Jun 2011 05:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ESOEuropean Southern ObservatoryEuropeanSouthernObservatoryobservatoryomega centauomega nebulaOmegaCentauOmegaNebulaphotophotographsphotographyphotosskyspacespace photographySpacePhotographystarssurvey telescopeSurveyTelescopetelescopetelescopesvery large telescopeVeryLargeTelescopevltVLT Survey TelescopeVltSurveyTelescopevstFri, 10 Jun 2011 05:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Astronomers snap black hole murder in graphic detail (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/22/astronomers-snap-black-hole-murder-in-graphic-detail-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/22/astronomers-snap-black-hole-murder-in-graphic-detail-video/http://www.engadget.com/2011/05/22/astronomers-snap-black-hole-murder-in-graphic-detail-video/#comments We tend to imagine a black hole sucking everything around it straight into oblivion. The truth, however, is even more gruesome. Astronomers have just captured an ultra hi-res image of our neighbouring galaxy, Centaurus A, and it helps to reveal what actually happens. Matter is yanked helplessly towards a black hole at the galaxy's core, but it refuses to die quietly. For some unknown reason, it erupts as it falls, spewing out vast plumes of particles -- like blood from celestial murder. These death throes emit radio waves, allowing us to witness them using radio telescopes even though we are 12 million light-years away. If only we were closer; if only we could intervene. Alas, all we can do is watch the video after the break and hit the source links for a fuller explanation -- though, admittedly, none of those sound like awful options.

Continue reading Astronomers snap black hole murder in graphic detail (video)

Astronomers snap black hole murder in graphic detail (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 22 May 2011 21:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astronomerastronomersastronomyblack holeBlackHoleCentaurus ACentaurusAdetailedgalaxiesgalaxygashi-reshigh resolutionHighResolutionimageimaginglight yearlight yearslight-yearlight-yearsLightYearLightYearsnasaparticleparticlesradio telescoperadio telescopesradio wavesRadioTelescopeRadioTelescopesRadioWavesresolutionspacestartanamiTANAMI ProjectTanamiProjecttelescopetelescopicvideoSun, 22 May 2011 21:33:00 EST<![CDATA[DARPA's new Space Surveillance Telescope will keep our satellites safe from interstellar debris]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/26/darpas-new-space-surveillance-telescope-will-keep-our-satellite/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/26/darpas-new-space-surveillance-telescope-will-keep-our-satellite/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/26/darpas-new-space-surveillance-telescope-will-keep-our-satellite/#commentsWhat's that in the sky? A bird? A plane? Oh, it's just some junk floating around in space, posing major threats to our military's spy satellites. To help keep an eye on it, engineers at DARPA, MIT and the Air Force have unleashed a new $110 million telescope that's been in the works for nine years now. The new Space Surveillance Telescope (SST) is capable of delivering wide-angle views of the Earth's firmament thanks to a curved CCD. This allows for a massive 3.5m aperture and f/1.0 exposure settings, capturing more light in a day that your average scope can in a week. As part of the Air Force's Space Surveillance Network (SSN), the telescope's primary task will be to look out for any microsatellites, meteors or other alien droppings moving at the same speed at which the Earth rotates. The system developed its first images earlier this year and the Air Force may eventually place SSTs all over the world, creating a 360-degree surveillance blanket and going a long way toward keeping our spycraft warm, cozy, and safe from galactic hazards.

Continue reading DARPA's new Space Surveillance Telescope will keep our satellites safe from interstellar debris

DARPA's new Space Surveillance Telescope will keep our satellites safe from interstellar debris originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>air forceAirForceApertureccdcurved charge coupled deviceCurvedChargeCoupledDevicedarpadebrisImage CaptureImageCaptureimageslightMeteormilitaryMilitaryTechmitopticssatellitespacespace debrisspace surveillance networkspace surveillance telescopeSpaceDebrisSpaceSurveillanceNetworkSpaceSurveillanceTelescopespyspy satelliteSpySatelliteSSNsststarstelescopewargadgetTue, 26 Apr 2011 16:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Visualized: 1,235 potential alien planets]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/visualized-1-235-potential-alien-planets/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/visualized-1-235-potential-alien-planets/http://www.engadget.com/2011/04/04/visualized-1-235-potential-alien-planets/#comments The tiny black dots set against their glowing host stars above represent 1,235 potential alien planets discovered by NASA's Kepler mission. With any luck, at least one of them has never heard of Justin Bieber.

Visualized: 1,235 potential alien planets originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 06:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alien planetAlienPlanetkeplerKepler TelescopeKeplerTelescopenasaplanetspacetelescopeMon, 04 Apr 2011 06:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Hubble telescope sees furthest galaxy, 13.2 billion light years from Earth]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/hubble-telescope-sees-furthest-galaxy-13-2-billion-light-years/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/hubble-telescope-sees-furthest-galaxy-13-2-billion-light-years/http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/27/hubble-telescope-sees-furthest-galaxy-13-2-billion-light-years/#comments If you think Star Wars took place in a galaxy far, far away, you should probably prepare to have your perceptions of distance rocked. NASA astronomers believe they've laid their eyes what appears to be the most distant object ever spotted by humans... in the history of mankind, no less. The galaxy was first peeked back in 2009, but NASA has just confirmed (via that trusty Hubble contraption) that what it saw is actually the oldest known galaxy in existence. At a distance of 13.2 billion light years away, this galaxy is a staggering 150 million years older than the previous record-setting collection of stars. The cluster of blue stars is just a tiny galaxy, though -- NASA says you'd need hundreds of these little groups to make up our Milky Way. Head past the break for a closer shot of the constellation, otherwise known as a nondescript red pixel.

Continue reading Hubble telescope sees furthest galaxy, 13.2 billion light years from Earth

Hubble telescope sees furthest galaxy, 13.2 billion light years from Earth originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>13.2 billion lightyears13.2BillionLightyearsgalaxyhubblehubble telescopeHubbleTelescopelightyearsnasaspacestartelescopeThu, 27 Jan 2011 19:52:00 EST<![CDATA[Visualized: world's largest neutrino observatory rivals Guatemala sinkhole]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/23/visualized-worlds-largest-neutrino-observatory-rivals-guatemal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/23/visualized-worlds-largest-neutrino-observatory-rivals-guatemal/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/23/visualized-worlds-largest-neutrino-observatory-rivals-guatemal/#comments Without question, one of the images from 2010 will be the insane, almost incomprehensible sinkhole that emerged in Guatemala earlier this year, but this particular shot from the South Pole does an outstanding job of vying for equal attention. Coming directly from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, this is a look into the planet's largest neutrino observatory, which was just completed after half a decade of work with $279 million. The goal? To detect "subatomic particles traveling near the speed of light," and when you have an ice-bound telescope that encompasses a cubic kilometer of Antarctic ice, well... you've high hopes for success. Will this pipe into the underworld finally lead us to understanding Dark Matter? Will century-old mysteries of the universe finally have answers? Even if not, we're envisioning a heck of an entry fee when it's converted into the world's longest firehouse pole and marketed to affluent tourists who make the trip down.

Visualized: world's largest neutrino observatory rivals Guatemala sinkhole originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>antarcticaatomsdark matterDarkMattericeice cubeIceCubemoleculesneutrinoresearchsciencesouth poleSouthPoletelescopeuniversityVisualizedwisconsinThu, 23 Dec 2010 10:36:00 EST<![CDATA[Astronomers theorize what it's like when worlds (and black holes) collide]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/25/astronomers-theorize-what-its-like-when-worlds-and-black-holes/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/25/astronomers-theorize-what-its-like-when-worlds-and-black-holes/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/25/astronomers-theorize-what-its-like-when-worlds-and-black-holes/#comments Tight binary solar systems are inhabited in science fiction -- remember the Star Wars world of Tatooine -- but humanity might find such planets inhospitable over the long term, and not just because of the heat. Using NASA's Spitzer telescope, scientists discovered clouds of dust around three such binary systems far too recent to come from the stars themselves, and theorize that as the stars attract one another over time and get closer and closer together, their respective orbiting planets may get closer as well, and crash into one another catastrophically.

Meanwhile, when supermassive black holes dance in pairs, they can merge as one, and astrophysicists have recently simulated how such a joining might appear on our telescopes. According to a team of US and Canadian researchers, the pair may emit strong jets of electromagnetic radiation before they merge, which twist around one another and throw off gravitational waves that can help pinpoint the source. Speaking of sources, we've got plenty of those immediately below if you'd like to read more.

Astronomers theorize what it's like when worlds (and black holes) collide originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astronomybinary starsBinaryStarsBlack Holeblack holesBlackHoleBlackHolesplanetary collisionPlanetaryCollisionsolar systemSolarSystemspacespitzertelescopetwin starsTwinStarsWed, 25 Aug 2010 09:18:00 EST<![CDATA[iPhone 4 cuddles up against telescope, snaps impressive moon closeups]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/iphone-4-cuddles-up-against-telescope-snaps-impressive-moon-clo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/iphone-4-cuddles-up-against-telescope-snaps-impressive-moon-clo/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/19/iphone-4-cuddles-up-against-telescope-snaps-impressive-moon-clo/#comments What's a boy to do when he desperately needs a portfolio full of galactic imagery of his own doing? In most cases, we'd suggest he grab up a telescope (or one of these), the biggest DSLR he can find and a planetary expert who knows a thing or two about exposure. But thanks to a mod that's becoming more and more common these days, it seems that you can replace the latter recommendations with an iPhone 4. Yep -- Apple's latest smartphone, when paired up with a miniature tripod mount and a telescope, can apparently take lovely shots of our dear moon, and if you're struggling to actually spot it, we hear that Planisphere app is pretty handy. Hit the source links if you're scouting some inspiration.

iPhone 4 cuddles up against telescope, snaps impressive moon closeups originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>applecameragalaxyiphoneiphone 4Iphone4moonphotophotographyspacetelescopeThu, 19 Aug 2010 12:29:00 EST<![CDATA[New biggest star discovered, is not Justin Bieber]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/new-biggest-star-discovered-is-not-justin-bieber/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/new-biggest-star-discovered-is-not-justin-bieber/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/22/new-biggest-star-discovered-is-not-justin-bieber/#commentsYou know how sometimes you're just sitting out in a field with your homies, looking up at the stars and thinking man, the universe is so BIG... and I'm just so small! Thanks to the Very Large Telescope in Chile, Professor Paul Crowther at Sheffield University, and some good old-fashioned Hubble data, you can feel just a little bit smaller. Crowther and his team have measured the giant known as R136a1 to be 265 times the size of the sun. That's a pretty cool size, but not quite as cool as the 320 solar masses it was at birth -- nothing to sneeze at, since previous discoveries had the largest stars somewhere around 150 solar masses. It's also the most luminous star ever found, at 10 million times brighter than the sun. Even so, don't get your hopes up trying to see this with your telescope (unless it's, you know, Very Large) because it's a good 165,000 light years away. Doesn't mean you can't look in its direction and smile, though.

[Image: ESO / M. Kornmesser]

New biggest star discovered, is not Justin Bieber originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 06:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brightchilehubblesciencespacestarstarssuntelescopeuniverseUniversity of SheffieldUniversityOfSheffieldvery large telescopeVeryLargeTelescopevltThu, 22 Jul 2010 06:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope updated with better views of Mars, night sky]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/microsofts-worldwide-telescope-updated-with-better-views-of-mar/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/microsofts-worldwide-telescope-updated-with-better-views-of-mar/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/12/microsofts-worldwide-telescope-updated-with-better-views-of-mar/#comments
We haven't heard a ton about Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope project since it launched in beta form back in 2008, but the company has been busy working with NASA to improve it since then, and it's now finally showing off the results. That includes a new true-color map of Mars complete with 3D renderings of the planet's surface, and a new and improved spherical view of the night sky that virtually eliminates the seams between images -- it's also, incidentally, the world's largest map of its type, and Microsoft says it would take 50,000 HDTVs to view at full size. Of course, it's still pretty impressive viewed one tiny speck at a time -- hit up the link below to download the Windows application or check out the web-based viewer.

Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope updated with better views of Mars, night sky originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mapmarsmicrosoftnasasky mapSkyMaptelescopeworldwide telescopeWorldwideTelescopewwtMon, 12 Jul 2010 19:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Telescopic eye implant approved by the FDA]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/08/telescopic-eye-implant-approved-by-the-fda/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/08/telescopic-eye-implant-approved-by-the-fda/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/08/telescopic-eye-implant-approved-by-the-fda/#comments
We love eye implants, and we've seen our share of them, and this one is pretty sweet (although it isn't the creepiest by a long shot -- that prize would go to the one that uses a human tooth to hold its lens). In the works for well over a year, and approved by the FDA a couple days ago, VisionCare Ophthalmic Technologies' implantable miniature telescope is intended for patients over 75 years of age who are suffering from end-stage macular degeneration. As with any tricky new surgery, this one is not without risks, including the need for a corneal transplant due to the device's size. According to CBC News, in clinical testing seventy-five percent of over 200 patients "had their vision improve from severe or profound impairment to moderate impairment," and there are two more studies on the way: one will follow up with existing patients, while the other will outfit 770 new patients with the device. The cost? $15,000.

Telescopic eye implant approved by the FDA originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eyeeye implantEyeImplanteyesightfdaFDA approvalFdaApprovalimplantmacular degenerationMacularDegenerationmedicinetelescopeVisionCareVisionCare Ophthalmic TechnologiesVisioncareOphthalmicTechnologiesThu, 08 Jul 2010 13:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Planck telescope maps the universe in search of primordial light]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/06/planck-telescope-maps-the-universe-in-search-of-primordial-light/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/06/planck-telescope-maps-the-universe-in-search-of-primordial-light/http://www.engadget.com/2010/07/06/planck-telescope-maps-the-universe-in-search-of-primordial-light/#comments Yep, that innocuous-looking picture above is the whole freaking universe, as perceived by the Planck telescope -- a long-wave light detector that's been catapulted into space to search for Big Bang clues. The European Space Agency is using it in order to get the most precise information to date on Cosmic Microwave Background radiation (apparent in the image as the magenta and yellow mush in the, ahem, background), which could in turn enlighten us on the conditions that gave rise to all of us omnivores prowling a gravity-assisted, ozone-protected, floating rock. The first mapping run took just over six months to complete, but the plan is to produce four such images using the Planck's super-cold (nearly at absolute zero) sensors before retiring the thing. Results are expected no sooner than 2013, so please do slide back from the edge of your seat.

Planck telescope maps the universe in search of primordial light originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>big bangBigBangcmbcosmic microwave backgroundCosmicMicrowaveBackgroundcosmosdataesaeuropean space agencyEuropeanSpaceAgencyexplorationimagingplanckplanck telescopePlanckTelescoperadiationresearchspacespace explorationspace probeSpaceExplorationSpaceProbetelescopeuniverseTue, 06 Jul 2010 08:29:00 EST<![CDATA[The hunt for killer asteroids is on with the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/21/the-hunt-for-killer-asteroids-is-on-with-the-pan-starrs-1-telesc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/21/the-hunt-for-killer-asteroids-is-on-with-the-pan-starrs-1-telesc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/21/the-hunt-for-killer-asteroids-is-on-with-the-pan-starrs-1-telesc/#comments
The Pan-STARRS 1 telescope was unveiled on the Hawaiian island of Maui in 2007, and in early 2009, the telescope went fully online and began producing some amazing images. Now, the telescope has a nightly from dusk 'til dawn routine -- and it's looking for asteroids and comets which could threaten Earth. The PS-1, as it's known, boasts a 1,400 megapixel (that's 1.4 gigapixels!) sensor and can photograph an area about 36 times the size of the Moon in one exposure and is expected to map about one sixth of the sky per month. There's a sample shot of what the telescope's photographed below, but hit up the coverage link for many more.

Continue reading The hunt for killer asteroids is on with the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope

The hunt for killer asteroids is on with the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asteroidasteroidshawaiipan starrspan-starrsPan-STARRS 1Pan-starrs1PanStarrsprototypeps1spacetelescoptelescopeMon, 21 Jun 2010 16:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Brando has the $100, VGA-res, interchangeble lens camcorder you're looking for]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/14/brando-has-the-100-vga-res-interchangeble-lens-camcorder-you/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/14/brando-has-the-100-vga-res-interchangeble-lens-camcorder-you/http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/14/brando-has-the-100-vga-res-interchangeble-lens-camcorder-you/#comments
Sure, Sony's new series of camcorders with interchangeable lenses might look nice and have "good specs," but are they available right now for under $100? No, but this thing is. Running just $99 from everyone's favorite retailer of the cheap and bizarre, Brando, this Vivikai-branded camcorder boasts an impressive VGA resolution, 32MB of built-in memory, an SDHC card slot for expansion, and a single interchangeable "telescope" lens, which promises to add 8x the zoom and 8x the crazy. Hit up the link below to get your order in -- assuming you didn't already dash off to do so at the first sight of it.

Brando has the $100, VGA-res, interchangeble lens camcorder you're looking for originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 May 2010 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandocamcordercamerainterchangeable lensInterchangeableLenslenstelescopevideo cameraVideoCameravivikaiFri, 14 May 2010 12:27:00 EST<![CDATA[VisionCare's implantable telescope will make you bionic, hopefully won't cost six million dollars]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/03/visioncares-implantable-telescope-will-make-you-bionic-hopeful/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/03/visioncares-implantable-telescope-will-make-you-bionic-hopeful/http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/03/visioncares-implantable-telescope-will-make-you-bionic-hopeful/#commentsVisionCare's implantable telescope will make you bionic, hopefully won't cost six million dollars
The idea of a telescope fused directly into your eye may sound like a dream come true for impromptu stargazers, but the intent here is not for ocular astronomy. Rather it's to help those suffering from age-related macular degeneration, or AMD. This condition results in the deterioration of eyesight (much like the deterioration of cashflow in the other AMD), creating a large blind spot in the center of the field of vision. VisionCare's 4mm implantable telescope is intended to re-focus an image onto an undamaged part of the retina of one eye using either 2.2 or 3X magnification, giving patients the ability see directly ahead while leaving the other as it was to provide peripheral vision. It's a rather more simple solution than others we've seen, which is perhaps why it's already completed a Phase II/III clinical trial, and the FDA is recommending it be approved for use. We are too, if only so that we'll have more opportunities to use that Six Million Dollar Man soundboard we keep bookmarked -- that bionic jump never gets old.

[Via Medgadget]

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VisionCare's implantable telescope will make you bionic, hopefully won't cost six million dollars originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>implantable telescopeImplantableTelescopemacular degenerationMacularDegenerationtelescopevisioncarevisioncare implantable telescopeVisioncareImplantableTelescopeFri, 03 Apr 2009 08:39:00 EST<![CDATA[ENESS Humble Telescope brings space to you, your ego down a notch]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/31/eness-humble-telescope-brings-space-to-you-your-ego-down-a-notc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/31/eness-humble-telescope-brings-space-to-you-your-ego-down-a-notc/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/31/eness-humble-telescope-brings-space-to-you-your-ego-down-a-notc/#comments
Think the world is your oyster? Think you've got it all figured out? Think again, bub. ENESS' appropriately named Humble Telescope is an interactive installation that presents a 3D simulation of our entire known universe to anyone who dares peer in. Viewers simply point the "telescope" in any direction, and instantaneously they're presented with what exists in that specific area of space. The sheer magnitude of it coupled with the views from beyond seek to remind us of just how small we are in the grand scheme of things, and quite honestly, we're tearing up just thinking about it. Grab a tissue and head past the break for a life-changing video.

[Via OhGizmo]

Continue reading ENESS Humble Telescope brings space to you, your ego down a notch

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ENESS Humble Telescope brings space to you, your ego down a notch originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dartdesignENESShumble telescopeHumbleTelescopeinteractivesimulationstartelescopevideoTue, 31 Mar 2009 07:32:00 EST<![CDATA[NASA's Kepler spacecraft ready to begin searching for other, cooler "earths"]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/06/nasas-kepler-spacecraft-ready-to-begin-searching-for-other-coo/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/06/nasas-kepler-spacecraft-ready-to-begin-searching-for-other-coo/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/06/nasas-kepler-spacecraft-ready-to-begin-searching-for-other-coo/#comments
NASA's just declared its Kepler spacecraft "ready to launch." In case you're not already in the know on this one, the Kepler's mission will be to jaunt out into space, then watch a massive patch of it for 3.5 years to see if there are any signs of habitable planets similar to Earth. The craft will be looking mostly for planets that revolve around stars similar to the Sun, and it will be able to watch about 100,000 of them continuously, unlike the beleaguered but awesome Hubble telescope. The Kepler has a 0.95-meter diameter telescope, and the project has been in the works for about 25 years. It will finally launch tonight, on a Delta 2 rocket. Check out a few images of the Kepler after the break, hit up NASA's Kepler site for the full details of the mission.

[Thanks, Matthew]

Continue reading NASA's Kepler spacecraft ready to begin searching for other, cooler "earths"

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NASA's Kepler spacecraft ready to begin searching for other, cooler "earths" originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliensawesomedelta 2Delta2earth 2Earth2nasasearch for habitable planetsSearchForHabitablePlanetsspacespace explorationspacecraftSpaceExplorationtelescopeFri, 06 Mar 2009 03:50:00 EST<![CDATA[WiFi-enabled Crestron touchpanel aids in stargazing]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/01/wifi-enabled-crestron-touchpanel-aids-in-stargazing/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/01/wifi-enabled-crestron-touchpanel-aids-in-stargazing/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/01/wifi-enabled-crestron-touchpanel-aids-in-stargazing/#comments
We've seen home automation touchpanels used for some -- shall we say, unorthodox -- activities, but this is taking things to another level galaxy. Franklin, NC-based Dan Quigley has whipped up a way for his WiFi-enabled Crestron TMPC8X to actually control a giant telescope. Rather than manually getting the 'scope into the right position, he simply touches a button and watches it automatically check to see "if and when that object is viewable." While he's at it, he can dim the lights around him and check the local weather, and once a celestial body is in view, he can snap a photograph or have the system channel the image to any computer / TV. Suddenly, astronomy has become entirely more attractive.

[Thanks, Chuck]

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WiFi-enabled Crestron touchpanel aids in stargazing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astronomyCrestronhdhome automationHomeAutomationother hardwareotherhardwarestargazingstarstelescopeTMPC8XtouchpanelWed, 01 Oct 2008 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[WiFi-enabled Crestron touchpanel aids in stargazing]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/01/wifi-enabled-crestron-touchpanel-aids-in-stargazing/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/01/wifi-enabled-crestron-touchpanel-aids-in-stargazing/http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/01/wifi-enabled-crestron-touchpanel-aids-in-stargazing/#comments
We've seen home automation touchpanels used for some -- shall we say, unorthodox -- activities, but this is taking things to another level galaxy. Franklin, NC-based Dan Quigley has whipped up a way for his WiFi-enabled Crestron TMPC8X to actually control a giant telescope. Rather than manually getting the 'scope into the right position, he simply touches a button and watches it automatically check to see "if and when that object is viewable." While he's at it, he can dim the lights around him and check the local weather, and once a celestial body is in view, he can snap a photograph or have the system channel the image to any computer / TV. Suddenly, astronomy has become entirely more attractive.

[Thanks, Chuck]

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WiFi-enabled Crestron touchpanel aids in stargazing originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astronomyCrestronhome automationHomeAutomationstargazingstarstelescopeTMPC8XtouchpanelWed, 01 Oct 2008 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Brando Telescope makes iPhone 3G photos 6x worse]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/18/brando-telescope-makes-iphone-3g-photos-6x-worse/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/18/brando-telescope-makes-iphone-3g-photos-6x-worse/http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/18/brando-telescope-makes-iphone-3g-photos-6x-worse/#comments
We've seen these zoom lens add-ons before. Now Brando's slapped together this 6x "Telescope" for the iPhone 3G -- a phone not exactly revered for its image quality. Just snap the unit to the back of the iPhone 3G and get to work. How good is it? About as bad as the $19 worth of optics within. Seriously, 19 bucks and available now.

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Brando Telescope makes iPhone 3G photos 6x worse originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Aug 2008 06:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandoiphone 3gIphone3glenstelephototelescopeMon, 18 Aug 2008 06:35:00 EST<![CDATA[Save Arecibo: because aliens don't do voicemail]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/07/save-arecibo-because-aliens-dont-do-voicemail/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/07/save-arecibo-because-aliens-dont-do-voicemail/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/07/save-arecibo-because-aliens-dont-do-voicemail/#comments
The folks at SETI@home have put out a desperate plea for the community to bust out those quill pens and start writing strongly-worded letters to congress persons. Apparently the Arecibo Observatory, the world's largest radio telescope and SETI@home's data source, is being threatened with some massive budget cuts. Given that a replacement for Arecibo won't be online until 2020 at best, folks are understandably upset. Turns out Arecibo is also one of the best shots we have at detecting an earth-threatening asteroid before it's too late and we have to sit through another Elijah Wood movie on the subject. You know what you have to do.

[Thanks, Brian]

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Save Arecibo: because aliens don't do voicemail originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aliensareciboarecibo observatoryAreciboObservatoryradio telescopeRadioTelescopetelescopeMon, 07 Jul 2008 11:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Imaging Source Astronomy Cameras for gazing at the heavens]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/29/imaging-source-astronomy-cameras-for-gazing-at-the-heavens/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/29/imaging-source-astronomy-cameras-for-gazing-at-the-heavens/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/29/imaging-source-astronomy-cameras-for-gazing-at-the-heavens/#commentsNew digicams for gazing at the heavensStellar photography seems like a wondrous thing: you and a loved one on a starry night taking beautiful images of the heavens -- before making out. Unfortunately, anyone who has tried it knows it's more often a frustrating exercise of fiddling with exposure and aperture settings on your SLR while it hangs precariously off the side of your telescope, held in place only by a flimsy adapter ring. The Imaging Source has a simpler option, a series of digital cameras designed for slotting into your scope like an eye piece, capturing the night sky at up to 60-minute exposures over USB or FireWire. The range starts at $390 for a monochromatic VGA model, going all the way up to $870 for color and 1280 x 960 resolution. Not cheap, but it's probably a lot less than you paid for the equatorial mount on your new reflector.

[Via Picture Snob; thanks Jay]

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Imaging Source Astronomy Cameras for gazing at the heavens originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 May 2008 20:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astronomyastronomy camerasAstronomyCamerasimaging sourceImagingSourcespacetelescopeThu, 29 May 2008 20:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Telectroscope lets Londoners and New Yorkers gaze at one another in real-time]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/23/telectroscope-lets-londoners-and-new-yorkers-gaze-at-one-another/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/23/telectroscope-lets-londoners-and-new-yorkers-gaze-at-one-another/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/23/telectroscope-lets-londoners-and-new-yorkers-gaze-at-one-another/#commentsDon't get too excited -- that image you see to the right isn't actually a transatlantic telescope. Rather, it's a transatlantic broadband network "rounded off on each end with HD cameras." Still, the 11.2- x 3.3-meter Telectroscope is a real marvel to look at, and it actually does enable viewers in New York and London to peer at each other in real-time. The creation will be on display and open to the public around the clock in both cities until June 15th, so if you've been meaning to ask for that dame's hand in marriage but couldn't afford the JFK - LHR ticket, why not set up a surprise meeting at the 'scope?

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Telectroscope lets Londoners and New Yorkers gaze at one another in real-time originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 May 2008 11:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>englandlondonnew yorkNewYorknyscienceTelectroscopetelescopeFri, 23 May 2008 11:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Gates and space-ace Simonyi gift $30m for giant telescope]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/05/gates-and-space-ace-simonyi-gift-30m-for-giant-telescope/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/05/gates-and-space-ace-simonyi-gift-30m-for-giant-telescope/http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/05/gates-and-space-ace-simonyi-gift-30m-for-giant-telescope/#comments
The currently terrestrial Bill Gates and his former (and space-faring) Microsoft colleague, Charles Simonyi, have donated a cool $30m to a project that aims to build "the world's largest survey telescope" (cleverly) called the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. On Thursday, the group said that Gates and Simonyi had donated $10m and $20m respectively to help develop the telescope, which Gates says "is truly an Internet telescope, which will put terabytes of data each night into the hands of anyone that wants to explore." The 8.4-meter telescope, which sports three large mirrors and three refractive lenses, will be built on a mountain in northern Chile and is scheduled to decimate the magic of your astronomy club in 2014.

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Gates and space-ace Simonyi gift $30m for giant telescope originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AstronomyBill GatesBillGatesCharles SimonyiCharlesSimonyiChilespacetelescopeSat, 05 Jan 2008 23:05:00 EST<![CDATA[Massive balloon takes solar telescope sky high]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/massive-balloon-takes-solar-telescope-sky-high/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/massive-balloon-takes-solar-telescope-sky-high/http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/23/massive-balloon-takes-solar-telescope-sky-high/#comments
If you've been strangely itching to get a closer look at the Sun without totally ruining your eyesight, you can color yourself quite fortunate. The aptly-named Sunrise project is an international collaboration involving a number of institutions that have successfully sent a jumbo-jet sized balloon some 120,000 feet high with a solar telescope riding shotgun. The plan is to send the massive device on lengthy journeys beginning in 2009 "that will capture unprecedented details of the Sun's surface," and furthermore, it could enable scientists to launch instruments up for testing without having to strap them onto a rocket and consequently destroy their budget. Set to take flight in the summer of '09 from Kiruna, Sweden, the balloon is scheduled to "capture continuous images for a period of several days to as long as two weeks," and no, you can't buy a seat on this one.

[Via Physorg]

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Massive balloon takes solar telescope sky high originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>solarsolar telescopesolar-powersolar-poweredSolarTelescopeSunriseTelescopeTue, 23 Oct 2007 17:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Mammoth liquid mirror telescope could be constructed on the moon]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/29/mammoth-liquid-mirror-telescope-could-be-constructed-on-the-moon/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/29/mammoth-liquid-mirror-telescope-could-be-constructed-on-the-moon/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/29/mammoth-liquid-mirror-telescope-could-be-constructed-on-the-moon/#comments
Roger Angel's idea to launch a 100-meter liquid mirror telescope on the moon is far from the only mammoth-sized dream that could be headed into space, and if the feasibility study shows enough promise, it just might happen. The University of Arizona astronomer mentioned that the idea of putting an "enormous liquid-mirror telescope on the moon that could be hundreds of times more sensitive than the Hubble Space Telescope" had been around awhile, but apparently it's finally getting the attention it deserves. If constructed, it would easily be the largest ever built, and would reportedly allow scientists to "study the oldest and most distant objects in the universe, including the very first stars." The project is being investigated on behalf of NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts, and while these type devices are "relatively cheap" to build, it should be noted that it's being compared (at least financially) to the $4.5 billion James Webb Space Telescope. Now, where's the signup sheet for freelance contractors to get in on the moon-based build process?

[Via Wired]

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Mammoth liquid mirror telescope could be constructed on the moon originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 May 2007 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>astronomerastronomyLiquid TelescopeLiquidTelescopelmtmirrormoonnasaspacetelescopeworld recordworld's largestWorld'sLargestWorldRecordTue, 29 May 2007 09:03:00 EST<![CDATA[NASA shows off James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble successor]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/nasa-shows-off-hubble-telescope-successor/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/nasa-shows-off-hubble-telescope-successor/http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/11/nasa-shows-off-hubble-telescope-successor/#comments
With Hubble slowly winding down after years of service, NASA has now taken to talking up the telescope's successor, even going so far as to take a full-scale model of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) on the road. Currently on display outside the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., the model measures an impressive 80 feet long and 40 feet high, which you'll have to be content with until the actual telescope launches in June 2013 at a cost of $4.5 billion. Once deployed, the telescope will sit some 1.5 million kilometers (or 930,000 miles) from Earth, and be able to peer far deeper into space than Hubble is able to, thanks in large part to the JWST's ginormous foldable mirror (almost three times bigger than Hubble's). If you can't make it to the Smithsonian to check out the model, you can at least get a better look at it in the gallery of images below courtesy of NASA.

Gallery: NASA shows off Hubble telescope successor

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NASA shows off James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble successor originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 May 2007 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hubblejames webb space telescopeJamesWebbSpaceTelescopejwstnasatelescopeFri, 11 May 2007 13:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Hubble's main camera could be calling it quits]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/30/hubbles-main-camera-could-be-calling-it-quits/http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/30/hubbles-main-camera-could-be-calling-it-quits/http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/30/hubbles-main-camera-could-be-calling-it-quits/#comments
That space telescope of space telescopes, NASA's Hubble, has suffered a serious setback this Saturday, and may never recover. The ACS (advanced camera for surveys), the main camera on the telescope, which was installed in 2002 and multiplied discovery capability by 10, has entered "safe mode," and NASA has little hope of a fix. A final shuttle-based repair mission is planned for 2008, but NASA already has a good bit on its to-do list, and since the ACS is such a complicated fix, it doesn't look like the Hubble will have use of its main camera for the rest of its duration in space. "In order to access the box cover and restore capability we would need to turn off the cooling system, and disconnect connections to the control module. It's a big job, the area is pretty limited; we are already challenged enough to do the other repairs and this spacewalk would be considerably more labor-intensive." Said Preston Burch, Hubble associate director at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Upgrades that will happen include new nickel hydrogen batteries, a couple of gyroscopes for locking on to targets, along with a new wide-field camera, "cosmic origins spectrograph," guidance sensor and outer protective layer. This should at least keep the Hubble running until 2013, and by then the Webb should be launched to replace the aging Hubble. Five back-to-back spacewalks will be required to fix the Hubble, but some say it's worth the risk to "save the Hubble," so perhaps NASA will figure out a way to squeeze it in by the 2008 flight.

[Via MetaFilter]

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Hubble's main camera could be calling it quits originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 30 Jan 2007 12:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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