Notes and such from "Lives of the Planets - A Natural History of the Solar System" by Richard Corfield
"Stonehenge is a Stone Age supercomputer" which "was built over a fifteen hundred year period from about 3100 BC to 1500 BC". It "helped Neolithic peoples keep pace with the turning of the seasons ... and predicting the occurance of crucial astronomical events such as eclipses."
"Mariner 2 was launched on August 27, 1962, and ... became the first spacecraft to successfully fly by another planet; it sped past Venus on December 14, 1962."
On October 22, 1975 the Soviet "Venera 9 had become the first spacecraft to place a satellite in permanent orbit around another planet."
"In 1969, Venera 5 and 6 were also successful atmospheric probes, and in 1970, Venera 7 became the first Earth-built spacecraft to land on the surface of another planet."
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has landed a small spacecraft named Hayabusa on the surface of the astroid Itokawa. The launch was on May 9, 2003 and Hayabusa arrived at Itokawa in September of 2005.{After this book was written samples were returned to Earth in 2010.}
The American Pioneer 10 was launched on March 2, 1972; and within 18 minutes achieved a "staggering" 32,000 mph. By December 3, 1973 "Jupiter's massive gravity had accelerated Pioneer 10 to 82,000 mph.
Voyagers 1 and 2 were launched in September and August of 1977 and arrived near Jupiter in March and July of 1979. Voyager 2 arrived in Uranian space on January 24, 1986 and then reached Neptune on August 25, 1989. On the same day "Voyager 2 had passed the last of Neptune's moons and was dropping out of the bottom of the solar system to begin its eternal fall into the vastnesses of space between the stars. In slightly less than 300,000 years, it will make its first approach to another star - the hot, bright furnace of Sirius."
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Experimental Blog # 123
Notes and such from "Space Chronicles" - Facing the Ultimate Frontier by Neil deGrasse Tyson and edited by Avis Lang
The author, Neil deGrasse Tyson, points out that both he and NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Agency, were "born" in the same year, 1958.
Among many interesting facts in this book are:
Hydrogen, helium, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen are the 5 most common elements in the universe and, except for helium, which is not chemically reactive, the other 4 are also the most common elements of life, including people. So, we indeed are very much a natural product of the universe.
The Earth now has hundreds of communication satellites and 12 space telescopes. Hubble, which was launched in 1990, is the most well known, and, hopefully, will soon be replaced by the even more powerful James Webb Space Telescope.
The International Space Station is located in a low Earth orbit about 225 miles above the Earth.
In most cases it is "vastly cheaper to send robots" into space than people; usually about a fiftieth of the cost.
There are 5 "Lagrangian points" around the Earth-Moon system "where the gravity of Earth, the gravity of the Moon, and the centrifugal forces of the rotating system all balance."
There are also 5 such points around the Earth-Sun system, and it is planned that the James Webb Space Telescope will be placed in one of them.
There are thousands of asteroids gathered at 2 of the Lagrangian points in the Sun-Jupiter system, and there is other "space junk" in the Sun-Earth and Earth-Moon systems as well.
However, "On Friday the 13th, April 2029, an asteroid large enough to fill the Rose Bowl as though it were an egg cup will fly so close to Earth that it will dip below the altitude of our communications satellites. ... If the trajectory of Apophis{the asteroid} at close approach passes within a narrow range of altitudes called the "keyhole," then the influence of Earth's gravity on its orbit will guarantee that seven years later, in 2036, on its next trip around, the asteroid will hit Earth directly, likely slamming into the Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii. ... If Apophis misses the keyhole in 2029, we will have nothing to worry about in 2036."
The author, Neil deGrasse Tyson, points out that both he and NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Agency, were "born" in the same year, 1958.
Among many interesting facts in this book are:
Hydrogen, helium, oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen are the 5 most common elements in the universe and, except for helium, which is not chemically reactive, the other 4 are also the most common elements of life, including people. So, we indeed are very much a natural product of the universe.
The Earth now has hundreds of communication satellites and 12 space telescopes. Hubble, which was launched in 1990, is the most well known, and, hopefully, will soon be replaced by the even more powerful James Webb Space Telescope.
The International Space Station is located in a low Earth orbit about 225 miles above the Earth.
In most cases it is "vastly cheaper to send robots" into space than people; usually about a fiftieth of the cost.
There are 5 "Lagrangian points" around the Earth-Moon system "where the gravity of Earth, the gravity of the Moon, and the centrifugal forces of the rotating system all balance."
There are also 5 such points around the Earth-Sun system, and it is planned that the James Webb Space Telescope will be placed in one of them.
There are thousands of asteroids gathered at 2 of the Lagrangian points in the Sun-Jupiter system, and there is other "space junk" in the Sun-Earth and Earth-Moon systems as well.
However, "On Friday the 13th, April 2029, an asteroid large enough to fill the Rose Bowl as though it were an egg cup will fly so close to Earth that it will dip below the altitude of our communications satellites. ... If the trajectory of Apophis{the asteroid} at close approach passes within a narrow range of altitudes called the "keyhole," then the influence of Earth's gravity on its orbit will guarantee that seven years later, in 2036, on its next trip around, the asteroid will hit Earth directly, likely slamming into the Pacific Ocean between California and Hawaii. ... If Apophis misses the keyhole in 2029, we will have nothing to worry about in 2036."
Friday, July 20, 2012
Experimental Blog #122
Quotes and Notes from "Heaven's Touch" - From Killer Stars to the Seeds of Life, How We Are Connected to the Universe by James B. Kaler
"Among the most amazing discoveries of modern astronomy is that even our day-to-day affairs are in fact subject to the vageries of distant planets and stars."
Photons have no mass; "they are the only particles that do not." So, only they can travel at the speed of light, where everything else would have infinite mass, which is impossible.
The most distant thing the unaided human eye can see is the Andromeda Galaxy, two and a half million light-years away.
The Earth's communications and high-orbit research satelites might be 22,250 or more miles from the center of the Earth, and are beyond the Earth's magnetic protection; and their sensitive electronics must sometimes be turned off to prevent hundreds of millions of dollars of damage from solar particle bombardment.
Kepler's and Newton's laws and equations apparently provide the basis to determine the masses of everything in the universe.
There are millions, maybe billions, of asteroids. Most of them are the size of large rocks, but there might be a million or more that are larger than 50 miles in diameter.
"Nearly 100 meteorites have been identified as coming from the Moon." "We find Martian meteorites as well, about three dozen known."
In 2006, the "Stardust" spacecraft, which was launched in 1999, brought back samples from "Comet Wild 2". In 2005 the "Deep Impact" spacecraft visited "Comet Temple 1".
"the gift of water was given to us by the accretion of hoards of leftover comets that hit us, each sent inward by the outer planets...."
Almost all of the three light elements, boron, lithium, and beryllium, are the products of cosmic ray collisions with carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen; and so is carbon 14, at least until the atom bomb testing of the 1940s and 1950s.
The author includes an all-sky map of the Cosmic Background Radiation, which was released a half million years after the Big Bang, and says it is the oldest thing that we know. Apparently, whatever precedes is theory.
"Among the most amazing discoveries of modern astronomy is that even our day-to-day affairs are in fact subject to the vageries of distant planets and stars."
Photons have no mass; "they are the only particles that do not." So, only they can travel at the speed of light, where everything else would have infinite mass, which is impossible.
The most distant thing the unaided human eye can see is the Andromeda Galaxy, two and a half million light-years away.
The Earth's communications and high-orbit research satelites might be 22,250 or more miles from the center of the Earth, and are beyond the Earth's magnetic protection; and their sensitive electronics must sometimes be turned off to prevent hundreds of millions of dollars of damage from solar particle bombardment.
Kepler's and Newton's laws and equations apparently provide the basis to determine the masses of everything in the universe.
There are millions, maybe billions, of asteroids. Most of them are the size of large rocks, but there might be a million or more that are larger than 50 miles in diameter.
"Nearly 100 meteorites have been identified as coming from the Moon." "We find Martian meteorites as well, about three dozen known."
In 2006, the "Stardust" spacecraft, which was launched in 1999, brought back samples from "Comet Wild 2". In 2005 the "Deep Impact" spacecraft visited "Comet Temple 1".
"the gift of water was given to us by the accretion of hoards of leftover comets that hit us, each sent inward by the outer planets...."
Almost all of the three light elements, boron, lithium, and beryllium, are the products of cosmic ray collisions with carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen; and so is carbon 14, at least until the atom bomb testing of the 1940s and 1950s.
The author includes an all-sky map of the Cosmic Background Radiation, which was released a half million years after the Big Bang, and says it is the oldest thing that we know. Apparently, whatever precedes is theory.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Experimental Blog #121
Comments on "The Man Without a Face - The Unlikely Rise of Vladimir Putin" by Masha Gessen
Although Masha Gessen has written a very interesting and informative book, isn't it true that vast multi-cultural Russia has always been a police state in one form or another? And, perhaps more accurately, a secret police state with additional occupied territories?
The whole world has, at best, something like poorly concealed gang warfare, although mostly in various states of truce or ceasefire.
The Russian leaders Vladimir Putin and Dimitri Medvedev are hardly "natural born tyrants". Probably to most people they seem to be about as innocuous world leaders, but still responsible, as can be found anywhere.
Wouldn't any of those people demonstrating so much against the present Russian government, assuming that they were capable, eventually become "tyrants" if they were somehow given the power?
Although Masha Gessen has written a very interesting and informative book, isn't it true that vast multi-cultural Russia has always been a police state in one form or another? And, perhaps more accurately, a secret police state with additional occupied territories?
The whole world has, at best, something like poorly concealed gang warfare, although mostly in various states of truce or ceasefire.
The Russian leaders Vladimir Putin and Dimitri Medvedev are hardly "natural born tyrants". Probably to most people they seem to be about as innocuous world leaders, but still responsible, as can be found anywhere.
Wouldn't any of those people demonstrating so much against the present Russian government, assuming that they were capable, eventually become "tyrants" if they were somehow given the power?
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Experimental Blog #120
Comments on "Romanov Riches" - Russian Writers and Artists under the Tsars by Solomon Volkov translated from the Russian by Antonina W. Bouis
Monarchy and monarchial society are not very familiar to Americans.
"...the ideological triad "Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality," developed under his{Nicholas I's} aegis, ... it has survived in its basic form to this day. It was used, with modifications to suit changing political realities, ... even by Joseph Stalin, Leonid Brezhnev, and Vladimir Putin."
Although Alexander Pushkin seems to be the Russian writer most referred to in this book, the lives of the other writers Nikolai Gogol, Fedor Dostoevsky, and Leo Tolstoy are usually more interesting to American outsiders. Solomon Volkov's very knowledgable account of the composer Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky and his interpretation of Alexander Pushkin in his opera "Eugene Onegin" are also very informative.
Solomon Volkov characterizes Leo Tolstoy as a "Christian anarchist", who, of course, had much influence and many followers.
The book ends with the downfall of the tragically incompetent Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra in the February Revolution of 1917.
Monarchy and monarchial society are not very familiar to Americans.
"...the ideological triad "Orthodoxy, Autocracy, and Nationality," developed under his{Nicholas I's} aegis, ... it has survived in its basic form to this day. It was used, with modifications to suit changing political realities, ... even by Joseph Stalin, Leonid Brezhnev, and Vladimir Putin."
Although Alexander Pushkin seems to be the Russian writer most referred to in this book, the lives of the other writers Nikolai Gogol, Fedor Dostoevsky, and Leo Tolstoy are usually more interesting to American outsiders. Solomon Volkov's very knowledgable account of the composer Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky and his interpretation of Alexander Pushkin in his opera "Eugene Onegin" are also very informative.
Solomon Volkov characterizes Leo Tolstoy as a "Christian anarchist", who, of course, had much influence and many followers.
The book ends with the downfall of the tragically incompetent Nicholas II and his wife Alexandra in the February Revolution of 1917.
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Experimental Blog #119
Quotations from "The Magical Chorus - A History of Russian Culture from Tolstoy to Solzhenitsyn" by Solomon Volkov and translated from the Russian by Antonina W. Bouis
Here are only a few of the hundred or more of references to Joseph Stalin in this book:
"Even though Stalin's formal education ended when he was expelled from the Tiflis Seminary < >, he read a lot{some recall his reading 400 pages a day, both fiction and nonfiction} and he had a lively interest in cultural issues."
"In his youth, he had written poetry, and he was a lifelong avid reader of varied nonfiction < > and fiction, including foreign and naturally Russian classics..."
"He was a great lover of film and classical music. < > He was frequently seen at the theater."
"The road to this intellectual parity was not an easy one for Stalin, but he was a good student, mastering the lessons and advice of people with a wider worldview< >, such as Lenin, and other old party leaders with emigre' experience."
"Certainly Stalin was ruthless toward his own people and other nations. < >"but his attitude toward the cultural elite was outwardly friendlier than that of Lenin < > {he} felt more respect for people of culture. < >Stalin ... almost never shouted at cultural figures, and when he was angry, he actually lowered his voice. Simonov, who heard many stories of how cruel and coarse Stalin could be ... stressed that the ruler 'was never once boorish' to writers."
"Stalin might have read "Doctor Zhivago", as he did dozens of other novels by Soviet writers .. As stated Simonov, who attended many discussions of literary works nominated for the Stalin Prize at which Stalin was present, 'everything that was in the least bit controversial and caused disagreement, he had read ..."
"Gorbachev was better educated than Khrushchev or Brezhnev, but less well read that Stalin or Andropov."
Here are only a few of the hundred or more of references to Joseph Stalin in this book:
"Even though Stalin's formal education ended when he was expelled from the Tiflis Seminary < >, he read a lot{some recall his reading 400 pages a day, both fiction and nonfiction} and he had a lively interest in cultural issues."
"In his youth, he had written poetry, and he was a lifelong avid reader of varied nonfiction < > and fiction, including foreign and naturally Russian classics..."
"He was a great lover of film and classical music. < > He was frequently seen at the theater."
"The road to this intellectual parity was not an easy one for Stalin, but he was a good student, mastering the lessons and advice of people with a wider worldview< >, such as Lenin, and other old party leaders with emigre' experience."
"Certainly Stalin was ruthless toward his own people and other nations. < >"but his attitude toward the cultural elite was outwardly friendlier than that of Lenin < > {he} felt more respect for people of culture. < >Stalin ... almost never shouted at cultural figures, and when he was angry, he actually lowered his voice. Simonov, who heard many stories of how cruel and coarse Stalin could be ... stressed that the ruler 'was never once boorish' to writers."
"Stalin might have read "Doctor Zhivago", as he did dozens of other novels by Soviet writers .. As stated Simonov, who attended many discussions of literary works nominated for the Stalin Prize at which Stalin was present, 'everything that was in the least bit controversial and caused disagreement, he had read ..."
"Gorbachev was better educated than Khrushchev or Brezhnev, but less well read that Stalin or Andropov."
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Experimental Blog #118
Quotations and Comments on "DNA USA - A Genetic Protrait of America" by Bryan Sykes
It seems that except for a fairly limited number of diseases, "the Human Genome Project has achieved very little as far as alleviating or even untangling the suffering caused by disease."
"...for most diseases with an inherited component, ... the links to specific genes are a great deal more tenuous." "The reality is that the genes involved are many in number and individually weak in their effect."
As far as the English are concerned, "the predominant myth today {is} that the English are descended from Germanic Saxons" ... However, "Genetics shows that this is not the case, and that the genetic bedrock of the whole of Britain ... is fundamentally Celtic overlaid with a thin topsoil of Saxons and Vikings, nowhere more than 20 percent."
And speaking of "origin myths" in general, is it not true that it is through our DNA that we are all human, and we are all related to each other, and to all of the rest of life on Earth as well?
And also generally speaking, is it not true that China and India, for example, are "succeeding" by beating the "winners", that is Western Europe and America, at "our own game" by becoming experts in the necessary sciences?
"DNA USA" is also a very entertaining travel book.
It seems that except for a fairly limited number of diseases, "the Human Genome Project has achieved very little as far as alleviating or even untangling the suffering caused by disease."
"...for most diseases with an inherited component, ... the links to specific genes are a great deal more tenuous." "The reality is that the genes involved are many in number and individually weak in their effect."
As far as the English are concerned, "the predominant myth today {is} that the English are descended from Germanic Saxons" ... However, "Genetics shows that this is not the case, and that the genetic bedrock of the whole of Britain ... is fundamentally Celtic overlaid with a thin topsoil of Saxons and Vikings, nowhere more than 20 percent."
And speaking of "origin myths" in general, is it not true that it is through our DNA that we are all human, and we are all related to each other, and to all of the rest of life on Earth as well?
And also generally speaking, is it not true that China and India, for example, are "succeeding" by beating the "winners", that is Western Europe and America, at "our own game" by becoming experts in the necessary sciences?
"DNA USA" is also a very entertaining travel book.
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