World Space Week 2018!

[Martin-O2]

Hey everyone, 

Yesterday kicked off 2018's World Space Week! Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology with a focus on space exploitation. 

"Since its United Nations declaration in 1999, World Space Week has grown into the largest public space event on Earth. More than 3,700 events in 80 countries celebrated the benefits of space and excitement about space exploration in 2017.  The 2018 theme is “Space Unites The World”

There will be thousands of event's happening across the globe over the next few days and you can find details over on the World Space Week webside. 

There also have been some fantastic Astronomy announcements recently that tie in nicely with Space Week. 

Firstly, astronomers think they have discovered the first ever exomoon, which is a moon that orbits a planet outside our Solar System! 

The moon is huge compared to anything we've seen before, it's the size of Neptune and orbits a planet similar in size to Jupiter but 5 times as massive. The moon was first detected by Nasa's Kepler spacecraft then further observed by the Hubble telescope. Further study is needed to confirm the initial results but if proven correct this is a massive discovery! 

Next up and a lot closer to home where Japan's Hayabusa 2 rovers have sent images of the Ryugu asteroid. The rovers arrived mid September following a 3 year trip and have begun to return images and test the asteroids surface temperature. The rovers don't have wheels and instead hop around the moon by spinning a weight contained inside the probe which then generates movement. The images returned so far are amazing as shown below! 

Is anyone aware of any space Week events happening in your area and of so are you planning to attend? 

What do you think of the exomoon discovery or the first images from the Ryugu asteroid? Let us know! 

[TallTrees]

Hi @Martin-O2Love the thought of Hotels/spas/swimming pools to sit around~

Wow I think this sounds like "Benidorm" under a glass dome. 

There is a trial dome at Eden Project Cornwall ~ bet that is the thinking behind it 

LOL

[TallTrees]

Hello @Martin-O2

Thought I would send you a picture of the Eden Dome

just need to visualise a black sky (instead of blue with clouds)

and black/grey rocks/dust instead of lush green grass) Then

you've got it!

          

[pgn]

Not sure how I'd feel about swimming in a pool with a view like this one affords, as depicted in the film "Passengers":

[TallTrees]

Hi @Martin-O2

Suit for Mars or Moon

I have found a suit for you to "go outdoors" in for a little roam around! 

  VERY BECOMING!  

[pgn]

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@TallTrees wrote:

Hi @Martin-O2

Suit for Mars or Moon

I have found a suit for you to "go outdoors" in for a little roam around! 

  VERY BECOMING!  

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Wellies are a bit of overkill though - quite dry on the Moon and on Mars, we are led to believe.  Venus, now that's another matter 

[Cleoriff]

Mmmmmm. Very nice. Must away and order mine now

[Martin-O2]

That's awesome @Harrysmum2008! I'd love to visit Kennedy Space Centre! It's definitely on my to do list when I visit the US. 

@pgn It will be a historic day when we get the fist picture of aliens! I wonder if they will be intelligent or just critters? Don't like the look of that pool. Think I'd get nervous in the deep end. 

@jonsie That was just a weather balloon. Nothing to see here.   

I can picture that now @TallTrees! Relaxing on the inside of the dome with a cool drink. 

[pgn]

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@Martin-O2 wrote:

@pgn It will be a historic day when we get the fist picture of aliens! I wonder if they will be intelligent or just critters? Don't like the look of that pool. Think I'd get nervous in the deep end. 

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Yes, very, very deep - deep space, in fact 

Actually, the graphics in Passengers, the representation of the ship, were all really well done - shame about the storyline for the last two-thirds... Can you imagine a ship that big? The systems to control it? It's bad enough trying to get a computer-generated vat invoice here, never mind navigating and travelling through space forc120years AND waking up the passengers successfully after all that time. I must check, actually, not sure how big and how long the Nostromo was and its crew's sleep time (Alien, remember ?)... 

[Martin-O2]

@pgn Space is about as deep as you can get!

I still need to see Passengers yet but keen to give it a watch. I would imagine that anything computer controlled going through deep space and responsible for human lives would have dozens of backups to make sure nothing went wrong. 

The Nostromo was huge! Over a mile long I think. Things like that can only be built in space as you're not getting that off the ground without some sort of anti-gravity. 

[pgn]

The ship in Passengers is said to be over 1km in length, no flea either, @Martin-O2.

Not like The Heart of Gold from HHGTTG, or the Kraits, Anacondas, Boas and Vipers from the space tradìng game, Elite (with or without mining lasers end extra cargo bay...).

And about the deep end of that pool - in space, no-one can hear you scream... 😱