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Monday, March 9, 2009

Science The Eyes of the Cosmos

Posted by Charles Mudede on Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 8:34 AM

What it is, is the universe seeing the universe.
1990/1236613974-eyes-1.jpg

An unmanned Nasa mission to search the sky for Earth-like planets with the potential to host life has launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

The Kepler telescope will orbit the Sun to watch a patch of space thought to contain about 100,000 stars like ours.

It will look for the slight dimming of light from these "suns" as planets pass between them and the spacecraft.

Controllers took their first opportunity to launch the probe, at 0349GMT (2249EST) on 7 March.

Kepler blasted off atop a Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

There is not only a universe but also a thinking substance (made from star-stuff) that can see and record the universe. That is the most amazing thing about the universe; it actually thinks and looks at itself. The radiating light of the sun is transformed on the surface of the earth into living reflectors (imagineers) of the universe.

Comments (8) RSS

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The big question is this: does it have variable vibration settings?

Posted by Baconcat on March 9, 2009 at 8:36 AM

I'm gonna have to call you out on this one Chuckles, where's the tits?

Posted by space penis on March 9, 2009 at 8:45 AM

everyone together:

oooooooooooh!

aaaaaaaaaaaah!

Posted by how much will it co$t? on March 9, 2009 at 9:00 AM

This post actually almost makes sense.

Almost.

Posted by Fifty-Two-Eighty on March 9, 2009 at 9:05 AM

Kepler got a smooth ride on a Boeing Delta II.

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory got dumped in the ocean by an Orbital Sciences Corp. Taurus.

I'm not ready to call it a conspiracy, but those spending priorities piss me off.

Posted by opticsdoug on March 9, 2009 at 9:17 AM

Looks like a giant golf bag.

Posted by Fnarf on March 9, 2009 at 10:08 AM

I blame Exxon for the carbon satelite for no good reason.

About the Kepler, I could not be more excited. All of our previous surveys are heavily biased toward hot jupiters that are huge and circle very close to their stars. This is the first telescope that can see Earthlike planets.

Posted by Snugglesaurus Rex on March 9, 2009 at 10:15 AM

The Universe is so vast and the energy it contains so powerful, what would be the point of it all if it could not look at itself and relish it's greatness? I mean, if the galaxy has hundreds of billions of stars, and each star developes planets much the same way ours has, then it stands to reason that the "habitable zone", that area where liquid water can exist, will develope a planet around many of these stars where life can exist. It really does seem the universe is pushing life, encouraging it in every possible way. Now, if intelligent life evolves out of a small fraction of these planets, it would stand to reason that this is the goal. I just don't see why the Universe can't have it's own purposes or reasons for doing this. If an infinitely small creature like ourselves can comprehend things so vast, why can't the vast have us to appreciate it and give it a purpose?

Posted by Vince on March 9, 2009 at 1:48 PM