E.T in Twenty

"That's 500 billion planets out there, and bear in mind there are 100 billion other galaxies. To think this [the Earth] is the only place where anything interesting is happening, you have got to be really audacious to take that point of view."

Seth Shostak, SETI senior astronomer

Some astronomers are claiming that within the next two decades or so, mankind will come in contact with some form of intelligent life. They say that with the launch of the Kepler space telescope next year will drastically advance the search for intelligent lifeforms. While I believe that extraterrestrial exists and will eventually be found, given the size of our universe and the countless celestial bodies within, my faith in human advancement within the next twenty years does not extend that far. While it is possible, I don't think that it is probable...then again traveling to the moon in 1969 seemed like a stretch too...

Location, location, location!

As I was perusing the internet this morning I stumbled upon something pretty fantastic that I feel must be shared. IBEX, NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer, has allowed scientists to piece together a comprehensive map of our solar system and where it is located in the Milky Way galaxy. This is the first map of its kind and will enable scientists to study our sun's interaction with the galaxy in ne (and exciting) ways. IBEX set out around this time last year with the objective of learning what sort of interactions exist at the edge of our solar system between solar wind and interstellar medium. IBEX also helps to put observations from other spacecrafts (Voyagers) in context...to expand on what we already know. IBEX has unlocked another bit of the universe to us and as science continues to improve and explore, there seems to be no limit what can be achieved.

To see NASA's handy-dandy animation, check out the sky map. Credit belongs to NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Clear(ish) Skies Bring New Hope

Just like the ending of the greatest space opera of all time (except for maybe Spaceballs), the flaky sun gives a mix of New Hope and indigestion. I say hope because the golden rays of that magnificent sun warm and destroy those troublesome clouds like a BlasTech DL-44 pistol. Our rebellious sun refused to give in to the persistent and ruling grayness that characterizes this area and chooses to fight instead. This is almost a futile fight however, (cause for the indigestion). Try as the Sun might, our celestial highway is still often blocked fo our viewing pleasure. Why keep the fight going? Well it is the Sun, an inanimate object, so despite an earlier personification it will continue to behave as the massive gas ball it is. Secondly, fellow rebels, the astronomers (both of a professional and backyard variety) must keep that fight going in order to do what they do best: quench their curiosity for the known and unknown alike.

Spotting the Moon

The Jupiter night labs are winding down because of the atrociously unpredictable maritime weather (which I believe some secretly love) and it is nearly time to turn in our moon assignment... It is slightly sad how excited I become when I spot the moon or a friend of mine who is informed of my task points it out. I jump. I giggle. I take a mental picture and remind myself to record it later on or run back to my room to pull out my now disheveled lab report from the confines of my backpack. Oh joy! I saw the moon! Beautiful as it make be, and while it is so very critical to exist in its current state, I am annoyed. Because out of all of this excitement comes a a sadness when I miss the moon. Not simply because labs are twelve percent of my overall grade. Oh no, that would make sense. No, no, I genuinely miss the moon. I have become clingy to its presence. The moon never calls. The moon never writes. The moon never even bothers to text me. I mean geez I gave it my real number for what reason? Perhaps I will spot it tonight and get a glimpse of its luminous aura. Or not and realize I am still one observation short...

Dark Force Rising

Perhaps the most annoying part of observational astronomy is bad weather. Unfortunately poor weather seems to be deeply ingrained in the Atlantic maritime provinces. So when it comes time to stand, sit, lay, or whatever yo find most comfortable beneath the nighttime sky, you might find yourself cold and rain/snowed upon. Even in space there lies the risk of bad weather. That tends to rescheduled shuttle landings, inaccurate GPS signals, and other such issues. Luckily there is SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) which is used to make predictions on weather in space. Unlike those rather unreliable weather forecasters on the local news, SOHO is pretty accurate. So even though the Katana fleet will never be seen again, at least our space travelers can rest peacefully knowing that in our part of the universe the "skies" are clear.

Tomorrow is Yesterday

On March 31 of last year, two NASA scientists (Nikolai Shaposhnikov and Lev Titarchuk) discovered what appears to be the smallest black hole on record. This "little guy" is only 15 miles in diameter and has a mass 3.8 times that of our sun--thus barely fitting the current minimum specifications for a black hole. Now what I find so interesting is that although this is just a wee little tear in spacetime, the punch it packs is more dangerous than larger black holes. Take for example the supermassive black hole in the centre of our galaxy. ( This newly discovered black hole is also located within the Milky Way in a region known as XTE J1650-500. Catchy, non?) It, like other supermassive black holes (which have masses varying between millions and billions of times that of our sun), does its job of keeping the galaxies a'movin with its grand amount of gravity. I am unclear as to the purpose this mini-black hole is--if it indeed has one at all. However my personal opinion is that this black hole,along with any others of that size, must in some way help maintain the balance of our galaxy. Unfortunately there is no possible way of testing that opinion.


So word of caution to intergalactic space travelers out there: beware of unforeseen small black holes. Failure to proceed with caution may result in transportation to 1969. Watch for Captain Kirk; he'll be waiting.