NZFF

Lots of interesting stuff happening above our heads in the next few days!

The "New Horizons Probe" will be sending pictures and data back to Earth as it skims past Pluto, in the outer reaches of our Solar System...a very long way away!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-33517532

..its interesting to note how long it takes to transfer messages and data back and forth...."Turn left at Neptune"... ...!

...and there's more stuff even farther away!....>>>

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-26737376

...and after you have absorbed all that, when it comes to distances, its time to remember that our tiny little "Solar System" is located right on the edge of our enormous Milky Way Galaxy...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way

...and that there are loads of other Galaxies out there!.... :shock: ...!

There's a lot of stuff out there which is difficult to get our heads around, the distances are so vast!... ...!

We are an insignificant blip in the overall scheme of things!

I just wish that all those fancy Science Folks would use the measurement of; "MILES" for me to understand....instead of annoying; "KILOMETRES"!.... ...!

Paul...Star-gazing...with the more familiar Galaxy...>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy_%28chocolate%29

...anyone else interested in "overhead" goings-on?.... ...!

Well least they are doing better than the early 1960s with other satellites ... aim for deep outta space .. then clunk in the side off the moon WHOOPS.

Ian Warren wrote:Well least they are doing better than the early 1960s with other satellites ... aim for deep outta space .. then clunk in the side off the moon WHOOPS.

.... ....!

I have to chuckle to myself when I see folks get all excited about; "Space Travel".... ....
....and after studying the various distances involved it doesn't take much brain power to know that that is not going to happen until some bright spark invents; "Teleportation" as a mode of travel!...Bring a sandwich.... ...!

Until then, our feet will be firmly planted on Mother Earth.

It takes far too long to go anywhere, and is completely impractical for we Human-type beings designed over the millennium to be; "down here"!

"Space Travel" is for Star Trek enthusiasts in the USA, and is purely academic!

I'm quite happy in my back garden!

Think carefully...would you purchase a one-way ticket to Mars?.... ...!

Paul.... ....!

I quite like "reading" about all this "Space Stuff"...but that's about all!

Ian Warren wrote:Well least they are doing better than the early 1960s with other satellites ... aim for deep outta space .. then clunk in the side off the moon WHOOPS.

In 1969 the NASA flight plan was from JFK to LAX....

..collided with the Moon instead...(apparently).... ...!

So much for navigation and flight planning!

Paul.... ... ...!

This is one area Nick AKA: Choppernut is Very very fascinated with, and really would be the head Huncho on the topic, I know a little but he has dwelled into this and studied it .. it is a brilliant thought 'Space Travel' no "Beam me up Scotty" after bumping into the guys that flew the Space Shuttle and course we had a Christchurch girl who spent many hours at Alabama Space center, was the NZ diplomat a whiles back ... interesting subject.

This will suit you Paul ..

Over years of observing "Space" discussions involving Human travel; and being, by nature, a very practical, down-to-Earth sort of Bloke, and certainly not gullible, I take all this human space travel stuff with a pinch of salt...and a grin... ...!

It is all too easy to fool lots of highly gullible people with all sorts of things!

I can come with a list of all sorts of deadly dangers!

"Space Travel" keeps a lot of folks employed at a cost...when we have problems enough with Public Transport...down here...!

Paul...on a No 36 'Bus...stuck in the traffic!.... ...!

...much more realistic, Ian!.... ...>>>



Paul.... ...!

Tho after looking at what has happened in your/my life time is very impressive, I'd love to go into deep space , much like the movies make it .

Fozzer wrote:...much more realistic, Ian!.... ...>>>

Think we cooked Mr Bowie last chat about space

Ian Warren wrote:Tho after looking at what has happened in your/my life time is very impressive, I'd love to go into deep space , much like the movies make it .

.....Its all in the mind, Ian.... .... ....

...trust me!.... ...!

I used to believe in Fairies and Ghosts...many years ago... ...

...not any more!... ...!

Paul...feet on the ground... ...!

Each night in bed, I dream about fighting off hoards of attacking Aliens in my Star-Fighter Space Ship, (with the Photon Torpedoes)....

...then in the morning, I wake up, go downstairs and eat my Cornflakes....

...as usual... ...!

Paul....(sweeping up all the missiles on the bedroom floor)... ...!

Arr, come on Paul ya gotta love it .. a motorbike .. "feet firmly stuck on the ground" wubbish .. closes thing to flying throttle open

Fozzer wrote:Each night in bed, I dream about fighting off hoards of attacking Aliens in my Star-Fighter Space Ship, (with the Photon Torpedoes)....

Ya watch to much TV .... mind you it sounds like a lotta fun

Ian Warren wrote:

Fozzer wrote:Each night in bed, I dream about fighting off hoards of attacking Aliens in my Star-Fighter Space Ship, (with the Photon Torpedoes)....

Ya watch to much TV .... mind you it sounds like a lotta fun

...and my Computer shoot-em-up games!.... ....!

That New Horizon Space Probe is travelling through space at a speed of 14 km/s.....8.7 miles per second!

...a bit faster than my Yamaha...(probably)...

Finding Gas Stations in space is always a problem... ...!

Paul.... ...!

It is amazing the speeds they chug along at , you could not even get the slew mode on the Flight Simulator to go that quick ... but think about it, one hell of a way to take the wrinkles off our faces.

The navigation just boggles the mind... they shoot this thing off mother earth, and 10 years later it arrives within one minute of predicted rendezvous at this little (used-to-be) planet, quite some kilometres away.
I guess that's what they mean when they talk about "Rocket Science", this certainly is that.

Fozzer wrote:I just wish that all those fancy Science Folks would use the measurement of; "MILES" for me to understand....instead of annoying; "KILOMETRES"!.... ...!

Time you and yer American cousins came into the decimal fold: how many fingers do you have after all?
And for goodness' sakes stop saying KullOmitters! kilo means one thousand.
You don't say gimme a KullOgram of axle grease do you??

It is one hell off a feet ... = KILO feet X 10 + 3650 days X s .. that must have been one hell off a feat , mathematics I was good at

I am amongst the group of English (British) folk who were taught to use the Imperial System of measurement when we were at school, long before the Europeans interfered with the whole bag of schmoogle and forced their Metric System upon us!

Many of us still visualise various measurements in the "old" system.....

Pounds Shillings and Pence.
Feet and Inches.
Pounds and Ounces.
Pints and Gallons.

Rods, Poles, Perches, and Chains....etc...>>> http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/units/length.htm .... ...!

Its what we "Oldies" have got used to over the years...and nuffin' is going to change it for us...trust me.... ...!

....Good Queen Victoria was perfectly happy with it...so why change it...just to suit the French?... ...!

...mine's a Pint..... ...!

Paul.... ... ... ...!

I'll hand you a pint, alright.
But shillings won't get you any pints these days...