I've been told recently that collecting micrometeorites is as easy, basically, as placing a clean surface outside and picking through the debris you collect because thousands of tons of space dust and debris fall to Earth every day. That can't be all there is to it, can it? How do you know whether you're looking at Earth dust or space dust?
[more inside]
posted by Sleeper
on Feb 27, 2013 -
4 answers
If all non-solar-system stars ceased to exist, how would things look different to us on earth? Would anything change?
[more inside]
posted by juniperesque
on May 15, 2012 -
16 answers
My housemate and I just saw a bright pinpoint flash (approx intensity and size of Rigel) in the sky, lasting about an eighth of a second, what's it likely to have been?
[more inside]
posted by Ahab
on Apr 14, 2012 -
10 answers
If I've gotten the right impression, much of our currently visible universe will eventually be expanded away from us, never to be seen again. Do we already know how much and what parts of our present neighborhood we'll be left huddling with?
posted by Anything
on Dec 4, 2011 -
12 answers
Best eyepiece for viewing deep space objects with a Zhumell Z12 dobsonian reflector telescope?
[more inside]
posted by nurgle
on Jul 26, 2011 -
2 answers
Martian Astronomer Filter--when Mars moves like
this in the sky from our point of view on Earth, how does the Earth appear to move from Mars' perspective?
[more inside]
posted by JMB1138
on Feb 24, 2011 -
3 answers
Back about a decade ago, I happened to be watching in early evening as the moon went from thin sliver to complete disappearance. It was one of those unexpected and somewhat wondrous moments of my life (due to many circumstances of the time, and the unplanned coolness of it). I'd like to see it again. Is there some schedule for me to tell when this is going to happen again visible from my area?
[more inside]
posted by Kickstart70
on Oct 23, 2009 -
8 answers
Is there a distance at which a satellite will orbit a body indefinitely? Is this distance a universal constant?
[more inside]
posted by doublehappy
on Oct 16, 2009 -
28 answers
Was the entire universe created by the Big Bang, or is the space/time generated by the Big Bang part of a larger universe?
[more inside]
posted by Lownotes
on Jun 23, 2009 -
23 answers
Would we get enough warning to get out of the way if a big asteroid is bound to hit Earth? How big does an asteroid have to be to be visible for an extended period before it enters atmosphere?
posted by spacefire
on Aug 31, 2007 -
26 answers
What is the best reason to fund expensive astronomy / space exploration projects? Many projects cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Couldn't this money be better spent elsewhere?
[more inside]
posted by chrisalbon
on Aug 10, 2007 -
55 answers
I've recently become more and more interested in Astronomy, and I'm hoping someone can point me in the direction of a solid university-level Astronomy textbook, something an undergraduate student studying Astronomy would be expected to read.
[more inside]
posted by smitt
on Aug 9, 2007 -
15 answers
AskMeFi Physics folk: How do astronomers account for the temporal distinctiveness of their galactic subjects in their calculations?
I understand that observations of the red shift of quasars delinates a speed increase in the expansion of the universe - yet my brain explodes when I try to understand how the enormous expanse of
time is factored into these models.
[more inside]
posted by 0bvious
on Apr 9, 2006 -
12 answers
Please help me find the name of a weird educational science film I watched in high school. It was about the Big Bang and astrophysics. The action took place aboard a set that was supposed to be some kind of space station, where about three people discussed these issues. At the end, everyone got sucked into a black hole and the film ended abruptly.
posted by johngoren
on Feb 10, 2006 -
5 answers
I want to buy my son, who is turning six, a telescope for his birthday. I don't want to spend a fortune, but one site I looked at for advice said anything less than $300 is a piece of junk. Anyone have any advice (including specific models) on one I can by this budding astronomer for $100 or less?
posted by alexg23
on Jul 25, 2005 -
22 answers
I'm looking for really any information on Mars and Mars colonization, but in particular two questions:
Would the sun rise in the east and set in the west?
and
What would the night sky look like? What would the prominant objects be?
posted by dagnyscott
on Feb 17, 2005 -
14 answers
