Open Cluster

[Win2Win]

Probably not impressive to some but this is around 6000ly away, and is an open cluster of stars in our own Milky Way. You can see these with binoculars, but with today's scopes you can see them in our neigbouring Andromeda Galaxy around 2Mly.

[Profit Seeker]

Excuse me if this sounds pathetic but I know nothing about space.

Aren't stars basically suns? Meaning each star could be a solar system with lots more planets orbiting it's star?

[vegyjones]

Excuse me if this sounds pathetic but I know nothing about space.

Aren't stars basically suns? Meaning each star could be a solar system with lots more planets orbiting it's star?

ABSOLUTELY NO! You MORON!

Stars are celebrities from genres such as
film, theatre, music, television etc!

I have a telescope to see my favourite star!
But she hasn't noticed yet, so no warrent out on me yet!

[Profit Seeker]

If you could live upto your funniest poster award Veg, that would be great :D

[Fadetoblack]

[vegyjones]

If you could live upto your funniest poster award Veg, that would be great :D

[Win2Win]

Each star is not a Sun, as our star is the only one called 'Sun' or Sol to give it it's correct name :D

Each star can't have a solar system, those that have gone novae, neutron stars, black holes, masive giants, etc are unlikely to either form them, or have wiped them out.

As of now, over 100 exo-planets (around other stars) have been discovered, most are as giants in 1au orbits, taking only a few days to orbit, but as the techniques improve, smaller planets are now being discovered.

Their is a picture of one, but it won't be until 2010 when the decent scopes are working, when we will be able to monitor gas, etc, on them.

[vegyjones]

When a black hole forms, it destroys everything that enters it right?

So, how do these develop?
and

Would knowing what is the other side of a black hole,
answer the mystery of what created the universe?

:D

[Win2Win]

No other side to a black hole, it's just a collapsed star with massive gravity that crushes molecules, and their is no 'other side' to our Sun if you enter it!

A black hole only sucks in what is within it's gravitional pull, after that a solar system around the collapsed star (now black hole), can still orbit it as usual.

Each galaxy, like the Milky Way, has a supermassive black hole in it's centre, but it will not swallow us all up, but we are on a collision course with our closest large neighbour, the Andromeda Galaxy, (can be seen with the naked eye on dark night), even when this happens, none of the millions x millions of stars will hit each other.

[vegyjones]

No other side to a black hole, it's just a collapsed star with massive gravity that crushes molecules, and their is no 'other side' to our Sun if you enter it!

A black hole only sucks in what is within it's gravitional pull, after that a solar system around the collapsed star (now black hole), can still orbit it as usual.

Each galaxy, like the Milky Way, has a supermassive black hole in it's centre, but it will not swallow us all up, but we are on a collision course with our closest large neighbour, the Andromeda Galaxy, (can be seen with the naked eye on dark night), even when this happens, none of the millions x millions of stars will hit each other.

You mean there's gonna be a fight between

Milky Way and Galaxy Ooo

Galaxy hands down, in my opinion! :D

[Win2Win]

They'll just exchange stars & dust, and corrupt their spiral shapes, but they are probably to big to blend.

[seagoon]

what instruments you got keith. mine's an 8" newtonian plus 3.5" refractor.

[Win2Win]

Personnal eh?? :D

8" Reflector Celestron & a Meade 125 ETX-PE

And waiting on my SAC-10 camera, once they've finshed the beta software.

I use Starry Night for guiding.

Mars & Orion up and about in 2 weeks :)

[MarcusMel]

... I thought this was going to be a picture of a bunch of computers ... or a cluster of females opening....er..hum .... cough .... nevermind!

[Win2Win]

Marcus....send us some of those pills your on :D

[seagoon]

wow, seriously outgunned!! still dark nights are back :D

[MarcusMel]

You can get them off the shelf in any Holland Barrat Shop Keith. However seeing as its you there in the post with 100 in notes so they may not reach you.

[Win2Win]

You can get them off the shelf in any Holland Barrat Shop Keith. However seeing as its you there in the post with 100 in notes so they may not reach you.

As long as you never sealed the envelope with the same 'glue' as you used last time, no idea what it was

[Onlyforfun]

I think the piccie should be hung in the Tate with the title:


"Kate Moss sneezes against the window at night"

[seagoon]

I think the piccie should be hung in the Tate with the title:


"Kate Moss sneezes against the window at night"

:D :D :D

[susanwells]

what got you into astronomy, Keith and when ?

[Win2Win]

Always been into the things up there, but I used to go sea fishing a lot, but due to ill health I could no longer do it much so bought a scope I could use from the garden.

Now I have two scopes, a webcam, all attached to the laptop for sighting & processing. Just waiting on the new SAC-10 colour cam from the US, and I'll be taking pics similar to what NASA take.

I feel another forum in development.......

Just a pity we have a lot of cloud :(

[John]

That would be awesome - a Win2Win Astronomy Forum :D

[Win2Win]

In 3 years I will control the forum World......watch out Google :D

[seagoon]

new forum? my dosh is on pegasus :D

[Profit Seeker]

What's that big starry object I can see in the east right now? Venus?

[Win2Win]

Mars you daft twaddle.......if you look away from it and stare into space (something I feel your good at ), you'll see a pinkinsh tint to it.

I took this last night with my cheapo webcam, should have my sony astro cam in 2 weeks :D

[Profit Seeker]

Mars you daft twaddle.

I doubt there's many know that. It's common knowledge you can see Venus, didn't know about Mars though....which is surprising cos there's not alot I don't know

[Win2Win]

So what was the big red thing in the news for weeks 2 years ago then, that was hanging in the sky? :)

I've got pics of Jupiter, and 4 of it's moons, Saturn and it's rings, Mercury next to Venus, and when I get the new cam, I should be able to get Pluto when it is at a high inclanation to the plane of the Earth.