Monthly Archives: September 2008

Gravitational Ballet

Posted on September 30, 2008 by Invader Xan

I just wasted my entire coffee break playing with this! It’s a celestial mechanics simulator. You can build your own tiny solar system with up to four objects (planets or stars), set their masses and velocities, then hit the start … Continue reading →

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Tardis Book

Posted on September 29, 2008 by Invader Xan

On a completely random note of sublime geekery… Being the kind of person who’s rarely found anywhere without a notebook of some description (usually stashed in a bag or a pocket somewhere) — I really want one of these! Just … Continue reading →

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log (Universe)

Posted on September 29, 2008 by Invader Xan

I love XKCD sometimes…

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ISO

Posted on September 24, 2008 by Invader Xan

The Infrared Space Observatory… or ISO for short. Launched in 1995 by a European Ariane Rocket and funded between ESA, NASA and an agency that’s now part of JAXA, the ISO was state of the art at the time. It … Continue reading →

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The Sunyaev-Zel’dovitch Effect

Posted on September 23, 2008 by Invader Xan
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Freshers…

Posted on September 22, 2008 by Invader Xan

The Autumn Semester starts today — so when I saw this, I just had to post it! Bless their little cotton socks…

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Naphthalene?

Posted on September 21, 2008 by Invader Xan

When I saw a news article stating, rather brashly, that astronomers had detected naphthalene in space, I had to do a double take. Naphthalene? Seriously? Because if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my, admittedly brief, time as an astrochemist, … Continue reading →

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The Cost of Knowledge

Posted on September 21, 2008 by Invader Xan

So it wasn’t long ago that one Sir David King (former president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science) was speaking rather vociferously about how we have spent too much on the LHC. While I certainly agree with … Continue reading →

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Astrophysics eBooks!

Posted on September 18, 2008 by Invader Xan

Astrophysics eBooks Texts © 2000 – 2008 Dr. J. B. Tatum Arguably one of the most useful links I’ve found in ages. This web page has a selection of eBooks, each containing several chapters. Stellar Atmospheres Celestial Mechanics Classical Mechanics … Continue reading →

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Alien planet!

Posted on September 16, 2008 by Invader Xan

A team of scientists in Canada have taken what may well be the first actual image of an exoplanet! Not just any exoplanet either — it’s around a Sun-like star. That bright spot in the upper left of this image … Continue reading →

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