New hobby keeping me busy during COVID

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic. Read 18214 times.

Photon46

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #60 on: 27 Apr 2021, 10:25 am »
"It is a big ask." You sir, are a master of understatement. Humanity is it's own worst enemy all too often. Evolutionary biologists often comment on how Homo Sapiens is well equipped to react to immediate risks to one's self but we fare poorly when judging long term less immediate risks. When confronted with complex and difficult to manage existential threats many retreat into denial, rationalization, and superstition.

Photon46

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #61 on: 27 Apr 2021, 10:57 am »
As for Pandemics, I believe that technology will stop them from eradicating the human race.  Humans can deal with and understand the consequences of a pandemic because the effects are fast and obvious, so they act decisively.

As the current Covid-19 situation in India shows, those living in wealthy First World economies have rapid access to new medical technologies and the rest of the world is left behind. If a virulent and deadly pathogen should emerge, we could easily see a tremendous schism in fatality rates among different nations. At the the risk of getting to political, I often hear the argument that we shouldn't be sending medical aid and vaccines across borders. Over and over, I've explained that viral evolution doesn't care about politics and borders and refusal to help other less wealthy nations means and endless game of viral whack a mole that risks hurting ourselves in the long run.

audioengr

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #62 on: 27 Apr 2021, 05:23 pm »
I feel compelled to mention that a great book that addresses these questions in such a way as to create a valid, realistic perspective is "Whole Earth Discipline" by Stewart Brand, the Whole Earth Catalogue editor. He is intelligent, well connected and thus well informed. Published in 2009. it still seems entirely relevant. To him 'Generation III or IV' nuclear reactors are the most rational interim source of energy by a long shot—even over wind, geothermal and solar, to bridge the imagined 50 year gap between now and the development of a hoped-for alternative.

If only legislators were rational and educated, much less the general public.  They can't even pronounce the word "nuclear", much less understand the risks.  The prospect of contamination of land for eons seems to be the impediment that we cannot get past, even though it's very unlikely to happen with these new generation reactors.  Evidently the entire radioactive waste ever created by reactors can fit in one football field below the goal-posts. Some of the waste can evidently be used in these modern reactors too.

audioengr

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #63 on: 27 Apr 2021, 05:30 pm »
"It is a big ask." You sir, are a master of understatement. Humanity is it's own worst enemy all too often. Evolutionary biologists often comment on how Homo Sapiens is well equipped to react to immediate risks to one's self but we fare poorly when judging long term less immediate risks. When confronted with complex and difficult to manage existential threats many retreat into denial, rationalization, and superstition.

Agreed.  IMO, the only way out of this is either a more socialistic government that does what is needed based on the science regardless of what the people want or a completely authoritarian dictatorship by a leader that actually cares.  The latter is most unlikely.  The kind of people that are authoritarians never care about these things, much less other people or science for that matter.

China is something else altogether and they may actually do the job.  They are trying, but it's hard to turn such a giant ship in a short time.  They have more solar panels on roofs than any other country.  More electric public transportation than any other country.  They are improving the air quality in Beijing by shutting down coal plants, but that was only after a major outcry by the residents.

audioengr

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #64 on: 27 Apr 2021, 05:32 pm »
As the current Covid-19 situation in India shows, those living in wealthy First World economies have rapid access to new medical technologies and the rest of the world is left behind. If a virulent and deadly pathogen should emerge, we could easily see a tremendous schism in fatality rates among different nations. At the the risk of getting to political, I often hear the argument that we shouldn't be sending medical aid and vaccines across borders. Over and over, I've explained that viral evolution doesn't care about politics and borders and refusal to help other less wealthy nations means and endless game of viral whack a mole that risks hurting ourselves in the long run.

Trying to be protectionist with a pandemic cure is a no-win proposition.  We are a global economy with massive global travel.  No turning back.

FullRangeMan

  • Volunteer
  • Posts: 19817
  • To whom more was given more will be required.
    • Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a straycat or dog. On the street they live only two years average.
Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #65 on: 29 Apr 2021, 05:25 pm »
Hi again,
I was surprised by this book contend in the 1990s, a fresh window on what is really happen on the moon and abroad, a mandatory book to sky watch fans, now in a new expanded edition, disregard the new vintage funny cover:
https://www.amazon.com/Extraterrestrial-Archaeology-Revised-Hatcher-Childress-dp-0932813771/dp/0932813771/ref=dp_ob_image_bk

audioengr

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #66 on: 30 Apr 2021, 12:02 am »
I didn't say this before because I didn't want to scare people, but Andromeda is actually on a collision course with the Milky Way and moving towards us at 200K miles/hour.  No worries.  At this speed, the two galaxies will collide in 5 billion years. :wink:

I believe the sun will will engulf the earth about the same time.

FullRangeMan

  • Volunteer
  • Posts: 19817
  • To whom more was given more will be required.
    • Never go to a psychiatrist, adopt a straycat or dog. On the street they live only two years average.
Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #67 on: 30 Apr 2021, 12:16 am »
Well time is relative according the place one are.

audioengr

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #68 on: 9 May 2021, 06:26 pm »
NGC4565 the Needle Galaxy:






40 million light years from Earth.  It is one of the more dim objects out there, at magnitude 9.6.  Most of the stars around it are in the Milky Way, so less than 200K light years to those stars.
« Last Edit: 13 May 2021, 06:14 pm by audioengr »

audioengr

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #69 on: 8 May 2022, 09:26 pm »
I did some more captures on my favorite object, M78 to get more detail out of it and got 4 days of good captures.  Here is the result:





Also did a new version of Horsehead, but I am still working on getting more captures for this one to get more detailed dust trails:




Saturn94

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 1742
Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #70 on: 9 May 2022, 12:26 am »
I did some more captures on my favorite object, M78 to get more detail out of it and got 4 days of good captures.  Here is the result:





Also did a new version of Horsehead, but I am still working on getting more captures for this one to get more detailed dust trails:




Love the pics!  :thumb:

audioengr

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #71 on: 9 May 2022, 05:23 pm »
Re-processed the Iris Nebula using new methods that deliver more detail and 3-D:




audioengr

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #72 on: 9 May 2022, 07:22 pm »
Decided to do a close-up of Pacman Nebula:




Nick B

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 894
Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #73 on: 10 May 2022, 12:36 am »
Decided to do a close-up of Pacman Nebula:





It’s very enjoyable to see these pics again  :thumb:

Jazzman53

  • Full Member
  • Posts: 744
  • Jazzman's DIY Electrostatic Loudspeaker Page
    • Jazzman's Electrostatic Loudspeaker Page
Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #74 on: 10 May 2022, 12:43 am »

audioengr

Re: New hobby keeping me busy during COVID
« Reply #75 on: 10 May 2022, 05:14 pm »
My latest version of the California Nebula, which shows a bit more 3-D detail and more dust trails:




This is a BIG object.  Does not even fit in the frame.  About 50 moons fit in the frame.