Seattle
Valued Senior Member
True and maybe of equal import as well.
Light years?
- Thread starter wegs
- Start date
Right, we don't need to worry about it, but discussing it can be fun.To a butterfly the Universe is infinite I'm sure
I think some of these questions become meaningless depending on how you define them. I think of the Universe as encompassing everything. If you start talking about multiverses then you are changing the definition of Universe in my book.
You can talk about "something from nothing" but in quantum mechanics there are quantum fluctuations even where there is "nothing" or rather there never is "nothing" so again, it all depends on the definitions.
Therefore I think it's not worth worrying about in a sense.
Seattle
Valued Senior Member
Exactly.
If the quantum fluctuations do exist ,then "nothing" doesn't exist.
That would, for what it is worth "make sense" to me as "nothing" defies definitions and I am happy to give up the search for it.
I think there may be a practicality to it as we don't "fall off the edge" of anything as we get to to the "smallest" and least dense areas of space.
It reminds me of the passage from Homer's Odyssey where Odysseus is making his escape from the captivity of Cyclops(if memory still serves) disguised as a sheep
"Who goes there/what is your name?" said the Cyclops
"My name is Nobody" said the hero as he hot footed it down the hillside with the remainder of his crew and back to his ship.
It has 20,000 locations to choose from and it’s available as a phone app.
I’ve read that in order for this app to work at its best, there is a way to calibrate the compass. Good to know.
Seattle
Valued Senior Member
I've only used it on my desktop computer but it works well there. It's probably a little more impressive with the larger screen as well.
Am I the only one with a desktop these days? It seems all anyone else uses as a computer is their phone. You kids and your phones...
That’s true, a larger screen will be way better to see all the details.
I use a laptop for work, and a combination of my Chrome Book and phone for everything else.Am I the only one with a desktop these days? It seems all anyone else uses as a computer is their phone. You kids and your phones...
What has been the most impressive thing you’ve seen so far, using this site?
Seattle
Valued Senior Member
I don't really think about it in those terms. It's just a planetarium program. It's helpful for knowing where to look with my telescope or binoculars or making sure I'm correctly identifying whatever I'm seeing when I look up at the stars.
I just downloaded the app and entered my location, and it shows ''real time'' which is of course, daylight right now, but it fast forwards to the night sky later tonight, and if it were to be a perfectly clear night (which is rare during the summer months) I should be able to see the moon, Uranus, Mars and the constellation, “Eridanus.'' (Facing North) 
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Seattle
Valued Senior Member
You should be able to see Saturn if you look to the South. To the NE you might be able to make out the Andromeda Galaxy.
In general you mileage is going to be greater viewing if you look high to the South (if you are able giving your location). That where the ecliptic reaches its highest point and that's the best place to view any planet.
In general you mileage is going to be greater viewing if you look high to the South (if you are able giving your location). That where the ecliptic reaches its highest point and that's the best place to view any planet.
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Seattle
Valued Senior Member
Isn't it light in Florida at 6:30 am?
Sun rise is roughly 6:50 AM ET, so more like a dawn-twilight.
I slowly moved the app timeline to tomorrow morning and that is what it displayed that I’ll be able to see at 6:30 AM - Vulpecula. Again, facing North.
Hopefully the compass in the app is accurate. lol
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Well, as suspected…the sky is like a charcoal, blank slate. The clouds are too thick to see anything at all, since it just rained.
I wondered about the street lamps lining my neighborhood street, but upon looking up “suburban light pollution,” most constellations can still be seen quite clearly. Fainter ones not as much.
I wondered about the street lamps lining my neighborhood street, but upon looking up “suburban light pollution,” most constellations can still be seen quite clearly. Fainter ones not as much.
Seattle
Valued Senior Member
In my case I do my viewing from the backyard looking back over the roof of the house. My back deck faces north and the best views are high in the south so looking over the house to the south is good as the house blocks out most of the street lights.
I turn off my yard and back deck lights when looking at the skies. It's important to also give your eyes some time to adjust to the darkness.
Too bad the skies are not clear for you tonight. Maybe you should take up sky watching and meditation at the same time. Tonight you get to meditate. Tomorrow maybe you can sky watch.
Janus58
Valued Senior Member
Florida, being in the Southern US, sees less variation in the amount of daylight per day it gets than someone living further North, So while where I am (near the 45th parallel) the Sun rises at 5:47, but as pointed out by wegs, where he is, it doesn't rise until almost an hour later. On top of that, you have to take into account where they are within their particular timezone, which could make the difference larger or smaller.
Seattle
Valued Senior Member