The Hubble Deep Field Image

[Tank]

Imagine taking a drinking straw and looking through it at the night sky. Point it somewhere you can't see any stars. This is what they did with Hubble. And what did it see? Thousands of galaxies.



This video goes into a little more detail.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAVjF_7ensg

[Stevil]

I find it amazing that they got their camera to sit absolutely still (no angular momentum in any direction) while sitting in free space.
At least I can use a tripod.

[Tank]

I find it amazing that they got their camera to sit absolutely still (no angular momentum in any direction) while sitting in free space.
At least I can use a tripod.

It was also built up over 1,000,000 seconds (11.6 days.) and the camera was in continuous movement all the time as it was in orbit!

[Stevil]

I find it amazing that they got their camera to sit absolutely still (no angular momentum in any direction) while sitting in free space.
At least I can use a tripod.

It was also built up over 1,000,000 seconds (11.6 days.) and the camera was in continuous movement all the time as it was in orbit!

In orbit, well, that's even worse. Incredible.

[joeactor]

well... *there's* your missing matter!

very cool.  constantly amazed by new discoveries...

[KingPhilip]

I always see these images and wonder how many other species are out there with their own telescopes, looking at our speck of a galaxy. Probably billions.

[Stevil]

I like to think of all the different types of fruit or meat that could be added to our menu.

Strange and crazy animals and plant life. It would be so fascinating to see evolution take a different path.
Our own Jurassic period was very different to current times, so it is quite likely there is a variety out there.

[Tank]

I find it amazing that they got their camera to sit absolutely still (no angular momentum in any direction) while sitting in free space.
At least I can use a tripod.

It was also built up over 1,000,000 seconds (11.6 days.) and the camera was in continuous movement all the time as it was in orbit!

In orbit, well, that's even worse. Incredible.

It's all done with big gyroscopes continuously rotating the telescope. They had to use gyroscopes as they are powered by electricity which can be replenished by the solar panels.

Hubble has a problem that the designers didn't cater for, it shivers. Each time it passes into and out of the Earth's shadow it 'shivers' for a few minutes as it adjusts to the temperature change. These minutes are lost to any observation.

[Tank]

I like to think of all the different types of fruit or meat that could be added to our menu.

Strange and crazy animals and plant life. It would be so fascinating to see evolution take a different path.
Our own Jurassic period was very different to current times, so it is quite likely there is a variety out there.

It would be interesting to see a planet that had not had any significant catastrophes. If the snowball earth condition and great oxygenation event had not occurred it is conceivable that complex/multi-cellular life would never have come about. For about 3.5 billion years of the Earth's 4.5 billion year existence there was nothing more complex than a Paramecium. Given life kicked off within about 500 million years of the Earth's birth but then took 3,000 million years to go multi-cellular it would appear that life getting going is far easier than it getting complex. 

[Stevil]

It would be interesting to see a planet that had not had any significant catastrophes. If the snowball earth condition and great oxygenation event had not occurred it is conceivable that complex/multi-cellular life would never have come about. For about 3.5 billion years of the Earth's 4.5 billion year existence there was nothing more complex than a Paramecium. Given life kicked off within about 500 million years of the Earth's birth but then took 3,000 million years to go multi-cellular it would appear that life getting going is far easier than it getting complex.  

So the oxygenation event was a one off event for the earth?
That would mean, I guess, that this type of event is more likely not to happen than it is to happen, which would mean most Cinderalla planets with life have simple single cell organisms only.

It would also be interesting to compare the technological advancement history of other intelligent life planets. Did they invent TV, Microwave ovens, electric guitar, etc. Did they come up with crazy religions? Do they have countries, do countries have flags and national anthems?
It's funny, on the Catholic site that I visit, they were wondering if aliens would be Catholic LOL. They concluded No, because they wouldn't have come from Adam and Eve OMG.

[Tank]

It would be interesting to see a planet that had not had any significant catastrophes. If the snowball earth condition and great oxygenation event had not occurred it is conceivable that complex/multi-cellular life would never have come about. For about 3.5 billion years of the Earth's 4.5 billion year existence there was nothing more complex than a Paramecium. Given life kicked off within about 500 million years of the Earth's birth but then took 3,000 million years to go multi-cellular it would appear that life getting going is far easier than it getting complex.  

So the oxygenation event was a one off event for the earth?
That would mean, I guess, that this type of event is more likely not to happen than it is to happen, which would mean most Cinderalla planets with life have simple single cell organisms only.

It would also be interesting to compare the technological advancement history of other intelligent life planets. Did they invent TV, Microwave ovens, electric guitar, etc. Did they come up with crazy religions? Do they have countries, do countries have flags and national anthems?
It's funny, on the Catholic site that I visit, they were wondering if aliens would be Catholic LOL. They concluded No, because they wouldn't have come from Adam and Eve OMG.

The Great Oxygenation Event was unique in the history of the Earth and had a profound impact on life at the time and then throughout history. Oxygen is a highly reactive gas and as a result poisonous as it disrupts chemicals and chemical reactions. Life that had evolved in an environment with very low oxygen concentrations really had a had time as the oxygen levels grew.

Personally on the basis of our current level of knowledge I would speculate that microbial life will turn up in a wide range of conditions as long as there is liquid water and will thus be relatively common. However I think complex life will be much rarer and that technologically capable life will be almost as rare as unicorn poo. 

[Jimmy]

Truely amazing!! I get this fanastic feeling everytime I think about the sheer size of the universe!!

Here're a video that REALLY gets me.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u595Y2xWPPI

[DeterminedJuliet]

Incredible