Astronomy & Space - December 2007

I'm looking at "Spaceweather.com" (cool site, you should check it out). They're showing the orbit of comet 8P/Tuttle, and defining the distance on January 2, 2008 as being 0.254 AU. The problem for me is that I don't know what that means in terms of distance.

Wickapedia isn't helpful to me, and I'm not having much luck finding a site that will define astrological terminology, things like Right Assention. Some of the terms I can understand, like Declination (correct me if I'm wrong) which means the angle above the horizon. I'm sure there are more calculations to take into account, but I'm interested in learning.

I have a Dobsonian 4 1/2 inch reflector and a Meade 3 1/2 refractor and some cheap (not the expensive ones) eye pieces. I enjoy looking at things like Jupiter, Saturn, Mars, Venus, and (rare) Mercury (of which I've seen through my refractor once).

When time permits, I may go back to schooll to learn more on astronomy, but for now you can help.

Thanks.

2007-12-22 03:37:40 · 6 answers · asked by tercir2006 7

2007-12-22 03:36:47 · 13 answers · asked by tom the plumber 3

2007-12-22 03:17:20 · 7 answers · asked by rajendra s 6

Usually, the number of votes for a question in Astronomy & Space is no more than a few -- maybe 6 at most. I voted for a couple of questions this morning in the "vote undecided questions" section and discovered they had dozens of votes. For example, take a look at this:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AkUP1SHNVQurCk9rTvcp5OMBxgt.;_ylv=3?qid=20071221172454AAUV2rj
It had 69 votes at 7:30 AM PST.

What's happening?
1) Massive new interest in A&S?
2) Computer hack into system?
3) Other guesses?

2007-12-22 02:36:42 · 6 answers · asked by Dr Bob 6

If you build a time machine in the future, will you travel back to time to tell people time machines CAN really be made? Promise yourselves cause maybe you'll see your future-self popping out from nowhere telling he/she just built the time machine...

2007-12-22 01:57:24 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

Please post a link to where you found your information.

2007-12-22 01:54:38 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-22 01:46:14 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-22 01:45:03 · 3 answers · asked by Anonymous

Actually, i believe that a light year is the dist travelled by light in 1 yr.. right?
this means that the dist. of 9500000000000 km !!

ok.. i accept this too.. Then there is a big question that arises..

The distance between our earth and the neighboring star (not sun) is say, 10 light years .. This means that the light took 10 yrs to reach earth from that star. So what we see in the sky is not the planets or stars to be actually present there NOW.. in this case, the star must been there 10 yrs back.. presently we wudnt know where it is..

is this right?

2007-12-22 01:11:00 · 30 answers · asked by Anonymous

What kind of math is used to (for example) make a 'flyby' of the planet Neptune and then take photos of it? I never cease to be amazed at how after so many years after launch, a sattalite can rendevous as programed.

2007-12-22 01:05:41 · 7 answers · asked by Juda Ben Hur 4

2007-12-22 00:12:51 · 5 answers · asked by 19G30 5

2007-12-21 22:01:48 · 18 answers · asked by Anonymous

The unknown force to put the earth on its orbit. ???

2007-12-21 21:33:15 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous

I know that whenever I'm thinking about or learning Astronomy or anything to do with it, I'm always reminded about how small and insignificant I am. It kinda sucks. It especially sucks cuz I love Astronomy so much, but it just depresses me. Anyone else?

2007-12-21 21:32:12 · 14 answers · asked by sunny-d alright! 5

2007-12-21 16:40:33 · 14 answers · asked by bumtoo 1

2007-12-21 16:11:37 · 17 answers · asked by Deborah R 1

Thanks

2007-12-21 16:05:04 · 6 answers · asked by AwesomeAsker 1

ok... i know it can sound silly, but my 7 year old sister just asked me :

in the space there is no oxygen?.. right?, so why is the sun on fire?
can i light a match in space?... because fire need oxygen to turn on..?

and i didn't know what to say...
i just told her.. let me think.. LOL......

2007-12-21 15:46:29 · 10 answers · asked by cariana 3

Do you believe in Intelligent disign of Evolution and explain

2007-12-21 14:36:17 · 28 answers · asked by ♥Stephiee♥ 2

Only once have I seen the sun touching the western horizon as the moon touched the eastern one. Statistically, is this unusual? Have you ever seen it?

2007-12-21 13:24:58 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-21 13:17:41 · 9 answers · asked by dummy 1

I SEE IT NOW!!!!!!!

2007-12-21 13:09:27 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous

Theres a whole load of new asteroids being discovered due to our (NASA) improved detection technology.

The odds have been recently cut of the asteroid hitting Mars from 350-1 to 75-1. It's not a massive asteroid... but if it hit London, then London would be wiped out good and proper - or any other major city.

-- Quote: The impact, however, would be tiny in comparison to that of the asteroid that struck Chicxulub in Mexico 65 million years ago, which caused a worldwide cataclysm that is thought to have wiped out the dinosaurs. The new asteroid is 100 times smaller than the 10km diameter rock that caused that event. --

How best to protect Earth from late detection of these new asteroids being discovered which may be on rapid collision course with Earth? Shouldn't we be making this a priority?

Lasers? Nukes?

2007-12-21 12:44:49 · 9 answers · asked by Joe Bloggs 4

2007-12-21 12:05:07 · 22 answers · asked by peter s 1

As a science-astronomy amateur, I would like to watch the Earth rotating (live) on my computer. I have tried many searches, but I haven't been able to find a live shot of our planet. Does this view exist? Websites to actual views will be rewarded.

2007-12-21 12:00:46 · 4 answers · asked by CatherineKU 2

What do you think?

Do you think there could be life or mabye other realations to humans on other planets in other universes if there is even any. Also, how do you think space was created...

2007-12-21 12:00:11 · 34 answers · asked by Anonymous

i was watching the news i just missed what they all said about it i just want to no more about it if you have any info about it please tell

2007-12-21 11:55:41 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/space/12/21/mars.asteroid.ap/index.html?eref=rss_topstories#cnnSTCOther1

2007-12-21 11:40:42 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous

2007-12-21 11:24:01 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous

In general, what is the church's thoughts' on astronomy? And even evolution--that we did in fact evolve from primates and what not. Does the christan church refuse to believe any of it?

2007-12-21 10:59:43 · 11 answers · asked by How To Save A Life 2