Inaccuracy in reporting astronomy and science Options

[Explorer1]

Given that they were testing this on Earth, in our gravity, atmosphere and ice composition, I don't doubt the engineers knew that it wouldn't be perfect; not that we know very much about Europan surface ice conditions in the first place.
And at those speeds, hitting anything (at 24,000 G!) is probably a lot like hitting granite .

[centsworth_II]

There's a Youtube video
showing a test (starting at 19:00) in sand a few years ago. The impact force in that test was 10,000 G. The force in the recent ice test was 24,000 G and in the talk about the sand test, the speaker mentions that the force of a Europa impact would be 50,000 G. If that is accurate, I guess they are closer than I thought to testing to the actual forces that would be seen.

[stevesliva]

They can always just margin test here... not a total facsimile, but do something like fire it at much higher speeds than expected.

Hardness and brittleness aren't correlated, either. Granite might be both harder and stronger than what they expect.

[centsworth_II]

It seems to me that using what they expect the strength and hardness of Europa surface ice to be, a man-made facsimile could be made. It might be a resin mix of some sort for example. I wonder if something like limestone would provide a tougher (more accurate) test than ice.

[Astro0]

Here's a really stoopid article inferring that NASA wants to build a theme park on the Moon
http://bit.ly/13jo6DJ

[mchan]

Article on blue moon --

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/...ht-sky/2679903/

"Initially, the phrase referred to the third full moon in a month, ..."

[Explorer1]

Have my own story this time; a few minutes ago CBC news showed this picture on TV, but had a caption saying that it commemorated the 'spacecraft's return' to Earth. For a second or two my jaw hung open; last time I checked, Cassini is exactly where it should be, and the only planet it's going to return to is Saturn itself in a couple of years!
I think the issue arose because of a misreading picture's caption, which says (emphasis mine)

That event on July 19, 2013, marked the day the Cassini spacecraft turned back toward Earth to take our picture as part of a larger mosaic of the Saturn system.

Still, rather unexpected to see such a glaring blooper from this country's normally scientifically literate media...

[Astro0]

...this country's normally scientifically literate media...

Oh, that made me laugh the hardest. You can add Australia to that list!!

[AndyG]

The Sun's magnetic field is about to flip - and the Independent (a normally-ok UK newspaper) suggest this could cause:

Intergalactic weather fronts

Oh my!

Andy

[TheAnt]

Independent suggest this could cause Intergalactic weather fronts

Intergalactic? Blimey! We better duck and cover then.

I do wonder if such a magnetic reversal will cause any changes to the bubble around the sun? Still far short on anything intergalactic though. But the Voyagers might pick up something interesting perhaps.

[Explorer1]

Just watched the Science channel ISON documentary. Accuracy report/review:
They way overestimate the nucleus size, but as the latest results are from the week after we can't blame them for that.
Far worse is when they show the deep impact footage when explaining crater formation, but label it 'comet Halley'. At least they got Hartley right. A few misleading shots of asteroids and SDO Lovejoy pics, along with the usual reality TV cgi. No mention of amateur observation apart from about 10 seconds of the Russian discoverers.
The image processing behind the Hubble images is probably a welcome addition for many on this forum, along with the sample harpoon testing (and the Comet Hopper/ Rosetta bits) too.

[Phil Stooke]

A big deal is being made - and rightly - about the beautiful Lunar Orbiter image of Earth above the lunar horizon - apparently a digital file of it was loaded onto LADEE. Except that it's being equated with the Apollo 8 Earthrise pic and referred to as 'the first Earthrise image' (http://spaceref.com/the-first-earthrise-im...o-the-moon.html)

Actually, the Lunar Orbiter image shows Earthset. Nit-picky, I know, but this IS the interrnet.

Phil

[Explorer1]

Winnipeg beats out Gale crater for low temperatures (briefly):

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/win...lanet-1.2479967

Not exactly 'inaccuracy', but a bit of an odd comparison; night temperatures are a tad more insulated on Earth, hmm?

[Astro0]

Well this takes the cake. :wacko:Quotes a whole lot of UMSF member related blogs, tweets etc.
http://on.rt.com/sgkqhk

[nprev]

Is 0630 local after a bad night at work for me.

After just seeing that, is it REALLY too early to begin drinking heavily?