Category: Videos


This is a lovely time-lapse of the Earth from the ISS. In this video 15 seconds of real-time is compressed into 15 seconds.

Due to the altitude of ISS (about 400km) it is not possible to see an entire hemisphere. From the station the distance from one point on the horizon to one 180 degrees around from it is about 4300km.

In actual terms the Earth has a diameter of 12 742km and is 40 075km around the equator. That may sound large but in the scheme of the solar system it is it not that big. In the terms of the universe it is totally insignificant. This video compares the size of the objects in our solar system and to other stars.

Ever wanted to take your own photos of the night sky but never knew how. This video gives a very brief explaination of what is involved to get started in this exciting hobby. Just be aware that there is a huge difference in skill level from where he starts (ie a camera on a tripod) to where he finishes. It is very easy to use a camera on a tripod. It takes a lot more determination and money to take good photos like the ones towards the end of this video.

This video is a short documentary on the Collisional Ejection Theory for the creating on the Earth’s moon. It features Bill Hartmann and Robin Canup who were important figures in the development of this theory.

This video deals with the Hibiru Hoax. This hoax relates to a planet which is approaching Earth and will cause a major extintion event at some point. Original dates for this has already past. The latest manifestation of the hoax is that the planet will cause havoc on Earth in 2012. This date coincides with yet another doomsday predicted event in 2012 with the end of the current Mayan calendar.

Don’t be fooled by this hoax. There are two explanations that the hoaxers claim is the reason why proof for Nibiru is non-existent. The first is that every profession and armature is somehow in a conspiracy to keep its presence a secret. The other is that it is on the other side of the Sun. The first reason doesn’t even warrant a reply. I can’t explain why it is that we did not see Nibiru when we where on the same side of the Sun as the planet 6 months ago.


This video showcases 10 wonderful images taken by the Hubble Telescope.


After the Hubble Space Telescope has ended its operational life the James Webb Space Telescope will replace it. This telescope is scheduled to be launched in 2014. This instrument is designed to detect the light from the very first galaxies in the universe. This light is in the infrared region of the spectrum. Other objectives of this project include investigating the assembly of galaxies, stellar and planetary origins and the origins of life.

One question that is often asked is how we can see the light from the first galaxies as it occurred a long time ago. The reason is that they are located very far away from us. For example it takes 10 billion years for the light of a galaxy which is 10 billion light years away to get to us. Therefore, we see the galaxy as it was 10 billion years ago. It is likely that the galaxy has no resemblance to how we see it now. It is only time travel that is not science fiction!

The James Webb Space Telescope has a mirror assembly that is 6.5 metres wide, as opposed Hubble’s 2.4m. The larger mirror will collect more light making dimmer objects visible. The telescope will be placed into an orbit 1.5 million kilometers from Earth in the direction away from the Sun. In this location it will orbit the Sun at the same rate as the Earth. It will take 3 months for the craft to travel from Earth to this point. Also, if something goes wrong with it it will not be possible to repair it.

As the telescope will be observing infrared radiation it most be kept cold or it will emit infrared radiation making observations difficult, if not impossible. To achieve this the telescope will have a heat shield the size of a tennis court. The operating temperature of the instrument will be -225 Celsius or approximately 48 Celsius above absolute zero.

This is a video showing an animation of the James Webb Space Telescope being unfolded once it is in position. For more information you can go to the James Webb Space Telescope website.

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The 3rd of August marked the 5th anniversary of the lunch of the rocket carrying the MESSENGER spacecraft. In the first 5 years the craft travelled 5.6 billion kilometres (3.5 billion miles). Its ultimate aim is to enter orbit around the planet Mercury. By the time it has entered orbit around the planet it would have passed Earth once, Venus twice and mercury three times. The aim of these flybys is to slow the craft to allow its insertion into an orbit around Mercury.

The main aim of the Messenger mission is to unlock the secrets of Mercury. The craft will examine the planet’s surface and magnetic field. By doing this we may discover the reason(s) for the planets high density, it geological history, the structure within the planet, the nature of its magnetic field and what the detected materials at the planet’s poles are.

The three flybys that have occurred already have provided some tantalising details.

The spacecraft is due to go into orbit around Mercury on the 18th of March of next year. For more information about the Messenger mission check the MESSENGER website. The video gives an over-view of the mission.


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