The Cosmic Diary is not just about astronomy. It's more about what it is like to be an astronomer.
The Cosmic Diary aims to put a human face on astronomy: professional scientists will blog in text and images about their lives, families, friends, hobbies and interests, as well as their work, their latest research findings and the challenges that face them. The bloggers represent a vibrant cross-section of female and male working astronomers from around the world, coming from five different continents. Outside the observatories, labs and offices they are musicians, mothers, photographers, athletes, amateur astronomers. At work, they are managers, observers, graduate students, grant proposers, instrument builders and data analysts.
Throughout this project, all the bloggers will be asked to explain one particular aspect of their work to the public. In a true exercise of science communication, these scientists will use easy-to-understand language to translate the nuts and bolts of their scientific research into a popular science article. This will be their challenge.
Mariana Barrosa (Portugal, ESO ePOD)
Nuno Marques (Portugal, Web Developer)
Lee Pullen (UK, Freelance Science Communicator)
André Roquette (Portugal, ESO ePOD)
Jack Oughton (UK, Freelance Science Communicator)
Alice Enevoldsen (USA, Pacific Science Center)
Alberto Krone Martins (Brazil, Uni. S. Paulo / Uni. Bordeaux)
Kevin Govender (South Africa, S. A. A. O.)
Avivah Yamani (Indonesia, Rigel Kentaurus)
Henri Boffin (Belgium, ESO ePOD)
Finally the full information about the meteorite 2008 TC3 is published in Nature Magazine….
Read more athttp://www.nature.com/news/2009/090325/full/458401a.html and http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v458/n7237/full/nature07920.html
Arbab I Arbab (FRAS, MInstP, CPhys)
Remains of 16 pieces of the recent meteorite 2008TC that fell in North Sudan October, 7, 2009 are found by a team from university of Khartoum with collaboration of NASA Ames Center headed by Peter. These pieces are under investigations that will reveal more data about our solar system.
Last week a new compain was launched to explore new areas where the debris of the meteroite might have fallen.
Though Newton theory was successful in explaining the motion of celestial objects, it fell short to account for the anomalous precession of the orbit of Mercury( amounting to 43 arcsec/cy). Einstein in his general theory of relativity and by assuming the space-time is curved by the influence of the Sun induces this anomalous precession and in particular forMercury, the closest planet. This interpretation is geometrical in essence. By unifying electrodynamics and gravitation, I have shown that this precession is the analogue of Larmor precession of an electron (a magnetic moment) when placed in a magnetic field. Calculations show that this hypothesis is true, and give the same value as obtained by Einstein. It is s big triumph to Einstein and my hypothesis.
Not only planets but also binary pulsars, which are known to be examples of a system of strong gravity, show a complete agreement with myfinding. We ask the question: Is the space-time really curved, even if we can show these effects without taking into consideration this curvature?
Cosmic acceleration induces planetary aceleration
It might look odd if I say the cosmic acceleration has observable effects on the motion of planets! In a recent study (Astrophysics and Spcace Science, 2008, V.313, 35-39) I have shown that the all planets experience an orbita acceleartion while moving around the sun as a consequence of the cosmic acceleration. Mercury accelerates at a
rate of 12.6 arcsec/cy^2, Venus at a rate of 4.95 arcsec/cy^2, and Earth Earth at a rate of 3.05 arcsec/cy^2 and Mars at a rate of 1.6 arcsec/cy^2. As a result of this their orbits decay with time. The Earth approaches the sun at a present rate of about 20 m/y. The orbital energy that lost is converted in some form of energy, probably gravitational radiation as suggested by Einstein. This point is not yet studied, but under consideration. Why this happens? Since the universe is found to be accelerating, then gravity must increase to offset this ever growing acceleration. In effect, strength of gravity will change (increase) wherebye such effects arise. More is found in the paper at http://www.springerlink.com/content/1187457kk5588550/
Last October, 8, 2008 a meteorite named 2008 TC3 was claimed to be seen by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Project Office falling in North Sudan. However, this event is photographed by a Sudanese source. The fall of this object makes a trace like the old train smoke. It is a fascinating photo. I was one of the team who visited the area that the meteorite is deemed to fall. We could not find any trace. However, next week we will organize a new campaign for finding this meteorite. More reports will be given in due course of time. Look at the amazing photo at http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/2008tc3train7_elhassan.jpg
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Hi Every body,
I am a Sudanese physicist interested in cosmology and astrophysics. I have written several research papers related to the earth-moon-sun system from a cosmological point of view. I have recently shifted my interest to study the unification of electromagnetism with gravity and hydrodynamics. In doing so we have shown that Euler, Maxwell and Newton equations are equivalent in form. Larmor precession, vorticity, curvature and magnetic fields are all one aspect of different phenomena. They arise whenever a field experiences a mass, charge, obstacle during its propagation.
Arbab Ibrahim Arbab,
44 years old, born in Omdurman, Sudan
Biography:
Sudanese Arbab has pioneered work into the Earth-Moon system. He applies quantum mechanics to cosmic systems, often with surprising results! He is co-founder of the African Physical Review and works with ten international journals.
Place of work: University of Khartoum
Located on the west bank of the Blue Nile, Sudan’s University of Khartoum was founded by the British over a century go as a primary school. Many things have changed since then, and since Sudan’s independence in the 1950s the university now has over 16 000 students and it houses the national library of the country.
Location: Khartoum, Sudan
Located at a bend in the Nile, Khartoum’s Egyptian past has never really gone away. Today a bustling metropolis, over the last decade the population has exploded by over 1.5 million people. Despite some recent struggles, the city offers botanical gardens and ample shopping opportunities to inhabitants, with the recent opening of the Afra Mall, nearby to the traditional bazaars.