Astronomer Finds Closest Gravitational Lensing Galaxy

[DobDobDob (Ron)]

A giant elliptical galaxy seen in an image from the Hubble Space Telescope is the closest gravitational lens yet known, according to information released by the Hubble Heritage Project Tuesday (Feb. 6). Read the full story here:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0207093405.htm

[xelasnave]

Is there any question that this wonderful instrument should not be fixed, it has done so much for us what can we do for it..fix it right up.
It iritates me they want to drop it in the sea after it has reached retirement ..why cant we bring it back at the end of its days and place it where it can inspire people. Its only a back load as the truckies would say.
alex

[DobDobDob (Ron)]

Sort of like how they remember Zefran Cochran in the future

[xelasnave]

Is that an observation or humour...because if not humour the point has been made.
alex

[okiscopey (Mike)]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

It iritates me they want to drop it in the sea after it has reached retirement ..why cant we bring it back at the end of its days and place it where it can inspire people. Its only a back load as the truckies would say.

Great idea ... I'd love to see that.

Big problem is, the 'back load' would have to be on the Shuttle, and you know how difficult it is to book that particular truck.

Alex, I know you'll have an idea how it can be brought back from orbit by some other means!

[xelasnave]

Well I did not think of doing it another way but thats not a bad idea, Send up a "box" simply to place it in and drop it someplace. It needs to be a special box however just to do a one of mission it could be cheap maybe.
I dont know that a back load is outta the question for tech reasons but if it is thats the very reason to sort it out and do it..explore how to get stuff back.. They already need a garbage truck up there when they gather up the existing mess I hope they just dont put it futher out there that it will have to cleaned up later when we are really getting out there.
alex

[PeteMo (Pete)]

Seems such a pity to waste such a big mirror. They can parachute Hubble into my backyard anytime they want. I just need to work on building the rest of the scope. Hmm just seen a problem. If the mirror is 2.5m across an f5 scope will mean a focal length of 12.5m, and I don't have a ladder or house that tall. Back to the drawing board.

[xelasnave]

Pete you get the mirror I will get the ladder
alex

[DobDobDob (Ron)]

I can't believe that an object of such historical significance will simply be left to be destroyed. In a future time line you will see something like this:

Einstein's birth - Hubble launch - Man lands on Mars - and so on...

But we won't have the physical remains of Hubble, this seems crazy...

[xelasnave]

Anyone here visually viewed an example of gravitational lensing through a scope?
I was surprised to read in a 1991 mag (October Sky and Telescope) amateur viewing of Q0957 + 561 A and B apparently known as the "twin quasar" the first visable evidence of gravitational lensing.
I ahve only learnt about half the objects in the Universe so I thought I would ask... just joking .. but I for some reason thought it would be beyond amateur epuipment. Mind you they were using big apps . I thought I would ask .
alexx