Monday, July 7, 2008

Wow -- A Thousand Year Old Supernova Shock Wave




Around May 1, 1006 A.D., observers from Africa to Europe to the Far East witnessed and recorded the arrival of light from what is now called SN 1006, a tremendous supernova explosion caused by the final death throes of a white dwarf star nearly 7,000 light-years away. The supernova was probably the brightest star ever seen by humans, and surpassed Venus as the brightest object in the night time sky, only to be surpassed by the moon. It was visible even during the day for weeks, and remained visible to the naked eye for at least two and a half years before fading away.

It wasn’t until the mid-1960s that radio astronomers first detected a nearly circular ring of material at the recorded position of the supernova. The ring was almost 30 arcminutes across, the same angular diameter as the full moon. The size of the remnant implied that the blast wave from the supernova had expanded at nearly 20 million miles per hour over the nearly 1,000 years since the explosion occurred.

Today, SN 1006 has a diameter of nearly 60 light-years, and it is still expanding at roughly 6 million miles per hour. Even at this tremendous speed, however, it takes observations typically separated by years to see significant outward motion of the shock wave against the grid of background stars. In the Hubble image as displayed, the supernova would have occurred far off the lower right corner of the image, and the motion would be toward the upper left.

DKK

NASA Image Of The Day

Wait, I Pay HOW MUCH In Gas Taxes?

Earlier I had posted a summary of the gas taxes here in Illinois, well here is a handy chart of the prices state by state.





Click for larger image.



Keep this in mind as your planning your vacations this summer.  Oh and remember that local taxes may apply, for example while this lists Illinois as 66.5 cents the same gas in Chicago would have taxes of 82 cents.

DKK

Graphic via Coyote Blog

Tongue In Cheek SUV Bailout -- Barney Frank SUV Buyback Program

This was referenced by see-dubya on Michelle Malkin's blog but there was no transcript so I grabbed the video for them. Via: RedLasso DKK

Classic Restored -- 'Metropolis' Missing Scenes Found

The museum director from Buenos Aires had something special in her luggage: a copy of a long version of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, including scenes believed lost for almost 80 years. After examining the film the three experts are certain: The find from Buenos Aires is a real treasure, a worldwide sensation. Metropolis, the most important silent film in German history, can from this day on be considered to have been rediscovered. ...

They (Paramount) oversimplified the plot, even cutting key scenes. The original version could only be seen in Berlin until May 1927 – from then on it was considered to have been lost forever. Those recently viewing a restored version of the film first read the following insert: “More than a quarter of the film is believed to be lost forever.” Zeit Online
This is fabulous news for what has remained a lasting gem of film.  Here is ten minutes from the transformation scene:
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Giorgio Moroder did a restoration that colored the slides and added contemporary music in 1984.  I know some hated the tampering but I loved the version and the new interest in the film.  Here is one song from that restoration:


DKK

Daily Trek -- July 7, 2008

What'd I miss?

Everything you need to know to stay informed each day in 5 minutes or less!  Read your regular news and include this and you will be able to participate in most any current events discussion.
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Following Al Qaeda is against Islam according to a Saudi Muslim scholar.

Reducing the speed limit to 55 is fundamentally defeatist, a tacit admission that America can’t solve the problem.  That is just NOT the case.  We have untapped resources and untapped innovation but the government has to just get out of the way and let us do what we do best. -- My reply to Senator John Warner's suggestion that the DOE look into fuel savings if the speed limit were lowered again to 55 mph.

"It used to be we broke down doors. We went in and we killed people inadvertantly(sic)."  Jack - deploy the cold blooded murderers to Okinawa - Murtha on why the surge is working. (video).

Canadian Free Press says Alleviate world hunger: produce more CO2! Why CO2 isn't the poison it is being made out to be.

US Embassy returning to it's pre-WWII location in Berlin!

Obama's candidacy is not the judgment of America's civil rights growth.  That's already been decided.

19 year old offers to sell his vote, realizes he is an idiot when he gets arrested!  Will probably face prison.

"Wes Clark has decided to retreat redeploy over the event horizon after a week of criticism regarding his remarks about John McCain’s service. "

"The “recession” is causing women to choose to get abortion. And abortions are down."  Don Surber points out the AP's strange understanding of math.

Perhaps the most famous Iranian political dissident escaped to the West!  

One of the stated reasons the Supreme Court struck down the death penalty of child rapists ends up being factually incorrect, and it was only caught by a blogger!  There are calls for a rehearing on this case with that new information.

Iraqi Army Mopping up al-Qaeda in Mosul.
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DKK

Daily Trek -- July 6, 2008

What'd I miss?

Everything you need to know to stay informed each day in 5 minutes or less!  Read your regular news and include this and you will be able to participate in most any current events discussion.
-------------------------
Will the Colombian Hostage Rescue Expose the Democrat's Links to FARC?

San Francisco mayor Newsome now says he will cooperate with ICE by reporting illegal alien juvenile felons.  This is after the city was caught harboring convicted juvenile crack dealers.

Musharraf of Pakistan has reportedly given the US the okay to launch predator attacks on Osama Bin Laden if he is spotted inside Pakistan.  Do you really think we wouldn't have anyway if we were certain it was him?

Chevy to manufacture the Beat concept for sale in the US.  The realization of high gas prices is forcing the production of less profitable vehicles, but at least they should sell. (Picture at link).

Obama's position on abortion has flipped and now flipped back... I think?  I really can't keep track any more.

LGF "Barack Obama’s image as a “community organizer and activist” suffers when you take a closer look at the Chicago neighborhoods where he put his ideas for hope and change into action: Grim proving ground for Obama’s housing policy - The Boston Globe. CHICAGO - The squat brick buildings of Grove Parc Plaza,"

As boomers retire is it possible universities could return to teaching and turn away from indoctrination?  We can only hope!

CNN has failed in it's duty to report on who Bud Day is and why he is supporting McCain. Luckily there are bloggers!

"Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Saturday that the country's security forces have managed to save Baghdad from a "siege by terrorists" backed by foreign nations. ... We have defeated the terrorists."

Charlotte smashed a 123 year temperature record -- hitting the coldest temperature in over a century!

"While most Americans probably slept, 1,215 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, raised their right hands and committed to a combined 5,500 years of additional service during the largest reenlistment ceremony in the history of the American military."

"Chris Wallace: 'I thought we were fair and balanced. But since coming to Fox four and a half years ago, I have come to see things a little differently.  I, in fact, do believe there is a bias in the mainstream media and that is something I was only able to understand when I was outside of it.'"
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DKK
 
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