Frank_Hoenedge Posted October 13, 2017 #1 Share Posted October 13, 2017 ESO will hold a press conference on 16 October 2017 at 16:00 CEST, at its Headquarters in Garching, Germany, to present groundbreaking observations of an astronomical phenomenon that has never been witnessed before. The event will be introduced from ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile by the Director General, Xavier Barcons, and will feature talks by representatives of many research groups around Europe. https://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann17071/ Many presume this discovery will provide a new source of scientific investigation. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kartikg Posted October 13, 2017 #2 Share Posted October 13, 2017 may be something to do with some exo planet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperdyer Posted October 13, 2017 #3 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Maybe E.T. phoned us? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted October 13, 2017 #4 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Looking forward to it... though I must say that most (not all) of "announcements" seem not so exciting to me (though I'm sure to those in the business or interest) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKoene Posted October 13, 2017 #5 Share Posted October 13, 2017 God does exist and they have prove now? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UFOwatcher Posted October 13, 2017 #6 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Here we go again.... "a major new discovery with the world on October 16" The World will end on October 15? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsec Posted October 13, 2017 #7 Share Posted October 13, 2017 Considering that the words Quote to present groundbreaking observations of an astronomical phenomenon that has never been witnessed before Comes directly from ESO's website, it's quite intriguing! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted October 14, 2017 #8 Share Posted October 14, 2017 10 hours ago, JKoene said: God does exist and they have prove now? Not likely, except perhaps by inference. It's an astronomical observation, not theological. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrismoh67 Posted October 14, 2017 #9 Share Posted October 14, 2017 maybe this? https://futurism.com/nasa-press-release-says-our-solar-system-has-a-9th-planet/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyOtherAccount Posted October 14, 2017 #10 Share Posted October 14, 2017 WOW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waspie_Dwarf Posted October 15, 2017 #11 Share Posted October 15, 2017 On 10/13/2017 at 7:00 PM, kartikg said: may be something to do with some exo planet 18 hours ago, Chrismoh67 said: maybe this? https://futurism.com/nasa-press-release-says-our-solar-system-has-a-9th-planet/ The wording makes it seem highly unlikely that it is the latter of these suggestions and if it is the former then it is more likely to be a process associated with an exoplanet or planets than a discovery of a new object. The wording is: Quote groundbreaking observations of an astronomical phenomenon that has never been witnessed before. Note the use of the word phenomenon, not object. That would seem to pretty much rule out the discovery of a new object. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarjarbinks Posted October 15, 2017 #12 Share Posted October 15, 2017 at first, i thought it was the new patch for elder scrolls online 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Smoke aLot Posted October 15, 2017 #13 Share Posted October 15, 2017 LIGO and now this 'astronomical phenomenon' from ESO. Both will be revealed at same day. I feel like a kid who got promised something for tomorrow, how to sleep now? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted October 15, 2017 #14 Share Posted October 15, 2017 One day left. Hmmm... here's my "general prediction" Something to do with gravitational waves. Ok, well, that's likely obvious. Ummm... Gravitational waves which do not behave in an expected manner or, if expected by theory, have not been previously, formally, observed in nature. Ah!!!... I donate my honorary Nobel Prize monies to the victims in Puerto Rico. Thank you everyone, thank you, thank you! Oh, wait, I didn't evidence a damn thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldmoon Posted October 16, 2017 #15 Share Posted October 16, 2017 (edited) Lol, you stole the words from my mouth, pallidin. I did read somewhere that it IS to do with gravitational waves. Edited October 16, 2017 by coldmoon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saru Posted October 16, 2017 #16 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Update: Quote Neutron star smash signals major breakthrough http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/312502/neutron-star-smash-signals-major-breakthrough 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'mConvinced Posted October 16, 2017 #17 Share Posted October 16, 2017 God might not play dice with the universe but only because she's too busy blowing stuff up! This is a huge moment for physics and cosmology. The big question for me is what did it create? A black hole or something new? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pallidin Posted October 16, 2017 #18 Share Posted October 16, 2017 From the article Saru referenced... "What this all means is that it is now possible to observe major astronomical events by first picking up the gravitational waves and then using that information to tell conventional telescopes where to look." Outstanding! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paperdyer Posted October 16, 2017 #19 Share Posted October 16, 2017 Here's a CNN link. http://www.cnn.com/2017/10/16/world/neutron-star-collision-gravitational-waves-light/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaintlessMetals Posted October 16, 2017 #20 Share Posted October 16, 2017 The study of this and similar phenomenon will undoubtedly lead to making many of the most far reaching technologies from the realm of science fiction a reality. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khol Posted October 16, 2017 #21 Share Posted October 16, 2017 How exactly do they pinpoint the location of the source from gravitational waves? LIGO recieves a signal but its very nature makes it more spread out?.. just my pea brain is trying to grasp. What fantastic science! This should provide good targets for the JWST after its launch in 2019 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taniwha Posted October 17, 2017 #22 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Here's some interesting news to add Quote 16 OCTOBER 2017 • 3:00 PM The secret of creating gold has fascinated alchemists for thousands of years, but now scientists have finally solved the mystery. Precious metals are forged in the cataclysmic collision of neutron stars and then flung out into the universe where they eventually aggregate with other stardust into larger bodies, like planets or comets. https://www.google.co.nz/amp/www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/10/16/secret-gold-finally-found-precious-metals-forged-cataclysmic/amp/ So if you think that's cool, now hear this.. Quote For the first time, “listen” to the sound of two stars colliding in space... https://qz.com/1103444/ligo-listen-to-a-kilonova-the-sound-of-two-stars-colliding-in-space/ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taniwha Posted October 17, 2017 #23 Share Posted October 17, 2017 Apparently just one teaspoon full of neutron star weighs a whopping 1 billion tonnes! That means just one 1 billionth of a teaspoon full still weighs 1 tonne! Basically, the teaspoon would appear empty but would in fact be so full you would never be strong enough to lift it! ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoofGardener Posted October 17, 2017 #24 Share Posted October 17, 2017 1 minute ago, taniwha said: Apparently just one teaspoon full of neutron star weighs a whopping 1 billion tonnes! That means just one 1 billionth of a teaspoon full still weighs 1 tonne! Basically, the teaspoon would appear empty but would in fact be so full you would never be strong enough to lift it! ! A mindboggling illustration, Taniwha. I'm sure it will cause a stirr OK.. joking apart... help me out here people. Two neutron stars collided a LONG way away. Why did this cause a gravity wave ? Surely mass was conserved and - at THAT distance - any dispersion of mass would still look like a point source. So if there was no change in overall mass, why was there a 'ripple' in gravity ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taniwha Posted October 17, 2017 #25 Share Posted October 17, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, RoofGardener said: A mindboggling illustration, Taniwha. I'm sure it will cause a stirr OK.. joking apart... help me out here people. Two neutron stars collided a LONG way away. Why did this cause a gravity wave ? Surely mass was conserved and - at THAT distance - any dispersion of mass would still look like a point source. So if there was no change in overall mass, why was there a 'ripple' in gravity ? Well I don't know the answer to your question except it is probably to do with the conversion of mass into energy. To further my earlier illustration... Let's suppose we sent the world's biggest mining truck to a neutron star to cart 1 teaspoon full of matter from point A to point B say it's a 1km round trip. Heres the truck here. It is purpose built for the job. ( I recommend you watch ) Ok... how many times would this truck have to journey from point A to point B? (To deliver the 1 teaspoon payload) Spoiler A staggering 2,222,222.222 times! I hope that gives a whole lot more perspective to the types of masses we are dealing with. Edited October 17, 2017 by taniwha Clarity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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