Comments on: GLAST go for launch! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:14:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: oldamatuerastronomer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/comment-page-1/#comment-22461 oldamatuerastronomer Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:59:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/#comment-22461 I was wondering how the LAT would work until I went over to the Stanford's GLAST page. What remarkable things engineers do. I watch the evolution of the X-ray satellites from the first on [gack, I can't remeber it's name at the momnet] which used a lattice array to help determine the direction from which the X-rays were coming to the high incidence reflection telescope which was used on the latest one. One of the materiasl used for the GLAST LAT reminds me of a joke I came up with not too long a go. What do forensic workers put in their salt shakers? CsI (?) I was wondering how the LAT would work until I went over to the Stanford’s GLAST page. What remarkable things engineers do. I watch the evolution of the X-ray satellites from the first on [gack, I can't remeber it's name at the momnet] which used a lattice array to help determine the direction from which the X-rays were coming to the high incidence reflection telescope which was used on the latest one.

One of the materiasl used for the GLAST LAT reminds me of a joke I came up with not too long a go.

What do forensic workers put in their salt shakers? CsI (?)

]]> By: NGC 3314 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/comment-page-1/#comment-22462 NGC 3314 Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:32:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/#comment-22462 I happened to visit the GLAST burst detectors at MSFC last summer - as it turned out, the week before they were shipped off for integration. A couple of grad students were tweaking the software. One told the PI she needed a calibration source - he seemed so cavalier about pulling the thing out of the cabinet and waving it around that I looked around for shielding to duck behind. Best wishes to GLAST - which seems like the next-to-last NASA observatory on stay on track (and not be eaten by JWST costs...) I happened to visit the GLAST burst detectors at MSFC last summer – as it turned out, the week before they were shipped off for integration. A couple of grad students were tweaking the software. One told the PI she needed a calibration source – he seemed so cavalier about pulling the thing out of the cabinet and waving it around that I looked around for shielding to duck behind.

Best wishes to GLAST – which seems like the next-to-last NASA observatory on stay on track (and not be eaten by JWST costs…)

]]> By: Ray Gray http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/comment-page-1/#comment-22463 Ray Gray Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:18:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/#comment-22463 "y’know, just your average ultra-violence." The most violent explosion (controlled of course) that effects the Earth is the energy emitted from our Sun. This GLAST BLAST off does sound very very interesting though. Thank you Paul Sutherland for letting me know about the STEREO MISSION. Both you and Phil have great jobs for sure. I feel like a martian sometimes---green with good envy. Good luck to both of your launch teams. “y’know, just your average ultra-violence.”

The most violent explosion (controlled of course) that effects the Earth is the energy emitted from our Sun. This GLAST BLAST off does sound very very interesting though.

Thank you Paul Sutherland for letting me know about the STEREO MISSION. Both you and Phil have great jobs for sure. I feel like a martian sometimes—green with good envy.

Good luck to both of your launch teams.

]]> By: The Bad Astronomer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/comment-page-1/#comment-22464 The Bad Astronomer Tue, 24 Oct 2006 16:31:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/#comment-22464 Ah, STEREO! Right. I'll check in on that. And yes, GLAST has GRB detectors on it. It's not as sensitive for Swift, but it'll help us understand those beasts quite a bit. Ah, STEREO! Right. I’ll check in on that. And yes, GLAST has GRB detectors on it. It’s not as sensitive for Swift, but it’ll help us understand those beasts quite a bit.

]]> By: Grand Lunar http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/comment-page-1/#comment-22465 Grand Lunar Tue, 24 Oct 2006 15:13:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/#comment-22465 I imagine GLAST will be used to improve our knowledge of gamma ray bursts, those events caused by the events you listed Phil? Sweet! Good to see a science mission like this get an earlier than expected launch date. I imagine GLAST will be used to improve our knowledge of gamma ray bursts, those events caused by the events you listed Phil?

Sweet!

Good to see a science mission like this get an earlier than expected launch date.

]]> By: Paul Sutherland http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/comment-page-1/#comment-22460 Paul Sutherland Tue, 24 Oct 2006 07:51:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/#comment-22460 Don't forget we've also got a pretty exciting launch tomorrow, when the twin STEREO observatories are due to blast off from Cape Canaveral to study something closer to home in 3D - the Sun. http://skymania.blogspot.com/2006/10/watching-solar-storms-in-stereo.html Can't wait to see those coronal mass ejections hurtling towards us! Paul http://skymania.blogspot.com Don’t forget we’ve also got a pretty exciting launch tomorrow, when the twin STEREO observatories are due to blast off from Cape Canaveral to study something closer to home in 3D – the Sun.
http://skymania.blogspot.com/2006/10/watching-solar-storms-in-stereo.html
Can’t wait to see those coronal mass ejections hurtling towards us!

Paul
http://skymania.blogspot.com

]]> By: JD http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/comment-page-1/#comment-22466 JD Tue, 24 Oct 2006 05:25:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2006/10/23/glast-go-for-launch/#comment-22466 3 points for using Clockwork Orange references on astronomical objects. 3 points for using Clockwork Orange references on astronomical objects.

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