A few months back I made three short high-definition astronomy videos with my partner Tom Lucas, and we put them up on Hulu and Vuze. We know that makes things difficult for non-US viewers [edited to add: I have been told Vuze is viewable worldwide. Sorry for any confusion there.], so we’ve finally got the videos up on YouTube! Mind you, the resolution isn’t as good (though YouTube does have higher-res versions now), but hopefully you won’t mind.
Here’s Black Hole Death Rays:
We also have one called The Changing Face of Mars:
And the third is Cookbook of Galactic Cannibalism:
We’re in the process of making more of these right now, and of course I’ll post ‘em when they’re ready!
May 20th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Thanks for making them available to a wider audience. I had already viewed the one on your MySpace page, by using a fake IP address. (I live in Europe.)
May 20th, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Excellent. I am pretty sure I saw or read somewhere that the black hole at the center of the milky way is not feeding and it will be a while before stuff starts getting really close. But when that happens will there be any light in the visible spectrum given off in the jet, and how large would the jet be from our perspective if viewed in x-ray?
May 20th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Just the perfect media for a Jr. High science class; great intro to astronomy and tie-ins to other areas like physics, math, earth science, etc. Were I a science teacher, I’m sure I could get a teaching unit out of one of these easily. Put ‘em on a CD in a grouped series and sell ‘em at cost to schools (those in states where money is short would surely appreciated them).
May 20th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Hey Phil,
Any chance you could post on TeacherTube as well, so we can access them in our classrooms? Our district has a total block on youTube.
Thanks
Jim
May 20th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Awesome!
Thanks a lot, Phil.
May 20th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
Shades of Dr. Frank Baxter!
KP
May 20th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Great stuff, thanks!
…the little songs make me laugh.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Great work, Phil. Those presentations look like great teaching aids for 4th grade on up: short, clear, vivid. Lots of hints to whet the appetites of the curious too.
May 20th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Please, kind sir, can we have some more?
May 20th, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Great videos, but I have a question about number 2. Shouldn’t that meteorite be in the middle of a crater (or was it, and I missed it)? Or, is there some astro cool stuff I am missing?
May 20th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
Just like a rational, thinking atheist to go around spreading information that is based on sound scientific work.
When are you people going to learn that presenting facts and possessing the willingness to evolve your thinking is simply misguided?
What right-minded person would strive to greater understanding of the universe while not accepting ID as a tangible alternative?
Tsk, tsk, tsk. If you were a creationist you would rot in hell for the beliefs you hold so dearly, but you’re not, so you won’t. Sad for you.
May 20th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Phil, I realize it’s a planetarium projector, but it looks like you’ve got a robot buddy behind you in the Galactic Cannibalism video.
May 20th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Nice stuff, Phil. Thanks.
And I agree with Kevin F. that really does look like some kind of robot behind you in the 3rd vid. Look out! It might grab you!
Planetarium5 is alive. [/80's nerd]
May 20th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Thank you from all us Europeans! I was so bummed when I couldn’t view these before. I loved the vids and my kids will too. And Phil?…LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU! : )
May 21st, 2008 at 12:23 am
Thankyou BA! I love this stuff, please keep it coming.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:16 am
I did not realise you believed that the face on Mars was the real deal! Very cunning of you to slip a reference to it in the title and show it in your closing credits shot ;-P
May 21st, 2008 at 3:20 am
Very nice videos. I have always wondered why black holes spit out these rays of matter – your short, but informative, video answered it
Waiting for more.
-kuratkull
May 21st, 2008 at 4:04 am
The videos seem to have been taken down – or is that my firewall?
May 21st, 2008 at 6:05 am
Heh – nice touch with the mesa on the ‘Changing FACE of Mars’ video.
May 21st, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Wow, these are great. I am sending them to my friends for more ravenous consumption. You may want to think about slightly de-essing your voice track. You are quite sibilant!
May 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 am
[...] The modern realtor relies on the most up-to-date technology. Check out the World Wide Telescope. Bruce swears by it: “rich” and “clean,” plus some “guided tours.” Who wouldn’t check out no-bid software like this? Today’s market not only provides online slide shows for viewing, but the most intrepid, like Philip, delve into the realm of video to provide showings when we’re just unable to make that trek to visit in person. [...]
May 22nd, 2008 at 5:13 am
As much as I dig these amazing videos, I’m befuddled than no-one seems to notice the aspect-ratio error. Mars is really quite round, and I’m sure Phil is not *that* much of an egg-head. (-:
The problem of 4:3 vs 16:9 aspect ratio has been getting on my nerves for years. Just yesterday I saw a bunch of toddlers watching a public screening of a Smurfs comic show squeezed from 4:3 to 16:9 on a flat-panel tv in a mall.
If anyone has a solution (besides warping windows with Compiz/Beryl — I’m not quite there yet), please let us know! Thanks.