Comments on: SDO lunar transit: now with video!

By: Messier Tidy Upper

Messier Tidy Upper — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:35:32 +0000

@ ^ : On DVD?

By: kuhnigget

kuhnigget — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 23:03:00 +0000

@ Heather:

Essentially, yes. The spacecraft could be below (or above) the plane of the moon’s orbit, thus it would see the moon travel along a slight arc, rather than a straight line as it would if the spacecraft were in the same plane as the moon.

Mind you, I’m just guessing that is the correct answer, but it seems the basic geometry of the orbits is at the heart of the apparent motion. Either that or…

MARTIN LANDAU AND BARBARA BAIN, WHERE ARE YOU???!!!

By: Chrispy

Chrispy — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 22:12:21 +0000

“The Moon is dark because it’s between us and the Sun, so were seeing the unlit side”

Yes but, exposing for the sun, wouldn’t the moon appear dark even if we could see the lit side at the same time? Or maybe the ‘dynamic range’ of this instrument would be great enough to capture both? Or maybe I am not understanding something here

Sorry if this was already addressed in the previous thread!

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:59:17 +0000

@kuhnigget

So perhaps this came during a “dip” in the orbit of the SDO where it appears as if the moon goes up a little bit? Or that the alignment of the orbits isn’t all on the same plane and the video happened long enough to capture that fact?

@scibuff

That was a really cool trick with the video.

By: kuhnigget

kuhnigget — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:14:24 +0000

@ Heather, Gary, et al:

Could the curved path be due to the fact that the orbit of the spacecraft is inclined somewhat to the plane of the moon’s orbit around the earth? That would give you the appearance of a curved path as the moon transited in front of the much more distant sun.

By: Messier Tidy Upper

Messier Tidy Upper — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:08:23 +0000

@4. Heather Says:

@Gary Ansorge – Thanks!

Seconded by me.

@8.scibuff : Thanks also. Wow! That was quick & great work. Well done.

By: Un eclipse parcial desde el espacio « [Px]

Un eclipse parcial desde el espacio « [Px] — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:23:55 +0000

[...] satélite se encuentra situado exactamente entre la Tierra y el Sol]. Desde el punto de vista del satélite SDO, parece que está en fase de Eclipse parcial [o en [...]

By: scibuff

scibuff — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:20:58 +0000

@Gary I thought that too at first, but then I looked closely and the apparent curvature seems to be present. My guess is that it's due to some ponzo (perspective) illusion.

By: P_Buttah

P_Buttah — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:20:15 +0000

I really enjoy the “loading” sequence animation of the video.

A blue dot and punk dot transiting eachother, before a video of a gold dot is transited by a black dot.

By: J. Major

J. Major — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:06:14 +0000

We like da moon….coz it is close toooo us…..

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:58:27 +0000

wow

I’m living to see astronomy like a sports event with real time video and all. Amazing.

I remember in about grade school they said planets around other stars wouldn’t ever be discovered. We’ve come a long way baby.

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:49:44 +0000

@Gary Ansorge

Thanks!

By: Gary Ansorge

Gary Ansorge — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:35:33 +0000

Illusion. Curved surfaces passing across one another can have that effect.

Gary 7

By: Messier Tidy Upper

Messier Tidy Upper — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:15:35 +0000

Wow. Awesome clip.

The Moon moves so fast!

@ 1. Heather : Well spotted. I see what you mean but I don’t know why that is. My guess – and it is just a guess – perhaps its the Solar Dynamics Observatory moving as it tracks it? Or possibly an optical illusion of some kind .. Or .. no, surely not lunar libration at work!

By: Heather

Heather — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:04:23 +0000

Is there any particular reason why the path of the moon seems to be curving? It starts low on the right, then goes up, then seems to be going back down when it’s completing the transit.

Or is that just the way the video was recorded?