APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
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APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by APOD Robot » Thu Jan 02, 2014 5:06 am

Image Reflections on Planet Earth

Explanation: Catching sight of your reflection in a store window or shiny hubcap can be entertaining and occasionally even inspire a thoughtful moment. So consider this reflective view from 300 kilometers above planet Earth. The picture is actually a self-portrait taken by astronaut Michael Fossum on July 8 during a space walk or extravehicular activity while the Discovery orbiter was docked with the International Space Station. Turning his camera to snap a picture of his own helmet visor, he also recorded the reflection of his fellow mission specialist, Piers Sellers, near picture center and one of the space station's gold-tinted solar power arrays arcing across the top. Of course, the horizon of our fair planet lies in background.

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Beyond
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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by Beyond » Thu Jan 02, 2014 5:16 am

Speaking of reflections... Here's a Supreme one.
Click to play embedded YouTube video.
To find the Truth, you must go Beyond.

Ron_in_Oz

Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by Ron_in_Oz » Thu Jan 02, 2014 5:32 am

Does todays APOD qualify as a selfie ?

BTW, what sort of camera would this be.
Common little digital cameras wouldn't make it up there - or would they ?

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by Boomer12k » Thu Jan 02, 2014 2:13 pm

Always an interesting picture on APOD...

A reflected view of Eternity.....

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by rstevenson » Thu Jan 02, 2014 2:41 pm

Ron_in_Oz wrote:Does todays APOD qualify as a selfie ?
Definitely - but I can see no twerking.
Ron_in_Oz wrote:BTW, what sort of camera would this be.
Here's a list of cameras that have been used up there. I couldn't find data in the EXIF info for the APOD itself.

Rob

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by FloridaMike » Thu Jan 02, 2014 2:55 pm

In a space suit no one can see you twerk...
Certainty is an emotion. So follow your spindle neurons.

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by ddorn » Thu Jan 02, 2014 4:51 pm

OK, I literally LOL'd on that one, FloridaMike.

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by C0ppert0p » Thu Jan 02, 2014 7:39 pm

If you gaze at her long enough, you'll see a young Michael Jackson. A reflection and a distortion !

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by eltodesukane » Thu Jan 02, 2014 8:02 pm

I see they are still spending good money on the ISS. Has it ever been useful? Has it ever contributed anything to science?

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by neufer » Thu Jan 02, 2014 8:50 pm

eltodesukane wrote:
I see they are still spending good money on the ISS. Has it ever been useful?
Has it ever contributed anything to science?
I doubt if science is the primary reason even for unmanned space missions.

However, the primary science mission is to understand the biological effects
of extended human missions in space... but other science is taking place:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific ... l_Sciences
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Magn ... ectrometer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_%28ISS_module%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destiny_%28ISS_module%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Experiment_Module
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poisk_%28ISS_module%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rassvet_%28ISS_module%29
Art Neuendorffer

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by Chris Peterson » Thu Jan 02, 2014 9:29 pm

eltodesukane wrote:I see they are still spending good money on the ISS. Has it ever been useful? Has it ever contributed anything to science?
The answer to both questions is certainly "yes". A better question to ask is whether the money has been well spent- if the investment was (and is) worth the scientific return.
Chris

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by FloridaMike » Thu Jan 02, 2014 9:30 pm

Art / Chris,
Don't litter the landscape with inconvenient facts. I am sure it feels much better to conclude that ISS has contributed nothing at all. Arguing the facts is like twerking in a space suit… :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
Certainty is an emotion. So follow your spindle neurons.

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by BMAONE23 » Thu Jan 02, 2014 10:05 pm

Confucius say,
Astronaut who fart in spacesuit while spacewalking is only one who knows

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Re: APOD: Reflections on Planet Earth (2014 Jan 02)

Post by Ron-Astro Pharmacist » Thu Jan 02, 2014 11:34 pm

eltodesukane wrote:I see they are still spending good money on the ISS. Has it ever been useful? Has it ever contributed anything to science?
At the least, I think of our endeavors at the ISS as an investment? Are they the best investments we could make? Time will tell. Assessing the decision not to make the investment, that’s easy; time will make you pay more (until you get good at it).

Come up with a better idea for learning to exist in space – I think most would be interested to hear it. This is a pretty good place to post an alternative. The thought will come in handy if we are still around to need it.
Make Mars not Wars