Announcement For the SETI folks / fans - ESO to announce first image of a black hole on April 10 (updated with actual photo!)

[UsandThem]

Edit April 10, 2019:

Here it is: https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/10/world/black-hole-photo-scn/index.html

https://www.universetoday.com/14190...ing-the-first-black-hole-picture-on-april-10/

The European Southern Observatory (ESO) has set an important press conference for April 10th, involving the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). They haven’t come right out and said it, but the Media Advisory from the ESO says they will, “hold a press conference to present a ground-breaking result from the EHT.” If it’s not a black hole, then well-played ESO, well-played.

But of course it’ll be to announce the first picture of a black hole. That’s what the Event Horizon Telescope is all about. The EHT is an international effort to get the first picture of a black hole, and they’re doing it by creating a “virtual telescope” the size of the Earth.

I don't write about it much, but I love anything space related. Pretty cool if the black hole picture turns out to be true.

Maybe I should switch over to SETI from F@H this year, and put some work into that project. Decisions, decisions.......

 

[Markfw]

F@H might save your life in our lifetime. This is only "interesting"

 

[IEC]

F@H might save your life in our lifetime. This is only "interesting"

Research in one field often leads to practical advances in other areas. Research into military applications of magnetrons led to the development of the microwave oven, for example.

I wouldn't discount the value of research in astronomy. There have been plenty of useful inventions brought about by the needs of that field and the demands of space exploration.

Really old example from 2001:
https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Astronomy_helps_advance_medical_diagnosis_techniques

 

[Markfw]

Research in one field often leads to practical advances in other areas. Research into military applications of magnetrons led to the development of the microwave oven, for example.

I wouldn't discount the value of research in astronomy. There have been plenty of useful inventions brought about by the needs of that field and the demands of space exploration.

Really old example from 2001:
https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Astronomy_helps_advance_medical_diagnosis_techniques

Well, OK< I will still spend my computer time researching medical issues......

Since I have so many. And at this rate, I will be bionic by the time I die. Heart, bladder, knees, ears.......(so far)

 

[lane42]

I bet it's this, https://www.salon.com/2019/02/03/sc...ging-a-black-holes-shadow-for-the-first-time/

 

[UsandThem]

F@H might save your life in our lifetime.

Very true.

However, at some point humans are going to have to find another place to live. Earth is not going to be able to support the population increase indefinitely. So it will likely not be in our lifetimes, however I can imagine it not being that far into the future.

I'm a fan of the advancement of good sciences.

 

[Markfw]

Very true.

However, at some point humans are going to have to find another place to live. Earth is not going to be able to support the population increase indefinitely. So it will likely not be in our lifetimes, however I can imagine it not being that far into the future.

I'm a fan of the advancement of good sciences.

Hey, each to his own, I can not argue that, but you can see my motivation....

 

[VirtualLarry]

However, at some point humans are going to have to find another place to live. Earth is not going to be able to support the population increase indefinitely.

I thought that I had read, that they have projected shorter-term increases, especially in "developing nations", but a long-term decline/slide, into levels of population that are concerningly small. I don't recall the source, but it was probably posted as a graph in P&N.

 

[Markfw]

I thought that I had read, that they have projected shorter-term increases, especially in "developing nations", but a long-term decline/slide, into levels of population that are concerningly small. I don't recall the source, but it was probably posted as a graph in P&N.

I stay out of P&N, its the pit from hell at Anandtech.

 

[ericlp]

doesn't matter what we crunch for. The point is, we are having fun doing it... I started crunching for seti a long time ago. Being a carl sagan fan. Personally, I doubt F@H, will go anywhere. But, I don't think S@H will go anywhere as well.

Personally, I am betting on AI and Quantum Computers that will take us all to the next level. But, hey, if we can find some advances in the meantime, I'm down with that.

Cool Photo! I have to admit I posted a few unrelated articles, it livings things up around here. Keep em coming!

 

[lane42]

I guess this is a black hole, cool

 

[UsandThem]

The size of this thing is staggering to think about:

The massive galaxy, called Messier 87 or M87, is near the Virgo galaxy cluster 55 million light-years from Earth. The supermassive black hole has a mass that is 6.5 billion times that of our sun. For reference, that's larger than the orbit of Neptune, which takes 200 years to make one orbit around the sun.

 

[Orange Kid]

Makes me want a glazed doughnut.
Really cool though!

 

[UsandThem]

Makes me want a glazed doughnut.

No doughnut for you!

 

[TennesseeTony]

This guy does an incredible job explaining the image, before he even saw the image. I would suggest subscribing, I have thoroughly enjoyed a great many of his videos. (Veritasium)

 

[UsandThem]

I've always watched space shows, and just actually finished watching the episode about the picture of the black hole on 'How The Universe Works', and man all those astrophysicists can sure make you feel dumb by comparison.

I'm just fascinated by how little we know. Even in our solar system, they still find new moons and such, and they are still looking for another planet (dubbed 9th planet) based on the behavior of other planets. Another interesting thing I learned is that they think there is a mass extinction event on Earth about every 65 million years, and they are trying to figure out what comes along and causes some asteroids from the Kuiper Belt to be sent towards the sun (and some hit us causing the extinction event).

 

[ericlp]

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2...Ky7wQK-oTi4DdRvprMCD393WSgazZjDHwhyLg4MjdvXu4 not in hawaii at the moment but...

The local angle on the black hole discovery. The name of the black hole is now "Powehi":

 

[Rudy Toody]

https://www.quantamagazine.org/what...ole-means-to-a-black-hole-physicist-20190410/

 

[biodoc]

A cool story about Katherine Bouman, who led the team responsible for developing the black hole imaging algorithm.

 

[lane42]

M87