2016-09-27
Astronomy picture of the day - 2016 September 27 - Jupiter's Europa from Spacecraft Galileo
Image Credit: Galileo Project, JPL, NASA
Explanation: What mysteries might be solved by peering into this crystal ball? In this case, the ball is actually a moon of Jupiter, the crystals are ice, and the moon is not only dirty but cracked beyond repair. Nevertheless, speculation is rampant that oceans exist under Europa's fractured ice-plains that could support life. This speculation was bolstered again this week by released images from the Hubble Space Telescope indicating that plumes of water vapor sometimes emanate from the ice-crusted moon -- plumes that might bring microscopic sea life to the surface. Europa, roughly the size of Earth's Moon, is pictured here in natural color as photographed in 1996 by the now-defunct Jupiter-orbiting Galileo spacecraft. Future observations by Hubble and planned missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope later this decade and a Europa flyby mission in the 2020s may further humanity's understanding not only of Europa and the early Solar System but also of the possibility that life exists elsewhere in the universe.
Imagens de Lisboa - Interiores secretos - Capela de Santo Amaro
This chapel was founded in 1549 in dedication to St. Maurus. It’s one of the greatest artistic curiosities in the city, but seems to have become completely forgotten. It’s almost always closed, opening only for Mass once a month (on the first Sunday). It was believed that St. Maurus healed broken legs and arms, so many of the magnificent 17th-century polychrome tiles that decorate the entrance walls illustrate those limbs. Inside, a panel depicts the legend of a boat about to sink that was saved by St. Maurus, allowing the crew to dock on this site. From outside there’s a nice view of 25 de Abril Bridge.
Esta capela fundada em 1549, dedicada a Santo Amaro, é uma das maiores curiosidades artísticas da cidade mas muito poucos a conhecem. Encontra-se quase sempre fechada, abrindo apenas para missa uma vez ao mês (no primeiro domingo). Acreditava-se que Santo Amaro curava as pernas e braços partidos, por isso muitos dos magníficos azulejos policromos do século XVII, que decoram as paredes da entrada, ilustram esses membros. No interior, um painel representa a lenda de um barco prestes a afundar-se, mas que é salvo por Santo Amaro, podendo assim a tripulação desembarcar neste local. Do exterior há uma bela vista para a Ponte 25 de Abril.
2016-09-26
Astronomy picture of the day - 2016 September 26 - Gaia: Here Comes the Sun
Image Credit: Galaxy Illustration: Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org), Star Data: Gaia Mission, ESA, Antoni Sagristà Sellés (U. Heidelberg) et al.
Explanation: What would it look like to return home from outside our galaxy? Although designed to answer greater questions, recent data from ESA's robotic Gaia mission is helping to provide a uniquely modern perspective on humanity's place in the universe. Gaia orbits the Sun near the Earth and resolves star's positions so precisely that it can determine a slight shift from its changing vantage point over the course of a year, a shift that is proportionately smaller for more distant stars -- and so determines distance. In the first sequence of the video, an illustration of the Milky Way is shown that soon resolves into a three-dimensional visualization of Gaia star data. A few notable stars are labelled with their common names, while others stars are labelled with numbers from Gaia's catalog. Eventually the viewer arrives at our home star Sol (the Sun), then resolving the reflective glow of its third planet: Earth. The featured video is based on just over 600,000 stars, but Gaia is on track to measure the parallax distances to over one billion stars over its planned five year mission.
2016-09-25
Astronomy picture of the day - 2016 September 25 - Saturn from Above
Image Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, Space Science Institute
Explanation: This image of Saturn could not have been taken from Earth. No Earth based picture could possibly view the night side of Saturn and the corresponding shadow cast across Saturn's rings. Since Earth is much closer to the Sun than Saturn, only the day side of the ringed planet is visible from the Earth. In fact, this image mosaic was taken earlier this year by the robotic Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn, just before filming a 44-hour video of Saturn rotating. The beautiful rings of Saturn are seen in full expanse, while cloud details are visible including the polar hexagon surrounding the north pole. The Cassini mission is now in its final year as the spacecraft is scheduled to be programmed to dive into Saturn's atmosphere next September.
2016-09-24
Imagens de Lisboa - Interiores secretos - Igreja das Mercês
Many passengers on tram 28 notice this church from a distance, but despite its attractive façade, it’s not worth a closer look unless it’s Sunday. That’s because you’ll always find it closed, and the only chance to see it is on Sunday Mass at noon. Even so, you won’t be able to admire the true work of art that is the tiled ceiling of a hallway that’s completely unknown and out of sight. It’s one of the most original groups of tiles in the country, dating from 1714, with the vaulted ceiling completely covered in blue and white, with the theme of the Litanies of the Virgin Mary. It’s the work of Antonio de Oliveira Bernardes, one of the masters of baroque tile art.
Muitos reparam nesta igreja, vista ao longe durante um passeio no eléctrico 28, mas apesar de a fachada despertar curiosidade, não vale a pena tentar conhecer o interior a não ser que seja domingo. Encontra-se quase sempre fechada, e a única maneira de entrar é durante a missa aos domingos ao meio-dia. Mesmo assim, não poderá admirar a sua grande obra de arte, que é o revestimento azulejar da Sala da Irmandade (hoje chamada Sala de Passagem). Praticamente desconhecida e sempre escondida, contém um dos mais originais conjuntos de azulejos do país, datado de 1714. A abóbada está completamente forrada de azulejos com o tema das Litanias da Virgem, obra de António de Oliveira Bernardes, um dos mestres da arte do azulejo barroco.
Artigo - "Etudes. Cinq universités portugaises parmi les meilleures du monde"
L’université Jiao-tong de Shanghai vient de publier un classement des 500 meilleures universités du monde. L’université de Lisbonne (UL) figure en 160e position – soit la 53e au niveau de l’Union européenne.
Le Diário de Notícias cite le communiqué de l’université lisboète, fière de ce résultat, qui “traduit un moment historique de confirmation d’un grand projet d’une université centrée sur l’investigation et au service de la société”. Le journal précise que l’UL gagne en notoriété depuis la fusion, en 2013, avec l’université technique de Lisbonne. L’UL abrite 18 facultés, dispense 485 cours à 50 000 étudiants et compte 8 000 chercheurs.
Les quatre autres universités portugaises qui apparaissent dans le classement sont celles de Porto, Minho, Aveiro et Coimbra.
Courrier International - France
Astronomy picture of the day - 2016 September 24 - Heart and Soul and Double Cluster
Image Credit & Copyright: Adrien Klamerius
Explanation: This rich starfield spans almost 10 degrees across the sky toward the northern constellations Cassiopeia and Perseus. On the left, heart-shaped cosmic cloud IC 1805 and IC 1848 are popularly known as the Heart and Soul nebulae. Easy to spot on the right are star clusters NGC 869 and NGC 884 also known as h and Chi Perseii, or just the Double Cluster. Heart and Soul, with their own embedded clusters of young stars a million or so years old, are each over 200 light-years across and 6 to 7 thousand light-years away. In fact, they are part of a large, active star forming complex sprawling along the Perseus spiral arm of our Milky Way Galaxy. The Double Cluster is located at about the same distance as the Heart and Soul nebulae. Separated by only a few hundred light-years, h and Chi Perseii are physically close together, and both clusters are estimated to be about 13 million years old. Their proximity and similar stellar ages suggest both clusters are likely a product of the same star-forming region.
2016-09-23
Astronomy picture of the day - 2016 September 23 - Harvest Moon Eclipse
Image Credit & Copyright: Miguel Claro (TWAN, Dark Sky Alqueva)
Explanation: A Harvest Moon rises over Sesimbra Castle south of Lisbon in this impressive series of telephoto exposures. Captured at its full phase, the golden Moon was also gliding through the Earth's more diffuse outer shadow during September's penumbral lunar eclipse. The eclipse shading is subtle compared to a total lunar eclipse. Still, the penumbral shadow does darken the Moon's upper limb, the pale shadow receding as the Moon climbs into Portugal's evening sky. In this eclipse timelapse the effect of sunlight and earthshadow on the Moon looks remarkably like the coloring of light and shadow along the illuminated castle walls.
Inscription à :
Commentaires (Atom)