Hubblecast 01: The Comet Galaxy

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The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, in collaboration with several other ground- and space-based telescopes, has captured a galaxy being ripped apart by a galaxy cluster's gravitational field and harsh environment. The finding sheds light on the mysterious process by which gas-rich spiral-shaped galaxies might evolve into gas-poor irregular- or elliptical-shaped galaxies over billions of years. Read more on:


Channel: News & Politics
Uploaded: March 2, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Author: rshida

Length: 00:05:48
Rating: 4.61
Views: 77595

Tags: astronomy Hubble sky stars galaxy space science

Video Comments:
zionofwestern (November 16, 2008 at 3:47 am)
If you were given one billion dollars to either fund a space progam to fly back to the moon or donate to cancer charities, which would you pick and why?
zionofwestern (November 16, 2008 at 3:44 am)
@ RationalEmotive

I understand your point about "world leaders" as the "trouble makers" and not being able to govern or utilize their power for needs of everyone. Don't use them as a scapegoat and say "it's too difficult" to help people in need. Mother t also said, "God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try." Giving up so easy on people? I never thought that an astronomer would have the pessimistic attitude towards people. Let me ask you one question:
RationalEmotive (November 9, 2008 at 12:09 am)
You sir ignore the fact that models and insights in astronomy can and do lead to models and applications that influence other fields of science which deal with the problems which you consider as more urgent.
Moreover science in itself is a value-free undertaking. It is interested in describing how things are because this is beautiful. It is useful as well of course but not as a primary focus. Astronomy may not be involved in solving urgent major practical issues but does not create them either.
zionofwestern (November 11, 2008 at 12:22 am)
True - Astronomy doesn't cause nor solve urgent problems. That's my point - it doesn't do anything that can move mankind right now. You're not understanding my point. Let me try to give you a hypothetical "what if." If some where like, I don't know, Dafur was given money by the UN to establish a space exploration program, you think they would utilize the money to fund it?
Do you see what I am trying to tell you? We need to solve problems we have now before we create new ones...
RationalEmotive (November 15, 2008 at 4:26 pm)
2 these guys and gals produce problems that require ,if we want to reverse them, much more effort from everyone of us since we are not given (and in many cases are humble enough not wanting) so much power. Let's say for every hour Bush spends in the office it takes me 20 years to take as much influence he has within an hour. (the number is relatively arbitrary but the scale is correct)
Now I am not saying that it is difficult is reason to give up. I am with Mother Teresa on this who said:
RationalEmotive (November 15, 2008 at 4:30 pm)
"What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight. Build anyway."
What I am saying is that with less power comes less responsibility and I feel not inclined to make the genocide in Sudan my number one priority in life. If you do: Great! There have always been a small minority of people helping out with the least fortunate and dedicated their lives to the task (if Mother Teresa was one of them is in light of Hitchen's critique doubtful).
Now, as I am not explicitly helping out
RationalEmotive (November 15, 2008 at 4:37 pm)
I am not putting stones in your way to help and keep you from fulfilling your mission. I am merely spending the night out and thinking about the improbability of life and helping your mission with small grands that I can afford.
So I really decline your responsibility for every one, but a more adapted responsibility corresponding to what power you have. World leaders not only do not lack the responsibility they are given but even create new problems for us to solve which is a scandal.
RationalEmotive (November 15, 2008 at 4:42 pm)
We astronomers are not the problem. We may not be the most altruistic people but if one day intellectuals were pressured and paid by politicians and economic leaders to use our intelligence not to make money but to help solve global problems I am fairly sure very few would decline the opportunity to work on that.
You need to distinguish between trouble-makers and bystanders which can only help to a certain extent.
zionofwestern (November 2, 2008 at 1:34 am)
All I am trying to say is right now, we need to focus on issues we have here on our planet. Sorry for being a little hostile, but we want to go back to the moon and send robots to distant worlds to better understand our universe. With where the human race is now, do you think we should be worrying about this?I'm saying we shouldn't - we haven't hit that point of evolution. Sure, we have inovation and you can play music from a device as small as a penny, but people are still the same...
RationalEmotive (November 9, 2008 at 12:16 am)
I am too sorry to have to point out your ignorance but I am trying to enlighten:
Have you considered the possibility that space faring which begins with sending robots into space might become one day very important when we manage to create problems here that we cannot solve any longer?
watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M Dr Sagan knew that we take our stand here on earth but was a big supporter of the space program nevertheless or maybe because of it. The sooner we begin exploring the better.