In tough economic times, our exploratory science programs — from space probes to the LHC — are first to suffer budget cuts.
Brian Cox explains how curiosity-driven science pays for itself, powering innovation and a profound appreciation of our existence.
“Pointing to Polaris” by *tfavretto on DeviantArt.
Due to the precession of the equinoxes the direction of the Earth’s axis is very slowly but continuously changing, and as the projection of the Earth’s axis moves around the celestial sphere over the millennia, the role of North Star passes from one star to another. Since the precession of the equinoxes is so slow, taking about 26,000 years to complete a cycle, a single star typically holds that title for many centuries. (Wiki)
Other past and future Pole Stars:
The Pole Star once was Thuban (3000 B.C.), the third star from the end of the tail in Draco. In a little more than 5,000 years from now, Alderamin, the brightest star in the constellation Cepheus, will be the Pole Star. About 7,000 years from now, Deneb, the brightest star in Cygnus, will be the Pole Star for a while. In about 12,000 years from now, Vega, the brightest star in Lyra, will be the Pole Star. Vega will be a brilliant Pole Star some six times brighter than Polaris. There are long periods when there is no Pole Star at all. At the present time there is no Pole Star in the southern sky. (source)
A truly spectacular view, I just wish I can see it with my very own eyes in my life time.
It must be a truly remarkable feeling seeing your home world from space and trying to grasp the reality of the fact that how small and fragile it is when in comparison to the giant star next to it or the vast empty darkness with small dots of light in the ever so distant void which in turn are galaxies containing millions of stars just like ours with who knows how many planets & moons.
One can’t help but wonder if there is life out there other than us in such an immeasurable universe.
But the reality of the world is that if we don’t destroy our self’s with Wars, Global Warming, or many of the other horrible things in a long list of them I highly doubt that we will get to see a view like this in our lifetimes.
Still I will keep dreaming as it’s the one thing that nobody can take away from us and maybe someone someday with such a dream will bring it to reality, I just hope that it will be in my lifetime.
Galactic Center of Milky Way Rises over Texas Star Party
It’s unbelievable how beautiful our universe is. It’s truly magnificent.
