DaveL59

In case anyone's not aware

instrument fail that's so far not been resolved, which looks for/at exoplanets.

edge threw up a translate inquiry which worked nicely in case you want to know what the words say 😉 

Same, it'd be a cool piece to have in the collection, even better if I could find a use for it. Can almost picture a matched pair mounted in a glasses frame for Bino vision, tho I guess they'd be limited to being fixed focus. Very neat tho and that guy is an artist of the highest degree, hand making them at home.

Just came across this YT vid and thought it might be interesting to others here

1 minute ago, Alien 13 said:

I thought only the Guardian/Telegraph and Observer had that honor of lining a Budgie cage... its all they are good for..

Give me a proper newspaper any day 😀

Alan

 

did you forget the "i"? 😉 

wow what is wrong with the british press?

Tho the express is one of the garbage bin/budgie cage lining variety I guess...

8 minutes ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

Ashford?  My condolences.  When I used to live in Charing Heath it was still good out there and there are plenty of spots up around the A20 where you could set up...

that's a distance to my SE so not on my doorstep, thankfully, but I can see the light dome esp on nights where there's moisture in the air. I'm a couple miles north of the M2 so of course those lights don't help either.

At least around here the LED street lights have been dimmed somewhat, likely because they were so bright it was like going to bed with a searchlight aimed at the window. But overall the skies are a murky grey at best nowadays. Of course the brexit lorry park won't have helped me there and nowt I can do about that...

Light pollution: Huge fall in stars that can be seen with naked eye - BBC News

For sure I've noticed over the past 6 years living here that the sky isn't black any more, just a grey and of course less visible stars. Quite likely I've moved down a bortle level

I joined John virtually in our adventures with the cheap Celestron Starsense LT70AZ, adapting it to other scopes and making our own carriers so the holder could go back on the LT70. A very handy little gizmo for quickly finding stuff for those like me who don't star-hop. In fact there's quite a few of us jumped in on that bandwagon, think we cleaned out most available stock that had come in back then lol.

That is sad to hear, condolences to you and the family on your sad loss. 

1 hour ago, Mr Spock said:

A damp squib. As it fell in the ocean, very damp... 😜 

we're 2 for 2 at that it seems 😉 

1 hour ago, malc-c said:

 

But getting back on topic, since January 2021 Virgin orbit have only succeeded four times in getting payloads to orbit.... and you would have thought taking it up to 40K feet under the wing of a 747 would make things easier than a ground based launch. 

True, tho you are very dependent on the rocket motors performing properly for it to work, over time I expect they'll get the reliability up, they've not been in the game or developing as long I think?

Surprised the climate brigade haven't been wading in more tho, just how essential have all those launches been considering that his starlink project isn't really a must-have for the vast majority of the population. Its much more a big business money factory and do we really need that considering existing infrastructure already provides good service there?

I'm just glad I changed car and got the insurance all sorted just before the launch, I'm sure the insurance sector will be looking to claw back that mega loss they just made from someone, they'll have to wait a year for my share 😉 

some analysis (not from Virgin Orbit tho)

That'll be one heck of an insurance claim then... oh well, that's 2 for 2 UK launches recently that didn't go to plan 😞 

Still, third time's a charm as they say 😉 

sadly didn't see anything from here but would've been too low with the houses and trees around that direction.

2 minutes ago, Captain Scarlet said:

Around 8 mins part 11 apparently 

according to live stream, drop in 13 mins so that'd be 23:08

Unlikely I'll see anything but it'll be an excuse to step into the garden for a smoke 😉 

15 mins to launch

2 minutes ago, Stu said:

Turning south now… on station I guess 

don't forget that's delayed data 😉 

dang I wish I still had my real-time account, c'est la vie...

5 minutes ago, Stu said:

I’m in the garden, good horizon from here but clouding up a bit 🤬.

Anyone know how high it will be? @Captain Scarlet we need some of your maths ability here!

you gonna be posting a video of the view of it flashing across the sky? 🤞

Would have been nice to have heard the to/fro with pilots and tower on the taxi and clearance to go etc rather than some of the chatter but such is life. A live vid from the cockpit too as they start the loop and prep, dunno if they'll be doing that.

live stream on youtube:

Start Me Up Livestream | Virgin Orbit - YouTube

25 minutes ago, Chaz2b said:

So, let's get this right, you don't actually get to see the launch of the rocket, as that's been released over the ocean off the coast of Ireland. What you get to see is the 747 take off like any other 747 just with a rocket strapped to it! And people are willing to pay just to watch that? Wow.

 

well it is our first launch into space proper...

Not sure but as it's night some may see the thing fire up and go at least as a bright streak in the distance. 

here's how to see it go

Cornwall space launch viewing information released - BBC News