Heads up! s@n tonight.

[rob0971]

As per title, Sky at night tonight, BBC4 at 22:00. This month the topic is the milky way.

[jake_wright]

Just put it on record, thank you

[firstscope]

cheers I never remember when its on anymore

[Astro Imp]

Thanks for the heads up but just this once I actually remembered.

[DaveS]

Yep, saw it in RT the other day but forgot to post it, thanks for the heads up.

[Ptarmigan]

Gosh, I nearly forgot that !

An interesting programme but,

no mention of the problems on Gaia of stray light affecting the sensitivity of various instruments.

[Steve Ward]

But a lovely caveat at the end of Jim's piece on "dark matter" , after giving us all the run-down on how important it is ... 

[Ptarmigan]

Indeed so ! Made me smile

But at least this time he didnt promise to eat his underwear, or was it his hat ?

[Astro Imp]

I can't help thinking when dark matter is discussed that all the effort being put in to finding it without success will end like the search for the ether 150 or so years ago.

[ghostdance]

Thought it was a very good S@N, enjoyed it a lot.

And next, UFOs!

Blimey.....What would Sir P have said?

[Ptarmigan]

 finding it without success

I might be wrong (it has been known ! ) but I think it has been found, and mapped, in distant galaxies (and/or clusters) by gravitational lensing.

What has not been found is what it is made of, dark chocolate, black cheese or something else !

I think Jim was being mischievous* by saying we did not know if dark matter was present in and responsible for our galaxy and its spiral arms. There may be another reason for the anomalous orbital velocity of the stars in the disc/arms.

Edit : * he said it with a twinkle in his eye I thought, but let us jest not, it is good to hear a scientist with an open mind, you dont find many of those !!

[frugal]

Long live iPlayer! I had watched the first 10 minutes of it with my daughter this evening, then we realised she was late for Scouts