Jimmy Higgins

I know a while ago, maybe in July, NASA launched a satielite into space whose purpose was going to measure the CMB. I had links to it, but all have been lost due to computer adjustments. Does anyone know where I can get info about this? Thanks

Shadowy Man

You are most likely thinking of the Microwave Anisotropy Probe .

From their mission status page:

Jimmy Higgins

I kept forgetting to check back to this thread.

Thanks for the link. I'll bookmark this for sure. Just another brick in the wall against YEC'ism.

lpetrich

NASA is also running its Genesis Mission, which is in an orbit much like MAP's, but toward the Sun instead of away from it. Its mission is to collect solar wind, which will help give a more precise picture of the Sun's chemical composition. This, in turn, may provide some clues about the origin of the Solar System, thus the mission's name.

One may ask why send this mission when one can do spectroscopy. There is a simple answer: isotopes. These are difficult to distinguish in the Sun's atmosphere, but are easy to distinguish by using a mass spectrometer on a sample.

And comparing the Sun's isotope abundances to those of various Solar-System objects will provide clues as to their histories. When a material evaporates, its atoms' heavier isotopes will tend to stay behind; the amount of isotope enhancement will translate into how much evaporation the material has gone through. Mars's atmosphere has been found to have more of the heavier isotopes than the Earth's; this means that more of Mars's atmosphere has evaporated into outer space. And getting the Sun's composition will provide a valuable reference; how enriched in heavy isotopes is the Earth's atmosphere?

Jimmy Higgins

Man, I hope the wonders of this study aren't blotted out by the creationist administration. I mean why did they choose February 5th for Powell to go to the UN with their case?

The findings of this probe may be the most important up to this date!

Jimmy Higgins

The genius behind the people who do this stuff rarely ever doesn't amaze me! Its beautiful stuff actually.

Jamie_L

I just have to brag. I'm working with some of the fine folks who put MAP together and sent it on its way.

It's nice to hear folks who are excited about NASA's pure science missions. Mostly when I talk about my work, people look at me funny and ask "Why is the government spending money doing that?"

Or, the ever popular: "Who cares?"

Jamie

Shadowy Man

Really?

When I tell people I'm an astrophysicist and describe some of the research I've done, I usually expect to get that kind of result. But more often than not people are actually very positive about astronomical research.

Of course, I don't have to justify my paycheck to the taxpayer anymore. I was funded by NASA through grad school, but not on my current project.

Jimmy Higgins

Well most people don't care. They'd rather watch the government spend billions on a firework display that's supposed to protect us from fast moving projectiles, attacking us from the east coast.

I just can't wait till all the details on the CMB are confirmed and "proven" and then watch the E-creationists use the CMB as proof of god!

Pure science is important. I mean we shouldn't be launching ants into outer space to see if they can screw in tiny screws, but the CMB and the coming gravitational ripple stuff is really important to our understanding of our origins. Problem is, most theists don't want to know our true origins.

Shadowy Man

Actually, they should. Before the expanding universe and the Big Bang Theory, the accepted view was that the universe was infinite and timeless. The Big Bang gave them their creation!