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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Very Large Telescope, Very Stunning Time Lapse Video

 From:
Oh, what the heck. After posting the video earlier showing the Earth rotating around the sky, I might as well show you the original video, since it really is so beautiful. This time lapse shows the sky spinning over the Very Large Telescope observatory in Chile, one of the finest observatories in one of the darkest sites on the planet.

[Set the resolution to 720p to see it properly unenpixelated.]

A couple of things I want to point out: at 1:10 into the video, you see the Milky Way rising majestically over the mountains, and you can see a faint, whitish glow stretching diagonally across the field of view, at an angle to the galaxy. That’s called the zodiacal light, and is caused by the reflection of sunlight by dust in the plane of our solar system. It’s probably due to eons of collisions grinding asteroids into dust; they tend to orbit the Sun in the same plane as the planets. It’s actually a disk of dust, but since we’re in it, we see it as a line across the sky. It’s pretty faint, and you need dark skies to spot it.

I also love the shots of the observatories shooting orange lasers out their domes (here’s a gorgeous hi-res photo of it). They’re fending off attacks by the Goa’uld, Ori, and Wraith using those to help counteract atmospheric distortion; the laser hits a layer of sodium atoms high in the atmosphere and causes them to glow. This creates a bright artificial star in the telescope’s view, which jiggles and wiggles as the atmosphere roils. The way the "star" moves can be counteracted by the telescope, sharpening up the image it makes. This tech, called adaptive optics, has revolutionized high-resolution ground-based astronomy. It has also given the VLT the ability to make incredibly sharp and gorgeous images; see for yourself.

Don’t forget to watch the companion video to this, too. It’ll change your perspective. Literally.
Video credit: Stéphane Guisard and Jose Francisco Salgado/ESO.

Tunnel found under temple in Mexico

From: http://www.physorg.com/
Researchers found a tunnel under the Temple of the Snake in the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan, about 28 miles northeast of Mexico City.

 
The tunnel had apparently been sealed off around 1,800 years ago.

Researchers of Mexico's National University made the finding with a radar device. Closer study revealed a "representation of the underworld," in the words of archaeologist Sergio Gomez Chavez, of Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History.

Experts found "a route of symbols, whose conclusion appears to lie in the funeral chambers at the end of the tunnel."

The structure is 15 yards beneath the ground, and it runs eastwards. It is about 130 yards long.
"At the end, there are several chambers which could hold the remains of the rulers of that Mesoamerican civilization. If confirmed, it will be one of the most important of the 21st century on a global scale," Gomez Chavez said late Thursday.

Teotihuacan, with its huge of the Sun and the Moon, its palaces, temples, homes, workshops, markets and avenues, is the largest pre-Hispanic city in . It reached its zenith in the years 300-600 AD.

(c) 2011, Deutsche Presse-Agentur GmbH (Hamburg, Germany).
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

Innovative Hangar Home conceals garage mahal

by Aaron Richardson
from http://www.autoblog.com/

Hangar House
Hangar Home – Click above to view video after the jump

When gearheads aren't trawling Craigslist for the next old-lady-owned Chevrolet Chevelle tucked away in a barn, they're dreaming of cool places to put their toys.

Usually, dream garages never become reality. It's rare to find someone with enough ambition and/or cash to make it happen, but credit one Florida couple for creating something remarkable: the Hangar Home.

Their house's rear facade doubles as a garage door that conceals a cavernous work and storage area, complete with a set of cushy-looking armchairs for when the weekend project is over. We can't imagine how long this place took to complete, but all the time and effort really paid off. Click past the jump for two videos of the Hangar Home in action.




[Source: YouTube]

Apple to unveil iCloud, iOS 5 on Monday, June 6

Apple to unveil iCloud Monday, June 6
Had some doubts that Apple was heading skyward? Those lingering concerns can now be put to rest. Apple has confirmed that it will be announcing iCloud on June 6th, what it's calling an "upcoming cloud services offering." That will be part of the keynote for this year's Worldwide Developers Conference, known to the cool kids as WWDC. This is, of course, where everyone has come to expect new iPhones to come to light, but this year we're thinking the focus will be more on software, and indeed Apple's event notice indicates that the big highlights will be Mac OS X Lion and the next version of its mobile operating system, iOS 5. This is a decidedly non-Apple way to announce something big like iCloud, making us wonder what other surprises Steve Jobs will have for us at the event -- yes, he'll be kicking things off. As ever you can find out as it happens here, live.

Show full PR text
Apple to Unveil Next Generation Software at Keynote Address on Monday, June 6

CUPERTINO, California-May 31, 2011-Apple® CEO Steve Jobs and a team of Apple executives will kick off the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with a keynote address on Monday, June 6 at 10:00 a.m. At the keynote, Apple will unveil its next generation software - Lion, the eighth major release of Mac OS® X; iOS 5, the next version of Apple's advanced mobile operating system which powers the iPad®, iPhone® and iPod touch®; and iCloud®, Apple's upcoming cloud services offering.

WWDC will feature more than 100 technical sessions presented by Apple engineers. Mac® developers will see and learn how to develop world-class Mac OS X Lion applications using its latest technologies and capabilities. Mobile developers will be able to explore the latest innovations and capabilities of iOS and learn how to greatly enhance the functionality, performance and design of their apps. All developers can bring their code to the labs and work with Apple engineers.

For more details, visit the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference 2011 website at developer.apple.com/wwdc.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Watch a new trailer for The Muppets: 'The Fuzzy Pack'

From: http://www.myspace.com/


The Muppets: The Fuzzy Pack

Trailer Park Movies | Myspace Video



'The Muppets' continues the trailer absurdity with 'The Fuzzy Pack' an action/comedy followup to 'Green With Envy,' the romcom tinged trailer of earlier this week. This one features bogus press quotes and your first look at a couple of the celebrity cameos you can expect to see this November, namely, Wanda Sykes and Danny Trejo!

The Muppets' hits theaters November 23, 2011. Synopsis: When Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater, they help Kermit reunite the Muppets to stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater.

Photography past meets present - best iPhone accessory ever?


from http://www.techi.com/


It doesn’t get more awesome than this. It does not get more awesome than this. I don’t think anyone can argue that the iPhone already takes pretty swell pictures, as far as phones are concerned – but this is something new entirely.

Black Design Associates have dreamed up this inarguably awesome iPhone/Leica i9 combo that simply begs to be produced for real-real. Can you just imagine this?

Says BDA of the design: “It’s common practice to combine a smart phone with a digital camera, but how do you combine a great smart phone with a great digital camera when your brands may speak to very different categories?”

Apparently, they’ve answered their own question – and how.

More info here: http://www.blackda.com/