Weekly Space Hangout – Jan. 29, 2016: Largest Solar System, Future Missions .... | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

This week's hangout discussed topics such as the largest solar system ever seen, Elon Musk's plans for manned missions to Mars, the anniversary of Apollo 1 and Challenger disasters, the monstrous cloud re-entering our galaxy, work beginning on NASA's W First telescope, and the discovery of multiple stages of star formation in globular clusters.

Key Insights

• 😀 The largest solar system ever seen consists of a gas giant called two Mass orbiting a Red Dwarf star at a distance of one trillion miles.
• 🪐 Elon Musk plans to send manned missions to Mars in the coming years, believing that colonizing other planets is necessary for human survival.
• 👾 The anniversary of the Apollo 1 and Challenger disasters serves as a reminder of the risks and sacrifices involved in space exploration.
• 🕶️ The W First telescope is aimed at understanding dark energy and its role in the expansion of the universe.
• 🤩 Globular clusters, like Marathon Valley, provide valuable insights into multiple stages of star formation and serve as benchmarks for age dating in astrophysics.
• 😶‍🌫️ The existence of a monstrous cloud, potentially flung out of the Milky Way, challenges previous assumptions about the formation of globular clusters and provides opportunities for further research.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What is the largest solar system ever seen?

The largest solar system ever seen consists of a gas giant called two Mass orbiting a Red Dwarf star at a distance of one trillion miles.

Q: What are Elon Musk's plans for manned missions to Mars?

Elon Musk believes that colonizing other planets is necessary for human survival, and plans to send manned missions to Mars. These missions are expected to take place in the coming years.

Q: What is the significance of the anniversary of Apollo 1 and Challenger disasters?

The anniversary of these disasters serves as a reminder of the risks associated with space exploration and the sacrifices made by astronauts. It also highlights the importance of learning from past incidents to improve safety in future missions.

Q: What is the purpose of NASA's W First telescope?

The W First telescope is designed to characterize and understand dark energy. It will examine the evolution and current value of dark energy, which plays a crucial role in the expansion of the universe.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The hangout covered various topics including the largest solar system ever seen, Elon Musk's plans for manned missions to Mars, and the anniversary of Apollo 1 and Challenger disasters.

• It also discussed the monstrous cloud re-entering our galaxy, the work beginning on NASA's W First telescope, and the discovery of multiple stages of star formation in globular clusters.