9 ms·

> If we put half the energy we use up arguing about Oumuamua into detecting more interstellar objects we would have the data to end this debate This HN comment

by themgt 6y ago

> If we put half the energy we use up arguing about Oumuamua into detecting more interstellar objects we would have the data to end this debate This HN comment was just the motivation I needed to get off my computer and rededicate myself to polishing eighteen 1.32m gold-plated beryllium hexagonal mirror segments.

ddingus 6y ago
What is used, and how long does doing that take?
- AlexCoventry 6y ago
  I think it was sarcasm.
  - duck2 6y ago
    Still interesting what would be used to polish a gold plated beryllium mirror. For instance, looks like they clean it by spraying CO2 snow: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide_cleaning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide_cleaning
    - ddingus 6y ago
      Yeah, I took a gamble. Just looked at the reference you dropped. Thanks, that is an interesting little rabbit hole.
    - petschge 6y ago
      Be very careful grinding, polishing or otherwise ablating any alloy that contains beryllium. Berylliosis (no matter if acute or cronic) is no joke.
- marcusverus 6y ago
  Given a budget of, say, $9.66 Billion, I'd say it would take around 25 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope
sandworm101 6y ago
You don't need the telescope. There is an effort to discover interstellar objects in old data, which is largely a matter of spotting faint objects and calculating thier orbits...ie coding.
- pavel_lishin 6y ago
  Can you link us to where we can contribute?
  - sandworm101 6y ago
    https://panstarrs.stsci.edu/ https://panstarrs.stsci.edu/ The data is there. Have at it.
    - eternalban 6y ago
      Perfect task for AI.
      - pc86 6y ago
        Given this comment, I'm not sure you know what "AI" or "perfect" mean.
        pavel_lishin 6y ago
        You know what, maybe if we put this data on the blockchain, the ICO can pay for future investment to democratize astronomical research ok, I can't keep typing this out, I can't tell if I'm making myself laugh or cry.
        edgyquant 6y ago
        Why would this not be a good domain for image recognition?
        doytch 6y ago
coolspot 6y ago
I know you are joking, but a second interstellar object after the Oumuamua was discovered using a 0.65m DIY telescope built by Gennadiy Borisov. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2I/Borisov https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2I/Borisov
- Nicksil 6y ago
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2I/Borisov https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2I/Borisov

by themgt 6y ago

ddingus 6y ago

What is used, and how long does doing that take?

AlexCoventry 6y ago
I think it was sarcasm.
- duck2 6y ago
  Still interesting what would be used to polish a gold plated beryllium mirror. For instance, looks like they clean it by spraying CO2 snow: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide_cleaning https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide_cleaning
  - ddingus 6y ago
    Yeah, I took a gamble. Just looked at the reference you dropped. Thanks, that is an interesting little rabbit hole.
  - petschge 6y ago
    Be very careful grinding, polishing or otherwise ablating any alloy that contains beryllium. Berylliosis (no matter if acute or cronic) is no joke.
marcusverus 6y ago
Given a budget of, say, $9.66 Billion, I'd say it would take around 25 years. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Webb_Space_Telescope

sandworm101 6y ago

You don't need the telescope. There is an effort to discover interstellar objects in old data, which is largely a matter of spotting faint objects and calculating thier orbits...ie coding.

pavel_lishin 6y ago
Can you link us to where we can contribute?
- sandworm101 6y ago
  https://panstarrs.stsci.edu/ https://panstarrs.stsci.edu/ The data is there. Have at it.
  - eternalban 6y ago
    Perfect task for AI.
    - pc86 6y ago
      Given this comment, I'm not sure you know what "AI" or "perfect" mean.
      - pavel_lishin 6y ago
        You know what, maybe if we put this data on the blockchain, the ICO can pay for future investment to democratize astronomical research ok, I can't keep typing this out, I can't tell if I'm making myself laugh or cry.
      - edgyquant 6y ago
        Why would this not be a good domain for image recognition?
        doytch 6y ago

coolspot 6y ago

I know you are joking, but a second interstellar object after the Oumuamua was discovered using a 0.65m DIY telescope built by Gennadiy Borisov. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2I/Borisov https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2I/Borisov

Nicksil 6y ago
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2I/Borisov https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2I/Borisov