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13.1 billion years old and looking good. [snipped from ITN video ]

It's really no big deal. I don't know about all of you, but I go into the future all the time. Since I was born I have been traveling through time for 74 years and have been meeting new people, places and new inventions. There is one problem I have, how do I go back in time. I can't get back to the past. The best example is when I get into an elevator and the door shuts. A little while later that elevator takes all my atoms into the future and deposited them at another location in the future. Then I try to get back into the past by getting back into that elevator and bingo I go further into the future. I seems only to work one way. The same happens to me on a Jet plane. It only takes me into the future. There will come a time when I will be able stop from traveling into the future. That's right after the Grim Reapers knocks on my door. Click on the link. http://www.chess.com/forum/view/fun-with-chess/death-rang-my-doorbell-copy

Fellow Astronomers I'm really excited that my chess teacher and friend, Dan Heisman, has joined the Chess.com family. For those who don't know, he is a highly respected chess author of 10 books, and winner of numerous awards. Anyway, I've organized a little tournament to introduce people to Dan. First prize will be a FREE chess lesson with him - an $85 value. http://www.chess.com/tournament/win-a-free-lesson-with-dan-heisman-open Hope you can join!

http://www.astroviewer.com/interactive-night-sky-map.php

Just read some fascinating news.

Amateur astronomers, and professionals alike: We have recently been challenged to a team match by the Balkan Chess Unity Group and my thoughts are that we shouldn't accept the challenge. As George has said in the news post, we have 6 games on the go where we are losing 3, and drawing 3. In my honest opinion I think everyone should see who is willing to play in team matches to maybe encourage others to join too. If you're willing to sign up to the team matches we start (provided you aren't on holiday or completely overloaded with work) please leave a comment below just so I can properly notify you if we have been challenged and get a show of hands before I accept it. Calum. P.s. I'll join every team match from here on in, so that's one.

Is Pluto still a planet?

Think we'll ever get zapped by one?

Here is the link to the Earth vs Outer Space chess game that just started: http://main.uschess.org/content/blogcategory/198/475/ We've only made one move each so far. Earth is black. American Astronaut Greg Chimitoff aboard the International Space Station is white. It's currently his turn. First move was 1.d4...Nf6.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZeDc8fubAA

With the recent discovery of fair quantities of water on the moon (near the lunar South Pole) the question of colonisation seems to have been reborn somewhat. Of course, having water at the site of your base would be a huge help to those manning it, as both a source of sustenance and a way to manufacture rocket fuel. Of course, there are still many other problems associated with building a base on the moon. The cost of such a thing is the obvious one. Another serious issue is the deterioration of bone and muscle mass, and the effects of low gravity on the immune system. Yet more problems are the power issues (long lunar nights make solar power difficult to come by) and creating a breathable atmosphere. Anyway, what is your opinion of space colonisation? Is it a good thing for our governments to spend taxpayer money on at this time? What sort of timescale do you think we are looking at? And when may it be possible to extend our reach outside of our Earth-Moon system?

My theory Is That if There are thousands of Galaxy's + We are only a little Spec in The Milky Way There is more of a chance of Extra Terrestrial Life. Whether It's In are Galaxy or another. And I believe that they have visited Earth and are Solar System Before... Another thing is i know the Goverment knows they exist, but they are hiding it...with evidence in Area 51 i think there is hidden Alien Space Craft Or Evidence. I Recommend The Shows " Ancient Aliens " and "UFO Hunters". And I think at one point in time there has been Life on Mars Whether thay were Humans Or Aliens... Who Agrees?

http://www.scaleoftheuniverse.com/

There was a time when the Earth was considered the majority of the Universe, with a roof overhead with stars in. Later Gallileo expanded reality enormously to include the solar system. Later we discovered the solar system was lost in a corner of a vast galaxy, outside of which was nothing much but some little clouds. In the 1920s it was realised the little clouds were other galaxies and the Universe was a vast sea of scattered galaxies. The big bang theory put a finite size on this Universe and that was considered to be finally the whole of reality, with nowhere else to look. But now we have increasing hints that our whole universe is an insignificant bubble in a much vaster domain. There is some very exciting work going on at detecting the effects of parts of that domain entirely outside of our Universe, as described in an nice article on the arxiv blog.

The highest resolution photograph of a sunspot achieved to date (NST 2010).

Here's NASA's take, what's yours? http://nasascience.nasa.gov/astrophysics/what-is-dark-energy Feel free to speculate wildly

When the scientists worked out the mass of the universe , they found that there was not enough to balance the equations of the big bany theroy. They found only 5% of the matter. This led to dark energy and dark mass being "discovered" , in which they say that 23% is dark mass an 72% is dark energy leaving 5% visible matter. I checked wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Observable_universe It appears to me that to work out the mass of the universe , they work on the average amount of stars / galaxies and work out how many hydrogen atoms there roughly is. What surprises me is that there is no account for energy. Since E=Mc^2 then a good proportion of the mass in the universe must be in the form of energy. Is it this energy that would make the equations work without the need of dark matter/energy? I guess its pretty hard to work out all the energy in the universe , but it wouldn`t surprise me if it totaled the missing 95% visible mass when converted. Any thoughts or facts please people.

I read somwhere that the edge of space is moving away from us faster than the speed of light, surely this is not possible ? Any body have any thoughts on the subject.

Hey guys, Check this cool website out http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx