hyperspace

During the summer vacation this year I had been making a 3D model of hour house using Google SketchUp . SketchUp is a 3D Modeling tool from Google, where you can design anything from a simple chair to complex buildings. It is far easier to learn than any other modeling programs. Google has designed SketchUp primarily to help even ordinary people model buildings with varying complexity. These buildings can be put into Google Earth. But, though it is simple to use it has shocking level of functionality. To be more or less accurate, I took many measurements of my house (interior only) with a measuring tape. I made guesses where I cannot reach. Also, I had to take some photographs to get the design patterns. Yes, patterns can be imported from images and can be used to paint any surface. I also used photographs for the paintings we have on our walls. Now, my house is more or less complete. But, there still remains many details to be implemented, like the doors and windows, and the various...

It was only the last new moon a fortnight ago, when there was a solar eclipse. And yesterday, on full moon a Lunar eclipse took place. Pictures are taken between 1 a.m. to 3 a.m on 17th Aug

A Perseid meteor is striking the sky just below the Milky Way in August 2007 The annual Perseid meteor shower will peak on August 12, Tuesday. The sky is quite clear here these days at night. The Milky Way is so brightly visible. Even now, I can spot more meteors than normal, one in say five minutes. The source of Perseid meteors is the Comet Swift-Tuttle, which has littered the August portion of Earth's orbit with space dust. The dusty zone is broad and Earth is already in its outskirts. That is why, you can see these "early Perseids" even before 12th August. The best time to look is during the dark hours before dawn on Tuesday morning when forecasters expect 50 to 100 meteors per hour. So, city people, get away from lights and enjoy this heavenly show.

There was a solar eclipse today visible partially from India. I skipped some classes to watch it. It was cloudy all day. There was a little hope that it would be visible. There was also a little rain at noon. The western sky was covered with white clouds when the eclipse started at 4:18 pm in the afternoon. It was finally somewhat visible after half an hour later. It lasted only 10 minutes or so. The clouds blocked the view for the rest of the time. I used the "Sun-filter", I had bought in 2004 to see the tansit of venus over the Sun's disk (8th June, 2004). I tried to capture some images with my mobile camera with no luck. We do have a small telescope (2 1/2 inch) but not a solar filter for it. So, I projected the sun with the telescope on a paper. That way it was more comfortable to watch. Eclipsed Sun projected with telescope Last time I saw a solar eclipse was long ago, when I was a child. I either missed or the eclipses were not visible from here. The next solar ecli...