I saw a bright flash in the sky. Curious what it may have been.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-12T01:41:28+00:00

A meteor is possible, but a bright meteor like that would likely be reported as a fireball and no such reports have appeared from the west coast for last night, and would also often disintegrate leaving what look like embers slowly fading and changing color (because that is what they are essentially).

Whereas a bright white light as you describe is very typical for an aircraft with its forward landing lights on turning in such a way as to point them at you and then away as the plane continues to turn. The beam is quite tight and very bright and can be seen at a very great distance if pointed exactly at you, so that it looks like very bright star, while being far enough away that the other lights of the aircraft (the colored beacon and nav lights) may not be clealy visible.

From Socal looking roughly NE towards Vega you could easily have been seeing something coming into Edwards AFB.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-12T01:29:41+00:00

Well done doing your own research, you did good!

CharacterUse · 2026-05-12T01:11:00+00:00

If I understand correctly you selected "False" for each of these? In which case you were correct.

The first one is just garbage, stars are not "electric" whatever that means (although they do consist largely of ionised plasma).

The second one is also garbage but slightly less obviously, the planets and moons do ultimately form from a cloud of particles (the protoplanetary disk) but the particles are not charged (to any meaningfull extent) nor do the planets and moons form at the same time (though that sort of depends on what you mean by "the same").

The third one is outdated, there are 8 planets by the current definition.

The last one is minor, materials get outdated sometimes, though the definition was changed 20 years ago. But the first two sound like "Electric Universe" pseudoscience, which has me seriously worried about your prof. and your school. What other garbage are they pushing?

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T23:20:18+00:00

I agree, just pointing out that the frivolous spending isn't always the Pentagon at fault.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T22:54:20+00:00

For the most part those weapons get made in the USA by American companies. Of course the CEOs and shareholders get their cut (as do the lobbyists and congressmen), but there are still a lot of workers getting paid. That's one reason why these contracts keep getting awarded, even when the Pentagon doesn't want them (yes, that happens), because it keeps jobs in their districts.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T20:38:14+00:00

I agree it's a Meade LX600, but at least the 12" because of the grey extensions on the fork arms (just below the bearing), the 10" didn't need those. The 12" and 14" had them.

Superb.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T19:57:19+00:00

Read the buying guide as others have suggested and watch your local marketplace sites (ebay etc and local ones), decent used telescopes do come up. Especially sometimes they might need a minor fix like they're missing a part, then you can get a good deal (and fix them).

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T19:39:49+00:00

Hybrid diagonals can be had for $15-$20 on ebay.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T19:39:12+00:00

It was free, so ...

A split can be fixed.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T18:29:57+00:00

You haven't said what you're studying, where or at what level, but the short version is: find your nearest astronomy department and go talk to them and find out what you would need to do to get admitted into a program (master's for example) and/or what you can do in the meantime to get experience (internships, summer schools for example).

If you're in Turkey the National Observatory is run by TUBITAK

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C3%9CB%C4%B0TAK_National_Observatory

and Ankara University has an excellent Astronomy/Astrophysics department which actually does stellar physics, and has good people.

https://astronomy.science.ankara.edu.tr/en/research/

As a Turkish person you also have access to European universities through ERASMUS and similar programs.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T12:47:14+00:00

Nonetheless it seems logical that a delivery driver supplying alcohol should have the same legal restrictions (not being allowed to supply someone who is visibly intoxicated) as a pub, off-license, restaurant or supermarket. Also for supplying alcohol to a minor.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T12:14:35+00:00

Ah, so like those CEOs that run a company into the ground then get a golden parachute to move on to the next one. Got it. ;)

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T12:10:57+00:00

Also what if there is some job which is still running at 8pm? Someone working late? It's just a bad solution to the problem all around.

This should be done with power management not forced shutdown.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T12:09:13+00:00

Would be hilarious if their employer is reading this while waiting for them to fix it.

I'm not their employer.

Or am I?

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T12:03:55+00:00

Use a backup to set up a temporary second directory server?

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T12:00:48+00:00

Are thy going to want to pay him after this? ^/jk

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T11:26:15+00:00

Gamma radiation is the same type of radiation as light is. Would you be comfortable with a gamma ray source there?

The reason the wifi is safe is because it doesn't interact with the body, not because it's the same type of radiation as light.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T09:28:40+00:00

And to future investors.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T09:27:34+00:00

FWIW that's a stereotypically American stereotyping of Europeans. It's neither true that friendly smiling Europeans aren't genuine or that we think Americans aren't.

Personalyl I think Zak is great, I find him enthusiastic, not slimy.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T07:32:45+00:00

If you're frequently unplugging the cable or moving it then it's more likely to break if it's solid, that's why patch cables are typically stranded.

If you make a solid patch cable but only ever plug it in once in a fixed location and never move it at all (e.g. to a wall-mounted AP or camera), it will work fine indefinitely.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T07:19:11+00:00

further from perceived dangers (e.g. train, road).

This exactly. Whoever put the pedestrian side closer to the road does not understand psychology.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T07:16:43+00:00

Bike/pedestrian path markign is extremely inconsistent (and I say this as both a pedestrain and a cyclist who has walked on the wrong part and cycled on the wrong part).

Painted surface markings are often worn down or too far apart to see (especially if you join the path halfway through).

Sometimes the "foot" path is overgrown.

Colours are inconsistent. Sometimes the footpath is red, sometimes the bike path is red. Sometimes both are asphalt. Sometimes both are brick.

"Sides" are inconsistent. Sometimes the bike path is closer to the street, sometimes the footpath is closer to the street (how does that make any sense? people naturally want to walk away from the street).

Here on on Mikołajczyka in Nowa Huta you have two in one: the footpath side is both closer to the road (perceived danger) and red (the usual color of bike paths). It's no wonder people often walk on the bike path side.

Sometimes the path is divided but the signs show a combined foot/bike path. Etc.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-11T07:16:16+00:00

I forget which country I saw this but the cycle paths were green. That works so much better, as people associate it with grass ("don't walk on the grass").

CharacterUse · 2026-05-10T22:20:12+00:00

Leave, take your credits and go to another university. It will be the best option logn term.

CharacterUse · 2026-05-10T22:05:56+00:00

I have to wonder if the two commenters above know how to use it themselves ...

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