General Robots

Moonbell: Musik aus Topografie-Daten des Monds

moonmusic

Der japanische Satellit Kaguya hat den Mond abfotografiert und daraus Topografie-Daten erstellt, mit denen jetzt ein Tool programmiert wurde, das aus diesen Daten lustige Topo-Musik macht. Wortwörtliche Mondmusik, quasi. Snip von der About-Seite:

moonbell : listening to the topography of the moon.

Lunar orbiting satellite Kaguya (SELENE) was launched from Tanegashima Space Center on September 14, 2007 at 10:31am. Kaguya is currently orbiting the moon, taking observations of the lunar surface with 14 different sensors. moonbell uses data from one of those sensors, a laser altimeter, or LALT, transforming the altitude data into musical intervals.

moonbell has two playback modes, [Orbit Play] and [Free Scratch].
Additionally, you can watch the sound displayed as color patterns with the [Graphic Screen] function.

Orbit Play Mode
In this mode, the sound follows the topography along the satellite’s orbital path.
The display shows the orbital path Kaguya flew along as it took measurements of the lunar surface, an altitude graph of the topography in cross-section, and a musical notation map.

Free Scratch Mode
In this mode you can draw a line anywhere on the moon’s surface and listen to the sound it produces. Just like dropping a needle onto an LP, you can rotate the moon and draw anywhere you like.

Moonbell (Java App) (via Pink Tentacle)

Satellite Imagery as Art

Satellites take pictures of the earth for mapping, weather, science, and security. Art is a low priority when you’ve spend this much money to launch the camera! But the earth is a beautiful place, and the pictures sometimes are works of art. See Environmental Graffiti’s 30 Most Incredible Abstract Satellite Images of Earth.

Link

Photographer Documents Secret Satellites — All 189 of Them

For most people, photographing something that isn’t there might be tough. Not so for Trevor Paglen.

His shots of 189 secret spy satellites are the subject of a new exhibit — despite the fact that, officially speaking, the satellites don’t exist. The Other Night Sky, on display at the University of California at Berkeley Art Museum through September 14, is only a small selection from the 1,500 astrophotographs Paglen has taken thus far.

In taking these photos, Paglen is trying to draw a metaphorical connection between modern government secrecy and the doctrine of the Catholic Church in Galileo’s time.

Link

Google steigt bei Suche nach Exoplaneten ein

Der Suchmaschinenkonzern Google, der nach Google Earth auch anbietet, den Mond, den Mars oder den Sternhimmel virtuell zu bereisen, steigt in die Suche nach Exoplaneten ein. Der Suchmaschinenkonzern hat eine “kleine” Unterstützung geleistet, wie das MIT meldet, um die Entwicklung von Digitalkameras für einen Satelliten zu fördern, mit der der ganze Himmel nach Exoplaneten abgesucht werden soll. Google habe großes Interesse daran, Möglichkeiten zu entwickeln, wie man in den gewaltigen Datenmengen, die die Kameras liefern werden, nützliche Informationen finden kann, heißt es.

Link

Abandoned Satellite Facility

sat.jpg

Link (via)

Satellite spotters

John Schwartz reports in today’s New York Times about the global community of “satellite spotter” hobbyists who track the heavenly motions of satellites — some of which are secret government projects — and share what they find online.

Link

Menschen mit zuviel Zeit (V)

(via)