The Deep Sky Videos project has a strong focus on the so-called Messier Catalogue.
Throughout 2012 we're gradually making videos on all 110 of these distant objects in space.
Although fascinating, to human eyes this collection of galaxies, stars and nebula seem almost frozen in time (an illusion created by us living relatively short lives)
It seems we can simply make videos about them at our leisure - nothing much changes year-on-year, other than our scientific knowledge of them.
So this week has been exciting... Something changed.
A few days ago a bright spot appeared in the galaxy M95, billions of light-years away.
It was a suspected supernova - a violent and spectacular star explosion.
This meant a red alert for me (and the team of astronomers who make the videos possible).
After a flurry of phone calls and emails, I hurriedly filmed interviews with Mike Merrifield and Meghan Gray at the University of Nottingham.
I also consulted with Paul Crowther at the University of Sheffield, who first alerted me to supernova via Twitter.
He was working at his backyard observatory and said he would be turning his telescope to M95.
Coincidentally, M95 currently appears very close Mars.
Of course Mars is far, far closer to Earth (it is after all in our own Solar System whereas M95 is a whole other galaxy).
But this accidental and temporary "line of sight" issue was a nightmare for Nik.
Nik said he would have abandoned the image under normal circumstances, but persevered for my sake and cobbled together some quick exposures.
In this first image, the supernova is highlighted at the galaxy's outer edge. Light from Mars can be seen streaming in from the left.
This second image is a mosaic, showing Mars nearby (the "apparent" distance between M95 and Mars, as you look from Earth, is about the width of the Moon!)
Mars is obviously a small planet. A supernova is one of the brightest objects imaginable... Yet the relative distances from Earth mean that Mars appears millions of times brighter.
Mars can easily be seen with the naked eye whereas you need magnification to see the supernova.
When we made our video, the supernova was still "unconfirmed". Perhaps it was a less bright object closer to Earth?
It should be visible (with telescopes) for another 2 or 3 months.
And because M95 is close (in galaxy terms) and well imaged, perhaps astronomers will be able to do some detective work and figure out which star blew up!?
Of course what Ed described was really a "thought experiment" because it would be difficult to create a frictionless environment and elastic collisions.
But that's viewer where Lukas Wolf comes to the rescue.
He was captivated by our video and re-created the experiment using a piece of software called Algodoo.
Lukas has also made his code available at this link (for those who have the Algodoo software, which can be downloaded for free).
And Lukas sent us this image, which I believe charts the velocity of the small ball.
In his email to us, Lukas said:
"I was quite amazed by your 'pi and bouncing balls' video, certainly a cool fact about pi that I didn't know. Because it was so amazing, I replicated the scenario in a simulator and plotted the velocities of the balls over time while counting the collisions between the balls. The results were great: On the 32nd collision big M started to move backwards."
I do similar things with videos relating to special events, like Easter, Christmas, Halloween, etc.
There are a few reasons for this...
THE FIRST AND MAIN REASON
It gives me a chance to promote the video in the hope it spreads virally.
When March 14 arrives, I want the video to have been seen by as many as people as possible. To be fresh in minds so it might be shared with friends.
Starting this promotional campaign on the day itself would be last-minute stupidity.
It would be like stocking Easter Eggs in the shops only on Easter Sunday... Or advertising the latest must-have gifts only on Christmas Day itself, after everyone has bought their presents!
A SECOND REASON
I always hope the people at YouTube might promote themed videos at Christmas, Easter, etc... If I'm lucky enough included, it's a chance to reach new viewers.
There's no guarantee the faceless and all-powerful YouTube people will include me... But surely they decide what to include a day or two beforehand?
It just seems to make sense to have a product "out there on the shelves" a day or two earlier.
I can't imagine company as big as Google (owners on YouTube) decides to create a special feature of themed videos on a whim and then looks at what has been uploaded in the last 20 minutes!?
Update: YouTube did feature two of the Pi videos... This feature appeared before I would even have woken up on 14 March!!! See pic below...
AND ANOTHER REASON
I live in the UK - pretty much the middle of the world in terms of "the day".
It would be very hard to find a time to upload the video (thereby giving it the appropriate "date stamp") which would please people in Australia, the UK and the US... So why not go early?
AND A FINAL REASON
What if something goes wrong? What if my internet connection dies on the big day? What if I find last-minute errors in the videos which require re-editing?
Or worse yet, if I upload the video and only then find a problem requiring its removal and re-uploading!? Perhaps an error only a viewer will discover with fresh eyes?
Too late if I find out on the big day itself!!!?
Video editing and processing is time consuming... Last-minute fixes are rarely quick and easy.
Josh's mother, Kerry, got in touch this week, saying: "My son... has been fascinated by the Periodic Table since he was 4 years old! He has been asked to give several presentations at his school and is very well read on the subject.
"We just found out about your site and Joshua is really excited to have his picture shown, please please please include it on your website!"
Kerry also mentioned that Josh's friends call him "Professor Carbon".
I had to ask for the reason behind that, and it was explained.
"He likes to be called Professor Carbon because he dressed up as a scientist for Halloween a couple of years ago. Would you like to see pictures?"
Umm, yes please (see below)!
Kerry further explained: "Joshua is a very clever little boy, not sure if you have heard of it, but he is a 'young scholar' with The Davidson Institute, which is an organization for profoundly gifted children.
"We have a chemisty mentor for him, who has put us in contact with a Professor at UC Davis.
"We have actually been invited on Friday to take a tour of their Lab, which Joshua is very excited about!"
Kerry also said Josh was excited about the upcoming Pi Day on 14 March.
Professor Brian Cox - who seems to front much of the BBC's science content these days - gave a TV lecture just before Christmas which caused some ripples in the science world.
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Underdale, Brooklyn Park, Cowandilla, Hilton
