Camminando | NYC, June 7

Sun light was the theme of the evening, as the vernissages were extremely disappointing

Total Walk Length: 11.1km

Events NYC | The Second Coming of the Shuttle

The Shuttle finally arrives to its final destination, the Intrepid Sea Air and Space Museum.

Events | NYC, Transit of Venus

Thousands of sky watchers  have gathered tonight  in the NYC west side streets along the Hudson waterfront to witness the transit of Venus across the Sun. This celestial phenomenon occurs when the planet Venus transits between the Sun and Earth, and is observable at naked eye —with appropriate precautions to protect the eyes against solar damage. The 2012 transit of Venus is the last Venus transit this century; the prior transit took place on 8 June 2004. The next transits of Venus will be in December 2117 and December 2125.
In NYC unfortunately the sky was mainly cloudy during the transit time. Nevertheless the sky light was particularly dramatic as background for this quite special celestial event.

My viewing location at the Riverside Park, at the 70th Street pier

Events | NYC, Transit of Venus

FOR LOVE OF VENUS

When my Astronomy Magazine articles arrived on e-mail  I was so excited to see that a major celestial event was about to happen on June 5, 2012.  Planet Venus is transiting the sun between 6 and 8:30 pm EDT.  

I, being a painter, have always been interested in anything to do with natural phenomena relating to earth, sky and water.  After much probing I found out that Columbia people would be located on W.125th St. and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. with telescopes and viewing tubes.  

Being a Pisces, (one with a raised eyebrow when it comes to Astrology), I am naturally going to be so happy to join in this event, which is the planet associated with Pisces. For an astrology cynic, I can't help talking in astrological terms almost as a way of life, because it is so fascinating.  Astronomy, on the other hand, does appeal more to the left side of my brain. Astronomy/Astrology......what the heck....it's definitely reason for celebration. 

At the viewing site there was definitely a sense of anticipation, as we got a sneak preview of the sun trying to break out from the cloud cover. We received our gift of special solar glasses, and waited around until the clouds parted and lo and behold, indeed a tiny black dot at one o'clock on the sun, appeared in all it's glory. The crowd was irrepressible as limited amounts of glasses were shared by all, and two telescopes with solar lenses were set up.  People lined up, and patiently waited their turn...for love of Venus.

Thea Bass

Exhibitions | Alice Aycock “A Simple Network of Underground Wells and Tunnels”

Alice Aycock “A Simple Network of Underground Wells and Tunnels” opened on June 2 at The Fields Sculpture Park and Architecture Omi in Ghent (NY).
The earthwork, measuring approximately 28’ wide x 50’ long x 9’ deep combines concrete block, wood, earth; it is a reconstruction  of a 1975 project constructed by the artist for an exhibition titled “Projects in Nature” in 1975 at Merriewold West, Far Hills, New Jersey.
From the artist’s description the work is “a subterranean network of passages set up for the purpose of operating below the surface of the earth”.

NYC, World Science Festival | Afterglow: Dispatches from the Birth of the Universe | Refining Cosmology

Cosmic Microwave Background fluctuations from COBE

Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP)  image of the CMB temperature anisotropy

Two separate WSF events, both taking place in the NYU campus, have been devoted to cosmology: more specifically to the varies discovery and theories related to the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)  radiation. The CMB is the light coming from the Big Bang explosion, providing information on the birth and evolution of the universe. In "Afterglow: Dispatches from the Birth of the Universe" Lawrence M. Krauss engages in conversations with Nobel laureate John Mather and other scientists on the experiments which led to models and theories on the beginning of the universe.
John Mather was one of the leading designers of the satellite COsmic Background Explorer (COBE), which  provided information on cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) of the universe and crucial measurements for our understanding of the universe. Thanks to the data taken by the COBE, the popular map of the CMB anisotropy was developed.

The curvature of the universe related to density parameter, Omega (Ω)

NYC, World Science Festival | Art: Surface Tension: The Future of Water

The main art event of the World Science Festival Surface Tension: The Future of Water opened at  Eyebeam Art + Technology Center
Water, the most fundamental resource on Earth is explored from an art, science and design perspective with more than 40 exhibits, which were particularly interesting for the variety of approaches and presentations, from more technological to metaphorical, conceptual or educational.
SURFACE TENSION: THE FUTURE OF WATER was created by Science Gallery at Trinity College, Dublin, sponsored by Culture Ireland, the Cordover Family Foundation and the University of Dublin Fund.

For more information visit Eyebeam Art + Technology Center

NYC, World Science Festival | Quantum Biology and the Hidden Nature of Nature

Scale surfing —from the micro world of atoms and subatomic particles to the macro scale of cosmology— seems to be the roller coaster ride of physics, and natural sciences in general.
And it just ruled my schedule and walkabouts of today, from the afternoon panel on cosmology devoted to the Cosmic Microwave Background of the Big Bang —at the NYU downtown campus—to the Quantum Biology panel presentation, hosted by The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College. The lively and entertaining award-winning journalist John Hockenberry moderated the panel, which included the cosmologist/astrobiologist Paul Davies and Seth Lloyd, a mechanical engineer working with quantum computers and quantum communication systems. Some of the topics du jour: “Can the spooky world of quantum physics explain bird navigation, photosynthesis and even our delicate sense of smell? Clues are mounting that the rules governing the subatomic realm may play an unexpectedly pivotal role in the visible world.”

Quantum biology applies quantum mechanics methodology to topics in the realm of biology, the study of life and living organism. The quantum phenomena of entanglement or tunneling (a particle penetration through barriers) were discussed in “friendly” terms as applying to commonly observable phenomena at the scale of our life.

One of the recurrent observations during the conversations among panelists was how the physical phenomena are much simpler to study than biological systems: even the simplest bacteria are extremely complex systems. The final question asked by John Hockenberry “Where does life come from?” or “What is consciousness” cannot be answered even by the most sophisticated scientific experiments and methods.