Latest Posts by lyliana1277 - Page 7

autism: I do NOT like having no idea what I'm doing

ADHD: wait, what was I doing?

Infrared is Beautiful

Why was James Webb Space Telescope designed to observe infrared light? How can its images hope to compare to those taken by the (primarily) visible-light Hubble Space Telescope? The short answer is that Webb will absolutely capture beautiful images of the universe, even if it won’t see exactly what Hubble sees. (Spoiler: It will see a lot of things even better.)

The James Webb Space Telescope, or Webb, is our upcoming infrared space observatory, which will launch in 2019. It will spy the first luminous objects that formed in the universe and shed light on how galaxies evolve, how stars and planetary systems are born, and how life could form on other planets.

What is infrared light? 

This may surprise you, but your remote control uses light waves just beyond the visible spectrum of light—infrared light waves—to change channels on your TV.

Infrared light shows us how hot things are. It can also show us how cold things are. But it all has to do with heat. Since the primary source of infrared radiation is heat or thermal radiation, any object that has a temperature radiates in the infrared. Even objects that we think of as being very cold, such as an ice cube, emit infrared.

There are legitimate scientific reasons for Webb to be an infrared telescope. There are things we want to know more about, and we need an infrared telescope to learn about them. Things like: stars and planets being born inside clouds of dust and gas; the very first stars and galaxies, which are so far away the light they emit has been stretched into the infrared; and the chemical fingerprints of elements and molecules in the atmospheres of exoplanets, some of which are only seen in the infrared.

In a star-forming region of space called the ‘Pillars of Creation,’ this is what we see with visible light:

And this is what we see with infrared light:

Infrared light can pierce through obscuring dust and gas and unveil a more unfamiliar view.

Webb will see some visible light: red and orange. But the truth is that even though Webb sees mostly infrared light, it will still take beautiful images. The beauty and quality of an astronomical image depends on two things: the sharpness of the image and the number of pixels in the camera. On both of these counts, Webb is very similar to, and in many ways better than, Hubble. Webb will take much sharper images than Hubble at infrared wavelengths, and Hubble has comparable resolution at the visible wavelengths that Webb can see.

Webb’s infrared data can be translated by computer into something our eyes can appreciate – in fact, this is what we do with Hubble data. The gorgeous images we see from Hubble don’t pop out of the telescope looking fully formed. To maximize the resolution of the images, Hubble takes multiple exposures through different color filters on its cameras.

The separate exposures, which look black and white, are assembled into a true color picture via image processing. Full color is important to image analysis of celestial objects. It can be used to highlight the glow of various elements in a nebula, or different stellar populations in a galaxy. It can also highlight interesting features of the object that might be overlooked in a black and white exposure, and so the images not only look beautiful but also contain a lot of useful scientific information about the structure, temperatures, and chemical makeup of a celestial object.

This image shows the sequences in the production of a Hubble image of nebula Messier 17:

Here’s another compelling argument for having telescopes that view the universe outside the spectrum of visible light – not everything in the universe emits visible light. There are many phenomena which can only be seen at certain wavelengths of light, for example, in the X-ray part of the spectrum, or in the ultraviolet. When we combine images taken at different wavelengths of light, we can get a better understanding of an object, because each wavelength can show us a different feature or facet of it. 

Just like infrared data can be made into something meaningful to human eyes, so can each of the other wavelengths of light, even X-rays and gamma-rays.

Below is an image of the M82 galaxy created using X-ray data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope, and visible light data from Hubble. Also note how aesthetically pleasing the image is despite it not being just optical light:

Though Hubble sees primarily visible light, it can see some infrared. And despite not being optimized for it, and being much less powerful than Webb, it still produced this stunning image of the Horsehead Nebula.

It’s a big universe out there – more than our eyes can see. But with all the telescopes now at our disposal (as well as the new ones that will be coming online in the future), we are slowly building a more accurate picture. And it’s definitely a beautiful one. Just take a look…

…At this Spitzer infrared image of a shock wave in dust around the star Zeta Ophiuchi.

…this Spitzer image of the Helix Nebula, created using infrared data from the telescope and ultraviolet data from the Galaxy Evolution Explorer.

…this image of the “wing” of the Small Magellanic Cloud, created with infrared data from Spitzer and X-ray data from Chandra.

…the below image of the Milky Way’s galactic center, taken with our flying SOFIA telescope. It flies at more than 40,000 feet, putting it above 99% of the  water vapor in Earth’s atmosphere– critical for observing infrared because water vapor blocks infrared light from reaching the ground. This infrared view reveals the ring of gas and dust around a supermassive black hole that can’t be seen with visible light. 

…and this Hubble image of the Mystic Mountains in the Carina Nebula.

Learn more about the James Webb Space Telescope HERE, or follow the mission on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Image Credits Eagle Nebula: NASA, ESA/Hubble and the Hubble Heritage Team Hubble Image Processing - Messier 17: NASA/STScI Galaxy M82 Composite Image: NASA, CXC, JHU, D.Strickland, JPL-Caltech, C. Engelbracht (University of Arizona), ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Horsehead Nebula: NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Zeta Ophiuchi: NASA/JPL-Caltech Helix Nebula: NASA/JPL-Caltech Wing of the Small Magellanic Cloud X-ray: NASA/CXC/Univ.Potsdam/L.Oskinova et al; Optical: NASA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech Milky Way Circumnuclear Ring: NASA/DLR/USRA/DSI/FORCAST Team/ Lau et al. 2013 Mystic Mountains in the Carina Nebula: NASA/ESA/M. Livio & Hubble 20th Anniversary Team (STScI)

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.

Struggling today. I’m having a hard time in one class (Intro to Javascript) and feeling like maybe I need to give up on college. I’m afraid with all of my health issues that it’s pointless. Maybe I need to take a semester off and do more artistic stuff? I don’t know.

I emailed my instructor about it, so we’ll see what he says. I’m trying really hard not to let it get me down but it’s challenging.

Most of this describes me. I know I wasn’t diagnosed as a child because not much was known about autism, especially in girls. Now it’s eye opening and frustrating, because I know this about myself but getting an official diagnosis is proving to be impossible without paying hundreds of dollars or more.

Hi everyone,

I thought I would share some signs of Autism in adults. I hope many of you find this helpful.

Autism

USPS extended postal bird universe

TikTok encouraged me to do some deeper digging about myself, but I did the research. And I’m trying to get an official diagnosis. Very difficult to do when you’re 36 and a woman who did well in primary and secondary school, and always made friends easily. But it is disabling most days.

If you haven’t yet, check out the website embrace-autism.com and the FB community associated with the site. Some of the best resources I’ve been pointed to.

i hate that tiktok has turned autism into "im so quirky and slightly socially awkward, i eat with small spoons and walk around with t-rex hands". its a fucking disability and creating this narrative only furthers the stigma of the traits that actually affect peoples lives. making autism sound fun and relatable does absolutely nothing good. the only thing it will do is demonize autistic traits and create another "well youre not autistic cause thats not what autism looks like" exept this time its people with higher support needs who will get the most affected and i hate that

(edit: i didnt really word this correctly and idk if it really comes across in the way i meant but i definitely didnt mean that every autistic person only should show their struggles or even that autistic people owe anyone showing their struggles. autistic people should be able to show joy online and i, and other autistic people do relate to some of these memes and theres nothing wrong with that. my point was that i dont like that the word autistic is turning into meaning quirky and i did blame these tiktoks for it, while thats probably not right i do think that they contribute to this. again i didnt mean to put down other autistic people and im sorry if it came across this way. (i do however still stand by my original point and from what people said in the notes it seems like other people do as well so im gonna keep the original post up, just with this clarification))

What the fuck

So recently I have learned that neurotypical people are not aware of things like the following at all times:

How their clothing feels

Their body odor

The taste of their saliva

The hum of electronics

What. The. Fuck.

I don't understand that at all

To me sensory issues are like my chronic pain. I can let it fade into the background a lot of the time but it's always there

Like I am always fucking having to deal with it and other people just don't?

What the fuck!

When a new doctor asks for a brief description of my medical history

I’m ded

I struggle with asking questions in class because of all of this.

why autistic/adhd people may not ask for help

i’m not sure where to start and i don’t even know what questions to ask that would help me understand any of this

i want to ask you but i’m deathly afraid that you will hate my guts and resent me forever

i feel stupid and embarrassed for not knowing/understanding this

i wasn’t paying attention/i zoned out/you were talking too fast while going over this

“oh my god are you serious? it’s obvious, weren’t you paying any attention?” thanks for confirming i’m as stupid as i feel, appreciate it

i forgot about this deadline and i should’ve done it sooner but now it’s too late and awkward to say anything

your criticism will cast me into despair

i have no idea how to articulate my concerns so i will sit here silently until i can

i feel horrible about not doing it and not asking you initially and so i’m avoiding talking about it in the hopes that i will miraculously and suddenly understand it instead of doing the walk of shame to your office and risking the chance that i’ll piss you off and ruin your night

i’m working up the confidence to ask you

i’m formulating in my head a way to ask that doesn’t make me sound like i didn’t care enough to do it sooner, and that i actually have the willingness to do it, and that doesn’t place any blame on anyone except maybe me

autistic/adhd people feel free to add on! obviously this will vary from person to person, but this is my personal experience as an autistic and adhd person. if you’re neurotypical, please don’t try to offer tips for how to get around this because i can almost guarantee it will not be helpful :)

Just in case

Like to charge reblog to cast

Well this explains a lot. I started getting migraines at 7 as well.

Not so fun facts about my migraines:

15-20% of people get migraines

0.002% of people get Hemiplegic migraines

Sometimes I get regular run of the mill migraine. The kind where your head hurts and lights and sounds are horrible.

Sometimes the left side of my face goes numb and I can’t smile right

Sometimes my right arm gets weak

Sometimes both of my legs get weak and I can’t walk without a cane or walker

Sometimes I struggle to find words

Sometimes the vision in my right eye is just not quite right

Sometimes I get terrible vertigo

Sometimes I get super nauseated

Sometimes my teeth hurt

Sometimes I feel super hot/flushed

Sometimes I get all of the above

Autism is an independent risk for migraines

Autistic children are far more likely to experience migraines

One study showed that autistic people were twice as likely to experience migraine

I started getting migraines at age 7

My triggers are weather changes (I can usually tell it’s going to rain based on my aura) and hormonal changes, especially PMS

These are the two triggers that are impossible to avoid

Thank you all for listening to me complain while I lay in bed miserable because I can’t walk or smile or have the lights on.

I feel like this is something my wife would write. The only reason I know it’s not her is she isn’t 25. She won’t tell me her Tumblr name.

leather is the halfway point between wood and fabric. and wood is halfway between fabric and metal. fabric is halfway between liquids and metal and liquids are halfway between clouds and fabric. having come back to fabric the best kinds are cotton, linen, and rayon. these are just the laws of nature

Horses is always up there. Weather. Maps. The post office. Music.

What's your favourite Special Interest?

What's the topic that gets your more excited than any other? Is it more than one?

Mine is graveyards and anything to do with space!

What about when your health is a shit ton of lemons, and you have to deal with those lemons plus the life lemons? I’m so tired of making lemonade. I just want to throw those fuckers.

Source

I’m terrible about my teeth

sick of teeth being so high maintenance. you don’t see any other bones requiring so much care and upkeep they literally just do their job and don’t threaten to rot and fall out of your body?? grow up

Honestly, learning I’m autistic has helped recontextualize my childhood so that I don’t hate myself.

This was me at 27.

Had a realization about myself recently, and I think I might need to go get myself evaluated whoops

@todaysbird

rats of the sky 🍕 by kenz024

i’m a strong dependent woman who definitely needs some assistance

My wife is a huge fan of AO3, she’s been there almost since the beginning. We’ve been talking a lot about this.

"but AO3 hosts content that contains abuse!" please never go to a local library ever.

Needed to hear this today

Your disabilities’ effect(s) on your schooling do not make you a bad student; you are not a bad student because you are disabled.

I want/need to cross stitch again. I basically took a break when I moved and was dealing with depression. I did a small project last month ish and realized how much I missed it. But nothing is organized and my ADHD brain is struggling to find where to start. So I continue gathering and making patterns. I’m also behind in schoolwork so it’s like I’m semi punishing myself but not rewarding myself with cross stitch. Logically I know it would help, but depression brain is also weird.

Anyone else deal with things like that?

I like it, “eternal illness”

Instead of "chronic illness" I'm going to call it "eternal illness" because then maybe, just maybe, people will understand that I'm not getting better soon.

I think I might need to make this for a phlebotomist friend of mine.

Fun fact, I am a phlebotomist. I guess I just really like needles? by itsLenAgain

Why are universities and colleges obsessed with packing as much as possible into a shortened term? I’m trying to figure out where and what I want to get degree in, and I keep running into the issue of 6.5-8 week terms that are normally 14-16 weeks long.

It’s fine and dandy if you can adjust to that schedule and learning pace, but I have several disabilities that make this extreme learning obsession impossible and very defeating. Not everyone can do that and so many schools don’t accommodate for that because it’s built into the basic degree structure! Does anyone else feel the insanity of this? Get your degree in half the time but burn out before you finish. That’s super healthy! /sarcasm

This is one of the main reasons I keep considering adding Disability Studies to my degree/education/whatever it ends up being.

schools stop hiring abled people to head the disability/accessibility department challenge. i shouldn’t have to argue with an abled person (who sees the world through an abled lens) about why i need certain accommodations

I thought this was actual advice to think about it for 27 minutes exactly. My ADHD ass was about to go do it and expect good results.

Me: Time for bed.

Brain: No. Let do [insert activity here] for several hours instead. :)

Me: Okay

ADHD Awareness Month

Just pay attention. :)

ADHD Awareness Month