matrix orbital » Star

Why Did Carl Sagan Say That We Are Star Stuff?

keith — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 19:32:57 +0000

I watched a show on my tv last night courtesy of NetFlix Instant Downloads which nonetheless has me captivated by the subject matter of the plan. It was an episode of “The Universe” from season 1 (one) that told how stars are born, how they reside their lives at varying stages of improvement, and lastly how they die.
Reference-and-Education:Science Articles from EzineArticles.com

chris stoddard

Jewish Star Of David Silver Tone Pewter Pendant Necklace

keith — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:38:08 +0000

Product DescriptionHelpful words to help you find this item in a seach: Jew, religion, Israel. This piece is a brand new fine crafted pewter pendant necklace. It is made from the highest quality 100% pewter inside and out. Nickle-free. Comes ready to wear with a jewelry black rope necklace or you could put it on your favorite chain. Just amazing! Precious Metal Color Length Pewter Silver 1. 5 inches . . . More >>

Jewish Star Of David Silver Tone Pewter Pendant Necklace

Name a Star – Buy a Star Personalised Gift From Find-me-a-gift

keith — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:47:45 +0000

Name a Star

Name a Star is a wonderful present for anyone. Send someone special into orbit by Naming a Star after them with the Intergalactic Star Database. This thoughtful personalised gift will last 10 billion years, longer than anything else you could ever buy them.

The Name a Star gift is perfect for your loved ones and will let them know how much you value them. Every time they want to see their present, they can just look up at night and see a beautiful shining reminder of you.

About Name A Star

Name a Star is completed within a framed personalised certificate. The Name a Star certificate clearly states the stars name and its database reference number. The Name a Star pack also includes an educational astronomy starter kit, with a sky chart and star plotter to help you find the area of your star.

The Name a Star gift pack Includes:

Name your own star.

Framed personalised Certificate.

Presentation Box

Introduction Letter

Star co-ordinates certificate and facts on the star’s position.

A guide the Northern Constellations book Star Chart and Planisphere to locate your actual star in the night sky.

As the Name a Star gift is personalised please allow up to 5 working days for delivery from date of order.

Please give us your personalisation details for the name a star by typing in the recipient’s name and any message in the fields provided above, or send us an email to becky@findmeagift. com

UNFORTUNATELY NEXT DAY DELIVERY AND GIFTWRAPPING ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON THIS ITEM. UNFORTUNATELY REFUNDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE ON PERSONALISED PRODUCTS.

Name A Star

Other out of this world gifts from www. find-me-a-gift. co. uk

Acre of land on Venus – Buy this Official Acre of land on Venus as a gift or for yourself and we guarantee you will amaze your friends and family.

Unlike the acre of moon we also sell this official Acre of Venus is not the perfect location for your future holiday home, but Venus was given its name because of the planets amazing beauty. The 3 keys to buying property are location, location and location and you cannot find many more amazing locations than Venus. And yes it really is an official acre of land on Venus!

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Acre of Land on the Moon – of the Moon – Buy an Acre of Land on the Moon

Buy an Acre of the Moon and own your very own land on the moon at our special offer price of ?18. 90! The Acre of the Moon is a fantastic unique, unusual gift that gives you your own lunar estate! This is a gift guaranteed to send a loved one into outer space! Make someone special smile today by buying them an acre of the moon!

The Acre of the Moon is out of this world! Owning land on the moon lets someone special look up to the moon and say “I own an acre of land on the moon!”.

Buying an Acre of the Moon means you have the perfect place for your future holiday home. If the three keys to buying property are location, location and location then you can’t get any better than a acre sized plot on the Moon can you? And yes you REALLY are buying an official acre of land on the moon!

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Acre of land on Mars – An Acre of Mars is the perfect place for your future holiday home. The 3 keys to buying property are location, location and location. Well you can’t get any better than your very own plot on Mars can you? And yes it really is an official acre of Mars!

The official each Acre of Mars has been carefully mapped and recorded, so no Acre of Mars will ever be sold twice. With each Acre of Mars purchased you will receive a

beautifully printed Deed, Constitution, Property Map showing your Acre of Mars, Mineral Rights for your Acre of Mars, and a copy of the original Declaration of Ownership all presented in fantastic space age packaging. The deeds for your Acre of Mars come with a space for the recipient’s name to be written in by you or the recipient themselves. There is also a ownership card that you can fill in and send to the Martian Land Registry Company.

http://www. find-me-a-gift. co. uk/gifts-for-men/unusual-gadgets/acre-of-mars. html

Name a Star gift box – Only a small number of stars in our sky actually have names allocated to them; the majority are nameless and are distinguished by their catalogue number only. Your gift box contains the details of one of these unnamed stars that is ready for naming by you.

On your Star Details Form is information about your star; two of these references being your star?s Right Ascension and Declination. These are the co-ordinates that relate to the exact position of your star in the sky. Just use these co-ordinates and the instructions on your ?5 Steps to Locating Your Star? sheet to find the exact location of your star on the huge wall map enclosed.

http://www. find-me-a-gift. co. uk/name-a-star-gift-box. html

Moon In My Room – Moon Light – What’s different about the moon tonight? It’s in your room! Authentically detailed and hangs on your wall, shining moonlight just like the real moon. Twelve different phase settings let you match what the real moon looks like outside or push a button for automatic cycling of the phases. Moon In My Room Includes an audio CD to learn exciting facts about the moon, auto shut-off to preserve battery life, and infrared remote control. Requires 4 “AA” batteries for the moon and 2 “AAA” batteries for the remote control (not included).

http://www. find-me-a-gift. co. uk/moon-in-my-room-moon-light. html

Star Theatre – Home Planetarium – Star Theatre? 2 HOME PLANETARIUM with interactive Meteor Maker?

Watch as hundreds of stars and constellations are projected on your ceiling and walls. Listen as you are taken on an exciting audio CD tour of the night sky. Control the Meteor Maker to create streaking comets and meteors overhead. It’s like being in a real planetarium!

http://www. find-me-a-gift. co. uk/gifts-for-men/unusual-gadgets/star-theatre-home-planetarium. html

Space Duck – The Astronaut Duckie

Space Duck adds courage and cool to your bathtime. With a classic NASA space outfit on (including helmet!), he’s the only duck in the galaxy ready for hyperspace!

Space Ducks come in a silver space box with the words “One small waddle for duck, one giant waddle for duckind” on the side, his favourite saying.

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Message To Space Gift Box – This is the ultimate way to send an important message, declaration, dedication or tribute (. . . or communicate with aliens – depending on your beliefs!)The message is sent to a space broadcast centre in North America where it is encoded by a computer into a format that is suitable for transmission. The message is then sent into space using a laser telescope with the message theoretically being detectable for over 1,000 years – some experts even saying forever.

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Star Sapphires and Rubies

keith — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 20:50:23 +0000

Commonly stars are known in ruby and sapphire but they also appear in garnet, spinel and other less known varieties. There are differences between all stars, but we will here pretend that nature made all stars equal. ? Gemstone phenomena, especially asterism, are a tough call to judge on photo. However, no normal jeweler will be able to show you a fine natural star sapphire, let alone a selection to choose from. ?Good stars are rare even beyond the normal gemstone rarity. Unless you live in a metropolis or travel to Tucson or Basel, the internet is the only place to compare and buy such gems. ? Looking at images on the web, stars seem to be quite an ugly bunch. Rarely do they?show nice?colors, often they are zoned, patchy, heavily included, silky, egg-shaped and at times the asterism is hardly visible at all. ? And of course you will find many “perfect”, “fully colored”, giant star sapphires or rubies for a few dollars. These are synthetic or surface diffused or lead-glass filled gems which are mostly worth just as much as they cost. ? There is nothing wrong with twenty carat Linde star for fifty dollar, but be wary of those sellers trying to offer them as real. ? So, are they are either ugly or faked? No, don’t be discouraged. Real, natural stars are mind-shaking and heart-breaking. Many star skeptics have become sworn star fans after their first encounter with fine quality. ?? Here is what to look for when selecting a star?sapphire or ruby?online: ? The value of any star gem?depends strongly on the quality of its asterism, which is defined by (no order): Sharpness Symmetry &?linearity Completeness (6 rays mostly) Travel (smoothness of movement) Position Lucidity & Depth? The relative importance of these criteria are questions of personal taste, culture and fashion. Most collectors would perhaps trade in some off-centeredness for good movement, or overlook a meandering leg while frowning at a missing one. ? We feel lucidity, travel, position and completeness may be most important and price relevant. ????? ? Only then, with decreasing relevance, come: Color Clarity (inclusions) Shape Finish (top and bottom)? Asterism and color together easily make up 80%?of the value of a star (sapphire, ruby or any other variety). ? With?ten dimensions (as compared to the old 4 Cs) stars are a quite demanding topic. But they are rewarding, too. ? Let us?tackle each issue separately from the web’s point of view: ? 1. Sharpness is easily shown on the web. There is an ideal distance between the spotlight placed on a gem and the gem bringing out the sharpest star. You may assume that the photo captures this point. (unless stated otherwise?in the grading report)?In general, a camera?shows stars not as sharp as the eye perceives them. Hence, when you see a sharp star on photo you can safely conclude that the star is actually very good in person. If you can just make out the star on the photo, it will be fleeting and in need of a strong single spotlight. ? Please be advised that one may well find faked (photo-shopped) sharp stars on Ebay or elsewhere. As always, if it is too good to be true. . . and never buy without 3rd party certificate. ? 2. Symmetry and linearity too,?are easy: What you see is what you get. 3. Completeness: No problem either. Count the legs. If the gem on the photo misses one leg it is likely missing for real (unless the grading says otherwise. )4. Travel, the ability and smoothness of the star traveling over the stone, is not really possible to show on the web (not yet at least). Until online video technology has advanced further, you will have to rely on the seller’s description and check later in person. ? Ideally, the star follows a light source smoothly, not jerking and jumping, while staying intact and sharp. Don’t expect perfection though: Every star has a weak area or two. Value reducing characteristics would be a loss of completeness or even a sudden disappearance of the star?during movement. 5. Position too, is a tricky business on the internet. In order to show the star on a photo one must bring it close to the center. Thus, on a photo, the star will usually?be centered. But that does not mean it actually is. ? Even a 100% centered star would need camera and spotlight in the same position (which is next to impossible). Hence, position is always a criterion that one must question further even if the photo looks great. Sometimes you may see the light coming obviously from the side while the star sits centered, meaning that, when the light is moved up, the star will probably shift off-center. However, this is not 100% conclusive. Mostly you will need to rely on the seller’s evaluation. Some online vendors will try to put a number to off-centeredness: “45 degree off-center” for example indicates that when the spotlight is positioned straight above, the center of the star sits half way down the stone. ?Ten degree would mean the star is just slightly?off center?and more than?60 degree would send it nearly over the edge. ? 6. Lucidity?& Depth are connected. In one extreme we will have completely opaque material with the star sitting on the surface. Opaqueness is easy to spot on photos. ?It looks like a solid piece of material with the rays fixed or painted onto the surface. ? At?the other end of the spectrum we may have highly transparent quality with the rays reaching into the body. One can, however, not expect 100% transparency because needles are necessary to break the light and show the star. ? If the needles are very fine and yet the star is clearly visible, then . . . There is magic: The rays sway like silver curtains inside this most dense material. Most stars however are rather opaque characters and transparency is highly priced. ? ? The remaining four points are also relevant in normal gems but some additions are helpful: ? 7. Color: Strong colors are extremely rare in stars. Even the best star will have a silky, silvery sheen to it which clouds its saturation. This is unavoidable. A star needs needles. ? Most stars come in grayish, foggy mild colors. Exceptions exist but they are very costly and yet can not rival the intenseness of a 100% transparent gem. ? Novices will be disappointed when expecting to find a neon red ruby?or a hot pink sapphire with perfect asterism. ?One has to appreciate the silkiness as part of the phenomena, and see the color as an add-on. Even grayish white stars have good value if their asterism is of high quality. ? The main problem, however,?when judging?colors on photo springs from the fact that any spotlight, needed to show the star,?affects the character of the color. There is no cure to this. If the spotlight alters the color too much we?often add a “no-star” image to show the gem’s?”2nd” color. This means one image to show the star, and one more to show the color (without a spotlight) under mixed and?diffused light conditions. ? However, this is not fully satisfying since star quality and color saturation interact. Again you have to read the sellers description carefully and trust his judgment until you can examine the stone yourself. ? There is a trade-off between a weak star and a full color: The finer the needles, the better the color potential,?but the weaker the star. Hence, the worst of all possible stars will be valued close to a cabochon of similar quality. Thinking of ruby, we would, at some point, discard the asterism and cut the cabochon into a facetted gem with that sought-after silky ruby sheen. ? 8. Clarity: Stars are by nature often more included than normal facetted gemstones (beyond their needle structure). This?may be?connected to their geological origin as semi-transparent material. However, inclusions should not dominate the overall appearance?or hinder the rays from traveling. Stars also often display stronger color zones. Here too, one has to be tolerant. As long as the star runs unhindered through those color zones you are still on the good side, even if the price of such a gem must be well below an evenly saturated sample. ? 9. The shape of a star is limited to round or oval cabochon with?rare exceptions. ? Generally, asymmetric shapes or other unevenness will reduce prices or should be re-cut straight away. Stars may come flat or dome shaped but this isn’t of much importance since there are no windows or blackouts to fear as in facetted gems. 10. Finally the finish of a star: While the dome must be smooth and evenly polished the bottom is often left rough and uneven, frequently even with unattractive edges, holes and other flaws. Don’t worry about it. The only thing that counts in a star sapphire or ruby is the top. Of course, in an ideal world, the bottom too can be pretty but don’t count on it. The bottom does not need to be?nice but must be as small as possible, not bulging and thus producing extra weight. Enough bottom to accommodate a setting is all the weight you want to pay for. A tiny star sitting on a giant rock of corundum will not be priced per carat. ? ? Summary: The most important quality of a star sapphire, ruby?(or any other variety) is its asterism. The main?criteria of asterism are lucidity, completeness, position and travel. Lucidity and completeness are possible to judge online. Position and travel are not conclusive by photo only, but need the sellers input. Asterism and color together determine the value of a star gem. Strong colors in transparent stones are highly priced but extremely rare. Some fogginess/silkiness is necessary in every star. Colors may vary depending on the type and intensity of the spotlight. Watch out for over-weight bottoms. Treatment of Star Sapphire & Ruby:? Many gem dealers will claim that stars can not be treated. This is nonsense. They can not be ultra-high-heated above 1200 degree because this might melt the needles. Stars are regularly heated below 1200 degree, lead-glass-healed, diffused?or filled with bismuth or other chemicals.

Edward was born in 1968 in Berlin. His family migrated to Sri Lanka in 1973. He studied biology and international development in London and Berlin. His company, Wild Fish Gems was founded in 2000 as a company specializing in Ceylon gems that have not been treated with radiation, chemicals or heat. He has recently begun sourcing from a broader range of countries across Southeast Asia and Africa. His gemstones are delivered daily to jewelers and gem lovers all over the world.

Star Alliances

keith — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:01:31 +0000

Dark Sky has just released yet another game which allows players to pit their own intelligence and tact against thousands of other players like no other game does. This new game is called Star Alliances. It is much faster and more focused on the casual gamer than Beyond Protocol is, but still incorporates the massiveness and incredible customization which made Beyond Protocol popular. Star Alliances gives the player massive amounts of customization with the ability to jump into the midst of interstellar war instantly, for FREE (more on the FREE part later). There are similarities between Star Alliances (SA) and Beyond Protocol (BP), but they are very different games. Unlike BP, SA focuses more on the intensity of fighting for supremacy, and less on the complex strategy of building an empire. However, much like BP, SA takes place in a galaxy with hundreds of environments in which war can rage simultaneously. Environments range from any of the 8 planet types and 5 planet sizes, to the orbit above those planets, to the very center of any of the 100+ star systems, to the cold outer reaches of space. The game begins by choosing one of three factions, the Legion of Systems, the Unification Alliance, or the Galactic Confederacy. Each faction comes with its own premise of governance, basic hull designs, and region of space inside the SA galaxy. After choosing a side, the player is taken to the home system for the chosen faction, and presented with a window summarizing research, production, and deployment options for their units. Research in SA is based heavily on combat, mainly because research costs influence and influence is gained only by destroying enemy ships. The more and bigger the ships destroyed by the player, the easier it is for them to design a behemoth or sleek set of corvettes of their own. The 10 different resources in the game are collected automatically, and directly relate to the different components in the game (engine, radar, weapons, etc. ). The faction?s home system provides a steady and secure flow of resources, but by branching out into contestable systems, higher accumulation rates can be achieved. From these minerals, custom buildings, ships, and tanks can be made. Deploying units to the action is made easy, by allowing the player to place them in any system linked to the faction?s main system. Wormholes are the main method of transit in SA(Star Alliances). So long as the player?s faction (one of three in the game) controls the wormholes which connect, units can be placed in that system instantly. Intense battles can form very quickly where these control points intersect. The number of ships a player can control at one time is determined both by technology level and prowess in battle. As technology level increases, so does the basic number of units and buildings that player can create, represented by Command Points (CP). Prowess is rewarded by experience points gained in battle on a per unit basis. With as much as a 10:1 reduction in CP requirements per unit, superior tactics are very much a necessity in domination. Community is also a cornerstone of any MMO, and SA does not disappoint. A friend list keeps track of who is online and how high they rank. An alert system allows players to place markers with text, arrows, and other symbols in various colors to better communicate a winning strategy. Of course a full chat and mailing system are included as well. The mail can even be sent out of game to an email address or SMS capable mobile device. Well this all might sound incredible, but I know that somewhere in your mind you are thinking, ?He said I can play for FREE?? I certainly did, and here?s how. Trial accounts in SA never expire. They can be played 7 days a week and 52 weeks a year just like a paid account. However, of course there is a catch or two. The first day a trial account is registered, that account is given 2 hours of play time. After that first day, each subsequent day the account is given 1 hour to play. Additionally, access to higher technology, like corvettes, destroyers, and battleships, is restricted making fighters and escorts the mainstay for trial accounts. However, trial accounts have the same front row seat to the carnage that paid accounts do, perhaps only with smaller guns. The time limit should fit most any casual gamer?s daily allotment, but should you need more, a one time subscription can be bought at any time.

Resource Box/About Author: Star Alliances

Lego Star Wars – Build Your Own Empire

keith — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 07:26:05 +0000

For the Star Wars and/or Lego fanatic in all of us, Lego brought a new era of enjoyment when they agreed to a license with Lucasfilms, enabling them to produce a unique Star Wars line of Lego toys. The Lego Star Wars series has been available since 1999 and has been continually expanded upon. It was introduced with characters and vehicles from the original Star Wars trilogy (Episodes IV-VI). Since then there have been new sets and releases that encompass the prequel trilogy (Episodes I-III) and even the latest Clone Wars animated film and TV series. All of the mainstays of the Star Wars franchise are available in Lego form. The characters, for the most part, maintain the typical Lego figure. That means that they have a square body with a block shaped head, with just slight variations such as colors and accessories like capes or hats/helmets. However, due to the wide discrepancy between the shapes and sizes of many of the Star Wars characters, unique and original molds were created for the Lego Star Wars line. Darth Vader for example, has his own easily recognizable head and head shape, as do the Stormtroopers, Yoda and many other aliens and characters. Yes, the lightsabers are available with some figures as well! Outside of the characters, Lego Star Wars also produces all of the recognizable and famous ships and vehicles from the franchise. This includes the ultra-popular Millennium Falcon, which has been tweaked and improved upon since its original release. Also available of course is the X-Wing fighter. Other available vehicles and ships include the Imperial AT-ST, TIE fighters, a Rebel Blcckade Runner (the starship you see being chased by the Imperial Star Destroyer in the opening scene of the original movie) and several speeder crafts. There are also location sets including the Death Star, the Hoth Rebel base and more. In addition to these characters and vehicles, Lego has released a vast array of Star Wars products, including several additions to their Technic line, which is based on complex parts and movement and are less reminiscent the classic block look, feel and construction of Lego figures. Also released was a mini figure magnet series with a dozen Star Wars characters. Additionally, Lego released several Star Wars products for their Ultimate Collector Series, which are large and highly complex designs. The Millennium Falcon for this series, with over 5,000 pieces, was the largest and most complex Lego product ever released for the public. The single most popular Lego Star Wars product however would have to be the videogame series. These videogames sold tremendously well and reached critical acclaim across both the Star Wars and videogame community. The first game was based on the prequel trilogy, and the second game was based on the original trilogy. Afterwards, both were released together in one complete addition. Lego Star Wars toys, figures and products are fun for just about everybody. Whether you are an adult reliving his childhood, or a child discovering the series for the first time, Lego Star Wars combines the best of two great franchises into an amazing line of products that should give you hours upon hours of entertainment.

Chris is an avid Star Wars fan. You can find more information on the different Lego Star Wars sets and characters at Lego Star Wars and remember, may the force be with you!