In this sixth episode of the Science@ESA vodcast series Rebecca Barnes discovers the motions of the stars, learns how astronomers measure their distances and looks at the new European mission that will really get to grips with our place in the Universe. Related news: Gaia is an ambitious mission to chart a three-dimensional map of our Galaxy, the Milky Way, in the process revealing the composition, formation and evolution of the Galaxy. Gaia will provide unprecedented positional and radial velocity measurements with the accuracies needed to produce a stereoscopic and kinematic census of about one billion stars in our Galaxy and throughout the Local Group. This amounts to about 1 per cent of the Galactic stellar population. Combined with astrophysical information for each star, provided by on-board multi-colour photometry, these data will have the precision necessary to quantify the early formation, and subsequent dynamical, chemical and star formation evolution of the Milky Way Galaxy. Additional scientific products include detection and orbital classification of tens of thousands of extra-solar planetary systems, a comprehensive survey of objects ranging from huge numbers of minor bodies in our Solar System, through galaxies in the nearby Universe, to some 500 000 distant quasars. It will also provide a number of stringent new tests of general relativity and cosmology.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
www.gameplayhq.com Harness the power of the ultimate weapon! Inspired by the upcoming Warner Bros. Pictures’ superhero feature film Green Lantern, Green Lantern Rise of the Manhunters soars onto game consoles this summer, extending the theatrical experience of one of DC Entertainment’s most popular superheroes. Playing as gifted pilot Hal Jordan, the first human Green Lantern, gamers will create an arsenal of ring constructs and take flight in outer space and beyond to restore intergalactic order. Players will use the Power Ring to build an array of weapons from green energy to defeat the Manhunters – an evil android race bent on destroying the Green Lantern Corps. •Enhanced Graphics and 3D Capabilities: •Fans can also enjoy the game in stereoscopic 3D when playing on any 3D HDTV while wearing active shutter glasses that are compatible with the television. •Master the Green Lantern Power Ring – Take control of the most powerful weapon in the universe – the Green Lantern Power Ring – and conjure a spectacular range of “hard-light” constructs including a gatling gun, giant fists, and much more, all of which can be linked together to form an endless number of combinations. •Team Up and Battle Together – Gamers playing the Xbox 360 or PS3 versions will have the ability to team-up and battle the Manhunters in seamless drop-in/drop-out local co-op gameplay as Hal Jordan or Sinestro. •Take Flight – Soaring across the universe in intergalactic flight, gamers will dodge past …
Video Rating: 5 / 5