Hubble back in full snapping mode

The Hubble space telescope yesterday resumed "regular science operations" following the failure of the 'scope's operational Science Instrument Command and Data Handling unit (SIC&DH) back in September and susbsequent coaxing into life of the back-up unit (more details here). Hubble image of Arp 147. Pic: NASA NASA yesterday …

[Anton Ivanov]

We have a lot of spare parts if we encounter problems

This should be: "Ebay has a lot of spare parts for us if we encounter problems". Time to dig out those old 486 motherboards :-)

[James Pickett]

Wow!

One galaxy passing through another - how long did that take, and what was it like for the participants? It rather put global warming into perspective...

[Richard Gadsden]

@Anton

If it was made in 1991, it sure as H.E.double-hockey-sticks didn't have a 486 on it. Probably a 286, given how long space-certification takes.

[Nano nano]

Frank,

... I predict a failure in the SIC&DH module ... I suggest we let it fail, and then replace it ...

[druck]

Gyros

Lets just hope the remaining working gyros hold out until the delayed mission can get up there, or the backup computer wont be much use.

[Tom Cooke]

Hubble electrical replica

Hommage to 2001 where they ran a duplicate of HAL back Earthside and made it go mad the same way :-)

[Neil Barnes]

In honour of the late great E E Doc Smith

A couple of billion years ago, when the First and Second Galaxies were passing through each other and when myriads of planets were coming into being where only a handful had existed before, two races of beings were already ancient.

All that *and* nice pics - what's not to like?

[jeffrey]

Hmm,

Shame they haven't got two of these units, then they could replace both at the same time, rather than relying on a spare from earth, and one that has been dormant in space for the last 16 years (though still works).

Alternatively they could get a bit fruity and upgrade to a pentium!!!!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

Sweet Hubble

One of the best piles of money ever spent on technology. Now if we could get the idiots out of the war-room and back on the science track...

[Anonymous Coward]

RE: Wow!

"One galaxy passing through another - how long did that take?"

Mere minutes, I think Hubble was watching them approach each other, but it broke so they missed it. Sod's law really, Hubble blinked at the wrong moment

And in all seriousness, on a scale of millions of years.

[Martin]

RE: Wow!

And you wouldn't have noticed it anyway.

Stars are small and rather far apart - galaxies coliding is like two puffs of smoke going through the same aircraft hanger.

[James Pickett]

@Martin

"you wouldn't have noticed it"

Not even the gravitational effects? I appreciate that the rate of change would have been on the slow side :-)

[sidney cook]

One galaxy penetrating through another

I always smoke after penetrating a galaxy, but was there foreplay?