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There are only specimens of 6 other solar system bodies that have been studied. There are samples from the Earth itself, the lunar samples brought back by the Apollo missions, some bits of Comet Wild 2, some Martian samples, asteroid 25143-Itokawa, and this bit of the planetoid 4-Vesta (the second largest/most massive object in the Asteroid Belt. This fell in Tunisia in 1931 near the town of Tatahouine. Star Wars fans will recognize the name under its alternate spelling: Tatooine, the home planet of the Skywalker clan (it was also the film location of the original trilogy).

That's really interesting, thanks for posting that!!

I am actually a newbie amateur astronomer as well, (Been in "newbie" classification for many years now!) and have a decent telescope, so I find all of this stuff very fascinating!
Chris

that is cool
btw. I like astronomy and I'm building small amateur telescope - I do it just for fun and I want to test something because I 'study' ancient civilizations and I 'know' they had simple telescopes and I'm not talking about 'ancient astronauts theory'

Awesome!
I'm sure that alot of people here have many other hobbies besides lapidary, maybe I should start adding other hobby threads like the leather work one for people here to discuss those hobbies as I learn about them.

This is the telescope that I have, it's a Celestron NexStar 127SLT Computerized Telescope:
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B0038LX8XE/ref=ox_sc_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=

It's truly mind boggling to realize how absolutely minuscule we are in the scope of the infinite (OK, I know they say the universe is finite! LOL) universe we live in.

When you look out there into space, and realize that, it makes you also realize how petty and insignificant our problems are here on this planet.
And if I can say so, even though we are SO tiny, God still takes the time for each and every one of us, and loves us all individually.

That's very cool r2d, do you own it?

OpalS, you'll have to show us your scope when you finish it, or better yet, show us how you do it in steps if you can; and yes, Chris, do start a thread for this in the other talents and hobbies category.

Steve has one like yours with all the computerization, bells and whistles, but it's too complicated for him so I've never seen him use it. He bought it because he 'had to have it'; then stored it in the guest bathroom for months, and put it away when his aunt moved in since that's her bathroom now.

I'll start the thread if you send me Steve's telescope!
LOL

@Pink, but I don't make anything 'special' or even 'good' -- even though it's possible to make very good telescope
it's very easy to make 'simple telescope' - you need just 2 lenses and some pipes
and my point of making it is to check what is possible with just most basic stuff
but my 'plan' is a bit complicated
first I want to make simple 'reflacting scope' using just 2 magnifying glasses (which I already did but need to work on a better eyepiece) - just to learn how it works
2nd type is reflecting telescope - where the mirror is used
3rd and this one will be most interesting because it will involve both - gems and lapidary === leses made of crystal
^but for my telescope tests this are not most importand because my main 'focus' is on the 2nd type .. but I want to make these crystal lenses anyway

this topic is very interesting to me because it helps to understand very importand things
- I'll explain a bit more later because don't have to much time today

I've wanted to do that for a VERY long time OS, make my own ginourmous scope!

I was going to buy one of those big 18" cardboard concrete footing forms, and get my own mirrors/lenses ground to fit it, and then get an eyepiece for the thing.
it's really very simply, but very complicated at the same time.
All the focal lengths have to be exact, and the mirror/lenses need to be ground and polished exactly.
If you accomplish those things, you have an awesome high powered telescope.

The one thing that totally amazes me is just how fast we are moving, when you look through the lens of a telescope, you can literally see the stars moving across your field of vision.