First light (astronomy)

First light image from the Kepler spacecraft

In astronomy, first light is the first use of a telescope (or, in general, a new instrument) to take an astronomical image after it has been constructed. This is often not the first viewing using the telescope; optical tests will probably have been performed during daylight to adjust the components. The first light image is normally of little scientific interest and is of poor quality since the various telescope elements are yet to be adjusted for optimum efficiency. Despite this, a first light is always a moment of great excitement, both for the people who design and build the telescope and for the astronomical community, who may have anticipated the moment for many years while the telescope was under construction. A well-known and spectacular astronomical object is usually chosen as a subject.

For example, the 200-inch Hale Telescope saw first light January 26, 1949, targeting NGC 2261 under the direction of American astronomer Edwin Powell Hubble. The image was published in many magazines and is available on Caltech Archives.

First Light (radio)

First Light is a news program airing on numerous talk radio stations, syndicated by Westwood One, a subsidiary of Cumulus Media. The one-hour live program airs weekdays at 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time and is hosted by Evan Haning. The show features reports from Westwood One News and CNN, as well as guest interviews, a call-in segment and the short-form feature Last Night on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Dirk Van was the show's longtime host from 1989 to 2015, with Haning taking the hosting chores upon Van's retirement. A weekend version, The Week in Review, is also hosted by Haning. An alternate one-hour Westwood One news program known as America in The Morning, hosted by John Trout, also airs at 5 a.m. Eastern Time.

First Light was the last program that continued to use the original "NBC Radio" branding, via a short announcement at the end of the program and through the program's online and print logo (which included a "sunset orange" variant of the NBC peacock). Westwood One (known as "Dial Global" from 2011 through 2013), owns the remains of the original NBC radio network through its purchase of the original "Westwood One". When Westwood One retired the NBC News Radio news service on December 15, 2014, "First Light" was rebranded as a "Westwood One" program. Haning is also one of the anchors on the hourly Westwood One newscasts, airing on stations owned by Cumulus Media and other owners.

First Light (Preston book)

First Light: The Search for the Edge of the Universe is a 1987 non-fiction book on astronomy and astronomers by Richard Preston.

The title refers to the astronomical term first light, which is when a telescope is first used to take an astronomical image after it has been constructed. First light also refers to the moment when stars and galaxies first formed out of a dark universe.

Content

The central character of First Light is the Hale telescope on Palomar Mountain, which was the world's biggest telescope for more than three decades. Preston describes its history and technical details, and he profiles many of the people involved in astronomical research at Palomar. First Light portrays astronomers scanning the solar system for minor planets and those seeking the outermost astronomical objects in universe. It describes historical events such as the discovery of quasars and celebrates the scientists' joy in their endeavors, their obsessions and even their thoughts.

Sunday

Sunday (ⁱ/ˈsʌndeɪ/ or /ˈsʌndi/) is the day of the week following Saturday but before Monday. For most Christians, Sunday is observed as a day of worship and rest, holding it as the Lord's Day and the day of Christ's resurrection. Sunday is a day of rest in most Western countries, part of 'the weekend'. In some Muslim countries and Israel, Sunday is the first work day of the week. According to the Hebrew calendars and traditional Christian calendars, Sunday is the first day of the week, and according to the International Organization for Standardization ISO 8601 Sunday is the seventh and last day of the week. No century in the Gregorian calendar starts on a Sunday, whether its first year is considered to be '00 or '01. The Jewish New Year never falls on a Sunday. (The rules of the Hebrew calendar are designed such that the first day of Rosh Hashanah will never occur on the first, fourth, or sixth day of the Jewish week; i.e., Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday).

Etymology

Sunday, being the day of the Sun, as the name of the first day of the week, is derived from Hellenistic astrology, where the seven planets, known in English as Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and the Moon, each had an hour of the day assigned to them, and the planet which was regent during the first hour of any day of the week gave its name to that day. During the 1st and 2nd century, the week of seven days was introduced into Rome from Egypt, and the Roman names of the planets were given to each successive day.

Sunday (disambiguation)

Sunday is a day of the week.

Sunday may also refer to:

People

Film and television

Other uses

Sunday (1997 film)

Sunday is a 1997 independent film. Set in Queens, a borough of New York City, it is a dark comedy about an unemployed, homeless IBM functionary mistaken by an aging actress for famous film director Matthew Delacorta. The film was directed by Jonathan Nossiter. The screenplay is an adaptation by Nossiter and James Lasdun or Lasdun's own short story "Ate, Memos or the Miracle" (published in his collection of stories, Three Evenings). The two would later collaborate again on Signs & Wonders.

Starring David Suchet (who reportedly added 40 pounds for his role), as well as Lisa Harrow and Jared Harris, it was shot on location in Queens and in an active homeless shelter, blending actors and non-actors.

Cast