If men are from Mars and women from Venus, who has furthest to travel home?

Nearest planet to earth

Peter Foy reflects on a fascinating finding from the world of astrophysics

By Peter Foy

Not since the 1960s has there been so much interest in Space exploration. The successful launches of Elon Musk’s Falcon Rockets and the amazing photograph of a Black Hole are just two of the stories that have excited stargazing aficionados in recent years.

    Not since the 1960s has there been so much interest in Space exploration.  

To add to the excitement, organisations like NASA and private corporations such as Musk’s SpaceX are talking seriously about a mission to land people on Mars.

The first space race led to some breathtaking discoveries and achievements, and the current one promises more of the same. Just a few years ago Black Holes were a theoretical concept. But now we have a photograph of one and an amazing new phrase: the Event Horizon.

As astronomers and astrophysicists open up new horizons for us, scientists are also revisiting established truths and uncovering interesting findings.

For example, it has been assumed for years that Venus is our closest neighbour. Indeed, NASA’s website still contains that claim, even though most people no longer think that’s the case.

But if the second planet from the sun is not our nearest neighbour, then surely Mars, fourth in the queue, must be?

In fact, the surprising answer is that Mercury, the planet closest to the sun, is our nearest neighbour. Here’s why.

Every planet orbits the sun at a different speed and on a different-shaped orbit. Taking the average of these variables reveals that Mercury is our closest planet most of the time.

That’s what the scientists Tom Stockman, Gabriel Monroe and Samuel Cordner argue in Physics Today, at any rate. They’ve developed a new model to estimate the average distance between two orbiting bodies and produced this surprising result.

So there you are, a piece of trivia in a space-obsessed age. But who doesn’t like a little bit of space trivia?

If you have recently caught the Space Bug then there is a fantastic collection of images, captured by the Hubble telescope here.

 

Published: 18 February 2021

© Just Recruitment Group Ltd 2021

If you liked this article you may like to see: Just Recruitment's guide to the future

You may also like to read: Why go organic?

Jobs currently available

New job
Warehouse Supervisor
Sector: Warehouse
Salary: Competitive
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913695
About the role

Just Recruitment is recruiting for a growing organisation, based on the outskirts of Colchester, looking to add another Warehouse Supervisor to their team.

The key purpose of the role is to work closely with the senior management team, supervising the warehouse and completing all associated tasks as expected.

Duties include:

  • Manage employees’ day-to-day activities to ensure they are meeting their goals and deadlines
  • Supervise employees and direct work as they undertake activities related to returns, re-works, order fulfilment and order management
  • Monitor employee performance to ensure they are meeting company standards
  • Work closely with the General Manager to monitor staff levels and adjust accordingly
  • Perform regular Quality Audits, documenting the results
  • Work closely with the Customer Account Manager to ensure any issues are resolved quickly and effectively with minimal disruption to both the customer and the company
  • Ensure all Health & Safety regulations and relevant laws are adhered to
  • Monitor depot housekeeping, ensuring a clean and safe work area is maintained
  • Work closely with the Senior Management Team to ensure that work tasks are completed on time and within budget
  • Supervise the training of new employees
  • Coordinate with colleagues on the retrieval of stock replenishment and outsourced stock

Key requirements for this role:

  • Have previous warehouse experience or proven experience with a leadership position in a similar role
  • Have excellent communication and problem-solving skills
  • Have proven leadership and employee management skills
  • Have knowledge of warehouse management systems (WMS)
  • Hold a valid Forklift Licence

This role is located in a great working environment with free parking available on-site.

Please note that due to the company’s location, you will need to have access to your own transport.

Working hours:

8.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday.
You are required to work 2 x Saturdays out of 4 (with a day off in lieu that week).

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
New job
Counterbalance FLT Drivers
Sector: Production and Stock Control
Salary: £16.87 per hour
Location: Hadleigh, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Temporary
Job ref: JT-HAD-FD-0725
About the role

Just Temps seeks reliable and hardworking Counterbalance FLT Drivers for a hands-on role in a fast-paced environment, within a well-established food manufacturing company, based in Hadleigh, Suffolk.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 11pm to 7am.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Heavy lifting – regularly handling up to 50kg
  • Ripping and tipping of raw materials
  • Maintaining a clean and safe working environment
  • Working in a dusty environment with appropriate PPE
  • Supporting general production and manufacturing tasks

Role requirements include:

  • Comfortable with heavy lifting on a continuous basis
  • Previous experience in a factory setting is desirable
  • Good attention to detail and strong work ethic
  • Reliable and punctual

What’s on offer:

  • Competitive hourly rate
  • Consistent Monday to Friday hours
  • Long-term opportunity with a reputable local employer

If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into a vital role in the food production industry, we want to hear from you.

 

Just Temps acts as an Employment Business for the supply of Temporary Staff.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Accounts Administrator
Sector: Accountancy, Banking and Finance
Salary: £30,000 per annum
Location: Colchester
Role: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job ref: 913707
About the role

Just Recruitment is working with a well-regarded and long-standing family business based on the outskirts of Colchester, looking to add an Accounts Administrator to their team.

Please note that due to the location, you will need access to your own transport.

Working hours:

Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5.30pm. 1 hour lunch break. The company can be flexible and offer a 4 day week.

Free parking is available on-site.

You must have a minimum of 3 years’ experience working with Sage 50 accounts and Sage payroll, with the ability to work on your own initiative.

This role is focused within the remit of bookkeeping up to trial balance using Sage software.

Duties will include:

  • Ensure timely and accurate recording of financial transactions.
  • Daily financial operations, including posting of supplier invoices, reconciliation of supplier accounts, accounts payable management, creation of customer invoices, accounts receivable management, etc.
  • Perform bank/credit-card reconciliations, including a factoring banking account and Petty cash accounts.
  • Quarterly VAT returns and analysis. (including RTI submission to HMRC).
  • Prepare weekly aged creditors reports and process weekly supplier payments, run accordingly.
  • Prepare monthly aged debtors reports and provide credit control where required.
  • Maintain cashflow forecast for the Finance Director to review.
  • Process monthly payroll, payments, journal entries and year-end procedures (including RTI submission to HMRC).
  • Manage auto-enrolment pension contributions, submissions and legal returns to the pensions regulator.

Skills required include:

  • Significant experience in finance or accounting.
  • Proficiency with accounting software, Sage 50, and payroll.
  • Advanced knowledge of spreadsheet software such as Excel.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Experience in data entry.
  • Effective decision-making and problem-solving techniques within a finance environment.

 

Just Recruitment acts as an employment agency for permanent roles.
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position.
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more
Factory Operative (Nights)
Sector: Production and Stock Control
Salary: £15.27 per hour
Location: Hadleigh, Suffolk
Role: Full Time
Contract: Temporary
Job ref: JT-HAD-FO-0625
About the role

Just Temps seeks reliable and hardworking Factory Operatives for a hands-on role in a fast-paced environment, within a well-established food manufacturing company, based in Hadleigh, Suffolk.

Hours: Monday to Friday, 11pm to 7am.

Key responsibilities include:

  • Heavy lifting – regularly handling up to 50kg
  • Ripping and tipping of raw materials
  • Maintaining a clean and safe working environment
  • Working in a dusty environment with appropriate PPE
  • Supporting general production and manufacturing tasks

Role requirements include:

  • Comfortable with heavy lifting on a continuous basis
  • Previous experience in a factory setting is desirable
  • Good attention to detail and strong work ethic
  • Reliable and punctual

What’s on offer:

  • Competitive hourly rate
  • Consistent Monday to Friday hours
  • Long-term opportunity with a reputable local employer

If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into a vital role in the food production industry, we want to hear from you.

 

Just Temps acts as an Employment Business for the supply of Temporary Staff.~
The salary advertised is the bracket available for this position. 
We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitable candidates.

 

Read more