Astronomy - Page 5

Acalewia · 08-27-2006, 07:59 PM

You have got to be joking!

cee2lee2 · 08-27-2006, 09:59 PM

And the new way to remember what they are:

My Volkwagon Emits Mick Jagger Songs Until Noon
M(ercury) V(enus) E(earth) M(ars) J(upiter) S(aturn) U(ranus) N(eptune)

I didn't come up with the memory trick; heard it yesterday on NPR on the Says You program.

Gwaimir Windgem · 08-27-2006, 10:13 PM

Volkswagon.

cee2lee2 · 08-27-2006, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwaimir Windgem

Volkswagon.

Ooops!

**Nurvingiel** · 08-27-2006, 11:55 PM

Well, Pluto is a dwarf planet at least. That seems fair. That way, Pluto is just demoted, not fired, and we don't have to call a bunch of asteroids planets.

This was all done on my birthday too.

edit: I wonder what this means for astrology, now that Pluto is stripped of its planet powers.

***Jonathan*** · 08-28-2006, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

This was all done on my birthday too.

A birthday that will live in infamy... at least among the Pluto fans

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

edit: I wonder what this means for astrology, now that Pluto is stripped of its planet powers.

Good question.

***Khamûl*** · 08-28-2006, 01:45 AM

Ahem...

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5697880

P.S. -- I'm merging this with the astronomy thread, since we already have the discussion going there.

trolls' bane · 08-28-2006, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Well, Pluto is a dwarf planet at least. That seems fair. That way, Pluto is just demoted, not fired, and we don't have to call a bunch of asteroids planets.

This was all done on my birthday too.

edit: I wonder what this means for astrology, now that Pluto is stripped of its planet powers.

*glares meanicingly crosseyed at Nurv*

Insidious Rex · 08-28-2006, 01:45 PM

Boy they are opening up a can of worms when we start trying to categorize planets outside our solar system with this decision. If its a gas giant that should be sufficient to call it a planet. No matter whatever else applies to it.

***Jonathan*** · 08-28-2006, 02:46 PM

Practically all known exoplanets are gas giants and I guess a reliable presumption is that their masses have been sufficient to "clear the neighbourhood" and all, thus making them planets. But that would be hard to verify using today's telescopes.

However if an exoplanet has too large a mass (enough to start fusion processes), it would have to be considered a "brown dwarf" rather than a planet.

Astronomers have also found a couple of celestial bodies that don't seem to orbit around a star. They've been called "free floating planets" but with the new planet definition, perhaps they should be called "free floating objects" or something?

But perhaps there are different criteria for planets outside our solar system.

hectorberlioz · 08-28-2006, 02:49 PM

You guys have probably already been talking about it, but I have found out that Pluto has been announced a non-planet. I guess that means those three "planets" won't be added to our textbooks after all?

trolls' bane · 08-28-2006, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hectorberlioz

You guys have probably already been talking about it, but I have found out that Pluto has been announced a non-planet. I guess that means those three "planets" won't be added to our textbooks after all?

No, that hasn't come up at all in the last few days.

durinsbane2244 · 09-11-2006, 10:47 PM

it has been a while since i read it, but i once read something....
anyways.
it was an article. an article about black holes.
apparently they can now make a black hole by using a particle accelerator to smash to particles together at ludicrous speeds, and it makes a black hole...somehow.
unfortunately, they're unstable, and don't last, which is a bad thing because...well...i guess they WANT their labs to be sucked into an inky black abyss of nothingness...go figure...anyone else read that article or a similar article?

***Jonathan*** · 09-12-2006, 02:01 PM

As always when someone posts about such new findings, the other readers of the thread want sources

. Especially if the article was a scientific one and not just a newspaper article.

In any case I'd take the whole "black hole" thing with the biggest pinch of salt you ever saw

durinsbane2244 · 09-12-2006, 05:25 PM

yes, it was a scientific magazine...it was...........popular science. no idea what month/year though...TO GOOGLE!

Insidious Rex · 09-13-2006, 01:18 PM

I think they were talking about a "technical black hole" that was microscopic and lasted an almost immeasurably short period of time before dissipating. So nothing too worrisome.

durinsbane2244 · 09-13-2006, 02:49 PM

yes. that's exactly what i had in mind. still, they could work on it, and make awesome big ones to destroy such evils as...as...RICHARD SIMMONS!

trolls' bane · 09-14-2006, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonathan

As always when someone posts about such new findings, the other readers of the thread want sources

. Especially if the article was a scientific one and not just a newspaper article.

In any case I'd take the whole "black hole" thing with the biggest pinch of salt you ever saw

Bring it on!

*points to Salton Sea just a few miles away*

Well, there is no way they could get one to last. And besides, their lab wouldn't experience anything, really. They'd just suddenly have a hole in the floor, or potentially a volcano where the black hole fell through five miles of crust.
Unless, you mean smaller than that, well, supposedly there are very small black holes all over the place. *checks closet and doesn't experience time dilation*
Or so rumor has it...

***Jonathan*** · 09-15-2006, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trolls' bane

their lab wouldn't experience anything, really. They'd just suddenly have a hole in the floor, or potentially a volcano where the black hole fell through five miles of crust.

Well, if we assume the black hole has a significant gravity, the lab personel wouldn't have time to experience anything - they'd be sucked into the black hole and crushed in the blink of an eye

. And if the gravity was of the same order of size as the Earth itself, at least the whole country would probably be doomed in a microsecond (and I don't think the rest of the world would last that long either, having twice the gravity all of a sudden)

elven dragonrider · 02-21-2007, 01:27 AM

Hola!
Food for thought, though I like responses, it makes me feel like I am not being completely and totally ignored, though that may be good in some cases.. yada,yada,yada..etc. etc. ANYway, I have some questions that are related to previously talked of subjects, here they are:
We bought a starter telescope for about 1200 dollars

, but it included everything you needed to go pretty advanced, it even talks to you.
Has anyone said anything about the stars/constallations that are described in Tolkien's books? I don't remember how much detail Aragorn and Galadriel get into when they talk about the stars. (On seperate occations.)

Shokran. (**arabic for thank-you for those less educated than the exaled me.

)

08-27-2006, 07:59 PM	#81
Acalewia Halfelven Daughter of the Dunedain, President of Entmoot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: In trouble. As usual. Posts: 4,674	You have got to be joking! __________________ "Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life!"~ inked Don't meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup. "Don't be such a sour wolf" Stiles ~ Heart Monitor http://www.wattpad.com/user/IceQueenofMitera

08-27-2006, 10:13 PM	#83
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	Volkswagon. __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle

08-28-2006, 01:45 AM	#87
*Khamûl* Slacker Warrior Admin Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,759	Ahem... http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5697880 P.S. -- I'm merging this with the astronomy thread, since we already have the discussion going there. __________________ "If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you." Gandalf to Pippin Psalm 107:31

08-28-2006, 01:45 PM	#89
Insidious Rex Quasi Evil Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Maryland, US Posts: 4,634	Boy they are opening up a can of worms when we start trying to categorize planets outside our solar system with this decision. If its a gas giant that should be sufficient to call it a planet. No matter whatever else applies to it. __________________ "People's political beliefs don't stem from the factual information they've acquired. Far more the facts people choose to believe are the product of their political beliefs." "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

08-28-2006, 02:46 PM	#90
*Jonathan* Entmoot Attorney-General, Equilibrating the Scales of Justice, Administrator ♎ Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 3,891	Practically all known exoplanets are gas giants and I guess a reliable presumption is that their masses have been sufficient to "clear the neighbourhood" and all, thus making them planets. But that would be hard to verify using today's telescopes. However if an exoplanet has too large a mass (enough to start fusion processes), it would have to be considered a "brown dwarf" rather than a planet. Astronomers have also found a couple of celestial bodies that don't seem to orbit around a star. They've been called "free floating planets" but with the new planet definition, perhaps they should be called "free floating objects" or something? But perhaps there are different criteria for planets outside our solar system. Last edited by Jonathan : 08-28-2006 at 02:48 PM.

08-27-2006, 09:59 PM	#82
cee2lee2 Elf Lord Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: 2nd star to the left..... Posts: 566	And the new way to remember what they are: My Volkwagon Emits Mick Jagger Songs Until Noon M(ercury) V(enus) E(earth) M(ars) J(upiter) S(aturn) U(ranus) N(eptune) I didn't come up with the memory trick; heard it yesterday on NPR on the Says You program.

08-28-2006, 02:49 PM	#91
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	You guys have probably already been talking about it, but I have found out that Pluto has been announced a non-planet. I guess that means those three "planets" won't be added to our textbooks after all? __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

09-11-2006, 10:47 PM	#93
durinsbane2244 Dreamweaver Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Misty Mountains, where the spirits go... Posts: 3,560	it has been a while since i read it, but i once read something.... anyways. it was an article. an article about black holes. apparently they can now make a black hole by using a particle accelerator to smash to particles together at ludicrous speeds, and it makes a black hole...somehow. unfortunately, they're unstable, and don't last, which is a bad thing because...well...i guess they WANT their labs to be sucked into an inky black abyss of nothingness...go figure...anyone else read that article or a similar article? __________________ Lord, what fools these mortals be! ---------------- We are the music-makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams, Wandering by lone sea-breakers, And sitting by desolate streams; World-losers and world-forsakers, On whom the pale moon gleams: Yet we are the movers and shakers Of the world for ever, it seems. ---------------- Shanti, shanti, shantih...

09-12-2006, 02:01 PM	#94
*Jonathan* Entmoot Attorney-General, Equilibrating the Scales of Justice, Administrator ♎ Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 3,891	As always when someone posts about such new findings, the other readers of the thread want sources . Especially if the article was a scientific one and not just a newspaper article. In any case I'd take the whole "black hole" thing with the biggest pinch of salt you ever saw __________________ An unwritten post is a delightful universe of infinite possibilities. Set down one word, however, and it immediately becomes earthbound. Set down one sentence and it’s halfway to being just like every other bloody entry that’s ever been written. ☻

09-12-2006, 05:25 PM	#95
durinsbane2244 Dreamweaver Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Misty Mountains, where the spirits go... Posts: 3,560	yes, it was a scientific magazine...it was...........popular science. no idea what month/year though...TO GOOGLE! __________________ Lord, what fools these mortals be! ---------------- We are the music-makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams, Wandering by lone sea-breakers, And sitting by desolate streams; World-losers and world-forsakers, On whom the pale moon gleams: Yet we are the movers and shakers Of the world for ever, it seems. ---------------- Shanti, shanti, shantih...

09-13-2006, 01:18 PM	#96
Insidious Rex Quasi Evil Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Maryland, US Posts: 4,634	I think they were talking about a "technical black hole" that was microscopic and lasted an almost immeasurably short period of time before dissipating. So nothing too worrisome. __________________ "People's political beliefs don't stem from the factual information they've acquired. Far more the facts people choose to believe are the product of their political beliefs." "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

09-13-2006, 02:49 PM	#97
durinsbane2244 Dreamweaver Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: The Misty Mountains, where the spirits go... Posts: 3,560	yes. that's exactly what i had in mind. still, they could work on it, and make awesome big ones to destroy such evils as...as...RICHARD SIMMONS! __________________ Lord, what fools these mortals be! ---------------- We are the music-makers, And we are the dreamers of dreams, Wandering by lone sea-breakers, And sitting by desolate streams; World-losers and world-forsakers, On whom the pale moon gleams: Yet we are the movers and shakers Of the world for ever, it seems. ---------------- Shanti, shanti, shantih...

02-21-2007, 01:27 AM	#100
elven dragonrider Elven Warrior Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Confusion Lane, on the back of a dragon, or on horseback. Posts: 186	Hola! Food for thought, though I like responses, it makes me feel like I am not being completely and totally ignored, though that may be good in some cases.. yada,yada,yada..etc. etc. ANYway, I have some questions that are related to previously talked of subjects, here they are: We bought a starter telescope for about 1200 dollars , but it included everything you needed to go pretty advanced, it even talks to you. Has anyone said anything about the stars/constallations that are described in Tolkien's books? I don't remember how much detail Aragorn and Galadriel get into when they talk about the stars. (On seperate occations.) Shokran. (**arabic for thank-you for those less educated than the exaled me. )

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Evidence for Evolution	jerseydevil	General Messages	599	05-18-2008 02:43 PM
Astronomy for the EarthBound	EarthBound	General Messages	13	05-15-2006 04:21 PM
Astronomy of Middle Earth	Jedi X	Middle Earth	9	10-05-2003 10:00 AM
Astronomy question	afro-elf	General Messages	3	12-19-2002 03:29 PM