Comments on: We’re Number 4! http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:27:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Pyracantha http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9184 Pyracantha Tue, 03 Jan 2006 07:46:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9184 Good Astronomy needs Good Proofreading: Before Swift (and >>it’s Good Astronomy needs Good Proofreading:

Before Swift (and >>it’s

]]> By: Mike http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9183 Mike Mon, 02 Jan 2006 19:19:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9183 pfff, I've eaten larger. pfff, I’ve eaten larger.

]]> By: Thomas Siefert http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9182 Thomas Siefert Mon, 02 Jan 2006 18:05:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9182 Emilly, the world need more people like you and BA, Rock on! Emilly, the world need more people like you and BA, Rock on!

]]> By: hale_bopp http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9181 hale_bopp Mon, 02 Jan 2006 05:10:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9181 I also work on the Swift Education (Hi, Phil!) and love to see this sort of stuff. Okay, I didn't put years of my life into the project and live and die by it like the scientists and engineers. However, I did get to see the satellite at Goddard under construction and on the launch pad a KSC, so there is definitely a little connection there. I check the GRB alerts frequently to see what is happening and have even downloaded the software to look at the data and am trying to hack through how to get some useful information out of it in my copious free time! I think one of the cool things is that the data is quickly available to the public. Rob I also work on the Swift Education (Hi, Phil!) and love to see this sort of stuff. Okay, I didn’t put years of my life into the project and live and die by it like the scientists and engineers. However, I did get to see the satellite at Goddard under construction and on the launch pad a KSC, so there is definitely a little connection there. I check the GRB alerts frequently to see what is happening and have even downloaded the software to look at the data and am trying to hack through how to get some useful information out of it in my copious free time!

I think one of the cool things is that the data is quickly available to the public.

Rob

]]> By: Ray Gray http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9180 Ray Gray Mon, 02 Jan 2006 03:18:25 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9180 That is very swift news about Swift. So much deep important research never gets to the press because of it's weight. Can peer science be published in a tabloid style format to up it's popularity, and, not lose it's respect. Scientific American is a "tabloid" of sorts, as is Popular Science. Yet, it's readership is very limited. Great teamwork. Keep searching and publishing! That is very swift news about Swift. So much deep important research never gets to the press because of it’s weight. Can peer science be published in a tabloid style format to up it’s popularity, and, not lose it’s respect. Scientific American is a “tabloid” of sorts, as is Popular Science. Yet, it’s readership is very limited.

Great teamwork. Keep searching and publishing!

]]> By: The Bad Astronomer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9179 The Bad Astronomer Sun, 01 Jan 2006 19:45:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9179 <b>TimG</b>: Thanks, I made a mistake, and I've corrected it. <b>Varun</b>: Yes, there is a profound impact on nearby systems. GRBs have their energy beamed, like a flashlight. Anyone in that beam is in bad shape if they are in the same galaxy as the burst. I don't want to give away too much info, because I wrote an article for Sky and Telescope coming out this year with more. :-) But a GRB in the Andromeda Galaxy would look to us as bright as the Sun! <b>Richard</b>: GRBs happen every day, but there appear to be at least two kinds, and maybe more. We think a black hole is born every time, but some scientists are saying that's not necessarily true. It's an interesting field to study right now! <b>Emily</b>: Welcome! It is always wonderful to see a young person interested in astronomy. I think your English is good, and if you have any questions, ask them! There is also a <a href="http://www.bautforum.com" rel="nofollow">bulletin board</a> where you can ask questions and have lots of people help you. Enjoy! TimG: Thanks, I made a mistake, and I’ve corrected it.

Varun: Yes, there is a profound impact on nearby systems. GRBs have their energy beamed, like a flashlight. Anyone in that beam is in bad shape if they are in the same galaxy as the burst. I don’t want to give away too much info, because I wrote an article for Sky and Telescope coming out this year with more. :-) But a GRB in the Andromeda Galaxy would look to us as bright as the Sun!

Richard: GRBs happen every day, but there appear to be at least two kinds, and maybe more. We think a black hole is born every time, but some scientists are saying that’s not necessarily true. It’s an interesting field to study right now!

Emily: Welcome! It is always wonderful to see a young person interested in astronomy. I think your English is good, and if you have any questions, ask them! There is also a bulletin board where you can ask questions and have lots of people help you. Enjoy!

]]> By: emilly http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9178 emilly Sun, 01 Jan 2006 19:35:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9178 hello i'm 14 and i am brazilian...i aim be an astronomer, i love astronomy!!i've already made a small solar system in my room.I am very happy to write to an astronomer. i speak english just a bit basic, i study here, then i know something about astronomy in english, but i know more in portuguese. i've got an website about astronomy but it's all in portuguese... i've got a small telescope,i enjoy it a lot! Well,if you can write me i'll be very happy, really. hugs hello
i’m 14 and i am brazilian…i aim be an astronomer, i love astronomy!!i’ve already made a small solar system in my room.I am very happy to write to an astronomer.
i speak english just a bit basic, i study here, then i know something about astronomy in english, but i know more in portuguese.
i’ve got an website about astronomy but it’s all in portuguese…
i’ve got a small telescope,i enjoy it a lot! Well,if you can write me i’ll be very happy, really.
hugs

]]> By: Richard Board http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9177 Richard Board Sun, 01 Jan 2006 17:45:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9177 Phil: Thanks for the link to the Goddard site and the fascinating information about GRB's. I was amazed to learn that these phenomena are numerous and frequent (or did I not get that right?). If so, does that mean that black holes are equally plentiful? Or do other things generate GRB's? If the former is right, then does it follow that the universe is a very hostile place, making life less likely to proliferate? Or is that just an uneducated extrapolation? Happy New Year and congratulations to you and all the folks at Swift. Phil: Thanks for the link to the Goddard site and the fascinating information about GRB’s. I was amazed to learn that these phenomena are numerous and frequent (or did I not get that right?). If so, does that mean that black holes are equally plentiful? Or do other things generate GRB’s? If the former is right, then does it follow that the universe is a very hostile place, making life less likely to proliferate? Or is that just an uneducated extrapolation? Happy New Year and congratulations to you and all the folks at Swift.

]]> By: Nigel Depledge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9176 Nigel Depledge Sun, 01 Jan 2006 14:16:52 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9176 Phil - nice article. Another good one for the archives. Varun, I rather suspect that such a cataclysmic event would emit gravitational waves (that is, assuming that gravitational waves are a real phenomenon), which would warp space in the regions through which the waves travel. There would also be extraordinarily intense radiation (the GRB itself, the X-ray afterglow and, presumably, UV to follow). This would cause ionisation in nearby gas clouds. I would assume that at least some of the matter from the neutron star would be ejected as a very energetic shock wave, although I'm not sure of this. If this is the case, when the shock wave reaches nearby gas clouds, it could trigger star formation. I would not expect it to have any significant effect on stars, unless the stars are very very close to the source of the burst. Whatever, the neighbourhood of a GRB would be inimical to life as we know it. Phil – nice article. Another good one for the archives.

Varun, I rather suspect that such a cataclysmic event would emit gravitational waves (that is, assuming that gravitational waves are a real phenomenon), which would warp space in the regions through which the waves travel. There would also be extraordinarily intense radiation (the GRB itself, the X-ray afterglow and, presumably, UV to follow). This would cause ionisation in nearby gas clouds. I would assume that at least some of the matter from the neutron star would be ejected as a very energetic shock wave, although I’m not sure of this. If this is the case, when the shock wave reaches nearby gas clouds, it could trigger star formation. I would not expect it to have any significant effect on stars, unless the stars are very very close to the source of the burst.

Whatever, the neighbourhood of a GRB would be inimical to life as we know it.

]]> By: Tim G http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9175 Tim G Sun, 01 Jan 2006 12:06:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9175 Phil, did you err in mentioning Popular Science at the end of your entry? It appears the list came from Science Magazine as you stated at the beginning of your entry. Phil, did you err in mentioning Popular Science at the end of your entry? It appears the list came from Science Magazine as you stated at the beginning of your entry.

]]> By: Varun http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9174 Varun Sun, 01 Jan 2006 10:17:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9174 I am curious to know more about this phenomena (when a black hole tears a neutron star apart) Actually, if so much energy accompanies it , what is the after effect of this explosion ? How do the neighbouring celestial bodies get affected ?? I am curious to know more about this phenomena (when a black hole tears a neutron star apart) Actually, if so much energy accompanies it , what is the after effect of this explosion ? How do the neighbouring celestial bodies get affected ??

]]> By: The Bad Astronomer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9173 The Bad Astronomer Sun, 01 Jan 2006 04:28:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9173 It appears we have power back at my University, so the links in the entry work, and I removed the footnote. It appears we have power back at my University, so the links in the entry work, and I removed the footnote.

]]> By: The Bad Astronomer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9172 The Bad Astronomer Sun, 01 Jan 2006 03:32:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9172 Well, I'm not taking any credit for Swift. I do education for it. But it's a very good mission team, and I'm glad they're gettign some recognition. Well, I’m not taking any credit for Swift. I do education for it. But it’s a very good mission team, and I’m glad they’re gettign some recognition.

]]> By: Chip http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9171 Chip Sun, 01 Jan 2006 02:38:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9171 Fantastic! Ummm...those GRBs aren't going to happen "near" here, right? (nervously sweating at the thought...) BTW - Artists Aurore and Dana are top-notch! Fantastic!
Ummm…those GRBs aren’t going to happen “near” here, right? (nervously sweating at the thought…)
BTW – Artists Aurore and Dana are top-notch!

]]> By: TRS http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9170 TRS Sun, 01 Jan 2006 01:53:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9170 great stuff! Congratulations Bad Astronomer! great stuff! Congratulations Bad Astronomer!

]]> By: Chuck S. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9169 Chuck S. Sun, 01 Jan 2006 01:22:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9169 Congratulations Phil! Congratulations Phil!

]]> By: Wolverine http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/comment-page-1/#comment-9168 Wolverine Sun, 01 Jan 2006 01:03:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2005/12/31/were-number-4/#comment-9168 Sweet! Congrats. Sweet! Congrats.

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