Comments on: Q and BA Episode 6: I Am Your Density

By: Chip

Chip — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 16:08:41 +0000

I recall there was a Voyager episode involving “liquid space” too. (That one was over the top for me.)

Following up on what ioresult wrote – maybe there could be a transitory place during early stellar formation where collapsing gases temporarily become dense enough to rival an atmosphere in space, but I too have no sense of the time scale.

By: Mark Martin

Mark Martin — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 11:39:12 +0000

There was an episode of Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, in which there were two remote planets connected by a dense filament of interplanetary gas. The denizens’ technology was pre-rocket, but they had aircraft, so they flew their airplanes between the two planets in the cloud of gas.

By: ioresult

ioresult — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 04:45:23 +0000

Chip, I think that kind of density doesn’t exist for very long. If you find that, then it’s probably well into gravitational collapse. Temperature and pressure would be rising in a matter of days to intelorable levels. Ok I know nothing of these matters, I guess it could realy be hours, minutes or seconds. Or weeks.

Reminds me of a book by Larry Niven: The Smoke Ring. A torus of gas around a neutron star dense enough to breathe. Yeah. Sure. Now I know better.

By: Chip

Chip — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 04:06:40 +0000

Another question comes to mind. Are there areas in space (but not in a planet’s atmosphere,) where the density of particles is almost as thick as Earth’s at sea level? Like deep in a nebula where a star is already forming?

By: J. D.

J. D. — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 03:07:08 +0000

What happened to the framed poster that used to sit on the floor in the left-hand part of the picture?

And do you light the bed behind you with a black light? It really stands out relative to the dark wall.

J. D.

By: Irishman

Irishman — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 01:52:42 +0000

Phil, Q&BA is excellent. You’re doing great, even if I have to now mess with this video stuff.

Jack, kudos to you, too!

By: The Bad Astronomer

The Bad Astronomer — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:12:27 +0000

Finally, someone noticed the hat! I have minions everywhere, doing my bidding. Actually, it's a long story, but when a friend gave it to me, they didn't say anything. I stared at it for a second, and the stylized falcon snapped into focus, and I realized what I had on my hands. Too cool.