Comments on: Remains to be seen http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/ 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 15:43:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36076 Irishman Mon, 14 May 2007 20:19:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36076 kingNOR, I share your personal opinion as my own. The intent of this type profile is you get a portion flown in space and then returned to you, with a certificate of authenticity. Then you can proudly display them on the mantle, which many people do anyway. How is displaying space-flown ashes on the mantle any sillier than non-space-flown ashes? True, it might seem more fitting to release them into space, or send them on a probe like Voyager. But you get what you pay for (and what is available). kingNOR, I share your personal opinion as my own. The intent of this type profile is you get a portion flown in space and then returned to you, with a certificate of authenticity. Then you can proudly display them on the mantle, which many people do anyway. How is displaying space-flown ashes on the mantle any sillier than non-space-flown ashes? True, it might seem more fitting to release them into space, or send them on a probe like Voyager. But you get what you pay for (and what is available).

]]> By: Mytho http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36075 Mytho Fri, 11 May 2007 17:18:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36075 I think that the capsule with the ashes is waiting for the "Genesis" efecto to take place, so Cpt Kirk woul come to retrieve a much younger version of Scotty. That's gotta be... rrrright... I think that the capsule with the ashes is waiting for the “Genesis” efecto to take place, so Cpt Kirk woul come to retrieve a much younger version of Scotty.

That’s gotta be… rrrright…

]]> By: The Bad Astronomer http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36074 The Bad Astronomer Fri, 11 May 2007 16:05:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36074 Irishman, Astrolinks is actually some sort of news aggregator. It takes other peoples' blog posts and collects them. A lot of sites do that. Tom, the LiveScience article is actually a week old, so I'm not sure if winds are still a problem there or not. But clearly finding this payload is hard for some reason; I can't imagine the company wants publicity like this! Irishman, Astrolinks is actually some sort of news aggregator. It takes other peoples’ blog posts and collects them. A lot of sites do that.

Tom, the LiveScience article is actually a week old, so I’m not sure if winds are still a problem there or not. But clearly finding this payload is hard for some reason; I can’t imagine the company wants publicity like this!

]]> By: kingNOR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36073 kingNOR Fri, 11 May 2007 15:23:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36073 Irishman, you're very right. Actually my real point is just that i dont' see why the ashes had to be launched up in a tiny capsule only to fall back to earth where some guys pick it up and bring it back. If I were to want my ashes in space, i'd want them to stay in space... or at least have the ashes themselves exposed to space. I can see how it would be meaningful to them though. It's just not what i'd want i guess. Irishman, you’re very right. Actually my real point is just that i dont’ see why the ashes had to be launched up in a tiny capsule only to fall back to earth where some guys pick it up and bring it back.

If I were to want my ashes in space, i’d want them to stay in space… or at least have the ashes themselves exposed to space. I can see how it would be meaningful to them though.

It’s just not what i’d want i guess.

]]> By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36072 Irishman Fri, 11 May 2007 15:03:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36072 I was wondering why Astrolink was posting a verbatim copy of your column. Then I figured out <i>you</i> posted it on Astrolink. BradC, there was some discussion of this earlier. The relatives who pay for the launch know what they are getting. Some fraction of the ashes make it briefly "into space". They are then returned to the relative. Other packages (that cost more) put some ashes on a space satellite that orbits for a while doing some other science payload, and still other packages (that cost even more) put some ashes on a probe that goes out into the solar system or to another planet (like Gene Shoemaker). As for why, that's a personal choice. The relatives feel it a tribute to their loved ones. How is that any different than scattering ashes at a favorite spot, or embalming and then sealing in an air-tight crypt? KingNor, you're welcome to tell all <i>your</i> loved ones you'd rather have the money go to charity than to send <i>your</i> ashes into space. It's not a choice I would make, but I can see how it could be meaningful to those family members, so worthwhile to them. I was wondering why Astrolink was posting a verbatim copy of your column. Then I figured out you posted it on Astrolink.

BradC, there was some discussion of this earlier. The relatives who pay for the launch know what they are getting. Some fraction of the ashes make it briefly “into space”. They are then returned to the relative. Other packages (that cost more) put some ashes on a space satellite that orbits for a while doing some other science payload, and still other packages (that cost even more) put some ashes on a probe that goes out into the solar system or to another planet (like Gene Shoemaker).

As for why, that’s a personal choice. The relatives feel it a tribute to their loved ones. How is that any different than scattering ashes at a favorite spot, or embalming and then sealing in an air-tight crypt?

KingNor, you’re welcome to tell all your loved ones you’d rather have the money go to charity than to send your ashes into space. It’s not a choice I would make, but I can see how it could be meaningful to those family members, so worthwhile to them.

]]> By: Michael H http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36071 Michael H Fri, 11 May 2007 13:46:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36071 "Remains to be seen" LOL. It's worth visiting this site just for the puns. “Remains to be seen”
LOL. It’s worth visiting this site just for the puns.

]]> By: Tom http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36070 Tom Fri, 11 May 2007 13:21:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36070 If you read the LiveScience article, it mentions that high winds forced the team to abandon its search of the mountains until Monday, and that the radio transmissions were bouncing around and foiling a directional search. If you read the LiveScience article, it mentions that high winds forced the team to abandon its search of the mountains until Monday, and that the radio transmissions were bouncing around and foiling a directional search.

]]> By: Jonathan http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36069 Jonathan Fri, 11 May 2007 12:22:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36069 I just know the Klingons are up to this... I just know the Klingons are up to this…

]]> By: bassmanpete http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36068 bassmanpete Fri, 11 May 2007 09:44:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36068 I've heard of talk to ban cremations in some European countries because of the mercury in dental fillings being released into the atmosphere. I’ve heard of talk to ban cremations in some European countries because of the mercury in dental fillings being released into the atmosphere.

]]> By: PK http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36067 PK Fri, 11 May 2007 06:53:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36067 Ashes do not form a biohazard anywhere, high or low. That's the whole point of cremation. Ashes do not form a biohazard anywhere, high or low. That’s the whole point of cremation.

]]> By: KingNor http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36066 KingNor Fri, 11 May 2007 06:15:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36066 i just don't see why they couldn't deposit the ashes in space, and let them disipate in the atmosphere, from that high up there's no way they could pose any threat as a biohazard. or spend that money on charity. i just don’t see why they couldn’t deposit the ashes in space, and let them disipate in the atmosphere, from that high up there’s no way they could pose any threat as a biohazard.

or spend that money on charity.

]]> By: Christian Burnham http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36065 Christian Burnham Fri, 11 May 2007 04:53:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36065 I think the BA's got a pun in the oven. I think the BA’s got a pun in the oven.

]]> By: Cameron http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36064 Cameron Fri, 11 May 2007 04:34:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36064 Ouch! That's gotta hurt! Ouch! That’s gotta hurt!

]]> By: Cosmic Log http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36063 Cosmic Log Fri, 11 May 2007 04:12:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36063 <strong>Supernova nightmares...</strong> Some astronomers would be delighted if a super-bright supernova blast like the one reported this week were to occur in our own galaxy. One says it could be "the best star-show in the history of modern civilization." But if the blast was pointed right... Supernova nightmares…

Some astronomers would be delighted if a super-bright supernova blast like the one reported this week were to occur in our own galaxy. One says it could be “the best star-show in the history of modern civilization.” But if the blast was pointed right…

]]> By: BradC http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/comment-page-1/#comment-36062 BradC Fri, 11 May 2007 04:02:57 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/05/10/remains-to-be-seen/#comment-36062 So... they blasted the ashes up TOWARD space a little ways.... and then came back down. Jeesh. I'd be asking for my money back. So… they blasted the ashes up TOWARD space a little ways…. and then came back down.

Jeesh. I’d be asking for my money back.

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