Comments on: The Wonderful http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/ 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. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:59:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: StevoR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-228980 StevoR Tue, 01 Dec 2009 04:54:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-228980 Great article - belated thanks BA! :-) Very glad I stumbled on this while researching for an article. Mira is, indeed, a superluminously wonderful star which is well-deserving of its name and still capable of astounding us with new surprises. :-) Numinious* <i>(exact spelling uncertain - sorry)</i> to think our Sun will one day become a similar Mira variable just before its final nuclear fusing gasps ... ---- * See Carl Sagan's <i>Contact</i> a good SF novel which I'd recommend reading if folks haven't already. Great article – belated thanks BA! :-)

Very glad I stumbled on this while researching for an article. Mira is, indeed, a superluminously wonderful star which is well-deserving of its name and still capable of astounding us with new surprises. :-)

Numinious* (exact spelling uncertain – sorry) to think our Sun will one day become a similar Mira variable just before its final nuclear fusing gasps …

—-

* See Carl Sagan’s Contact a good SF novel which I’d recommend reading if folks haven’t already.

]]> By: us beauty salons|beauty schools http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-95746 us beauty salons|beauty schools Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:29:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-95746 <strong>us beauty salons|beauty schools</strong> [...] May 30, 2008 by cajunvegan Towbin Superstore got their act together and made us a sweet, sweet deal on this beauty. After a week from the bowels of Hell, driving home with the stereo blaring and the dust from the craptacular [...] us beauty salons|beauty schools

[...] May 30, 2008 by cajunvegan Towbin Superstore got their act together and made us a sweet, sweet deal on this beauty. After a week from the bowels of Hell, driving home with the stereo blaring and the dust from the craptacular [...]

]]> By: ramzahn http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46049 ramzahn Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:20:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46049 Mira is really a beauty. Just to imagine how big this star has become... But this picture opens a wonderful new vista in my mind. It has scope. Thanks! Mira is really a beauty. Just to imagine how big this star has become…
But this picture opens a wonderful new vista in my mind. It has scope. Thanks!

]]> By: David Mills http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46048 David Mills Sun, 09 Sep 2007 18:35:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46048 Intriguing. Amazingly enough, a substantial number of the comments are less than stupid. Intriguing. Amazingly enough, a substantial number of the comments are less than stupid.

]]> By: Episode 24 Links » Friends Hating Friends http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46047 Episode 24 Links » Friends Hating Friends Mon, 20 Aug 2007 22:01:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46047 [...] Hobbes” REVEALED! Battle at Kruger Calvin & Hobbes Archives A Poison Pen From the RIAA The Wonderful How Are We Paying Off Our Subprime Mortgages? Restarting Windows Without Restarting Your PC (Vista [...] [...] Hobbes” REVEALED! Battle at Kruger Calvin & Hobbes Archives A Poison Pen From the RIAA The Wonderful How Are We Paying Off Our Subprime Mortgages? Restarting Windows Without Restarting Your PC (Vista [...]

]]> By: Kevin Renfrow » Mira leaves giant tail across the sky - NASA discovers http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46046 Kevin Renfrow » Mira leaves giant tail across the sky - NASA discovers Mon, 20 Aug 2007 01:38:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46046 [...] Source - Bad Astronomy Blog » The Wonderful [...] [...] Source – Bad Astronomy Blog » The Wonderful [...]

]]> By: beanzie http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46045 beanzie Sat, 18 Aug 2007 01:06:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46045 mira mira on the wall, who's the cutest star of all. Instead of killing civilians, governments should spend money on telescopes that are bigger than ever. Really really massive ones no less. mira mira on the wall, who’s the cutest star of all.
Instead of killing civilians, governments should spend money on telescopes that are bigger than ever. Really really massive ones no less.

]]> By: Mira « Meng Bomin http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46044 Mira « Meng Bomin Fri, 17 Aug 2007 18:29:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46044 [...] As you can see, there’s no trace of the tail.  So what it is?  Well, Mira is a red giant, an older star much like what the sun is predicted to be in a few billion years.  It’s spent most of its hydrogen reserve and is now fusing helium, which makes it more unstable and causes it to eject hot debris.  As it moves through the galaxy at a supersonic rate, the debris leaves a trail, which is visible to us only in ultraviolet.  For a better, more detailed explanation see NASA’s page on the subject and Phil Plait’s Bad Astronomy Blog post. [...] [...] As you can see, there’s no trace of the tail.  So what it is?  Well, Mira is a red giant, an older star much like what the sun is predicted to be in a few billion years.  It’s spent most of its hydrogen reserve and is now fusing helium, which makes it more unstable and causes it to eject hot debris.  As it moves through the galaxy at a supersonic rate, the debris leaves a trail, which is visible to us only in ultraviolet.  For a better, more detailed explanation see NASA’s page on the subject and Phil Plait’s Bad Astronomy Blog post. [...]

]]> By: Moyock Blog » Blog Archive http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46043 Moyock Blog » Blog Archive Fri, 17 Aug 2007 08:11:13 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46043 [...] Very cool article about a dying star that is similar to our Sun. Nice pictures. [...] [...] Very cool article about a dying star that is similar to our Sun. Nice pictures. [...]

]]> By: Helen C. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46042 Helen C. Fri, 17 Aug 2007 04:51:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46042 Why (and Who )place(d) the warning that it wasn't so good for Earth? Why (and Who )place(d) the warning that it wasn’t so good for Earth?

]]> By: Cartoons Fans Lounge http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46041 Cartoons Fans Lounge Fri, 17 Aug 2007 01:34:27 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46041 [...] stars. Like life itself, in death is renewal and the foundation for future generations. X Men Icemanread more | digg story RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI Cartoons Fans Lounge [...] [...] stars. Like life itself, in death is renewal and the foundation for future generations. X Men Icemanread more | digg story RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI Cartoons Fans Lounge [...]

]]> By: SearchRoads » hand held v smile scooby doo NASA discovers a "star unlike any seen before." http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46040 SearchRoads » hand held v smile scooby doo NASA discovers a "star unlike any seen before." Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:35:54 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46040 [...] itself, in death is renewal and the foundation for future generations. cheats for scooby doo mysteryread more | digg [...] [...] itself, in death is renewal and the foundation for future generations. cheats for scooby doo mysteryread more | digg [...]

]]> By: yugi http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46039 yugi Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:12:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46039 what a wondeful fairytale. full of mother goose style conjecture. and they call themselves sceptics ? nice picture though. what a wondeful fairytale. full of mother goose style conjecture. and they call themselves sceptics ?

nice picture though.

]]> By: Mike Thorpe http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46038 Mike Thorpe Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:05:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46038 The coolest part about this image is that it was on the front page of my local Newspaper, The Vancouver Sun. (Van, Canada). The first time I've seen a science story as a headline that isn't about fear, doom, or gloom. Yay science. The coolest part about this image is that it was on the front page of my local Newspaper, The Vancouver Sun. (Van, Canada). The first time I’ve seen a science story as a headline that isn’t about fear, doom, or gloom.

Yay science.

]]> By: Leon http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46037 Leon Thu, 16 Aug 2007 19:18:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46037 Thanks, KenG. I wondered. Thanks, KenG. I wondered.

]]> By: Empty Headed http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46036 Empty Headed Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:15:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46036 <strong>Comet-Like Star, Mira...</strong> This story comes from the Bad Astronomy blog about the star Mira in the constellation of Cetus, the whale. Mira has long been studied by astronomers to give us insight on what will happen when the Sun dies. Observations have... Comet-Like Star, Mira…

This story comes from the Bad Astronomy blog about the star Mira in the constellation of Cetus, the whale. Mira has long been studied by astronomers to give us insight on what will happen when the Sun dies. Observations have…

]]> By: Scott Gant http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46035 Scott Gant Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:56:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46035 This is really an incredible image. We get to see the last death-throws of a star as it crawls along, leaving behind a beautiful wake that will itself form new stars one day. Great article Phil This is really an incredible image. We get to see the last death-throws of a star as it crawls along, leaving behind a beautiful wake that will itself form new stars one day.

Great article Phil

]]> By: Irishman http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46034 Irishman Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:44:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46034 Rupert, go to the link provided by Phil. Scroll to the bottom of the page, there is a comparison picture of ultraviolet light vs. visible light. You can see that the image in question is only ultraviolet. It is much brighter in visible, and the tail isn't visible. Rupert, go to the link provided by Phil. Scroll to the bottom of the page, there is a comparison picture of ultraviolet light vs. visible light. You can see that the image in question is only ultraviolet. It is much brighter in visible, and the tail isn’t visible.

]]> By: Cartoons Plugin » Blog Archive » futurama bender hentai NASA discovers a "star unlike any seen before." http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46033 Cartoons Plugin » Blog Archive » futurama bender hentai NASA discovers a "star unlike any seen before." Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:45:09 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46033 [...] life itself, in death is renewal and the foundation for future generations. futurama bee episoderead more | digg [...] [...] life itself, in death is renewal and the foundation for future generations. futurama bee episoderead more | digg [...]

]]> By: Barry Smith http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46032 Barry Smith Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:27:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46032 Mira has been known since the time of the Greeks - they gave it the name Mira. Even then, it was known as unusual - it was a 300 day variable star, visible by eye, in a sky that, at the time, was thought eternal and unchanging. Translating Mira as Wonderful is propably a little off - considering its unexpected variable brightness, it might be better to translate its name as Full of Wonder. Mira has been known since the time of the Greeks – they gave it the name Mira. Even then, it was known as unusual – it was a 300 day variable star, visible by eye, in a sky that, at the time, was thought eternal and unchanging. Translating Mira as Wonderful is propably a little off – considering its unexpected variable brightness, it might be better to translate its name as Full of Wonder.

]]> By: Kaushal http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-2/#comment-46029 Kaushal Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:57:26 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46029 Very well written article. Thank you for all your efforts. Very well written article. Thank you for all your efforts.

]]> By: Tom http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-1/#comment-46031 Tom Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:47:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46031 That's the coolest thing in a long time! Just amazing, bizarre, and if you think about it a while it just makes your brain go "ping!". :-) One of those things you stare at and realize how small we are. That’s the coolest thing in a long time! Just amazing, bizarre, and if you think about it a while it just makes your brain go “ping!”. :-)

One of those things you stare at and realize how small we are.

]]> By: khazar http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-1/#comment-46030 khazar Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:30:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46030 I very much enjoyed reading this article. I very much enjoyed reading this article.

]]> By: Rupert http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-1/#comment-46028 Rupert Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:12:50 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46028 awesome! one qestion.. why isnt the star brighter in the picture? is there some sort of filter used in the telescope? judging by the brightness of any old star seen from the most feeble telescopes i would imagine this type of star would be so bright as to blow out all the detail surrounding it. awesome!

one qestion..

why isnt the star brighter in the picture? is there some sort of filter used in the telescope? judging by the brightness of any old star seen from the most feeble telescopes i would imagine this type of star would be so bright as to blow out all the detail surrounding it.

]]> By: Thursday Gospel Link at nicholasfiedler.com/blog http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/comment-page-1/#comment-46027 Thursday Gospel Link at nicholasfiedler.com/blog Thu, 16 Aug 2007 15:03:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/08/15/the-wonderful/#comment-46027 [...] NASA discovers more wonders [...] [...] NASA discovers more wonders [...]

]]>