Comments on: Sundanity http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/ 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 08:00:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Rogue Medic http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-172475 Rogue Medic Wed, 08 Apr 2009 04:36:47 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-172475 Zero Kelvin (0Kelvin) is the high score. :-) Zero Kelvin (0Kelvin) is the high score. :-)

]]> By: Awesome http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-172105 Awesome Mon, 06 Apr 2009 23:05:06 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-172105 Two cents incoming! Even if the science coming from manned and unmanned missions were equal, I'd say we should still send people to Mars, for the exact reason Phil gave in the article. People need inspiration. For instance, we, as a nation, are hurting for aerospace engineers. All the people who grew up watching Sputnik and Apollo are getting ready to retire now, and there just aren't enough new people to take their place. Manned missions can capture the public's imagination in a way that robots can't, and when the loss of a $1-mil tool bag can grab more headlines than anything else from that mission, I'd say we need to step it up a bit. Two cents incoming!

Even if the science coming from manned and unmanned missions were equal, I’d say we should still send people to Mars, for the exact reason Phil gave in the article. People need inspiration. For instance, we, as a nation, are hurting for aerospace engineers. All the people who grew up watching Sputnik and Apollo are getting ready to retire now, and there just aren’t enough new people to take their place. Manned missions can capture the public’s imagination in a way that robots can’t, and when the loss of a $1-mil tool bag can grab more headlines than anything else from that mission, I’d say we need to step it up a bit.

]]> By: JoeSmithCA http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-172078 JoeSmithCA Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:05:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-172078 I figured out the trick, just keep the gas moving. Slowly as first then spiral just far enough away and fast enough with dozones of supernova(e?) until the gas is pressed into an uber tiny dot. As long as the gas is still moving it won't create any stars. Once it stops moving, the little dot will form into a chain of 80 or more stars. Not exactly real world stuff, I think a chain of 60 or so massive explosions like that compressing all that gas wouldn't make a chain of stars, more likely a really big black hole :) Hmmm StarFormation 2? :) I figured out the trick, just keep the gas moving. Slowly as first then spiral just far enough away and fast enough with dozones of supernova(e?) until the gas is pressed into an uber tiny dot. As long as the gas is still moving it won’t create any stars. Once it stops moving, the little dot will form into a chain of 80 or more stars.

Not exactly real world stuff, I think a chain of 60 or so massive explosions like that compressing all that gas wouldn’t make a chain of stars, more likely a really big black hole :)

Hmmm StarFormation 2? :)

]]> By: MarkAH http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-172052 MarkAH Mon, 06 Apr 2009 20:01:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-172052 Aharon Eviatar Says: April 6th, 2009 at 8:38 am As a still active albeit veteran planetary scientist, I would like to comment that what is not needed is more manned flight circuses, but real science done by robots. Are you saying that science would not get done if we sent people to Mars? I think better science would be done. A person there would see things that could be missed by scientists looking through a monitor a couple hundred million kilometers away. We are explorers by nature and some day we will be able to explore the solar system the way our ancestors were able to explore this planet a few hundred years ago. And to call the manned space program a "circus" belittles what they do and the contributions that they make. Aharon Eviatar Says:
April 6th, 2009 at 8:38 am
As a still active albeit veteran planetary scientist, I would like to comment that what is not needed is more manned flight circuses, but real science done by robots.

Are you saying that science would not get done if we sent people to Mars?
I think better science would be done. A person there would see things that could be missed by scientists looking through a monitor a couple hundred million kilometers away.

We are explorers by nature and some day we will be able to explore the solar system the way our ancestors were able to explore this planet a few hundred years ago. And to call the manned space program a “circus” belittles what they do and the contributions that they make.

]]> By: rob http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171917 rob Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:38:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171917 "suck it, phil"-- i hope this refers to phil collins. “suck it, phil”–

i hope this refers to phil collins.

]]> By: Aharon Eviatar http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171916 Aharon Eviatar Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:38:18 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171916 As a still active albeit veteran planetary scientist, I would like to comment that what is not needed is more manned flight circuses, but real science done by robots. Mars is a great example and I can say from experience that Voyager, Galileo and Cassini are doing more for science than all the manned flights together. We also need to get DSCOVR into orbit and that apparently is going to happen. As a still active albeit veteran planetary scientist, I would like to comment that what is not needed is more manned flight circuses, but real science done by robots. Mars is a great example and I can say from experience that Voyager, Galileo and Cassini are doing more for science than all the manned flights together. We also need to get DSCOVR into orbit and that apparently is going to happen.

]]> By: Spiv http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171889 Spiv Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:11:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171889 Well, he's around here somewhere. I can hear his theme music. Well, he’s around here somewhere. I can hear his theme music.

]]> By: firemancarl http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171879 firemancarl Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:03:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171879 Are you sure about quote in that article? I didn't see Neil Tysons' name mentioned anywhere! Are you sure about quote in that article? I didn’t see Neil Tysons’ name mentioned anywhere!

]]> By: Charlie Foxtrot http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171866 Charlie Foxtrot Mon, 06 Apr 2009 07:07:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171866 Bah! I can barely get over 1000 points. What's the trick? And everything novas, should I be able to make a stable star? Bah! I can barely get over 1000 points. What’s the trick? And everything novas, should I be able to make a stable star?

]]> By: CR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171841 CR Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:40:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171841 My, my, here I thought I'd be the only one who noticed the Torgo thing. Should have known better. ('Manos' has my vote for worst movie ever made, EVER, but it's almost palatable in its MST3K version.) My, my, here I thought I’d be the only one who noticed the Torgo thing. Should have known better. (‘Manos’ has my vote for worst movie ever made, EVER, but it’s almost palatable in its MST3K version.)

]]> By: Tony http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171826 Tony Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:24:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171826 I aM tOrGo... I tAkE cArE oF tHe PlAcE wHiLe ThE mAsTeR iS aWaY... No seriously, that's me, I put "Torgo" on that list when I got an 84 star cluster in the first level! My internet celebritude has jumped up about 7 notches. I aM tOrGo… I tAkE cArE oF tHe PlAcE wHiLe ThE mAsTeR iS aWaY…

No seriously, that’s me, I put “Torgo” on that list when I got an 84 star cluster in the first level!

My internet celebritude has jumped up about 7 notches.

]]> By: Awesome http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171816 Awesome Sun, 05 Apr 2009 23:05:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171816 I will have you know, sir, that with 107 stars occupying the same point in space, it is a supermassive black hole. That's just how I roll. I will have you know, sir, that with 107 stars occupying the same point in space, it is a supermassive black hole. That’s just how I roll.

]]> By: Jack Hagerty http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171812 Jack Hagerty Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:54:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171812 level20monkey Says: "Seeing you give a shout out to Manos: Hands of Fate, has increased my respect for you. I award you +50 nerd experience points (NXP) sir!" How many do I get for actually mentioning it in "The Saucer Fleet?" - Jack level20monkey Says: “Seeing you give a shout out to Manos: Hands of Fate, has increased my respect for you. I award you +50 nerd experience points (NXP) sir!”

How many do I get for actually mentioning it in “The Saucer Fleet?”

- Jack

]]> By: Wildride http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171811 Wildride Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:50:39 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171811 Gotta like how that article on "Embiggen" started: Two commonly used expressions happened to be used in two popular entertainment forms. Anyhoo, now let's talk about made up words that have nothing to do with either ... Gotta like how that article on “Embiggen” started: Two commonly used expressions happened to be used in two popular entertainment forms. Anyhoo, now let’s talk about made up words that have nothing to do with either …

]]> By: Rahne http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171797 Rahne Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:37:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171797 But even after two hours the pizza's still war-- ...Hey wait But even after two hours the pizza’s still war– …Hey wait

]]> By: «bønez_brigade» http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171787 «bønez_brigade» Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:59:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171787 If one can embolden, one should thus be able to embiggen. The author of the globeandmail article (a thumbs up, btw) missed a good chance to use "Embiggen Image" under the print edition thumbnail on the left side. It was likely put there automatically due to the site's design; but still, that would have been lulzinating. The Star Formation is a bit of fun (not quite addicting, though). I've maxed out at ~24250 with a ×67 chain. If one can embolden, one should thus be able to embiggen. The author of the globeandmail article (a thumbs up, btw) missed a good chance to use “Embiggen Image” under the print edition thumbnail on the left side. It was likely put there automatically due to the site’s design; but still, that would have been lulzinating.

The Star Formation is a bit of fun (not quite addicting, though). I’ve maxed out at ~24250 with a ×67 chain.

]]> By: John Manning http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171760 John Manning Sun, 05 Apr 2009 17:38:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171760 Now I have the haunting Torgo theme in my head. Dang. Now I have the haunting Torgo theme in my head. Dang.

]]> By: Joshua Schroeder http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171753 Joshua Schroeder Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:24:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171753 "I can only assume they are talking about the formation of black holes after the high-mass stars explode as supernovae. In that case: well-played, sir!" Oh, Phil. Don't you know that black holes don't suck? http://astro.airynothing.com/2006/02/black_holes_do_not_suck.html http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/07/23/2312355.htm http://www.astronomycafe.net/qadir/q1682.html “I can only assume they are talking about the formation of black holes after the high-mass stars explode as supernovae. In that case: well-played, sir!”

Oh, Phil. Don’t you know that black holes don’t suck?

http://astro.airynothing.com/2006/02/black_holes_do_not_suck.html
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/07/23/2312355.htm
http://www.astronomycafe.net/qadir/q1682.html

]]> By: Romeo Vitelli http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171752 Romeo Vitelli Sun, 05 Apr 2009 16:11:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171752 Ugh. How can that horrible movie go away unless we all try to forget it existed? Our collective unconscious needs to be purged! Ugh. How can that horrible movie go away unless we all try to forget it existed? Our collective unconscious needs to be purged!

]]> By: level20monkey http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171750 level20monkey Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:43:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171750 Seeing you give a shout out to Manos: Hands of Fate, has increased my respect for you. I award you +50 nerd experience points (NXP) sir! Seeing you give a shout out to Manos: Hands of Fate, has increased my respect for you. I award you +50 nerd experience points (NXP) sir!

]]> By: scotth http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171749 scotth Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:28:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171749 I've got to think Rebecca is playing this game. I’ve got to think Rebecca is playing this game.

]]> By: The Science Pundit http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171748 The Science Pundit Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:23:58 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171748 I'm a big fan of embiggenation! I’m a big fan of embiggenation!

]]> By: Windyshrimp http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/comment-page-1/#comment-171747 Windyshrimp Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:23:31 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2009/04/05/sundanity/#comment-171747 The master would not approve! The master would not approve!

]]>