Comments on: Three spacey updates

By: Phil Plait

Phil Plait — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:25:38 +0000

Nick: that’s Titan, but remember that the 3rd dimension in these images is projected onto 2! Note the tip of the rings; if Titan is sufficiently behind the planet, as it is here, it can look like it’s below.

By: nick

nick — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 03:24:13 +0000

In the Skeptics Guide interview it’s mentioned that Titan orbits on the plane of Saturns rings. However, I happened to see this Cassini image the other day.

http://ciclops.org/view/5155/Saturn_Four_Years_On

The object in the lower left sure looks like Titan. Anyone know what it is and if its Titan why does it look like its about 45 degrees off of the ring plane?

By: Big Al

Big Al — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:51:51 +0000

There is such a source of energy — the sun. I posted too quickly, and can’t find a way to completely un-post, so, nevermind.

By: Opiecan

Opiecan — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:31:07 +0000

I know this has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but I found this and it was too good to pass up.

“One of the most basic laws in the universe is the Second Law of Thermodynamics. This states that as time goes by, entropy in an environment will increase. Evolution argues differently against a law that is accepted EVERYWHERE BY EVERYONE. Evolution says that we started out simple, and over time became more complex. That just isn’t possible: UNLESS there is a giant outside source of energy supplying the Earth with huge amounts of energy. If there were such a source, scientists would certainly know about it.” – awesometnerd, SmashBoards

Muahaha. Thought you might enjoy that one.

By: Stone Age Scientist

Stone Age Scientist — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 23:16:50 +0000

Ha! Typo, Phil. as illustrated in your book, not "our." Sorry.

By: Chas, PE

Chas, PE — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:58:31 +0000

Watch it, Phil. B. is on three Kevin Spacey websites / blogs….

By: Stone Age Scientist

Stone Age Scientist — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:58:07 +0000

Hi Phil, as per the Star Trek part of the interview, if memory serves me right, there was also a moment of silence when the Enterprise’s ejected cores exploded at the black hole. I remember there was a gargantuan, whitish ball of silent explosion that helped propel the ship back on track. I’m working from memory, but feel quite certain it was such a scene. Readers please refute if I’m wrong.

Also, when one of the interviewers began talking about the galaxy-threatening supernova, a sudden thought came to mind that, while there are indeed certain ways in which our planet could be destroyed as you have illustrated in our book, what then of our galaxy? Can galaxies also die? If so, what could be the scenarios that would bring about the demise, either slow or sudden?

Somewhere at the back of my mind, I remember reading about the Milky Way’s very probable collision with another galaxy in the very, very distant future. While galaxy-collisions do not kill any galaxy, I believe the gravitational pulls are more than enough to cause a considerable amount of disturbance (as seen from our miniscule eyes).