Comments on: An ionized rose would smell as sweet

By: Matt B.

Matt B. — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 15:27:42 +0000

“Unionized” is totally going in my book about spelling reform, right next to “resume”.

By: A Rose-red stellar nursery in Small Magellanic Cloud

A Rose-red stellar nursery in Small Magellanic Cloud — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:26:53 +0000

[...] The European Southern Observatory recently showed a image of vivid red cloud that is a region of glowing hydrogen surrounding the star cluster NGC 371, which is a stellar nursery in our neighbouring galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud. More information here: Discovery Magazine [...]

By: A Rose-red stellar nursery in Small Magellanic Cloud

A Rose-red stellar nursery in Small Magellanic Cloud — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:11:59 +0000

[...] is a stellar nursery in our neighbouring galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud. More information here: Discovery Magazine Posted in [...]

By: Nigel Depledge

Nigel Depledge — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:07:50 +0000

@ Yotam (10) -
It is actually quite systematic.

In the American counting system, you count the multiples of three powers of ten after thousands (each multiple of three powers of ten being a factor of 1000 larger than the preceding one).

So, one multiple of three powers of ten after 1000 gives you a million. Two gives a billion. Three gives a trillion. And so on for as long as your Latin (or is it Greek?) holds out.

In the older (and obsolescent), British, system, you count the mutliples of six powers of ten, without having to allow extra for your starting point. One multiple of six powers of ten is a million. Two is a billion (but is 10^12, not 10^9). Three is a trillion (but is 10^18, not 10^12). And so on. But this system is almost never used any more, because it is easily confused with the American system, and the American system makes it easier to get sensational-sounding large numbers. (Hence the American system is more appealing to mass media).

By: Nigel Depledge

Nigel Depledge — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:00:12 +0000

The barber of civility (13) said:

However, I will add fog to your list. Not quite gas, not quite liquid.

Yeah, fog is an aerosol. Fine liquid droplets suspended in a gas.

By: The Barber of Civility

The Barber of Civility — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 11:26:46 +0000

Don’t be embarrassed, MTU. Phil’s referring to the bio class he had every day right after pork, beans, and cabbage in the school cafeteria.

However, I will add fog to your list. Not quite gas, not quite liquid.

By: Messier Tidy Upper

Messier Tidy Upper — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 07:11:37 +0000

@ ^ About two minutes after posting that I thought of dust clouds (solid particles) and clouds of insects. (Ditto)

But by then I had already shut the computer down and left the house. D’oh!

Sorry BA you were right to specify. (Blushes)

By: Messier Tidy Upper

Messier Tidy Upper — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 01:04:11 +0000

Part of that is because I spent years researching other types of gaseous clouds,

Er , BA .. Are there any other types? Liquid and solid clouds maybe?

By: Yotam

Yotam — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 23:25:46 +0000

Thanks for (another) interesting post. One thing, if you tell us what a quintillion is (and I admit I don’t remember), can you use exponents? It’s quite annoying trying to count all those zeros. 2 X 10^18 is much neater, IMHO.

By: IVAN3MAN_AT_LARGE

IVAN3MAN_AT_LARGE — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:40:04 +0000

Actually, “unionized” should be non-ionized or, if you’re a limey, non-ionised.

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:51:29 +0000

Dys: That’s actually an old engineering student joke: How can you tell a mathematics student from a chemistry student? Answer: write the word “unionized” on a chalkboard and ask them to pronounce it.

By: Old Muley

Old Muley — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:21:06 +0000

NGC 371 has a strong tradition of protecting the rights of elements. I’m sure helium as well as other elements have benefited from being unionized and seen their standard of living improved thanks to collective bargaining. Hopefully NGC 371 doesn’t have a governor like Scott Walker!

By: DrFlimmer

DrFlimmer — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 18:16:27 +0000

Strömgren sphere, or also HII region, if we speak of the hydrogen part of that cloud.
And, yes, HII means ionized hydrogen (one electron stripped off the proton), HI would be the neutral atom. Nomenclature is strange in astronomy, and sadly, it will never be changed!

By: Dys

Dys — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:47:22 +0000

I read ‘unionized’ as an American spelling of the thing you do when you form a union.
Does unionised Helium get better health benefits?
Sorry >.<

And yes, astronomy does get the best pictures.

By: Jenna

Jenna — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:43:00 +0000

What’s in a name?

By: HP

HP — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:36:39 +0000

I hear Scott Walker’s going after unionized helium next.

By: Joerg

Joerg — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 17:05:17 +0000

Strömgren sphere is still a very much used term, but not for objects, for which it was never intended, but for the region that can be ionized by a UV source. A quick abstract search on ADS gives a lot of recent papers: http://is.gd/RVDWMB

By: Joseph Smidt

Joseph Smidt — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:39:44 +0000

Phil, you always come up with the coolest pictures!