Comments on: Top 14 Solar System Pictures of 2011 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/ Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:12:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Matt B. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316836 Matt B. Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:08:05 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316836 <i>"...the Earth itself blocks the Sun all the time (of course, if you want to be pedantic, it happens to us on the surface every time the Sun sets). NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory stares at the Sun 24/7/365..."</i> If you want to be <i>really</i> pedantic, you can point out that "24/7/365" is meaningless. First, you want to multiply the quantities, not divide them. But even then the units don't come out right: (24 hr/dy)*(7 dy/wk)*(365 dy/yr) comes out to 61320 hr-dy/wk-yr. What you really want is 24*7*52.1775. “…the Earth itself blocks the Sun all the time (of course, if you want to be pedantic, it happens to us on the surface every time the Sun sets). NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory stares at the Sun 24/7/365…”

If you want to be really pedantic, you can point out that “24/7/365″ is meaningless. First, you want to multiply the quantities, not divide them. But even then the units don’t come out right: (24 hr/dy)*(7 dy/wk)*(365 dy/yr) comes out to 61320 hr-dy/wk-yr. What you really want is 24*7*52.1775.

]]> By: My World and More ..: Best Of 2011 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316835 My World and More ..: Best Of 2011 Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:35:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316835 [...] Top 14 Solar System Pictures of 2011 People Who mattered  [...] [...] Top 14 Solar System Pictures of 2011 People Who mattered  [...]

]]> By: db26 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316834 db26 Fri, 09 Dec 2011 05:40:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316834 No offense, but you have 4 photos worthy of any recognition here...the 3 sun photos (including the menage a trois) and the Saturn pic. Scrap the rest as marbles in microscopes... No offense, but you have 4 photos worthy of any recognition here…the 3 sun photos (including the menage a trois) and the Saturn pic. Scrap the rest as marbles in microscopes…

]]> By: Messier Tidy Upper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316833 Messier Tidy Upper Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:05:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316833 No worries BA. Thankyou. :-) No worries BA. Thankyou. :-)

]]> By: Sno*man http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316832 Sno*man Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:46:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316832 Phil, bought and read the book, I'm a big fan, the whole slow down, relax, this is what's actually happening thing really strikes a chord. So, not that I have anything to back me up, other than instinct, but that 'storm' on Saturn looks more like a plume (think volcano, or the smoke from a cigarette in still air) that gets caught at upper altitude by way faster atmospheric 'wind'... I brought this up elsewhere at the time and was summarily dismissed but without any actual reason. I wonder if you know any more about this 'storm'... Phil, bought and read the book, I’m a big fan, the whole slow down, relax, this is what’s actually happening thing really strikes a chord. So, not that I have anything to back me up, other than instinct, but that ‘storm’ on Saturn looks more like a plume (think volcano, or the smoke from a cigarette in still air) that gets caught at upper altitude by way faster atmospheric ‘wind’…
I brought this up elsewhere at the time and was summarily dismissed but without any actual reason.
I wonder if you know any more about this ‘storm’…

]]> By: Phil Plait http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316831 Phil Plait Fri, 09 Dec 2011 02:34:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316831 Messier: Holy cow, I totally missed the one of Pluto! Well, drat. I might add it if I get a chance. Thanks for pointing that out. Messier: Holy cow, I totally missed the one of Pluto! Well, drat. I might add it if I get a chance. Thanks for pointing that out.

]]> By: Messier Tidy Upper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316830 Messier Tidy Upper Fri, 09 Dec 2011 01:35:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316830 @ ^ PS. Yeah, I know the <i>"Jupiter Bringer of Jollity" </I>one was posted on Christmas Eve last year - but it missed out on consideration for last years <i>"top 14" </i> since that was posted earlier on the 14th Dec. (with the "runners up" on the 20th Dec.) so I reckon it might've merited inclusion here. Of course, these things will always be subjective and Your <strike>Milage</strike> Astronomical Units May Vary! ;-) So many great images get posted here. Hmmm and videos and time lapses - suggestion please BA, maybe we could get a top 10 of those? ;-) PPS. Yes I know that <i>"Jupiter - Bringer o'Jollity"</i> one is a video not a photo too - but then there's a still image from it posted too so that counts, right, maybe? ;-) @ ^ PS. Yeah, I know the “Jupiter Bringer of Jollity” one was posted on Christmas Eve last year – but it missed out on consideration for last years “top 14″ since that was posted earlier on the 14th Dec. (with the “runners up” on the 20th Dec.) so I reckon it might’ve merited inclusion here.

Of course, these things will always be subjective and Your Milage Astronomical Units May Vary! ;-)

So many great images get posted here. Hmmm and videos and time lapses – suggestion please BA, maybe we could get a top 10 of those? ;-)

PPS. Yes I know that “Jupiter – Bringer o’Jollity” one is a video not a photo too – but then there’s a still image from it posted too so that counts, right, maybe? ;-)

]]> By: Messier Tidy Upper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316829 Messier Tidy Upper Fri, 09 Dec 2011 01:15:33 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316829 @7. : <blockquote><i>Although, by Jove, I’m surprised that you’ve left out any of Jupiter which has had some magnificent images and animations taken of it this year too! </i></blockquote> Like, say, this one : http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/12/24/jupiter-the-bringer-of-jollity/ or this one : http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/10/07/jupiter-and-ganymede-in-exquisite-detail/ Or maybe this one : http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/09/12/royal-observatory-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-chosen/ Ie the winning shot according to the Royal Observatory. Still, I'm not complaining - there's just so many good images to choose from aren't there! :-) @7. :

Although, by Jove, I’m surprised that you’ve left out any of Jupiter which has had some magnificent images and animations taken of it this year too!

Like, say, this one :

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2010/12/24/jupiter-the-bringer-of-jollity/

or this one :

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/10/07/jupiter-and-ganymede-in-exquisite-detail/

Or maybe this one :

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/09/12/royal-observatory-astronomy-photographer-of-the-year-chosen/

Ie the winning shot according to the Royal Observatory.

Still, I’m not complaining – there’s just so many good images to choose from aren’t there! :-)

]]> By: Messier Tidy Upper http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316828 Messier Tidy Upper Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:55:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316828 Hmm .. you also left off my personal favourite solar system image of the year : http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/07/20/pluto-has-another-moon/ featuring the discovery of Pluto's fourth moon. Hmm .. you also left off my personal favourite solar system image of the year :

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/07/20/pluto-has-another-moon/

featuring the discovery of Pluto’s fourth moon.

]]> By: passerby http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/08/top-14-solar-system-pictures-of-2011/#comment-316827 passerby Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:52:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/?p=41760#comment-316827 The picture of the prominences of the sun, where you compared one to a cat and the other to a dragon, I would like to redirect people to the second photo. It indeed looks like a dragon, sitting down and facing something. But, near the right edge of the view, a distance away from the 'dragon', there's a prominence in an upright shape, wearing what looks like a horned helmet. Seeing that, and hearing your description, immediately brought a certain trailer to mind: "There is one that they fear. In their tongue, he is dovahkiin. Dragonborn." I knew Skyrim was popular, but I never expected it to be popular with the laws of physics. The picture of the prominences of the sun, where you compared one to a cat and the other to a dragon, I would like to redirect people to the second photo.

It indeed looks like a dragon, sitting down and facing something. But, near the right edge of the view, a distance away from the ‘dragon’, there’s a prominence in an upright shape, wearing what looks like a horned helmet. Seeing that, and hearing your description, immediately brought a certain trailer to mind:

“There is one that they fear. In their tongue, he is dovahkiin. Dragonborn.”

I knew Skyrim was popular, but I never expected it to be popular with the laws of physics.

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