We are insignificant to the nth degree. So if one parsec is 3.26 light years, or 19-trillion miles, what is the distance in miles of 6,500 light years? Never mind ... the answer will only melt my brain.
Sometimes those pictures sort of scare me. First I start thinking about what's holding all those stars in place, which leads me to thinking about what the hell is keeping the earth from bouncing around in space. Yeah - I know all the science and stuff, but - still, it can be a worry.
Adrienne, When I read your comment, I think of the lead in to 3rd Rock From The Sun, where planets and moons get shot around like billiard balls and go -where- as they sink through the planetary rings. I've been reading that scientists still really don't understand gravity. I see a little smirk on God's face every time he hears that.
WORTtH a C&P (for lazy so and so's like me. I'm sure I'm not alone. Hope this helps spread better understanding:
Nearby Cepheid Variable RS Pup
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team; Acknowledgement: Howard Bond (STScI & Penn State U.)
Explanation: In the center is one of the most important stars on the sky. This is partly because, by coincidence, it is surrounded by a dazzling reflection nebula. Pulsating RS Puppis, the brightest star in the image center, is some ten times more massive than our Sun and on average 15,000 times more luminous. In fact, RS Pup is a Cepheid type variable star, a class of stars whose brightness is used to estimate distances to nearby galaxies as one of the first steps in establishing the cosmic distance scale. As RS Pup pulsates over a period of about 40 days, its regular changes in brightness are also seen along the nebula delayed in time, effectively a light echo. Using measurements of the time delay and angular size of the nebula, the known speed of light allows astronomers to geometrically determine the distance to RS Pup to be 6,500 light-years, with a remarkably small error of plus or minus 90 light-years. An impressive achievement for stellar astronomy, the echo-measured distance also more accurately establishes the true brightness of RS Pup, and by extension other Cepheid stars, improving the knowledge of distances to galaxies beyond the Milky Way. The featured image was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
What I'D like to knw is WHO MAES UP ALL THESE NAMES?
No nebula, star, planet, asteroid or whatever was born with a "Scientific Label," attached to it, so WHO gets to DECIDE what to CALL these things?
Franco, Here ya go. 'm lazy tonight so here is a raw link -
https://www.iau.org/public/themes/naming/
Beyond the scientific name, you've noticed that nebulae also get slang names such as the 'Red Square Nebula' or the Ring Nebula. Not sure who names these. I think the person discovering the entity may play a large part in naming the item.
I'VE SHARED THIS HERE BEFORE and PROBABLY WILL AGAIN, BECAUSE IT ECHOES the WAY I LOOK at "SCIENCE" which I feel has taken most of the WARMTH, JOY, and AFFECTION from the WAY WE LOOK at THINGS –– and EACH OTHER:
Arcturus his other name,— I ’d rather call him star! It ’s so unkind of science To go and interfere!
I pull a flower from the woods,— A monster with a glass Computes the stamens in a breath, And has her in a class.
Whereas I took the butterfly Aforetime in my hat, He sits erect in cabinets, The clover-bells forgot.
What once was heaven, is zenith now. Where I proposed to go When time’s brief masquerade was done, Is mapped, and charted too!
What if the poles should frisk about And stand upon their heads! I hope I’m ready for the worst, Whatever prank betides!
Perhaps the kingdom of Heaven’s changed! I hope the children there Won’t be new-fashioned when I come, And laugh at me, and stare!
I hope the father in the skies Will lift his little girl,— Old-fashioned, naughty, everything,— Over the stile of pearl!
Let's just say I will take your word for it!! Always good to be reminded of our insignificance in the grand scheme of things.. :)
ReplyDeleteBunk, I Love the big picture. Sure does help to keep me balanced.
DeleteWe are insignificant to the nth degree. So if one parsec is 3.26 light years, or 19-trillion miles, what is the distance in miles of 6,500 light years? Never mind ... the answer will only melt my brain.
ReplyDeleteMustang, It is the distance a liberal progressive must travel to come to a sensible conclusion.
DeleteSometimes those pictures sort of scare me. First I start thinking about what's holding all those stars in place, which leads me to thinking about what the hell is keeping the earth from bouncing around in space. Yeah - I know all the science and stuff, but - still, it can be a worry.
ReplyDeleteAdrienne, When I read your comment, I think of the lead in to 3rd Rock From The Sun, where planets and moons get shot around like billiard balls and go -where- as they sink through the planetary rings. I've been reading that scientists still really don't understand gravity. I see a little smirk on God's face every time he hears that.
DeleteWORTtH a C&P (for lazy so and so's like me. I'm sure I'm not alone. Hope this helps spread better understanding:
ReplyDeleteNearby Cepheid Variable RS Pup
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Heritage Team; Acknowledgement: Howard Bond (STScI & Penn State U.)
Explanation: In the center is one of the most important stars on the sky. This is partly because, by coincidence, it is surrounded by a dazzling reflection nebula. Pulsating RS Puppis, the brightest star in the image center, is some ten times more massive than our Sun and on average 15,000 times more luminous. In fact, RS Pup is a Cepheid type variable star, a class of stars whose brightness is used to estimate distances to nearby galaxies as one of the first steps in establishing the cosmic distance scale. As RS Pup pulsates over a period of about 40 days, its regular changes in brightness are also seen along the nebula delayed in time, effectively a light echo. Using measurements of the time delay and angular size of the nebula, the known speed of light allows astronomers to geometrically determine the distance to RS Pup to be 6,500 light-years, with a remarkably small error of plus or minus 90 light-years. An impressive achievement for stellar astronomy, the echo-measured distance also more accurately establishes the true brightness of RS Pup, and by extension other Cepheid stars, improving the knowledge of distances to galaxies beyond the Milky Way. The featured image was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope.
What I'D like to knw is WHO MAES UP ALL THESE NAMES?
No nebula, star, planet, asteroid or whatever was born with a "Scientific Label," attached to it, so WHO gets to DECIDE what to CALL these things?
Franco, Here ya go. 'm lazy tonight so here is a raw link -
Deletehttps://www.iau.org/public/themes/naming/
Beyond the scientific name, you've noticed that nebulae also get slang names such as the 'Red Square Nebula' or the Ring Nebula. Not sure who names these. I think the person discovering the entity may play a large part in naming the item.
Thanks for the link, Kid. I'll check it out.
DeleteI'VE SHARED THIS HERE BEFORE and PROBABLY WILL AGAIN, BECAUSE IT ECHOES the WAY I LOOK at "SCIENCE" which I feel has taken most of the WARMTH, JOY, and AFFECTION from the WAY WE LOOK at THINGS –– and EACH OTHER:
ReplyDeleteArcturus his other name,—
I ’d rather call him star!
It ’s so unkind of science
To go and interfere!
I pull a flower from the woods,—
A monster with a glass
Computes the stamens in a breath,
And has her in a class.
Whereas I took the butterfly
Aforetime in my hat,
He sits erect in cabinets,
The clover-bells forgot.
What once was heaven, is zenith now.
Where I proposed to go
When time’s brief masquerade was done,
Is mapped, and charted too!
What if the poles should frisk about
And stand upon their heads!
I hope I’m ready for the worst,
Whatever prank betides!
Perhaps the kingdom of Heaven’s changed!
I hope the children there
Won’t be new-fashioned when I come,
And laugh at me, and stare!
I hope the father in the skies
Will lift his little girl,—
Old-fashioned, naughty, everything,—
Over the stile of pearl!
~ Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)