Wow, Just Wow

 
For the first time ever, astronomers have directly observed an actual extra-solar planet.

Previous extra-solar worlds have been detected when they occluded their primary star or by gravitational displacement, but in this case astronomers have used the Hubble space telescope to directly observe a planet in visible light. The new world circles Fomalhaut b, twenty-five light years away.

How astounding is that?

That’s it, the faint little dot inside the small white box.  The Star Fomalhaut is the white dot in the middle of the picture, and the rays of light surrounding the distant sun are starlight reflecting off of an immense dusty debris field. 

 

Original article is here.

A (pointless in retrospect) Conversation With My Child

Me (calling from work, after my son texted me letting me know he was home safe from school): How was your day?

Son: Fine.

Me: Study for two hours. Math. Science.

Son: OK.

Me: Two more things.

Son: Yeah?

Me: Go to the big chest freezer, get out the whole chicken.

Son: uh…

Me: Whole frozen chicken. Says “Whole Chicken” on the label. It’s on top. Looks sort of like a big bowling ball at this point.  Get it.

Son: uh…

Me: (sigh) are you at the freezer?

Son: Yeah.

Me: Really?

Son: No.

Me: Go there now.

Son: (thump, bump, bang, slam, shuffle, shuffle [freezer is in the garage, it requires movement from the couch] bump bump thump [and I finally hear the correct door open over the phone]) OK.

Me: …

Son: …

Me: …

Son: …

Me: …

Son: …

Me: Open. The. Lid.

Son: OK.

Me: Do you see it?

Son: uh…

Me: (sigh) Chicken. Whole. Frozen. Chicken. On. Top. Looks. Like. A. Bowling. Ball.

Son: Oh…riiiight.

Me: Get it.

Son: OK.

Me: Go to the kitchen.

Son: OK.

Me: Wait!

Son: What?

Me: Close the freezer lid.

Son: It is!

Me: Really?

Son: …no.

Me: Close it.

Son: (Foomp!)

Me: Go to the kitchen.

Son: OK

Me: Wait!

Son: What?

Me: Take the chicken.

Son: …right.

Me: (with the patience of Job) Are you in the kitchen?

Son: uh huh.

Me: Really?

Son: No.

Me: Go there now. Don’t stop anywhere else. Try to concentrate. Kitchen

Son: OK

Me: Wait!

Son: What?

Me: Take the chicken.

Son: OK

Me: Are you there?

Son: Yes.

Me: Put the chicken in the microwave.

Son: OK…bye

Me: Wait!

Son: What?

Me: Push “Defrost”

Son: …

Me: Push. The. Button. Marked. “Defrost.”

Son: …

Me: …On the microwave.

Son: OK

Me: Set the timer for 30 minutes.

Son: …

Me: Push three. Zero. Zero. Zero.

Son: (Freep beep) OK

Me: Two more zeros

Son: (beep beep) OK

Me: Push “Start.”

Son: OK

Me: Is it started?

Son: uh huh.

Me: I can’t hear it. Are you sure?

Son: Yes.

Me: Good. Now go turn on the dishwasher. You forgot to run it last night. There are no clean plates for dinner. (It’s the boy’s job to clean up after dinner).

Son: OK.

Me: Did you start the dishwasher?

Son: Yes.

Me: Really?

Son: I’m doing it.

Me: Wait!

Son: What?

Me: Put a soap tablet in it.

Son: OK

Me: Did you do it?

Son: Yes.

Me: Really?

Son: I’m doing it now.

Me: I didn’t hear the dishwasher door open and close.

Son: (Whump!)

Me: I didn’t hear the cabinet door open and close (where the soap tablets are stored)

Son: (Thump!)

Me: Wrong order.

Son: What?

Me: PUT SOAP IN THE DISHWASHER NOW!

Son: OK (Thump! Whump!)

Me: Turn it on.

Son: It is.

Me: Turn. It. On.

Son: I meant I’m doing it now.

Me: Is it on?

Son: Yes.

Me: Remember, study. Math. Science. Two hours. Then you can go over to (friend)’s house. Study first.

Son: OK.

Me: Have a good afternoon. See you tonight.

Son: OK

 

 

I’m home now.

 

You know, I’ll bet he didn’t study either.

40 Years Ago (Updated)

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could open a window into the past?

Right now, forty years ago, Apollo 11 is nearly 100 hours into the mission that will land two men on the surface of the moon.

Columbia and Eagle are mated up, but the LEM is still resting inside Stage 3 of the largest and most powerful spacecraft ever built, the Apollo moonship.

The astronauts have just armed the explosive bolts that will separate the LEM from its cradle. In a couple of minutes Michael Collins, the command ship pilot, will fire Columbia’s maneuvering thrusters and extract the lunar lander. Then the combined Columbia and Eagle will leave the now spent 3rd stage behind and continue on to the moon.

I clearly remember watching this event on my folks’ crappy little black and white TV set.

I was seven years old – and the flight of Apollo 11 is still one of the defining moments of my life.

Wouldn’t it be great if you could look back in time and live it again?

You can.

Every single minute of it.

This will be running continuously on my big screen computer until Columbia splashes down a week from now.

God, I love the internet.

_____________________________________

Update:

Well, let's correct that previous statement to read: "God, I love most of the internet - except for the trollish Trolley MacTrollersons of it, I mean.

Over on the Discovery site, Bad Astronomer Phil Plait talks about efforts to digitally restore the orignal video recordings from the Apollo 11 mission and make them available to the public. Predictably, a science-impaired troll named Virgil showed up and started in with the whole tired "The moon landings were faaaaaaaake!" conspiracy crap. Feel free to head over there and slap the idiot around a bit.

Still doubt me...

...when I said Sarah Palin was the best choice John McCain could have made?

If you didn't watch her speech at the RNC, you really should have. Anybody who underestimates this woman is a fool, she's amazing.

But then I already knew that.

Agree with her or not, I suspect that Sarah Palin will win the Presidency for John McCain.