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"Space is the hole we are in -- a vast area of human ignorance. The history of the world shows that attacking ignorance is fruitful."
Monday there were some helium balloons left and since I'd never tried talking with helium, I went to the trouble of untying one. There was some change in voice, but I caught myself trying to talking in a higher pitch. I wonder how much is the helium and how much of the effect is from "helping" the helium along. After that, KT, JJ, Chaka, and I went out in search of breakfast or lunch.
( Space Center, Chaka & Chaka, and a party )
That movie has been showing now. Even Fairmont's little theater did the bit with selling tickets late at night and then showing the picture just after midnight. I am planning on seeing it, eventually, though only to have an idea of what many are going on about rather than as a true fan. While I was around and aware of the first Star Wars movie, I didn't see it then and when I finally did see it, I had what might be called a Weird Al Moment - the realization that I preferred the parodies over the original.
This will be the opening weekend, which will be crowded and thus something I'd rather avoid. While many like the crowd experience, I am not one of that many. To me, the best theater experience is when the theater is about empty. I like private screenings where there is no distracting crowd.
But there's a possible problem. I'll be off to RCFM the next weekend. It's not that I expect it'll stop showing. After all, Episodes I and II showed for some time and they were generally regarded as lacking, while supposedly III is a better film, at least according to the True Fans. No, the problem is I fear someone might have the bright idea to see the movie at RCFM and try to drag me into it, especially if I've not seen it. Now, I said I planned on seeing the picture. But at RCFM I have better things to do. I can see a movie anytime. I'll only be in Huntsville a few days. I would rather do something that I couldn't do anywhere else. Why watch fantasy spacecraft I can see at almost any moviehouse when I could go see real spacecraft I can't see just anywhere?
So maybe I should see the movie before leaving for RCFM - and not the night before I leave. That would at least get rid of the "Well, you haven't seen it! You need to see it!" nonsense. The more someone says I "need" to see something, the less apt I am to enjoy it - and remember I'm not a True Fan of the series of pictures. I'm not expecting to be entertained, really, I only want to get some context for the inevitable references that will be added to our so-called culture from the picture.
I wonder what the best time would be. One of the weekend matinee times? The last showing on a Sunday night which would be a school night, so it might cut the crowd some? Some other time, that I don't need to take off from work for? Or just forget it and figure it won't be a problem? Perhaps I'm thinking about this too much and worrying about a non-problem. I hope so, really.
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kelloggs2066 mentioned strange cults and odd beliefs and the Moon Landing Hoax Conspiracy came up. While the items pointed to by those pushing the hoax can be explained, that may not be the best way of countering the nonsense. While responses to the accusation are needed, lest it be said that "you haven't accounted for x" there is another way to counter it. That's to see what it would take to actually pull off a Moon Landing Hoax Conspiracy.
I've seen several UFOs. That is, I've seen a good many Unidentified Flying Objects. They did not stay UFOs. By watching them for a while, knowing the sky, and being aware of various phenomena, it was possible to identify what I was looking at.
Oh, I have seen a few spacecraft. They were all made on earth.
What is a planet?
2 March 2005 07:47Just what is a planet? There is some disagreement about Pluto. Does it qualify as a planet, or is it too small, its orbit too eccentric, or have some other disqualification? There is no set answer as what a planet is has never been formally defined.
I don't have an answer, but I do have a preference for one proposal. Someone suggested that a planet has sufficient mass that its gravity forms it into a nearly spherical shape, but isn't as massive as a star. I like this as it depends on the body itself, and not some arbitrary view of things from Earth.
It would change things. Pluto would be a planet, but so would some of the other objects in the outer solar system. And perhaps some of the larger asteroids would qualify as planets rather than "minor planets." There would be more than just the traditional planets - and what those are has changed over time anyway, so I don't see it as a big deal. Perhaps the degree of sphericity will be arbitrary. How close to a sphere is close enough? What about things not quite there, but not too oblong? Would these be the new minor planets, and the truly oblong things be asteroids?
A person could get superstitious about this time of year...
Jan. 27: Apollo I fire
Jan. 28: Challenger
Feb. 1: Columbia
But this shows problems happen at all times of the year.
We knew it years ago.
29 July 2004 18:35Or, "Hey kid, that joke's old enough to vote now."
For a little while now there's been a bit going around about how this picture of Saturn's satellite Mimas resembles an item in a certain movie. This is amusing, but not for the reason that those posting it of late might claim.
The big crater, Herschel, on Mimas has been known about since 1980 or so. Cassini is not the first spacecraft to image Mimas. Voyager 1 got a picture and that has appeared a time or two.
With the Voyager 1 image which is a bit sharper rather than fuzzy, it's easier to distinguish the reality of a cratered moon.
Then: A communist country launched a manned space capsule into orbit, before non-communists managed to even get a sub-orbital manned space flight. That was, of course, the U.S.S.R. and the U.S.A.
Now: A communist country launched a manned space capsule into orbit, before non-communists managed to even get a sub-orbital manned space flight. This is China and the folks trying for the X-prize. This time it's not really a race between countries.
This time there is a race, but the X-prize folks are racing each other. They aren't a major, or even a minor, government seeking propaganda points. They want the prize money, sure, but likely will spend so much to get it that it really isn't the point. The point is making a successful space flight. Ideally to be the first private endeavor to do so. But even after someone claims the prize, the rest will not just quit and go home.
There will be more private space shots, with various designs. Some will work. Some will flop. Some of it may look like newsreels of the early days of aviation, only with more spectacular and painful failures. It may look like a free-for-all, which it should. Someone will figure out ways to make money, whether by launching satellites, or by selling rides to people willing and able to pay, or perhaps something else still.
Sure, space has been reached before, but each time by governments. And that shows that getting there is possible. It can be done. But the interesting thing is about to happen. The frontier is about to open up. And maybe, finally, some of the good things we thought might be in our future at the beginning of the 'space age' will start to happen. We will be living in interesting times.
