Fri 2 Mar 2007
smaismrmilmepoetaleumibunenugttauiras
Posted by anaglyph under Science
[17] Comments
The NASA Cassini probe, now in its third year of observation around the planet Saturn, continues to send back extraordinary images and surprising and revelatory science.
This must surely rank as one of humankind’s most wonderful imaginative achievements. It was less than 400 years ago that Galileo Galilei espied Saturn with state-of-the-art augmentation of his eyes. Now, our augmented eyes can see marvels of which Galileo never dreamed.
All those people looking for reasons to bolster their belief in irrational things by finding messages in stains on tunnel walls and on pizza trays, might do better to turn their eyes skywards for some real miracles.
Well now, there you go again. Fact-based thinking.
*sigh*
You don’t see The Decider of the United States engaging in crap like that, do you? And THAT’S what has got us where we are today.
Um… yeah, well. Just be careful. You never know where all those facts will lead.
I’m sure The Decider scans his boiled egg every morning for signs that God is trying to communicate with him.
Oh, and Colonel, I meant to direct you to this. My long-time visitors have seen it, but I feel it is something you should experience.
Saturn got a ring around it cause its marryd t Venus.
Evryone knows that.
Anyone gets within a light-year of that and I’m excommunicating you.
I thought I was one of maybe four people on Earth still giving a shit about this stuff. Have you seen the New Horizons stuff coming out?
Joey, I thought Saturns usin the rings sos it wouldn’t be gettin knocked up
Reverend -yes, I have that, and a few more. I’ll post a few over on the other place (Denial) this week. Most of the people who make these things are serious, instead of ironic, which is what’s really horrifying.
We have some scary-ass people over here. And they keep getting elected to things. If I was the rest of the world I’d put us in quarantine. U.S. to the World -our leaders are NUTS. Battier than Batman. Nuttier than a fruit cake. More venomous than a rattlesnake (or pit viper). We’re sitting here wishing that Paul Hogan was in charge.
There is so much we don’t know…we don’t even know that we don’t know we don’t know. :-)
I remember those probes being sent on their journey. Glad they made it.
I am inspired to awe. Thanks for posting that image.
Hey, Sirdar!
Are you doin a Don Rumsfeld imitation — known unknowns & unknown unknowns?
Are you sure that’s not from the same sound stage where they did that moon landing thing?
Seriously though, about a year ago, I got to look through a gigantic telescope and see Saturn’s rings for my ownself. One of the most cool reasons I’ve ever had for standing around outside freezing my lady parts off.
Casey: Yeah – did you see that amazing shot of the volcanic plume from Tvashtar on Io that they posted up yesterday? This stuff is mind-boggling.
Colonel: You really don’t want Paul Hogan in charge. Can I just remind you that the last time you had an actor in the position, things didn’t work out so well…
Sirdar: That probe is off in the Great Unknown Unknown. And taking photographs
Cissy Strutt: We are but standing on the shoulders of giants.
Phoebe Fay: Yes, Saturn is truly beautiful, even from Earth. And even from this perspective we get to see it better than Galileo ever did. We live in amazing times. We also have modern medical science to attend adequately to the frostbite on the lady parts of intrepid Girl Astronomers.
oh dear, I know I am the dumbest of your flock, but what does the title of this post mean?
Pil, Pil, Pil. Don’t make me send you THIS link again.
curious, how do you pronounce the title?
I like Kepler’s (mis)translation: “Be greeted, double knob, children of Mars.” I think I’ll use that at the door at dinner parties.
It’s supremely ironic that Kepler deduced that Mars should have two moons using a mathematical progression (there’s no basis for this deduction, in fact) and then deciphered Galileo’s riddle (almost correctly!) as confirmation of his theory. The irony being, of course, that Mars does have two moons, but neither Galileo nor Kepler discovered them!
A greater irony would be, of course, if Mars is found to have sentient lifeforms with two penises.