Needless to say, I didn't post anything Sunday night. It was a zany weekend--I felt like I was hosting a variety show! So my brain is presently recuperating. Hopefully this weekend will provide a chill thinking day :)
Meantime, I just found an article about a rebel poison comet that's lurking out our solar system that I thought I might share. (Last night Karl said I could be a character you'd meet in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, so it seems fitting.)
Here is the link to the official article.
(By the way, I have always really liked the word "science." I might even change my name to that. "Science Swedburg"...cool, yeah?)
If you're not nerdy enough to actually go read it, allow me to just quote my favorite bit for you:
"While all the planets and most of the other objects in the solar system circle the sun counterclockwise, Lulin circles clockwise, said NASA astronomer Stephen Edberg. And thanks to an optical illusion, from Earth it appears as if the comet's tail is in the front as the comet approaches Earth and the sun.
'It essentially is going backwards through the solar system,' he said.
It came from the outskirts of the solar system, 29 trillion kilometres away. Once it's made the journey around the sun, Lulin will gain enough speed to escape the solar system..."
So just think: while you're sitting there making sense and orbitting the sun properly and all kinds of earthbound things...there is a magical backwardsy piece of the universe quietly traveling alongside and against us...gaining momentum in a most peculiar fashion...to ultimately leave like it means it!
I don't know if that means anything to you, but it means a lot of things to me. I might go out real early Monday morning and stand on the edge of society for a minute...gaze south even if I can't see it...as an act of solidarity? ;)
(This does not mean I am in a space cult or anything, in case that's what you're drawing from it. If that's what you're getting, I'm sorry your imagination sucks.)
"If you are interested in comets, make sure you see it," he said. "But it's not going to be a real great blast for the general public."
( Are you watching closely? )
4 comments:
What time is "real early"?
Glad you're back. Did you make it out to the Port this past week? I missed you.
The article says this:
"The best opportunity is just before dawn one-third of the way up the southern sky. It should be near Saturn and two bright stars, Spica and Regula...On Monday at 10:43 p.m. EST, it will be 61 million kilometres from Earth, the closest it will ever get"
sooo...if sunrise is scheduled for 7:55am, then just before that I suppose! ;D
New post please! I want to know all about your life!
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