" . " ?

 

Owl, no one took me up on my invitation to discuss sex in space. Would you like to be the virgin poster to take up this topic? I am fascinated by the idea of space travel in the future. Obviously, we will be spending more and more time in space and possibly living in space for long periods of time. Do you think the act has already been consummated off of planet Earth? NASA says no but, of course, they would say that. I can't imagine that they wouldn't want to test lovemaking in microgravity. This has long-term ramifications. Has it happened? Can it happen? Does the continuation of the our species depend upon us proving the human Big Bang Theory can be successfully carried out? What are the negative effects of microgravity on the human body that could make the act difficult ? Thoughts anyone?

These three images were taken 3 seconds apart back in 2013. Any ideas what was going on here?

 

[ATTACH]64202[/ATTACH]

 

 

Any ideas???

Pluto needs to bathe in some Blue Star Ointment ...

Looks like the dwarf planet has a severe case of eczema or psoriasis.

 

Imaged during the New Horizons spacecraft flyby in July 2015, Pluto's bladed terrain is captured in this close-up of the distant world. The bizarre texture belongs to fields of skyscraper-sized, jagged landforms made almost entirely of methane ice, found at extreme altitudes near Pluto's equator. Casting dramatic shadows, the tall, knife-like ridges seem to have been formed by sublimation. By that process, condensed methane ice turns directly to methane gas without passing through a liquid phase during Pluto's warmer geological periods. On planet Earth, sublimation can also produce standing fields of knife-like ice sheets, found along the high plateau of the Andes mountain range. Known as penitentes, those bladed structures are made of water ice and at most a few meters tall.

 

" . " ?

 

Hint: Northern KY city by the same name...

 

Well... my pale blue dot is certainly not the name of a city in NKY.

 

I thought this was the answer. Maybe something more recent too?

 

NASA Discovered a “Mini” Moon Orbiting Earth | The Science Explorer

Well... my pale blue dot is certainly not the name of a city in NKY.

 

I thought this was the answer. Maybe something more recent too?

 

NASA Discovered a “Mini” Moon Orbiting Earth | The Science Explorer

More recent...it's also the name of a city in Italy.

More recent...it's also the name of a city in Italy.

 

These three images were taken 3 seconds apart back in 2013. Any ideas what was going on here?

 

[ATTACH]64202[/ATTACH]

 

Phobos, Mars' largest moon, is seen eclipsing the sun back in 2003. The images were captured by NASA's Mars rover, Curiosity. Phobos was nearly overhead when its silhouette was captured crossing the Sun. This is as close to a total eclipse as is possible from Mars.

 

You may be wondering how a tiny little moon like Phobos that is only about 14 miles in diameter can cover up such a good size chunk of the sun. Well, Phobos orbits Mars at a distance of only 3,700 miles, compared to the 239,000 mile Earth-Moon distance.

In fact, Phobos orbits closer to its primary body than any other planetary moon. It is indeed so close that it orbits Mars much faster than Mars rotates, and completes an orbit in just 7 hours and 39 minutes. As a result, from the surface of Mars it appears to rise in the west, move across the sky in 4 hours and 15 minutes or less, and set in the east, twice each Martian day.

 

And now you know the rest of the story...

Correction: Typo in the above post. Phobos' annular eclipse of the sun was photographed by Curiosity in 2013, not 2003.

More recent...it's also the name of a city in Italy.

 

Si, si. Grazie mille. Firenze.

 

Asteroid Florence found to have 2 moons | Astronomy Essentials | EarthSky

There have been five dwarf planets recognized by the IAU(International Astronomical Union) since 2008. One of these five was demoted from planet status several years ago. I expect most everyone knows that one. On the other hand, you probably need to be an astronomy enthusiast to name the other four.

 

How many of the five IAU-recognized dwarf planets can you name???

 

Btw, there are at least six more that are almost certainly going to be officially recognized sometime in the near future and probably dozens, if not hundreds more, later on.

There have been five dwarf planets recognized by the IAU(International Astronomical Union) since 2008. One of these five was demoted from planet status several years ago. I expect most everyone knows that one. On the other hand, you probably need to be an astronomy enthusiast to name the other four.

 

How many of the five IAU-recognized dwarf planets can you name???

 

Btw, there are at least six more that are almost certainly going to be officially recognized sometime in the near future and probably dozens, if not hundreds more, later on.

 

IAU-recognized Dwarf planets:

 

1. Ceres – discovered on January 1, 1801, 45 years before Neptune. Considered a planet for half a century before reclassification as an asteroid. Accepted as a dwarf planet by the IAU on September 13, 2006.

2. Pluto – discovered on February 18, 1930. Classified as a planet for 76 years. Reclassified as a dwarf planet by the IAU on August 24, 2006.

3. Haumea – discovered on December 28, 2004. Accepted by the IAU as a dwarf planet on September 17, 2008.

4. Makemake – discovered on March 31, 2005. Accepted by the IAU as a dwarf planet on July 11, 2008.

5. Eris – discovered on January 5, 2005. Called the "tenth planet" in media reports. Accepted by the IAU as a dwarf planet on September 13, 2006.

 

How many of the five did you know? If you knew more than two of them that's pretty darn good.

IAU-recognized Dwarf planets:

 

1. Ceres – discovered on January 1, 1801, 45 years before Neptune. Considered a planet for half a century before reclassification as an asteroid. Accepted as a dwarf planet by the IAU on September 13, 2006.

2. Pluto – discovered on February 18, 1930. Classified as a planet for 76 years. Reclassified as a dwarf planet by the IAU on August 24, 2006.

3. Haumea – discovered on December 28, 2004. Accepted by the IAU as a dwarf planet on September 17, 2008.

4. Makemake – discovered on March 31, 2005. Accepted by the IAU as a dwarf planet on July 11, 2008.

5. Eris – discovered on January 5, 2005. Called the "tenth planet" in media reports. Accepted by the IAU as a dwarf planet on September 13, 2006.

 

How many of the five did you know? If you knew more than two of them that's pretty darn good.

I know all five and their moons!

 

Which of the five was just recently discovered to have a ring around it?

I know all five and their moons!

 

Which of the five was just recently discovered to have a ring around it?

 

The one that has the shape of a triaxial ellipsoid!!!

The one that has the shape of a triaxial ellipsoid!!!

That is correct! Are we nerdy or what?

That is correct! Are we nerdy or what?

 

Does Michio Kaku know physics?