It's another world ... but is it our 10th planet?

The Australian ^ | 3/15/04 | Louise Milligan

[Don Joe]

I wonder whom Christ would be most inclined to shake HIS sandles off against?

Well, if that's your measure, then I'd wager it would likely be the one that worked at leading people astray with various "doctrines of demons", to coin a phrase.

And now, to bring this thread back on topic (a fool's errand if ever one existed, I fear), IMO the breathless anouncement of the "new planet" is most likely an attempt to breath some life -- in the form of money -- into the budget of the telescope that "discovered" the "planet".

In other words, since Hubble is scheduled to lapse into orbital decay as soon as nature decides to grasp it, those impacted (to coin another phrase) by the event decided to "discover" one of the fifty gazillion rocks out yonder and give it a name, thus calling attention to the telescope, without which this "planet" would not have been "discovered."

Look for the press conference make a point of how dramatic this "news" is, how it's only the tip of the iceberg (or start of the journey, or whatever; the particular metaphor doesn't matter), and, how, alas, we'll never know what we're missing, what's "out there", etc., because the coldhearted brutes have decided to allow Hubble to fall to Earth.

Not that I object to keeping the telescope in orbit, mind you. As much a waste of the taxpayer's money as it was, the "investment" as it were has been made, so we may as well try to make the best of it, and spend the relatively minor amount necessary to keep it there.

But then, I shed a virtual tear every time I think of those banks of silicon photocells burning up when a Mir or Skylab or other machine falls to Earth, destroying solar arrays I'd never be able to afford in a jillion years (even though I'm bled dry to pay for the arrays in question via taxes).

It's sad that we've been reduced to having one wing of government engage in such dramatics -- aimed at The Meat -- in an effort to prevail against another wing of government. It reminds me of the days of yore, when various royals did battle with others, in order to have the most claim over the labors of the commoners.

Some things never change. I rather suspect the annoying Mr. Noise Talk was one of them. If you ever do recall what lead up to his provoking the management into delivering his just deserts, please do not hesitate to share it.

[baseballfanjm]

Put "Io" in front of someone and ask then to pronounce it. Then you can laugh.

[baseballfanjm]

then=them

[ZAKJAN]

I always get a chuckle out of the comedy spin you all use on the boards...

I'll agree tho, this one is extra funny...

Was the good humor man here earlier today?

I'll have a fudgecicle please
JAN

[Dave Elias]

Is goofy a dog? It seems inconsistant that goofy can walk and talk like a person, while Pluto is much more 'straight acting' as it were.

[Quix]

I don't know . . . per se . . . which of CT's convictions would approach a doctrine of demons any more than I know which of yours would.

He has a number of seemingly novel ideas, perspectives etc. which are interesting. Some people would probably feel that you do. Both of you would assert, with vary-ing degrees of Scriptural support, that your perspectives had this or that quality of orthodoxy based on root word meanings or whatever.

All of that may be whatever degree of accurate or inaccurate.

I have learned over time, that spirit and/or attitude tend to be much better clues of joining with the heart of God than a lot of pontifications about a lot of doctrinal ideas or this's and thats as long as the basics of the faith are asserted as valid and central.

On that score, I still find your stance more lacking than his.

I have not known and do not care to bother about the reason(s) for his lack of further posting hereon. There are a variety of reasons possible. Not my call. And I still believe to some degree in charity toward all.

In terms of the Hubble, I probably agree fairly wholesale with you. And, given that it's there, the pretty odd picture is at times interesting and fun to have. Worth it is a whole 'nother issue.

[Brett66]

Here's a depiction of Sedna from Spitzer's site:

[Mr. Mojo]

Not a planet, but then again neither is Pluto. Inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) are rocky, outer planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune) are gaseous. Pluto and Sedna are outer, but rocky. And the former has a highly eccentric orbit which occasionally takes it well inside the orbit of the outermost legitimate planet, Neptune. Most un-planet-like. My guess is that Pluto and Senda are captured (by the Sun's gravity) Kuiper belt objects, and probably ice balls/comets.

[SunkenCiv]

Crash it into Mars. That would increase the mass of mars allowing Mars to retain more atmosphere. It would also provide more water

Not enough to fill a caterpillar's weinie.

All of the known asteroids combined have less mass than our Moon, which is about one per cent the mass of the Earth.

And yet, we have no means to move an object the size of Sedna, and barely any way to get a probe out there.

[SunkenCiv]

Here's a graphic from the Planetary Society, showing the quite hypothetical Oort Cloud, something claimed to be in orbit around the Sun but not running into itself despite the trillions of crossing orbits and billions of years in which to do it. It has also never been observed. It's just a deus ex machina (kludge) to try to get the nebular hypothesis of planetary system formation to work.

[DannyTN]

Doesn't Jupiter have an icy moon or two. Maybe we can borrow one of those too.

We can get a probe out there. The harder part is moving it. But I'm sure we can figure it out. Civilization isn't sunk yet.

[SunkenCiv]

:') The Pluto probe has been off again on again for at least four years. Pretty soon launching it will be a waste of money, as the atmosphere of Pluto will have refrozen (provided it was ever there).

[xrp]

So we should have contact from the Annuaki anytime now, right?

[LibertyGirl77]

How many "tenth planets" have they discovered in the past fifteen years, anyway? It seems like I've read this same story with a different name for the newly discovered chunk of ice every 2-3 years.

[xrp]

Is that the Dulce effect?

[RightWhale]

It should not be considered a terrestrial body i.e. "planet"

Even Pluto is marginal. But these Kuiper objects will be very valuable some day whether we call them planets or planetoids or planetless moons. Sure is cold out there. Dark, too.

[xrp]

Sure is cold out there. Dark, too.

Not if we heat it up with our LAZER BLASTERS and PHOTON TORPEDOES!

[Quix]

LOL--PERHAPS!

[tob2]

There is entirely new apsect to consider. ROFL!

[RightWhale]

Whatever the effect of Sedna, it doesn't change much.