Random thoughts

[Mudcat]

I can't think of anything more beautiful than a ringed planet. Sometimes I will be watching a sci-fi film and suddenly there will be a ringed planet - maybe it's from a distance in space, or maybe they are on the planet's surface and you can see the rings in the sky, or maybe they are on a moon and they are portraying ringed-planet-rise or ringed-planet-set

Takes my breath away.

Sometimes I dream about a ringed planet. Those are the best dreams.

 

[Matty]

I've looked at Saturn through a high-end amateur telescope. It's mesmerizing.

 

[bacon]

It has to be Saturn. NOW.

Fokkin cross posting with a good buzz with Matty and Muddy.

Yes.

:thatguywhofistpumpedbutshould'nthave:

Cami soon mourning crew

 

[Mudcat]

Little known fact: Saturn is not the only planet in our solar system with rings. Uranus and Neptune have them. Jupiter too. Jupiter's are particularly faint.

Anyway, Saturn is definitely the main attraction.

I guess that's why this came to mind: because I recently watched Silent Running in which, in Earth's dystopian future, they have decided to put the last of Earth's forests on space freighters and take them to Saturn. Not to the surface but just to hang around the vicinity. Makes no sense - they could have just put the forest-domes in orbit around earth. Much easier and more economical. They could have accomplished what they were accomplishing by just having the freighters loiter with the forests basically anywhere in space closer than Saturn. Saturn is far. And there was nothing specific to Saturn that they were looking for out there.

A lot of people complain about the nonsensical plot of Silent Running. There are a number of iffy plot elements but a big one is definitely, why would they go to Saturn?

My opinion? Because it's fucking awesome.

 

[bacon]

Muddy I'm glad things are going well and I did just have to edit that because I addressed you as Saturn.

You are missed during the day pal. Mostly I mean not at all in a gay way.

Tell them you require a laptop 24/7 u fok. Dammit.

Agreed on Saturn.

GL meetup Saturn. 1.1.3091. Book it.

 

[Mudcat]

Not Saturn but a pretty nice ringed planet IMO.

 

[Matty]

I've had that precise picture as a wallpaper for years! That was before wide screens, possibly before LCD screens too.

 

[Mudcat]

That shit really does get to me. I am not being hyperbolic when I say it takes my breath away.

I get a bit breathtaken when I am outside after dark on a clear night, lost in my thoughts as usual, and suddenly I snap into the moment - there's a feeling of being watched - and I look up at the nightsky. It pulls me. The winter triangle (Orion, Canis Minor and Major) and that whole area especially. Makes my stomach go wowwww.

There are many things in this world that give me different feelings and reactions, but I can't think of anything quite like that.

Except, as I say, when I am dreaming and there is a ringed planet.

Wowwwwww

 

[reno cool]

I kinda think Orion's belt is evil

 

[Mudcat]

Hey man, don't badmouth the belt.

 

[MrX]

Pluto might have rings, too, the little freak. We'll find out in 2015 when New Horizons gets there.

 

[Matty]

Pluto might have rings, too

Aw. It's trying so hard.

 

[Mudcat]

Over the years I have come to understand why my studies of Astrophysics at U of T didn't work out so well. For them, it was all about applying mathematical formulae to various space phenomena. They really insisted on it.

I assumed it was going to be about looking at pretty stars and going wowwwww.

 

[reno cool]

there was a time as a kid I wanted to be an "astronomer" no idea what that even means now

kinda lost interest when I was taught about how much empty space there is.

 

[Matty]

kinda lost interest when I was taught about how much empty space there is.

Professor - You know the vast majority of it is nothing.
Reno - Lame. Gotta go.

 

[Bread]

Reno you were made for something more interesting than space.

Space is like....every movie you've ever seen. Blah.

 

[Mudcat]

Uranus is often portrayed as having rings that are more kinda up-and-down because it is spinning on its side and that's how they are relative to the orbit.

Still very cool IMO. I dig it. {insert your anus joke here]

 

[Mudcat]

Neptune.

Pics of it can certainly be enhanced to make it look more ringy, but this is basically what we are dealing with.