The other day, Wired reprinted this picture of two exoplanets photographed at the Keck Observatory at Mauna Kea, Hawaii. The picture was first published earlier the same day, 13 November, in Science Express. The image actually depicts part of a three-planet exo-solar system hosted by the unglamourously named HR 8799, about 130 light years from Cafe Kopi. Planet "a" is not visible in this image. The Wired article provides some technical background on the photographic technique used as well as the planetary system. It was taken in the nonvisible infrared spectrum, which to me is not as cool as the visible-light Fomalhaut b picture I reproduced the other day. But it's still a direct observation rather than an indirect, inferred one, and it's a real, live exo-solar system!I think the highest priorities relating to this discovery should be (1) assigning a cool name to HR 8799 and (2) developing new extraterrestrial markets for American automobiles and toxic financial assets.
these are actually photos of anal warts. For easy reference let's call b and c "Joe".
ReplyDeleteHow about renaming it XQJ-37?
ReplyDeleteOil Can: I think you may be losing your mojoe here. I promise to tee up a straight line for you soon in order that you once again flabbergast me with your grasp of all things Joe.
ReplyDeleteBeardy: That's not bad. It's at least good enough to earn a "conceptual continuity" keyword for this post.