Movie of Neutron Star Explosion

[kher-heb]

http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2004/0220stardisk.html

February 23, 2004 -
Scientists at the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics (CITA) and NASA have captured unprecedented details of the swirling flow of gas hovering just a few miles from the surface of a neutron star, itself a sphere only about ten miles (16 km) across.

4.2MB movie
http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/spacesci/pictures/2004/0220stardisk/Puff.0539.mpeg

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. It makes me think two things:

human power is so far beyond irrelevant, it's not even worth calling irrelevant, so we should get off our high ego BS and stop killing each other, because in the big picture, the "rightful owners" of a few square miles of land on a small planet in a universe 10^65 m^3 in size (or whatever monstrously big number it is) really doesn't matter.

And it also make me think, Wow! God is really, really, wondrously creative.

Also makes me wish that we had warp drive, and that I could be captain of an exploration vessel.

destiny awaits us folks, and it's out in the stars! Imagine putting the Pentagon budget totally into development of space exploration. In five years, we'd have Federation/Starfleet-level technology. And of that, I am sure.

[Endangered Specie]

4. Nice post, its nice to know no matter how bad we screw up...

In the long run, it wont make one ioda of difference.

[Rabrrrrrr]

5. It's kind of like what Darth vader said;

"The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant compared to the power of the Force"

As it stands, yeah, we can destory life on this planet - at least all human life, and most other life with it.

But as you say, in the cosmic scheme of things, it's irrelevant. Unless we ARE the only planet with life, in which case the stakes are way, way, way higher.

But I dno't think we are the only life,a nd I'd be willing to bet money on that one.

[LastKnight]

2. damn.

that has to do with everything i want to do when im done with college. i love astrophysics.

-LK

[Goldberg]

3. I've always loved astronomy...

too bad I can't do the calculus that makes up the whole field. :cry: :cry: :cry:

But hey, I can name every constellation in the sky and their alpha stars (and some with the beta stars)! And I can find most of Messier's 110 objects!

[uberotto]

6. One of my favorite poems...

by Stephen Crane:

A man said to the universe:
"Sir I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."

Seems to kind of fit with what's being discussed here.

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. LOL!

I love that!

I'm keeping it.

[SmileyBoy]

8. Dammit, it takes too long to load.

:(