I’m sorry to be forever the one to dampen purple prose and mix metaphors, but the language in that was rather colourful.
Why should pointing the Hubble telescope at areas of the sky where lesser telescopes had observed nothing be so bad? Surely that’s like saying “I’ve just invented the microscope, but I’m not going to use it to try to find things where nothing has hitherto be observed, as I might not find anything.”? It seems like an eminently sensible thing to do to me – indeed it would seem to be missing the point not to do so.
Simon, yes, their language, not mine. I suppose there's a school of thought that there is plenty to learn from the billions of stars we've already seen, and we don't need to waste valuable time poking about looking for those we haven't. Does make for a nice clip however. Barbara... ditto.
The Earth is just a grain of sand on a gigantic beach, future generations are going to have the opportunity of taking a trip to deep space, a one way trip, volunteers will be asked to step forward, 10s of millions will step forward.
Now find me a telescope pointed at us and let us take a clear picture of us here and now. I wonder if we would be as fascinated with the familiar? Obviously not.
Holte... I believe you've hit on something. Let's build a giant rocket and promote it as going to "heaven". Just think of how many crackpots and nuts we can rid ourselves of! WM... familiarity breeds contempt. You know that.
I’m sorry to be forever the one to dampen purple prose and mix metaphors, but the language in that was rather colourful.
ReplyDeleteWhy should pointing the Hubble telescope at areas of the sky where lesser telescopes had observed nothing be so bad? Surely that’s like saying “I’ve just invented the microscope, but I’m not going to use it to try to find things where nothing has hitherto be observed, as I might not find anything.”? It seems like an eminently sensible thing to do to me – indeed it would seem to be missing the point not to do so.
Still, an interesting demonstration.
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteSimon, yes, their language, not mine. I suppose there's a school of thought that there is plenty to learn from the billions of stars we've already seen, and we don't need to waste valuable time poking about looking for those we haven't. Does make for a nice clip however.
ReplyDeleteBarbara... ditto.
The Earth is just a grain of sand on a gigantic beach, future generations are going to have the opportunity of taking a trip to deep space, a one way trip, volunteers will be asked to step forward, 10s of millions will step forward.
ReplyDeleteNow find me a telescope pointed at us and let us take a clear picture of us here and now. I wonder if we would be as fascinated with the familiar? Obviously not.
ReplyDeleteHolte... I believe you've hit on something. Let's build a giant rocket and promote it as going to "heaven". Just think of how many crackpots and nuts we can rid ourselves of!
ReplyDeleteWM... familiarity breeds contempt. You know that.
What the crackpots and nuts don't realize is that they are in heaven, a short and sweet heaven, and they make it a hell.
ReplyDeleteHow true. The trouble is, they make it hell for the rest of us as well.
ReplyDeletevery nice
ReplyDelete