Recent Submissions: 2010 June 28-30

[BMAONE23]

another impressive circle

[Ann]

Wow! The crop circle people are getting absolutely amazingly good at their craft, aren't they?

By the way, the newspaper said this:

Nearly 200 crop circles have appeared in just one formation not far from Warminster, Wiltshire, known as the UFO capital of Britain.

Why would the little green men be so unbelievably fond of Warminster, Wiltshire? What amenities and sights does this little village have to offer that no other parts of the world can match? Why would those aliens sit on their planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A and say to each other, "Let's go and visit Warminster, Wiltshire, Great Britain, Earth, Sol C, and make some new crop circles there and see the sights again, shall we?".

Isn't it more likely that the best crop circle makers in the world live in Warminster, Wiltshire, Great Britain?

Ann

[owlice]

http://www.caelumobservatory.com/gallery/n5216.shtml
Copyright: Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona

Click to view full size image

Long ago I was inspired by John Dubinski's (et al) work on galactic mergers. He created code that ran on a supercomputer to simulate the merger of the Milky Way and Andromeda (making Milkomeda) and put together a movie of the result as part of his GRAVITAS series. I have been showing this to the public for years. There is a point in the simulation where the resulting pattern looks (to my eye) *very* similar to NGC 5216 (Keenan system). Please see this image.

Granted that the physics is correct, it is remarkable that the Universe is large enough to express examples of all potential possibilities. This lends credence to the idea that astrophysical computer simulations may be predictive. Here the tidal stream that seems to connect the galaxies with their two counter-oriented tidal tails is represented well in the comparison!

This pattern exists only briefly in the full simulation (which you should check out). I guess I do better at finding patterns in galaxies rather than clouds - unless you just see the bunny rabbit.

~ Adam Block

[bystander]

Why would the little green men be so unbelievably fond of Warminster, Wiltshire? What amenities and sights does this little village have to offer that no other parts of the world can match? Why would those aliens sit on their planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A and say to each other, "Let's go and visit Warminster, Wiltshire, Great Britain, Earth, Sol C, and make some new crop circles there and see the sights again"?

Well, it is an AONB!

West Wiltshire Downs
North Wessex Downs

[owlice]

I'm very surprised central Wales isn't so designated. It's one of the loveliest places I've ever been.

[bystander]

I'm very surprised central Wales isn't so designated. It's one of the loveliest places I've ever been.

It is.

[owlice]

Not according to this map, it isn't.

Click to view full size image

[Ann]

Bystander wrote:

Well, it is an AONB!

Okay, that explains it!

Click to view full size image

Apart from enjoying the local sights and doing the two step in the wheat fields, look how handsome this alien is when he is dressed up in the local produce!

Ann

[BMAONE23]

Wow! The crop circle people are getting absolutely amazingly good at their craft, aren't they?

By the way, the newspaper said this:

Nearly 200 crop circles have appeared in just one formation not far from Warminster, Wiltshire, known as the UFO capital of Britain.

Why would the little green men be so unbelievably fond of Warminster, Wiltshire? What amenities and sights does this little village have to offer that no other parts of the world can match? Why would those aliens sit on their planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A and say to each other, "Let's go and visit Warminster, Wiltshire, Great Britain, Earth, Sol C, and make some new crop circles there and see the sights again, shall we?".

Isn't it more likely that the best crop circle makers in the world live in Warminster, Wiltshire, Great Britain?

Ann

It is more likely due to the vast number of Pubs and the liberalness with which they pour their pints. The blokes can't help but stumble in circles in the fields.

[astro800]

http://www.caelumobservatory.com/gallery/n5216.shtml
Copyright: Adam Block/Mount Lemmon SkyCenter/University of Arizona

Click to view full size image

Long ago I was inspired by John Dubinski's (et al) work on galactic mergers. He created code that ran on a supercomputer to simulate the merger of the Milky Way and Andromeda (making Milkomeda) and put together a movie of the result as part of his GRAVITAS series. I have been showing this to the public for years. There is a point in the simulation where the resulting pattern looks (to my eye) *very* similar to NGC 5216 (Keenan system). Please see this image.

Granted that the physics is correct, it is remarkable that the Universe is large enough to express examples of all potential possibilities. This lends credence to the idea that astrophysical computer simulations may be predictive. Here the tidal stream that seems to connect the galaxies with their two counter-oriented tidal tails is represented well in the comparison!

This pattern exists only briefly in the full simulation (which you should check out). I guess I do better at finding patterns in galaxies rather than clouds - unless you just see the bunny rabbit.

~ Adam Block

Beautiful image! I just wondering what is it at (13:32:39, 62°42’52″). Is it a supernova? The object does not exist on DSS nor SDSS surveys. Thanks.

[jman]

because you get my point, don't you?

So you're telling me there's a chance... Ya!

[NoelC]

There are absolutely confirmed, 100% credible sightings of UFOs, all over the world, every day by completely trustworthy people. I'd stake my life on it.

U - UNIDENTIFIED

Literally, UFO means "There's something flying up there, but I can't tell what it is."

There there are things like this nicely Photoshopped image designed to make you BELIEVE (send in your credit card number now):





-Noel

[NoelC]

I just wondering what is it at (13:32:39, 62°42’52″). Is it a supernova? The object does not exist on DSS nor SDSS surveys. Thanks.

Ooh, I love questions like this.

This is the object to which you are referring, no?



I pulled POSS2 plate data from the DSS, and you're right, it doesn't show there:



Looking very closely and critically at it, it's too soft to be a point light source. And it's more symmetrical than most of the rest of the objects in the image.

If I had to guess I'd say it was a processing mistake - possibly an accidental click of a paintbrush tool on the image. Or possibly something put there on purpose to help identify the image if it should be repurposed.

-Noel