Saturday 6 March 2010

In support of Simon Singh

... And to lend weight to the argument against irrational and dangerous libel laws.... please sign and pass on to friends.. http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/index.php/site/project/334

Friday 5 March 2010

...A spanner long enough... (Thank you CG)


In an attempt to breathe life into these pages and finding it hard to liberate enough time for local inspiration, I am recording a couple of mysteries from a little further afield... Normal service will resume in a short while...

I have been aware of these strange features of our local neighbourhood for a while and have perhaps kept them in reserve for such a hiccup in continuity.

The Geysers on Enceladus and a trick that you can do...


The surface of this beautiful moon of Saturn is composed of ice. Not exclusively water Ice but a mixture of water and hydrocarbons making it the biggest self extinguishing bomb in the locality.

Until the recent fly pasts by American probes, the pristine, uncluttered surface of this moon was a mystery to extra terrestrial 'geologists'. That Enceladus could remain so smooth and comparatively unmarked by meteorites seemed to belie it's position, nestling beside the gas giant Saturn. The planet's gravity would seem to guarantee more damage to it's face by attracting lumps of rock en passant.

Then the geysers were discovered. Colossal plumes of water reaching out into space not only recovered the surface after damage but have also contributed to the outer rings of Saturn. What drives these monstrous fountains is uncertain...

The illustration above is a stereoscopic image. If you sit approximately 10 inches away and squint until you can squint no more, the geyser will appear in 3D. Good luck.

Next...

The temperature of the solar corona.


The outer surface of the sun is not the limit of it's radiance. That 'diamond ring' that appears at eclipse is as close to a direct observation of the Corona as you would wish for. The temperature of this feature not only beggars belief but also appears to confound at least two of the laws of thermodynamics..

6000 Kelvin to well over 1×106 Kelvin. The reasons why are currently conjectural but may have to do with magnetism and that...

The 'Nut' at the top of Saturn.

Now here's a thing...


It seems that the winds of Saturn, largely Hydrogen and Helium but with traces of the aforementioned Hydrocarbons too are driven in such a way as to create this gigantic, hexagonal shape. It sits permanently at the north pole, gently rotating in relation to the prevailing gales.

I love these anomalies. It comes as a comfort to the skeptical mind that there are unsolved mysteries left to fantasise about. We have successfully debunked the 'Face on Mars' and no longer consider the moon our only satellite.

In the face of these odd phenomenae the conspiracy lot whisper.. 'Coincidence?'. In the true spirit of effective bus advertising... I say, 'Probably, yes'.

I thank you...