Slashdot Mirror
NEAT Comet Crossing: Internet Telescopes
An anonymous reader writes "During a large solar coronal mass ejection, this week's NEAT Comet crossing, gave some spectacular film footage. While no comet with such a small nucleus has ever survived that kind of close solar approach (one-fourth of Mercury's orbit) without fragmenting, this one did-- and is now outward bound on its 370 century roundtrip. These new comet discoveries have filled the log files of the now 70 big robotic telescope projects, most of which are being connected to the internet. The largest ($3 M) research-class one for public use--the Hawaiian Faulkes Project--will see first light in 45 days."
70 big robotic telescope projects, most of which are being connected to the internet
Extra credit to the first apache/IIS hacker who points one of these directly at the sun and blows out the camera's retina.
Mordor...a magical, mythical land where women are more rare than dragons--but where every man would rather find a dragon
The Hawaiian Faulkes Project telescope's servo motors ripped the telescope apart today due to an extraordinarily large amount of users trying to point the telescope at various points in the sky at the same time.
Rumor has it that the trouble started approximately 5 minutes after a story on the telescope appeared on the website "Slashdot.org", something commonly refered to as "/.ing".
A representative by the name of "CmdrTaco" of slashdot.org said only "No Comment" when asked about issues of liability.....
People are more violently opposed to fur than leather
because it's safer to harass rich women than motorcycle gangs
From one of the articles:
"Faulkes is currently trying to persuade time-pressed teachers - who are more reluctant than he envisaged - to get involved with the project."
Reluctant teachers are the types who would keep school dull and disconnected from the real world. It is amazing how, even in adulthood, I find myself going back and actually learning things I was supposed to have learned in school. It always comes in the context of a project I may get involved with. Way back in school, when that bit of knowledge was disconnected from any real world application, I found it hard to keep my focus. When that bit of knowledge relates to my life, I find it extremely fascinating.
In the face of such an interesting activity, "reluctant teachers" should be summarily fired.
What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
I posted this story 37,000 years ago, the last time the comet came through. You'd think Taco'd get these things straight.
Wow. You mean we got lucky enough to see something that hasn't happened even once in the several billion years the Solar System has been around?
I suppose he could have said "we haven't seen anything like this happen before", but that would be so boring in comparison.