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Double Comet Spectacular... Maybe
jd writes "CNN is reporting that two comets, named NEAT and LINEAR after the obervatories that found them, may both be visible in the sky at the same time. The prediction is that they will first be seen in the southern hemisphere in mid-April, becoming visible in the northern skies in May. This is believed to be the first time these comets have passed through the inner solar system, so astronomers are hedging their bets on how bright they will be. Guesses range from plus infinity to minus infinity."
Been looking already. In fact, I could see the "Heaven's Gate" mothership in the tail before I even saw the nucleus. Yes, you've read it here first: Applethwait's coming home, and he wants his site back. Look out, cybersquatters!
I'm going to get ready, just like I did for Comet Kohoutek. I've got the bushel-baskets of 2-inch-high men all ready.
...so astronomers are hedging their bets on how bright they will be. Guesses range from plus infinity to minus infinity
Damn close minded scientists...are they even CONSIDERING a brightness level in the complex plane?
(I should point out that the sun has an apparent magnitude of only around -26, so minus infinity is a pretty damn bright comet.)
Maybe they should flip a coin to decide if the comets will be bright enough to see. ;)
"The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime and terror has been achieved." -- John Ashcroft
They're clustering comets now?
Integer type of infinity?
...
or
# of decimals between 1 and 0 type of infinity?
Sky and Telescope has had an estimated brightness chart posted since the beginning of February. The article has already been updated to say one of the comets is falling behind the initial estimated brightness. Basically - expect a good show if you have a telescope or a good set of binoculars - don't expect a spector of doom hanging in the sky...
So my guess is that behind the first one will be some intergalactic refugees running from the ship behind the second one which is loaded with intergalactic cops with kill-o-zap ray guns on their hips and a blinking red/blue light on the outside of the ship.
In order to save the helpless refugees stuck in an endless race for freedom, followers here on earth will help stick it to the man by committing suicide just in time so that as their souls rise towards the heavens, the cop ship will pass overhead and the souls will re-materialize on board their ship so that they can possess their bodies and crash the cop-mobile into earth and allow the refugees to get away.
The refugees, forever grateful towards the helpful earth citizens, will continue on their merry way and will not need to blow the earth up like they had planned (they were hoping that large chunks of earth would smash into the perusing police force and allow them to get away).
Hexy - a strategy game for iPhone/iPod Touch
The two comets collide, and the resulting super-comet makes a NEATly-LINEAR path directly toward Earth. :-o
(Spudley Strikes Again!)
Two comets? No problem. We'll just send the Messiah ion spacecraft to destroy one of them, and the Freedom and Independence experimental space shuttles after the other.
Two comets in the sky at the same time? That is obviously proof that our noble and benevolent (but egotistical and psychotic) God is preparing to punish us for destroying the sanctity of marriage! Oh wait...is this FreeRepublic or slashdot? Damn, there goes my karma!
"I think all foreigners should stop interfering in the internal affairs of Iraq"
-- Paul Wolfowitz, 7/21/2003
"Got it right" how? "On March 2 1979, FooBar Airlines flight 17 out of XYZ Airport will suffer engine failure and crash on takeoff", or "Somewhere near a major city in the late winter or spring there will be an accident involving a plane"?
And how many did he not get right? Make enough predictions and you'll have a few hits.
Tom Swiss | the infamous tms | my blog
You cannot wash away blood with blood