Slashdot Mirror


Blue Ring Around Uranus

ZedNaught writes "The BBC is reporting that 'astronomers have discovered that the planet Uranus has a blue ring - only the second found in the Solar System. Like the blue ring of Saturn, it probably owes its existence to an accompanying small moon.' According to the April issue of Science, the blue ring is one of two new outer rings recently discovered around Uranus using the infrared Keck adaptive optics system. The rings are blue and red like Saturn's E and G rings. The blue ring around Saturn hosts the moon Enceladus while the Uranus ring contains the moon Mab."

183 of 269 comments (clear)

  1. man... by eclectic4 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I should get that checked out....

    --

    "The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge." - Daniel Boorstin
    1. Re:man... by swingkid · · Score: 5, Funny

      I can't wait until 2620 so I don't have to hear Uranus jokes anymore.

    2. Re:man... by Bonker · · Score: 1
      --
      The next Slashdot story will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and slashdot the links early!
    3. Re:man... by DarkHelmet · · Score: 1

      It's better than a red ring. That sounds too close to something the goatse man would have.

      --
      /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
    4. Re:man... by springbox · · Score: 5, Funny

      Then the Urectum jokes will commence!

    5. Re:man... by Mike+Savior · · Score: 1

      Then you should get to a doctor, before it gets any worse.

      --
      space is pretty cool.
    6. Re:man... by ID10T5 · · Score: 1

      ...and then the U damn near killed him jokes...

    7. Re:man... by saforrest · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think the Farkers have already made every possible anus joke.

      I think that statement was true even before this latest news came out.

    8. Re:man... by Sterling+Christensen · · Score: 1

      I don't get it. Is the planet's name scheduled to be changed in 2620?

      Is it a reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey? I don't remember anything happening to Uranus in the books...

    9. Re:man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Futurama.

      Turn in ur geek card

    10. Re:man... by Forge · · Score: 3, Informative
      Put down those books and pick up a remote.

      Or just pray at the alter of wikipedia. Enlightenment WILL come.

      Eventualy

      --
      --= Isn't it surprising how badly I spell ?
    11. Re:man... by onwardknave · · Score: 1

      I'd like to see it renamed after the muse Urania, but I doubt mixing a Greek name into the Roman names would get much support among the purists.

    12. Re:man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative
      In the animated series Futurama (1999-2003), in 2620 the name of Uranus was changed to get rid of "That Stupid Joke" once and for all - but the new name is "Urectum" (The most common pronunciation for Uranus is a homophone for the English phrase "your anus").


      Mehhhh
    13. Re:man... by Brett+Johnson · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually, they had already found a red ring:

      "... the blue ring is one of two new outer rings recently discovered around Uranus using the infrared Keck adaptive optics system. The rings are blue and red like Saturn's E and G rings."

      I would love to have been the astronomer that got to stand up in front of a conference room full of scientists and said:
      "We have found a red ring around Uranus..." [Room erupts in laughter.]

    14. Re:man... by GuyverDH · · Score: 1

      I don't even want to know what you and the TidyBowl(tm) Man were doing together....

      --
      Who is general failure, and why is he reading my hard drive?
    15. Re:man... by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

      Don't you remember when the monolith told the human race to keep its fingers out of Uranus?

      --
      It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    16. Re:man... by anarkhos · · Score: 1

      Are you going to use a telescope or endoscope?

      --
      >80 column hard wrapped e-mail is not a sign of intelligent
      >life
    17. Re:man... by Dabido · · Score: 1

      'Don't you remember when the monolith told the human race to keep its fingers out of Uranus?'

      Willy Wonka [latest Johnny Depp version] probably didn't help when he transmitted a chocolate bar into that movie and now the monolith has turned into brown goo ... those apes will never listen to that advice now!!!!

      --
      Sure enough, the cow costume was hanging up next to the superhero outfit and sailors uniform. (S,Spud)
    18. Re:man... by macdaddy357 · · Score: 1

      Look out for the klingons, Jim! Huh huh huh huh.

      --
      How ya like dat?
    19. Re:man... by tigersha · · Score: 1

      Well, you've asked for it.

      Q. What's the correspondence between Captain Kirk and a piece of toilet paper?
      A. Both circle around Uranus and wipe out Klingons.

      --
      The dangers of excessive individualism are nothing compared to the oppressiveness of excessive collectivism
    20. Re:man... by Jetekus · · Score: 1

      I don't get it. Is the planet's name scheduled to be changed in 2620?

      Is it a reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey? I don't remember anything happening to Uranus in the books...

      Now I'd like you to think very carefully. You're asking: could something have happened to Uranus in the year 2620 in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey...

    21. Re:man... by Sterling+Christensen · · Score: 1

      Books plural. It went on past 2001.

    22. Re:man... by FiloEleven · · Score: 1

      From Wikipedia:

      "The most common pronunciation for Uranus is a homophone for the English phrase "your anus" and therefore has become the subject of many jokes in pop culture"

      Would it be in bad taste to edit and swap "subject" for "butt?"
      -f

  2. Come on now! by MechaShiva · · Score: 2, Funny

    How many Uranus jokes do people have to make before we finally get the name changed to something a little more tasteful? I'm thinking something along the lines of Urectum. Or do I have to wait around until 2620 to see that happen?

    --
    After calming me down with some orange slices and some fetal spooning, E.T. revealed to me his singular purpose.
    1. Re:Come on now! by MustardMan · · Score: 3, Funny

      Good news! It's a suppository!

    2. Re:Come on now! by deopmix · · Score: 1

      I was thinking something a little farther from Uranus than Urectum. Something like Urcolon mabye.

    3. Re:Come on now! by slizz · · Score: 5, Funny

      what's the same about star trek and toilet paper? they both circle uranus searching for klingons!

    4. Re:Come on now! by dunkelfalke · · Score: 1

      even worse in german. ur- is a prefix for something really old. think the rest for yourself.

      --
      Conservatism: The fear that somewhere, somehow, someone you think is your inferior is being treated as your equal.
    5. Re:Come on now! by Serengeti · · Score: 1

      Hey - if Uranus jokes are good enough for Dilbert , they're good enough for you!

    6. Re:Come on now! by thc69 · · Score: 1

      No worries...It will get where it's supposed to be sooner or later.

      --
      Procrastination -- because good things come to those who wait.
    7. Re:Come on now! by Spacejock · · Score: 1

      Blue ring round Uranus?

      So don't use cyan-coloured toilet paper.

    8. Re:Come on now! by eonlabs · · Score: 1

      "You can take these things and SHOVE 'EM UP YOUR ASS"
      ahref=http://www.biteycastle.com/angryManWindow.ht mlrel=url2html-32455http://www.biteycastle.com/ang ryManWindow.html>

      --
      I wouldn't consider the mad hatter mad. Just reality impaired. He sure can make a mean cup of tea.
    9. Re:Come on now! by eonlabs · · Score: 1
      --
      I wouldn't consider the mad hatter mad. Just reality impaired. He sure can make a mean cup of tea.
    10. Re:Come on now! by bckrispi · · Score: 1
      Q: What did Spock find floating in the toilet?

      A:The Captain's Log

      --
      Xenon, where's my money? -Borno
    11. Re:Come on now! by Whiteox · · Score: 1

      Funny that if you pronounce Uranus (Your Anus)- the proper English, is so droll nowadays, but if you pronounce it the American way, then it sounds like Urin(ous) which is just piss funny!

      --
      Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
  3. If ever.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    If ever there were a topic begging for a goatse post, this is it.

    1. Re:If ever.. by LiquidCoooled · · Score: 1

      A photoshopped one at that.

      --
      liqbase :: faster than paper
    2. Re:If ever.. by ettlz · · Score: 5, Funny

      It shows you how old and Slashdot-wise you have become when the first thing that pops into your head on mention of "Uranus" and "ring" is hello.jpg.

    3. Re:If ever.. by Fear+the+Clam · · Score: 1

      That's it! Goastse ringtones!

      I can already imagine the late-night tv ads for these.

    4. Re:If ever.. by ettlz · · Score: 1

      You are one sick bugger.

      That's it! Goastse ringtones!

      So what would the tune be, then? "Tunnel of Love" by Doris Day?

      Can't be any worse than Crazy Frog.

  4. Yeah but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    You should see the ring around the other guy...

  5. and in other news...... by PsychoElf · · Score: 5, Funny

    In other news, Uranus has filed suit against Neptune for making it pick up the soap, which Pluto clearly dropped.

  6. Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    You will see me around a lot today...

  7. Does that mean... by msauve · · Score: 4, Funny

    we've found the proverbial "blue moon?"

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    1. Re:Does that mean... by __aaclcg7560 · · Score: 1

      An unlimited supply of blue cheese, right?

    2. Re:Does that mean... by Dorceon · · Score: 1

      A blue moon is the second full moon in a single month. Historically it was the third full moon in a season that had four, back when 1 moon = 1 month and having a thirteenth was a real problem.

      --
      What sound do people on rollercoasters make? Hint: it's not Xbox 360.
  8. Ouch... by zmilo · · Score: 2, Funny

    I guess Papa Smurf forgot to clean up...

    1. Re:Ouch... by 13bPower · · Score: 1

      Phew, I was hoping I wouldn't have to be the one to make the papa smurf joke... He was always shirtless though, wasn't he? hmmm....

    2. Re:Ouch... by FuzzyBad-Mofo · · Score: 1

      And here I was, ready with my joke about power bottoms. Oh well..

  9. so perty by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Funny

    OMG! Pretty rainbows around a planet. Did they find ponies also?

    1. Re:so perty by Inquisitus · · Score: 2

      That was so last week.

    2. Re:so perty by From+A+Far+Away+Land · · Score: 1

      What's more surprising is that Slashdot didn't have a single anus joke on April Fool's Day. Where was the Goatse guy, when clearly he's made more people think "OMG" on Slashdot than anyone else, even Ponies.

      I though the "10th" Planet debate along with the Pluto planet debate were both more significant in the public eye than the questionable puns of the 7th planet, but I guess Slashdot has shown otherwise. We're more concerned with bum hole jokes than figuring out what the real definition of a planet is. What's the accepted name of Uranus in other languages anyway?

    3. Re:so perty by Jesus_666 · · Score: 1

      What's the accepted name of Uranus in other languages anyway?

      German: Uranus
      Danish: Uranus
      Finnish: Uranus
      French: Uranus
      Bahasa Indonesian: Uranus
      Hollandese: Uranus
      Norwegian: Uranus
      Romanian: Uranus
      Swedish: Uranus

      Home that helps.

      --
      USE HOT GRITS WITH STATUE OF NATALIE PORTMAN (NAKED AND PETRIFIED)
    4. Re:so perty by Escogido · · Score: 1

      In Russian, we most often leave off the -us and -as at the end of Latin words, so the Russian name for the planet is Uran [ooh-rahn] and the joke is lost.

      Incidentally, we also often leave other Latin endings, and that's why the Russian word for Uranus and Uranium is the same. Go figure.

  10. Humm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I, for one, salute our new blue ringed overlord.

  11. 21 comments later.... by east+coast · · Score: 5, Informative

    Still not a serious comment on the news story...

    In any case, I found it odd that when MSNBC reported on this a few days ago they called the ring "rare". Considering that we have a whole 8-10 planets to base this on (depending on who's definition you use of "planet") I would consider the 20-25% of "blue ring" planets to be fairly common. It's not like this is an albino Kodiak or some other anomaly.

    Aside from that have a blast mocking the planet for it's unfortunate name. What were they thinking? It's like naming a boy Sue or some such nonsense.

    --
    Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
    1. Re:21 comments later.... by ral8158 · · Score: 1

      Thanks a lot, you insensitive clod!

      -Sincerely, Sue.

    2. Re:21 comments later.... by LocoMan · · Score: 1

      At least according to the BBC article, what's rare isn't the ring itself but the fact that it's blue.

      Now insert random uranus joke here.. :)

    3. Re:21 comments later.... by east+coast · · Score: 1

      The number of comments for a sotry are listed with the story just under the blurb when looking at the "root listing" of the comments.

      --
      Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
    4. Re:21 comments later.... by DerekLyons · · Score: 1
      Aside from that have a blast mocking the planet for it's unfortunate name. What were they thinking? It's like naming a boy Sue or some such nonsense.
      They were probably thinking that good manners and decorum would remain the norm in society as they had for centuries.
    5. Re:21 comments later.... by BeanThere · · Score: 1

      Aside from that have a blast mocking the planet for it's unfortunate name. What were they thinking?

      Might be worth noting that in a British accent, "Uranus" sounds less like like "your anus" and a lot more like "you-ranus", one has to try to 'read it' with an American accent to really 'hear' the pun.

    6. Re:21 comments later.... by muonman · · Score: 2, Funny

      The problem in British pronunciation is that it sounds like 'urine-ous' which
      is still unfortunate, so you can't win.

      In either case I blame Tidy-Bowl.

      --
      Anything NOT worth doing is NOT worth doing well...
    7. Re:21 comments later.... by greg_barton · · Score: 1

      Still not a serious comment on the news story...

      What's up? Got a stick up yer blue ring?

    8. Re:21 comments later.... by Smauler · · Score: 1

      I'm with you about the lack of intelligent discussion - 1 futurama joke is fine, but why are they all modded funny? Any joke that involves "your anus" is not funny. Back to the point.

      What makes this particular ring blue? I don't believe that it is just, as the article claims, the fact that it is made up of small particles.

    9. Re:21 comments later.... by east+coast · · Score: 1

      Perhaps this merits some research by someone who knows language better than I. I can say I did some fast looking around and found that "your" is from old english whereas "anus" is latin (it means ring, imagine that).

      --
      Dedicated Cthulhu Cultist since 4523 BC.
    10. Re:21 comments later.... by drcagn · · Score: 1

      Uranus is the Latin version of the Greek Ouranos, which was one of the primordial gods. Seeing as all of the planets except Earth are named after the Roman gods, astronomers were probably thinking something along the lines of continuity.

      --
      Scorta futuere amo!
    11. Re:21 comments later.... by thc69 · · Score: 1
      Any joke that involves "your anus" is not funny.
      Right...and any cows that go "moo" do not fart methane.
      --
      Procrastination -- because good things come to those who wait.
    12. Re:21 comments later.... by rossdee · · Score: 1

      Surely planets are named after Roman gods, rather than their greek equivalents. (At least up to and including Pluto)

    13. Re:21 comments later.... by Dr.+Photo · · Score: 1

      It used to be called Herschel! :-D

    14. Re:21 comments later.... by arth1 · · Score: 1
      Surely planets are named after Roman gods, rather than their greek equivalents. (At least up to and including Pluto)


      Well, until recently, Pluto was inside Neptune's orbit...
      Anyhow, this is not true for Uranus -- the roman name is Caelus.
      There's many mixes of Roman and Greek -- we call it the heliocentric system (Helios is Greek, Sol is Roman), and there's also the moon name Rhea (Cybele) and Phoebe (Diana). And let's not forget Earth, which is called Gaia more often than Tellus.

      Even funnier is the name of Uranus' moons, which do not follow the convention of being named after ancient deities -- they're named after Shakespeare and Pope characters.
      Then agan, Uranus is an odd planet in and of itself too -- it is tilted on its side with each pole facing the sun less than once a year. Seasons on Uranus would be odd. It's also the most featureless planet, apart from its satellites and rings. It looks like a uniform cloud, and mostly, it is. There's none of the bands and storme spots of Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune -- it's just a cyan ball.

    15. Re:21 comments later.... by Whiteox · · Score: 1

      'Ouranos' - Our Anus???? Oh please no more!!!!
      This poor planet is getting a shiity name for itself isn't it.
      Why not change it altogether and call it something else.... like Septanus (7th Latin root) or Hepanus (7th Greek Root)?

      --
      Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
    16. Re:21 comments later.... by Whiteox · · Score: 1

      "Right...and any cows that go "moo" do not fart methane"
      HAHAHAHA Sucked in! Cows BURP Methane!

      --
      Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
    17. Re:21 comments later.... by ArsonSmith · · Score: 1

      Funny thing is I was just skimming the head lines and this was the only article I felt like checking the comments on. For some reason I got stuck with a huge grin after reading the head line and I needed comfort that I wasn't the only one. Then I got to your post and thought, "Damn this guy has a stick through his blue ring and up his anus."

      --
      Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
    18. Re:21 comments later.... by Firehed · · Score: 1

      And when pronounced correctly, it's more of "yer-ah-nis". It's just a very misguided culture we're all a part of. When you leave the "l" out of Pluto, it sounds like poo-toe, but that's wrong too. And when you switch the "V" to a "P"... well, you can figure it out.

      --
      How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
    19. Re:21 comments later.... by taursir · · Score: 1

      So, doesn't this mean there could be a sodium ring around the earth as a result of the moon?

    20. Re:21 comments later.... by thc69 · · Score: 1
      --
      Procrastination -- because good things come to those who wait.
    21. Re:21 comments later.... by Escogido · · Score: 1

      >Then agan, Uranus is an odd planet in and of itself too -- it is tilted on its side with each pole facing the sun less than once a year. Seasons on Uranus would be odd.

      could you please elaborate on this? how would seasons on Earth look if Earth would be like that?

    22. Re:21 comments later.... by Whiteox · · Score: 1

      Perhaps, although recent research in Australia in regard to global warming, has shown that cows burp methane rather than fart it, so they're trying different food additives to reduce metane production.

      --
      Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
    23. Re:21 comments later.... by Whiteox · · Score: 1
      --
      Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
    24. Re:21 comments later.... by Carbonated+Milk · · Score: 1
      ...and yet British pronounciations centuries ago were actually closer to American pronounciations today.

      http://www.wordorigins.org/histeng.htm#amer

  12. Not to make matters worse, but... by Progman3K · · Score: 4, Funny

    How is NASA going to pitch the missions?

    The Uranus Probes?

    I'd hate to be the mission-director for that one...

    --
    I don't know the meaning of the word 'don't' - J
    1. Re:Not to make matters worse, but... by numbski · · Score: 1

      What happens if we lose contact? "The probes bound for Uranus vanished mysteriously tuesday morning..."

      --

      Karma: Chameleon (mostly due to the fact that you come and go).

    2. Re:Not to make matters worse, but... by x1n933k · · Score: 1

      It says a lot about a culture when normal body parts are 'sick jokes' and distastful. Lets got see Scary Movie 4.

    3. Re:Not to make matters worse, but... by failedlogic · · Score: 1

      Nevermind the fact that the job title would have to go on his/her resume.

    4. Re:Not to make matters worse, but... by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      How is NASA going to pitch the missions? The Uranus Probes? I'd hate to be the mission-director for that one...

      A: "Hi, I'm the Mission Director for the Seventh Planet Orbiter."

      B: "Ah, you mean the Uranus probe!"

      A: "Uh, yeah"

    5. Re:Not to make matters worse, but... by cashman73 · · Score: 1
      "Why is it that today, everything either involves something going in, or coming out of, my ass?" -- Eric Cartman

  13. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by ScrewMaster · · Score: 1

    Some years ago during the science segment of a local news broadcast, the announcer was discussing Uranus, and he simply could not make himself pronounce it properly. He kept putting the accent on the first syllable, getting redder and redder the whole time. Finally he said it right, and everyone else just lost it completely and burst out laughing. One of the funniest things I've ever seen on the news.

    --
    The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
  14. Certainly by possumbs · · Score: 2, Funny

    a place where the sun don't shine...

  15. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by JFDMit · · Score: 1

    About fifteen years ago, news broadcasters here in the UK suddenly changed how they pronounce Uranus, placing heavy emphasis on the "Ur", shortening the "a" sound, and allowing the "nus" to trail off. This, of course fooled nobody.

  16. Oh Christ alive.. by Davey+McDave · · Score: 4, Funny

    Every single Slashdotter who thinks they're hilarious will inevitably make their way down the comments, groan that they weren't the first to the joke, and then attempt to make one anyway.. ... the thought clearly never crossed my mind! Ahem.

    --
    I've got the spirit, lose the feeling.
    1. Re:Oh Christ alive.. by chawly · · Score: 1

      He is at that - and He lives in Mexico City. It is not generally known but, apart from the gold ring round his head, He also has a blue one - but not round His head.

      --
      How many beans make five, anyhow ? ... Charles Walmsley
  17. Other news by TooMad · · Score: 4, Funny

    In other news the 10th 'planet' has finally been named Mykok, pronounced Mick Oak.

    1. Re:Other news by fishdan · · Score: 1

      Holy crap that was funny. Sucks I just blew my mod points! Ah -- someone will get here.

      --
      Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm
  18. moon disintegrating by lm747 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Quite interesting... Uranus' moon is part of the ring - the particles are hitting it - and the moon is slowly disintegrating. Wonder how long it will take for the moon to completely dissolve into the ring.

    --
    --- lm747
    1. Re:moon disintegrating by MichaelSmith · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Wonder how long it will take for the moon to completely dissolve into the ring.

      The density of the ring doesn't have to be much for it to be visible, and its mass at any one time will be a fraction of the mass of even a very small moon. I don't have the numbers but I suspect the life of that moon will be measured in billions of years, quite possibly longer than the life of the sun.

  19. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by afaik_ianal · · Score: 1

    I've always thought that makes it sound like "Urinous", i.e. made of urine. Maybe that's just me though.

  20. Someone s'plain to me by MilenCent · · Score: 2

    Does someone here know how Voyager missed this?

    1. Re:Someone s'plain to me by gellenburg · · Score: 1

      It was in a ratings slump.

      Enterprise did pick up on this however.

    2. Re:Someone s'plain to me by MilenCent · · Score: 1

      Wow, my LEGITIMATE QUESTION got downvoted from neutral for being "Overrated." Someone out there has an axe to grind.

  21. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by Eideewt · · Score: 1

    It's funny that even if you do mispronounce it like that, it comes out as "urine-us," which is just as bad.

  22. Re:man... blue and red by bazzman · · Score: 2, Funny

    Man walks in to the waiting-room at his doctors office.
    There is his old friend he hasn't seen in a while also waiting for his appointment.

    Man: - It's kind of embarrassing to say but I come here because I have a blue ring around my penis.

    Friend: - What a coincidence, I am here with a similar problem. I have a red ring around my penis.

    Friend goes in to doctors office and comes out after two minutes, smiling.

    Friend: - Doctor said I should not worry, just go and take a shower.

    Man goes into doctors office and doctor takes a look at his "problem".

    Doctor: - Sorry to say but I will have to amputate your penis.
    Man: - But that's not what you told my friend with almost the same problem.
    Doctor: - You have to understand that there is a clear difference between lipstick and gangrene.

  23. splashback by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 1

    Damn 2000 flushes splashback...

    --
    This guy's the limit!
  24. I must be colorblind.... by rubberbando · · Score: 1

    because its always looked brown to me...

    --
    DEAD DEAD DEAD DELETE ME
  25. As long as the ring is not red and itchy by melted · · Score: 4, Funny

    As long as the ring is not red and itchy, Uranus will be fine.

    1. Re:As long as the ring is not red and itchy by Lord+Ender · · Score: 1

      A little Astroglide lubricant will clear that up.

      --
      A slashdotter who didn't build his own computer is like a Jedi who didn't build his own lightsaber.
  26. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by fufubag · · Score: 1

    I freakin love how you Brits say Aluminum: awlyu-min'-ee-um. So sweet.

  27. uhhhh, dude? by chmod+a+x+mojo · · Score: 1

    Why are you look at my anus in the first place?

    --
    To err is human; effective mayhem requires the root password!
  28. Blue Angel rings by Easy2RememberNick · · Score: 1

    I mentioned, on another tech news website I won't name, they should be called the Blue Angel rings.

    1. Re:Blue Angel rings by Easy2RememberNick · · Score: 1

      Oh the shame :P

  29. Difference between moon an asteroid by scarlac · · Score: 1

    Can someone please explain what the difference between a "small moon" and a "large asteroid" is?
    By my own definition asteroids are something that are flying through space and moons are small planets/rocks that are orbiting something... I guess it comes down to definition of "a planet".

    Is it a matter of size or what? Why was "our" Moon not labeled: "Large Dustry Rock Orbiting Earth"?

    1. Re:Difference between moon an asteroid by MichaelSmith · · Score: 5, Informative
      Why was "our" Moon not labeled: "Large Dustry Rock Orbiting Earth"?

      Well thats exactly what it is, however the moons history orbiting earth has left it with a different composition from asteroids. The moon has hardly any water, while many asteroids are now known to have a lot of water.

      So the distinction is still important. The real gray area is with the small outer moons of Jupiter which are called moons but are certainly captured asteroids.

    2. Re:Difference between moon an asteroid by lorelorn · · Score: 3, Informative
      Every object in the solar system is either:

      a)orbiting the sun, or

      b)orbiting an object that is orbiting the sun.

      Asteroids orbiting the sun are called centaurs, and there are millions of them. Some asteroids are in orbit of planets, such as the moons of Mars. Saturn's moon Phoebe is almost certainly a captured asteroid, as are Jupiter's outer moons, and inner ones such as Amalthea.

      In general, the easiest difference between an asteroid and a 'small moon' is that a small moon has been pulled by its own gravity into a spherical shape.

      That's not a hard and fast definition though. Saturn's moon Hyperion is in an irregular shape (one side is basically sheared off) but there are smaller moons that have the spherical shape.

      Don't get too hung up on names. Our moon was called that long before the seventeenth century, which was the first time anything was found orbiting a body other than the sun.

    3. Re:Difference between moon an asteroid by Meetch · · Score: 1
      I had a theory about this some time ago... it basically boiled down to classifying objects by:
      • Whether the object is orbiting something else
      • The size of the object
      • The amount of work required to escape the object's gravity well - whether to escape altogether, or get into the partner object's gravity well.
      Of course, the easiest way to set boundaries for these involves some kind of galactic pogo stick to determine whether you can jump from one object to the next. :)
    4. Re:Difference between moon an asteroid by teebob21 · · Score: 1

      Courtesy of dictionary.com:

      Moon:

        A natural satellite revolving around a planet.

      Asteroid:

      Any of numerous small celestial bodies that revolve around the sun, typically with orbits lying chiefly between Mars and Jupiter and characteristic diameters between a few and several hundred kilometers.

      It all depends whether the space rock is question is at the mercy of the gravity of the Sun, or one of the planets.

      --
      khasim (12/9/06): In a blind taste test, more people preferred Coke over the Pepsi that I had previously pissed in.
    5. Re:Difference between moon an asteroid by wkitchen · · Score: 1

      Asteroids? Isn't that what Jimmy Carter had problems with?

    6. Re:Difference between moon an asteroid by bcmm · · Score: 1

      Also, our moon is big. Really big. It's been suggested that if it we didn't live here, Earth/Lunar would be classified as a binary planet.

      --
      # cat /dev/mem | strings | grep -i llama
      Damn, my RAM is full of llamas.
    7. Re:Difference between moon an asteroid by Dausha · · Score: 1

      "Don't get too hung up on names. Our moon was called that long before the seventeenth century, which was the first time anything was found orbiting a body other than the sun."

      Not so fast, Slick. Prior to Copernicus, all heavenly bodies orbited Earth. It's a fact. After Copernicus, things started orbiting the Sun. At least, that's what I learned in an Arkansas' public school.

      --
      What those who want activist courts fear is rule by the people.
    8. Re:Difference between moon an asteroid by woolio · · Score: 1

      Is it a matter of size or what? Why was "our" Moon not labeled: "Large Dustry Rock Orbiting Earth"?

      Because everyone knows the Moon is made of CHEESE

    9. Re:Difference between moon an asteroid by volpe · · Score: 1

      or c) *IS* the Sun.

  30. Papa Smurf.... by blankoboy · · Score: 1

    There's a punchline somewhere out there, trust me.

  31. Blue ring on Uranus? by RyoShin · · Score: 1

    Is that like putting shoe polish on the periscope/telescope?

  32. Re:Explanacion... by Ph33r+th3+g(O)at · · Score: 1

    el o el

    --
    I too have felt the cold finger of injustice.
  33. Even the tags are in on the joke... slightly. by Tavor · · Score: 5, Funny

    "[+] uranus, science, space, astronomy, anal (tagging beta)"

    --
    Windows has detected an undetectable error.
  34. blue ring... by the_odin · · Score: 1, Redundant

    Thats what happens when the water splashes up. Damn 2000 flushes...

  35. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by gnud · · Score: 2, Informative

    Please. Your way is just a spelling error that stuck.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium#Spelling

  36. This creates a new job title at NASA by gorehog · · Score: 4, Funny

    Upon discovery of the blue ring NASA administrators immediatly began a search for an Astroproctologist.

  37. How about a new mod then? by Weaselmancer · · Score: 1

    +1, Beavis.

    A-huhuh-huhuhuhuhuh....huhuhuh....

    --
    Weaselmancer
    rediculous.
  38. Goatse ringtones? by BluBrick · · Score: 1
    hehehe goatse ringtones. It works on so many levels!

    Anyway, perhaps a tune more relevant to this particular story would be better for a goatse ringtone. How about Crystal Gayle's "Don't it make your brown eyes blue".

    --
    Ahh - My eye!
    The doctor said I'm not supposed to get Slashdot in it!
    1. Re:Goatse ringtones? by badzilla · · Score: 1
      --
      "Don't belong. Never join. Think for yourself. Peace." V.Stone, Microsoft Corporation
  39. Strange timing... by Josh+teh+Jenius · · Score: 1

    A buddy of mine was just chatting some politics with me. He said I should cheer up. He said, 20 years from now, we will think nothing of it when our president does the "Beavis giggle" when discussing anything "sensitive". Having ended that conversation only to read this one, clearly, my friend is on to something here...

    --
    Math is math. Regular expression is regular expression. The tools are there. The future is now.
  40. Preparation H by rollingcalf · · Score: 2, Funny

    ... will help red rings, but has never been tested on blue ones.

    --
    ---------
    There is inferior bacteria on the interior of your posterior.
  41. That's only recently... by msauve · · Score: 1
    There have been a lot of meanings given to the phrase "blue moon" over time, the first documented one simply meant something which never occurred.

    http://www.ips-planetarium.org/planetarian/article s/folkloreBlueMoon.html

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  42. Change the name NOW! by Kunt · · Score: 1

    These Uranus jokes are getting out of hand. Really, why don't they just change Uranus's name to something less offensive? And please, no funny business with names like Miass or Butfuka, either! The joke's not funny. Not at all! Really. No.

    1. Re:Change the name NOW! by saiha · · Score: 1

      Agreed, it should be changed to Urectum

    2. Re:Change the name NOW! by vettemph · · Score: 1

      >> These Uranus jokes are getting out of hand. Really, why don't they just change Uranus's name to something less offensive?

      This, coming from a slashdotter named Kunt.

      --
      The government which is strong enough to protect you from everything is strong enough to take everything from you.
    3. Re:Change the name NOW! by suwain_2 · · Score: 1

      Finally, someone who can see beyond the obvious jokes and propose a serious solution to the problem.

      I propose that, in your honor, we name the planet after your username here.

      --
      ________________________________________________
      suwain_2 :: quality slashdot p
    4. Re:Change the name NOW! by Scarletdown · · Score: 1
      And please, no funny business with names like Miass or Butfuka, either! The joke's not funny. Not at all! Really. No.


      Admit it. You had tears streaming down your cheeks from laughing too hard while trying to make your post. ;)

      --
      This space unintentionally left blank.
  43. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by drcagn · · Score: 1

    And your way is just a suggestion by an Anonymous Coward. The creator of Aluminum himself named it "Aluminum," logically, because it came from the mineral alumina.

    --
    Scorta futuere amo!
  44. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by Theatetus · · Score: 4, Informative

    In fairness, the Greek was pronounced something closer to "oorenos" (with a long "o" at the end). The problem comes with putting a "y" before the "ou" vowel; that's an artifact of Latin.

    --
    All's true that is mistrusted
  45. Re:Ha Ha! by drcagn · · Score: 1

    As much as I'd like to be, I guess I really shouldn't be surprised at the amount of Uranus jokes on Slashdot. What, are we 10 now?

    --
    Scorta futuere amo!
  46. A thought occurs... by RobbieGee · · Score: 3, Funny

    The thought occurs that since the ring is blue, it might have formed by some object having rammed Uranus pretty hard. This doesn't fully explain the red ring, but in either case, this theory sounds good on the whole.

    --
    If you get this, we're 10 of a kind.
  47. there are other causes by sl4shd0rk · · Score: 1, Funny

    eating smurfs.

    --
    Join the Slashcott! Feb 10 thru Feb 17!
  48. Re:What the fuck? by thc69 · · Score: 1
    That's gotta be the weirdest comment spam I've seen in a while. And, incidentally, the first comment spam I've ever seen on /.
    You must be new here.
    --
    Procrastination -- because good things come to those who wait.
  49. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by solferino · · Score: 3, Informative
    In fairness, the Greek was pronounced something closer to "oorenos" (with a long "o" at the end). The problem comes with putting a "y" before the "ou" vowel; that's an artifact of Latin.

    Exactly.

    Uranus is the Latinized form of Ouranos, Greek name of the sky. The 'yu' pronunciation is an example of an iotated vowel. The derivation from the Greek shows that the 'yu' sound is an artifact. I am not aware if it came in with the Ancient Roman pronunciation of the latinised version or whether it has come in only recently with the English pronunciation of the latinised spelling. I suspect the latter. Some English speakers seem to like to iotate 'u' sounds, an example being 'nyuclear'.

    Most dictionaries give the un-iotated version as a possible pronunciation and I certainly find it a less compromising pronunciation to use.

  50. Re:Coffee Rings... by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1, Funny

    Does your dad tell you to bend over and spread your countertop when he visits?

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  51. oblig F'rama by sacrilicious · · Score: 1
    (testing the smelliscope, a device for smelling distant objects)

    Fry: "Hey, as long as you don't make me smell Uranus." *laughs*
    Leela: "I don't get it."
    Professor: "I'm sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all."
    Fry: "Oh. What's it called now?"
    Professor: "Urectum."

    --
    - First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then ???, then profit.
  52. NASA tried to change the name by PizzaFace · · Score: 4, Informative

    Do you remember some years ago when the first probe visited Uranus? The astronomers couldn't talk about "our probe of Uranus" with straight faces, so they changed the planet's pronunciation from "your anus" to "urinous." Not that "our urinous probe" is much better, if you ask me.

    1. Re:NASA tried to change the name by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      And Spitting Image had this news on their skit of the BBC news. With the rider:

      "Scientists have also found a new moon around oorinus, and have named it boomholly" (spelled bumhole).

  53. Not so fast! by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 3, Funny

    German: Ihr Anus
    Dutch: uw anus
    French: vos anus
    Italian: il vostro anus
    Portuguese: seu anus
    Spanish: su anus

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
    1. Re:Not so fast! by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      I'd use the informal pronouns.

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  54. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

    Even worse, it sounds like urine-ass. Good way to get a rash.

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  55. Re:Why it has it's name. by Whiteox · · Score: 1, Funny

    HAHAHAHAHA! "It is a gas giant..." HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

    --
    Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
  56. I'm a professional astronomer. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Early in my career I worked at a city observatory and planetarium where among other duties I had to help with public visits. Damn near every single guy who walked through the doors immediately cracked some lame Uranus joke, and then expected us to laugh, as if it was the funniest, most original thing we'd ever heard. They were always amazed that we weren't rolling on the floors afterwards.

    I fucking hate that planet now.

    1. Re:I'm a professional astronomer. by Kunt · · Score: 1

      I agree. I'm not that old, but it amazes me that younger colleagues crack jokes that must be 40 or even 50 years old sometimes, simple puns that I first heard when I was 10. And they still find them hilarious! Like my English teacher always said, punners should be pun-ished.

  57. How different from Neptune's rings? by redelm · · Score: 1
    OK, so all the gas giants in our SS have rings. What's special about these ones?

  58. Blue Ring Around Uranus by Jorkapp · · Score: 1

    I wonder...

    Blue Ring Around Uranus

    Do the slashdot editors even read the HEADLINE?

    --
    Frink: Nice try floyd, but you were designed for scrubbing, and scrubbing is what you shall do.
  59. Ob. dilbert by ross.w · · Score: 1

    You need one of these then.

    --
    If my call is important, why am I talking to a recording?
  60. TidyBowl by dogbreathcanada · · Score: 1

    Somebody got splashed with the TidyBowl.

  61. Uhh.. huh-huh-huh! by OmgTEHMATRICKS · · Score: 1

    Cue Futurama jokes about smelling Uranus.

  62. Re:Coffee Rings... by Firehed · · Score: 1

    Where's "+1, Wrong on so many levels but still somehow funny" mod?

    --
    How are sites slashdotted when nobody reads TFAs?
  63. let me just say by atarione · · Score: 1

    WORST PLANET NAME EVER....

    seriously did nobody think of this when they name Uranus??????

    --
    actually I am happy to see you, however that is in fact a banana in my pocket.
  64. Missed the MST3K by cgenman · · Score: 1

    Let's probe Uranus.

    Uranus is big and gassy.

    Hey Servo, we need to go to Uranus and wipe out the Klingons.

  65. Except... by turgid · · Score: 1

    ...in scientific circles, we pronounce "Uranus" "your-an-us" not "your anus".

    And it is definitely "Orion's sword," and not *taht* kind of sword you dirty little geeks.

    1. Re:Except... by Brett+Johnson · · Score: 1

      I know how the planet's name is pronounced in American scientific circles.
      I also know that many scientists love word play and are the best punsters I have ever met.

    2. Re:Except... by DataCannibal · · Score: 1

      Yeah Yeah... and the planet Bumhole is pronounced Bumholly

      (for old Spitting Image fans)

      --
      No but, yeah but, no but...
  66. Re:Why it has it's name. by DaTruth · · Score: 1

    This is a serious question... Is Uranus in the Milky Way??? This is serious, our solar system is in the milky way or outside of it??? ----------------- I take astronomy serious, but comedy is seriously needed and I have laughed in front of the pc about 7 times now!

  67. Re:Why it has it's name. by DaTruth · · Score: 1

    The name should be kept, It can be used to help market astronomy more. USE IT like evidently SLASHDOT did!!! A bad side effect could be that comedians would probably die of starving!

  68. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "In fairness, the Greek was pronounced something closer to 'oorenos'"

    This raises the point how we somehow insist on pronouncing words from other languages as if they are English when they are not.

    Most people do not pronounce kilometer (kilo-meter not kil-OM-eter'), diplodocus (die-ploh-doh-cuss not dip-PLOD-duh-cuss) and archeopteryx (ark-ay-oh-tear-icks not ar-key-OP-tuh-ricks') correctly either.

    In reality, Uranus is pronounced 'throat-wobbler mangrove' (;P)

  69. I couldn't help it, I didn't notice the toilet bowl cleaner when I sat down... Now I have this friggin blue ring around my anus.

  70. Re:as opposed to... by Scarletdown · · Score: 1

    I think your post got modded redundant because the brown ring joke had already been posted a couple times higher up in the discussion.

    This is why before I hit submit after previewing a post, I reload the thread just to make sure someone else hasn't said what I'm saying already.

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
  71. Re:as opposed to... by Scarletdown · · Score: 1

    Just out of curiosity, anyone here have any idea how many anal-oriented jokes this article has spawned here so far?

    Would it be a buttload, shitload, assload, crapload, or fuckload?

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
  72. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by fufubag · · Score: 1
    Actually, from reading your link, it looks like the error brought it back to the original:

    Aluminium, for so we shall take the liberty of writing the word, in preference to aluminum, which has a less classical sound. (Q. Review VIII. 72, 1812)

    While this did show my typical American ignorance , I wasn't being facetious. I do like the sound of the word. I will, however, stick with the true original name aluminum.

  73. Every possible anus joke by metamatic · · Score: 1

    Screw the farkers, I refer you to my response to a previous Slashdot Uranus story.

    http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/09/2 6/190223

    --
    GCHQ Quantum Insert installed. If only our tongues were made of glass, how much more careful we would be when we speak
  74. Re:Coffee Rings... by Ohreally_factor · · Score: 1

    Yeah, I apologize. It was wrong. I'll do anything for a laugh. Even call someone a human coffee table.

    --
    It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.
  75. Re:Pronounced: YUR-UH-NUS by Scarletdown · · Score: 1
    Yur-uh-nus


    So in other words, we lose all the ass jokes and get subjected to piss jokes (which just aren't as funny as ass jokes IMHO.)

    --
    This space unintentionally left blank.
  76. Re:Should be "Brown Ring around Uranus" by Randall_Jones · · Score: 1

    Mine still has that "new, almost unused" beautifully tight pink ring...
    you're doing something wrong if your girlfriend's ass looks "almost unused". My girlfriends ass is all busted out like a lady baboon's.

  77. For some reason... by Veneratio · · Score: 1

    For some reason this popped into my head: There's a ring around Uranus and its blue There's a ring around Uranus and its blue There's a ring around Uranus and its here to entertain us There's a ring around Uranus and its blue! Hey, if someone else can post the whole greek/latin background of where the word Uranus came from, im NOT the saddest person in the room ;)

    --
    "Sarcasm is for *winners*, Alan." - Charlie Harper (Two and a Half Men)
  78. Re:man... Depending upon your AIMS and GOALS... by davidsyes · · Score: 1

    I supposit, uumm, suppose, or posit that this could make for more than "missile-aneous reeding"...

    Now, imagine the jokes if it were pronounced "urine-us"...(YOU'RE-n-USS")

    (image word: "joyfully")

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  79. Re:man... FINALLY, some place the US won't want to by davidsyes · · Score: 1

    be FIRST:

    "We intend to be the FIRST in EVERTHING: Militarily, technologically, economically.... That means we intend to be the FIRST to plant a flag on URANUS... And IFFFF somehow you beat us to URANUS, we'll play capture the f(L)ag there and viciously knock over or clip and chop down your poles mounted on URANUS..."

    Yeh, we can then rewrite the Star Spangled Banner...

    "Oh, say can you STREAM, by the BROWN dirty LIGHT?
    What so PROUDLY we ASSailed, by the tight-light that's GLEAMING....

    Oh, say does that stank-pole there tattered and stained...

    From the POHH-kets of deBRIS..."

    Nah.. with so much potential to be lambasted and ASSaulted politically, MAYBE just MAYBE a smaller country will be allowed to be FIRST for a change...

    (As a "frickin' Alien", I declare the right to ridicule ANY terran words... but, since I was deposited on this rock without a choice in birth canals, I only know (for now) THOSE flag-related tunes...)

    --
    Previously: "Linux... Toward the Sunrise..." Now: "Linux... Toward the-- No, now, part of Every Sunrise"
  80. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 1

    That explains the red ring.

    --
    Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
  81. Re:as opposed to... by ehrichweiss · · Score: 1

    Good advice there about reloading. I guess it never occurred to whoever modded that the time span might only be a few seconds from the first post to mine.(I dunno, I ain't bothering to go through that again)

    --
    0x09F911029D74E35BD84156C5635688C0
  82. not alone by koroviev+(begemot) · · Score: 1
    Actually there is this small planet discovered not long ago called "Huya". This means "the penis" in all Slavonic languages

    http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s930305 .htm

    Quite a few jokes circulated after those news, such as: "Two young astronomy students sit on a beach, watch the stars, until the guy says romantically "where would you rather be, on the ground (=Earth) or on Huya"..

    mm doesnt quite work in English though..

  83. Re:Let's face it, we all sniggered by fusion9290991 · · Score: 1

    ...or in GW's case (among others), "nyucular" :)

    --
    remember to loot and pillage before you burn!