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ESA's Cluster Spacecraft Makes Shocking Discovery

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the celestial-shocker dept.

A recent observation by the ESA's Cluster Spacecraft was able to finally prove a 20-year-old theory. "On 24 January 2001, the four Cluster spacecraft were flying at an approximate altitude of 105 000 kilometres, in tetrahedron formation. Each spacecraft was separated from the others by a distance of about 600 kilometres. With such a distance between them, as they approached the bow shock, scientists expected that every spacecraft would record a similar signature of the passage through this region. Instead, the readings they got were highly contradictory. They showed large fluctuations in the magnetic and electric field surrounding each spacecraft. They also revealed marked variations in the number of solar wind protons that were reflected by the shock and streaming back to Sun."

9 of 137 comments (clear)

  1. Flight Recorder Captured it by joeflies · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wesley Crusher testified that the squadron was in Diamond Slot formation around Titan.

  2. So.... by Audent · · Score: 5, Funny

    WTF does that mean?

    I am SO not a rocket scientist.

    --
    I am a leaf on the wind
    1. Re:So.... by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

      I think it means we're going to have to send a tachyon pulse into that thing in order to reverse the polarity and stabilize the anomaly.

    2. Re:So.... by Jarjarthejedi · · Score: 5, Funny

      It means that the Starboard Manifold Coupling may overload due to Heisenberg Waves unless we can patch the Quantum Foam Warp Reactor Sealant before the Borg board us!

      --
      There are two kinds of fool One says 'This is old therefore good' Another says 'This is new therefore better'- Dean Ing
  3. Who else... by Lockejaw · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... didn't have to look up tetrahedron because they roll d4's every weekend?

    --
    (IANAL)
  4. Re:Who else... by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

    Who else didn't know what a tetrahedron was until the above poster noted that it was the shape of a 4 sided die?

  5. Re:geek needing moral support by ObjetDart · · Score: 5, Funny
    i love slashdot. i read it 24/7. and my gf just broke up with me

    Coincidence? I think not.

    --
    I read Usenet for the articles.
  6. Re:Who else... by Kohath · · Score: 4, Funny

    That's why they were effected with a bow shock.

    You're supposed to do your saving throws with a 20-sided die. You'll never save against anything with a tetrahedron.

  7. Re:Who else... by ookabooka · · Score: 5, Funny

    and finally: Who knew what a tetrahedron was, but didn't know what a "d4" was until the above poster stated it was a die with 4 sides?

    --
    If you are about to mod me down, keep in mind that this post was most likely sarcastic.