Galaxy Zoo Produces a Rare Specimen 188
We discussed the Galaxy Zoo project soon after it launched last summer. Science News is now following developments about an odd celestial object
that is fueling a lot of excitement among astronomers around the world. In August, a Dutch schoolteacher named Hanny, in the process of characterizing galaxy images, noticed a peculiar object and posted a query about it on the Galaxy Zoo blog. She called it a "Voorwerp," which Science News says is Dutch for "thing" but which Google translates as "subject." Hanny's Voorwerp emits mostly green light (the earlier report said blue). The best guess astronomers have now is that the Voorwerp is emitting "ghost light," i.e. it is "lit by the ultraviolet light and X-rays from a quasar that has vanished in the last 100,000 years," to quote astronomer Bill Keel. "As far as we can tell, it's an unprecedented thing," Keel added. Researchers are scrambling to book time on the Hubble and other major telescopes to get a closer look.
image in the post? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:image in the post? (Score:5, Funny)
Do you mean Borg Gates isn't good enough for you?
Hey.... (Score:5, Funny)
It is an Excession.. (Score:5, Funny)
Voorwerp? (Score:5, Funny)
I didn't know that was a word.
That was the sound I made last time I threw up.
Whodathunkit.
Obviously An Ad For... (Score:4, Funny)
What's the rush? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:image in the post? (Score:3, Funny)
Images on slashdot is about as dangerous as images in email. At least they included an alt tag.
Re:Voorwerp? (Score:4, Funny)
Zoo (Score:2, Funny)
Where is the "Don't feed the Voorwerp" sign?
Re:What's the rush? (Score:2, Funny)
Some astronomers want to use the Hubble telescope to beat other astronomers?
I always thought these guys were just a bunch of nerds, but now they're going to get physical and become violent?
Re:image in the post? (Score:2, Funny)
this is the first time I've ever seen slashdot put an image in the post- welcome to 2001, guys!
They figured we were all blinded by goatse.
Re:What's the rush? (Score:5, Funny)
To beat the other astronomers.
Re:It is an Excession.. (Score:1, Funny)
Where's the Sleeper Service?
Re:image in the post? (Score:1, Funny)
Borg Gates should be enough for anyone
Re:I'd say... (Score:3, Funny)
It might be a threat. Destroy it! (Score:2, Funny)
I recommend photon torpedoes.
Thing at sector 5, 7 : "AAAAAIIIIIIIEEEEEEEAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Thing at sector 5, 7 : "HACK! HACK! COUGH! *CHOKE!*"
Mr. Spock : "FASCINATING!"
Re:Obviously An Ad For... (Score:5, Funny)
whoever did that (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Voorwerp? (Score:5, Funny)
Mind if I go off-topic for a moment, since there is an expert in the room? No, good.
Several years ago, when I was in France, I took a group of children to racing stables where they bred racing horses - a stud farm. While we were walking around, we met a charming, well-spoken Dutch couple in their 60s who chatted about this and that, and then indicating the breeding stables asked "So, tell me - do you have fuckeries like this England?" At least that's what I'm 90% sure they said.
I presume that "fuck" exists in the Dutch language and that their on-the-fly translation attempt misfired?
Re:Voorwerp? (Score:5, Funny)
A Dutch guy talks to an English guy:
D: I fok horses!
E: Pardon?
D: Yes, paarden!
Explanation: the term "fok horses" is the above misconjunction of fokken -> to fuck, instead of breed, and pardon, when spoken, can be misconstrued as "paarden" which is dutch for "horses".
Re:Voorwerp? (Score:3, Funny)
Oh, come on, I speak 3 languages and I still thought it was fucking hilarious.