This past week it has been surprisingly clear in the middle of the night when I have had to take the pups out to pee before settling in for the night. The clear night sky is delightful. I wish there were not as much visual clutter as there is because I love looking at the stars. Anyway… as of late I have been watching Mars slowly wind its way across the sky. It is amazing to see a little bright red spot in the sky. Anyway… we just put a satellite in orbit around Jupiter and we have man-made satellites in orbit around Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter. We have had probes do flyby’s of all the planets and even our weird dwarf planet, Pluto. Therefore this week’s topic is the planets.
Now that I am looking at the numbering... this one should have been about guns. 357 Magnum, baby!
Thanks this week go to Bruce, Kallie, Lsig, Some Other Guy, Little Man, and Q… onto the questions:
1. Thoughts on us getting a space elevator operational?
With SpaceX and Blue Origin basically democratizing space, I think the insane cost to get a space elevator constructed will make it infeasible in the near future. As long as re-usable rockets are in play, it will be difficult to make a space elevator fiscally viable. That being said, I could easily see a space elevator being used for Mars or Titan.
2. Going back to our moon any time soon or ever?
We will need to use the Moon as a layover for other solar system travel at some point. The raw materials there will help to construct the first mining colonies in the belt.
3. Manned mission to other planets or other planets' moons?
Yes. With current thrust and human habitability requirements it would take at least 150-ish days but more likely 300 days to get to Mars from the Earth. That time frame is narrowing every time there is an advance in rocket propulsion. Eventually the time frame will be about 3 to 4 months and that is what the sea voyage from Europe to the New World cost timewise in the 1500’s… at that point, we are actively colonizing.
4. Mining in space? - moons, planets, asteroids?
Yes. It only makes sense to mine asteroids. There is more platinum in 2 or three asteroids than there is in all of the Earth, and who knows about the quantity of rare earth metals.
5. Life on other (local) planets &/or moons?
I find that highly unlikely that we will find any life currently anyplace in our solar system. I think we might find evidence of life having died out on Mars eventually though.
6. Now that we know there is water on Pluto, what sort of creatures do you imagine live there?
Frozen fish
7. Why do people from other planets all speak English, often with a British accent?
Because other planets are hoity-toity…
8. Why do Tattooine and Jakku look so much alike?
Because while the Goldilocks Zone around stars allow for life, some planets are like Papa Bear’s porridge, “Too hot.” Hoth is like Mama Bear’s porridge. There is no baby bear porridge planet in star wars that I can think of. Maybe that place that Maz was on.
9. Has there ever been a planet Janet hasn't seen?
And there’s never been a planet Janet hasn’t seen.
10. Are there any planets in our solar system you would like to visit?
Of the all, I would say Mars. Mercury and Venus are too hot and it is questionable if the rest have any way of “visiting.”
11. Do you think there is any intelligent life out there?
Yes. The Universe is too vast for the possibility of intelligent life only occurring in one small instance. Do I think we will ever meet up with an intelligent lifeform? Nope, I also think the Universe’s vastness will preclude any contact with others.
12. How do planets keep spinning?
Planets are dizzy, yo. It has to do with non-Newtonian physics, which is different than non-Newtonian liquids like ketchup.
13. Why is Pluto considered a dwarf planet?
Because it has an elliptical orbit and is just plain weird and small.
14. How many miles is it to go around the Sun on the Earth? How long is our orbit?
940,000,000 km or 584,000,000 mi. Potentially it is πAu², right?
15. How far is from Saturn to Titan?
1,221,870 km or 759,235 mi.
16. Why in the Star Wars universe to planets have only one biome?
Lazy writing, and poor world building.
17. If you had your own planet what would it be called?
Gormalaithe
18. Planet X, is it real?
I think so. I imagine it is in the Kuiper Belt, and may not, by definition be an actual planet because its orbit is not clear. Recently there was some article about how astrophysicists were narrowing down the area that it could be. I tried googling the article, but almost all the returns were some weird conspiracy theory about Planet X causing a mass extinction in April. Spoiler alert: It didn't.
19. Is there a mysterious planet exactly opposite of us in our orbit around the sun?
Oooh, 2 planetary conspiracies back to back. These questions must be from the lizardmen. Nope. That is a doofy idea. It is honestly a science fiction idea that an author proposed because it would be an interesting idea.
20. Why do some planets go faster than others?
Some planets feel the need… the need for speed.
To recap:
I guess the kiddos know about this thing now
So… I have that going for me?
Ugh… I guess they will find out how I really feel now
It could be worse, I still love them
Even though they can be incredibly annoying
In fact, I love them in spite of the fact that they are incredibly annoying
Really filth flarning annoying
The pups go into get fixed tomorrow
I did not know they were broken
#DadJoke
I have to draw more
I need to carve out the time and just make myself draw
I have a bunch of pencils done that I need to ink
I have a Cyborg, and Adam Strange, a Dishonored Thor Odinson, and a few others
I also need to clean the ratties cage out... its stinky in there and I can't clean the office and use the treadmill until that thing is clean
These puppies make it difficult to do things around here... can't let the ratties run around when the pups could snack on them
Have a great week everyone