explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2253: Star Wars Voyager 1

2020-01-18T20:21:31Z

172.69.63.231:

;Rate of increase
Given that the first Star Wars movie and Voyager I were "released" around the same time, and that over the years Voyager has been getting further away while more Star Wars movies have been realeased, I wonder how often the time it takes for a message to reach Voyager I has been exactly the same as the total runtime of Star Wars movies at that date. Like, how far away was Voyager when Revenge of the Sith was released? This would make for an interesting graph.

RANDALL CAN YOU HEAR ME? MAKE A GRAPH PLS {{unsigned|Alcatraz ii}}
:Yes that could be interesting actually. Sadly I believe Randall keeps clear of such sites as this so he will not see you request. Remember to sign your comments, and try not to add new sections in the comments. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 08:31, 10 January 2020 (UTC)
::After I made the table... If someone find out how long Voyager was away on the release of episode number 2-8 then we can easily make the graph our selves to find out how many times it has happened. For sure it must have occurred between film 3 and 4. And probably again between 6 and 7? --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:46, 10 January 2020 (UTC)

How accurately is the position of Voyager I known? I think this comic came out earlier in the day than usual, and I found myself wondering if there's public data precise enough to calculate this momentous occasion to within an hour, or even a minute. [[User:Angel|Angel]] ([[User talk:Angel|talk]]) 10:18, 10 January 2020 (UTC)
:I believe this is known extremely precise since we are still in radio contact with it. But for sure there should be a link. Given the title text I think it is not important when it was released. Just a few seconds extra will add long time to Voyagers travel. That time should also be part of the final explanation. As what the possible longest time all episodes could reach given the longest possible calculation of the total time. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 10:32, 10 January 2020 (UTC)
::Link here: [https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status/ Mission status]. Although I'm not sure an historic view of this data exists anywhere... [[User:Jotomicron|Jotomicron]] ([[User talk:Jotomicron|talk]]) 10:49, 10 January 2020 (UTC)
:::Thanks great. I have added a screen shot of the light distance today to the explanation along with the link. I have written most of the explanation by now, table and transcript also. But could probably need some cleanup. I really tried to find a way that Randall did not come up with this comic too late, but maybe the rounding down idea is too far fetched? But then I cannot see any other way to save the title text. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:57, 10 January 2020 (UTC)

You know, Randall is the only person I know who regularly talks about themed parties. I've never actually known them to be a particularly common thing. Nonetheless, it seems to be a recurring theme on XKCD. [[User:Hawthorn|Hawthorn]] ([[User talk:Hawthorn|talk]]) 12:03, 10 January 2020 (UTC)
:Maybe but this is not a themed party, just a party to celebrate an event. A theme party to me is when you dress like in the 20s... :p, either one. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 13:43, 10 January 2020 (UTC)
: Uh oh, now you've done it. The rules of the Meta-verse require that you host an "XKCD party themes" theme party. [[User:Iggynelix|Iggynelix]] ([[User talk:Iggynelix|talk]]) 14:40, 10 January 2020 (UTC)

According to wikipedia: the title of "Auld Lang Syne" that Beret Guy signs in the last picture <<may be translated into standard English as "old long since" or, more idiomatically, "long long ago">>, this could be a reference to SW's "Long long time ago..."
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.134.112|162.158.134.112]] 13:55, 10 January 2020 (UTC)

;A few additional thoughts:
It shouldn't be too hard to figure the distance (and therefore radio travel time) to Voyager I back into the past because once it was beyond the last planet visited (Saturn, in 1980) - both Voyagers have mostly been in free-fall under (predominantly) the sun's gravity only - so the math isn't that hard unless you need really razor-sharp precision.

Voyager II would be a lot harder because it also did fly-by's of Uranus and Neptune in '86 and '89 - which each changed it's speed quite noticeably - and those encounters happened after the first three movies were released.

But for a reasonable approximation - Wikipedia already has that chart: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voyager_1#/media/File:Voyager_speed_and_distance_from_Sun.svg]. You can see that after about 1981 (ie roughly around episode V and certainly after VI), both distance and velocity graphs are almost a straight line. So even then, the effect of the sun's gravity was really tiny and could probably be neglected unless you need REALLY high precision.

A much bigger issue for party-planning is the diameter of the Earth's orbit around the sun. That's not a negligible factor here - because it adds a variance of about +/- 500 light-seconds to any calculation...and +/-8.3 minutes of seasonal adjustment is critical in figuring out when to hold the party.

[[User:SteveBaker|SteveBaker]] ([[User talk:SteveBaker|talk]]) 17:25, 10 January 2020 (UTC)

:: Yep, as far as I can tell, right now Voyager is behind the sun and we are chasing it. The heliocentric velocity is about ten times the geocentric judging by the estimated distance tickers. Over the next six months that lightspeed delay will begin to drop down again.[[Special:Contributions/162.158.159.102|162.158.159.102]] 09:57, 13 January 2020 (UTC)
::: As of Jan 18, https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status/ gives the one way light travel time as 20:36:51. Clearly the speed away from the Earth has been overestimated, at least for the current month. So there is more time to plan parties than calculated.[[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.231|172.69.63.231]] 20:21, 18 January 2020 (UTC)

Sometimes I wonder if Randall sits around trying to think of comic ideas that will force the Explain Wiki editors to do a lot of research and table-making. (if this doesn't look like a lot of research to you, remember that "a lot" is subjective) [[Special:Contributions/108.162.219.32|108.162.219.32]] 21:20, 10 January 2020 (UTC)

Star Wars Voyager, a play on Star Trek Voyager?

;Insufficient runtime
Isn't the Delta Quadrant way farther than that? We'd need at least a few more trilogies to balance that out.

^^^ that wasn't me, but I came here because it occurred to me that Star Wars Voyager is quite possibly a pun on 'Star Trek Voyager', which the above is a reference to.

[[Special:Contributions/108.162.249.76|108.162.249.76]] 03:05, 11 January 2020 (UTC)

;NTSC / PAL / physical film runtime deviations
What about the runtime deviations of different formats? Films are produced for 24 frames per second, while NTSC is 29,97 fps and PAL is 25 fps. So, maybe the time diference is resulting from this? Randal has took the original theater runtimes and the table lists maybe the ntsc dvd runtimes, that are faster? --[[User:Dichter|Dichter]] ([[User talk:Dichter|talk]]) 14:03, 11 January 2020 (UTC)
;Holiday special
So if we account for the Holiday special (roughly 120 min of "fun" if memory serves) there's still pleeenty of time . Although the will to throw a party migh suffer from that thought
::We do not talk about that! Please see that last row of this comic to know what would have happened to you saying this with fans around: [[566: Matrix Revisited]] :-) If you wish to include more there is the two spin-off movies mentioned above for many hours more. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 18:08, 11 January 2020 (UTC)

::: The comic is pretty clear on that point though - it says "Episodes I-IX". So no "special" and no movies that aren't numbered episodes. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.70.233|172.69.70.233]] 03:36, 12 January 2020 (UTC)

Talk:2234: How To Deliver Christmas Presents

2019-12-03T17:28:34Z

172.69.63.231:

Is the equation in the comic wrong? It should be (4 kg*m/s) / (book mass), right?
[[Special:Contributions/108.162.221.245|108.162.221.245]] 19:34, 27 November 2019 (UTC)
:Yes, that's correct. The equation in part 2 should be (speed) = (momentum) / (mass), given (momentum) = (speed) x (mass). Though the answer seems to be correct, assuming a book mass of approximately 0.8lbs (0.36kg). --shabegger {{unsigned|Shabegger}}
::Have added this to a [[#Trivia|trivia section]]. Maybe Randall will later update the comic, although it is probably cumbersome... But if he does, then that should go in the trivia and the mention of this that I made in the comic, should be changed to, there was an error... Feel free to improve my formulas. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:35, 27 November 2019 (UTC)

Is that a "Baby Yoda" in the right window? [[Special:Contributions/172.69.6.94|172.69.6.94]] 20:06, 27 November 2019 (UTC)
:Houseplant [[User:N0lqu|-boB]] ([[User talk:N0lqu|talk]]) 20:33, 27 November 2019 (UTC)
::Nope that is Pikachu, I'm certain. --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 21:10, 27 November 2019 (UTC)
:::I also thought it looked like Yoda. In the 2x version, it looks most like a baby elephant, but careful examination suggests it's probably Pikachu in a ''really'' weird perspective (the thing that looks like Yoda's second ear is actually Pikachu's ''tail'', and his ''actual'' second ear is probably behind his head). --[[Special:Contributions/141.101.77.62|141.101.77.62]] 22:47, 27 November 2019 (UTC)
::::I agree that it is rather difficult to see, but with Randall's use of Pikachu in the past, and the fact that I play Pokémon Go and instantly saw it as Pikachu, I'm quite convinced this is what it should be. Also Yoda do not exist on Earht, but everyone knows Pikachu does :p But can see the baby elephant likeness and the other options as well. By the way, not everyone knows about the 2x version, so here is [https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/how_to_deliver_christmas_presents_2x.png the link for that].
::::[[Media:2234-_How_To_Deliver_Christmas_Presents_Pikachu_in_window.png|Close up of Pikachu in window]] --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:22, 28 November 2019 (UTC)
:::::I may not play Pokémon Go, but I know what a Pikachu looks like, and I don't see it. I'm not even sure which ear the other IP is talking about, or where its eyes and snout are. --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.18.82|162.158.18.82]] 20:33, 28 November 2019 (UTC)
:::::::It’s a gremlin, I’m certain of it. Looks like one, and Gremlins is a Christmas film.
::::::::Houseplant [[User:N0lqu|-boB]] ([[User talk:N0lqu|talk]]) 16:54, 2 December 2019 (UTC)
:::::::::Definitely Baby Yoda. Pikachu's ears stand up more and therefore you would see both in addition to his tail. Since we don't see both ears and a tail I am certain it is Baby Yoda. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.63.231|172.69.63.231]] 17:28, 3 December 2019 (UTC)

Why the uptick in fireplaces around 2012/2013? [[Special:Contributions/172.68.242.166|172.68.242.166]] 02:00, 28 November 2019 (UTC)
: It snowed that year, maybe that's why? [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 09:53, 28 November 2019 (UTC)

This comic was posted the day before Thanksgiving, a major American holiday. Can't be a coincidence can it? [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 09:53, 28 November 2019 (UTC)
:Also 2 days before black Friday, a even more major American holiday, and typical ocasion to get christmas gifts. --[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 10:00, 28 November 2019 (UTC)
::Yes also think it is Black Friday related. It is now people should think of buying it, as many buy their gifts tomorrow. I buy the way had just ordered the book 10 hours before this comic came came out. But had all along decided that I could wait for x-mas. So someone will give it to me... :-p So although i look forward to reading it, I could wait ;-) --[[User:Kynde|Kynde]] ([[User talk:Kynde|talk]]) 11:14, 28 November 2019 (UTC)

I think it might be notable how, in number 3, the gift explicitly becomes a book. There's no inherent reason--you could just put any gift in the same package as the other and get the same joke. [[User:Trlkly|Trlkly]] ([[User talk:Trlkly|talk]]) 11:31, 28 November 2019 (UTC)
:Of course it's notable, it's the point of this comic. [[User:Mikemk|Mikemk]] ([[User talk:Mikemk|talk]]) 16:30, 29 November 2019 (UTC)

". . . the holiday of Christmas, which in the US happens usually on December 25 of each year." Usually? No, I think Christmas in the US is always on December 25th, by law. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.136|162.158.214.136]] 12:37, 28 November 2019 (UTC)
:The beginning of the sentence is "Giving Christmas presents is a traditional way to celebrate ..." - so it referrs to the giving of presents, which usually happens on the 25th. There is no law defining the day you give christmas gifts.--[[User:Lupo|Lupo]] ([[User talk:Lupo|talk]]) 12:45, 28 November 2019 (UTC) Good rewrite . . . .[[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.88|162.158.214.88]] 12:01, 29 November 2019 (UTC)

I attempted to add an Original research? template reference, but that template doesn't seem to exist, so I added Citation needed instead. If someone cares to such a template, I'm guessing it would best link to [[265: Choices: Part 2]]. In any case, that's the template I feel would best apply to the NORAD tracking conclusion.
[[User:Thisisnotatest|Thisisnotatest]] ([[User talk:Thisisnotatest|talk]]) 05:12, 30 November 2019 (UTC)