explain xkcd - User contributions [en]

Talk:2135: M87 Black Hole Size Comparison

2019-04-12T08:01:40Z

Fmccarthy:

inb4 anti-semitic troll vandalizes the page [[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.64|162.158.78.64]] 19:38, 10 April 2019 (UTC)
:Jeez, it hasn't happened yet? --[[User:Youforgotthisthing|Youforgotthisthing]] ([[User talk:Youforgotthisthing|talk]]) 19:54, 10 April 2019 (UTC)
::Shhh! You'll jinx it! [[User:Herobrine|Herobrine]] ([[User talk:Herobrine|talk]]) 21:07, 10 April 2019 (UTC)
::I’m surprised. [[User:Netherin5|“That Guy from the Netherlands”]] ([[User talk:Netherin5|talk]]) 23:06, 10 April 2019 (UTC)
::I always miss it, you guys are too fast for me to see it. Not that I want to see it of course. [[User:Linker|Linker]] ([[User talk:Linker|talk]]) 12:08, 11 April 2019 (UTC)
:Well, we made it until 15:40 on the 11th. Since it was created at 18:50 on the 10th, that's about... 20 hours and 15 minutes. Considering how it only took 13 minutes for #2133 to be vandalized-I-mean-corrected, and 25 minutes for #2125, it seems they're getting slower! I wonder if the poor lil fellas need more attention. :( --[[User:Youforgotthisthing|Youforgotthisthing]] ([[User talk:Youforgotthisthing|talk]]) 00:43, 12 April 2019 (UTC)

Am I the only to one who is amazed at just how *far* Voyager has come? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.111.61|162.158.111.61]] 19:52, 10 April 2019 (UTC)

I thought the dark disk on the photo is 2.6 Schwartzchild radii, not 1? --[[Special:Contributions/172.68.54.46|172.68.54.46]] 20:50, 10 April 2019 (UTC)

I Googled to get a sense of scale. Apparently the sun would be less than 4 miles across if compressed into a black hole. The magnitude is incomprehensible. [[Special:Contributions/172.69.210.64|172.69.210.64]] 02:54, 11 April 2019 (UTC)

I believe "Voyager I" in the title text is a typo and Randall meant to say Voyager II. The location Randall notes would correspond closer to Voyager II than I(9.3 billion miles away from earth vs 11 billion miles). [[Special:Contributions/172.69.247.4|172.69.247.4]] 06:21, 11 April 2019 (UTC)

I updated a few things in the explanation a couple hours back. It should read more smoothly now.
[[User:Fmccarthy|Fmccarthy]] ([[User talk:Fmccarthy|talk]]) 08:01, 12 April 2019 (UTC)
'''Rephrase scale reference'''
2.5 times smaller is not a good way to express reduction in size. It's clearer to say that it's two-fifths as big or it's 40% of the size. [[Special:Contributions/162.158.38.16|162.158.38.16]] 09:58, 11 April 2019 (UTC)

Is anyone agreeing with the source ? haven't found a clear attribution of the image to NSF; and also would be suprised to find one.
: [https://www.nsf.gov/news/mmg/media/images/A-Consensus.jpg NSF link to image], [https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_images.jsp?cntn_id=298276&org=NSF NSF page with attribution], "The National Science Foundation (NSF) played a pivotal role in this discovery by funding individual investigators, interdisciplinary scientific teams and radio astronomy research facilities since the inception of EHT. Over the last two decades, NSF has directly funded more than $28 million in EHT research, the largest commitment of resources for the project." [https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=298276 Source Article and NSF relation to EHT] --[[Special:Contributions/162.158.106.138|162.158.106.138]] 16:30, 11 April 2019 (UTC)Zenthere

This is alot like the Pluto comic from a few years back. [[User:Take The A Train To Watertown|Take The A Train To Watertown]] ([[User talk:Take The A Train To Watertown|talk]]) 12:10, 11 April 2019 (UTC)

Why is pluto bigger than the sun? [[User:Lekkin007|Lekkin007]] ([[User talk:Lekkin007|talk]])

I am trying to spread truth and good critical thinking, but IP editors keep reverting My well-intention edits! What can I do?
[[Special:Contributions/162.158.107.79|162.158.107.79]] 16:59, 11 April 2019 (UTC)
:See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUyH3XhpLTo[[Special:Contributions/162.158.78.82|162.158.78.82]] 18:26, 11 April 2019 (UTC)

Anyone else find it ironic for an IP editor to refer to logged-in editors as IP editors? That's the pot calling the brass teapot black! [[User:Ianrbibtitlht|Ianrbibtitlht]] ([[User talk:Ianrbibtitlht|talk]]) 06:09, 12 April 2019 (UTC)

2135: M87 Black Hole Size Comparison

2019-04-12T03:56:27Z

Fmccarthy: Word choice edits, some grammatical errors.

{{comic
| number = 2135
| date = April 10, 2019
| title = M87 Black Hole Size Comparison
| image = m87_black_hole_size_comparison.png
| titletext = I think Voyager 1 would be just past the event horizon, but slightly less than halfway to the bright ring.
}}

==Explanation==
{{incomplete|Created by a REALLY REALLY BIG BLACK HOLE. Explanation needs to be expanded. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}
This comic shows the picture of the {{w|Messier_87#Supermassive black hole|M87 black hole}} by the {{w|Event Horizon Telescope}} that was published on the same day as this comic. Overlaid on the picture is a scale image of the Solar System, showing the Sun, Pluto (one of the most well-known {{w|dwarf planet}}), and {{w|Voyager 1}}, a deep-space probe and the current farthest probe from Earth. The comic is quite similar to [[1551: Pluto]], in which Randall overlaid annotations onto the recently-released first images of Pluto taken by the New Horizons spacecraft.

The point of the comic is to celebrate the release of this image by the Event Horizon Telescope, referenced [[2133|two comics prior]], as well as to indicate the hugeness of M87 and the awe-inspiring thing that space is. This image has been widely publicized as being the first image ever of a black hole. Science had no visual evidence of black holes at all [https://www.space.com/16411-black-hole-photo-nasa-telescope.html until 2012].

In the title text Randall hypothesizes that if the Sun were at the center of M87, Voyager would be outside the event horizon. This seems to fit with the EHT staff's estimates as published [https://eventhorizontelescope.org/ on their website], that the event horizon is 2.5 times smaller than the black shadow shown in the picture.

Regardless of the title text and its apparent correctness, [[Randall]] has placed the dot denoting Voyager 1 just outside the dark region. This may be based on the misconception of the dark area being the "black hole" itself, while, as stated above, the actual event horizon is a much smaller part (120 AU or so) in the middle of the black shadow, indistinguishable from the surrounding darkness. Whether this is intended as an obscure joke or if it's an actual art error is currently unknown.

==Transcript==
{{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}

:Size comparison:
:'''The M87 Black Hole'''
:and
:'''Our Solar System'''

:EHT Black Hole Image
:Source: NSF

:[An image of the M87 black hole captured by the event horizon telescope on the day that this comic was published is shown. A white ring about 1/4 of the diameter of the central black portion of the image is labelled with an arrow as 'Pluto'. A small white circle at the centre of the image is labelled with an arrow as 'Sun'. A small white dot on the right hand edge of the central black portion of the image is labelled with an arrow as 'Voyager 1'.]

{{comic discussion}}

[[Category:Comics with color]]
[[Category:Astronomy]]
[[Category:Space]]

Talk:1975: Right Click

2018-04-02T04:17:03Z

Fmccarthy:

How are we going to handle submenus submenus and subitems etc? (Also Captcha outdated! Update immediately!) [[Special:Contributions/162.158.238.34|162.158.238.34]] 01:46, 2 April 2018 (UTC)
Um, I don't see a reCapatcha. Just saying...
[[User:Fmccarthy|Fmccarthy]] ([[User talk:Fmccarthy|talk]]) 04:17, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

I created this page manually. DgbrtBOT fail?

Also, notably, while the comic at xkcd.com works as intended (even from Chrome on Android, to a certain degree), the mobile site, m.xkcd.com, does not. It shows the standard system/browser-specific context menu. --[[User:Videblu|Videblu]] ([[User talk:Videblu|talk]]) 00:28, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

Oh my gosh this is incredible. The Games section, especially, is mind boggling. Entropy! [[User:Hameltion|Hameltion]] ([[User talk:Hameltion|talk]]) 00:30, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

Whoever owns this site update ReCaptcha! [[User:Sizzilingbird|Sizzilingbird]] ([[User talk:Sizzilingbird|talk]]) 00:40, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

WOO!!! [https://uni.xkcd.com/ Unicode XKCD]!!! [[User:Phoenix Up|Phoenix Up]] ([[User talk:Phoenix Up|talk]]) 00:44, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

This (uni.xkcd.com) is not new, I remember using this months (perhaps years) ago :P [[User:PotatoGod|PotatoGod]] ([[User talk:PotatoGod|talk]]) 02:44, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

Is there a second for easter eggs in there? Fork bombs ( :(){ :|: &};: ) work, I'm not sure what else. [[User:Waterlubber|Waterlubber]] ([[User talk:Waterlubber|talk]]) 02:52, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

Sorry if this is already well known, but there are a couple unlisted commands, e.g. you can delete things individually using rm -rf. It looks like auto-completion and * don't work. [[User:Power Factor|Power Factor]] ([[User talk:Power Factor|talk]]) 03:27, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

Reluctant to call it an Easter Egg, but Utilities / Identify Song / Hey Now / Hey now na now / Sing "This Corrosion" to me inverts the colours on the comic/background [[User:Maslink|Maslink]] ([[User talk:Maslink|talk]]) 02:02, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

: He missed a chance for a Rick Roll there (For all we know there may be a Rick Roll in here) [[User:Phoenix Up|Phoenix Up]] ([[User talk:Phoenix Up|talk]]) 02:36, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

SPOILER:

I managed to save the image by playing ADVENT.exe, has anyone else found other ways? [[Special:Contributions/162.158.75.172|162.158.75.172]] 00:54, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

'''COMIC MAY BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION''' I think one of the menu options change since the comic was first posted. Randall may still be changing things. --[[User:Videblu|Videblu]] ([[User talk:Videblu|talk]]) 01:15, 2 April 2018 (UTC)
: Actually it's that once you do some things others "unlock". For instance, accessing File > Open > A:\ > Insert > Floppy disk, and then File > Open > A:\ you get the Games, Music, and the really cool Bookmarks catalog of comics. Also, as said above, completing the game ADVENT.exe lets you go to save:
{{Collapse top|title=Egg spoiler: Text adventure route}}
* Games
* ADVENT.EXE
* Castle
* Well
* Pull up the bucket
* Examine bucket
* Get key
* Back
* Back to the castle
* Open door
* Get clamp
* This might come in handy
* Get outta here
* Enter castle
* Examine machine
* Hmmm
* Put clamp in C-Remover
* Take lamp
* Leave
* Go back
* Cave
* Go deeper
* N
* E
* N
* N
* N
* W
* S
* W
* Examine nest
* Take egg
* ''Click''
Now you can save [https://i.imgur.com/X4LX3w9.png the image]! :)
{{Collapse bottom}}
: I made it hidden so that anyone who wants to explore on their own may still... [[User:Hameltion|Hameltion]] ([[User talk:Hameltion|talk]]) 02:01, 2 April 2018 (UTC)
:: The Help menu changed after I refreshed the page (that is what I see at first glance), other things may have changed as well. [[User:Phoenix Up|Phoenix Up]] ([[User talk:Phoenix Up|talk]]) 02:29, 2 April 2018 (UTC)
::: Ah - I don't recall it being different, but I may have missed an earlier version. Anyway here is another way to make the image available:
{{Collapse top|title=Egg spoiler: London Underground route}}
* Games
* Mornington Crescent
* Euston
* Warren Street
* Goodge Street
* Tottenham Court Road
* Leicester Square
* Charing Cross
* Embankment
* Westminster
* St James's Park
* Victoria
* Pimlico
* Vauxhall
* Easter basket
* Take egg (''Click'')
Though in reality it may be [https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Mornington+Crescent,+London+NW1+2JA,+United+Kingdom/Vauxhall,+London,+UK/@51.5103249,-0.1720918,13z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x48761b2037dd36b9:0x11812a2d5cfb2ea3!2m2!1d-0.1388607!2d51.5343884!1m5!1m1!1s0x487604ec2b79a13d:0xdfa3f51e98dee89c!2m2!1d-0.1227798!2d51.4861366!3e1 faster to bike]?
{{Collapse bottom}}
:::This is really fun! (and there's [https://xkcd.com/1975/kat-bun-small.png this]) --[[User:Hameltion|Hameltion]] ([[User talk:Hameltion|talk]]) 02:43, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

I followed the "Land of 1000 dances" "na-na"s over 1000 times and didn't hit an end. It may be infinite. [[User:Jedi.jesse|Jedi.jesse]] ([[User talk:Jedi.jesse|talk]]) 02:45, 2 April 2018 (UTC)

Doing System > / > home/ > guest (''click'') takes you to [https://uni.xkcd.com/ uni.xkcd.com] which it pretty neat. [[User:Hameltion|Hameltion]] ([[User talk:Hameltion|talk]]) 02:53, 2 April 2018 (UTC)