3192: Planetary Alignment

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Planetary Alignment

|< < Prev #3192 (January 9, 2026)

Title text: We're going to need to modify the surface to mount it on the test stand. Which ocean basin do you like the least?

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Explanation

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This is one of 62 incomplete explanations: This page was created by SLARTIBARTFAST, CARVER OF FJORDS. Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!

In this comic, Ponytail (presumably a planetary mechanic) is informing Cueball of the results of a planetary inspection.

According to her, the planet needs to be re-aligned, as the magnetic and rotational axes of the planet are 400 miles (640 km) offset from each other, which could create a number of problems with the planet, such as unbalanced magnetic fields. This is presented in the same casual manner as a car mechanic might regarding wheel alignment, or perhaps even the tire balance.

Ponytail mentions radiation anomalies over the South Atlantic ocean. This is a real phenomenon, known as the South Atlantic Anomaly, where satellites experience increased malfunctions and solar radiation is higher than average due to the alignment of the magnetic field as well as a massive rock structure underneath Africa.

In the final panel, Ponytail says that they will provide a loaner planet while Earth is in the shop. This is typically done with vehicles, not planets,^{[citation needed]} but perhaps this particular shop has a very large back room. Ponytail then asks if a gas giant is okay, as they are out of solid surface planets. This is likely alluding to the practice of car dealerships offering replacements or loaner vehicles that are very different from those brought in for service, which can greatly frustrate and inconvenience the customer.

The title text continues the mechanic metaphor, stating that they (the shop) will have to modify Earth to fit it on the test stand, asking Cueball which ocean basin he like the least, implying that they intend to remove or alter one of the Earth's oceans to mount it for adjustment and retesting.

The similar previous comics 3037 and 3059 also had Ponytail as an inspector complaining about problems with the planet as if they were the client Cueball's fault.

Transcript

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This is one of 36 incomplete transcripts: Don't remove this notice too soon. If you can fix this issue, edit the page!

[Ponytail is approaching from off-screen, holding a clipboard and some sort of testing device. She is speaking to Cueball, standing to the right.]

Ponytail: The inspection revealed a few problems.

Ponytail: Looks like your planet needs an alignment.

Cueball: Oh?

[Close up of Ponytail.]

Ponytail: Yeah, your magnetic axis is 400 miles off-center from your rotational one.

Cueball (off-panel): Is that bad?

[The view zooms back out, showing Ponytail holding her equipment, with Cueball holding a hand to his face, as if thinking.]

Ponytail: The unbalanced magnetic field could cause radiation anomalies over the South Atlantic. Have you notice any spacecraft equipment failures in that area?

Cueball: There have been a few, actually.

[The final panel shows the same as the third.]

Ponytail: We can give you a loaner while yours is in the shop. Is a gas giant okay?

Cueball: I'd really prefer a solid surface.

Ponytail: Sorry, it's all we have. But it'll just be for a few days.

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Discussion

Remember to buckle your seatbelts! King Pando (talk) 05:20, 10 January 2026 (UTC)

Inferior loaner items

I have personally been the victim of a much-inferior mobile phone as a loaner. I owned a Nokia phone (probably a Nokia 239) that was on the United States AMPS analog network around 1997, and broke the LCD display. I brought it in for service, and while they worked on it, they issued me a Motorola MicroTAC type phone, which was only slightly better than the original "brick phone" design. Due to delays in repair and distance from the shop itself, I probably used the loaner phone for longer than the phone which I had nominally purchased. Elizium23 (talk) 06:10, 10 January 2026 (UTC)

Not necessarily "inferior", but the last time I had a car in the shop I got a car very different from what I'm used to. I normally drive a sedan (Camrys and Accords for several decades), but the loaner was an SUV, which took some getting used to (I'm a short person, getting into the driver's seat felt like climbing into a truck). Barmar (talk) 15:21, 10 January 2026 (UTC)

Relevant XKCD

Seems related to 3059, same clipboard and everything. 64.114.211.116 08:46, 10 January 2026 (UTC)

Also related to 3037. These three comics seem to form an arc.

these would fit into a "Planetary Inspector" category --Youforgotthisthing (talk) 16:06, 10 January 2026 (UTC)

I wonder if “Planetary Alignment” refers to the astrological notion of “the planets are in alignment…”?

It's not just astrological, astronomers also call a group of planets close together in the sky an alignment, although the more technical term is syzygy. That's what I expected the comic to be a pun on. Barmar (talk) 15:21, 10 January 2026 (UTC)

“Which ocean basin do you like the least?” is also reminiscent of Hank Scorpio asking Homer Simpson whether his least favorite country is France or Italy, with the least favorite one being the target of the death ray. 96.250.83.179 (talk) 16:01, 10 January 2026 (please sign your comments with ~~~~)

3037 and 3059 also have the same characters as this comic - Ponytail as inspector, Cueball as homeowner. I added a sentence to the main explanation linking to these related comics. --2600:4040:99D4:8B00:F922:E24E:C61E:3AB6 19:20, 10 January 2026 (UTC)
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