Editing 1547: Solar System Questions
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
+ | {{incomplete|Some questions have received more complete answers in the past decade, but are not explained in much detail here. What have we learned since of all these things? Particularly: "What's Ceres like?" "Why is Iapetus weird-colored?" "Which of the other moons have seas?" "Why does Iapetus have a belt?" Gimme some science!}} | ||
+ | |||
This comic is a list of questions which [[Randall]] has about the Solar System, which at first glance may appear to be things that Randall would like to learn about. In actuality, most of the questions have not been satisfactorily answered or proven by anyone in the {{w|List of unsolved problems in physics#Astronomy and astrophysics|scientific community}}. These open questions may serve to intrigue readers and prompt further interest in astronomy and austronautics. | This comic is a list of questions which [[Randall]] has about the Solar System, which at first glance may appear to be things that Randall would like to learn about. In actuality, most of the questions have not been satisfactorily answered or proven by anyone in the {{w|List of unsolved problems in physics#Astronomy and astrophysics|scientific community}}. These open questions may serve to intrigue readers and prompt further interest in astronomy and austronautics. | ||
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| Is the Oort Cloud a real thing? | | Is the Oort Cloud a real thing? | ||
− | |style="background: | + | |style="background: salmon" | No |
| ... | | ... | ||
− | | The {{w|Oort Cloud}} is a theoretical spherical cloud of icy planetesimals, maybe dust, and also larger objects at a distance of up to around | + | | The {{w|Oort Cloud}} is a theoretical spherical cloud of icy planetesimals, maybe dust, and also larger objects at a distance of up to around 100,000 {{w|Astronomical units|AU}} from our Sun. We can see similar clouds at other stars, but there is still no evidence that this cloud exists in our Solar System. |
|- | |- | ||
| Why is the Sun's corona so hot? | | Why is the Sun's corona so hot? | ||
|style="background: lightyellow" | Maybe | |style="background: lightyellow" | Maybe | ||
| Something about magnets? | | Something about magnets? | ||
− | | The {{w | + | | The {{w|corona}} of the Sun is hotter than it theoretically should be. Tiny solar flares called {{w|nanoflares}} might be responsible. The Sun's {{w|Stellar magnetic field|magnetic field}} is almost certainly relevant. |
|- | |- | ||
| What are comets like? | | What are comets like? | ||
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| What's Ceres like? | | What's Ceres like? | ||
− | |style="background: | + | |style="background: lightyellow" | Partly |
| [Working on it!] | | [Working on it!] | ||
− | | The {{w|Dawn (spacecraft)|Dawn probe}} was currently exploring the {{w|dwarf planet}} {{w|Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres}} at the time that this comic was written and released. | + | | The {{w|Dawn (spacecraft)|Dawn probe}} was currently exploring the {{w|dwarf planet}} {{w|Ceres (dwarf planet)|Ceres}} at the time that this comic was written and released. We now know. |
|- | |- | ||
| Why is Europa so weird-looking and pretty? | | Why is Europa so weird-looking and pretty? | ||
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| Why are so many Kuiper Belt objects red? | | Why are so many Kuiper Belt objects red? | ||
− | |style="background: | + | |style="background: lightyellow" | Maybe |
| ... | | ... | ||
− | | Many objects in the {{w|Kuiper Belt}} have a reddish hue. A possible explanation is that they are [http://www.space.com/9418-icy-red-objects-solar-system-edge-point-life-building-blocks.html covered in organic molecules] | + | | Many objects in the {{w|Kuiper Belt}} have a reddish hue. A possible explanation is that they are [http://www.space.com/9418-icy-red-objects-solar-system-edge-point-life-building-blocks.html covered in organic molecules] formed by the irradiation of their surface ices. The New Horizons probe might also shed light on this. |
|- | |- | ||
| What are those spots on Ceres? | | What are those spots on Ceres? | ||
− | |style="background: | + | |style="background: salmon" | No |
| ... | | ... | ||
− | | The Dawn probe found some mysterious spots on Ceres. These [http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA19568.jpg white spots] | + | | The Dawn probe found some mysterious spots on Ceres. These [http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/jpeg/PIA19568.jpg white spots] are still not understood, but the mission is still running and we may figure out the source of the glowing white features. These spots became the punch line of the joke in [[1476: Ceres]]. |
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| What's in the seas under Europa's ice? | | What's in the seas under Europa's ice? | ||
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|style="background: lightgreen" | Yes | |style="background: lightgreen" | Yes | ||
| ... | | ... | ||
− | | This | + | | This is a joke about some gaps in the radar measurements as shown in [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PIA10008_Seas_and_Lakes_on_Titan_full_size.jpg this image]. |
|- | |- | ||
| What do Jupiter's clouds look like up close? | | What do Jupiter's clouds look like up close? | ||
− | |style="background: | + | |style="background: salmon" | No |
| ... | | ... | ||
− | | The Jupiter mission {{w|Galileo (spacecraft)|Galileo}}, operated by NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), arrived at Jupiter in 1995 and was sent to impact the planet at the end of that mission in 2003 to eliminate the possibility of contaminating local moons with terrestrial bacteria. Several measurements were done on the atmosphere but no pictures were sent back to Earth. | + | | The Jupiter mission {{w|Galileo (spacecraft)|Galileo}}, operated by NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), arrived at Jupiter in 1995 and was sent to impact the planet at the end of that mission in 2003 to eliminate the possibility of contaminating local moons with terrestrial bacteria. Several measurements were done on the atmosphere but no pictures were sent back to Earth. So there is still no answer on this question. |
|- | |- | ||
| What's all that red stuff in the Great Red Spot? | | What's all that red stuff in the Great Red Spot? | ||
− | |style="background: | + | |style="background: salmon" | No |
| ... | | ... | ||
− | | The {{w|Great Red Spot}} is a storm south of Jupiter's equator. Observations from Earth show a lifespan of more than 150 years. It's unknown why it's stable for that long a time and it's also not clear why the color is red. The probe {{w|Juno (spacecraft)|Juno}} has arrived in July 2016 at Jupiter but has not answered Randall's question | + | | The {{w|Great Red Spot}} is a storm south of Jupiter's equator. Observations from Earth show a lifespan of more than 150 years. It's unknown why it's stable for that long a time and it's also not clear why the color is red. The probe {{w|Juno (spacecraft)|Juno}} has arrived in July 2016 at Jupiter but has not answered Randall's question. |
|- | |- | ||
| What's pushing the Pioneer probes? | | What's pushing the Pioneer probes? | ||
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| Why does the Kuiper Belt stop? | | Why does the Kuiper Belt stop? | ||
− | |style="background: | + | |style="background: salmon" | No |
| ... | | ... | ||
− | | A reference to the {{w|Kuiper Cliff}}. Most Kuiper Belt Objects are found between 42 and 48 {{w|astronomical units|AU}}; calculations predicted that there would be more and larger KBOs beyond 50 AU, but instead very few objects have been found in that region. | + | | A reference to the {{w|Kuiper Cliff}}. Most Kuiper Belt Objects are found between 42 and 48 {{w|astronomical units|AU}}; calculations predicted that there would be more and larger KBOs beyond 50 AU, but instead very few objects have been found in that region. The reason for this is still unknown. |
|- | |- | ||
| Why is Iapetus weird-colored? | | Why is Iapetus weird-colored? | ||
|style="background: lightyellow" | Partly | |style="background: lightyellow" | Partly | ||
| ... | | ... | ||
− | | {{w|Iapetus (moon)|Iapetus}} is an icy moon of {{w|Saturn}} and always keeps the same face towards Saturn. The trailing hemisphere is bright, with the leading one notably darker | + | | {{w|Iapetus (moon)|Iapetus}} is an icy moon of {{w|Saturn}} and always keeps the same face towards Saturn. The trailing hemisphere is bright, with the leading one notably darker. |
|- | |- | ||
| Why does Iapetus have a belt? | | Why does Iapetus have a belt? | ||
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|style="background: salmon" | No | |style="background: salmon" | No | ||
| ... | | ... | ||
− | | {{w|Miranda (moon)|Miranda}} is the smallest of {{w|Uranus}}' five round satellites, and it's {{w|Verona Rupes|a bit rough around the edges}} and also has an unusually high orbital inclination that is difficult to explain. Also possibly a [[ | + | | {{w|Miranda (moon)|Miranda}} is the smallest of {{w|Uranus}}' five round satellites, and it's {{w|Verona Rupes|a bit rough around the edges}} and also has an unusually high orbital inclination that is difficult to explain. Also possibly a [[Category:Firefly|''Firefly'' reference]] since {{w|List of Firefly planets and moons#Miranda|Miranda}} is also the name of a planet in {{w|Serenity (film)|''Serenity''}}, a film based on the {{w|Firefly (TV series)|''Firefly''}} TV series. |
|- | |- | ||
| Did Uranus and Neptune change places? | | Did Uranus and Neptune change places? | ||
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| The only silly item besides the "white on Titan's lakes" question, this question is less about science than about human priorities. It would be fun to watch sports in such a stadium - see the title text. Building a sports complex on the Moon would be prohibitively expensive in the context of government budgets, and transporting athletes to such a venue regularly would be logistically and financially complex. But it would be extremely cool. | | The only silly item besides the "white on Titan's lakes" question, this question is less about science than about human priorities. It would be fun to watch sports in such a stadium - see the title text. Building a sports complex on the Moon would be prohibitively expensive in the context of government budgets, and transporting athletes to such a venue regularly would be logistically and financially complex. But it would be extremely cool. | ||
− | See also [https://what-if.xkcd.com/124/ What If # 124] | + | See also, ''{{w|The Menace From Earth}}'', a 1957 short story by Robert Heinlein, as well as [https://what-if.xkcd.com/124/ What If # 124] which gives great detail to the topic of lunar swimming. |
|} | |} | ||