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Author Topic: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"  (Read 2753 times)

makattak

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"One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« on: April 25, 2018, 11:05:23 AM »
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/04/european-satellite-reveals-motions-more-1-billion-stars-and-shape-milky-way

Really interesting about a new satellite's mission.

But the thread title is a pull quote from the article. There are literally hundreds of billions of stars in our galaxy. And we have a VERY limited vantage point.

OF COURSE the galaxy isn't completely mapped. The things that we cannot detect and likely don't even know exist are exponentially more than the number of stars that we can detect from this limited vantage point.

It ought to be easily understood how limited our understanding of the galaxy is.

However, on to the reason for the quote: "Science" has been claiming a lot of certainty about things1 lately, so it's not too surprising people might think we already "know" all about what's in the galaxy.





1: Things that we absolutely don't have certainty about, but that's not about to give any pause to the people who "F*ing Love Science!!!"

(edited for clarity)
« Last Edit: April 25, 2018, 02:11:57 PM by makattak »
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K Frame

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2018, 12:00:41 PM »
The estimates I've always heard for how many stars there are in the Milky Way is somewhere between 100 billion and 400 billion...

When I was in college astronomy class in the 1980s the professor said he was betting on it being quite a bit higher than that.
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Perd Hapley

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2018, 12:05:11 PM »
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K Frame

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2018, 12:08:45 PM »
Ugh... I TOTALLY misread that.

It thought it was saying the galaxy was 1 billion stars...

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just Warren

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2018, 12:44:22 PM »
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K Frame

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2018, 01:31:57 PM »
Quote from: Warren on April 25, 2018, 12:44:22 PM



That Galaxy is extinct and has no stars in it.
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RoadKingLarry

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2018, 01:35:19 PM »
Don't panic.
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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2018, 01:51:48 PM »
I'm not, I have my towel
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just Warren

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2018, 01:55:08 PM »
You're one hoopy frood!
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230RN

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2018, 01:55:53 PM »
I always get wary when I see "science" in quotes.   =D

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Brad Johnson

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2018, 02:13:56 PM »
No Vogon poetry?

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2018, 02:28:37 PM »
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griz

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2018, 05:16:56 PM »
It would take hubris of galactic proportions to assume we new enough about our galaxy for a decent map.
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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #13 on: April 25, 2018, 05:30:35 PM »
 

I figured someone would post this before now.
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TommyGunn

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #14 on: April 25, 2018, 06:51:32 PM »
"Second star on the right, straight on 'til morning." ;)
« Last Edit: April 25, 2018, 11:30:13 PM by TommyGunn »
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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #15 on: April 25, 2018, 08:26:14 PM »
Quote from: TommyGunn on April 25, 2018, 06:51:32 PM
"First star on the right, straight on 'til morning." ;)

Which Star Wars is that from?
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just Warren

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #16 on: April 25, 2018, 08:48:18 PM »
Episode 5: Babylon.

That's the one where Mal has to fight the Sleestaks while negotiating peace with the Cylon Republic.
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lee n. field

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #17 on: April 25, 2018, 09:41:14 PM »
Quote from: Ben on April 25, 2018, 08:26:14 PM
Which Star Wars is that from?

One of the Trek movies ends that way.
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Angel Eyes

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #18 on: April 25, 2018, 09:46:08 PM »
Quote from: TommyGunn on April 25, 2018, 06:51:32 PM
"First Second star on the right, straight on 'til morning." ;)

Fixed.
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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #19 on: April 25, 2018, 09:53:42 PM »
Quote from: lee n. field on April 25, 2018, 09:41:14 PM
One of the Trek movies ends that way.


I know. I was getting mega ST fan Tommy riled up.  =D
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lee n. field

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #20 on: April 25, 2018, 10:58:18 PM »
Quote from: Ben on April 25, 2018, 09:53:42 PM

I know. I was getting mega ST fan Tommy riled up.  =D

"That was from Lost in Space, wasn't it?"
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TommyGunn

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #21 on: April 25, 2018, 11:28:29 PM »
Quote from: Angel Eyes on April 25, 2018, 09:46:08 PM
Fixed.

Gee,  Angeleyes,  if you can correct me you know where it came from ...why not spill the beans and stop people uselessly guessing if it came from Star Trek, Star Wars  or.... eeegads.... Lost in Space?
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Angel Eyes

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #22 on: April 25, 2018, 11:42:18 PM »
Quote from: TommyGunn on April 25, 2018, 11:28:29 PM
Gee,  Angeleyes,  if you can correct me you know where it came from ...why not spill the beans and stop people uselessly guessing if it came from Star Trek, Star Wars  or.... eeegads.... Lost in Space?

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Hawkmoon

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #23 on: April 25, 2018, 11:48:41 PM »
"Second star to the right, and straight on 'til morning" is from Peter Pan. If it showed up in Star Trek or any other sci-fi production that came along after I abandoned watching television -- they stole it.

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/5645-second-star-to-the-right-and-straight-on-til-morning

https://straightontillmorning.weebly.com/

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046183/quotes
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Hawkmoon

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Re: "One might think that the galaxy is completely mapped"
« Reply #24 on: April 25, 2018, 11:49:22 PM »
DRAT!

Once again, beaten to the post whilst looking up references.
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