NASA to Announce Success of Long Galactic Hunt

AintNoMonkey · May 11, 2008

NASA to Announce Success of Long Galactic Hunt

WASHINGTON -- NASA has scheduled a media teleconference Wednesday, May 14, at 1 p.m. EDT, to announce the discovery of an object in our Galaxy astronomers have been hunting for more than 50 years. This finding was made by combining data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory with ground-based observations.

To participate in the teleconference, reporters must contact the Chandra Press Office at 617-496-7998 or e-mail mwatzke@cfa.harvard.edu. Live audio of the teleconference will be streamed online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

A video file about the discovery will air on NASA Television on May 14. NASA TV is carried on an MPEG-2 digital signal accessed via satellite AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. NASA TV is available in Alaska and Hawaii on AMC-7 at 137 degrees west longitude, transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal polarization.

For information about NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/chandra

So, who wants to place bets on what they found?

AV1611VET · May 12, 2008

AintNoMonkey said:
So, who wants to place bets on what they found?

Aztecs on Mars?

Gumby on Venus?

Faith on the earth?

Luke 18:8b said:
Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Loudmouth · May 12, 2008

I'm going with an Earth sized exoplanet with water vapor in the atmosphere.

AV1611VET · May 12, 2008

Probably something in that Kewpie Belt --- so now they'll downgrade Pluto to a mini-dwarf --- (if they get enough votes).

Assyrian · May 12, 2008

Water vapour in the Kuiper belt? Isn't it a tad chilly?

AV1611VET · May 12, 2008

Assyrian said:
Water vapour in the Kuiper belt? Isn't it a tad chilly?

Not if it's in that teapot that's supposed to be orbiting somewhere.

Logic_Fault · May 12, 2008

AintNoMonkey said:
So, who wants to place bets on what they found?

Alien mothership. Gotta be!

Seriously, I have no idea. Must be something good though. Can't wait to find out...

AintNoMonkey · May 12, 2008

Chandra is an x-ray observatory, and is generally focused on finding black holes, if I remember correctly. Since the best way to identify black holes (that we know of) is looking for the x-rays that are emitted when they feed on gas from local stars or gas clouds, I would think they've found something conclusive on the blackhole front. I'm guessing they've viewed the theoretical super-massive in the center of our galaxy.

But I hope it's aliens.

Gawron · May 12, 2008

If it is aliens, may they be from the Klingon Empire.

thaumaturgy · May 12, 2008

Well, as has been previously proposed, it may be NASA announcing that they've found where socks that are lost in the dryer go to. And as was noted HERE, this may be a bad guess owing to questions around socks being visible in the x-ray wavelengths.

But what they didn't count on was the recent move to put colloidal silver in socks to make them antimicrobial (apparently this is causing some concern in environmental and water treatment circles).

But the key is, that it wasn't posssible to "see" these socks using x-ray observation until now owing to the Ag nanoparticles.

So, I think the big announcement will be twofold:

1. Ag nanoparticles were actually added to socks by the government at the behest of NASA to help them locate the socks lost in the drier.

(Many NASA scientist spouses were ashamed because their significant other would often happily go to work with mismatched socks and this caused strains in their relationships.)

and

2. NASA has finally found out where those socks are using their "tracers".

You see, sometimes government conspiracies are there for a reason.

AintNoMonkey · May 12, 2008

thaumaturgy said:
Well, as has been previously proposed, it may be NASA announcing that they've found where socks that are lost in the dryer go to. And as was noted HERE, this may be a bad guess owing to questions around socks being visible in the x-ray wavelengths.

But what they didn't count on was the recent move to put colloidal silver in socks to make them antimicrobial (apparently this is causing some concern in environmental and water treatment circles).

But the key is, that it wasn't posssible to "see" these socks using x-ray observation until now owing to the Ag nanoparticles.

So, I think the big announcement will be twofold:

1. Ag nanoparticles were actually added to socks by the government at the behest of NASA to help them locate the socks lost in the drier.

(Many NASA scientist spouses were ashamed because their significant other would often happily go to work with mismatched socks and this caused strains in their relationships.)

and

2. NASA has finally found out where those socks are using their "tracers".

You see, sometimes government conspiracies are there for a reason.

I'm scared.

Hold me.

Loudmouth · May 12, 2008

AintNoMonkey said:
Chandra is an x-ray observatory, and is generally focused on finding black holes, if I remember correctly. Since the best way to identify black holes (that we know of) is looking for the x-rays that are emitted when they feed on gas from local stars or gas clouds, I would think they've found something conclusive on the blackhole front. I'm guessing they've viewed the theoretical super-massive in the center of our galaxy.

They have already found the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. This doesn't fit with the "an object in our Galaxy astronomers have been hunting for more than 50 years" teaser being that 50 years ago no one proposed that supermassive blackholes existed at the center of galaxies. All I could think of is possible aborbance of x-rays by specific molecules in an exoplanet atmosphere as it transits in front of it's star. Visible light spectra readings are overpowered by the star, but x-rays may offer a higher resolution and less interference.

But I hope it's aliens.

Perhaps it's a giant Coke bottle.

AintNoMonkey · May 12, 2008

Loudmouth said:
They have already found the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. This doesn't fit with the "an object in our Galaxy astronomers have been hunting for more than 50 years" teaser being that 50 years ago no one proposed that supermassive blackholes existed at the center of galaxies. All I could think of is possible aborbance of x-rays by specific molecules in an exoplanet atmosphere as it transits in front of it's star. Visible light spectra readings are overpowered by the star, but x-rays may offer a higher resolution and less interference.

Perhaps it's a giant Coke bottle.

Don't underestimate the ability of NASA to take something that's been found or proven, and get really excited about finding it better.

But your theory is good. I thought it might have something to do with a planet, maybe even an earth-like planet (which have been notoriously hard to find).

And it would be a Pepsi bottle, since pepsi is 4.7x better than Coke.

Dragar · May 12, 2008

I can't imagine it will be anything but black-hole x-ray emission from the centre of the galaxy. Previously we had inferred its existence from tracing the path of stars in tight orbit around the galactic centre, and using the very simple Laws of Kepler to calculate the mass of the inner most object. Getting x-ray emission from this object would be a big deal.

Loudmouth · May 12, 2008

My second guess is some type of exotic neutron star.

MoonLancer · May 12, 2008

AV1611VET said:
Aztecs on Mars?

Gumby on Venus?

Faith on the earth?

please provide evidence that scientists started this ideas you claim. Otherwise, retract your claim.

sbvera13 · May 12, 2008

SETI started in 1960, which is almost 50 years ago.

Some rough guesses? Confirmed biotic elements within our solar system.

An earth-like planet outside our solar system.

Direct observation of dark matter, or some other kind of solution to the missing mass problem.

The Higgs boson. Although technically I guess that's physics and not astronomy.

A pair of neutron stars orbiting a black hole in a fashion reminiscent of Mickey Mouse ears.

Ok, so I don't know enough about astronomy to make a really good guess. But it's sure got my interest now.

MasterOfKrikkit · May 12, 2008

Dragar said:
I can't imagine it will be anything but black-hole x-ray emission from the centre of the galaxy. Previously we had inferred its existence from tracing the path of stars in tight orbit around the galactic centre, and using the very simple Laws of Kepler to calculate the mass of the inner most object. Getting x-ray emission from this object would be a big deal.

[voice = scruffy]second[/voice]

Or hell. Since anyone who enters doesn't leave, it's a bit like a black hole. Or a teapot. That would be awesome.

Edit to Add: thaumaturgy wins all of today's intarnets.

AintNoMonkey · May 12, 2008

sbvera13 said:
SETI started in 1960, which is almost 50 years ago.

I sooo want it to be aliens. That would be the best way possible to start off my summer. Ace.

Confirmed biotic elements within our solar system.

Doubtful, I think chandra is dedicated to extra-solar tasks.

An earth-like planet outside our solar system.

Do want

Dragar · May 14, 2008

So the answer is: the most recent galactic supernovae event! A mere 160 years ago.

NASA to Announce Success of Long Galactic Hunt

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