SCIENCE VS RELIGION

[Moderator]

Sagan said that science is spiritual. You would never have Sam Harris say that.

http://www.amazon.com/Waking-Up-Spiritu ... +waking+up

Sam's next book, due out a month from now.

Well, at least a few posts are drifting back towards the topic.

Merci buckets.

[Ezra Lb.]

Big bugs are science.


Another gorgeous Hubble shot -



This beauty actually has a name. This is the head of the Horse Head nebula. For those who are keeping score the pink glow is caused by ionized hydrogen given off by a heavy star forming region. This shows why the Creationists are so full of shit. They think creation was a one time thing that ended 6000 years ago. Creation is ongoing.

[robochrist]

Of late, I've been spellbound by the discoveries of these mindblowing exoplanets. They are too distant for clear images with current technology, but it only adds to the mystery! This is a recent one, over 63 light years away and small in mass compared to others they've found, a "meager" 1.65 times the size of Jupiter!

Taken with the Gemini Planet Imager, recently fitted to the Gemini South telescope in Chile, the bright dot represents Beta Pictoris b, one of the most famous planets beyond the solar system.

[Lori Koonce]

Cool Pic Robo, have you shown this to Terry Pratchet yet? Think he should. E aware that ring world exists...

[Chuck Messer]

I recognized the Horse Head Nebula right away. These stellar nurseries are downright awe inspiring. Our solar system would only be a tiny speck against that massive cloud.

Chuck

[Rick Keeney]

Of late, I've been spellbound by the discoveries of these mindblowing exoplanets. They are too distant for clear images with current technology, but it only adds to the mystery! This is a recent one, over 63 light years away and small in mass compared to others they've found, a "meager" 1.65 times the size of Jupiter!

Taken with the Gemini Planet Imager, recently fitted to the Gemini South telescope in Chile, the bright dot represents Beta Pictoris b, one of the most famous planets beyond the solar system.

Looks like Guam.

[FrankChurch]

And egg about to meet the sperm. Cosmic birth.

[robochrist]

GUAM looks more like this:

[Steve Evil]

Thankyou Rob. Move along everyone!

[robochrist]

Steve Evil,

Come with me and we'll visit Guam together! With vistas like THAT, how can you turn down such an invitation? (Oh, God, I'm starting to forget what this thread was about!)

[Moderator]

Please stick to the topic.

[Steve Evil]

I can hardly wait. . .

Uhm, topic, right. Found Kraus' A Universe From Nothing in a discard pile. There's my cottage reading this year. . .

[diane bartels]

ya know what would really suck? If there is a God, but there is no life after death. Wouldn't that just be really disgusting?

[Ezra Lb.]

ya know what would really suck? If there is a God, but there is no life after death. Wouldn't that just be really disgusting?

Actually I once read of a "liberal" Jewish theologian who held to that exact view. No afterlife but we "live on in the mind of god". Yes extraordinarily dissatisfying. I'm reminded of Woody Allen's line (and I'm paraphrasing) that some people want to live on after death through their works and some through their descendents but he wanted to live on by not dying. Hear hear.

You suppose it's ever possible to take a bad photograph in space? Do you think space photography will kill talent because any shot it so breathtaking no matter where you point? Anyway I suppose this is the celestial version of sitting in traffic waiting for the light to change.

[Chuck Messer]

Or, watching a ship come in. I once saw some of the rejected photos from Project Apollo. Thumb in front of the camera, bad exposures, etc. So yes, Virginia, there can be bad photos from space.

But the good ones take your breath away. I'd love to see what Steve or Andrew could do with such a vista.

Chuck