| Author | Message | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 29 Registered: 7-2010 |
In my part-time job I learned a lot about a subject not a lot of people think much about. As a result, whenever someone has a question about it, they ask me. One of the questions I frequently get asked stems from what I think (and hope) is a common scrund. Most of the time I have to tell them that they are wrong; but sometimes I can tell them that: "You are, in some sense, exactly 50% right." What is the scrund? | ||
| Doriana (Doriana)
New member Username: Doriana Post Number: 2603 Registered: 12-2010 |
Your profile says that you're a "Museum host and planetarium operator". Are we talking about your job at the museum? At the planetarium? (Or are they actually the same thing?) Is the scrund related to astronomy? To stars? The solar system? The sun? Planets? Comets? Asteroids? Solar eclipses? Lunar eclipses? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 30 Registered: 7-2010 |
Your profile says that you're a "Museum host and planetarium operator". Are we talking about your job at the museum? At the planetarium? (Or are they actually the same thing?) Yeah, I worked in a planetarium in a museum. Crap, I forgot that was in my profile, I was hoping this part of the riddle would take longer. Is the scrund related to astronomy? Yes To stars? Yes The solar system? Yes The sun? No Planets? Yes Comets? No Asteroids? No Solar eclipses? No Lunar eclipses? No | ||
| Doriana (Doriana)
New member Username: Doriana Post Number: 2605 Registered: 12-2010 |
Jupiter relevant? Its moons? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 31 Registered: 7-2010 |
Jupiter relevant? Yes, guessing you got that from the title. Its moons? No | ||
| Doriana (Doriana)
New member Username: Doriana Post Number: 2615 Registered: 12-2010 |
Is Jupiter's size relevant? What it is composed of? Its atmosphere? Its temperature? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 32 Registered: 7-2010 |
Is Jupiter's size relevant? What it is composed of? Its atmosphere? Its temperature? No to all | ||
| Balin (Balin)
New member Username: Balin Post Number: 17581 Registered: 4-2010 |
Great Red Spot? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 33 Registered: 7-2010 |
Great Red Spot? No | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3386 Registered: 2-2011 |
its mass? gravity? colour? Shoemaker Levy? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 34 Registered: 7-2010 |
its mass? gravity? colour? Shoemaker Levy? No to all | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 384 Registered: 2-2012 |
Ah, an astronomy puzzle - one of my interests, although I don't know if that will help me here because it might mean I'm not aware of the scrund. Is Jupiter the only planet that scrund applies to? Is the position of Jupiter in the sky relevant? Time of day relevant? Zodiac relevant? About the "exactly" 50 % right: Does this depend on the way they phrase their assertion? Do they sometimes phrase it as a question? Does this matter (question vs. assertion)? Oops just say your point about not being related to the Sun - otherwise I would have a possible answer. Brightness (magnitude) relevant? Astrology relevant? | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 385 Registered: 2-2012 |
Oops I forgot a couple: Does the 50% right mean that the scrund is actually a true statement but only for people in certain locations on earth? Arctic/antarctic circles relevant? Tropics of cancer/capricorn relevant? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 35 Registered: 7-2010 |
Ah, an astronomy puzzle - one of my interests, Awesome although I don't know if that will help me here because it might mean I'm not aware of the scrund. I hope you have Is Jupiter the only planet that scrund applies to? No Is the position of Jupiter in the sky relevant? Not really Time of day relevant? Not really Zodiac relevant? No About the "exactly" 50 % right: Does this depend on the way they phrase their assertion? No Do they sometimes phrase it as a question? Almost always a question, but not really relevant Does this matter (question vs. assertion)? Nope Oops just say your point about not being related to the Sun - otherwise I would have a possible answer. Brightness (magnitude) relevant? Yes Astrology relevant? No Oops I forgot a couple: Does the 50% right mean that the scrund is actually a true statement but only for people in certain locations on earth? No, the scrund is false. The 50% thing is tricky. Arctic/antarctic circles relevant? Tropics of cancer/capricorn relevant? No to both | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 387 Registered: 2-2012 |
Ok, didn't mean that the scrund was true (by definition), only questioning the 50 % bit, sorry. I misphrased that. Is Venus also relevant? If so, I might duck out and send you an email. | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 388 Registered: 2-2012 |
I actualLy think I might not know this scrund. The 50% answer is exact, correct? Do you answer with the 50% depending on the the way the question is phrased? Are the R/A and declination of Jupiter relevant? | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 389 Registered: 2-2012 |
Is the future of Jupiter relevant? The fact that it can sometimes be seen with a careful eye during daylight - is that relevant? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 36 Registered: 7-2010 |
Ok, didn't mean that the scrund was true (by definition), only questioning the 50 % bit, sorry. I misphrased that. No, the person asking is 100 % wrong, at least in his/her own eyes. But from mine they are, in a sense, 50 % correct. As I said before, this is the tricky part. Is Venus also relevant? No If so, I might duck out and send you an email.I'd like to hear it anyway I actualLy think I might not know this scrund. The 50% answer is exact, correct? Yes, exactly half correct, in the same way that Ringo Starr was the Beatles is 25 % correct. (Disregard fifth Beatle) Do you answer with the 50% depending on the the way the question is phrased? No, phrasing isn't that important. Are the R/A and declination of Jupiter relevant? No Is the future of Jupiter relevant? No The fact that it can sometimes be seen with a careful eye during daylight - is that relevant? No | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 393 Registered: 2-2012 |
Just to make sure. this possible 50% correct is truly exact, and not just an approximation? Not the weird belief that some crazies have that Jupiter will eventually turn into a star? | ||
| Noel (Noel)
New member Username: Noel Post Number: 3140 Registered: 7-2009 |
Is it related to Jupiter's orbit? Its location relative to Earth? Its location relative to other planets? Its rotation? The length of its year? What it's made of? Its appearance? Its weather? Which other planets are relevant: Mercury? Mars? Saturn? Uranus? Neptune? Earth? Other planets outside of our solar system? Fictional planets? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 37 Registered: 7-2010 |
Just to make sure. this possible 50% correct is truly exact, and not just an approximation? Yes, it's exact Not the weird belief that some crazies have that Jupiter will eventually turn into a star? No Is it related to Jupiter's orbit? No Its location relative to Earth? No Its location relative to other planets? Sort of Its rotation? No The length of its year? No What it's made of? No Its appearance? Yes Its weather? No Which other planets are relevant: Mercury? Mars? Saturn? Only this one Uranus? Neptune? Earth? Other planets outside of our solar system? Fictional planets? | ||
| Sundowner (Sundowner)
New member Username: Sundowner Post Number: 1131 Registered: 6-2003 |
Is the 50% correctness to be understood in the way that there is a 50% chance that the fact is true, but we might not know for sure in beforehand? (like when tossing a coin) or is it a fact that during 50% of the time is true, while it is wrong during the other 50%? (like "Jupiter is closer to the Earth than Saturn" -- though I do not know to which extent this is true) or is it a statement where only a part is true while the other part is wrong? Does the scrund (or fact, or statement) compare Jupiter and Saturn? consider some relationship between them? Things named "Jupiter" and/or "Saturn" relevant (others than the planets)? Roman (or other) mythology? Astrology? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 38 Registered: 7-2010 |
Is the 50% correctness to be understood in the way that there is a 50% chance that the fact is true, but we might not know for sure in beforehand? (like when tossing a coin) or is it a fact that during 50% of the time is true, while it is wrong during the other 50%? (like "Jupiter is closer to the Earth than Saturn" -- though I do not know to which extent this is true) No, not like that. Read the Beatles analogy I posted earlier or is it a statement where only a part is true while the other part is wrong? Not quite like this either Does the scrund (or fact, or statement) compare Jupiter and Saturn? No consider some relationship between them? No Things named "Jupiter" and/or "Saturn" relevant (others than the planets)? No Roman (or other) mythology? No Astrology? No | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 39 Registered: 7-2010 |
Sorry, made a mistake Roman (or other) mythology? I'm changing this to yes. | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3390 Registered: 2-2011 |
about Jove and Jupiter being the same thing? about why the planet was named after him? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 40 Registered: 7-2010 |
about Jove and Jupiter being the same thing? about why the planet was named after him? No, that was just a clever title. Has nothing to do with the scrund itself. | ||
| Noel (Noel)
New member Username: Noel Post Number: 3141 Registered: 7-2009 |
Hmm, appearance is relevant, but not colors. What about the size Saturn and Jupiter appear to be? Light? The appearance of motion? The appearance of the zodiac symbols that represent them? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 41 Registered: 7-2010 |
Hmm, appearance is relevant, but not colors. What about the size Saturn and Jupiter appear to be? Light? The appearance of motion? The appearance of the zodiac symbols that represent them? No to all | ||
| Noel (Noel)
New member Username: Noel Post Number: 3145 Registered: 7-2009 |
Smooth vs. rough surface texture? | ||
| Shez (Shez)
New member Username: Shez Post Number: 3395 Registered: 2-2011 |
rings? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 42 Registered: 7-2010 |
Smooth vs. rough surface texture? No rings? No That reminds me, in the planetarium we had a movie that called Saturn "The Lord of the Rings". Funny first time, got a bit stale after watching it 500 times. | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 394 Registered: 2-2012 |
Star of Bethlehem? | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 43 Registered: 7-2010 |
Star of Bethlehem? Yes! Think you can connect it together now? | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 396 Registered: 2-2012 |
Do some people think that the star of Bethlehem was actually Jupiter? A conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn? (I've heard several theories). As an aside, I hear that a lot of astronomers (and I suppose planetarium currators) get comments from people that are surprised to see the moon in the sky during daylight, wondering if it's some strange anomaly. | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 44 Registered: 7-2010 |
Do some people think that the star of Bethlehem was actually Jupiter? A conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn? (I've heard several theories). Yeah, this is it ******SPOILER****** Around Christmas times I am asked frequently if that (pointing at brightest thing in the sky) is the Star of Bethlehem. Usually this will be Sirius, Rigel, Castor, Pollux or a planet that is visible around Christmas that year. When I was asked whether Jupiter was the Star of Bethlehem, I answered as in the puzzle description, that it was, in a sense, 50 % correct, as one of the theories conserning the Star of Bethlehem was that it was a triple conjuction of Jupiter and Saturn (Mars also comes close to them that year). I think it was two years ago when Venus was visible on the sky in the evening in the winter. Got a ton of questions about the Star of Bethlehem. As an aside, I hear that a lot of astronomers (and I suppose planetarium currators) get comments from people that are surprised to see the moon in the sky during daylight, wondering if it's some strange anomaly. Hehe, I have certainly gotten some weird questions. In case some of you don't know, one of the things done in a planetarium is showing the audience the starry sky of the following night, explaining what different things are; where planets will be etc. One person asked me: "But where is the Earth?" | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 398 Registered: 2-2012 |
It must be a fun job. Do you give talks? It's always rewarding to get people in to astronomy, but it's tough. I did get a couple of people to walk outside to look at the last crescent moon and Venus conjunction (I don't know how close they have to be to qualify as a conjunction - or is it when they're at the same right acension?) But generally, when I mention upcoming meteor showers and the like, I just get vacant stares | ||
| Modicum (Modicum)
New member Username: Modicum Post Number: 45 Registered: 7-2010 |
It must be a fun job. Do you give talks? It's always rewarding to get people in to astronomy, but it's tough. I did get a couple of people to walk outside to look at the last crescent moon and Venus conjunction (I don't know how close they have to be to qualify as a conjunction - or is it when they're at the same right acension?) But generally, when I mention upcoming meteor showers and the like, I just get vacant stares I have regular shows talking about either that nights sky, or the solar system and universe in general. I find that people have really low expectations, and are amazed even if I only talk about the Big Dipper (the Plough, Karlswagen, la Casserole, etc.) People don't know a lot, but many are eager to learn. My best experiences are on the quiet days, when only one or two groups show up for a show. If they are interested I often talk for fifty minutes, with them asking every question they have. This is harder with larger groups, as people tend to become timid, and some people get bored quickly. I have no formal training on the subject. I just applied for a part-time job at a local science museum, and they asked if I wanted to run the planetarium. I, having no idea what a planetarium was, said yes. A month later people were asking me where I had studied astronomy and thanking me for the experience after shows. That was really gratifying. If some of you reading this has not done so: Travel to some dark place and look at the stars. You might think you know how they look, but you'll be amazed at just how big the sky is. I have many stories, but I think I'll leave it at that. | ||
| Solo1 (Solo1)
New member Username: Solo1 Post Number: 191 Registered: 5-2012 |
Note: If you live in a city, you may have to go quite a distance to see the stars, - or go to a planatarium, because of light pollution. Even where we live, in a small town about 20 miles from a sizeable, but not really large, city, we don't see many. Get really out in the country! | ||
| Beachbum (Beachbum)
New member Username: Beachbum Post Number: 400 Registered: 2-2012 |
Solo, you are so right - it is so fantastic to see everything without light pollution - It is truly amazing! |
