6/27/2005: Evidence of planets in new Hubble image

Didn't note who submitted this - a recent Hubble space telescope image release.

The image alone doesn't tell the story; this Discovery Channel story explains it better.

Astronomers looking at one the brightest stars in the southern sky have made a surprise discovery: it has been hiding a bright, visible ring of dust that just screams "Planets!"

Fomalhaut, 23 light-years from Earth, is the 17th brightest star in the night sky, residing in the Southern Fish constellation (Piscis Austrinus), so it's easy to see with the naked eye from the southern hemisphere. But it took the Hubble Space Telescope with a clever device to block out the glaring light of the star itself and see the graceful, elongated band of dust.

Yeah. You thought the aliens were from Mars. Nope, they're from Fomalhaut! The problem is, they can't see us due to all that dust. If we can get to them, surely they'll have developed the greatest vacuum cleaners in the universe.

I sent you a link to a different story about the formation.

Isn't that actually just the eye of Sauron?

A very good story, thanks Wolf! Two people submitted it then... bloody hell I've got to get that submission page done.

So. Freakin'. Cool. Looks like an Amber Cat's eye to me. Simply gorgeous!

Undertoad wrote:

A very good story, thanks Wolf! Two people submitted it then... bloody hell I've got to get that submission page done.

*raises hand* Credit for the submission is less important to me today than the fact that I backed a winner! Yay! Plus, that is one cool picture!!

n3v3r wrote:

Isn't that actually just the eye of Sauron?

HAHA that was EXACTLY my first thought.


I think it's kind of creepy, actually! Only 23 light years? That's amazingly close. I find these images absolutley amazing! I wish we would begin human space exploration! I would so be there. SO be there.

Awesome.
Things I'd like to own:
1) A telescope like that. ( I've got a "good" one but compared to this?....whew)
2) To have the equipment to take pictures like this.

What I wish tonight:
That is wasn't raining here & I could look at that tri-planet thingie in the western sky. Can't wait for the images on that!.....hint hint [UT]........
Great Iotd.

Hmmm. :eyebrow:

Dude, you crack me up!!! hahahahahahah!!!

Well, if I remember Star Control 3 correctly, the morose and depressive Utwig inhabit at least one planet around that star... Does anyone have a working Ultron handy?