From: df1racing@gmail.com   
      
   El Monday, February 6, 1995 a la(s) 2:20:59 AM UTC-5, Bill Higgins-- Beam   
   Jockey escribió:   
   > In article <3h41v0$8...@news.bu.edu>, yant...@buast7.bu.edu (Robert   
   Yantosca) writes:   
   > > I liked this one mucho! Awesome episode. Here's my list of   
   > > Astronomy-related stuff for "Bart's Comet":   
   > Robert refers to episode [2F11] of the animated comedy series *The   
   > Simpsons*, which aired Sunday night in the U.S. A comet discovered by    
   > Bart Simpson turns out to be on a collision course with his home   
   > town, Springfield, U.S.A.   
   > The writers on *The Simpsons* frequently poke fun at nerds who have no   
   > life, especially those who spend too much time on the Net.   
   > Nevertheless, I will fearlessly add to the no-life discussion of   
   > astronomy on the show. It was the funniest episode in quite a while,   
   > especially its first half. Was it objectively funny, or did I just   
   > like it because I'm an astronomical kind of guy? Heck, don't ask me.    
   > Slight spoilers may follow.   
   > > (1) Skinner's scope looked like a 60mm (2.4") reflector on an altitude-   
   > > azimuth mount.    
   > [...]   
   > > (2a) Right Ascension is essentially celestial longitude measured eastward   
   > > from the Vernal Equinox (the point where the Celestial Equator crosses    
   > > the Ecliptic, or the Sun's path on the sky). Right Ascension is measured    
   > > in sexagesimal hours, minutes, and seconds.   
   > >    
   > > Declination is celestial latitude, measured from the celestial equator    
   > > (0 degrees) to the North and South Celestial Poles (+90, -90 degrees,    
   > > respectively). The Celestial Equator and Poles are the extension into   
   > > space of the Earth's Equator and Poles. Declination is measured in   
   > > sexagesimal degrees, minutes, and seconds. And, for the record,    
   > > 6 hours RA, 12 degrees Decl. is in the constellation of Orion.   
   > Yup.    
   > Skinner is sweeping the sky in declination, one degree at a time,   
   > beginning with 6 h 19 m RA, 14 deg 22' declination and ending   
   > at 6 h 19 m, 14 deg 59 min where he spots a surprising object.    
   > He phones an observatory and they confirm the sighting which, alas,   
   > turns out to be a weather balloon. The location is on a line between   
   > Gamma Gemini and Zeta Orionis. I considered mentioning that Zeta   
   > Orionis is a triple star system, but rejected the idea as just *too*   
   > nerdly.   
   >    
   > While the principal is distracted chasing the balloon, Bart fools   
   > around with the scopes and spots a bright comet with a prominent tail.    
   > He hits the REDIAL button on Skinner's phone and announces his   
   > discovery to the astronomers.   
   >    
   > Bart's comet first appears at numbers he reports as 4-12-8-7, which we   
   > may interpret as 4 h 12 m RA, 8 deg 7 min declination (presumably   
   > positive declination-- the astronomers have no trouble finding the   
   > comet from Bart's phone call, and they don't ask him about the sign of   
   > the declination). This is in Taurus, close to Mu Taurii and 46   
   > Taurii.    
   >    
   > > (3) Skinner could not have read RA and Dec from his telescope's setting    
   > > circles, as his scope was on an Altitude-Azimuth mount. One's altitude and    
   > > azimuth (direction from N) is not the same as one's latitude and   
   longitude,    
   > > after all!    
   > Cut 'em a little slack, Robert!    
   > Sorry, that outburst was contrary to the spirit of a no-life posting.    
   > It won't happen again. I'll attempt to redeem myself by asking this:   
   > By the way, didn't those air-to air missiles look more like Sparrows   
   > than Sidewinders? (-:   
   > In Chicago, a 10-second promo for flamboyant newscaster Walter   
   > Jacobson "walked on" part of Kent Brockman's live coverage of the   
   > impending disaster. This is amusing because Jacobson is probably the   
   > closest equivalent our city has to Brockman.   
   > Good lines:   
   > "I am going to punish you, Bart, and it won't be a simple caning this   
   > time! [...] You will assist me with my amateur astronomy!"   
   > --Principal Skinner, Springfield Elementary School   
   > "Ah, there's nothing more exciting than science! You get all the fun   
   > of sitting still... being quiet... writing down numbers... paying   
   > attention-- Science has it all!" --Skinner again, definitely sigfile   
   > fodder!   
   > Grandpa Simpson: "Sounds like the Doomsday Whistle... ain't been   
   > blown for nigh over three years!"   
   > A dismayed Lisa Simpson: I can't believe that extra-thick layer of   
   > pollution that I've actually picketed against is what burned up the   
   > comet!"   
   > Moe the tavernkeeper, after disaster is narrowly averted:    
   > "Let's go burn down the observatory, so this'll never happen   
   > again!"   
   > Crowd: "Yeah!"   
   > [Hey, it worked with the SSC.]   
   > All in all, it was much more entertaining and scientifically accurate   
   > than *Without Warning*.   
   > Bill Higgins, Beam Jockey | If a comet falls on Jupiter   
   > Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory | and nobody hears it,    
   > Bitnet: HIG...@FNAL.BITNET | does it make a noise?   
   > Internet: HIG...@FNAL.FNAL.GOV |   
   > SPAN/Hepnet: 43009::HIGGINS | --Dr. Barry D. Gehm   
   jAJAJAJAJA   
      
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