The ESA is about to land a probe on a comet

[stack-o-tracks]

Hopefully....


I don't think they're going to answer too many questions about the universe, but there should definitely (hopefully) be some great pictures if these ones taken from a distance are any indication: http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Missions/Rosetta/%28class%29/image

[Andrew G. Doe]

Increasingly irked by piss-poor reporting: yes, the comet is traveling at 48,000 mph, or whatever. But so is the probe, because it's in orbit around said nucleus, so they're not trying to land on something whooshing past at about 13 miles per second, as inferred.

That said, all fascinating stuff. 

[rab2591]

Here's a live stream from ESA mission control....

http://new.livestream.com/esa/cometlanding

I don't know if the probe has landed yet though....

[guitarfool2002]

Maybe this project will help solve a Beach Boys mystery, if the camera should happen to catch thousands of unsold Summer In Paradise CD's orbiting among other space debris...Ahh, so that's where they put them! 

[rab2591]

It landed!

"Touchdown! My new address: 67P!"

@guitarfool - I hope someone collects all those copies then! We don't need a far off alien race thinking that's the type of "art" we put out....could start an intergalactic war

[guitarfool2002]

It landed!

"Touchdown! My new address: 67P!"

@guitarfool - I hope someone collects all those copies then! We don't need a far off alien race thinking that's the type of "art" we put out....could start an intergalactic war

You know that NASA (I think) in conjunction with the Smithsonian or a similar group sent some recordings into orbit, and among them was Chuck Berry's original "Johnny B Goode"...I'm a little sketchy on the details, but it was supposed to be an effort to give a sampling of the 20th century musical culture if any unknown extraterrestrial  life-form or whatever happened to get hold of it, just like you described.

So the scenario you posted would actually be hilarious if instead of Bach, Beethoven, and Johnny B Goode, that unknown alien race happened to catch a copy of Summer In Paradise by accident...and the first track they hear is "Summer Of Love". Imagine the possibilities.

I'm imagining if they ever landed on earth, you'd have an explorer ship full of aliens wearing tight shorts, alligator polo shirts, baseball caps, and docksider shoes, their attempt to "blend in" with the popular culture as translated through 1992-era Beach Boys music. 

[rab2591]

It landed!

"Touchdown! My new address: 67P!"

@guitarfool - I hope someone collects all those copies then! We don't need a far off alien race thinking that's the type of "art" we put out....could start an intergalactic war

You know that NASA (I think) in conjunction with the Smithsonian or a similar group sent some recordings into orbit, and among them was Chuck Berry's original "Johnny B Goode"...I'm a little sketchy on the details, but it was supposed to be an effort to give a sampling of the 20th century musical culture if any unknown extraterrestrial  life-form or whatever happened to get hold of it, just like you described.

So the scenario you posted would actually be hilarious if instead of Bach, Beethoven, and Johnny B Goode, that unknown alien race happened to catch a copy of Summer In Paradise by accident...and the first track they hear is "Summer Of Love". Imagine the possibilities.

I'm imagining if they ever landed on earth, you'd have an explorer ship full of aliens wearing tight shorts, alligator polo shirts, baseball caps, and docksider shoes, their attempt to "blend in" with the popular culture as translated through 1992-era Beach Boys music. 

brilliant!!

[rab2591]

This .gif shows just how incredible the process was in getting this spacecraft to the comet:

[Bean Bag]

Increasingly irked by piss-poor reporting: yes, the comet is traveling at 48,000 mph, or whatever. But so is the probe, because it's in orbit around said nucleus, so they're not trying to land on something whooshing past at about 13 miles per second, as inferred.

That said, all fascinating stuff. 

Reminds me of that South Park episode.  (Paraphrasing) Reporter:  "The death toll could be as high as 6 million people.  The town only has 3,000 people, so this would be a truly, truly devastating loss."

 

[SMiLE Brian]

This .gif shows just how incredible the process was in getting this spacecraft to the comet:

NASA needs more money for amazing stuff like this!

[guitarfool2002]

I had to do it.

[Bean Bag]

75 years later...  Little Billy in his bedroom, tuning some ham radio dials, with a big antenna and some tin-foil.  "Dad, come here come quick!  I hear something!!! From space!!!!"

"Hot fuuuun, in the summertime."  (with a LOT of reverb)

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

[Andrew G. Doe]

You know that NASA (I think) in conjunction with the Smithsonian or a similar group sent some recordings into orbit, and among them was Chuck Berry's original "Johnny B Goode"...I'm a little sketchy on the details, but it was supposed to be an effort to give a sampling of the 20th century musical culture if any unknown extraterrestrial  life-form or whatever happened to get hold of it, just like you described.

Your partly (mis)remembering the gold disc on the side of both of the Voyager spacecraft: there was a LOT more on it than just music:

Voyager Gold Disc contents

Both probes are now in interstellar space, and will pass the closest star in a tad over 40,000 years.

[alf wiedersehen]

will pass the closest star in a tad over 40,000 years.

How incredibly useful.