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- Portrait of a Doomed Asteroid
A new study provides a possible explanation of mysterious X-ray flares detected by the Chandra K-ray Observatory for several years in the region of Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A*. The study suggests a cloud around Sgr A*, a supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, which contains hundreds of trillions of asteroids and comets that have been stripped from their parent stars. The flares occur when asteroids of six miles or larger in radius are consumed by the black hole. An asteroid that undergoes a close encounter with another object, such as a star or planet, can be thrown into an orbit headed towards Sgr A*. If the asteroid passes within about 100 million miles of the black hole, roughly the distance between the Earth and the sun, it is torn into pieces by the tidal forces from the black hole. These fragments would then be vaporized by friction as they pass through the hot, thin gas flowing onto Sgr A*, similar to a meteor heating up and glowing as it falls through Earth's atmosphere. A flare is produced and eventually the remains of the asteroid are swallowed by the black hole. Image Credit: Illustrations: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss
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Monthly Archives: October 2009
TR – Etiquette
The good folks over at The Art of Manliness have taken the “motivator” comcept in a most acceptable direction. There are a wide variety of them on their site with various historical characters, as well as some other great daily … Continue reading
Posted in Heroes, History
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TR – Endurance
The good folks over at The Art of Manliness have taken the “motivator” comcept in a most acceptable direction. There are a wide variety of them on their site with various historical characters, as well as some other great daily … Continue reading
Posted in Heroes, History
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Scary Season
The scary season of Halloween is rapidly approaching, and all of the little ghouls and goblins are preparing for the event. The decorations are coming out in the neighborhood, with tombstones, and skeletons rising from the front lawns of suburbia. … Continue reading
Posted in Foriegn Policy, Politics, Threats
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Obiligatory Nobel Post
This morning the US and possible most of the world is heaving a collective sigh of WTF? Since others have eloquently speculated and reported on the facts of the situation allow me to address this from the more whimsical direction. … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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40 Years Ago
40 years is a long time to be in the entertainment business. It seems like there are a few that are able to transcend the years. One of my favorites has reached that plateau. The troupe of Monty Python’s Flying … Continue reading
Posted in Humor
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TR – Duty
The good folks over at The Art of Manliness have taken the “motivator” comcept in a most acceptable direction. There are a wide variety of them on their site with various historical characters, as well as some other great daily … Continue reading
Posted in Heroes, History
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