Well more useful (scientifically speaking) than going to the moon or Mars. Far cheaper too.

What wonderful stuff it sees out there, and just how much does it cost in comparison to just about anything else?

I'm a big fan of dusty rings...

...this discovery goes to prove the existence of Sauron, peering at us from afar with his scary-ass eye.

Tickle me afraid.

...transporting a package from Ross 154 to Fomalhaut back in the mid '90s.

Good times.

I'm not the only nerd to see that right?

Is it just me, or does that whole system look uncannily like an eye? complete with iris, pupil, everything.

Is the picture of three large planets orbiting star HR 8799. Seen here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7725584.stm

But they didn't use Hubble so not so newsworthy at Vulture Central.

I guess it's pretty bad news for the farmers on Fomalhaut that they're nothing more than a giant mote in Sauron's eye. I wonder if Frodo will travel there by Cobra Mk3?

Two of my favourite things in one story. Thanks for really cheering up my Friday.

I did that too! Happy days.

Sometimes I still see cars going past and think "ooh, I used to have an Adder that colour."

Anyone else wonder how many people are going to think the artist's rendition, placed first in the article, is the Hubble picture and the second picture is just some random red dots? How about some captions for those unclear on the concept...

Oh yesssssss !!! Me too :)

I'll never forget my first assassination contract - my heart was pounding, my palms were sweating. After a while, it became just another way to make credits. The thing was, people didn't want to book a flight with me, something to do with my 'reputation', shrugs.

What if the inhabitants of this new planet are terrorists? Or paedophiles? The government must act now and issue them all ID cards!

... That's no Eye of Sauron .... that's a space Goatse!

Sorry. I'll get me spacesuit.

You nearly sound like a manfromMars....

That's the Eye of Terror!

I'm getting out of this galaxy for sure if Hubble spots a Tyrannid Hive fleet.

Anyone fancy giving me a ride to one of the Magellanic clouds? I know this nice place in the lesser cloud.

Oh yes, YES! Remember this trade route from Escape Velocity Nova?

Bio-weapons

Sold Codec (Codehaven) - Bought Menin (Lesten)

The only good thing to come from Macs.

http://www.evula.com/survival_guide/

Too bad there aren't any plans to make a new EV game.

Join the fleet of planets of the Pierson's Puppeteers, they're headed in that general direction. On the other hand, you could also let yourself be dropped off at the Ringworld; should be safe now that the stabilizers have been mostly re-installed and a bunch of Protectors are running things there...

A place to send all the Politicians, lawyers and Sad-Lifers!

Don't forget that you should stock up on the boosterspice.

And you'd do well to not pick a Kzin as your travelling companion...

Thats no moon...

It does look like an eye, but I am pretty sure the central part is not "real".

It says in the article it is a corona photo, and the star is a billion times fainter than the star. It means you have to cover the star to be able to expose the photo for the planet -- that's what's "done" during a solar eclipse, when you can photograph the corona, for example. Or it is actually done in telescopes to do it anytime.

Anyway, really cool stuff. Hubble for President!

Heh. Thanks folks, I knew that solar system sounded familiar...

As for the eye thing, this image still freaks me out bigtime:

http://spiff.rit.edu/classes/phys230/lectures/planneb/MyCn18_big.jpg

You get 340c for taking a package to formalhaut from alpha centauri.... Ahh good old frontier.

Paris, you can generally give her a package for less than 340c these days.