… both surveys were looking for different things
This is fascinating, does it mean that two of the arms have only "cooler, lower mass stars like our Sun", and the other two have only "massive" stars?
For years, boffins have been arguing over whether our galaxy has four spiral arms or just two, as seen by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Artist's impression of the Milky Way You spin me right round ... an artist's impression of the Milky Way The only way to confirm the theory is to try to figure out where the stars are …
No, it means the four arms stand out for having younger, high-mass stars. I think. As noted in the article, the longer-lived, smaller stars have time to smear out of the arms and spread into a disk. The so-called arms and gaps of a galaxy are distinctive for the presence and absence (respectively) of gas and short-lived stars. I think.
Yet more of this petty thinking that slows progress to a crawl! Why not:
(1) Get the attention of some intergalactic[*] herbivores[**] and ask them to take a Polaroid[***] on their next jaunt.
(2) Build a big strong wall (use the stuff from ringworlds) from the core black hole out a very long way, then crouch behind it and count the number of "splats" - when it has been quiet for a very long time it's safe to assume the whole galaxy has become jam.
(3) Multiple the universal time constant by minus one, wait for the universe to regress enough that our galaxy is just forming, then pay closer attention this time.
But instead of manly decisive action we're relying upon boffins counting stars. I blame Obama! (not specifically on this point, it's more a general policy of mine on anything to do with space, like the premature cancellation of Apollo).
[*] Important! intragalactic bug-eyed monsters may be too embarrassed to admit they don't know either and just make up any old rubbish to feel superior
[**] Even more important!
[***] These are BEMs with blasters and hyperdrives and voluptuous Venusian vixens; of course they have advanced to the Polaroid stage!
Yep I've had some happy time gazing at the stars, but unfortunately I only manage to feel such selfless tranquility for a few seconds before something mundane interrupts. In my heart of hearts I fear I aspire to become an exec like this:
Exec #1: Item six on the agenda: "The Meaning of Life" Now uh, Harry, you've had some thoughts on this.
Exec #2: Yeah, I've had a team working on this over the past few weeks, and what we've come up with can be reduced to two fundamental concepts. One: People aren't wearing enough hats. Two: Matter is energy. In the universe there are many energy fields which we cannot normally perceive. Some energies have a spiritual source which act upon a person's soul. However, this "soul" does not exist ab initio as orthodox Christianity teaches; it has to be brought into existence by a process of guided self-observation. However, this is rarely achieved owing to man's unique ability to be distracted from spiritual matters by everyday trivia.
Exec #3: What was that about hats again?
Exec #2: Oh, Uh... people aren't wearing enough.
Exec #1: Is this true?
Exec #4: Certainly. Hat sales have increased but not pari passu, as our research...
Exec #3: [Interrupting] "Not wearing enough"? enough for what purpose?
Exec #5: Can I just ask, with reference to your second point, when you say souls don't develop because people become distracted...
[looking out window]
Exec #5: Has anyone noticed that building there before?
But (rather like art galleries) my mild shame at not doing more civilised things myself is at least balanced by awe at and gratitude for those who do, like these star mapping boffins.
Indeed!! This is why I wear at least one every day (the roo leather Barmah today). Essential!!! The only way to fully appreciate the meaning of life!!!! Ask any wizard or witch about the importance of hats!!!!!!
Yes I'll have the kippers today! Hooray!! How do we do it? VOLUME!!!
Mine is the one with the dried frog pills in the pocket (left one, the right has a miniature universe in it)
"But (rather like art galleries) my mild shame at not doing more civilised things myself is at least balanced by awe at and gratitude for those who do"
If you're ever in St Ives, visit the Tate Modern. It is a five star attraction that offers a "kill or cure" outcome for undecided visitors. The building's fantastic, in a great location. In my case it confirmed that modern art is mostly shit, with pride of place given (for example) to a single sheet of A4 paper with a single large solid black diamond shape on it. Or weird bronze castings that look like an experimental French urinal (as opposed to Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain", which is a urinal). Boxes of books you rummage around in and then insert cut out text in between the pages to "create art". The obligatory whole room devoted to some woman who you've never heard of, but who produced a lot of rather dull and uninteresting paintings and junk sculptures then "went and lived the rest of her life as a man on the West Bank in Paris".
And the whole experience is rounded off by traditional po-faced babooshkas to shoo you away when you mistakenly sit on an exhibit because it looks like a bench. YMMV, you might find you love it, but I commend the place to anybody: Those who love modern art (and can't see when an "artist" is talentless and simply taking the piss); those who are undecided; and those who are fairly sure they won't like it, but have a good sense of humour.
so you feel your value is affected by the existence of large objects ? Since when was a ruler of some kind a measure of intrinsic value ? Logic please, there is enough category confusion in the grey slop of western thought.
As for said researchers, nice work explaining the discrepancy between observations. Better galactic maps will help when negative energy warp drives get built by the next but one civilisation.
I'd leave the peanuts unless you intend to travel by matter-transference beam. I'd grab the towel myself.
What I've never understood is why, if the Earth is in the unfashionable western Spiral arm of the galaxy, Ursa Minor Beta (β UMi or Kochab) which is a mere 126 light-years distant and thus in the same arm is the third hippest place in the Universe, and contains the second hippest place. The Hippest place may also be there (Zaphod Beeblebrox's left cranium) if he happens to be visiting the entrance lobby to the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy offices.
"When you are tired of Ursa Minor Beta you are tired of life." (Playbeing magazine).
Good point. I should have remembered the exact quote better, especially considering how much of a wordsmith Douglas was. But still 126 ly is nothing bearing in mind that the diameter is 100,000-120,000 ly.
The distance from Earth to the centre of the galaxy is about 27,000 ly, so Ursa Minor Beta at 126 ly from Earth is just next door.
Betelgeuse, which is often quoted as being close is ~643 ly, which is considerably further away.