Wonders of the Sola...
 

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[Closed] Wonders of the Solar System - BBC2

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At the beginning of the program what was the figures used when describing the coincidence of the Moon being the right size and distance from the Sun to give us the unique Eclipse that we only can see on this planet?


 
Posted : 07/03/2010 10:24 pm
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He said the sun was about 400 times bigger than the moon and that the sun is about 400 times further away from the Earth than the moon.


 
Posted : 07/03/2010 10:27 pm
 Nick
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Sun is 400 times the size of the moon and is 400 times further away from the earth, which is why this is the only planet (that we know of) that experiences a total eclipse.


 
Posted : 07/03/2010 10:27 pm
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Mmm...that's one heck of a coincidence!! I mean what are the chances of that happening?

"S****" 🙂


 
Posted : 07/03/2010 10:33 pm
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The same as the odds on it being a bit bigger, or a bit smaller.


 
Posted : 07/03/2010 10:36 pm
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Obviously a higher power is/was at work.................


 
Posted : 07/03/2010 10:43 pm
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it's yer anthropocentric paradox innit?


 
Posted : 07/03/2010 10:59 pm
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Surely it's intelligent design.


 
Posted : 07/03/2010 11:00 pm
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The probability of life happening on earth is due to a number of cosmological constants. Lee Smolin suggests the chances of life happening are something like 1 in 10 to the power of 229. That is a very big number!


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:17 am
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The sun 400 times bigger than the moon?
I would have thought nearer 400 000


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:57 am
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far too much violins & orchestras. listen!, how meaningful all this stuff that you shoulda learned at primary school is!! why measure astronomical distances in metres? get a book!


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 1:17 am
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but what purpose does an eclipse actual serve apart from confusing animals?


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 7:53 am
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What purpose does anything serve?


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 8:00 am
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Ohh, FFS let's not do this


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 8:15 am
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OK program but the constantly smiling Prof Brian Cox gets on my tits 🙂


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 8:29 am
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the moon/sun size/distance coincidence isn't perfect. The distance to the moon varies (orbits are ellipses), so lots of eclipses are 'spoiled' because the moon is too far away, so too small to fully obscure the sun. and lots of eclipses are 'spoiled' because the moon is too close, and totally blocks out the sun.

the 400/400 thing is about right, but, don't confuse diameter with volume

Awesome show (too many violins).


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 8:40 am
 Pook
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things can only get better


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 9:10 am
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would have been better if he had got all those indians to "moon" the eclipse


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 9:24 am
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tyger - Member

Mmm...that's one heck of a coincidence!! I mean what are the chances of that happening?

"S****"

Your point being?

I sneezed this morning. At exactly the same time, in Wichita, someone slipped on a wet towel and hurt their elbow. What are the chances of that?


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 9:25 am
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The moon is slowly moving away IIRC so get to see one while you can. Another few million years and it might all be too late.


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 11:20 am
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Reminds me of the Father Ted scene where he's telling Dougal that the toy cows are small but the real ones area long way away. Grinning Brian wound me up as well.


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:23 pm
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People who get "wound up" by other's smiling enthusiasm about their subject, need to get over their own misery, IMHO.


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:27 pm
 Tim
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I thought it was ace. Science on prime time Beeb...nowt wrong with that!

Cox has an awesome job !


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:27 pm
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"... and I managed to do all that with a tin, water, a thermometer and an umbrella..." Priceless. 8)


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:29 pm
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Cox has an awesome job !

Almost a D:Ream job!


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:32 pm
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yep i loved it but missed the beginning

is it repeated or iplayer??


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:33 pm
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Repeated on Tuesday I think. I'll be watching it then because the wife won't be wanting to watch celebrity ice skating.


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:45 pm
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The same as the odds on it being a bit bigger, or a bit smaller.

Not sure it quite works like that, but I agree with your sentiment. Bear in mind that the distance it sits from the earth is decided by its size,speeds etc and so fairly prescribed, it's size relative to the sun is totally random. It still doesn't hint at creation though!


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 12:49 pm
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Heaven forbid eh coffeeking! LOL


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 1:02 pm
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😀 God help me, all these creationist idiots 😆


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 1:06 pm
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At the end he mentioned that the Sun will finally die in about 5 billion years. I wonder if manwell will still have that stumpy hardtail on the classifieds then...?


 
Posted : 08/03/2010 1:18 pm
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coffeeking - Member

God help me, all these creationist idiots

10/10 irony points.


 
Posted : 09/03/2010 9:37 am

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