The other planets in the solar system POLL

http://theconversation.com/jupiters-great-red-spot-could-disappear-in-a-generation-26798

https://62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/files/48655/width668/7mffnqb7-1400203086.jpg

Love this Neptune composite on APOD yesterday

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1405/Neptune-South-Pole-Voyager-2_950x682.jpg

I find it incredible that in the 70's/80's the Soviets managed to engineer a probe with a camera that can withstand the heat and atmospheric pressure of Venus. I know the Mars rovers have done an amazing job beyond expectations, but the surface of Venus ffs ? This is a bit old and some of the images are frustratingly small, but it is worth checking out.
http://mentallandscape.com/C_CatalogVenus.htm

http://mentallandscape.com/C_Venera_Perspective.jpg

The theory that we already had a smaller moon from a giant bolide impact prior to the Thea collision, excellent article.
http://nautil.us/issue/13/symmetry/when-the-earth-had-two-moons

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/t1.0-9/10365727_849471851740494_6117098277333421237_n.png

http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2014/06/02/stuff-you-dont-know-about-venus/

4. Difference in temperature between day and night on Venus: 0 degrees.

5. Difference in temperature between the planet’s equator and poles: 0 degrees.

6. Reason for #4 and #5: That enormously thick, carbon dioxide atmosphere redistributes heat very efficiently. In other words, if you’re on Venus and you need to cool off, your best bet is to go up. Roughly 30 miles up, where the pressure and temperature finally relax and become something Earth-like (see #8).

[...]

8. That doesn’t mean the planet is necessarily lifeless. It’s possible that organisms could live in those acid clouds, which contain water, energy, and nutrients.

Distant Uranus Sees A Storm Surge Of ‘Monstrous’ Proportions

http://www.keckobservatory.org/images/made/images/blog/Uranus_Aug20141_800_407.jpg

http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/02/tech/innovation/is-pluto-a-planet/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Recently read about that technicality. I believe in the case of the earlier vote there had been an original subcommittee featuring the likes of Dava Sobel and Owen Gingerich that drew up guidelines under which Pluto was a planet, but then the rubbish-clearing, broom-clean clause was added, driving Pluto out with a flaming sword.

This is the dopest thing I have seen today, wow!
http://www.nasa.gov/press/2014/october/close-encounters-comet-siding-spring-seen-next-to-mars/

Siding Spring, officially designated Comet C/2013 A1, made its closest approach to Mars at 2:28 p.m. EDT on Oct. 19, at a distance of approximately 87,000 miles. That is about one-third of the distance between Earth and the moon

fuck me that is close, can't wait to see the rover pics if there are any.

It must be true

http://gizmodo.com/uranus-smells-like-farts-1793765256

likely story

but its a bit of a little miracle bc ive been in below zero weather and the greatest thing about it is that you can let one go and the odour immediately disappears after being released

one of lifes greatest joys tbh

https://theconcourse.deadspin.com/planets-ranked-1818586375

Uranus the most unloved of gas giants here too.

All gas giants are overrated.

1. Earth

Oh big surprise, coming from an Earth-based website.

If I can’t set foot on you, fuck you planet.

Disregarding melting or freezing to death.

https://www.universetoday.com/137252/surface-ice-mercury-previously-thought-says-new-study/

I can't remember if anyone mentioned on here that Mercury’s low axial tilt means permanently shaded regions and the presence of ice! But I'm astonished.

I would have voted for Pluto as the underdog; freezing, isolated on the periphery, with people arguing whether it even counts or not

I think those cold regions of Mercury would be fitting sites for the first extraplanetary gulags. Russians used to refer to Siberia as "the moon", forget the moon pal, you're going to the frozen lake next to the inferno!

PBS' NOVA just ran a five-part series on the planets that's worth your time. Zachary Quinto's narration gets ASMR narcoleptic but it's a great summary of where things are at. If you only watch one, go for the one on Jupiter.
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/series/planets/

i wonder if its using the same shots or similar as brian cox's recent effort

watch both obv

counterpoint: don't watch the one with Cox and watch the other one instead.

Drink once whenever you see clumps of proto solar system material collide into each other. Drink twice if it's enough to form a planet.

chug extinction level event

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eJM0WlEjTs

I saw Saturn through a really big telescope last week, and now Saturn is my favourite.