Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
Antikythera
10-01-2007, 18:04
Some kind of neat news, astronomers have found a diamond in space
The biggest ever diamond has been found floating in space. The gem, estimated at close to 10 billion trillion trillion carats, is at the core of a dead star (BPM 37093) - a crystallised white dwarf.
The newly-discovered diamond in the sky is a whopping great chunk of crystallised carbon 50 light-years from the Earth in the constellation Centaurus. It is 2,500 miles across (the moon is approximately 2,200 miles across) and weighs 5 million trillion trillion pounds. It has been dubbed "Lucy" in reference to the Beatles' song, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". Diamond specialists told the research team that if nothing else, the diamond was much too big to wear*.
Theorists have long speculated that the cores of extinct white dwarves would crystallise, but until now have had no way to prove it. However, the white dwarf is not only radiant but also harmonious. It rings like a gigantic gong, undergoing constant pulsations.
"By measuring those pulsations, we were able to study the hidden interior of the white dwarf, just like seismograph measurements of earthquakes allow geologists to study the interior of the Earth. We figured out that the carbon interior of this white dwarf has solidified to form the galaxy's largest diamond," explained Travis Metcalfe, head of the team at Harvard Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics.
Our own Sun will become a white dwarf when it dies 5 billion years from now, having first expanded to engulf almost everything in the solar system. Two billion years after that, the core will crystallise, leaving a giant diamond in its place
article here (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02/18/moonsized_diamond_found_in_space/)
What about the newspaper taxis?
Some kind of neat news, astronomers have found a diamond in space
article here (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02/18/moonsized_diamond_found_in_space/)
thats a whole lotta ice...
and people say there's nothing of value up there!
The Alma Mater
10-01-2007, 18:11
Some kind of neat news, astronomers have found a diamond in space
Wasn't that found a few years ago ?
That's pretty sweet. Thanks for sharing this article. :D
The Tribes Of Longton
10-01-2007, 18:15
@ The Alma Mater - so the article date says, yes.
The Infinite Dunes
10-01-2007, 18:18
Awww, I thought this thread was going to be about LSD. :(
Cluichstan
10-01-2007, 18:23
When are they going to find someone with kaleidoscope eyes?
Awww, I thought this thread was going to be about LSD. :(
Me too.Its been a while...:(
The Tribes Of Longton
10-01-2007, 18:26
When are they going to find someone with kaleidoscope eyes?
That can be arranged...:eek:
Demented Hamsters
10-01-2007, 18:27
So now we finally know what that song was about!
It's not a diamond as we would think of it, it's far far more dense. Probably a neat substance though.
Greyenivol Colony
10-01-2007, 19:03
If I were to try and think of an argument against the existance of extraterrestrial life, the crux of the argument would be that that diamond is still there.
Morganatron
10-01-2007, 19:20
When are they going to find someone with kaleidoscope eyes?
Or colitis?
This is really neat! *Is already devising nefarious plot*
If I were to try and think of an argument against the existance of extraterrestrial life, the crux of the argument would be that that diamond is still there.
Why would an alien value a lump of carbon? Carbon is an exceedingly common element.
Farnhamia
10-01-2007, 19:27
If I were to try and think of an argument against the existance of extraterrestrial life, the crux of the argument would be that that diamond is still there.
Maybe the sentient, space-faring races aren't as into shiny rocks the way we are.
Cluichstan
10-01-2007, 19:44
*Is already devising nefarious plot*
I wouldn't expect anything less. ;)
The Tribes Of Longton
10-01-2007, 19:47
Maybe the sentient, space-faring races aren't as into shiny rocks the way we are.
Ooh, shiny!
*chases watch reflection around the room*
Farnhamia
10-01-2007, 19:48
Ooh, shiny!
*chases watch reflection around the room*
:D Exactly my point ...
Morganatron
10-01-2007, 19:57
I wouldn't expect anything less. ;)
Meh, my underlings will be expected to bring me endless guacamole and chips on demand.
Seriously, wasn't that a plot of one of the X-Men issues? The diamond in the sky thing and the Shi'ar Empire, not the chips and guacamole. Although that would have been cool.
Cluichstan
10-01-2007, 20:00
Seriously, wasn't that a plot of one of the X-Men issues? The diamond in the sky thing and the Shi'ar Empire, not the chips and guacamole. Although that would have been cool.
I believe you're right, and at the same time, I'm kinda frightened that you remember it. ;)
French Foreign Legionn
10-01-2007, 20:10
What we need to do is launch a massive NSG campaign to fund travel to this moon and harvest it!!!!
Morganatron
10-01-2007, 20:16
I believe you're right, and at the same time, I'm kinda frightened that you remember it. ;)
I remember anything related to comics, Rush, the Dark Tower series, and food. I'm a complete ditz about most other things. ;)
Seriously, wasn't that a plot of one of the X-Men issues? The diamond in the sky thing and the Shi'ar Empire, not the chips and guacamole. Although that would have been cool.
the MKrann crystal? the one that ate the universe in Age of Apocolypse?
What we need to do is launch a massive NSG campaign to fund travel to this moon and harvest it!!!!
It's probably heavier than the sun, good luck with that.
Morganatron
10-01-2007, 20:33
the MKrann crystal? the one that ate the universe in Age of Apocolypse?
There we go! That's the one. Thanks!
Farnhamia
10-01-2007, 20:35
It's probably heavier than the sun, good luck with that.
It's in Outer Space, everything is weightless in Outer Space, come on, every school child knows that!
Wanderjar
10-01-2007, 20:41
It's probably heavier than the sun, good luck with that.
You could just.....tow it. And besides, I think he meant by harvesting it, you should just carry off little pieces of it at a time. If you bring it all in at once, it won't be worth as much. Create an artificial shortage and you'll maximize profits.
Sumamba Buwhan
10-01-2007, 21:44
I just saw the Cirque Du Soliel dedicated to Teh Beatles. My favorite parts were during Strawberry Fields and Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.
Art becomes reality once again.
It's in Outer Space, everything is weightless in Outer Space, come on, every school child knows that!
Of course, how silly of me.
Bangladeath
10-01-2007, 22:07
It's in Outer Space, everything is weightless in Outer Space, come on, every school child knows that!
Heh -- you still have to contend with its mass...
CthulhuFhtagn
10-01-2007, 22:10
Why would an alien value a lump of carbon? Carbon is an exceedingly common element.
Diamonds are amazingly useful.
No paradise
10-01-2007, 22:14
Some kind of neat news, astronomers have found a diamond in space
article here (http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/02/18/moonsized_diamond_found_in_space/)
Its interesting but old news. I read about this a good two years ago.
Diamonds are amazingly useful.
To us yes, to them, not really.
Swilatia
10-01-2007, 22:26
hmm... will i be able to take a newspaper taxi there to see it?
CthulhuFhtagn
10-01-2007, 22:28
To us yes, to them, not really.
And do you have any reason why the best cutting substance around would be completely useless to anything besides humans?
The best natural cutting substance. This "diamond" is thousands of times more dense and any civilization capable of harvesting it would be quite beyond the need to get it. It'd be easier to make a diamond to cut something if you had to than to retrieve this thing that's a thousand times denser than lead.
CthulhuFhtagn
10-01-2007, 22:42
The best natural cutting substance. This "diamond" is thousands of times more dense and any civilization capable of harvesting it would be quite beyond the need to get it. It'd be easier to make a diamond to cut something if you had to than to retrieve this thing that's a thousand times denser than lead.
We're talking about diamonds in general, not that thing. Besides, harvesting it wouldn't be particularly difficult. Just use controlled burning to shape it.
We're talking about diamonds in general, not that thing. Besides, harvesting it wouldn't be particularly difficult. Just use controlled burning to shape it.
No, we're (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=12195787&postcount=32) talking about this one in particular. See that's where we went off on this tangent with the assertion that the continued existence of said diamond disproves intelligent life.
How does one chop off a chunk of material from a stellar mass body?
CthulhuFhtagn
10-01-2007, 23:01
How does one chop off a chunk of material from a stellar mass body?
If it's pure carbon, add a set amount of oxygen and then add heat. In short, burn a piece off.
Sumamba Buwhan
10-01-2007, 23:04
hit it with a bomb and hopefully the peices that come off will form a diamond ring around it
We can then put a few satellites in orbit and have them shine lights on it so that it can be pretty... then we'll leave after pocketing a few of the larger diamond chunks to pay for the mission.