26 October 2005
Intergalactic Planetary
Here's a great example of why I love living in the city. I was riding the bus tonight and these two women behind me were giggling over an astronomy book for kids. One of them was reading aloud from it in her best fake British Scientist voice, loudly enough for everyone to hear:
There are four types of galaxies: elliptical galaxies, spherical galaxies, bar galaxies, and irregular galaxies. Elliptical galaxies are oval- or egg-shaped. This Hubble Space Telescope image shows an elliptical galaxy. Oh and there's a beautiful picture here! Who else wants to see?
She held up the book for everyone on the bus, and we all looked. No one could resist, because she was actually pretty cute and entertaining, and the full-color picture of the elliptical galaxy was indeed beautiful. She turned a few pages and continued.
...This nebula is called the Planetary Nebula because it resembles a planet. This radio telescope image was taken—oh we have to get off the bus now!
She and her friend tumbled off the bus in astronomical ecstasy, and a guy near me exclaimed, "Well I learned something!" Everyone on the bus who wasn't a grump laughed. There's never a shortage of free entertainment in the city.