jgpo@iwu1c.UUCP (John, KA9MNK) (12/16/83)
a
I guess we'll never know if Lucas just goofed or if this was one of his
(many) subtle jokes. I suspect the latter, but anyway...Someone brought
up the point that the parsec is not, by any means, a universal constant
as it is based on the length of the (major?) axis of the orbit of the
definer's home planet (in our case, Good Ol' Terra). This is so obviously
true once pointed out, that I was surprised that I had never considered it
before. Every time I would read (or hear) the term "parsec" I would just
automatically convert it to lightyears and say, "Yep, that's quite a distance,
all right," and not give it a second thought.
Another thing I just realized, along the same line, is that the lightyear isn't
universal, either. A Mercurian's lightyear would be a heck of a lot shorter
then a Plutonian's.
It's funny how these obviously parochial measures come to be considered
universal absolutes. I guess it's what the developmental psychologists call
"irreversibility." You just can't take the other {person|creature|???}'s
point of view.
May the Force be with you,
(And also with you),
John (I used to be Catholic but I outgrew it) Opalkopcc@hlhop.UUCP (P.C. Criqui) (12/20/83)
For John Opalko,
You apparently outgrew the notion that the speed of light is a constant at the
same time that you outgrew Catholocism. Perhaps you should study Physics more
religiously. You would discover that the speed of light is the same on
Mercury as it is on Pluto!
Pete Criqui
AT&T Technologies @ Bell Labs - Short Hillsjgpo@iwu1c.UUCP (John, KA9MNK) (12/20/83)
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For John Opalko,
You apparently outgrew the notion that the speed of light is a constant at the
same time that you outgrew Catholocism. Perhaps you should study Physics more
religiously. You would discover that the speed of light is the same on
Mercury as it is on Pluto!
Pete Criqui
AT&T Technologies @ Bell Labs - Short Hills
=========================================================================
For Pete Criqui,
No, the speed of light is definitely the same on Mercury as on Pluto (along
with everywhere else) but the *lengths of their years* sure aren't.
A Plutonian lightyear is one heck of a lot longer than a Mercurian LY.
THAT was the example I was trying to express.
Of course, unless there are sentient Mercurians and Plutonians trying to
create a system of measures, the whole point is academic anyway. :-)
John Opalko
AT&T Bell Labs (or whatever we're being called this week)
- Naperville, ILmcewan@uiucdcs.UUCP (mcewan ) (12/22/83)
#R:iwu1c:-18500:uiucdcs:37700004:000:295 uiucdcs!mcewan Dec 21 14:24:00 1983 For Pete Criqui, Yes, the speed of light is the same on Mercury as it is on Pluto, but a year isn't (or do you think that people on other planets would measure time in units equal to the time the Earth takes to go around its sun?). Think before you flame. Scott McEwan uiucdcs!mcewan