Goodbye...

[ameerat42]

Cassini... (https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/saturn-tour/where-is-cassini-now/)

8:31 PM tonight our time, apparently.
I dunno:confused013 I remember the launch... It resonates, somehow...

[Mark L]

How much money has been spent on investigating stuff that could have been used to help so many people on our earth?
Why do we care about Saturn??
;)

[jim]

Oh, come on Mark. The US government spends 2.67% of its budget on all of science, and 53.71% on the military. Nobody is starving because of Cassini.

[edit] discretionary spending only, doesn't include things like welfare and health.

[Mary Anne]

Never heard of it.

[bobt]

I dunno:confused013 I remember the launch... It resonates, somehow...

I've been following this for a while now, and it resonated with me too! I feel kind of sad that as I type this it's going into oblivion. I tend to anthropomorphize these things and it feels a little sad to see it destroyed after so many years out there by itself, reporting back to us here. It really is an amazing achievement, especially as the technology is now relatively old. A bit like Voyager, representing our species so very far away. Very sad.

I know lots of people see it as a waste, but I am firmly of the view that we shall eventually need to leave this planet, and we need to start now if we are to achieve that end. After all, it might build a few hospitals now, but that doesn't compare with saving the human race from extinction.

[Plays With Light]

Cassini... (https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/saturn-tour/where-is-cassini-now/)
I'll have one with extra garlic sauce please! ;)

I had to click through to find out that it wasn't an Italian food of some sort. :(

[Tannin]

We should never waste money doing fundamental science. I mean this stuff is useless to any normal human. What has fundamental science - just gathering knowledge for no purpose other than to gather knowledge - ever done for you?

Ans: nothing.

Well, nothing apart from feed you, clothe you, keep you alive and wealthy and entertained and informed. Nothing actually important. I mean who cares if you get wet inside your house because nobody ever wasted lots of money learning about chemistry so that someone else could make steel that doesn't rust? Who cares if your Internet doesn't work because no-one ever bothered working out the quantum physics of electron excitation that makes lasers work and fibre optics possible? What would it matter if no stupid scientist ever troubled to investigate the arcane physics of ultra-low temperature alloys and there was no such thing as an MRI scan to save your life? It's not as if all that wasted effort mapping out obscure protein folding and silly DNA signatures ever did any actual good, is it? Well, apart from meaning that your children don't die of polio or AIDS or the Black Death, but who needs children anyway? Without children we could afford to buy better lenses, and lenses don't employ any computer power or chemistry or advanced polymer coatings or understanding of the arcane behaviour of light being refracted in unexpected ways by different substances ... er ...

The simply reality is that no-one, repeat no-one, knows what useful, practical and important knowledge will come out of any scientific enterprise. You simply cannot predict where apparently "useless" knowledge will find a practical application. The only thing you can predict with confidence is that spending time and money on learning things eventually pays off the original investment many times over. The study of space and objects in space has already lead to countless vital, useful, and practical things we use everyday. Just for one example, the lasers without which we would have no Internet, no DVD drives, no advanced surgery techniques, no precision measurement, no handy red line in front of your circular saw to cut along and get the edges of the table tennis table you are making straight came about as a result of "useless" stargazing, which led to theoretical questions, which led to more "useless" work to resolve the questions ... and eventually lasers. There are not hundreds, not thousands, but millions, literally millions of examples where the pursuit of "useless" knowledge has paid off big time.

[Floribunda]

As I said to Dennis on another forum - I always feel sad when one of these missions end. Our inquiring minds are one of our greatest assets and where would we be today without all those brave and awe inspiring minds who explored the Unknown.
Well done Cassini and all who made it possible.

[ameerat42]

Those who fear the un(be)known(st), seem not to know that what they know is
just about (k)next to (k)no(w)thing. - Hence their lack of fear:cool:

[arthurking83]

Disclaimer: I'm a geek, and an extremely curious geek at that too .. I know there are may of 'us' out there that have a similar philosophy ..

I want to know if we are alone(unlikely) and if not, then what other 'intelligent'(as in self aware, not supposeldy really smart) life forms exist. Once I know that I'll be happy(that I know it) and we can go back to trying to annihilate each other in our isolated corner of the galaxy! :p

But


.... Nobody is starving because of Cassini. ...
Agree, and no one is starving due to the spending on all other fundamental sciences either. They are starving simply due to war, the war machine, and the need for that war machine to bigger($) itself.



.... After all, it might build a few hospitals now, but that doesn't compare with saving the human race from extinction.

One day we're all going to die. They say there's certainty in taxes and death, but it's BS! There's no certainty in taxes, they can come and go .. we have no idea what the future holds for taxes .. could be more .. much more, could even be gone .. but death is coming .. no ifs or buts!
I question why we need to save a race at all .. especially one that is so hell bent on self extinction as it is! At some point(in the far future) it may be time for us to become extinct .. and (say) let the apes take control of the planet :D


We should never waste money doing fundamental science. I mean this stuff is useless to any normal human. What has fundamental science - just gathering knowledge for no purpose other than to gather knowledge - ever done for you?

Ans: nothing.

Well, nothing apart from feed you, clothe you, keep you alive and wealthy and entertained and informed. Nothing actually important. I mean who cares if you get wet inside your house because nobody ever wasted lots of money learning about chemistry so that someone else could make steel that doesn't rust? Who cares if your Internet doesn't work because no-one ever bothered working out the quantum physics of electron excitation that makes lasers work and fibre optics possible? What would it matter if no stupid scientist ever troubled to investigate the arcane physics of ultra-low temperature alloys and there was no such thing as an MRI scan to save your life? It's not as if all that wasted effort mapping out obscure protein folding and silly DNA signatures ever did any actual good, is it? Well, apart from meaning that your children don't die of polio or AIDS or the Black Death, but who needs children anyway? Without children we could afford to buy better lenses, and lenses don't employ any computer power or chemistry or advanced polymer coatings or understanding of the arcane behaviour of light being refracted in unexpected ways by different substances ... er ...

The simply reality is that no-one, repeat no-one, knows what useful, practical and important knowledge will come out of any scientific enterprise. You simply cannot predict where apparently "useless" knowledge will find a practical application. The only thing you can predict with confidence is that spending time and money on learning things eventually pays off the original investment many times over. The study of space and objects in space has already lead to countless vital, useful, and practical things we use everyday. Just for one example, the lasers without which we would have no Internet, no DVD drives, no advanced surgery techniques, no precision measurement, no handy red line in front of your circular saw to cut along and get the edges of the table tennis table you are making straight came about as a result of "useless" stargazing, which led to theoretical questions, which led to more "useless" work to resolve the questions ... and eventually lasers. There are not hundreds, not thousands, but millions, literally millions of examples where the pursuit of "useless" knowledge has paid off big time.

+1 ... + ∞

The very sensor you rely on from your camera is a result off useless scientific spending .. especially for space(and even more importantly war/military advantage)

CCD was invented for space exploration purposes by NASA.
photoelectric solar cells invented for space use by Bell Labs in the 50's ..

If they directed even half of what they spend on useless military advantage into fundamental(especially space) science exploration .. we'd probably have cars that hover, engines motive propulsion that use no fossil fuels .. and probably chatting to our probable nearest extra terrestrial neighbours at Alpha Centauri (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nearest_exoplanets) .. and checking on their current global warming situation! :p .. and no doubt disagree with their findings and end up at war with them .. needing expansion of military expenditure! :rolleyes:

As I remember this spacecraft it was the first to use nuclear power to propel itself towards it's target .. and there was a lot of hoopla that it'll explode and cause a catastrophic environmental impact and that we were all doomed to the point of extinction .. or something like that.

[tandeejay]

I remember when that Russian space station was brought back to earth... it was just a mia drop in the ocean...

Can't see how to get a "cute" saying for the demise of cassini :confused013

[Cage]

I've been following this for a while now, and it resonated with me too! I feel kind of sad that as I type this it's going into oblivion. I tend to anthropomorphize these things and it feels a little sad to see it destroyed after so many years out there by itself, reporting back to us here. It really is an amazing achievement, especially as the technology is now relatively old. A bit like Voyager, representing our species so very far away. Very sad.

I know lots of people see it as a waste, but I am firmly of the view that we shall eventually need to leave this planet, and we need to start now if we are to achieve that end. After all, it might build a few hospitals now, but that doesn't compare with saving the human race from extinction.

I'm with Bob on this.

Get yourself away from the cities light pollution and look up.

Every one of those tiny specks you can see is a star, possibly with a solar system similar to our own, and the universe continues to infinity beyond that.

Sort of makes you realise how insignificant Planet Earth is in the whole scheme of the universe. What is really humbling is that we, on planet Earth, may be the beginning of life in the whole infinite universe, and frightening when you ponder on the havoc and carnage that idiot up North, playing with his big boys nuclear toys, could wreak.

[Mark L]

delete. :)

[bobt]

I find it fascinating, and somewhat troubling, that the human race is capable of such amazing things yet remains incapable of simply living on Earth in peaceful harmony with each other. How can we produce machines that will travel the universe on the smell of an oily rag, transmit images millions of kilometers back to Earth, and amaze us with the sheer beauty and vastness of the universe - yet be so incompetent when it comes to running the world.

It really is incomprehensible that we have not been able to devise political systems which work, leaders who lead, and citizens who can collectively just work together as they should for the common good. Yet everywhere there is chaos, corruption, stupidity, short sightedness and mistrust. There is a statistic I read somewhere which shows how many years the planet has been at peace since we crawled out of the ocean - and it's nine tenths of bugger all. We are all collectively at fault because we accept it as the "norm", and we are all collectively helpless and impotent at changing the status quo.

It really is quite disheartening ...... :confused013

[Tannin]

It will all be different after the revolution, comrade.

[jim]

Is that the one where we take all the people who remain incapable of simply living on Earth in peaceful harmony with each other, put them up against a wall, and shoot the buggers?

Because I'm all for it :th3:

[Mary Anne]

Me too ↑

[Mark L]

Is that the one where we take all the people who remain incapable of simply living on Earth in peaceful harmony with each other, put them up against a wall, and shoot the buggers?
:th3:
This happens when a survey "vote" comes back as NO.
I'll be shot.:(

[ameerat42]

--A far cry from Saturn:eek::confused013

[bobt]

It will all be different after the revolution, comrade.

A lot of the people are already revolting! Many of them work in Canberra. :nod:

[landyvlad]

Is that the (revolution) where we take all the people who remain incapable of simply living on Earth in peaceful harmony with each other, put them up against a wall, and shoot the buggers?

Because I'm all for it :th3:

Nope. It's the one where we take all the photographers who can't resist the vignette function every time they touch photoshop , put them up against a wall, and shoot the buggers






Can't see how to get a "cute" saying for the demise of cassini :confused013

Hmm "Now you Cassini, now you can't!" ?

Nope.. gotta work on that a bit.

[arthurking83]

Nope. It's the one where we take all the photographers who can't resist the vignette function every time they touch photoshop , put them up against a wall, and shoot the buggers

Ok then, I'm safe. I only use CaptureNX2 and or CNX-D and remove the vignette correction that the software automagically does.
Not only do I hate Ps and don't use it .. my pea brain couldn't get a handle on the program to do a vignette anyhow!



... Hmm "Now you Cassini, now you can't!" ?

Nope.. gotta work on that a bit.

I think Jim was referring to the jokers that couldn't! :p
But I think you're safe yourself too .. your self assessment saved the day for 'ya :D

ps. Jim! if you were to shoot the buggers lined up against the wall, which lens you you use.
I'm thinking, myself, I'd want one with soft corner rendering. So probably the Sigma 12-24 f/4.5-5.6 as it's the softest lens at the corners of all my lenses. Don't want ugly corners of walls rendered sharp .. it'll lose some of the inherent quality that most people shots require.
While the Sigma has bad bokeh, it's mushy corner performance(wide open) will mask that anyhow.

I hope you're not contemplating a tele lens for that shoot tho. It'll take a while as your FOV will be narrow, so you'd require multiple shoots(shots).
Hence another advantage of using the UWA 12-24 .. one shot,(or stone) many birds done concurrently kind'a situation. ;)

[merlin1]

Well written and so true Bobt.

Ross.

[ameerat42]

TV show alert:
On ABC Catalyst tonight 8:30PM

Catalyst 8:30pm - 9:32pm
Death Dive: Into the Rings of Saturn

Genre:
Science and Technology

After 20 years in space, NASA's Cassini spacecraft has begun the final chapter of its exploration of Saturn. It will end with a spectacular crash into its surface. Professor Alan Duffy will be there as the action unfolds.

[Mark L]

Can't see how to get a "cute" saying for the demise of cassini :confused013

ICGAC needs to investigate this.
I Couldn't Give A Cassni if they don't though.