Re: What's an Oort?

[Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com>]

wmperry@aventail.com (William M. Perry) writes:

> Kai.Grossjohann@CS.Uni-Dortmund.DE (Kai Großjohann) writes:
> 
> > Google is your friend.  I thought it was a place in Scandinavia, and
> > now I see that it's a cloud of celestial bodies.
> > 
> > I think Lars used the words `far out' in connection with Oort, which
> > kinda fits.
> 
> If I recall the original reasoning was something along the lines of 'it is
> far out, pretty, and occasionally rains fairy destruction down upon the
> earth'. :)

I feel the beginnings of a round of dumb jokes about this....

Its only fitting that the next name choosen be `nemesis'.  `N' is up
and it fits naming gnus after the `theoreticle' star that is thought
to pass through the Oort cloud and provoke the deadly rain of
meteorites that some space buffs think brought on the great dinasour
tradgedy.