Comments on: X-Ray Flare Echo Reveals Supermassive Black Hole Torus http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/21/light-echo-from-x-ray-flare-reveals-existence-of-a-molecular-torus-surrounding-a-supermassive-black-hole/ Space and astronomy news Sun, 8 Nov 2009 10:14:11 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Ian O'Neill http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/21/light-echo-from-x-ray-flare-reveals-existence-of-a-molecular-torus-surrounding-a-supermassive-black-hole/comment-page-1/#comment-18778 Ian O'Neill Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:37:07 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13773#comment-18778 To Astrofiend: Glad you enjoyed it. I too was totally blown away by this discovery. There will be more! To Vanamonde: Thanks for pointing the error out - read "dust" instead of "gas", it's been corrected. So in response: a) My mistake, and b) Not my quote - this was the terminology used by the Max Planck Institute scientists to describe the situation (check the source of the story: http://www.mpe.mpg.de/Highlights/PR20080416/text.html) And thank you for the complement! I never considered myself a broadcast news journalist, I'm flattered... Ian PS. This might be too much anthropomorphic nonsense for you, but it is attached to some world-class research with some stunning implications. But then again, I'm sure you noticed that but chose to complain instead... To Astrofiend: Glad you enjoyed it. I too was totally blown away by this discovery. There will be more!

To Vanamonde: Thanks for pointing the error out – read "dust" instead of "gas", it's been corrected.

So in response: a) My mistake, and b) Not my quote – this was the terminology used by the Max Planck Institute scientists to describe the situation (check the source of the story: http://www.mpe.mpg.de/Highlights/PR20080416/text.html)

And thank you for the complement! I never considered myself a broadcast news journalist, I'm flattered…

Ian

PS. This might be too much anthropomorphic nonsense for you, but it is attached to some world-class research with some stunning implications. But then again, I'm sure you noticed that but chose to complain instead…

]]> By: Vanamonde http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/21/light-echo-from-x-ray-flare-reveals-existence-of-a-molecular-torus-surrounding-a-supermassive-black-hole/comment-page-1/#comment-18767 Vanamonde Tue, 22 Apr 2008 19:10:53 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13773#comment-18767 Cool pictures - our made them? They look like artwork to me. Great article, except for "This emission signifies a "last call for help" by the gases as they are rapidly heated by the incident X-rays. They are vaporized shortly after." a) you can't vaporized a gas! It is already vapor. Maybe that is "ionized"? I dunno. And, b) gases do not call anyone. That is the kind of anthropomorphic nonsense I would except from a broadcast news journalist. Cool pictures – our made them? They look like artwork to me. Great article, except for "This emission signifies a "last call for help" by the gases as they are rapidly heated by the incident X-rays. They are vaporized shortly after." a) you can't vaporized a gas! It is already vapor. Maybe that is "ionized"? I dunno. And, b) gases do not call anyone. That is the kind of
anthropomorphic nonsense I would except from a broadcast news journalist.

]]> By: Astrofiend (Syd, Aust) http://www.universetoday.com/2008/04/21/light-echo-from-x-ray-flare-reveals-existence-of-a-molecular-torus-surrounding-a-supermassive-black-hole/comment-page-1/#comment-18716 Astrofiend (Syd, Aust) Tue, 22 Apr 2008 03:42:41 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=13773#comment-18716 Another great example of the use of light echos as an observational tool. Great work! Another great example of the use of light echos as an observational tool. Great work!

]]>