"A toilet-like vortex of bad astronomy"

[browngirl]

Do you remember that pretty animation I posted of the Solar System?

It is completely incorrect.

*blushes in shame*

Comments

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the update.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

It seemed appropriate.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

One of the things I like about Less Wrong (http://www.lesswrong.com) is the custom of people getting credit for correcting their mistakes, and I want to spread the idea.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

This is an excellent idea. :)

Also, happy birthday!

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

don't beat yourself up, i post embarrassingly wrong stuff way more often than i'd like :)

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*hugs you* Thank you. I do feel foolish about this, but I'll try not to.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

I don't see how you could have known - and it was a fascinating thing to see and imagine. Alas, we humans tend to assume that people wouldn't lie by pretending to have knowledge when they have none.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

*blushes more* That's exactly it -- why would someone put so much effort into somethign inaccurate? But when I say it that way it becomes dreadfully obvious. *wry smile*

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

It's at least a cheaper error then the time I realized (much too late) that I'd bought space at the wrong convention for me (and for most of the other dealers) because I thought that the high price meant it was a good opportunity for selling. Ouch!

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

It's also an excellent illustration of what's awesome about science. When a supposition is confronted with conflicting data, you examine the data, and if necessary, change the supposition so it more accurately reflects the information.

In other words -- science is working here precisely as it should!