Sunday 14 February 2021

Blogorati Stars: Who's Next?

 This is the post I was working on before yesterday's walk in the snow photos (and that tit killing) usurped it.  Some of the comments from the last Blogorati Stars post (featuring 'Petra) got me thinking about how to get more of you lovely Blogorati into the night sky.  Short of launching you into orbit aboard Ariane 5, that is...

 As only two of you - the aforementioned 'Petra and the inestimable Mago - actually appear in the IAU's list of approved star names, some plotting scheming unconventional thinking is required to get the rest of you up there.  For example, Melanie Reynolds used to be known as Proxima Blue - in her words: "inspired by Proxima Centauri, yes I know its a red dwarf, shush! You don't know her heart." - so why not work up a star map of the constellation Centaurus and pop Melanie in there in place of Proxima?  Because I can't see it.  Centaurus is too far below the ecliptic for me to see its nether regions (where Proxima lies), so there'll be no photos and, therefore, no star map.  We'll have to come up with a different star.

The largest erection up Madam's Lane is obscuring Scorpius' tail
And her bush is obscuring what little of Centaurus that might be visible

 I've been having a look at other named stars to see if the meaning of their names reveal any Blogorati.  One of the maps I was working on was of Canis Minor (the little dog) and Hydra (the water snake) - I had thought to link Hound with Canis Minor, but why should he get a whole constellation?  Besides, there's a much better choice: Sirius, the Dog Star, in Canis Major. 

Here we can see Hound chasing some tail (that of Lepus, the hare)

 Interestingly enough, four stars in Lepus (α, β, γ, δ Lep) are known as "the throne (of Orion/Jawzā)" in Arabic, and in Chinese, "the toilet".  Whose blog do we know is a veritable cess-pool of content?

 Anyway, back to Hydra and Canis Minor.  Alphard (Alpha Hydrae) means "the lonely one", Ukdah (Iota Hydrae) is "the knot", Ashlesha (Epsilon Hydrae) is "the embrace" - they're not really bringing to mind any of you.  But what about Minchir (Sigma Hydrae)?  It is derived from the Arabic appelation منخر الشجاع minkhar ash-shujāʽ "the nostril brave one".  Any takers?

And in Canis Minor, Gomeisa (Beta Canis Minoris) means "the bleary-eyed woman"...

 Orion has some funny old names, too: Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis) - the "armpit of orion" (I think Prince and Sheena Easton skirted around this one...?), Alnilam (Epsilon Orionis) - "string of pearls" (Ooh!  Perhaps this could be Mistress Maddie?), Saiph (Kappa Orionis) - the "giant's sword" (which I'd allocate to Peenee, except that Saiph is more like Orion's leg.  However, Orion does have that great big wang sword between his legs, so maybe Peenee could be Hatysa (Iota Orionis) instead?)

Cursa (Beta Eridani) means "the chair"
Perhaps Ms Scarlet could use this star to place books on?  Or the universe...

 

 So, what do you think? Any takers for any of these stars, or shall I keep looking?

24 comments:

  1. "These aren't my rules. Come to think of it, I don't have any rules."

    "The only one I think I can deal with is Edgar Allan Poe's daughter. I think she understands me."


    Jx

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  2. I love these posts, mainly because I don't understand it so find it soothing to read. I was surprised to read about myself and dead chuffed.
    I have a sudden urge to hump Orion's leg though.

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    1. PS You promised a pic of yourself in Speedos. I'm bored of Jake Gillenhaalls's bum!

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    2. Ah, I never said it would be me in Speedos. Jon's the one with the Ambre Solaire bottle.

      (The last time Speedos were featured on this blog was here - as modelled by the yummy Tim)

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    3. I haven't worn Speedos since the 1990s, and I'm not likely to start now. Picture a freshly-tied haggis... Jx

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  3. Oh my, I'm genuinely blushing to receive such attention! I'm an observer by nature. We don't quite know what to do with ourselves when the observer becomes the observed. Oh look -> -> -> It's Tom Hiddleston wearing nothin' but a 'Welcome' brochure. Whew! It's getting hot in here... Ms. Scarlet, I think I'm going to need to borrow your chair. https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=KljxxVpu&id=8D4066B068B1F66309A70843BCD464D9E8B54852&thid=OIP.KljxxVpumpQxRTFOag595QHaLH&mediaurl=https%3A%2F%2F66.media.tumblr.com%2Fc819286b5c6042c45d758a5a91af0818%2Ftumblr_o14u1yGdJP1t7x9x7o1_1280.jpg&exph=1920&expw=1280&q=Tom+Hiddleston+ass&simid=608046260267256112&ck=AD6DE38361B61796008935166BC92DB8&selectedindex=25&form=IRPRST&ajaxhist=0&vt=0&pivotparams=insightsToken%3Dccid_f4Wd62CI*cp_F9F4713D7A1BF69F5D22A93A8559F25B*mid_B2651241105A2DE8F9F0B7DEBAEC0C4359E85226*simid_608020374446148674*thid_OIP.f4Wd62CIAC1jI3Tg17ijBQHaJQ&sim=11&iss=VSI&ajaxhist=0

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  4. I am very sorry IDV, but the theatrum coelestium is absolutely alien to me. Can't we just have some space object named "Infomaniac" or else ? Is there a kind of interplanetary agency for this ? And what about you ? Is there some IDV Celeste ? QUestiones abound, I am sorry, I can't answer a single one. I prefer to stare helplessly at these maps, similar to Hound in full trust that you know what it is all about.

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    Replies
    1. Fear not, dear Mago - I shall sort it all out so there's no more worry. And besides, you're already a star!

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  5. You are calling me a Footstool???? Yes, I went to Wikipedia!! But I am okay with being an 'A type' star.... and I am also happy enough with Cursa, as I curse a lot, BUT....only the second brightest????
    Carry on, Mr Devine, I think you might be onto something.
    Sx

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    Replies
    1. I would never call you a footstool, Ms Scarlet.

      At least, not to your face...

      -

      Anyway, I'm sure there is a far more suitable star out there for you. I just thought that if you needed a sit down, or had a book (or universe) to hand that you just wanted to put down somewhere, there is a star ready to take it on.

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  6. I think Melanie might need a fan?
    Sx

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    Replies
    1. Ms M likes Italian faun a ...

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    2. Ha,ha,ha. This is fun! I hope the fan comes with a boy, a fanboy, one of legal age and a quick wit to beat the air for me. I really have to buckle down now and get back to writing. How am I to get anything published otherwise?

      Delete
  7. Cess pit? How dare you refer to a knitting blog as a cess pit?

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    Replies
    1. I know all about knit one, purl one out!

      Although, not from first hand experience, of course.

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  8. [only vaguely related, sorry]
    Do you have seen some space lint lately ?

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    Replies
    1. No, no streaks of lint across an otherwise pristine sky. But that's only because I haven't been out in the dark lately.
      These photos are from 2018 and 2019 - I shall have to go out of an evening now it's a bit warmer and see what I can see.

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  9. Every time someone mentions speedos I get a mental flash of Tony Abbott's "budgie smugglers." Please stop. Otherwise I'll become "bleary-eyed woman."

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  10. Replies
    1. Well, no. I did think of her, but until she can haul her constellatory body up over the horizon, Norma will not be featuring here. At least, not as her most obvious stellar namesake, anyway...

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Tickle my fancy, why don't you?