Really Cool Exoplanets

Exoplanets are planets that orbit other stars. Until 20 years ago, the only planets known to mankind were the nine around own Sun. Fast forward to 2012 and Pluto is no longer a proper planet, so we are left with just eight companions in the solar system but (mostly through the extremely successful Kepler mission) we now know of hundreds of planets in other systems. Some of them are really cool (metaphorically, most of them are extremely hot!). Here are my personal favorites.

Methuselah

Scientifically designated as PSR B1620-26b, Methuselah is the oldest known exoplanet. It is located in the globular cluster Messier 4 and along with the stars in this cluster (globular cluster members form almost concurrently), the planet is estimated to have formed 12.7 billion years ago. This is merely 1 billion years after the Big Bang. Imagine how different the universe was back then - there were small irregular galaxies and very few heavy elements (there was not enough time for a significant number of supernovae to ignite). And as if being the oldest exoplanet is not awesome enough, Methuselah also is a member of a very curious binary star system. The pair that harbors Methuselah includes a white dwarf and a pulsar. Yes, both of those are dead stars but this also means that at some point in the lifetime of the planet, one of its hosts went supernova! Born just after the Big Bang and survived a supernova - this is what I call a fighter planet. Even if Methuselah only formed around the white dwarf and was later trapped by the pulsar, having those two very dense "parents" is still quite cool.

Messier 4 Globular Cluster

Image Copyrights: Messier

GJ 667Cc and GJ 667Cb

GJ 667Cc and GJ 667Cb are two exoplanets in a triple star system. Gliese 667 is located mere 22.1 light years away from the Earth in the constellation of Scorpius. According to the laws of celestial mechanics, triple star systems are quite complex and unstable, just like in human relationships most of the times one of the threesome gets kicked away. This is actually considered to be the source of energy for globular cluster core-collapse. Gliese 667, however, is not part of a globular cluster and the system is stable. As in most other instances of stable three body systems - two of the  component stars orbit each other quite close (GJ 667A and GJ 667B) , while the third one GJ 667C is relatively distant. And as if three stars are not gravitational headache by themselves, Gliese 667 also has planets! Research until now has confirmed at least 2 planets orbiting GJ 667C. The planets are both a lot closer to GJ 667C than our home planet to our favorite star (0.049 and 0.23 respectively) and therefore their parent star looks quite enormous on their horizons and is joined by B and A for truly spectacular sunsets and sunrises.

 Image Copyrights: Mix Techno News

HIP13044b

HIP13044b is literally an alien world - it is an exoplanet from another galaxy. This planet and its star are part of the Helmi Stream of stars in the Milky Way galaxy. This stream consists of the remnants of a dwarf galaxy consumed by the Milky Way 6 billion years ago - i.e. before the Sun or the Solar System even formed. HIP13044 is also a very old star which is already past its red giant stage and is currently fusing helium into carbon. HIP13044b, however, orbits its primary quite close so when the star was a red giant it is possible that the planet spent a lot of time physically inside its star! Deep fried but still standing. So to sum up - this little warrior survived the collision of its galaxy with the Milky Way (which is not such a danger - the chances of two stars colliding are minuscule - just like the atoms, galaxies are mostly empty/dark matter filled space) and the red giant phase of its star but it still kicking. I wonder if (alien) life is as resilient as these alien worlds?

Image Copyrights: Bad Astronomy Blog

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Which is your favorite (exo)planet? Please share in the comments.

The TV Triangle

So, I have to admit that I have my own (mostly CW) guilty TV pleasures. Recently in almost all of the shows I follow, the main characters (usually women) are in a situation in which they are forced to choose between two men they love or care about. With this post I start a series of posts on ongoing triangles and my take on how they should/would play out.

Vampire Diaries

Stefan, Elena, and Damon

Image Copyrights: New York Post

After spending two seasons claiming to be completely in love with Stefan Salvatore, Elena Gilbert, in the third season of Kevin Williamson's teenage vampire drama, seems to have finally come to terms with the idea that she might have feelings also for Stefan's older brother - Damon. And, as if falling for the (delicious) older brother of your boyfriend is not bad enough, there is also Katherine - the Elena look-a-like great-great-...-great-grandmother that additionally complicates things. Katherine, just like her doppleganger, took a liking in both Salvatore brothers but also went as far as to sleep with both of them in the same time (well not in exactly the same bed but you get the point).

Image Copyright: http://amaliehoward.com

There is nothing like hearing that your girlfriend who just a few months earlier swore that "It's always gonna be Stefan," say that she (just like your ex) felt no regrets kissing your brother while you went all crazy just to save her life from a 1000 year old hybrid. Not having the prior experience would not have made it less painful, probably, but it adds to the frustration that the two brothers feel about finding themselves in the same situation all over again. And there is also this really strong brotherly love between the two Salvatores - in some ways similar to the "mother-of-all-co-dependent-relationships" bond of Supernatural's Sam and Dean. The two brothers go to extraordinary lenghts to protect one another from harm while having occasional violent fights.

Image Copyrights: Popstar

Solution: Poor Elena has to make a choice - Stefan, Damon, or neither. In the ideal case it would have been both because there is so much love between the three of those that they just have to be together. But having the Katherine experience in the background makes it less likely - being with the two of them only broke the hearts of both brothers and Kat made the only reasonable choice - she ran away. Whomever Elena picks at the end, everybody gets hurt. The problem back then was that both Salvatores were "greedy" - they wanted Katherine only for themselves. Maybe there can be another way now . Maybe they can finally understand that the love Elena feels for Stefan is completed by the love she feels for Damon and there is nothing wrong in three people who really care for one another to be together. For the time being it appears unlikely - all seem to agree that it is "either ... or" situation. Therefore neither seems the most likely outcome, even though all three of them will be hurt. 

The whole situation seems somewhat Karmic - until the two brothers learn to accept the fact that they fall for the same woman, she will always appear and break their hearts over and over again. The road to Nirvana in Buddhism is through peace and the Salvatore brothers will never find peace until they embrace each other and the Petrova doppelganger and be together - all three of them. It seems as if there was another curse, placed on the doppelganger - to fall in love with two brothers at the same time and be unable to choose. And since she cannot choose, it is up to the brothers to accept their fate.

What's Hot and What's Not: Makeup

What's Not Hot?

Excessive Eyeliner

Image Copyrights: How To Make Up

The purpose of putting eye make up is to make the eyes of the owner stand out. This is actually the aim of all makeup tricks - to make certain (attractive) features more prominent. Going over the top on the eyeliner side, however, has exactly the opposite effect. The interesting light blue color of the eyes gets lost in this sea of black eyeliner. Furthermore the blackness underlines the black eyebrows and therefore the conclusion that the model is not naturally blond. To be successful, MAKE THE EYES STAND OUT, NOT THE EYELINER.

Inspiration: Kate Middleton, MA and Duchess of Cambridge

The duchess has been frequently praised for her style but I don't think her makeup choices merit the accolades. The overuse of eyeliner on the top lid makes the eyes of Kate seem smaller than they actually are. Furthermore, there is an overall tired look on face of the young bride (underlined by the eyeliner) that is not a good message to send when the whole world is watching.

Image Copyrights: US Magazine 

What's Hot?

Thin Eyeliner

Image Copyrights: Queen of Heaven Blog

The devil is in the detail. It takes a lot of patience but the final result is a lot more catchy. A simple statement is a lot more telling than trying to show loudly "LOOK AT MY EYES" and hiding them in the process. At the end, it is also more feminine and natural. A thin line shows craftsmanship and genuine style.

Inspiration: Rihanna

The emphasis on the lower lid invites the attention to the charming blue eyes of the popstar and not to the makeup itself. Picking exactly the right is important and it takes practice to stay focused on the right target - to underlie the natural beauty.

Image Copyrights: EvaDivas Make-up Bag Blog

See also: What's Hot and What's Not: Cocktail Dresses

What's Hot and What's Not: Cocktail Dresses

What's Hot?

Pink Cocktail Dress

Image Copyrights: Cocktail Dresses Fashion

When everybody is wearing (funeral) black dresses, going to a formal party in a colorful outfit can make you stand out. Especially if it is the middle of the winter and everybody is thinking that only dark blue or black would work. The floral motive and the bracelet go very well together. And no - you do not have to be a bridesmaid to wear it - just to have a young sole :) Be careful with the strapless model though - not everybody has the appropriate neckline for this little gem.

Designer: Jovani

Inspiration: Jane by Design, Season 1, Episode 2

Jane's outfit for the winter formal looked gorgeous enough to be shown on the runway and go to the cocktail party after a fashion show. Being brave in the world of fashion pays off.

Image Copyrights: ABC Family

What's Not Hot?

Just Another Black Dress

Image Copyrights: Tips for Black Cocktail Dresses

The petite dress noir is a fashion classic. This is why everybody has at least 3 or 4 of them in their closet (Your's truely included) . Black dresses are useful because dark colors can hide the extra kilograms here and there but they are definitely NOT ORIGINAL. Chances are that at least 50% of the other guests would have resorted to the same (funeral) color - and there goes the celebrative mood of the event. The one in the picture is cute but at some point - enough is enough.

Inspiration: Carys, Wake (2009)

Carys's grief over the loss of her sister somehow justifies her preference for black clothes. Those of us that have not lost a family member lately, however, should not resort to black for every single formal event.

Jane by Design and What's Hot and What's Not?

I started watching the new ABC Family show Jane by Design.

The script is mostly "The Devil Wears Prada" + every highschool teenager drama but in terms of fashion it is really something. It insiped me to start my own "What's Hot and What's Not?" line of posts. I'll see how it goes before school starts and I have Dutch and Italian tests all over my head.