Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site magic.DEC.COM
Path: utzoo!decvax!decwrl!magic!stolfi
From: stolfi@magic.DEC.COM (Jorge Stolfi)
Newsgroups: net.astro
Subject: Miranda's Major Feature
Message-ID: <317@magic.DEC.COM>
Date: Sat, 22-Mar-86 05:54:22 EST
Article-I.D.: magic.317
Posted: Sat Mar 22 05:54:22 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Mar-86 11:46:46 EST
Distribution: na
Organization: DEC Systems Research Center, Palo Alto
Lines: 32
Keywords: Uranus,Voyager,Miranda,Lottery,Aquino,God

---------------------------------------------------------------------
JPL scientists seem unable to explain the features seen by Voyager on
Miranda (the nth moon of Uranus, for some integer n).  They seem to be
particularly puzzled by a big "V" or "L" shaped feature, the so-called
"chevron", smack in the center of Miranda's visible hemisphere.  

As a devout believer in the Spirit of Scientific Cooperation, I thought I
should come to their rescue by making public my own theories on the
subject.  After careful scrutiny of the available photos, I can most
assuredly say that the feature is either 

  * the local Filipino community expressing their support 
  for Cory Aquino; or 
  
  * a warning to outbound interstellar voyagers that Miranda is
  their last chance to buy California Lottery tickets; or
  
  * a ckeck mark certifying that the Solar System passed final
  inspection by God's Quality Control Team.  
  
In support of the third hypothesis, I should point out that a big capital
"O" (referred to by JPL scientists as the "racetrack") is clearly visible
to the right of the check mark, close to the moon's limb.  I think it is
quite likely that future missions will find on the other side of Miranda a
similar feature in the shape of a big capital "K".  


  j stolfi :-)

--------------------------------------------------------------------
"The opinions expressed above are certainly not the sort of thing
my school and my employer would like to be associated with."