Post #2367570

2026-05-10 22:18 UTC

Fabulous pass of the #ISS ... totally clear skies, magnitude around -3.6 ... brilliant to watch it sail serenely overhead. Wanted to share the experience with a passerby: Me: In about 30 seconds the International Space Station will come into view over there. Him: Will it. I suppose you also believe we&#39;ve landed on the Moon. Me: Yes. Him: What about the Van Allen Belt Me: They went through thin parts, and they&#39;re a lot less serious than people seem to think ... about the same dose as 20 X-Rays Him: And they knew that then, in the 60s, did they? Me: Oh yes, they sent Apollo 6 through it to measure it. Him: We&#39;ll just leave it at that then. -------- So frustrating. But the #ISS pass was *brilliant !!*

Replies (3)

@unlofl@mstdn.social 2026-05-10 22:27

@ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz Ugh... But also, I'd forgotten about how much of an unknown that was originally, and didn't realize Apollo 6 measured it! Neat!

Open ##2937170
@dougmerritt@mathstodon.xyz 2026-05-10 22:28

@ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz Oh, sure, of course they choose to believe in the Van Allen Belt. Cherry picking to support paranoid fantasies. Back then, when it was thought to be impenetrably deadly, it was the inspiration for a novel I rather liked, "The Werewolf Principle" by Clifford Simak (the title concerns body transformation, not fantasy werewolves). The prelude says something like "The Van Allen radiation forever barred mankind from rocketing to the stars -- but that was ok. There was a better way."

Open ##2937171
@SnowyCA@social.vivaldi.net 2026-05-10 22:33

@ColinTheMathmo@mathstodon.xyz I met a flat-earther once --the experience left me feeling quite sad for the person.

Open ##2937172