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<i>Astronomers spy 10 billion trillion trillion-carat diamond
The Associated Press
Last Updated 3:06 p.m. PST Friday, February 13, 2004
LOS ANGELES (AP) - If anyone's ever promised you the sun, the moon and the stars, tell 'em you'll settle for BPM 37093.
The heart of that burned-out star with the no-nonsense name is a sparkling diamond that weighs a staggering 10 billion trillion trillion carats. That's one followed by 34 zeros.

The hunk of celestial bling is an estimated 2,500 miles across, said Travis Metcalfe, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

"You would need a jeweler's loupe the size of the sun to grade this diamond," said Metcalfe, who led the team that discovered the gem.

The diamond is a massive chunk of crystallized carbon that lies about 300 trillion miles from Earth, in the constellation Centaurus.

The galaxy's largest diamond is formally known as a white dwarf, or the hot core of a dead sun.

Astronomers have suspected for decades that white dwarfs crystallized, but only recently were able to verify the hypothesis.

A paper detailing the discovery has been submitted to The Astrophysical Journal Letters for publication.

</i>



Edited by - tritonal on Feb 13 2004 11:42 PM

Homina Homina Homina!!!

"Retreat, hell! We just got here!"-Captain Lloyd Williams, 2nd Marine Division, Belleau Wood, France, WWI

What are the odds that our first inter-planetary war will be over that diamond or one like it? <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

"Your calling <b>me</b> a liar?"
<img src="http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Assets/Images/Films/36175.jpg" border=0>

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actually they just found out it was nothing more than a spec of dust on the lens.

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

<i>actually they just found out it was nothing more than a spec of dust on the lens</i>

A speck of "diamond dust"?

We saw the speck of dust first! Them aliens better not try to steal it! <img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

"Your calling <b>me</b> a liar?"
<img src="http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Assets/Images/Films/36175.jpg" border=0>

_________________

lol, for the truly gulible and trusting ones my "dust" note was false as you can see the fishing line if you look close <img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle>

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

Figured as much. But shhh <clenched teeth>trying to start a war here!<unclenches teeth> <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

"Your calling <b>me</b> a liar?"
<img src="http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Assets/Images/Films/36175.jpg" border=0>

_________________

You got to be Israeli. We can start wars just by breathing too early in the morning...

"Retreat, hell! We just got here!"-Captain Lloyd Williams, 2nd Marine Division, Belleau Wood, France, WWI

Actually I'm Irish. We consider almost anything "fighting words". Like say...being offended at the noise an Israeli makes after stubbing his toe in the morning.

<b>Thump</b> "aah oye vey". "Why thems fightin' words" <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

"Your calling <b>me</b> a liar?"
<img src="http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Assets/Images/Films/36175.jpg" border=0>

_________________

Boomer is English/German/Scotish(clan Shannon)more English and French lol dont know how the Irish missed out <img src=newicons/anim_lol.gif border=0 align=middle>

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

Well your a Celt. Not sure about Snipe but that's good enough in my book. (Me being German/Irish/Polish btw.)

"Your calling <b>me</b> a liar?"
<img src="http://www.landmarktheatres.com/Assets/Images/Films/36175.jpg" border=0>

_________________

I would never say oh vey if I stubbed my toe. I'd be a mixture of curses in English, Hebrew and a smattering of Russian mixed in. In essence, I would be the one starting the fight by cursing your ass out

"Retreat, hell! We just got here!"-Captain Lloyd Williams, 2nd Marine Division, Belleau Wood, France, WWI

I only have one question.

WTF is bling bling???

<img src="http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/sigs/snipersig.jpg " border=0>

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> WTF is bling bling???

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

it's one of them thar Panda bars from chiner.

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would harm us". George Orwell

Fighting For Justice With Brains Of Steel !
<img src="http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/atengun2X.GIF" border=0>

_________________
The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.