Hush, you.

Post #322,216 by malraux 3/1/10 11:47:44 PM Reply	Hush, you. Yes, most sizable moons in our solar system are tidally locked (Pluto and Charon are tidally locked to each other, in fact). Mimas orbits Saturn in a bit under a day, so that's probably the mechanism used, not rotation. Alternatively, consider the possibility that unobtanium has the effect of somehow (waves hands wildly) nullifying the tidal bulge needed to do the locking. Or something. But if the moon is both rotating and orbiting, once every orbital period you'll have a very long night. Dude. Floating mountains, 12-foot tall naked blue women. Who's paying attention to the damned plausibility at this point, anyway? Regards, -scott Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
Post #322,217 by mvitale 3/1/10 11:56:23 PM Reply	Worst part of the movie: Unobtanium? Really? Their budget was HOW MUCH, and they couldn't come up with a better name than UNOBTANIUM? Fail. -Mike "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin, 1759 Historical Review of Pennsylvania
Post #322,218 by malraux 3/1/10 11:57:08 PM Reply	I like the name. It's self-deprecating, and such. Regards, -scott Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson.
Post #322,220 by static 3/2/10 5:28:00 AM Reply	I agree. It's like they're having a quiet laugh with the science wonks in the audience. :-) Wade. Q:Is it proper to eat cheeseburgers with your fingers? A:No, the fingers should be eaten separately.
Post #322,251 by SpiceWare 3/2/10 4:51:13 PM Reply	it's actually appropriate http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unobtainium Since the late 1950s, aerospace engineers have used the term unobtainium when referring to unusual or costly materials, or when theoretically considering a material perfect for their needs in all respects, except that it does not exist. By the 1990s, the term was in wide use, even in formal engineering papers such as "Towards unobtainium [new composite materials for space applications]". The word unobtainium may well have been coined in the aerospace industry to refer to materials capable of withstanding the extreme temperatures expected in reentry. Aerospace engineers are frequently tempted to design aircraft which require parts with strength or resilience beyond that of currently available materials. http://md1.csa.com/p...480&setcookie=yes

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