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Re: (IAAC) Obj: NGC 3242 (Ghost of Jupiter, CBS Eye) - Inst: 11" f/4.5 dob


Well, I'm surely happy to have stirred an enthusiastic (if pointed) response
with one of my IAAC observing logs! :)


A certain well-respected European gentleman wrote:
>What on Earth do you mean by "CBS Eye"? Is this a cultural reference
>that non-Americans are not privy to?

To which another person of unknown provenance replied:
>Probably a cultural reference, unfortunately.


As was guessed on the IAAC list, the "CBS Eye" name is indeed a cultural
reference, although not one invented by me, I assure you all... I have often
heard this alternate name used (by Americans, naturally) for the "Ghost".

By the way, here is a passable, online image of the questioned logo:
    http://www.cbsnews.com

And here, a wonderfully illustrative image of the planetary in question:
    http://www.blackskies.com/images/Hunter/ngc3242_s.jpg



Some say that "poetry" consists in that essential part of language which can
never be translated. (In this view, a "translated poem" is in fact really an
entirely new poem in the new language...) The same may be said of many apt, if
limited cultural references, including among them the Eskimo Nebula, Rosette,
Beehive (a reference to a dead agricultural practice!), Papillon (i1708), or
most particularly the Christmas Tree cluster, Toby Jug nebula (i2220), etc.


In my defence, the aging, culturally-limited CBS corporate logo is such an apt
description of the true visual AND photographic appearance of n3242 - far
better, to my eye, than "Ghost of Jupiter" or similar monikers - that I would
never hesitate to use it, even if others might miss the reference at first.

What's more, if anyone ever did in fact report "Chip Butty" to be the most apt
description for a deep-sky object's appearance, or for that matter if I saw an
observing log of the "Kumis Nebula" or "Haggis Galaxy" (;>), I naively hope I
would rather be intrigued to understand what the observer's eye and mind truly
perceived, than offended at not understanding their reference right away? And
so it's with THIS spirit that I take the well-respected gentleman's question!


To all a clear sky! Or if it must be cloudy, then to all a good debate,
Lew Gramer


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