Quaoar

[MHS]

I don't believe this! Yesterday I was watching the news when they showed some images of one of the discoverers of the new 'planet' and the subtitle said: "astrologer". I think I'm going to mail them. This is the national broadcasting service for ***'s sake.

[GrapesOfWrath]

Is the national broadcasting service in English? Do they have a website?

[MHS]

No it's in Dutch. It actually said 'astroloog' which means 'astrologer' /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif. They do have a website, but that's also in Dutch. I haven't found a single e-mail address though. Weird.

[MHS]

Okay, I finally found their e-mail address using a link from another website. I hope it still works. If it does I think it's really strange that it's so 'hidden' on their own site.

I'm finally studying Aerospace Engeneering btw. I started only 6 weeks ago and I've got the feeling to already know so much more! I love it /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif.

[GrapesOfWrath]

What is "astronomer" in Dutch?

BA, is this the first documented Bad Astronomy in another language?

PS: And I mean documentation of a modern occurrence, on this site. I'm well aware of the writings of Jules Verne (http://www.julesvernefoundation.org/), and the madcap things that happen when humans are shot to the moon. (And I just noticed that that Verne link says that Phineas Fogg went around the world the right way--had he gone around the world the wrong way he would have lost the wager because he would have lost a day instead of gaining a day. Not, however, if he had taken the same amount of time...)

<font size=-1>[Added PS]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: GrapesOfWrath on 2002-10-10 13:08 ]</font>

[MHS]

It's the same 'system' as in English. 'Astrologer' is 'astroloog' and 'astronomer' is 'astronoom'.

[MHS]

They replied the following:

"Thanks for your e-mail. You are right. We try to avoid any mistakes, but unfortunately sometimes mistakes happen. I forwarded your reaction to the people responsible for the mistake."

I certainly didn't expect an answer this soon. It's also nice that they admit they were wrong.

[Rift]

Well, I guess it is reassuring, in a sad way, that no one country has a monopoly on bad astronomy... :/

My blood pressure would have skyrocketted if I saw that report (in english of course).

[Superstring]

I've seen the words 'astrology' and 'astronomy' get mixed up on numerous occassions. It's life. Though I'm with Rift, as a space enthusiast, I always get angry when that happens. In your case it's good they admitted their mistake, maybe they won't do that again.

[beskeptical]

Sigh... It's the state of the human condition again. Either the reporter or the editor or both probably didn't know the dif.

There was a program on the other day about the risk of tsunamis from underwater landslides. There is evidence one could happen in the LA area. The show interviewed beachgoers there and none of them seemed to know what a tsunami was. /phpBB/images/smiles/icon_rolleyes.gif

I can only shake my head.