h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Although I didn't vote, I think the new ending looks good.

I find your formula for length of line of latitude is strange. I'd put it the other way around:

Length of Parallel = Length of Equator * Cos(Latitude)

Ah, well, that *definitely* swings the voting

And I've changed the formula.

Pimms

Thanks, ZSF and Pimms

Looks like this is getting there. Anyone spot any more technical hitches to be ironed out..?

First line - missing apostrophe after Song.

Evolution - don't say "Theory of Evolution". It gives creationists the impression that it has no foundation. Sure it's a theory, but so is the "Theory that things fall down when you drop them", but we usually just say "Gravity". So say "Evolution":

is the theory of evolution as originally --> is evolution as originally

Put very simply, the theory states that the gradual --> Put very simply, the gradual

Eratosthenes did measure the Earth, but we don't know exactly what size the units he was using were so we don't know what his final figure was. Estimates range from 0.5 % different from the actual value to 17 % out. Still not bad though, for a guy in a toga!

The motion of the sun with respect to the stars around it (standard solat motion) is 19.5 km/s which works out as 1,050,000 miles per day, very close to Eric's million, not a factor of 10 out as you have said.

Gotta go. More later.

Thanks, Gnomon!

The 'standard solar motion' bit is interesting - I did wonder why I got this one to be out, but the 'go round every 200-million years' worked. Nice to know that Eric isn't out at all

I'll shout when I've made the changes.

I've looked at the rest of the entry and I'm happy with it. The two changes you've made have introduced problems.

You still say Eratosthenes estimated the circumference as 24,600, but then say we're not sure how accurate that is. In fact, we don't know what his estimate was because we don't know the exact size of the units he was using. Estimates range from 0.5 % (not 0.05%) to 17% out.

The sentence "Our galaxy is indeed called the 'Milky Way', though". THere's no longer a need for "though" because you're no longer contradicting what Eric said.

I knew I should have waited until I had a little more time

I'll get back to you when I've sorted those...

OK, let's see how it looks now...

Thanks for all your work, Gnomon

It looks very good now!

Except for two typos:

descendents --> descendants
beteen --> between

Ah, the typos...

Done

I heartily approve of the new ending.

Good job, Danny.

B

Looks fab, Danny!

Your Guide Entry has just been picked from Peer Review by one of our Scouts, and is now heading off into the Editorial Process, which ends with publication in the Edited Guide. We've therefore moved this Review Conversation out of Peer Review and to the entry itself.

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Great piece of writing, Danny. Loved it!

Danny

Pimms