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  1. Xref: sparky sci.space:11701 sci.physics:12741
  2. Path: sparky!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!ogicse!reed!bowman
  3. From: bowman@reed.edu (Eric Bowman (bobo))
  4. Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.physics
  5. Subject: Re: Parsecs?
  6. Message-ID: <1992Aug12.200919.16945@reed.edu>
  7. Date: 12 Aug 92 20:09:19 GMT
  8. Article-I.D.: reed.1992Aug12.200919.16945
  9. References: <1992Aug12.013040.618@leland.Stanford.EDU> <1992Aug12.024141.4913@utdallas.edu> <ZOWIE.92Aug12004854@daedalus.stanford.edu>
  10. Organization: Reed College, Portland, OR
  11. Lines: 13
  12.  
  13. In article <ZOWIE.92Aug12004854@daedalus.stanford.edu> zowie@daedalus.stanford.edu (Craig "Powderkeg" DeForest) writes:
  14. >This talk of parsecs and so forth reminds me of my favorite volumetric unit:
  15. >the barn megaparsec.
  16. >
  17. >A barn is a unit of atomic cross-section, 10^-20 cm^2.  A barn megaparsec is
  18. >about 1.6 teaspoons!
  19.  
  20. Actually, a barn megaparsec is 0.626 teaspoons.  A barn is 10^-24 cm^2.
  21.  
  22. I know, I know, nit-picking  :^)
  23.  
  24. bobo
  25. bowman@reed.edu
  26.