Storm brought his empty plate into the kitchen. He stood by the sink and watched Penny out in the patio.
She was nodding her head as the plump astronomers from ANU were describing in great detail some event to Franchette. He could tell she was bored from the smiley mask she wore. She would politely chuckle at just the right time while they chatted on and on, endlessly, about friends, colleagues, and neighbours in Sydney and Canberra.
He caught her eye as he walked past the open doors into the living room, giving her a wave. Penny pulled a face as much as to say she couldn't be rude and walk away just yet.
He had drunk a couple of beers and was feeling pleasantly pissed. The problem with this party was the conversation. It was difficult to …show more content…
Stars get much bigger than the sun. If it makes you feel any better, ours is a large yellow dwarf.”
“I don't care, so long as it keeps doing what it does.”
“It's a funny thing, but yellow dwarfs don't last as half as long as brown dwarfs. That's one reason why intelligent life is less likely to develop on planets orbiting stars like our sun.”
“We are an exceptional case then?”
“I think so. Surprising, isn't it?”
“Earth has moderate zones that exist only between areas of the planet that are freezing cold and scorching hot. But a planet in the habitable zone of a brown dwarf could possibly maintain life exceptionally well because the radiated energy disperses equally across the globe. The real downside is this zone is much closer to the star when it's a brown dwarf.”
Storm wondered how technical the discussion was going to get.
Karl seemed to read his mind and gave him a wink. “You're going out with Penny, aren't you? Ah—Michael told me you would both be coming over together. She's nice. You're lucky.”
“Yeah. I guess I'll just see how it goes. We're really different.”
“She's not working in science like her mum and dad.”
“Nah. She says she's not much interested. She's into arty …show more content…
Or he might have a lot to work on.” Karl gave him a wink. “Though my impression of him so far is he's lazy.”
Michael picked up a bowl of potato chips from the table as he joined them and offered it to the two men. “I took the chance to excuse myself from that little group when Arnold said he was going back to the office. How was the barbecue?”
Karl chuckled. “You left poor Stephen with the women.”
“Ah, he'll love it.” Michael smiled and stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth. He frowned as he munched. “His freaking wife,” he said through the chips. “Adrienna’s always talking about herself, her discoveries, and her career. And everything’s always just wonderful. She drives me insane! But what can I do, she's Franchette’s friend. Sorry about spitting my chips on you.” He brushed fragments off the front of Storm's T-shirt.
“So what were you two talking about? It seemed interesting.”
“Storm was asking me about my project, and we started talking about brown dwarfs.”
Michael nodded. “Hmm. Well, I was meaning to talk to you about the very same subject myself. I've decided I could use your help with something I've been working
She was nodding her head as the plump astronomers from ANU were describing in great detail some event to Franchette. He could tell she was bored from the smiley mask she wore. She would politely chuckle at just the right time while they chatted on and on, endlessly, about friends, colleagues, and neighbours in Sydney and Canberra.
He caught her eye as he walked past the open doors into the living room, giving her a wave. Penny pulled a face as much as to say she couldn't be rude and walk away just yet.
He had drunk a couple of beers and was feeling pleasantly pissed. The problem with this party was the conversation. It was difficult to …show more content…
Stars get much bigger than the sun. If it makes you feel any better, ours is a large yellow dwarf.”
“I don't care, so long as it keeps doing what it does.”
“It's a funny thing, but yellow dwarfs don't last as half as long as brown dwarfs. That's one reason why intelligent life is less likely to develop on planets orbiting stars like our sun.”
“We are an exceptional case then?”
“I think so. Surprising, isn't it?”
“Earth has moderate zones that exist only between areas of the planet that are freezing cold and scorching hot. But a planet in the habitable zone of a brown dwarf could possibly maintain life exceptionally well because the radiated energy disperses equally across the globe. The real downside is this zone is much closer to the star when it's a brown dwarf.”
Storm wondered how technical the discussion was going to get.
Karl seemed to read his mind and gave him a wink. “You're going out with Penny, aren't you? Ah—Michael told me you would both be coming over together. She's nice. You're lucky.”
“Yeah. I guess I'll just see how it goes. We're really different.”
“She's not working in science like her mum and dad.”
“Nah. She says she's not much interested. She's into arty …show more content…
Or he might have a lot to work on.” Karl gave him a wink. “Though my impression of him so far is he's lazy.”
Michael picked up a bowl of potato chips from the table as he joined them and offered it to the two men. “I took the chance to excuse myself from that little group when Arnold said he was going back to the office. How was the barbecue?”
Karl chuckled. “You left poor Stephen with the women.”
“Ah, he'll love it.” Michael smiled and stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth. He frowned as he munched. “His freaking wife,” he said through the chips. “Adrienna’s always talking about herself, her discoveries, and her career. And everything’s always just wonderful. She drives me insane! But what can I do, she's Franchette’s friend. Sorry about spitting my chips on you.” He brushed fragments off the front of Storm's T-shirt.
“So what were you two talking about? It seemed interesting.”
“Storm was asking me about my project, and we started talking about brown dwarfs.”
Michael nodded. “Hmm. Well, I was meaning to talk to you about the very same subject myself. I've decided I could use your help with something I've been working