The All New All New Groundspeak UK Pub Quiz

[+me N u]

Give Me n u a ding - absolutely correct.

 

He had to find Tahiti (one of only a few South Sea islands whose latitude and longitude were accurately known) and observe the Transit of Venus across the face of the sun.

 

H

 

Thank you, staying on the same subject, observing the transit of Venus enabled astronomers to calculate what?

[+speakers-corner]

The size of the universe

[+me N u]

The size of the universe

 

Not quite, on the right lines just too big a scale.

[Sharpeset]

The size of the universe

 

Not quite, on the right lines just too big a scale.

 

the size of the sun?

[+speakers-corner]

The distance of the earth to the sun?

[+Pharisee]

The diameter of the earth's orbit?

[+me N u]

The distance of the earth to the sun?

 

DING to Speakers corner, once an accurate distance to the sun could be calculated then the size of the solar system could be calculated as Kepler had already calculated the relative distances of the planets from the sun in terms of earth - sun distance, known as 1 astronomical unit (AU.

[+speakers-corner]

Thanks for the DING me N u. Staying with astronomy and a two-part question.

Where was Kepler born and who was the astronomer that was born 152 yrs later and about 45km away from where Kepler was born?

[+Hellfire1917]

is the answer:

1 - Kepler born in Wiel der Stadt and 2 - Johann Meyer born 152 years later in Marbach, 1723?

 

Tom

Edited December 13, 2014 by Hellfire1917

[+speakers-corner]

And the DING goes to Hellfire1917. Both towns are just down the road from where I live. Johann Mayer Mayer he submitted amended tables to be sufficiently accurate to determine longitude at sea within about half a degree to the British government. This was the beginning of accurate navigating.

[+Hellfire1917]

Thanks for the DING!

 

Staying with astronomers/scientists.

 

In 1642 one great astronomer/scientist died and another was born. Who were they?

 

H

[+speakers-corner]

Galileo (January) and Newton (December), almost a year apart.

[+crb11]

I don't know the answer, but it wasn't those two. Either Galileo died in 1642 and Newton was born in 1643 (Gregorian calendar, in use in Italy) or Galileo died in 1641 and Newton was born in 1642 (Julian calendar, in use in England).

[+Hellfire1917]

Well, I bow to crb11's calendar knowledge, which is greater than mine, but give a DING to speakers-corner as those were the two I was looking for.

 

H

[+speakers-corner]

Thanks for the Ding.

When will Halley's Comet next be seen in the inner solar system?

[+Beach_hut]

Well, it's got a cycle of 75 years, and I remember its last visit around 1986, so I'm going to say 2061

[+speakers-corner]

The cycle is 75-76yrs, so Ill give you a DING for that.

[+Beach_hut]

The cycle is 75-76yrs, so Ill give you a DING for that.

 

Thanks for the Ding.

 

What's the technical name for this event, when an asteroid/comet/similar reaches its closest point to the sun? And What is the name for the opposite, when it is at its furthest from the Sun?

[dodgydaved]

The cycle is 75-76yrs, so Ill give you a DING for that.

 

Thanks for the Ding.

 

What's the technical name for this event, when an asteroid/comet/similar reaches its closest point to the sun? And What is the name for the opposite, when it is at its furthest from the Sun?

 

The former is perihelion - so I am guessing the latter is something like apihelion? (Which my spellchecker did not like, so I will drop the "I" and say) aphelion (which it did!!)

[+Beach_hut]

The former is perihelion - so I am guessing the latter is something like apihelion? (Which my spellchecker did not like, so I will drop the "I" and say) aphelion (which it did!!)

 

That's a DING dong merrily on high for you :-)

[dodgydaved]

The former is perihelion - so I am guessing the latter is something like apihelion? (Which my spellchecker did not like, so I will drop the "I" and say) aphelion (which it did!!)

 

That's a DING dong merrily on high for you :-)

 

Let me try to stick with the theme.

 

What is the simple etymology of the name "comet"?

 

Basically looking for a three word phrase where the longest word has 4 letters (or a variation on it!)

[+Hellfire1917]

I thought the word came from Latin (maybe Greek) words for "long haired star" but that can't be the answer you're looking for.

 

H

[dodgydaved]

I was looking for "with long hair" so your reply was a valid variation as I asked and so a great big hirsute DING to you!!

[+Hellfire1917]

Thanks, dodgydaved. Now for something completely different. What was the name of Alexander the Great's horse?

[+MartyBartfast]

Totally don't know the spelling, but it's something like Beucephalus.

[+Hellfire1917]

MartyBartfast, the DING! is yours. Your question.......

[+MartyBartfast]

By what name is Hiram K. Hackenbacker more commonly known?

[+civilised]

By what name is Hiram K. Hackenbacker more commonly known?

 

Groucho Marx

[+martin&lindabryn]

Brains from Thunderbids

[+MartyBartfast]

Brains from Thunderbids

 

That's a big F.A.B. to martin&lindabryn.

[+martin&lindabryn]

Thanks for the ding

 

Who lives at, 29 Acacia Road?

[+Boggin's Dad]

Eric who, after consuming a certain piece of fruit, turns into the superhero - Bananaman

[+martin&lindabryn]

Eric who, after consuming a certain piece of fruit, turns into the superhero - Bananaman

that will be a big yellow Ding for you

[+Boggin's Dad]

Are you smarter than an eighteen month old?

 

No that's not the real question - This is

 

Where is your philtrum?

 

Freddie Frog knows, and he is only a baby....

[+MartyBartfast]

I think that's the part of the top lip right below the centre of your nose.

[+Boggin's Dad]

I think that's the part of the top lip right below the centre of your nose.

 

*** ding ***

 

Your thoughts are correct - it's that little divot.

 

Freddie Frog would be proud.

[+MartyBartfast]

Where would you find Nanki-Poo, Ko-Ko, and Pooh-Bah ?

[+martin&lindabryn]

The Mikado

[+MartyBartfast]

That's a pretty quick DING.

[+martin&lindabryn]

thank you for the quick Ding

 

What Christmas item was invented by London baker and wedding-cake specialist Tom Smith in 1847?

[+Pharisee]

Christmas cracker?

[+Yorkshire Yellow]

Christmas cake?

[+Clue-72]

Mince pies?

[+martin&lindabryn]

Christmas cracker?

Although Yorkshire Yellow got this wright as well the giggle bells go to Pharissee for getting there first

Over to you

[+Pharisee]

Christmas cracker?

Although Yorkshire Yellow got this wright as well the giggle bells go to Pharissee for getting there first

Over to you

 

Not such a wild guess after all then...

 

OK... change of subject.

"Hunter" was the boss, "Lonely" was the sidekick but who was the somewhat reluctant 'good guy'?

[+MartyBartfast]

David Callan - excellent show!

[+Pharisee]

David Callan - excellent show!

 

That's a quick DING and a very Merry Christmas to you....

[+MartyBartfast]

 

That's a quick DING and a very Merry Christmas to you....

 

Thanks, and a Merry Christmas to you, and all our readers, too!

 

Anyway :- Emily, Anne & Charlotte, what was their Brother's name?

[+martin&lindabryn]

that will be the Bronte sisters, and their brother was Branwell

[+MartyBartfast]

that will be the Bronte sisters, and their brother was Branwell

 

It is indeed, another quick DING.