Vera Rubin's Protractor

Vera Rubin's Protractor


Origin	Vera Rubin
Type	Protractor
Effects	Can rotate an object from a distance
Downsides	Object must be aligned with the center of the protractor
Activation	Aligning object with center of the protractor
Collected by	Warehouse 13
Section	Scientia-732T
Aisle	681725-3556
Shelf	173058-5428-901
Date of Collection	January 12, 1988
[Source]

Origin[]

Vera Rubin was an astronomer who studied galaxy rotation rates and what became known as the galaxy rotation problem. She uncovered the discrepancy between the predicted angular motion of galaxies and the observed motion, by studying galactic rotation curves. Galaxies rotate so fast they should rip themselves apart if only stars’ gravity fields held them together. But they are being held together, which signified the existence of a large unknown mass besides the stars. Her research has led her to believe that dark matter is the source of the attraction, although the nature of it is still very unknown.

Effects[]

An interesting artifact with a more practical application. Holding it up and focusing the center on a point will allow the user to rotate an object from a distance by applying astronomical (pun) amounts of outside force. This is used mainly for tightening screws around the office...

Astronomy Artifacts
Astronomers	Clyde W. Tombaugh's Photographic Plates • Edmond Halley's Telescope • Ernst Chladni's Plate • Fritz Zwicky’s Meteor Pellets • Galileo Galilei's Astrolabe • Heinrich Wilhelm Matthias Olbers’ Telescope • Johannes Hevelius' Quadrant • Johannes Kepler's Telescope Lense • John Flamsteed's Star Catalogue • Kazimierz Kordylewski’s Telescope • Luis Alvarez's Iridium Chunk • Nicolaus Copernicus' Armillary Sphere • Tycho Brahe's Prosthetic Noses • Vera Rubin's Protractor • William Wales' Portable Observatory
Exploration Missions	American	Apollo 11 Lunar Landing Hoax Set • Apollo 13 Command Module • Apollo 15 Geologic Hammer and Falcon Feather • Chris Hadfield's Acoustic Guitar • Columbia Space Shuttle • Navigational Software from the Mars Climate Orbiter • Pete Conrad's Space Boots • Richard F. Gordon Jr's Spacesuit Helmet • Saturn V • The Fourth Astronaut • Wally Schirra’s Insignia Patches • William Safire’s Apollo 11 Speech
Soviet / Russian	Alexey Leonov's "Near the Moon" • Laika's Harness • Sputnik's Antenna • USSR Space Capsule • Valentin Bondarenko's Cotton Balls • Valeri Polyakov's Blood Pressure Cuff • Vladislav Volkov’s Spacesuit • Yuri Gagarin's Hockey Puck • Yuri Gagarin's Spacesuit • Yuri Gagarin's Lieutenant Pin
Other	Edward Makuka Nkoloso’s Oil Drum • Matroshka Experiments Mannequin
Natural Phenomenon	Samples	Chunk of the Chelyabinsk Meteor • Explosive Meteor Fragment • NWA 7034 • Piece of Halley's Comet • Star Jelly
	Solar Prominence	Donald Liebenberg's Eclipse Glasses • Évry Schatzman's Telescope • Johannes Fabricius' Camera Obscura • Obelisk from St. Peter's Basilica • Ra's Scepter • Ra's Solar Barge
	Lunar Activity	Chang'e's Buyao • Jean Chastel's Silver Gun • Li Bai’s Rosewood Wall Panels • Princess Kaguya’s Bamboo Sword • Selene's Tiara • Tobias Mayer's Reflecting Circle • Wang Zhenyi's Lunar Eclipse
	Exotic Physics	Fred Hoyle’s Rubik's Cube • George Biddell Airy Transit Instrument • Hermann Weyl's Drafting Compass • Holmdel Horn Antenna • James Chadwick's Nobel Prize • Jocelyn Bell Burnell's Chart Recorder • Johannes Kepler's Planetary Model • John Archibald Wheeler’s Newton Cradle • Karl Schwarzchild's Pocket Watch • Louis Essen's Alarm Clock
Extraterrestrial Life	Purported Sightings	Heaven's Gate Homepage • J. Allen Hynek's Telescope • William Brazel's Cowboy Hat
Extraterrestrial Life	Fictional Encounters	Bolaji Badejo's Beret • Cybermen Outfits • Dalek Costumes • Fox Mulder's 'I Want To Believe' Poster • Garrett P. Serviss' Prop Martian Gun • George Lucas' Original Prop Lightsaber • H. R. Giger's Mechanical Pencil • HAL 9000 Prop • Omnitrix Toy • Orson Welles' Microphone • Richard O'Brien's Stockings • U.S. Air Force Space Probe No. 1 • Zathura
Miscellaneous	Bill Kaysing's Feather • Carl Sagan's Jacket • Charles Fort’s Newspaper Clippings • Conrad Haas’ Nozzle • Huitzilopochtli's Sacrificial Bowl • Jack Parson's Rocket Engine • Lance Bass' Cargo Container • Maria Margaretha Kirch's Ephemeris • Piece of the Antikythera Mechanism • Qian Xuesen's Servomechanism