Mind-blowing questions from Turks to Juno
After setting off from Earth five years ago to conduct research on the solar system’s largest planet, the Juno spacecraft successfully entered Jupiter’s orbit this week.
It is expected that Juno’s research will produce answers to questions about Jupiter, as well as how planets in the solar system or other systems are formed. In other words, it’s an important mission.
Let me tell you how this important mission was reflected in our country, and you can decide whether you want to laugh or cry.
There is a Turkish astrophysicist working at NASA. His name is Dr. Umut Yıldız. He is not directly working on the Juno mission. He is a member of a team responsible for the communication with all spacecraft sent into deep space.
He has been trying to genuinely answer questions about both Juno and issues related to his expertise through social media.
The day Juno entered Jupiter’s orbit, he got in front of a camera with a replica of Juno and Jupiter and made a broadcast via Periscope. Those who would like to watch it can see it on Dr. Yıldız’s Twitter account (@umutayildiz).
While he tried to explain the details, the importance and the developments of the mission with all his good will, he continued to do so while at the same time showing tolerance to all those participants’ efforts to dilute the broadcast.
There were those who were watching the broadcasting who were genuinely trying to learn, while questions coming from those who wanted to make fun looked like this:
*There is no life… no water, no nothing… What are you looking for? All this money is being wasted…
*Hey bro, this is empty stuff…
*Are you an UFO guy?
*Are you fasting?
*Are there really aliens?
*Liar!
*You should have an LPG engine.
*Uncle, what is this? What is your purpose? What is your work there?
*Actually… I thought you looked like one of our medical sales representatives…
*How can we take ritual ablutions on Jupiter?
*Haw many tons of gold is there on Jupiter?
As I said, Dr. Yıldız continued to answer meaningful questions while at the same time approaching the efforts to make fun with the utmost tolerance.
But not all the questions came from the “let’s have fun” agenda:
*You work in NASA. You should know: Has the moon been sighted?
When he replied to this question from Twitter, which came as a joke in an apparent reference to the sighting of the moon to indicate the start of the Eid al-Fitr holiday, with a smile on his face and asking “From where, looking from Jupiter?” hell broke out.
The question was a joke and the answer was a joke but some “sensitive” citizens who did not like it reacted by saying, “How can you not answer this question?”
They started with comments like, “People asked you a question assuming you are a Muslim, if you are not, say so…” and went on with comments like, “Ok, you are working in NASA, but is your brain and faith also working for NASA? We thought you were a man; we made a mistake…”
The whole thing went as far as the head Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate. “You are not doing your work and we end up taking these people as interlocutors,” some said in reaction.
Dr. Yıldız made a four point statement following these comments:
“NASA does not observe the moon. I’m not in a position to give fatwas. I thought that tweet was a joke. I just heard about the bayram confusion in Turkey.”