Hi,

just for laughs :)
I have a friend who uses this name, and apparently it has some special
meaning. I have been given no clues, and no rules, but i want to
figure out what it could mean. The only thing said is
- it is not an anagram
- the 39 is significant
- it isnt difficult (for someone bright)

Any ideas of its possible meaning would be enough of an answer.

Although this does make the 'free beer' if i get it right not free
anymore, but hey .. :)

Hi quacky:

Thanks for the cool question!

Your friend's name is almost certainly referring to the fact that the
"albedo" of the Earth is 0.39 or "point 39."

Albedo is the measure of how much light (as a fraction) is reflected
off an object. It is used in astromony to measure the reflectiveness
of planets and other space objects.

A good definition can be found here:

Albedo
URL: http://zebu.uoregon.edu/~js/glossary/albedo.html

More about the Earth's albedo can be found here: 

Albedo of the Earth
URL: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/phyopt/albedo.html


It is also possible that your friend is referring to the CD by
Vangelis
 
Vangelis - Albedo .39  
URL: http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=19412

Hope this helps! Enjoy your beer. 

websearcher-ga

Search Strategy (on Google):

albedopoint
albedo
albedo .39
albedo earth

Wow that was *so* quick!

and yes, thats definantly it - he is a bit of an astronomer ...

Thanks again! you guys are great! :)

Damn! Excuse that last post. 

I also wanted to add the point that certain things have a high albedo
and thus a cooling effect, i.e. snow - being white, reflects in coming
solar radioation. Which is why if you put something coloured on lump
of snow it will have a heating (melting) effect. Likewise, white
t-shirts have a higher albedo than black ones - which is one of the
reasons people are naturally attracted to wearing white in hot summer
days. The term "albedo" (but not "albedopoint39) is also used in
geology, geo-morphology and climatology, etc.