APOD: M82: Galaxy with a Supergalactic Wind (2012 Mar 26)

[bystander]

I've scoured the finest mathematical resources known to humanity, and a cone is... well... a cone. You know, one of those round pointy things.

The error you made was in scouring "mathematical resources". The APOD caption isn't a mathematical discourse, nor are the discussions here. And a quick perusal of ordinary English language dictionaries will immediately reveal that a cone can be something other than "one of those round pointy things".

He must not have researched geometry either. In geometry those "round pointy things" are known as "right circular cones", but pyramids (triangular, rectangular, or any other shape) are also considered cones. Generally, the base may be any shape and the apex may lie anywhere outside the plane of the base, as Chris previously defined cone:

... my dictionary includes

a solid bounded by a circular or other closed plane base and the surface formed by line segments joining every point of the boundary of the base to a common vertex

[Chris Peterson]

Most non-astronomers would have a good idea of what 'towards' the constellation Ursa Major or Big Dipper generally means.

However, few would know, off hand, what constitutes the gerrymandered district "IN the constellation Ursa Major."

I think that most everybody, astronomers or not, would correctly get the meaning of the sentence either way.

[neufer]

Most non-astronomers would have a good idea of what 'towards' the constellation Ursa Major or Big Dipper generally means.

However, few would know, off hand, what constitutes the gerrymandered district "IN the constellation Ursa Major."

I think that most everybody, astronomers or not, would correctly get the meaning of the sentence either way.

I think that most everybody's first impression upon hearing
"IN the constellation Ursa Major" would be to visualize:

• 1) Sheldon_Cooper and/or
  
  2) a specific feature physically among the stars of the Big Dipper.