Planetary news

[Celestiall Nightfire]

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IvanBenjammin wrote:

 

In the words of the late, great Carl Sagan:

“Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us.

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Sagan's words are good, but to me, a little melodramatic.  I prefer the Monty Python perspective to the universe:

 

[IvanBenjammin]

Well, I dunno about melodramatic, but that's good too - had it as an mp3 for years...

But I'm keeping my liver, thanks

[KarenMichelle Lane]

This has been the most delightful thread. The links to all the articles have given me such reading enjoyment..

I'm still smiling at Maddy's "Tough Crowd" story. I so love children that age. They are so engaging and way smarter than they know.

The Voyager picture with Carl's [i can hear his voice as I read it] monologue puts things and us in perspective.

I think I'm going to have to say an extra prayer tonight before bed giving thanks for our existence. Dreaming of our Blue Dot Homeworld.

 

[Nyll Bergbahn]

This thread reminded me I have some NASA transparencies and press release notes dating back to before Cassini was launched. They should have been returned to NASA but ...! This was at a time when NASA posted out press releases, probably do it all online now.

I've scanned one of the transparencies, which is of two solid rocket motor upgrades waiting to be attached to the Titan IVB launch vehicle for the Cassini mission.

 

[Nyll Bergbahn]

I'm sure most people don't realise you can have a very personal interest in NASA missions. NASA often include compact discs on the spacecraft containing the names of members of the public who have signed up for it. I'm currently touring the asteroid belt with the DAWN spacecraft and also on my way to Pluto, the last planet to be visited by spacecraft, with the NEW HORIZONS spacecraft. Obviously I've blocked out my name and certificate number in these scans. Note Pluto was still a planet in 2005 but of course is now designated a dwarf planet or plutoid.

http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/

Having already visited the asteroid Vesta, DAWN will reach the asteroid Ceres (classed as a dwarf planet now) in March 2015. Where the spacecraft is now: http://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/live_shots.asp

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/

NEW HORIZONS will pass by Pluto on the 15th July 2015 then go on out to the Kuiper Belt.

Where the spacecraft is now: http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/mission/whereis_nh.php

 

[Madelaine McMasters]

My name is crawling around on Mars, wandering through space, and probably scribbled on a phone booth somewhere. I recommend doing as Nyll has shown at least once in your life. It's a li'l inspiring to look up and know your name is out there.

Those who remember the first Hippiestock may also recall that 115 of us went into space on STS-133...

 

[Nyll Bergbahn]

That's brilliant Maddy! I didn't know about Hippiestock and its space odyssey. :smileyhappy:

I've heard of pub crawls (even gone on some) but a Mars crawl...now that must be something! :smileyvery-happy:

 

[Madelaine McMasters]

I've been lax the last couple years, but I used to submit my name for lots of NASA missions, and I've been signing up the neighbor kids and printing out their certificates for years. I think it's a brilliant use of excess NASA spacecraft data storage space to allow people to get their imaginations off the ground.

[PeterCanessa Oh]

"Look, I can't help what you may personally be in orbit around," said Ford, "but this ship ..."

[Hitch Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy]