Changing topics, I came across a couple of pictures in the last day or so I feel like sharing.
First, this amazing view of Saturn taken by the Cassini space probe in September 2006:
Here's part of the description of the photo from NASA (for more, go here): "This marvelous panoramic view was created by combining a total of 165 images taken by the Cassini wide-angle camera over nearly three hours on Sept. 15, 2006. The full mosaic consists of three rows of nine wide-angle camera footprints; only a portion of the full mosaic is shown here. Color in the view was created by digitally compositing ultraviolet, infrared and clear filter images and was then adjusted to resemble natural color.
"During this period of observation Cassini detected two new faint rings: one coincident with the shared orbit of the moons Janus and Epimetheus, and another coincident with Pallene's orbit."
Now, anyone who's wasted a moment or two reading The Foggy Dew in the past knows I'm an unashamed proponent of man's exploration of space. There is much to be learned on the other side of our atmosphere and I believe mankind's destiny is in space.
But there is another reason and (sadly) I'm going to use a bit of a quote from a TV show (From the Earth to the Moon) to express it properly. We need to continue into space for the same reason Apollo 15 commander Dave Scott chose (in the show) to land at Hadley rille, "Grandeur. And I believe there's something to be said for... exploring beautiful places... It's good for the spirit."
Who among us wouldn't want to watch in awe as Saturn eclipsed the sun?
OK, now onto the funny part. Got this picture from a coworker. Don't know if it's true or not, but I get the feeling it is.
See, the way I always heard the way to tell them apart was to kick them in the balls and then run and climb a tree. If the bear climbs the tree and eats you, it's a black bear. If it pushes the tree over and eats you, it's a grizzly. Happy Tuesday. Try to stay cool.
4 comments:
I share your passion for N.A.S.A - I grew up in Clear Lake (home of JSC). Very cool photo!
And yeah, it's 100 every day in ATX this week. Stay cool indeed.
it didn't help me when that 3/7 because an 8 and a feels like 1 + 04 but pretty!
space is SO cool. carl sagan's pale blue dot monologue pretty much changed my world view. favorite app on my phone: google sky. it's amazeballs.
HK - I once interviewed a guy in Clear Lake. He was the fourth man to smell the moon. He was the engineer who was in isolation with the Apollo 11 crew when the came back. Remind me to tell the story some time.
Vittoria - Yeah...what you said.
firecracker - strange you should mention the iPhone, I have a story about that coming soon (today or tomorrow). But I can't find that app!! Where is it??
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