Launching today, 31Jul09, is a new Astronomy web site called Experience the Planets. It is another project from IYA 2009, the International Year of Astronomy.
I have already posted multiple times about Moon, the new hard sci-fi movie by Duncan Jones, but this time we are talking the actual orbital object over our heads. I have also recently posted about the LROC and Kaguya lunar missions, and the excellent images they returned to Earth. A team on the surface of this world has created a Lunar picture just as impressive; the Lunar World Record image, now acknowledged by Guinness. The project was put together as part of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 celebration, honoring and hosted by Sir Patric Moore. If you don’t know who he is, he mapped the Moon in the 50’s, creating the information used by both the Russian and American space program into the 60s and beyond. He also got his own Guinness Certificate for being the longest running television presenter of the BBC Sky at Night program, from 1957 until last year. IYA2009 also has The Moon for All Mankind going on, with Malta being the latest entry. And then the one that may end up being my favorite; you can relive the first manned Moon landing in real time, in every detail, including some that were not broadcast when it first happened! We Choose The Moon will take you through the entire event, but just like the first time it happened you only get one shot at experiencing it. The Retro-Launch takes off in 51 hours as I am writing this, and will unspool sequentially exactly as the original did until splashdown. I recommend using modern reminders like Twitter to make sure you don’t miss it. Discover Magazine also has a nice retrospective of the landing event freshly posted to honor the anniversary. I threw in the peek at the 1930’s version of the John Carter movie that almost was because I couldn’t resist, not because it fit with the rest of this post…
The first pictures have come in from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera, with detailed enough images to see objects 10 feet across on the surface. You can see the pictures at their official web site at Arizona State University. This follows close on the heels of JAXA’s (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Lunar satellite Kaguya sending back excellent images of the Moon from its orbit and hard landing. In honor of the holiday, stop-motion fireworks at their finest…
It is the IYA, or International Year of Astronomy, and one of the many things going on for it is a daily podcast called 365 Days of Astronomy. It has been quite entertaining and informative, with today’s entry being Space Travel in Science Fiction. They have been archiving the series, so you can listen to any episodes you may have missed.
NASA is currently running the final Hubble mission, upgrading the satellite one last time. If you are interested in watching the mission in real time, as always you can see it on NASA TV, both online and on select cable systems. If their are any problems with the mission, NASA now has an emergency response shuttle ready to run a rescue flight. Part of the mission is to bring home the camera that saved the Hubble, the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2. Installed in 1993, this was the first camera with a corrective function for the flaw in the Hubble’s mirror. To commemorate the retirement they have released one last beauty shot of planetary nebula Kohoutek 4-55; the camera will be added to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum permanent collection. For other incredible images captured by the Hubble, take a look at their Gallery site. And if you get by the Smithsonian in the next week or two, don’t forget to see the original Enterprise model used in the 60s Star Trek TV show, and maybe catch the Star Trek IMAX version of the new movie. They will also be running other Sci-Fi IMAX films including NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: BATTLE OF THE SMITHSONIAN and Transformers 2 Revenge of the Fallen. Here is the video of the shuttle capturing the Hubble to bring it onboard for repairs.
Mike Brotherton has posted a thought provoking article about Why Science Fiction rules, and why most people just don’t get it. It’s worth a read, and if you communicate to the public (Teacher, Journalist, etc.) you should also be aware the next round of his Launch Pad Astronomy Workshop still has a few days before registration closes, but you have to hurry. Funded by NASA, the training is free and comes complete with an observatory or two at the University of Wyoming. Even Lex Luthor is looking for a Bailout these days… what is the world coming to?