Shostack + Friends Blog Archive

 

Earthrise

Image credit: Bill Anders, Apollo 8, launched this day, Dec 21, 1968.

 

The Cliffs of Insanity!

Today’s “the future is cool” entry is the cliffs of insanity: Actually, I’m lying to you, they’re the Cliffs of Comet Churyumov–Gerasimenko, as photographed by the Rosetta spacecraft. I just think its cool similar they look, and how the physical processes which created the Cliffs of Moher may also have been at work on a […]

 

Lunar Oribter Image Recovery Project

The Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project needs help to recover data from the Lunar Orbiter spacecraft. Frankly, it’s a bit of a disgrace that Congress funds, well, all sorts of things, over this element of our history, but that’s besides the point. Do I want to get angry, or do I want to see this […]

 

Neil Armstrong, RIP

Neil Armstrong died August 25, aged 82. It’s difficult to properly memorialize this man, because, to a degree almost unheard of in our media-saturated times, he avoided the limelight. A statement by his family notes: As much as Neil cherished his privacy, he always appreciated the expressions of good will from people around the world […]

 

Happy Yuri's Night!

Today, April 12, 2011 is the 50th Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic first flight. Why not join a celebration? Invite to the Kremlin event via Xeni Jardin.

 

Saturn's Moon Enceladus

NASA claims that: At least four distinct plumes of water ice spew out from the south polar region of Saturn’s moon Enceladus in this dramatically illuminated image. Light reflected off Saturn is illuminating the surface of the moon while the sun, almost directly behind Enceladus, is backlighting the plumes. See Bursting at the Seams to […]

 

Earth, from the surface of Mars

This is the first image ever taken of Earth from the surface of a planet beyond the Moon. It was taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit one hour before sunrise on the 63rd Martian day, or sol, of its mission. (March 8, 2004) Credit: NASA Goadard’s flickr stream.

 
 

Earthrise

40 years ago, NASA released this first [human-taken] photo of the Earth from far away: [Update: The BBC has a nice story.]

 

December 21, 1968

It was even more exciting on a black and white Zenith. Image: Nasa photo 6871798

 

Voyager 1 passes 100 AU

            Voyager 1 has passed 100 AU. It’s a stunning feat of engineering. (Story via Slashdot.)