Tuesday, August 18, 2009
astronomy public lecture series
if youre anywhere near nottingham this thursday, i'm giving a public lecture from 6-7pm. click on the image for more information!
Monday, August 17, 2009
the milky way and trees!
here's another gorgeous shot of the milky way by tom @ timescapes. cant wait to see the full timelaspe series from this shoot!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
influential books
a facebook meme went around recently challenging you to share 15 books that you've read that have stuck with you, without taking too long to think about it. i thought i'd share my list here and see if you would like to offer your list of 15.
the secret garden - frances hodgson burnett
lord of the rings (trilogy) - JRR tolkien
memoirs of a geisha - arthur golden
the world according to garp - john irving
flowers for algernon - daniel keyes
black holes and time warps - kip s thorne
the poisonwood bible - barbara kingsolver
pride and prejudice - jane austen
harry potter (series) - jk rowling
the origin of species - charles darwin
divine secrets of the ya ya sisterhood - callie khouri
enders game - orson scott card
the red tent - anita diamant
the dark tower (series) - stephen king
count of monte cristo - alexandre dumas
since i've had a little more time now to think about it now, i'll list some other books that been influential throughout different periods in my life:
bridge to terabithia - katherine paterson
where the red fern grows - wilson rawls
surely youre joking, mr feynman - richard feynman
the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy - douglas adams
the secret garden - frances hodgson burnett
lord of the rings (trilogy) - JRR tolkien
memoirs of a geisha - arthur golden
the world according to garp - john irving
flowers for algernon - daniel keyes
black holes and time warps - kip s thorne
the poisonwood bible - barbara kingsolver
pride and prejudice - jane austen
harry potter (series) - jk rowling
the origin of species - charles darwin
divine secrets of the ya ya sisterhood - callie khouri
enders game - orson scott card
the red tent - anita diamant
the dark tower (series) - stephen king
count of monte cristo - alexandre dumas
since i've had a little more time now to think about it now, i'll list some other books that been influential throughout different periods in my life:
bridge to terabithia - katherine paterson
where the red fern grows - wilson rawls
surely youre joking, mr feynman - richard feynman
the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy - douglas adams
Friday, August 14, 2009
carnival of space #115
this week's space reading is available at the 115th carnival of space hosted at new frontiers.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
science ladders
here's a nice photo from the found in the LIFE magazine archives showing scientists performing some classical mechanics coordinate transformations on a massive blackboard many decades ago!
notice that the big leaning ladder has a prop underneath one leg!! eek!
the calculations look impressive and all, but when scientists stand on precarious ladders, everything seems way more dramatic and important, no?! i wonder if they normally have 4 different ladder options close to this blackboard?
notice that the big leaning ladder has a prop underneath one leg!! eek!
the calculations look impressive and all, but when scientists stand on precarious ladders, everything seems way more dramatic and important, no?! i wonder if they normally have 4 different ladder options close to this blackboard?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
paper transformer
this looks super fun! i'm definitely going to make one with my nephew when i see him next month! has anyone tried to make one before?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
perseid meteor shower!
the perseid meteor shower peaks late tonight and early tomorrow night, august 12th. go out to see some burning bits of comet dust as the earth passes thru the debris left by comet swift-tuttle. if you have clear skies, look up to the northeast after 11 pm tonight!
enjoy!
enjoy!
the masochism tango
tom lehrer is a mathematician and musician who is most famous for a series of satirical songs he performed in the 50s and 60s. there are many great songs covering political and social topics, this one is my favorite!
Monday, August 10, 2009
suzhou, china
after viewing the total solar eclipse in ningbo, china, i headed to the city of suzhou which is located about an hour west of the massive shanghai. despite the torrential downpours of water from the sky that occurred during the majority of my time in suzhou, i really enjoyed exploring the gardens and the old city, the company of my hosts, and the loud, booming thunder!
one thing that surprised me about suzhou was the density of *electrically-powered* motorbikes!! when the chinese find a fad, it really takes hold because bikes with real motors were so rare that they seemed really loud and out of place. luckily, the people i stayed with had a couple electric bikes, so i got to ride around town on one! it was great and strange to have a whole conversation while riding on the back of a scooter!
suzhou is famous for the ancient gardens that exist throughout the city, and i explored several! the humble administrator's garden is a massive plot (52,000 sq. meters = 12.85 acres!) that was originally created in 1509. there are dozens of buildings, waterways, lotus gardens, bridges, and bonsai plants, etc... it's incredible.
peaceful lotus plants grew in the water.
this lady floating in her boat was selling the fruits of the lotus plant.
you peel away sections and eat the the pods inside. the pods can be as big as grapes, but taste more like edamame beans.
bamboo everywhere.
scenes from walking thru town....
ducks in a row on the side of a road...
ancient canals run throughout the city. they are nice to walk beside and have obviously been used for hundreds of years by the people of the city. there are many stairs leading down into the water and benches and pavilions all along in order to sit peacefully, relax, and take shelter from the regular rainstorms!
for lunch, i stopped in a little tea house and had rose tea and dim sum. yum! apparently, i didnt use all the little plates properly because they kept bringing more little empty plates, pointing to things, and leaving the plates on the table. i was confused, but nodded and smiled and thoroughly enjoyed the meal!
another garden i really enjoyed was the lion grove garden, built in 1342!
the strange rocks that decorate the garden represent lions doing their many activities. the limestone rocks were transformed into their odd shapes while sitting at the bottom of lake taihu, then they were transported to form such classical gardens.
the rocks are strategically placed around the gardens to form labyrinths! the whole place is like a giant playground to explore, and i had so much fun running around thru the tunnels and paths made of these crazy rock structures! they also use zigzag bridges, because evil spirits cant turn sharp corners!
i really enjoyed the final meal in suzhou which was at a vegetarian restaurant. this odd seaweed thing wasnt my favorite dish though!
so many yummy choices....
see the full set of pictures here.
one thing that surprised me about suzhou was the density of *electrically-powered* motorbikes!! when the chinese find a fad, it really takes hold because bikes with real motors were so rare that they seemed really loud and out of place. luckily, the people i stayed with had a couple electric bikes, so i got to ride around town on one! it was great and strange to have a whole conversation while riding on the back of a scooter!
suzhou is famous for the ancient gardens that exist throughout the city, and i explored several! the humble administrator's garden is a massive plot (52,000 sq. meters = 12.85 acres!) that was originally created in 1509. there are dozens of buildings, waterways, lotus gardens, bridges, and bonsai plants, etc... it's incredible.
peaceful lotus plants grew in the water.
this lady floating in her boat was selling the fruits of the lotus plant.
you peel away sections and eat the the pods inside. the pods can be as big as grapes, but taste more like edamame beans.
bamboo everywhere.
scenes from walking thru town....
ducks in a row on the side of a road...
ancient canals run throughout the city. they are nice to walk beside and have obviously been used for hundreds of years by the people of the city. there are many stairs leading down into the water and benches and pavilions all along in order to sit peacefully, relax, and take shelter from the regular rainstorms!
for lunch, i stopped in a little tea house and had rose tea and dim sum. yum! apparently, i didnt use all the little plates properly because they kept bringing more little empty plates, pointing to things, and leaving the plates on the table. i was confused, but nodded and smiled and thoroughly enjoyed the meal!
another garden i really enjoyed was the lion grove garden, built in 1342!
the strange rocks that decorate the garden represent lions doing their many activities. the limestone rocks were transformed into their odd shapes while sitting at the bottom of lake taihu, then they were transported to form such classical gardens.
the rocks are strategically placed around the gardens to form labyrinths! the whole place is like a giant playground to explore, and i had so much fun running around thru the tunnels and paths made of these crazy rock structures! they also use zigzag bridges, because evil spirits cant turn sharp corners!
i really enjoyed the final meal in suzhou which was at a vegetarian restaurant. this odd seaweed thing wasnt my favorite dish though!
so many yummy choices....
see the full set of pictures here.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
the rains down in africa
i'm a big fan of choral music and wanted to share a piece i just saw that impressed me! in this video, the group perpetuum jazzile perform toto's africa. the part that amazed me most was the intro... i LOVE the thunderstorm! (it might seem like the sound of the video isnt working at first, but it is... be patient!)
the rainstorm effect was inspired by this performance by a south african youth choir: the kearnsey college choir.
the rainstorm effect was inspired by this performance by a south african youth choir: the kearnsey college choir.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
science communicator career?!?
tonight i went to a nice dinner gathering, with various people involved in science communication and public outreach organizations from around the UK in attendance. i got a bit dressed up and walked across town in the rain in my fancy shoes, only to notice that i wasnt as dressed up as everyone else. oh well.
the more official discussions that occurred over dinner were quite enlightening to someone who has been bottled up in academia and has only recently broken out into the realm of public outreach! there isnt really a defined career path for "science communicator" it seems, and i find that rather unfortunate. the overwhelming opinion was that it is best for science professionals to communicate with schools and the public, because they are the most knowledgeable about the cutting-edge science being conducted. but its also true that there are many people eager to communicate science to the masses who lack direct avenues to pursue this goal. i agree that it is excellent for scientists to communicate directly with schools and the public at large, but its not great that most professional scientists have had no proper training in media relations or public communications.
in the US, we spend some time during our graduate student careers as teaching assistants, but for the most part this is not mandatory. in the UK, the time spent in graduate school is so short, and the financial resources are so limited, that most students dont get in front of a classroom until they are lecturers or professors. by that time in a career, one is so busy advising students, preparing lectures, grading tests, doing science, and participating in committees, that the lack of recognition for public outreach activities makes the exercise more work than its worth - unless an individual is naturally enthusiastic about the pursuit.
so - i think universities should put in a little more effort in training students and staff in public and *media* communication. this is beneficial because professors and lecturers might be more willing to engage the public if they get some sort of professional credit for their efforts, and its also positive considering the types of stories often picked up by media outlets.
one example i can think of right now is the large hadron collider (LHC). popular news media outlets necessarily try to appeal to the masses thru catchy headlines. things like "Black Holes Created by LHC Will Destroy Earth!" can get decent newspaper attention, even though the reality of that happening is ridiculously unlikely and only a couple people amid all of humanity are spouting off such silly things to the media. unfortunately, those headlines seem to be a lot more exciting than the majority of stories coming from scientists involved who are talking about quantum mechanics and fundamental particles. scientists make a huge effort to be completely accurate in all information disseminated, of course! but sometimes in an effort to be absolutely "correct," they will sacrifice flashy language that might otherwise appeal to the media and the public. hence the need for media training for current and upcoming scientists!
in my opinion, its not always about being absolutely, positively accurate in every word that comes out of your mouth... its about engaging people with the simple and exciting information that will get them curious enough to think about the subject more!!!
yet, in a time of facebook, youtube, twitter, and other sources of immediate (and not always accurate) online news... what will be the future of traditional media sources in 5, 10, 20, 40 years?? will we bother printing newspapers? will anyone be able to sift thru all the junk to get to the "real" information? will the appeal of the unobstructed internet eventually extinguish, leading us to a renaissance of tangible reading materials? after all, i think most people that still read novels like to read real books with paper pages.
with how quickly media sources and internet fads are changing, and how unexpectedly certain websites are gaining popularity, i hesitate to predict anything about how information will be distributed by today's youth in even a few years time.
these are my late night ramblings... i'm curious about the thoughts from my media-savvy audience.
the more official discussions that occurred over dinner were quite enlightening to someone who has been bottled up in academia and has only recently broken out into the realm of public outreach! there isnt really a defined career path for "science communicator" it seems, and i find that rather unfortunate. the overwhelming opinion was that it is best for science professionals to communicate with schools and the public, because they are the most knowledgeable about the cutting-edge science being conducted. but its also true that there are many people eager to communicate science to the masses who lack direct avenues to pursue this goal. i agree that it is excellent for scientists to communicate directly with schools and the public at large, but its not great that most professional scientists have had no proper training in media relations or public communications.
in the US, we spend some time during our graduate student careers as teaching assistants, but for the most part this is not mandatory. in the UK, the time spent in graduate school is so short, and the financial resources are so limited, that most students dont get in front of a classroom until they are lecturers or professors. by that time in a career, one is so busy advising students, preparing lectures, grading tests, doing science, and participating in committees, that the lack of recognition for public outreach activities makes the exercise more work than its worth - unless an individual is naturally enthusiastic about the pursuit.
so - i think universities should put in a little more effort in training students and staff in public and *media* communication. this is beneficial because professors and lecturers might be more willing to engage the public if they get some sort of professional credit for their efforts, and its also positive considering the types of stories often picked up by media outlets.
one example i can think of right now is the large hadron collider (LHC). popular news media outlets necessarily try to appeal to the masses thru catchy headlines. things like "Black Holes Created by LHC Will Destroy Earth!" can get decent newspaper attention, even though the reality of that happening is ridiculously unlikely and only a couple people amid all of humanity are spouting off such silly things to the media. unfortunately, those headlines seem to be a lot more exciting than the majority of stories coming from scientists involved who are talking about quantum mechanics and fundamental particles. scientists make a huge effort to be completely accurate in all information disseminated, of course! but sometimes in an effort to be absolutely "correct," they will sacrifice flashy language that might otherwise appeal to the media and the public. hence the need for media training for current and upcoming scientists!
in my opinion, its not always about being absolutely, positively accurate in every word that comes out of your mouth... its about engaging people with the simple and exciting information that will get them curious enough to think about the subject more!!!
yet, in a time of facebook, youtube, twitter, and other sources of immediate (and not always accurate) online news... what will be the future of traditional media sources in 5, 10, 20, 40 years?? will we bother printing newspapers? will anyone be able to sift thru all the junk to get to the "real" information? will the appeal of the unobstructed internet eventually extinguish, leading us to a renaissance of tangible reading materials? after all, i think most people that still read novels like to read real books with paper pages.
with how quickly media sources and internet fads are changing, and how unexpectedly certain websites are gaining popularity, i hesitate to predict anything about how information will be distributed by today's youth in even a few years time.
these are my late night ramblings... i'm curious about the thoughts from my media-savvy audience.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
block island
such a serene scene of the seaside...
but wait, no its NOT! its a photo taken by the opportunity exploration rover on MARS! the robust little rovers are still alive on the surface of mars, even though they were scheduled to parish many many sols ago.
the future is looking pretty grim for the spirit rover which is currently stuck in a ditch of soft sand. there remains little hope for movement, even though many tests are being performed on earth to figure out how to rescue it :(
opportunity keeps trucking along, though, and recently found the rock pictured above! NASA scientists call it "block island" and it very well might be a meteorite that has landed on the surface of mars after millions of years of traveling around our solar system. its interesting that it has no crater around it?! several such rocks have been found by the rovers on mars, but its too difficult to determine their true origin from available data.
but wait, no its NOT! its a photo taken by the opportunity exploration rover on MARS! the robust little rovers are still alive on the surface of mars, even though they were scheduled to parish many many sols ago.
the future is looking pretty grim for the spirit rover which is currently stuck in a ditch of soft sand. there remains little hope for movement, even though many tests are being performed on earth to figure out how to rescue it :(
opportunity keeps trucking along, though, and recently found the rock pictured above! NASA scientists call it "block island" and it very well might be a meteorite that has landed on the surface of mars after millions of years of traveling around our solar system. its interesting that it has no crater around it?! several such rocks have been found by the rovers on mars, but its too difficult to determine their true origin from available data.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
mysterious spots on venus and jupiter
you may have heard of the two exciting mysteries that were discovered over the last few weeks by amateur astronomers around the world: a bright spot on venus and a dark 'bruise' on jupiter.
here is our sixty symbols take on the solar system excitement!
here is our sixty symbols take on the solar system excitement!
UKRC's august astronomy blogger!
guess who?!?!
"Amanda Bauer - Astropixie and galaxy-gazer!" awesome.
in march of this year, i attended a conference in london that focused on the future of women in science, engineering, and technology. the successful event was hosted by the uk resource center for women in science, technology, and engineering... or UKRC for short. you can read some of my initial reactions to the event here and here, and some less-directly related posts here and here.
i'm honored that this useful organization asked me to be their featured astronomy blogger for august!! so go over, have a read, and leave a comment!
enjoy!
"Amanda Bauer - Astropixie and galaxy-gazer!" awesome.
in march of this year, i attended a conference in london that focused on the future of women in science, engineering, and technology. the successful event was hosted by the uk resource center for women in science, technology, and engineering... or UKRC for short. you can read some of my initial reactions to the event here and here, and some less-directly related posts here and here.
i'm honored that this useful organization asked me to be their featured astronomy blogger for august!! so go over, have a read, and leave a comment!
enjoy!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
being followed by a moon shadow
this image was captured by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the exact moment when the moon's shadow was passing over me in ningbo, china a couple weeks ago during the total solar eclipse! cool! the shadow is only about 100 miles wide - not every big!
Monday, August 3, 2009
fox and piano
a piece by artist robert hunter:
oddly, this illustration shows what some of the songs i've written feel like. i might try to make decent recordings of some soon so you can tell me if you agree.
oddly, this illustration shows what some of the songs i've written feel like. i might try to make decent recordings of some soon so you can tell me if you agree.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
carnival of space #114
enjoy this week's space reading at the 114th carnival of space, hosted at cheap astro.
CARMA telescopes
here's a really great shot of the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA telescopes) by tom @ timescapes
Friday, July 31, 2009
eclipse 2009 - 6m 42s
many people opt to jump on a cruise ship to view total solar eclipses since the mobile boats can, ideally, move quickly over the water to find clear patches of sky! unfortunately, reports i received from friends on boats last week were not all positive.
yesterday, APOD featured the panoramic image below, captured by babak tafreshi, as he cruised along on the deck of a boat at the point of maximum eclipse!
notice how the horizon, in every direction, resembles a sunset, as photons from the sun still scatter thru the atmosphere a hundred miles away!
there are some other artistic eclipse photos at spaceweather.com. i particularly like this one by alan dyer:
yesterday, APOD featured the panoramic image below, captured by babak tafreshi, as he cruised along on the deck of a boat at the point of maximum eclipse!
notice how the horizon, in every direction, resembles a sunset, as photons from the sun still scatter thru the atmosphere a hundred miles away!
there are some other artistic eclipse photos at spaceweather.com. i particularly like this one by alan dyer:
Thursday, July 30, 2009
eclipse 2009 - behind the scenes
brady has put together a behind the scenes video series from our china trip to see the total solar eclipse. you can view the uncut totality footage from the 4m 21s event, some of the extra footage we recorded that didnt make it into the final cut, and of course, the full video.
click here to view, and enjoy!
click here to view, and enjoy!
yes, we landed on the moon.
will the moon landing conspiracy ever be officially defeated? i freaking hope so, because its quite annoying in my line of work to constantly encounter people who assume that humans faking the moon landing is a valid possibility. ugh. can we please stop instilling this nonsensical doubt into the minds of our children? humans landed on the moon... be proud, not asinine!
rant completed; now for informative humor!
to help people on the internet move in a positive direction, cracked.com provides a handy 'People Who Would Have to Be Full of Shit' conspiracy theory chart...
spotted by mike's meandering mind.
rant completed; now for informative humor!
to help people on the internet move in a positive direction, cracked.com provides a handy 'People Who Would Have to Be Full of Shit' conspiracy theory chart...
spotted by mike's meandering mind.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
rubik's cubewich
introducing the deliciously creative rubik's cubewich, spotted under the headline... "Finally, a Rubik's Cube I Can 'Solve' in Under a Minute!"
trying to think of the best non-meat version... suggestions?
link via erin o'brien.
trying to think of the best non-meat version... suggestions?
link via erin o'brien.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
total solar eclipse 2009 - photos!
here are a few still shots from the total solar eclipse last week!
while riding in the taxi to ningbo, brady and i feared we were seeing our only glimpse of the sun for the rest of the week :(
the morning of the eclipse! the crazy-looking building is china's first zero-emissions building, which houses the center for sustainable energy technologies at the university of nottingham.
ready to go!
people slowly gathered around us and looked thru the glasses. our first visitor was from the campus's security department. the guy looked very serious and not at all happy to see us with video cameras! but as soon as we handed him the eclipse glasses and had him look at the sun, he got a huge grin on his face and went off to gather some friends to bring back!
all credit for the success of the video goes to this guy - brady haran! i was just happy (and giggly) to be along for the ride :)
getting closer...
almost there...
self portrait during totality!
i didnt get any good still shots of the sun itself amid my excitement, but you can watch our video of the whole event if you want! cosmos4u also has a nice summary of eclipse coverage to browse.
here's my quote from the university of nottingham press release:
while riding in the taxi to ningbo, brady and i feared we were seeing our only glimpse of the sun for the rest of the week :(
the morning of the eclipse! the crazy-looking building is china's first zero-emissions building, which houses the center for sustainable energy technologies at the university of nottingham.
ready to go!
people slowly gathered around us and looked thru the glasses. our first visitor was from the campus's security department. the guy looked very serious and not at all happy to see us with video cameras! but as soon as we handed him the eclipse glasses and had him look at the sun, he got a huge grin on his face and went off to gather some friends to bring back!
all credit for the success of the video goes to this guy - brady haran! i was just happy (and giggly) to be along for the ride :)
getting closer...
almost there...
self portrait during totality!
i didnt get any good still shots of the sun itself amid my excitement, but you can watch our video of the whole event if you want! cosmos4u also has a nice summary of eclipse coverage to browse.
here's my quote from the university of nottingham press release:
Dr Amanda Bauer, from the School of Physics and Astronomy, who also travelled to China to see the eclipse said: “A total solar eclipse is the most spectacular astronomical event you can see with the naked eye. After travelling all the way from Nottingham to Ningbo, it looked like we might be thwarted by the weather. But the clouds cleared in time, and I was stunned by how spectacular it was. I'd seen pictures and video before, but I was not prepared for how big it looked and how dark and cool it became. For four minutes it felt like we were on a different planet.”
total solar eclipse 2009 - video!!
i just returned from the dark side!! i couldnt access this blog, facebook, twitter, or youtube while in china, so sorry for the delay!
without further ado, here is the video of the solar eclipse that i actually (and very surprisingly considering the weather) got to see from ningbo, china on july 22, 2009!!!!
the experience felt like i was on another planet for 4 minutes and 21 seconds! i completely understand now why people regularly travel around the world to experience a few minutes of surreal science non-fiction!
thanks a billion to the university of nottingham, the sixty symbols project, and especially brady haran, for inviting me to come along on this wild adventure and for brilliantly capturing and editing the footage!
see more photos here!
without further ado, here is the video of the solar eclipse that i actually (and very surprisingly considering the weather) got to see from ningbo, china on july 22, 2009!!!!
the experience felt like i was on another planet for 4 minutes and 21 seconds! i completely understand now why people regularly travel around the world to experience a few minutes of surreal science non-fiction!
thanks a billion to the university of nottingham, the sixty symbols project, and especially brady haran, for inviting me to come along on this wild adventure and for brilliantly capturing and editing the footage!
see more photos here!
Saturday, July 25, 2009
cat chillin
i travel entirely too much these days to have a pet, but this picture really makes me miss having cats around! so cute.
Friday, July 24, 2009
a bubble nebula collage
this is an image of the bubble nebula (NGC 7635) created by the hubble heritage team.
from the above image, jayanne english, an astronomer and member of the heritage team, created this spectacular collage:
i think she demonstrates a gorgeous way to utilize images created for science, as art. apparently, there has been some controversy though, as scientists worry that the public might see such images and assume they are real objects floating around in the universe.
i think it is the responsibility of the media outlets that might choose to use one of these images to properly site the source and maintain the artist's and/or scientist's original caption!
anyway, these images are just plain cool - even if i'm relieved that i never have to think about calculating gravitational potential wells or stellar orbits around these ridiculously complicated fictional structures! ha!
from the above image, jayanne english, an astronomer and member of the heritage team, created this spectacular collage:
i think she demonstrates a gorgeous way to utilize images created for science, as art. apparently, there has been some controversy though, as scientists worry that the public might see such images and assume they are real objects floating around in the universe.
i think it is the responsibility of the media outlets that might choose to use one of these images to properly site the source and maintain the artist's and/or scientist's original caption!
anyway, these images are just plain cool - even if i'm relieved that i never have to think about calculating gravitational potential wells or stellar orbits around these ridiculously complicated fictional structures! ha!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
solar ecliptic poetry
Archilochus describing a solar eclipse of April 6, 648 B.C.
Nothing there is beyond hope, nothing that can be sworn impossible, nothing wonderful, since Zeus, father of the Olympians, made night from mid-day, hiding the light of the shining Sun, and sore fear came upon men.
"The Eclipse of the Sun, 1820"
- William Wordsworth
High on her speculative tower
Stood Science waiting for the hour
When Sol was destined to endure
That darkening of his radiant face
Which Superstition strove to chase,
Erewhile, with rites impure.
Paradise Lost
- John Milton
As when the Sun, new risen,
Looks through the horizontal misty air,
Shorn of his beams,or from behind the Moon,
In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs.
Nothing there is beyond hope, nothing that can be sworn impossible, nothing wonderful, since Zeus, father of the Olympians, made night from mid-day, hiding the light of the shining Sun, and sore fear came upon men.
"The Eclipse of the Sun, 1820"
- William Wordsworth
High on her speculative tower
Stood Science waiting for the hour
When Sol was destined to endure
That darkening of his radiant face
Which Superstition strove to chase,
Erewhile, with rites impure.
Paradise Lost
- John Milton
As when the Sun, new risen,
Looks through the horizontal misty air,
Shorn of his beams,or from behind the Moon,
In dim eclipse, disastrous twilight sheds
On half the nations, and with fear of change
Perplexes monarchs.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
happy 40th anniversary apollo 11 crew!
here's a little tribute that was taken at the project apollo exhibition last week at the national space center in leicester, UK!
Monday, July 20, 2009
the moon's shadow on earth
i'm off to china this morning - to go stand on the earth where the moon's shadow will quickly pass over on wednesday! i have 15 hours in the air and many more in between to look forward to. i'm excited and nervous... and exhausted! i'll keep you up-to-date as much as i can about the solar eclipse and surrounding events!
here are a few images of what the moon's shadow looks like from above earth's surface! astronauts on the MIR space station captured this photo of the august 11th, 1999 solar eclipse!
the dark spot shows the area on earth where one sees a total solar eclipse. the shadow is only about 100 miles wide and moves across the earth at a few times the speed of sound!
here is an image taken from the international space station on march 29, 2006:
may the clouds not be with us!
here are a few images of what the moon's shadow looks like from above earth's surface! astronauts on the MIR space station captured this photo of the august 11th, 1999 solar eclipse!
the dark spot shows the area on earth where one sees a total solar eclipse. the shadow is only about 100 miles wide and moves across the earth at a few times the speed of sound!
here is an image taken from the international space station on march 29, 2006:
may the clouds not be with us!
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