Play Space

Long time, no tumbling. Still alive and ticking. Here’s an astro-image grab from this evening using the Celestron Nexstar Evolution 6 and Canon Rebel as prime focus. A single frame image. Too dang cold to work harder to capture enough for stacking.

Tinkering with the new Celestron NexYZ phone clamp. Looks like a usability upgrade from the less adjustable one I've been using.

Images captured on the 49th Anniversary of the Landing of Apollo 11 on the Sea of Tranquility. Taken with a Celestron 127EQ with 17mm eyepiece. Used a grey filter and an HTC1 clamped to the eyepiece.

This photo commemorates John Young’s induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 1982. It hangs at the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogardo. It saddens me to hear that John Young passed away on January 5th, 2018. He was a Gemini, Apollo, and Shuttle astronaut. A master of many space vehicles.

I’d like a window seat for this flight, please.

The moment when the Cassini X-band signal dropped away, just moments before the S-band did likewise.  Fare thee well, Cassini.

The Canberra dish receives the last data from the Cassini probe as it prepares to plunge into the Saturn atmosphere.

Thanks for your service, Cassini.

A brassy lass that learned to stick up for herself and others. That goes equally, but differently, for Leia and Carrie. Try not to judge me for having a slave Leia action figure playset.

Catapulted into fame. Idolized by legions of fans. Overcame many personal challenges to become a spokesperson and role model for others that struggle. My kind of royalty. Rest in Peace, Carrie.

An envelope mailed for 4 pennies when John Glenn flew the Friendship 7 in ‘62

Godspeed, John Glenn

Shuttle kite in perpetual flare for landing that never comes at Maker Faire.

On this, the 50th Anniversary of the broadcast of the first Star Trek episode, The Man Trap. This is a 2004 Johnny Lightning version of the venerable 1701 Enterprise.