Get your tickets, shuttle flights ending in 2010.

2010 brings on a new year, but also brings the end of our Space Shuttle program.  The future is just a big question mark after that.  Just one more year to see a shuttle launch before they are grounded forever.  I've seen one launch in person, and it's amazing.  The amount of power in front of you is freaking terrifying, but you can't look away. Fantastic stuff! Just thought I would post some information that I just read on CollectSpace.com site about buying tickets for the causeway for shuttle launch viewing.  (Thanks to Robert Perlman for posting this).

Due to the expected retirement of the space shuttle in 2010, an increased interest in space shuttle launches has created a higher demand for NASA Causeway tickets. These tickets are limited in quantity. The following changes have been made to the ticketing system in order to handle an increasing volume of interest around this particular ticket:

1. A new virtual waiting room will open at 8:45 a.m. ET - guests can enter any time between 8:45 a.m. and 8:59 a.m. ET. The time of entry into the waiting room does not give any priority to NASA Causeway tickets.
2. Launch ticket sales will begin at 9:00 a.m. ET - guests will be randomly selected to proceed to the ticket selection page. Entry into the waiting room does not guarantee you NASA Causeway tickets.
3. A Captcha verification will be used to reduce the impact of automated systems.

Tickets, a vehicle placard and a launch information sheet will be shipped via Fed Ex. Print-at-home tickets are not currently available. Your shipping address must match the billing address on your credit card statement. We cannot ship to a P.O. Box.

Seems like a good idea to me.  This would reduce the stress level down when trying to buy a ticket, at least a little bit.  Just sit there and hope you get picked to get in line, rather than that frantic clicking like the end of a hot Ebay auction for the unbent Wookie action figure!
I am determined to be present for at least one more launch, so get in line behind me.

UPDATE:  Tickets are on sale tomorrow am at 9am (EST).  

Happy 2010

"All these worlds are yours, except Europa. Attempt no landing there. Use them together. Use them in peace."

--- HAL-9000, 2010

Spirit in trouble.

Looks like our little Spirit Rover could be digging it's grave. The little guy has been trying to crawl out of the soft ground, but just getting deeper and more stuck. The gimpy right front wheel had started turning again much to everyone's surprise, not much, but it's doing a little bit. Not enough to get out of the sand pit. The solar panels aren't in a good angle to survive the next winter. Predictions are that the rover could be lost by May due to lower sun angles. There was talk of just digging it down on one side to tip it toward the sun, but we'll see.
This comes nearly on the 6th Earth year on Mars. Spirit bounced down in Gusev Crater back on January 24, 2004. That seems like a LONG time ago!
There was some talk recently about if the rover could use it's arm to pull itself out. Nope, can't work. The arm is way too weak. Kind of like that skinny kid in school that could never climb the rope (uh...that was me).

(see the rover squirm in the photo)

| Read the NASA release from today |

Nice satellite tracking web app.

Just came across this. Very nicely done web application for tracking satellites in 3D. I've only explored it a little so far, so there is probably a lot to discover. Tom Wagner has a page with a bunch of different 3D images created with this application. Cross your eyes and take a look!

| Satellite tracker 3D |

Advent calendar December 25: Crab nebula

I didn't come up with a professional image this time, but figured I would go with an image I took on Christmas day at about 1:30 am. Skies cleared, thermometer was showing 22 degrees at the scope, moon was gone, and wrapping was done in the house so I couldn't get to bed anyway!
There are a lot of theories on what the "Christmas star" really was. Comet, supernova, planetary conjunction or something else explainable. The star that formed the M-1 Crab nebula blew up in 1054, isn't that fairly close to the right date? Anyway, here is what remains of that star that blew up 1,000 years ago....

(click image for full size as always)

Advent calendar December 24: Genesis

There isn't another photo that fits here. This will always be the best Christmas Eve photo.

"We are now approaching lunar sunrise and, for all the people back on Earth, the crew of Apollo 8 has a message that we would like to send to you."

--Bill Anders

Advent calendar December 21: Winter Solstice

Winter starts today. Bad news if you don't like cold, dark weather, but very good news if you are a spring/summer person since the days are soon getting longer.
In Seattle sunset is 4:18pm at it's earliest. Go to work in the dark, return in the dark. Enough depressing stuff, so here is something cool.
Take a picture of the sun from the same place, same time, every day, and put the images together you'll get a figure-8 pattern in the sky (called an "analemma"). The lowest point is the winter solstice, and the highest point is the summer solstice (flip upside down for Australia).

UPDATE: Check out this page.

| See what it looks like on Mars |

Hey Saturn, you got something on your chin.

Way out and back again.

Ok, I think I've slacked on the advent calender thing, I guess I'll skip a day. There are just too many days until Christmas, but I've decided to do minimal shopping this year since it's just too painful to deal with. There are just too many men in the malls on December 24th that I just can't stand it.
So here is a video that I came across today that just made me fell small, and the need for Christmas shopping seemed even smaller after watching this. Starts over the Himalayas, flies backwards billions of light years, then back again to Earth. Did we stay the same age while everyone aged many generations like Einstein said? Oooh!

Advent calendar December 16: 80s video

Kind of a random item this time, but here is a familiar song from the 80s - if you are old enough to remember those fine years!

Advent calendar December 16: It's full of stars!

This image just came down from the Hubble yesterday, so nice I had to include it in the advent calendar. Pretty!

| Full details from Hubble site |

Advent calendar December 15: Bright Comet

In the winter of 2007, comet McNaught came into the local solar system. The comet made a close pass around the sun and left a huge tail behind it. The tail was easily visible in daylight if you knew where to look (too hazy at the time here in Seattle). The comet saved it's best show for when it passed to the Southern skies and down in Australia they got views like this.

| More on Comet McNaught |