jumping from space

So, Felix Baumgartner managed to do his dive from the edge of space and back to Earth in one piece, and the edited video above shows just how high (just over 24 miles) up he was, and how impressive it looked.  It's a remarkable thing to do, and is unlikely to be beaten, but it also made me think about the astronauts that risked their lives travelling further out into the great unknown.  The most famous ones are the Apollo 11 crew of Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, who were the first ones to successfully go to the Moon, land, and then return (although Collins did not go onto the surface).  If you are so inclined, the item below is for sale at RR Auctions.  It is signed by all three Apollo 11 astronauts, and is a snip at just over $1,500 at present.  This is one of the many times when l should be loaded, so l can fill up the house with more junk.  Saying that, if l was stinking rich, l'd have a go at doing the jump myself.  Anyone can jump, it's the landing you have to worry about..

Phew!  I have managed to do the whole piece without going for the obvious 'The Man Who Fell To Earth.'

Damn!

toodle pip

area 51 viewers guide

Glenn Campbell (not that one) has made his viewers guide to Area 51 (out in the Nevada desert) available for free online at his blog.  In case you are one of the few people who do not know the story, it's a (meant to be secret) United States Air Force base next to the dried out Groom lake, where an alien spacecraft (UFO) is supposed to have been kept after it allegedly crashed at Roswell.  There is an industry around this 'event' and trips out there from Las Vegas, so this book could be of some use to you if you are planning on heading that way.  Watch out for 'The Man' as it is guarded pretty vigorously, and they are allowed to use 'deadly  force', although you are more likely to be moved or fined.

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astronomy photographer of the year 2012

The results are out for the Astronomy Photographer Of The Year 2012 by the Royal Museums Greenwich, and they're not too bad at all. The names and more information can be found here, as l can't be bothered typing them all out.

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the death of neil armstrong

 The iconic shot of the Earth rising in the shadow of the Moon

Armstrong back in the capsule (but still on the Moon) after his walk

For people of a certain age, the death of Neil Armstrong resonates because of the significance of what he did.  The first man ever to set foot on the moon (with Buzz Aldrin in Apollo 11).  That, let's not forget, is an amazing achievement, even if it was to be carried out now, let alone back in 1969.  Lots of things could have gone wrong, and he (with the other crew members) risked their lives and succeeded in pulling off an amazing feat.  Obviously l never knew the man, but by all accounts he was pretty modest about his achievements, but what a thing to experience.  It was amazing to see it on TV at the time, but to be able to look back on the Earth, step foot on another surface, and then return home in one piece, must have been mind blowing.  How can the rest of your life compete with that?  No wonder he looks so happy in the photograph above.

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alan friedman sun photograhs

These photographs of the Sun and it's flares were taken by Alan Friedman, photographing only the warm hydrogen.  It looks pretty impressive and strange, and if you want to know more, check out Discover Magazine's blog.

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the pillars of creation

An old photograph, but well worth another viewing.  'The Pillars of Creation', part of the Eagle Nebula, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995. This is light and dust approx 7,000 light years away from Earth, creating new stars. These are huge things brothers and sisters, the left hand part being 4 light years long.   Amazing.  Look upon them and weep you mere mortals.

Below is another image, taken in 2011 by the Herschel Space Observatory, in far-infrared.  There is a lot more information and photographs  here and here.  Once again, amazing.

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the hole in mars

It has just been discovered that there is an unexplained hole in Mars.  Why there is a circular crater surrounding it is a mystery, and the hole looks to be about 35 meters across.  Maybe it's a large chimney and there are loads of little Martians living underneath the surface.  More information is here.

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a bright star surrounded by gas

A new image from the NASA Hubble Space Telescope this week. It's a bright star surrounded by gas (sounds like me).

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if jupiter was the same distance from the earth as the moon

It would look like this (if it wasn't still pissing down) and be very cool (looking wise - not weather wise).  Though l hate to think about what the tides would be like when l go swimming.

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the size of the man made stuff in space

This is pretty interesting to a geek like me. It's a drawing of the relative sizes of all the man made space stuff that has floated about at one time or another, by the astronomy blogger 'Invader Xan' (what a great geeky name). If l didn't have to go to work, l could spend hours reading stuff like his blog.

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the uk at night from the international space station

As it says in the title, this is the UK at night from the International Space Station.  I think l can see our house (looks like we are having a BBQ).
It looks really populated and built upon, but as anyone knows when you fly over it, there is plenty of greenery. In fact, if l remember correctly, only about 10% is classed as urban, and that includes roads and back gardens, so if anyone says the UK is full, they are talking crap.

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soichi noguchi photographs

Soichi Noguchi is a Japanese astronaut who had been snapping away while training and floating around in the space station. Stone me - what a life.
His subject matter puts my crappy pictures of the idiot rabbit, the garden and Corfu (to mention some recent ones) to shame.
His Twitter account (with more photographs) is here.
Jammy Git.

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the milky way and the andromeda galaxy to collide

NASA have just announce that the Andromeda galaxy and our own Milky Way are going to collide. Then again, chill out, have a drink, put your feet up and relax, it's not for another four billion years.
The above photos show NASA's prediction of the sequence it will all pan out in.
Just a shame l won't be around to witness it.

toodle pip

all the water on the earth in one place

According to the United States Geological Survey, if you rounded up all the water on the Earth into one ball, it would have a diameter of about 860 miles and look like this. Not a lot of water if you look at it that way, but it is still a mighty plentiful amount if you were stuck, all alone,  in a raft in the middle of the Pacific Ocean (other Oceans are available).

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the aurora borealis above canada

A recent shot of the Aurora Borealis over Canada, taken by NASA's  Marshall Space Flight Center. It must be great to see it from up above the Earth.

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rabbit hole (2010) - john cameron mitchell

A couple are mourning the loss of their 4 year old son,  who was run over by a young driver,  and are finding it hard to move on.  Becca,  the mother,  (Nicole Kidman) then starts meeting Jason (Miles Teller),  the young driver,  to chat,  and he tells her of parallel universes and infinite possibilities,  which he is also drawing a comic book about.  Her husband Howie (Aaron Eckhart) disapproves of the meetings,  but has been going to grief counselling meetings with a friend and 'getting high',  nearly having an affair in the process.
There are also issues with Becca's sister and mother (who had also lost a child, only as an  adult),  but in the end, they are gradually coming to terms with it.
An interesting film,  although l would have preferred more stuff about the parallel universes and comics, but never mind.  I will forgive the director (John Cameron Mitchell) pretty much anything,  as he also did 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch',  one of my favourite films.  In fact, it was because l noticed he was the director of this film that l decided to watch it.

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the letter to be read if the moon landing went wrong

How history could have been all so different, and the risks that were involved in the Moon landings. This is the letter that was to be read if the Apollo 11 Moon landing went pear shaped in 1969, and the astronauts couldn't leave the Moons surface after landing there. That would have been one hell of a way to go and meet your maker, but l would still rather have come back, even if it was just to annoy everyone else who hadn't been up there. And let's face it, l certainly would have.
Now if only l had been an astronaut..... (I, naturally,  blame my parents)

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the sun - december 11th 1972

One of the people l work with has a son who works as an electrician. While he was pulling up some floorboards the other day, he found this old copy of The Sun newspaper from December 11th 1972. Reading it, it really was like travelling back to a time that l know l lived through, yet looks so alien (yet quaint).
The adverts at the top are for bricklayers, who can earn plenty of money if they are self employed. As much as £1.25 an hour to be precise. Even the police could earn a whopping £1,400 a year at 19 (way too much pay for them, even then).
As for the sports, Malcolm Allison, the then manager of Manchester City had been slapped down by his chairman for showing an interest in the wayward (and transfer listed)  George Best, as the club said they wanted no part in it, and stressed he had been stating his own view, not the clubs. It is also a sad reminder to me of how crap Manchester United were at the time. It certainly felt like a long time since the European Cup win in 1968.
The paper itself cost an outrageous 3p, and cigarettes are being advertised inside for 20p a packet.
The TV listings are proper old school, with the two BBC channels, plus the regional ones (with 'Alias Smith and Jones!'). Not exactly a lot on show for the youngsters, but at least they treated the viewers as adults (apart from the early shut off times).
One trivia fact, this was also the last day of the manned moon landings, as The Challenger lunar lander Apollo 17) touched down that day, leaving the moon on the 14th. Since then - bugger all. That is (of course), if you believe they even went there in the first place (which l do).
History, it's marvellous!

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