Thought Of The Day, Spring's Whisper In The Air
Thought of the day, Spring's Whisper in the Air
Though the celestial clock has yet to chime the official start of spring at 20:06 tonight, (Pacific time) the symphony of life around us is already tuning up to the melody of the season. #SpringIsHere in every sunbeam and sprouting leaf, and we're all invited to the early show!
Astronomically speaking, we're on the cusp of the vernal equinox, when day and night graciously share the stage in near-perfect balance. The Earth's tilt is about to bring us into a period of equal light and dark.
As we orbit our dependable star, we find ourselves in the embrace of warmer days, courtesy of the increasing angle of the sun's rays. It's a beautiful reminder that our planet's dance with the sun is as rhythmic as it is precise.
So while we count down the hours to the astronomical alignment that heralds the official start of spring, let's not wait to celebrate the changes all around us. The universe doesn't need an invitation to begin anew, and neither do we!
Feel the anticipation in the air? That's the universe conspiring to bring forth blossoms, longer days, and the freshness of a world reborn. Let's step outside and join the cosmic ballet!
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Today, I was deeply honored by the Clark County Board of Commissioners for my work in educating our community about the wonders of the universe. I owe this recognition to the unwavering support of my family, friends, and the incredible organizations that have partnered with me over the years.
It's been an incredible journey fueled by curiosity and a passion for space. I am humbled by this recognition and committed to continuing my mission of promoting scientific literacy.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey, with special thanks to Commissioner Gibson and Commission District Liaison Blanca Vazquez for their incredible support and encouragement. Your enthusiasm makes all the difference.
Let's keep looking up and exploring the cosmos together!
Epic Journey Across America!
We passed through the majestic mountains of Colorado, the vast plains of Kansas, the lush Hoosier forests, and the breathtaking Appalachian scenery. Every moment was an adventure, filled with awe-inspiring landscapes and unforgettable experiences.
Here's to new beginnings and the road ahead!
From the high deserts of Nevada to the rolling hills of Virginia, we made an incredible trek! In just 3 days, we covered 2,311 miles in 37 hours and 26 minutes of just driving, witnessing the diverse beauty of this country.
What an great experience at the astronomy camp with over 200 young explorers!
We kicked off the day by setting up tents, firing up the BBQ, and indulging in delicious s’mores. As the sun began to set, the kids got their first glimpse through the telescope, watching the sun in all its glory.
Later that night, we dived into an Astronomy 101 session and embarked on a breathtaking constellation tour. Through my 8-inch telescope, they marveled at the Moon (they LOVED it!), Jupiter and its satellites, and the mysterious Mars.
With the Seestar, we explored deep-space wonders like M13, M42, M81, and M82 bringing distant galaxies and nebulae to life.
To wrap up this magical night, we lit floating lights, sending glowing lanterns into the sky—just like stars finding their way home.
This night was more than just stargazing, it was an adventure beyond Earth, sparking curiosity and awe in every child.
Our morning was truly magical as we gathered with over 500 enthusiastic people, including many kids, to witness the partial solar eclipse event! 🔭🌞✨ Through the telescope, we marveled at the beauty of the sun's dance in the sky and were delighted to spot some sun spots! 🌟☀️ What an incredible experience of nature's wonders! 🌌🔭 #SolarEclipse #AstroAdventures #SunSpotSpectacular 🌒✨
Excited to celebrate Spring the Japanese way at the annual Japanese Spring Festival hosted by Kizuna! A day filled with cultural delights - from Japanese Tea Ceremonies to Kimono fashion, Origami, Calligraphy, Ikebana, traditional music and dance, and the delicious food.
A second amazing day presenting at Career Day to a 5 to 8 K group of enthusiastic kids who are eager to explore the mysteries of living on the Moon or Mars!
Their curiosity and insightful questions about space exploration and interplanetary living.
It's incredible to see the next generation so excited about the possibilities beyond our world.
Keep reaching for the stars, young explorers!
#SpaceExploration #MarsColonization #MoonMission #FutureAstronauts #careerdayfun
Celebrating Pi Day with a slice of lemon pie! A delicious way to honor 3.14.
Why did the pie break up with its crust?
It couldn’t handle the infinite drama of pi!
#PiDay #LemonPie #MathPun
Tonight, we had an incredible discussion about living in space, focusing on the Moon and Mars! The highlight was getting to peek through my telescope, we look at Caldwell 14, Saturn and the Moon. Although clouds played a bit of a trick on us, making Jupiter a little hard to see, the kids and groups still had a blast exploring the cosmos!
Thanks to everyone who joined us for this cosmic adventure. Here’s to more nights filled with stargazing and learning!
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Excited to support the Summer Challenge at Indian Springs Library! Today, I got to explore the wonders of our closest star, the Sun, using my trusty telescope.
I love observing the Sun's surface and its incredible features. From sunspots to solar flares, it's a reminder of the vast and dynamic universe we’re a part of.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope’s flight harness is transferred from the mock-up structure to the spacecraft flight structure.
Your Body is Wired Like a NASA Space Telescope. Sort Of.
If our Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope were alive, its nervous system would be the intricate wiring, or “harness,” that helps different parts of the observatory communicate with one another. Just like the human body sends information through nerves to function, Roman will send commands through this special harness to help achieve its mission: answering longstanding questions about dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets, among other mind-bending cosmic queries.
Roman’s harness weighs around 1,000 pounds and is made of about 32,000 wires and 900 connectors. If those parts were laid out end-to-end, they would be 45 miles long from start to finish. Coincidentally, the human body’s nerves would span the same distance if lined up. That’s far enough to reach nearly three-fourths of the way to space, twice as far as a marathon, or eight times taller than Mount Everest!
An aerial view of the harness technicians working to secure Roman’s harness to the spacecraft flight structure.
Over a span of two years, 11 technicians spent time at the workbench and perched on ladders, cutting wire to length, carefully cleaning each component, and repeatedly connecting everything together.
Space is usually freezing cold, but spacecraft that are in direct sunlight can get incredibly hot. Roman’s harness went through the Space Environment Simulator – a massive thermal vacuum chamber – to expose the components to the temperatures they’ll experience in space. Technicians “baked” vapors out of the harness to make sure they won’t cause problems later in orbit.
Technicians work to secure Roman’s harness to the interior of the spacecraft flight structure. They are standing in the portion of the spacecraft bus where the propellant tanks will be mounted.
The next step is for engineers to weave the harness through the flight structure in Goddard’s big clean room, a space almost perfectly free of dust and other particles. This process will be ongoing until most of the spacecraft components are assembled. The Roman Space Telescope is set to launch by May 2027.
Learn more about the exciting science this mission will investigate on X and Facebook.
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