January 9, 2002

6:34 PM

Planetquest is NASA's nifty new site where they'll be posting info on new planetary discoveries. It's a long shot, but hopefully this will lead to broader based public support for the space program.
posted by Optamystic (4 comments total)

Yes - it is a long shot.
posted by wfrgms at 7:03 PM on January 9, 2002

Thanks for the link Daryl. Right up my cosmic alley. It will be interesting to watch the database grow.
posted by crasspastor at 8:58 PM on January 9, 2002

It's funny. When I was a young tyke, back in the 70s, we were still landing on the moon and about to send the Viking landers to Mars. I remember, in the 3rd grade, when NASA solicited school children for the name for the brand new space shuttle. There was something about space that was awe-inspiring, the sort of thing that could fill you with wonder.

But, that's changed over the ensuing years. I sometimes wonder if it's simply because most people can no longer look outside and see the stars because of light pollution or is it that the fantastic has just become too common place. Or, worse yet, have the incredibly realistic imaginings of Hollywood just left us totally underwhelmed with reality?

That's not to say that there aren't many, many problems to solve here on Earth, but the profound sense of humanity that was felt around the world when Neil stepped down onto that dusty Sea of Tranquility hasn't been felt in recent years. Where has the wonder gone?

Here's something to play with your mind. This image, taken by the Hubble telescope shows a region of the sky that is about as large as a dime would be about thirty feet away. Every little colored blobby is a galaxy. Space is big.
posted by warhol at 9:13 PM on January 9, 2002

Warhol, thank you for your insight and those rockin' links. And "you're welcome", Jeremy.
posted by Optamystic at 11:39 PM on January 9, 2002