The music of the spheres

Three thousand years later, one realizes the eyes have gone blind and there is nothing beyond the glow. If there was something to be read in the shape and movement of the spheres, it is hidden from view. The loss feels terrible, yet it is a sign of new ages and the movement of the world.

Fight not against time, flow with it, no matter how painful. I want my sight back.

We watch and learn, so that the stories shall be written down and the future may look upon the past.

Blame Cat and Day and their overwhelming cuteness. Ten sentences of Urania as a child. Guest starring: the other Muses, Apollo, Mnemosyne, Astraios and the Anemoi.

( A handful of stardust. )

The LCROSS spacecraft has just impacted the surface of the Moon.

A new ring has been added to Saturn's jewelry box. The Spitzer Space Telescope, working in the infrared, captured the light reflected from the dust and ice ring, since it is too diffuse to be seen under regular visible light.

To give an impression of scale in this massive ring, the bulk of its material starts about six million kilometers (3.7 million miles) from the planet, extending outward about twelve million kilometers (7.4 million miles). The diameter of the ring is roughly the size of three hundred Saturns side by side.

Water!

Discovery has been ferried back to Kennedy, after landing at Edwards due to weather complications.

Back to a sleepless night exploring.

Discovery's mission proceeds. The crew is installing new science equipment and racks on the station today, thus bettering the ISS's research resources and functions. There are to be installations on the U.S. Destiny laboratory, on the Leonardo module and on the new quarters compartment for the crew. There is a possibility of conjunction with debris from a Ariane 5 rocket body. Tony Antonelli, NASA space shuttle CAPCOM, informed the Discovery and International Space Station crew members about the current options regarding the conjunction: either "not performing a Debris Avoidance Maneuver at all"; or "performing a reboost avoidance maneuver after Thursday's second spacewalk".


On a different subject, there is an ongoing project regarding the construction of the first tidal powered Moon clock. Its name is Aluna, meaning "pure thought, memory, soul, mind, imagination", from the Kogi people in Colombia. It was originally designed by Laura Williams, a London artist, while she was studying at Central Saint Martins. The sculpture is composed of three concentric rings, which are lighted in turn - by looking at how each ring is illuminated, one can follow the Moon's movements, its current phase and the ebb and flow of the tides. The animation of light is called Alunatime. Turbines will power the structure through the tides. The project is still on its conceptual phase; the final model is completely scalable, with its minimum dimensions standing at "around five stories high and forty meters across - bigger than Stonehenge, wider than a Boeing 757's wingspan". It does not yet have a definite location, but could be built anywhere on Earth due to its universality.

Find more about Aluna
Watch Aluna's introductory video

I think Aluna may well be one of my favorite projects in recent years. With so many eyes turned toward the Sun and the rest of our Solar System, our companion is often disregarded. Aluna brings us the enchantment and beauty of the Moon on our planet home. Artemis, my dear sister, this one is for you.

The launch has been scrubbed again. Again. The was a valve on the aft compartment of the shuttle, for liquid hydrogen fill-and-drain, that did not signal "closed" when the controllers ordered its closing.

A new date for liftoff has not been set yet.

Thalia, is this yours or Momus's, little sister?

In any case, thank you for a good laugh.

Space shuttle Discovery is set to launch early tomorrow, at thirty-six minutes past 1 AM. There is an 80 percent chance of favorable weather for liftoff. The STS-128 mission will take the Leonardo supply module to the International Space Station, along with Nicole Stott, who will replace Tim Kopra at the ISS. The crew is to deliver refrigerator-sized racks full of equipment, including the COLBERT treadmill, an exercise device named after the comedian Stephen Colbert. Today, NASA will broadcast a message from Colbert, during the live coverage of the preparations for liftoff, which commences at 8.30 PM.

Meanwhile, have some images taken by the LCROSS on the 17th, as it looked back toward the Earth (at 323,296 miles from the Earth and 547,335 miles from the moon).

Happy Birthday, my dear Neil.

We have returned. New York City, beware, you are once again subject to Comedy's influence and whims.

The STS-127 mission proceeds smoothly. Commander Mark Polansky and his crew are working with the team stationed on the International Space Station, and have had coverage from NASA TV in several occasions. The images are a long shot from the original footage of the Apollo 11 landing, which has recently been restored and released to the public eye.

Dave Wolf and Chris Cassidy are going through the third spacewalk, replacing batteries for the channel 2B.

Also, who has seen images from the marvelous solar eclipse in Southeast Asia yesterday?

T-3 and counting. 60-percent of favorable weather tonight.

Lift-off scrubbed once more, this time to Wednesday. There were storm cells containing lightning and anvil clouds toward the end of the countdown, thus forcing to abort the lift-off scheduled for today.

Father, I hope it was not you this time over...

Still at Kennedy. The lift-off was postponed to today, it should be at 6:51 PM. The weather is still a concern; everything else is set for launch.

Thalia has been dividing her time between glancing at the countdown clock and cracking jokes at the spectators. Much more of the latter.

Meanwhile, have an image of a multiple galaxy collision. Chandra continues its marvelous achievements.

At Kennedy. Launch in a few minutes!

The countdown resumes tonight, with the clocks counting down from T-43. The leak has been repaired, and so far all tests point to a successful launch on the 11th.

Thalia. Are you ready to leave tomorrow morning, my dear sister?


( Muses )

( Zeus )

( Adonis )

( Astraios )

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) is transmitting its first images from the Mare Nubium since its arrival at the Moon's orbit on the 23rd.

The shadows exaggerate the topographic features, since the images were taken on the terminator. The quality of the photographs is impressive, and a good omen on the photographs to come.

Galaxies 'Coming of Age' in Cosmic Blobs

There is beauty, and there is this. The power of the Universe is stunningly rapturous.

( Delivered to Zeus )