• Space Quote: Okay, Elon, We Already Took Care of It

    “The @POTUS has asked @SpaceX to bring home the 2 astronauts stranded on the @Space_Station as soon as possible. We will do so. Terrible that the Biden administration left them there so long.” -Statement tweeted by Elon Musk regarding the two astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) following issues with the Boeing Starliner. Of…

  • Space Stories: Advertising in Space, Israeli Astronaut, and Mysterious Deep Space Signals

    Here are some recent stories of interest. —Space News: “Astronomers Seek Global Ban on Space Advertising“ Astronomers are calling on nations to ban advertising in space that can be seen from the ground, calling it the latest threat to the dark and quiet sky. At a briefing during the 245th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society…

  • It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s That Dumb Car

    A near-Earth object (NEO) recently designated as 2018 CN41 ultimately was deleted because it was determined to be the Tesla Roadster launched into space back in 2018. As noted in an Astronomy article, this type of confusion over orbiting objects, including legitimate spacecraft looping past the Earth, need to be better cataloged and shared among…

  • Space Quote: Everything Normal Here, Please Get Back to Work (In the Office, Of Course)

    “President Trump recently issued a Presidential Memorandum (PM) titled “Return to In-Person Work,” the text of which is included below. NASA intends to fully comply. ‘Heads of all departments and agencies in the executive branch of Government shall, as soon as practicable, take all necessary steps to terminate remote work arrangements and require employees to…

  • Mark Your Calendar: Kennedy Center Earth to Space Festival

    If you are looking for a different type of event, the Kennedy Center has an idea. Come for its Earth to Space Festival, being held from March 28 to April 20. What is it, you ask? Here is what the Kennedy Center has shared: For three weeks, EARTH to SPACE: Arts Breaking the Sky will…

  • Pic of the Week: The Glow of Cassiopeia A

    This week’s image was taken by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and highlighted in Scientific American magazine. It shows a colorful supernova remnant called Cassiopeia A, which is about 350 light-years away. The magazine article notes: The recent photographs are helping scientists answer some of their most pressing questions about supernovae, such as which…

  • NASA Gets to Work Under the New Administration by Shutting Down DEI

    Almost the first words the NASA employees heard from their acting administrator was the end of the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within the agency. In an email earlier today, Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro stated, in part: Notice the use of “Radical” in the executive order and the Office of Personnel Management email…

  • Space Stories: Farewell to Bill Nelson, an Unpredictable Universe, and Ponds and Lakes on Mars

    Here are some recent stories of interest. —WESH.com: “NASA Administrator Bill Nelson Writes Letter to Next Leader, Reflects on Legacy and Future of Space Exploration“ In a heartfelt letter addressed to the 15th Administrator of NASA, Bill Nelson expressed his admiration for the agency’s workforce and the immense honor of leading the organization dedicated to space…

  • Space Quote: Next Step Mars?

    “We will pursue our manifest destiny into the stars, launching American astronauts to plant the Stars and Stripes on the planet Mars.” -Inaugural statement by President Trump on January 20, 2024. He may want to check with NASA on the Artemis program given that the planned trip to the Moon has already cost taxpayers billions…

  • A Day in Astronomy: Birth of Edgar Allan Poe

    On this day in 1809, Edgar Poe was born in Boston, MA. “Allan” was added later as his middle name after he lost both parents and was taken in by the Allan family. He would only live for 40 years, but in that short time he created a wealth of stories that are still fresh…