I often pop over to this NASA site. Like many others, viewing the breathtaking images from NASA's telescopes and probes often reminds me of Douglas Adams' famous Total Perspective Vortex. You know, the machine that lets an individual experience how utterly insignificant they really are in the greater scheme of things and this truth basically melts their brain (unless, of course, they have an ego big enough to confidently compete with an infinite universe). A true sense of perspective, therefore, is not a entirely desirable thing for your average citizen. It can lead to much brow slapping, moans of What's it all about, and existential crises of the truly epic sort.
Still, skirting around the edges of that true sense of perspective can induce gasps of amazement and feelings of heart-swelling wonderment, and for me, today, that WOW! came from this image, taken on July 19, 2013 by the Cassini spacecraft, which shows the rings of Saturn, our very own, little blue planet Earth, and our moon as well :
I prefer the uncluttered image above, but for those who need a helping hand, NASA also kindly provided a touristy YOU ARE HERE version:
If only one could shrink oneself down and hitch a ride on one of those crafts gallivanting around the outer solar system, or better still, a daring little probe leaving for realms unknown beyond our home patch.
It'd be a cold and harsh trip, for sure, but oh, the things one would see!
Freakin' awesome! Thank you for bringing it to our attention :D
ReplyDeleteThoraiya (& Action Man)
One of my favourite songs:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE3bph7r5pQ
Around the universe in eighty days
Sit down I think you`ll like it
Out in space
There`s nothing left to stop us now
We`re sure to win the race
In our warp
When time and space are one
We can no longer see the sun
In fact there`s nothing there for us to see
For light is nowhere near as fast as we
You're very very welcome, Thoraiya (&AM). It's so cool when other people get all excited about these amazing things too. It triples one's own joy.
ReplyDeleteGreat lyrics, Steve, and thank you for the link. I watched a bit of the video, which looks good too, but I'll save the rest for the weekend. And "Klaatu barada nikto". Gotta love a band with the good taste to name themselves after a SF character.