MARS CALLING

photo by Gunnar Ries

On the subject of selfies, I forgot to mention that even NASA Mars rover's take selfies!  Taken on Jan. 19, but only recently published, NASA's Curiosity Mars rover took a break from work "to send home a selfie taken atop a martian sand dune."   No word yet on text emoji streaming in.     news                 

Principle in the type:  'Those who see the cosmic perspective as a depressing outlook, they really need to reassess how they think about the world.  Because when I look up in the universe, I know I'm small but I'm also big.  I'm big because I'm connected to the universe, and the universe is connected to me."     Neil deGrasse Tyson

PLANETARY INSIGHTS

photo by David Lofink

Finding a new "Earth-size planet on our galactic block," is exciting stuff (in case you didn't know).  Astrophysicists revealed "the newfound world" recently.  "Planet GJ1132b is just 39 light-years away, within the atmospheric study range of the Hubble Space Telescope."  Says University of Maryland's Drake Deming, it is " 'arguably the most important planet ever found outside the solar system.'  "        news 

Principle in the type:  "Scientists were struggling to understand the breadth of the universe until instruments became sophisticated enough to gather in greater light so they could understand a more complete truth. [Scriptures teach] a parallel principle regarding spiritual knowledge. “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God,” [in Corinthians] “for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.". . .  In other words, if you want to recognize spiritual truth, you have to use the right instruments. You can’t come to an understanding of spiritual truth with instruments that are unable to detect it."               Dieter F. Uchtdorf

PLUTO'NESS

photo by Kevin Gill

Pluto is ready for it's closeup.  After a 9 1/2 year and 3 billion miles travel, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is snapping pictures.  Like, close up pictures!   ". . . project scientist Hal Weaver said.  'It's just blowing my mind.' "   news link                   

Principle in the text:  "Equipped with his five senses, man explores the universe around him and calls the adventure science."       Edwin Powell Hubble       

IN A GALAXY FAR FAR AWAY

photo by Jason Jenkins

Speaking of starry nights (or whatever we were speaking of . . . ), here's a cool video.  Make you feel small?  You're a giant in my eyes!!

                             

Principle in the type:  ". . . . My fundamental goal is to get people, as best as I can, to be able to see the world that way; to see it as one small place, one bubble of air that keeps us all alive that we're all responsible for, and just how close we are to each other.     Astronaut, Col. Chris Hadfield

                                                                                  Happy Weekend Friends and Aliens!

SPACEY MEDICINE

photo by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

Scott Kelly, American Astronaut, and his Russian counterpart Mikhail Kornienko just landed at the International Space Station and will be spending a year there.  Cosmonaut Gennady Padalka traveled with them as well, but is on only a 6-month mission.  Most interesting is that Kelly's retired astronaut identical twin will be here on Earth, meaning scientists will have the opportunity to compare the effects on a body in space with its genetic double on Earth (news link).         (FuNzOnE:  in the Reply section below, name the continent in the picture correctly and I'll pretend to name a star after you!)

Principle in the type:  ". . . In the midst of this complexity, man finds himself. As he progresses from childhood to manhood, and as his slumbering faculties are awakened, he becomes more fully aware of the vastness of his universe and of the futility of hoping to understand it in detail.

“Nevertheless, conscious man can not endure confusion. Out of the universal mystery he must draw at least the general, controlling laws that proclaim order in the apparent chaos; and especially is he driven, by his inborn and unalterable nature, to know if possible his own place in the system of existing things.”    John A. Widtsoe