Friday October 10, 2008
Johannes Kepler, the son of a mercenary soldier and an innkeeper's daughter, was born prematurely just 2 days after Christmas 1571, in Weil der Stadt in Wurttemburg (now part of Germany). Danish astronomer
Tycho Brahe became so impressed with his work that in 1600, he invited Kepler to become his assistant. Brahe, the mathematician at the court of Emperor Rudolph II at Prague, was one of the most prolific observers of the cosmos.
At the time of Brahe's death, one year after Johannes Kepler became his assistant, the data he collected during his lifetime was far superior to any others made prior to the invention of the telescope. Johannes Kepler stepped into his role of imperial mathematician and court astronomer. He remained in this position until he became mathematician to the states of Oberosterreich (upper Austria) in 1612.
During his working years, Johannes Kepler was a brilliant astronomer and mathematician and a prolific writer. Considered a founder of modern astronomy, Kepler may have been best known for formulating his famous three Laws of Planetary Motion.
Model Rockets
Thursday October 9, 2008
Model rocketry is a great tool for learning about space exploration and physics. Flying model rockets is a relatively safe and inexpensive way to learn the basics of forces and the response of vehicles to external forces.
It is also a fun hobby.
Blast your own model rockets into space (or at least high in the sky) with this fun and exciting hobby.
Model rocketry is fun, but it can also be dangerous. We take safety very seriously in everything that we do. Safety is the first mission in flying; whether it is flying the Space Shuttle, an experimental aircraft, or a model rocket. You must always be aware of the people and things around you which can be harmed by your rocket, or which can harm you or your rocket.
Fly your rocket in an open field where there are no obstacles. Never fly near trees. If your rocket ends up in a tree, you're going to need a new rocket. Never fly near a highway. You can be hurt chasing your rocket across the highway and people driving by are often distracted by model rockets. Never fly near houses. Your rocket can do damage to the windows, sidings and roof of a house. If your rocket ends up on the roof, you're going to need a new rocket. And never, ever fly near high tension wires. That's a sure way to loose a rocket.
If you follow the rules, model rockets are as safe as any other toy. But if you break the rules, you endanger yourself and those around you.
We have selected a number of fun model rocket kits for all levels of ability. Check out these great model rocket kits for yourself or as a gift for your favorite space enthusiast.
Image Credits:
Space Toys
Estes
Space Toys
Wednesday October 8, 2008
It seems that everyone is talking about Mercury right now. The small rocky planet closest to the sun is ready for its close-up.
This week, that close-up was provided by the mission MESSENGER. On October 6, 2008, at roughly 4:40 AM ET, MESSENGER flew by Mercury for the second time this year. The stunning images taken during this second sweep are availble in our MESSENGER Gallery October 2008.
MESSENGER's first fly-by resulted in another set of incredible pictures. In January, we documented this visit with our MESSENGER - Mission to Mercury Pictures Gallery.
Check out both of these Picture Galleries:
Image Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington
Tuesday October 7, 2008
Asteroids were first observed with telescopes in the early 1800s, and in 1802, the astronomer William Herschel first used the word "asteroid," which means "starlike" in Greek, to describe these celestial bodies. Most of what we have learned about them in the past 200 years has been derived from telescopic observations.
Now, you can see some of our smaller neighbors up close and personal. Check out our Asteroids Pictures Gallery.
Image Credit: NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
