Bad Astronomy

Things to do until launch

So here you are waiting for the second attempt to launch New Horizons, and you’re sick of waiting. You’ve watched the steam vent from the side of the rocket, waiting for the winds to die down, you’ve chewed your nails, you’ve answered all your email. Now you’re just wishing for something to bide the time.

What a coincidence! I have about a hundred backlogged entries for this blog which consist of nothing but a title and a link. So instead of wondering when I’m gonna write them out into full entries, I’ll clear out the backlog and just post a few as one liners. These should keep you happy until launch control lights that candle to Pluto.

  • My old friend and editor for Sky and Telescope magazine Bob Naeye answered the call by Spiked online ‘zine, which asked, “If you could teach the world just one thing, what would it be”? Bob, ever thoughtful, chose to teach people the scientific method. For an editor, he writes real good.
  • Skepticism… in Kansas? Yup. Red State Rabble is a blog by a guy who lives in Kansas, and to the point, has two kids in the Kansas public school system. Not surprisingly, he is concerned about the increasingly anti-scientific direction the schools are headed in that state.
  • I was perusing the Minor Planet Mailing List a while back, and read a post by a guy who found a comet whose orbit just kisses that of Saturn. That’s pretty unusual, but you can see it for yourself.
  • If you listened to me talk about Stardust on the Paul Harris Show, then go over to the Australian Skeptics’ site and peruse the Skeptic Tank, a collection of fun podcasts.
  • Take a look at Nasa’s website for flying robots that will assist future astronauts.
  • Hey, what’s happening on Mars right now?

OK, that oughta hold ya for a while. But keep an eye on NASA Pluto webcam. You don’t want to miss the launch while you’re out surfing.