October 2010

Long Ago and Far, Far, Away

The pay-off from the space program, and from space science programs, and from all manner of telescopes, are the space photos, that in Stars War speak, are of a galaxy from "long ago and far, far, away."

World scientists have released on to the Internet and to the world, images from 13,l billion years ago -- Images of an ancient galaxy, the oldest and the most distant object in the universe, known to human observers. See the video.

Why is this worth mentioning? Why are these images so wonderful and good to see?

Borrowing a word from Mr. Spock, the images are "fascinating."

Why?

Because for what they reveal, and more important, for what they imply, which is mind expanding.;

The future is about to begin.

Item from the Associated Press -- "Virgin founder Richard Branson discusses the progress of his Virgin Galactic division, which is trying to be the first viable space tourism company. The spacecraft, Spaceship Two, just made a successful free-gliding flight. " See the video.

This is "a very big deal," Virgin president Sir Richard Branson told The Associated Press. "There are a number of big deals on the way to getting commercial space travel becoming a reality. This was a very big step. We now know that the spaceship glides. We know it can be dropped safely from the mothership and we know it can land safely. That's three big ticks."