Infinite Visions, One Planetary Society

Pathfinder landing July 4, 1997

by Donna Shirley

November 28, 2013 | 0 comments

First picture from Pathfinder lander, July 4, 1997

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Apollo 8 Christmas Earthrise

by Christian Geffcken

November 28, 2013 | 0 comments

In December 1968, Apollo 8 flew around the Moon, and they took this (and others) amazing picture.

My father was working for a company involved into the Apollo program, and was able to bring home a poster-size copy of this picture.

Although I was then only 5 years old, I have spent hours looking at the picture, dreaming about becoming an astronaut and flying over there...

45 years later, I know I will ... more »

With My Own Eyes

by Glenn R Bundy

November 28, 2013 | 0 comments

I grew up on books about space, watching Cosmos as it first aired, so I've always been an enthusiast. But apart from observing the Moon or Saturn with a small telescope, space was something you saw in a glossy photo, or on your TV screen.

Then in 1985 my family moved out west to New Mexico, and in a few months I found myself part of a Scout troop and hiking ... more »

Mariner Mars '69 (a & b)

by James A. Shand

November 28, 2013 | 0 comments

I was fortunate to be an engineering tech working at the University of California Space Sciences Laboratory. Our group, led by Prof. Kenneth Herr, was tasked to build the infrared spectrometers for the mission. My modest contribution was to build the electronic circuit boards that ran the unit. I was trained at JPL in the processes for cable harnessing, soldering and encapsulation of the connectors.

The resulting photos sent back from ... more »

Forward scientific exploration to make SF dreams a reality

by Reinhold Störmann

November 28, 2013 | 0 comments

Very difficult to pinpoint exactly what prompted me to become a member of the Planetary Society. Certainly it wasn't only a beautiful picture from space. It were many - and there were a lot of other reasons.

Becoming interested in space exploration, before the Planetary Society was founded, when I was 12 years old and extremely thrilled by watching the Apollo 11 landing on the moon - I also think SF ... more »

Awesome globular cluster

by Celso O. Mosqueira

November 28, 2013 | 0 comments

I have always felt a very special attraction for space, and all the wonders it displays. One of the images that impressed me profoundly, and still does, is the mind boggling vision of approximately ten million stars that comprise the Omega Centauri globular cluster. It is really fascinating and inspiring!

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Volcanoes on Io

by Jerry Petrey

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

One image that really inspired me was shortly after I went to work for JPL in 1979, the Voyager spacecrafts discovered the active volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. These volcanoes are caused by the tidal heating and stresses on the moon due to its close orbit to the giant, massive planet.

This was the first time we had seen active volcanic activity anywhere other than Earth and it made the solar ... more »

Apollo 10 live TV from orbit over the Moon

by Björn Warnqvist

November 27, 2013 | 1 comments

On Christmas 1968 I was in New York as a post-doctoral scientist for a year. In late evening I watched, together with my wife,the Moon landscape rolling away under the Apollo space-ship. One of the astronauts was reading the Creation text of the Bible while the images of this strange wiew were unfolding. So my "picture" is really an unforgettable live "TV movie".

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Our place in it all

by Dave Hubbard

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

There are so many to choose from... But a few that will always stick with me, as they expanded, and perhaps contracted, our view of ourselves. Three come to mind:

The view out the window of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module as it was descending, but still had some altitude so you could see where we were headed. The famous "Pale Blue Dot" shot. Made me feel that we here were ... more »

My inspiration - The Pillars Of Creation

by Nelson Reyes

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

I remember in Junior High School, my Science Teacher, Mr. Ray Suchy, would show us Cosmos with Carl Sagan (1980's, I was in 9th grade). That started my romance with Science and Astronomy. With the launching of the Hubble Space Telecope, I remember several pictures that struck me with awe, one was the Deep Space Field images, but the one that was the most compelling was the picture of the ... more »

The Rings of Saturn

by Sam Bossen

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

What is a more spectacular sight that looking at image of the rings of Saturn? I often dream of being able to visit this planet, its moons, and most of all the awe inspiring rings.

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Edward White

by Michael Precin

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

After the flight of Gemini IV I was chosen to represent my school at a program to honor Edward White and James McDivitt at the old Arie Crown Theatre in Chicago. The presentation was deeply inspiring so when Edward White died in the Apollo I fire it hit me very hard. Sometime after that tragedy I came across the photo I sending. This image moved me in many ways. Edward ... more »

Space for Peace

by Chris Streeter

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

While not the image that first engaged me with space exploration, it is the image that solidified its importance and necessity. Barely a generation before, the two super-powers of the world were poised at eliminating each other with nuclear fire. But barely a generation later, those two nations now work together in the difficult venture of space exploration and under the banner of science and peace.

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Visions of Earth

by Gail Held

November 27, 2013 | 1 comments

seeing the Earth from the moon as taken by the astronauts while on the moon.

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The Tree of Creation

by David Medhaug

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

Your story my story how about we call this story our story my favorite picture of space is space i find every picture of space equally intriguing.But i want to share this picture of space from earth.Call it the tree of life, Call it our family tree beyond the Tree to blowing leaves of The Star bark ,Call it the tree dreaming in a desert night, In the pic i ... more »

First Shuttle Launch

by Martin Powers

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

I was 11 when the first shuttle launched. I skipped school to watch it on TV and it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I watched the launches as often as I could and when the program ended it broke my heart. Ever since I was little I have had dreams of exploring space like Capt. Kirk. I can't wait until we return to space.

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How Sputnik Was a Gift To me And My Father

by Dr.Garri Constantine

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

My father was a career Air Force explorer. When Sputnick hit the news, Dad and I started a news clipping scrapbook. We kept that book together until I grew up from his young protege into my own adult explorations. Because of my father, I have dreamed of Europa, not missed a single comet, watch as many meteor showers and Aurora Borealis displays as weather in Southeast Alaska permits, and take ... more »

PIllars of Creation by HST

by Mike Markiw

November 27, 2013 | 0 comments

I've always been fascinated by space. I read every book I could get my hands on, and followed every space shuttle mission as much as possible in the pre-Internet era. With the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, my interest was taken to an entirely new level as I was introduced to astrophotography. The famous image of the Pillars of Creation inside the Eagle Nebula motivated me to one day ... more »