Space Topics: 25th Anniversary Gala Awards Dinner
Online Auction
Our ONline Auction closed Saturday, November 12 at 8PM. Thank you to all
who Participated!
Proceeds from the online auction will benefit The Planetary Society, and
through our organization, the future of space exploration.
Auction
Items include:
Celebrity Lunch w/ Bill Nye & Star Trek’s Robert Picardo
You’ve seen them on your living room TV set, now meet them for lunch
at one of their favorite Los Angeles area eateries: actor Robert Picardo,
the Doctor on Star Trek Voyager, and television series host, Bill Nye the
Science Guy. Bill and Bob will host you and one guest for a delicious
lunch while you chat about science, science fiction and the wacky wonders
of the universe. This auction item includes lunch for two at a Los Angeles,
California area restaurant to be determined by Bill Nye and Robert Picardo. Bill
Nye is Vice-president of The Planetary Society; Robert Picardo is a member
of its Advisory Council.
Value: Priceless, Min Bid $200
Mars Science Trip in Mojave Desert w/ 2 Planetary Scientists
Join two renowned planetary scientists - Bruce Murray and Christopher McKay
- on an extraordinary field trip (for up to 4 people) in California's Mojave
Desert to examine analogs for Mars. Murray, a geologist, is one of
the co-founders of The Planetary Society and the former director of the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory. McKay is a highly regarded planetary scientist
and exobiologist. Together, they will lead you and your party on a
fascinating journey, looking at the geological (Murray) and exobiological
(McKay) analogs for Mars we can find here on Earth. Trip must be taken
by May, 2006 (date to be determined).
Value: Priceless, Min Bid $750
Rare Carl Sagan Paper w/ Signed Voyager Bookplate
Own a piece of space history with this bound first edition of one of Carl
Sagan’s personal copies of his original paper, “The Quest for Life
Beyond Earth,” published by the Smithsonian Institution in 1965. It
is in mint condition with illustrations. Impeccably written, it won the
A. Calvert Smith essay prize at Harvard University for 1964. Donated by
his wife and collaborator, Ann Druyan, the paper will be accompanied by a bookplate
from their personal library that reads “Ex Libris Ann Druyan Carl Sagan” and
has a golden engraving of the Voyager Interstellar Record they helped create. Ann
Druyan, who is a member of The Planetary Society’s Board of Directors, has
signed the bookplate.
Value: $1000+ Min Bid: $100
Tour Space Museum w/ Astronaut Tom Jones
Former space shuttle astronaut Tom Jones will take you and up to three guests
on a personal tour of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s
Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington, DC’s Dulles International Airport. Home
to thousands of aviation and space artifacts, the museum’s collection
includes the Gemini VII space capsule and the space shuttle Enterprise.
Imagine checking out the Enterprise with an astronaut at your side
who’s logged 53 days in orbit! Tom Jones is a member of The Planetary
Society’s Advisory Council.
Value: Priceless Min Bid:
$50
Solar Sail Science Speaker Talk for Group
Louis Friedman, Executive Director of The Planetary Society, will give a
firsthand account of solar sailing and the Society’s efforts to launch Cosmos
1, the first-ever solar sail, to your favorite organization. Imagine
having the man who literally wrote the book about propulsion from light (Starsailing:
Solar Sails and Interstellar Flight) give a private talk atyour children’s
school or your favorite local community group. Lou Friedman was the
Project Director for Cosmos 1 and has advocated the development of
solar sail technology for decades. Lou is based in Pasadena, California,
and will speak anywhere in that area (schedule permitting) or – if the
winning bid exceeds $1000 plus his travel expenses – he is willing
to speak anywhere on Earth!
Value: $5000 Min Bid: $100
Private Hayden Planetarium Tour w/ TV Host Neil de Grasse Tyson
Join Neil deGrasse Tyson for a private tour for up to four people of the
Hayden Planetarium and Rose Center at New York’s famed American Museum
of Natural History. Tyson is not only the director of the Hayden Planetarium,
but also The Planetary Society’s Chairman of the Board. Step inside
the Hayden Sphere where visitors can soar through the galaxy in the Space
Theater and be transported back to the beginning of time in the multisensory
Big Bang program. All the while, you will be escorted by Tyson himself,
who hosted the recent PBS television series, Origins. Tour
includes admission to the Hayden Planetarium for four people.
Value:
Priceless Min Bid: $50
Star Gazing w/ Star Trek’s Tim Russ, Threshold’s Andre
Bormanis
Enjoy an evening exploring the night sky at a private
star party for up to 4 people, hosted by Tim Russ, Tuvok on Star Trek Voyager,
and Andre Bormanis, writer
and producer on the new CBS science fiction drama "Threshold." Andre
also was a writer and producer for "Star Trek: Enterprise," and
served as the science consultant for several Star Trek feature films and
television series. The private star party will be held at a dark
sky location (to be determined) within an hour’s drive of Los Angeles,
California. Tim
and Andre have both been passionate about astronomy for many years,
and they will enjoy sharing their love of the stars with you. Spend
two hours chatting with Andre and Tim about space science and science fiction
while you peer through a powerful telescope at binary stars, clusters,
the Moon, Saturn and other wonders of the universe.
Value: Priceless,
Min Bid: $100
Autographed Photo Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin on Moon
This
is the iconic image from the first lunar landing, Apollo 11 Astronaut,Buzz
Aldrin, standing on the Moon. Personally autographed by Buzz, it will
be a fine addition to a space memorabilia collection or an a beautiful
image to frame and hang on the wall. Buzz Aldrin is a member
of The Planetary Society’s Advisory Council.
Value:
$150+, Min Bid: $35
Private Tour Washington DC Air & Space Museum
Join John M. Logsdon, director
of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University and one of the
leading historians of the U.S. space program, for an insider’s look
at the mementos of America’s space
accomplishments. Logsdon will take the winning bidder and up to three
guests on a tour of one of his favorite haunts in Washington DC, the world-famous
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Logsdon will regale your
group with many an insider’s story from the remarkable history of the
space age. Logsdon is a member of The Planetary Society’s Board
of Directors.
Value: $1000, Min Bid: $50
Manuscript Editing by Professional Editor, Edit Science Paper or…?
Every writer can use a good editor, and we are auctioning an editing consultation
(by e-mail) with one of the best in the business. Planetary Report Editor,
Charlene Anderson, has spent 25 years taking manuscripts from “rocket
scientists”and turning them into accessible, comprehensible and lively
published articles – so imagine what she could do for your manuscript! Anderson
will edit a manuscript (up to 2000 words) in any genre, fiction or non-fiction.
Value:
$1000, Min Bid: $50
Tour California’s Eaton Canyon w/ JPL Voyager Engineer & Nature
Photographer
Take a walk on the wild side through Eaton Canyon in Pasadena, California
with Charley Kohlhase. Kohlhase is a veteran of 11 successful planetary
missions, including Voyager and Cassini, as well as an accomplished nature
photographer and artist. Discuss the wonders of the universe from minute
native plants to the grandeur of the planets. Kohlhase will be happy to provide
tips for capturing images of your Eaton Canyon experience – so bring
your camera! This auction is for two people to accompany Kohlhase on
a morning or afternoon hike, beginning at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center.
Value:
$500, Min Bid: $50
Steakhouse Dinner with Planetary Society Stars
Enjoy an evening of fine food and even better talk with Planetary Society
co-founders Bruce Murray and Louis Friedman, and Planetary Society Board Member
Dan Geraci. They will host you and a guest at a Pasadena, California-area
steakhouse to discuss the Society's venture projects in our next age of exploration. Murray
is the former director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Friedman has been
the Executive Director of The Planetary Society since its inception.
Value:
$300+, Min Bid: $50
Meet Space Shuttle Astronaut for Coffee and Cosmology
Order your favorite latte and sit down over coffee with former shuttle astronaut
Tom Jones in one of Washington, DC’s neighborhood cafés. You
and a guest will enjoy a friendly chat with Jones about his experiences
orbiting Earth in the space shuttle and space station. You will
also receive an autographed copy of his book Sky Walking: An Astronaut’s
Memoir. Jones is a member of The Planetary Society’s Advisory
Council.
Value: $250, Min Bid: $50
Guest Air Time on Planetary Radio
Join the Planetary Radio team with this guest slot on The Planetary Society’s
own radio program, heard worldwide on XM Satellite radio, nearly 40 stations
across the US and Canada, and via the Internet. Read a scripted
segment for the humorous What's Up! segment on a future show, date to be determined. If
the winning bidder is local to Pasadena, California, he/she could be recorded
in person. Or host Mat Kaplan can record your segment over the phone. Make
the winning bid and become a part of our Planetary Radio broadcasting team
for one very special program.
Value: Priceless, Min Bid: $50
Private Tour Seattle Science Fiction Museum w/ Mars Explorer
All systems are go for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Science Fiction Museum
in Seattle, Washington led by museum director, Donna Shirley. This private
tour will take you and up to three guests to countless imaginary worlds in
the company of a woman who conducted the real-life exploration of Mars as
manager of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Shirley
was also the original leader of the team that built the Sojourner rover, which
explored the surface of Mars in 1997. She is a member of The Planetary
Society’s Advisory Council.
Value: $1000, Min Bid $50
Autographed Book “Reaching for the Moon,” Apollo 11 Astronaut
Buzz Aldrin
A wonderful gift for a child in your life, this new
autographed children’s
picture book by Apollo 11 Astronaut, Buzz Aldrin tells the story of how
he became one of the world’s first moonwalkers. “Reaching for
the Moon” is illustrated by Wendell Minor. Buzz Aldrin is a
member of The Planetary Society’s Advisory Council.
Value:
$125+, Min Bid: $35
Autographed “Star Trek Voyager: The Complete Seasons 1-7”
Journey to space, the final frontier, with the intrepid crew of the Starship
Voyager with “Star Trek Voyager: The Complete Seasons 1-7.” Autographed
by Robert Picardo, who played the holographic Doctor, and Kate Mulgrew,
Captain Janeway herself, this boxed set includes all seven years worth of
exciting adventures, as well as several bonus features. Enjoy exploring
again – or for the very first time – a distant quadrant of the
galaxy. Picardo is a member of The Planetary Society’s Advisory
Council.
Value: $800+, Min Bid: $99
Once Upon a Time – Limited Edition Fantasy Landscape Art
Ethereally beautiful, “Once Upon a Time” by artist and space
mission designer, Charley Kohlhase, depicts an otherworldly vision reminiscent
of Middle Earth and other mystical settings. Using special computer
technology, Kohlhase created this masterpiece by combining images
of the walled city of Carcassonne, France (circa 1st century BC) with a majestic
view of Wyoming’s Grand Tetons as seen from Ox Bow Bend. This
is numbered 2/50 of a signed and limited edition. The artwork will be
shipped matted, framed and ready for display. The image size is 18 x 27 inches,
and the frame size is approximately 28 x 36 inches.
Value: $750,
Min Bid: $99
Autographed “Origins” DVD & Book, & 6 other books by
TV Host Neil Tyson
Enjoy a guided tour of the cosmos via a DVD set of Origin,s as well
as seven books authored by Neil deGrasse Tyson, who hosted the acclaimed PBS
television series. All seven books and the DVD set have been personally
autographed by Tyson. Titles include Origins: Fourteen Billion
Years of Cosmic History by Tyson and & Donald Goldsmith, Cosmic
Frontiers: Astronomy at the Cutting Edge by Tyson & Steve Soter, One
Universe: At Home in the Cosmos by Tyson with Charles Liu & Robert
Irion, and The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist, Just
Visiting this Planet, Universe Down to Earth, and Merlin's
Tour of the Universe by Tyson. Tyson is director of New York’s
famed Hayden Planetarium and is Chairman of The Planetary Society’s
Board of Directors.
Value $200+, Min Bid $50
Original Astronomical Art Painting Huygens Spacecraft on Saturn Moon
Titan
Daniel Chiesa of Uruguay won first place in the adult
category of The Planetary Society’s Huygens Art Contest with
this colorful painting, entitled “Xanadu Joyful Day.” The
contest -- "Imagining Titan: Artists Peer Beneath the Veil" --
asked entrants to envision what the surface of Titan would look like when
the Huygens spacecraft landed in January, 2005. In this beautiful
painting, Chiesa depicts the turbulent atmosphere of Titan with the cloud
parting just enough to hint at magnificent ringed Saturn overhead in the
upper left corner. The
unframed oil on canvas measures 19.5 by 27.5 inches. Chiesa donated
the painting to The Planetary Society for fundraising purposes.
Value:
$750, Min Bid: $75
Autographed Encyclopedia of Space, Signed by Apollo 11 Astronaut
Buzz Aldrin
The National Geographic Encyclopedia of Space includes
a forward written Apollo 11 Astronaut, Buzz Aldrin. He has also personally
autographed the book. This 400 page comprehensive overview of deep
space, the solar system and space missions will be a wonderful addition
to the library of anyone who is an explorer at heart. Buzz Aldrin
is a member of The Planetary Society’s Advisory Council.
Value:
$125+, Min Bid: $35
Private Tour of Planetary Society Headquarters and Lunch
Take
a very special tour of The Planetary Society’s headquarters, an
historic century-old Greene and Greene mansion in Pasadena, California. The
tour (for 2 people) will be conducted by Lu Coffing and Charlene Anderson. Charlene
is the Society’s Associate Director and the editor of The Planetary
Report. Lu is not only the Society’s financial manager, but also
the organizer of member expeditions to Belize and other corners of the
globe. Learn about the history of the house, including its stint as
the meeting place for a gathering of Caltech students called the Young
Drunkards'
League (led by a future Nobel prize winner)! See the secret panel. Hear
stories of the Society’s own projects. Join Lu and Charlene for
a private lunch and chat about the Society’s past, present and future.
Value:
$250, Bid: $35
2 Autographed Books by David Brin: Earth & Kiln People
Own
two autographed books by acclaimed science fiction author, and Planetary
Society Advisor, David Brin. “Kiln People” explores a
fictional near future when people use cheap copies of themselves to be
in two places at once while “Earth” is a gripping tale set in
2038, when humanity must save the planet itself.
Value: $100,
Min Bid: $20
Lunch & Horse Races for 4 at Santa Anita Park, California
Revel in the sport of kings with lunch for four at the FrontRunner or Turf
Club Restaurant at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Enjoy horse
racing at the track where Seabiscuit ran, with a bird’s-eye view of
the action while you dine. This package includes lunch for four, admission
to Santa Anita, parking and, of course, the horse races. Racing season
runs from December 26, 2005 through late April, 2006. Call for exact
dates and reservations.
Value: $250, Min Bid: $25
|
[ what is this? ]