Earth has blue skies and red sunsets. Mars has red skies and blue sunsets…
On Mars, cats chase dogs and scientists get hounded for autographs…
TRIFECTA The International Space Station streaks through this lovely skyview with clouds in silhouette against the fading light of a sunset. Captured from Stuttgart, Germany last Sunday, the frame also includes the Moon, just past its “new” phase. Just below and left of the young crescent is Jupiter, another bright celestial beacon hovering near the western horizon in early evening skies. (Photo: Stefan Seip via NASA APOD)
The Family that Went to the Moon
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Well, the family photo, anyway.
On April 23, 1972, Apollo 16 astronauts Charlie Duke and John Young embarked on the third and final EVA of the mission, exploring the Descartes Highlands via Lunar Roving Vehicle. During the EVA, before setting up a Solar Wind Collector, Duke placed a small family photo he had brought along onto the lunar surface and snapped a few photos of it with his Hasselblad film camera. This is one of the photos.
The portrait shows Charlie, his wife Dorothy, and their two sons Charles and Thomas. It looks like they are sitting on a bench in the summertime.
The family photo, gingerly wrapped in clear plastic and slightly crumpled from being stashed in the pocket of a space suit, was left on the Moon. It presumably still sits there today, just inches away from Charlie’s boot print — which, presumably, is also there.
(via universetoday)
Blue waves produced by bioluminescent phytoplankton: Vaadhoo Island in the Maldives, Florida Everglades, and Lakshadweep Islands off India.
From the photo album “seal’s greatest hits.”
Loose Seal:
Incredible: Tourists in False Bay, South Africa, were left amazed when they saw this 12ft shark emerge from the water to catch a seal. But despite being one of the world’s most feared predators, it badly misjudged its attack.
![theatlantic:
What John Glenn Saw When He Became the First American to Orbit Earth
Five minutes and four seconds into the flight of the Friendship 7, as John Glenn prepared to become the first American to orbit Earth, he radioed to NASA, his capsule turned and brought the Earth into sight. “Oh, that view is tremendous,” he said.
[…]
After a trip across the Indian Ocean, mission control told Glenn that he’d be seeing the lights of Perth in western Australia. He confirmed that he did see them. “The lights show up very well and thank everybody for turning them on, will you?” Glenn joked.
“In the periscope, I can see the brilliant blue horizon coming up behind me; approaching sunrise. Over.” Mission Control replied, “You are very lucky.” Glenn said, “You’re right. Man, this is beautiful.”
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What John Glenn Saw When He Became the First American to Orbit Earth
Five minutes and four seconds into the flight of the Friendship 7, as John Glenn prepared to become the first American to orbit Earth, he radioed to NASA, his capsule turned and brought the Earth into sight. “Oh, that view is tremendous,” he said.
[…]
After a trip across the Indian Ocean, mission control told Glenn that he’d be seeing the lights of Perth in western Australia. He confirmed that he did see them. “The lights show up very well and thank everybody for turning them on, will you?” Glenn joked.
“In the periscope, I can see the brilliant blue horizon coming up behind me; approaching sunrise. Over.” Mission Control replied, “You are very lucky.” Glenn said, “You’re right. Man, this is beautiful.”
