posted 11-04-2019 11:34 AM               

The Planetary Society Invites Public to Create Ultimate Collection of Space Goals

What are the ultimate must-do experiences for a space enthusiast? The Planetary Society wants the public's help to compile the most comprehensive list of space life goals ever created.

For CaLisa Lee, a Planetary Society member, it was seeing a total lunar eclipse on her wedding night. "My husband and I got married in Sequoia National Park. In the evening we hiked up to Moro Rock to wait for the 'blood moon' to rise. Experiencing an eclipse like that made us feel like we were a part of the cosmos. It was the perfect finale to a perfect day. You've just gotta see one. You have to see a total lunar eclipse in your lifetime."

The ambitious global crowdsourcing project aims to help space enthusiasts discover and track space experiences over their lifetimes. The public is invited to submit an unlimited number of ideas, from free and accessible experiences to rare and advanced activities. The suggestions will be collected and turned into an easy-to-use resource later next year.

"Whether you're just beginning to discover the universe or have a lifetime's worth of space memories behind you, we want to hear from you," Kate Howells of the Society's Community Engagement team wrote in the announcement today. "By sharing your ideas you can do your part to spark a passion for space in someone new, help space fans like you grow their interest, and find new ways for yourself to experience the passion, beauty, and joy of space."

The Planetary Society, with over 50,000 members and tens of thousands of supporters from around the world, is the world's largest independent space interest organization. It was founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman to prove public support for space exploration. Today it is led by CEO Bill Nye and is a leader in science outreach.

Ideas can be submitted until Jan. 31, 2020 at this website.

posted 11-05-2019 11:59 AM            

A total eclipse of the Sun is definitely worth making a big effort to see, and with luck an interested person could see several in a life-time.

Unfortunately, the top experiences for space enthusiasts aren't being done any more: there are no more Saturn V or shuttle launches. I trust the arrival of SLS will fill that particular void.

Actually seeing a Saturn V or a shuttle orbiter should be high up anyone's list. A visit to KSC will tick both boxes.

I would advise any space enthusiast to try to arrange a tour of JPL. Every time I watch coverage of the latest mission controlled by JPL, I see myself standing in front of that big U.S. flag in the operations room.

50 years after the first moon landing, it is still possible to meet, talk to and shake the hand of one of the men who actually walked on the soil of another world. At least two of them are still attending public events. About 10 years ago I took my (then) 13-year-old great-nephew to Glasgow to meet Charlie Duke. However long Josh lives, and whatever his interests in life, he will always be able to tell people he once shook hands with one of the first pioneers who walked on the Moon.

This one is a bit oblique - anyone interested in the Moon is aware how it is the main influence on our tides. I would recommend anyone to go to see the most spectacular manifestation of the Moon's hold over the seas of the Earth: a tidal bore. Hangzhou, China or the mouth of the Amazon if you want to see the biggest, but the Severn estuary in England is more accessible and the Severn Bore at its best is a stunning spectacle. In the United States, the bore on Turnagain Arm, near Anchorage, Alaska, is very spectacular and very reliable.

Unfortunately, one of the most ethereal and beautiful space-sights cannot be predicted, but in a normal life-time there's a good chance of seeing a bright comet, and it's well worth an early morning if it appears before dawn.

Any space enthusiast should visit the Air and Space Museum in Washington DC. No, not should... MUST.

posted 11-10-2019 06:45 PM               

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Originally posted by David C:
Am I alone in thinking that anyone who needs to reference/read someone else's list isn't actually an enthusiast?

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You may not be alone, the world is full of people with differing opinions and interests, that is what makes the world so interesting.

I have always been interested in all matters related to space and have developed my own particular lines of interests related to the field that have been influenced, among others ways, by the information that can be found online and in print in places such as this, and by the shared experiences and knowledge that is on offer.

What you find interesting or important may not be held to the same level by others, and vice versa. The sharing of information helps in many ways and keeps the historical elements in perspective and relevance to people discovering the field who may develop their enthusiasm. Where to find museum exhibits, paraphernalia displays, shows, experiences, and other enthusiasms is an important function that this forum does very well.