Howdy,

My name is Tina Andeson and I am from a small town near San Antonio, Texas USA. I have two children and I teach Spec. Ed. at the local high school. I have recently returned to college for a second degree. I needed an elective and took intro to astonomy. My star watching had its humble beginnings in the early seventies sitting in the back of a pick-up picking out constellations from a 10 yr old encyclopedia. Thirty years later I finally get to look through the telescope at the Scobee Planetarium, in San Antonio, and see Saturn in all its glory. WOW! I am a Trekkie and spend my spare time reading Sci-fi books.

If you can take an introductory astonomy class, do it. I took my class via the internet. Check your community colleges in your area. It is great.

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Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein

I just read the introduce yourself forum and, as a new registrant, thought I would say hello. I guess that I am quite a bit older than most of the people who have introduced themselves but I believe that I share there appreciation in your web site and the subject of astronomy. As a matter of fact, my wife and I just completed auditing an introductory Astronomy course at a local college. Well, here's to the future. Earl

Hi Everybody, I am an ordinary retireee here in Tampa Florida who has actually worked on the Apollo project back in the 60's. Then the project was exciting but now it all seems like day old oatmeal. Even then, the Apollo project had it's critics with the throwaway technology and the exorbitant management fees (close to 40% of the total cost). I want humanity to get back into space in a big way but it is going to take a disaster like a meteor strike of sizeable proportions to initiate it (assuming there are enough survivors) It just can't be done because it is the right thing to do or for national goals or if its necessary to keep apace of any other political system. The big problem is and remains money ....... period......

I would like to participate in that 250 year project by suggesting that at the outset, we set out to EXPLORE THE WHOLE GALAXY and then develop the technology to do just that. That means A.I. , nanotech, robots and power sources that last for 50,000 years
if we cannot break the Light Speed Barrier. We send out a minimum of 10 to 100 robot & self replicating probes to each star so that at their destination years later, they
can rebuild and refurbish themselves for the next jump to the next star. All the while
they report back on the density and compostion of the galaxy while exploring the system they are in at present. They may even carry DNA (Ours) to seed almost lifeless worlds that have not as yet evolved much past primitive cells. There is so much to discuss and invent (and not wishful thinking) that will be required so let's try
by beginning the dialoge now. javascript:emoticon('')
smilie

Like Andy2020, I worked on the Apollo Program also, the pyro for Saturn V and for the Command module and docking ring.

I still am an aerospace engineer, the VP of a Florida Aerospace Propulsion Company, just can't seem to get the rocket propellant out of my blood!

I am an advocate of alternative propulsion; I firmly believe that the next real advance in "relocation: will come from the "crackpot fringe".

I am also very involved in Civil Experimental Aerospace and led a team in the CATS Prize.

Yes, the Shuttle program seems routine and not so fervently supported as Apollo was.

I enjoy these forums a great deal and especially the lively yet restrained nature (flaming is very rare), and thank Fraser for making them possible.

Andy 2020 and Rocketa !

Aloha ! this is Sky-High speaking. As the French are saying, "chapeau bas !" Should I wear a hat, I'd take it out to you both. You REALLY worked for Apollo program ? I'd be damned ! Actually I am. Damned I mean. To look at what you do from afar. Stopped by being born on the wrong side of the space-research blanket. At least, I tried. I followed my eyes and ignored the stomach, mine and especially other's, till in the end I got it: despite 2 Masters and 1 PhD in three separate fields (from which one is Aerospace Medicine) I'm still a stinky foreigner, not to be approached nor accepted in Space Research. So, while I was dreaming and trying to learn much as I could about Space and especially humans in Space, you were actually building the rockets !

Wow !

My unreserved and unbriddled admiration ! Should you have a suggestion about some intelligence left at NASA or Wyle Labs or other Space involved sites, that would be willing to give a guy a break and at least test him before rejecting him, I'll buy you a beer !

Say Rocketa,Andy, for the Saturn thing, did you worked directly with von Braun ?

Sky-High

Welcome, welcome all.

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Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

Hey my name is Sam, i'm a 19 year old girl from London, England. I've been interested in space since i first was told about it when i was about 5. Unfortunately i didn't know anyone else with the same interest, and so found out most of my info from books and magasines i bought, but it wasnt much. Finally i have the chance to be taught about it! As i'm currently taking a degree in astrophysics at the university of sussex, it's been amazing so far! Suddenly i hav loadsa info at my fingertips from universe today and uni, it's really cool. I just wanna learn more! Maths is getting harder all the time, but it's cool cos it helps explain things better than words for me...(I'm not gd at english lol) I just think astronomy/physics is so interesting! I can't wait till i start doing research, and actually contributing to extending our knowledge about the universe! I just wish more ppl were told about it earlier on in school, cos i've had some really gd conversations with ppl doing completely different degrees, who didnt know about astronomy at all, and are really interested in it. In fact i didnt even know they did degrees in it until i searched long and hard on the internet.
Getting a bit long winded now, i know...
So thanx for the site, it's really easy to get all the info i want,
Sam

Hello, my name is Wendell. I live in a small town out in the middle of Eastern Oregon (Burns, Oregon). I'm a former Marine MP and Beirut Vet (1983), now a licensed Nurse. My new job that I just started is with County Health as the Bioterrorism Preparedness Coordinator/Communicable Disease Investigator.

Anyway, I found this site a couple of weeks ago and I love it.

Thanks Frazer

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Semper Fidelis

Hi everybody, nice to be here

Listen, how about us Space Addicts have a real chat, in real time? Not such a bad ideea, I bet. Or is this site offering one and I don't know how to get there ?

No offense intended, this site and the initiative is nice, only the real-time conversation speed is getting on my nerves. With the message today and the reply next week, looks like a conversation with someone living on Halley's comet, when the thing is at apogee. Like Mark Twain for instance since he kept claiming he was brought (and taken away) by the famous comet... :

If it can't be done, just please indicate any serious Space Chat site. And fort the love of Mike, i DON'T mean SF !

Hmmm.... how bout it Frase? A chat applet of some type?
that would be nice =)
There are some good ones floating around here and there...
I would love to be able to voiice in real-time also!

. ..-={A}=-.. .

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. ..-={A}=-.. .

Hi all, I live in Northern California along the edge of San Francisco Bay. Needless to say, I can't see as much of the sky as I would like. I've been a stargazer all my life, and have recently acquired a small telescope. I'm not very good with it yet but hope to get some practice with Mars if the fog will cooperate. <_<

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And all this science I don't understand, It's just my job 5 days a week.---Rocket Man--(BT/EJ)

Hi Folks,

You gotta love the universe today...no hype ,no commercialism.

Anyone live in NorCal?

Say hi..Play some chess...or come to Santa Cruz for some good music!

Abstract

PS...How 'Bout those Martians???

Welcome Polly V and abstract. There's some commercialism here, I'm trying to sell you some space. I've got a planet you can buy real cheap. :-)

I like the chat idea Arramon, I think I'll do something like that so that we can have expert guests come and answer people's questions about space and astronomy. I'm not sure I want just a regular chat tool - it's a little too uncontrollable. We have a lot of kids visit Universe Today, so I want to keep a fairly clean image. But, I'm open to being convinced otherwise.

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Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

Hi Fraser:

I am not new to Universe Today, but am new to this forum and am enjoying it. Thanks for getting it together for us Fraser! This is a great place for all of us to sing our own praises, tell our stories, ask our questions, and to share with other our love of the universe.

My name is Patty Mayer and I live in Fort Pierce, Florida, just a bit south of Cape Canaveral on the east coast of Florida. I am a 40something ish (older than just 40ish) single Mom with 5 children to my credit! My most recent joy is my 19 year old daughter who chose to enlist in the US Navy, I want to see the stars she will see on that ship! I am a paralegal for a local family law attorney and love my job. I organize paralegal seminars, luncheons and fund raisers when and where needed.

I am the Secretary for the Treasure Coast Astronomical Society and a member of the Vero Beach Astronomical Society. With TCAS, I coordinate the public outreach programs and when I see the need for a new one, I develop it, or at least try to. I organize the area's annual Astronomy Day and work closely with Hallstrom Planetarium at Indian River Community College.

For the first time this year, I am coordinating with the Girl Scouts to help the girls earn the astronomy badges in each age group. I work with some of the teachers in the local schools to get telescopes in the classroom so the children can see what they are learning about. It is the oooooo's, ahhhhhs and How cool responses that keep me coming back! Another first this year is working with the county to create some viewing programs for a particular protected dark site west of town. There will be 4 nights during the next year with different focuses to draw the public out to view. Once I get the programs in place, I put a call out to the club members and they are so WONDERFUL and come out willingly to share their scopes, knowledge and passion with any who wish to view. -My kids tell me staying busy keeps me out of trouble and it seems to be working- :P

I have had a love for the sky, day or night, for many years. My first tool for viewing were my binoculars (hubby got custody of the bins) and then moved onto telescopes. Joyfully for me, I now own 2, but want just one more. Yes, bigger! It is a personally hobby and my passion but I have a desire to share as much of it as I can, with the hope that someday a seed will be planted in the next Carl Sagan or Stephen Hawking mind to put them on the road to discovery!

I better say good night now or this may go on! Who said I was singing my praises!

Patty

Smoking!?
What a pity...Puah...
coch...coch...

A mistake. The last mens is to spaceguy

Our Project is having a Mars Party Saturday the 23rd at the Hollister Airport in front of Hangar 10 at 8 PM. I gave that info to Fraser awhile ago but it did not seem to get posted. You are welcome to visit. We will have some things for kids to do, have a 10" cassegrain, an 8" dobson and an 18 inch reflector for scopes; also a raffle for a star trek poster, a 3D mars poster and a nice Model Rocket Kit.


This is mainly in response to the two northern California persons looking for others in NCA.

Hollister is about 30 miles south of San Jose taking hwy 25 off of So101 just past Gilroy.

SORAC Project Leader

Wha? I posted the info.

It's the first one on the California page.
http://www.universetoday.com/html/special/...california.html

Let me know if I messed something up there, you've scared me.

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Fraser Cain
Publisher
Universe Today - Free space news delivered by email every weekday.

Hi there!

I thought while you are all trying to catch the Mars I can introduce myself without notice :P

I'm long time Space, Astronomy fun ... actually from when I was 12 or 13 years old.
Universe Today I read quite regularly but I can't recall the starting day

Oh yes, using this opportunity I would like to thank you Fraser for doing this for all of as.
Great job ... it must be really time consuming. Also ... Fraser let me congratulate on your
expecting child. I know what the wonderful thing is that Ultrasound) We are expecting
or boy in the end of November)

What was I talking about ? oh yea introducing myself

I can say short - I do Astrophysics for my life. This is the point where I was afraid of ...
please do not send me all kind of questions, I'm not a space guru yet) I'll try to participate
in the forum - time depending.

OK, that's about it.

Best regards to all of you.

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My profession is My hobby

I am known as Locke. I am a student, and new at this forum. I have to say, I'm impressed fraser!

Locke

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&quot;...and remember, the enemy gate is down.&quot;

:blink: Real-Radio
Helo all, my name is Jim and I am in Buffalo, New York. I currently work for the
State University of New York at Buffalo, as an Engineer (Electrical) in the Chemistry
Department. I have been interested in Astronomy since the age of 11, when I used
to lay out on the roof at night and search for constellations. Since that time I have
seen the stars from every continent, and moved into Amateur Radio Astronomy.
I currently own equipment that covers 1.6 Mhz to 5.6 Ghz with a capability of
listening to the music of the Stars. I have been doing this for 30+ years, and look
forward to helping others, who express an interest in wanting to do "This Weird
Stuff". I answer most questions, on topics I am familiar with, the others I go and
research and then answer, We have several really LARGE library groups on this
campus so fire away, and I will get back to you. Oh, yes Fraser congrats on the
new Boy on the way, and thanks for this great forum. I might also mention I am
an Amateur Radio Operator, from "DC to Light". Jim WB2FCNMy Webpage

Hello everyone!
My name is Yvette, and I am a 17 year old Pennsylvanian who has been into astronomy for three to four years now. I plan to be a radio astronomer when I grow up and then join the astronaut corps later on. When you're a teenager you're allowed to dream, right? I've been subscribing to Universe Today for over a year and have enjoyed every issue of it, and love the idea of a forum. Thanks a million Fraser!
real-radio: nice to meet another ham here! I'm not into amateur radio as much as I'd like since my rig leaves a lot to be desired. Instead I like to DX on AM and shortwave bands and see how far I can get a signal. I'd like to fuse my love of astronomy and radio together, but so far it's been limited to checking out meteor scatter... that and studying the hydrogen line at the astronomy camp I went to earlier this year.
Well anyway, clear skies and later days!
Yvette, KB3HTS

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Give me a firm place to stand and I will move the Earth.
-Archimedes