The Kids At The Lilburn Activities Building Learned About The Space Shuttle And NASA's James Webb Space

The first space selfie was taken by Buzz Aldrin exactly 52 years ago today during the Gemini XII mission

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Apollo 11 Lunar Module Activation Checklist #nasa #apollo11 #apollo50thanniversary #usspaceandrocketcenter #huntsvillealabama https://www.instagram.com/p/BwyMXG4njXm/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=136g82pilbj24

I know it’s a very specific category, but I still can’t believe this! Thank you to my friends and family! #space #iss #internationalspacestation #childrensbooks #stem #steam https://www.instagram.com/p/CJZberVjUrF/?igshid=tb8xj1y7quxl

Copernicus (upper left), FRA MAURO (mid left), and the Ptolemaeus Crater Trio (mid right). #space #moon #astronomy #celestron #celestron127slt https://www.instagram.com/p/B5E6us7HZQ-/?igshid=1hkq6pe7icfrk

I waited 44 years to be this close to an Orbiter. Nice to meet you, Atlantis. You look amazing! #spaceshuttleatlantis #spaceshuttle #ksc #kennedyspacecenter #nasa #solarsystemambassador https://www.instagram.com/p/CP_DCSCDQtg/?utm_medium=tumblr

I’m kinda diggin’ my avatars. On a more serious note, I’d love to come speak to your school group, scout troop, or civic meeting as a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador! Contact me through jmbrackett.com #explorepage #NASA #space #stem #spacescience #solarsystemambassador #gwinnettcounty (at Gwinnett County, Georgia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Clz46hgObSU/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

No test? Oh well, I’ll go look at rockets.

My Brother in-law and I made a day hop to Huntsville this past Saturday. I had originally planned to take a test at MSFC, but the current government shutdown nixed that idea.

Instead, we took in the U. S. Space and Rocket Center. I never get tired of seeing the huge Saturn V or the full shuttle stack on the grounds.

U.S. Space & Rocket Center

U.S. Space & Rocket Center

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center (USSRC) is the largest spaceflight museum in the world. Open 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed Thanksgi

Looking Up -

When I was a kid, my parents bought me a pretty basic telescope. I’m sure it was only used less than fifty times. It was a pain to lug it outside and set up. The finder scope was always loose and impossible to align. Eventually, the telescope became part of my room decor.

It wasn’t all the telescope’s fault. I was naive and fell for the pretty pictures on the box showing me the universe. I thought I was going to set up in the backyard and find a comet in five minutes. I’d have my Doctorate by the end of the week...

Alas, the only thing I could line up was the Moon. I wasn’t patient enough to look for subtle differences from viewing to viewing. I was young, dumb, and bored. The telescope came out less often. Eventually, it quit getting brought outside at all.

Thirty five years later, a spark in me reignited. I found telescopes with red-dot finder scopes and computerized tracking. I now knew those incredible images on the old box required long exposures and specialized settings. I wanted to try again.

My new telescope has allowed me to see many aspects of the Moon I could never appreciate before. Also, with my camera mount, I can now see and photograph deep space objects. The joy I experienced on seeing my first nebula was overwhelming. I showed my wife my first picture like I was a schoolboy with an A+.

Now for the cool part... I get to share this with my daughter. At five years of age, she can identify the four major planets in the sky. I am jealous of the technology she’ll get to grow up with, but for now, we will use my telescope and maybe even find a comet.

Mars 09/06/2020 - Celestron 127slt mak - My first decent Mars image. I’ve got a long way to go. Like many dads before me have said, “practice, practice, practice”. #space #backyardastronomy #mars #celestrontelescope #celestron127slt https://www.instagram.com/p/CEzXHdvD4Gd/?igshid=vu3voayh5ooz

Just spending a lazy afternoon submitting weather observations.