C.S. Muncy

Not the view from the Manhattan Bridge, but it still felt pretty damn close

See C.S. Muncy's photos from the Shuttle landing at JFK

Knowing the Space Shuttle Enterprise was going to be arriving today in New York City, I was extremely pissed off to realize I had a doctor's appointment which would preclude me from actively viewing it, and I'd most likely be underground in the subway when it flew over the Hudson, guaranteeing I wouldn't even catch a glimpse of it. I was also glad, but extremely jealous, that Voice contributor C.S. Muncy would get a front row seat at JFK Airport. My self-pity doubled down when I listened to the Brian Lehrer Show's call in segment of similar space geeks from their perches around the city and in New Jersey.

My only hope was that, in my subway travels on the Q train, I might, maybe have the chance to snatch a glimpse in the three minute window in which the train crossed the Manhattan Bridge. This, I knew, was an implausibly long shot. Using extremely scientific reasoning, I estimated that the odds of the 747 ferrying the Enterprise lifting off from Washington, D.C., flying over the Verrazano, passing by the Statue of Liberty, going up the Hudson, and swinging back over the harbor just as my Q train was on the bridge were about 3,720 to 1...the same odds C-3P0 gave the Millenium Falcon of "successfully navigating an asteroid field."

Well, the odds were with Captain Han Solo and also with me, because I had a close encounter with the Enterprise at exactly the right moment.

More >>

Looks like Bruce Willis's mining team from Armageddon could be employed again. More >>

It looks like we're going to have to re-mark our calendars for the arrival of Enterprise in our own backyard. And not the one from Star Trek, the one from NASA.More >>

Well, scientists have finally discovered a cure for the New York City housing crisis, only the subway fare is going to be a doozy.

From the UK Telegraph, scientists say they have discovered at least 100 rocky planets within 30 light years which could be habitable. Of course, 30 light years is 180 trillion miles, so there's that to consider.

More >>

www.weheartit.com

Derp

​There's good news and bad news: Fact-phobic Dude, Where's My Car star Ashton Kutcher is heading to space. Unfortunately, he's not staying.

On his blog yesterday, Sir Richard Branson, the chairman of Virgin Group, announced that Kutcher would be the 500th person to get shot into space on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo Rocket Plane.

Branson also vows to bring him back safely.

From Branson's blog:

More >>

Today's space-weather report tells of a different kind of sunny sky: Two flares, including the second biggest of the Sun's 11-year solar cycle, hit earth early this morning and could cause the biggest solar storm in five years, NASA says.

Now, what the hell does this mean, exactly?

Every so often, a chunk of charged particles -- called a coronal mass ejection -- spirals earthward, which can cause problems with electronic devices.

So, if your GPS, computer, or cell phone is in a funk, it might very well be the Sun's fault.

More >>

via NASA

For a couple of hours after 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, the Quadrantids meteor shower will be putting on a show for anyone willing to get up (or stay up) for it. According to NASA, "the Quadrantids have a maximum rate of about 100 per hour," which, weather permitting, should make for a pretty cool sight. If your New Year's resolution was to sit outside in the cold while craning your neck, you're in luck. Video of the Quadrantids meteor shower from two years ago after the jump.

More >>

Newt's America.

Earlier, we wrote about last night's GOP debate in Des Moines and Mitt Romney's proposed $10,000 bet with Rick Perry over claims that Romney's book was edited to change a portion about health care. This fleeting and insignificant moment overshadowed the real issues that were discussed by the candidates. That's right, we're talking about the moon and its precious moon minerals.

More >>

People in the Western part of the country were treated to a total lunar eclipse this morning. Luckily you don't have to be a resident of California or an early riser to see it--someone already videotaped it for you. Check it out above.

More >>

via Heritage Auctions

We may finally have the answer to the eternal question posed by struggling algebra students everywhere: "When will I use this in real life?" The above image is from Heritage Auctions, and what appears to be a scribbled-in math quiz is actually the work of Apollo 13 Mission Commander James Lovell. After an oxygen tank explosion left him and his crew up space creek without a paddle, Lovell wrote a series of numbers onto the checklist to chart a course toward the moon's gravitational pull and, eventually, back to Earth.

More >>