Archive for October, 2008
Space artwork, part 8
Posted by Danielle in Art & Architecture on October 31, 2008
So I’m cheating, I’ve featured Alan Bean, artist and moonwalker before, quite a while ago, but one image just isn’t enough where Bean is concerned! As mentioned in the previous post, one of the best things about his artwork (in my opinion) is the amount of color used on an otherwise muted landscape. These first two display lovely use of color — if you look at the first image and think “grey”, go back and look closer!
Below is an experiment in coloring (one of four.)
This last one exhibits phenomenal lighting — check out his website for the complete (browseable!) catalog!
Aesthetics & Astronomy
Posted by Danielle in Perspectives on October 30, 2008
If you have a moment, why not take this survey on aesthetics and astronomy?
Images of the cosmos provide snapshots of various phases of life and death, different physical phenomena, found in locations across the known Universe. Today, some 400 years after Galileo created his, modern telescopes have enabled us to “see” what the human eye cannot. This new generation of ground- and space-based telescopes has created an explosion of images for the public to explore.
This survey will study your perception of multi-wavelength astronomical imagery and the effects of the scientific and artistic choices in processing astronomical data. The images come from a variety of space and ground-based observatories, including the Chandra X-ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope, Spitzer Space Telescope, the Very Large Array, the Hinode satellite, and many others. Evaluation of such valuable data will benefit astronomy across the electromagnetic spectrum of astronomical images, and may help visualization of data in other scientific disciplines.
The questions they asked make me think that all input will be extremely valuable for future handling and presentation of astronomical data to the public — they really want to know what you think!
Nebular landscape
Posted by Danielle in Perspectives on October 30, 2008
In celebration of Hubble Heritage’s 10th anniversary, they released this “landscape” image on October 2nd. The image is beautiful — Hubble images are, in general, quite pretty — but what boggled my noggin was the downloadable size. The full resolution version is over 7,700 pixels wide. You have to see it to believe it!
The landmark 10th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope’s Hubble Heritage Project is being celebrated with a ‘landscape’ image from the cosmos. Cutting across a nearby star-forming region, called NGC 3324, are the “hills and valleys” of gas and dust displayed in intricate detail. Set amid a backdrop of soft, glowing blue light are wispy tendrils of gas as well as dark trunks of dust that are light-years in height. NGC 3324 is located in the constellation Carina, about 7,200 light-years away from Earth. This image is a composite of data taken with two of Hubble’s science instruments. Data taken with the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) in 2006 isolated light emitted by hydrogen. More recent data, taken in 2008 with the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 (WFPC2), isolated light emitted by sulfur and oxygen gas. To create a color composite, the data from the sulfur filter are represented by red, from the oxygen filter by blue, and from the hydrogen filter by green.
Astro-philatelics, part 37
Posted by Danielle in Currency & Postage on October 29, 2008
From Yemen, a set of stamps with visions of possible space stations.
Googie Tuesday
Posted by Danielle in Art & Architecture on October 28, 2008
I’m so happy to have run across this fantastic photo by chattycathy7575 — simply the best Googie motel sign I’ve seen (and certainly the most directly related to this site!) Hop on board and enjoy this Tuesday Googie thing….
Moonrocks and satellites
Posted by Danielle in Fashion & Accessories on October 27, 2008
What appeals to me about this set of stacking rings is their rugged finish — they remind me of fusion-crusty meteorites and worn, pitted (by cosmic rays and space dust?) metal. The rose gold adds a striking note of purity amongst all that patina.
A pair of delicate stacking rings in sterling silver and red (rose) gold.
One little moonrock with an orbiting 9 carat gold satellite, both on delicate bands. The silver is oxidised, then the surface of the moonrock is polished back to bright, leaving the craters contrasting. The bands are left black and buffed to shininess, like coal.
Space artwork, part 7
Posted by Danielle in Art & Architecture on October 24, 2008
B. E. Johnson renders wonderfully detailed images of spacecraft (fictional and non-fictional). There’s a lot more to see on his website, check it out!
I’ve been interested in astronomy and space since I was a kid, marvelling at the art I saw in books and magazines about space, spaceflight and space exploration. I read everything I could get my hands on.
Perhaps one day I would go.
Now I do. Little did I know that I would become a space artist myself and inspire new generations to explore space. It turns out I am what I have termed a “method painter”, putting myself in the moment; in the place that I am painting in order to more richly convey the essence of what it’s like to be in space. Not only how it looks but how it feels.
Cosmic Tornado
Posted by Danielle in Perspectives on October 23, 2008
A kaleidoscopic jet of gas heralds the birth of a star.
Light-years in length, this cosmic tornado is actually a powerful jet cataloged as HH (Herbig-Haro) 49/50. Though such energetic outflows are well known to be associated with the formation of young stars, the exact cause of the spiraling structures apparent in this case is still mysterious. The embryonic star responsible for the 62 mile per second jet is located just off the top of the picture, while the bright star seen near the tip of the jet may just by chance lie along the line of sight. HH49/50 is about 450 light-years distant, located in the Chamaeleon I molecular cloud.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/J. Bally (Univ. of Colorado) et al.
Soyuz, unwrapped
Posted by Danielle in Computer & Internet on October 22, 2008
The New York Times has a flash-based guide to the Soyuz spacecraft — think DK Eyewitness Guide, but animated. Very cool, worth paging through!
Astro-philatelics, part 36
Posted by Danielle in Currency & Postage on October 22, 2008
This beautiful series of 11 stamps from Romania covers the entire Apollo space program. 10 more under the cut!
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About Silver Rockets
This blog celebrates space exploration, human spaceflight and the heavens, through lots and lots ofimages.
My name is Danielle Signor, and I am a space cadet.
This is a blog, NOT A SHOP. Click the images for their source or purchase link, if available.
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