A Japanese moon-lander concept, circa 1971 for your Friday. Image via x-ray delta one.

Image Credit & Copyright: Ole Christian Salomonsen (salomonsen @ Flickr)

I could post stuff like this every day. Except then I’d have to call the blog Green Auroras instead of Silver Rockets, because… well, y’know.

There was a special on TV Japan this morning featuring aurora video footage from Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The オーロラ (OH-rora) seems to be globally fascinating. Who wouldn’t be fascinated if they stepped outside and saw the above??

It was one of the most memorable auroras of the season. There was green light, red light, and sometimes a mixture of the two. There were multiple rays, distinct curtains, and even an auroral corona. It took up so much of the sky. In the background were stars too numerous to count, in the foreground a friend trying to image the same sight. The scene was captured with a fisheye lens around and above Tromsø, Norway, last month. With the Sun becoming more active, next year might bring even more spectacular aurora.

A Space Wheel from the "Battle of the Planets" (1978)

Japanese retro-futurism? Hai douzo (yes please!) Two lovely toy illustrations from Battle of the Planets.

Images courtesy of Dark Roasted Blend.

Another beautiful ship from "Battle of the Planets", made by Entex Toys

I love this illustration of my favorite part of Tomorrowland! A thoughtful souvenir, from someone who clearly knows my fairly obvious if you read this blog tastes.

Tokyo’s Haneda Airport is home to a unique café and planetarium: the Planetarium Starry Café. Dine under the stars… in an airport! (Read more about Haneda here.)

Image courtesy of USA Today, TIAT.

Image courtesy of Nosigner (Eisuke Tachikawa)

This amazing Moon light is by Japanese designer Nosigner (Eisuke Tachikawa), in response to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. It’s a beautiful piece, I would LOVE to own one.

Conceived by Japanese designer Nosigner as a symbol of hope after the earthquake and tsunami left Japan with almost none to be had, the Moon light is an accurate rendering of our only natural satellite.

Nosigner said after the twin disasters struck, many Japanese prayed to the ‘super moon’, the biggest full moon in a cycle of 18 years. “‘The Moon’ is the light of our hope,” the designer wrote on his blog.

To mould each crevice and scar on the moon’s surface accurately, Nosigner collected 3D topographical data from the lunar orbiter Kaguya.

Via designboom.

Image courtesy by Nosigner (Eisuke Tachikawa)

I’ve long been a fan of Japanese goods—the detail, the quality—but this scale model of Space Shuttle Endeavour goes beyond anything I’ve seen. It’s simply gorgeous, and perhaps the most amazing thing is the amount of texture. No smooth-surfaced orbiter here:

At nearly $500, it’s out of my price range, but if you find yourself with the funds necessary this December, DO pick one up! (Hat tip to collectSPACE for the link and info!)

Space train, 1981 by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

One more futuristic illustration by Shigeru Komatsuzaki, seeing as it’s a Moon train. I want to ride a Moon train..!!

Space colony, 1980 by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

These fantastic illustrations by Shigeru Komatsuzaki are a treat for the eyes! There’s many, many more at the aforementioned link.

Thunderbird 3, 1964 by Shigeru Komatsuzaki

Darth Vader, by Steve Bialik

I found this post weeks ago. I wasn’t intentionally waiting for Star Wars Day, but here we are, so here you go: “Artist Steve Bialik represents legendary Star Wars characters as samurai from traditional Japanese art.”

Jabba the Hutt, by Steve Bialik