I just received an e-mail from developer Gene Turner, who runs the Rancho Hidalgo Astronomy and Equestrian Village near Animas, New Mexico. This site is one of the clearest, darkest, and steadiest in North America. Apparently, Gene has been talking up the site and the Astronomy Magazine Observatory , and the word is getting out. Here’s Gene’s e-mail in full: Hi Michael, We just had a large adult education group from the SCV Astronomy Club out of the...

In January, crew members of the International Space Station gained access to the Internet for personal use, and NASA encouraged them to tweet anything that interests them. Well, Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi of Japan (pictured at right), in my opinion, is really putting Twitter to good use. For the past three weeks, he has been posting Twitpics of different Earth locations that are absolutely breathtaking. If I can’t get to the ISS myself, I think...

On January 1, I put up one of my favorite polls on Astronomy.com: “What is your astronomy-related New Year’s resolution?” I like it because I think it’s very telling about the interests of the people who frequent our web site. It’s also fun to see if the results changed from previous years. Well, the results are in, and they’re definitely interesting. Just as it did in January 2009, a resolution of “get out of the armchair and observe more” took the...

Apparently, this really could be you! Enter via web site (or even text your way in) to the reality show Starwalker , and if you win you’ll find yourself in space. Make sure not to forget your camera. NASA photo Almost a month ago now, I wrote about the upcoming reality show Starwalker , in which the winners would become real-life, space-faring astronauts. If, that was, the show was legit, and it really would happen. As you may recall, I was somewhat...

If you’re a community or junior college student with an interest in science, technology, engineering, or math, NASA is offering you a great opportunity with a new semester-long scholars program. Students who apply and are chosen for the National Community College Aerospace Scholars program will interact with NASA engineers and each other as they learn more about careers in science and engineering. Program participants will form teams and establish...

John Ventre accepts the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge award from the Cincinnati Observatory. Marsie Newbold photo Guest blog post from Dean Regas, Outreach Astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory The Cincinnati Observatory presented former director and full-time volunteer John Ventre with the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge award November 22. Ventre has been instrumental in inspiring a generation of visitors to the Cincinnati Observatory and led the...

NASA and Microsoft have collaborated to create a web site where citizen scientists can assist Mars science teams studying data about the Red Planet. NASA/ESA/The Hubble Heritage Team Photo Looking for another way to become a citizen scientist? Fascinated with Mars and current missions to explore the Red Planet? If you answered “yes” to both of those questions, NASA and Microsoft Corp. have teamed up to create a new online adventure just for you. Drawing...

NASA recently released its 2009 edition of Spinoff , an annual publication that chronicles successfully commercialized NASA technology. It’s easy to get lost in the magazine or its Web counterpart. The 2009 issue features 49 “spinoffs” in the areas of health and medicine; public safety; consumer, home, and recreation; environmental and agricultural resources; and more. I enjoyed many of them, but my favorites are the life rafts that use water to prevent...

Next week (November 16–20), NASA’s Digital Learning Network will host a series of videoconferences with NASA employees who had a special connection with Apollo 11 to let students hear firsthand accounts from people who made the lunar landing possible. The 1-hour programs will be held each day at 1 p.m. EST from a different NASA location and will be webcast to the public . The schedule will run as follows: Monday: (from NASA’s Langley Research Center...

NASA’s done a good job getting us into space, but should it work harder on convincing people why that’s a good idea? NASA photo Chances are you’ll recognize the phrase, “To boldly go,” as part of the monologue introducing each episode of Star Trek . I’ve heard it called the most famous split infinitive in the English language, and whatever a person’s science knowledge or familiarity with Star Trek , they’ll usually recognize “To boldly go — where...