@beyondearthsky.bsky.social
Reality observer. Astronomy and sci-fi fan. Amateur historian.
My Blog: https://beyondearthsky.blogspot.com
My Blog: https://beyondearthsky.blogspot.com
Pinned
View of the Earth as seen by the Apollo 17 crew traveling toward the Moon on Dec. 7, 1972. This translunar coast photograph extends from the Mediterranean Sea area to the Antarctica south polar ice cap. This is the first time the Apollo trajectory made it possible to photograph the south polar cap.
Apollo 17, carrying a crew of three astronauts: Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans and Harrison H. Schmitt lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center #OTD in 1972, to begin the last Apollo lunar mission. After the launch, the crew took the classic photograph of Earth known as "The Blue Marble".
December 7, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Apollo 17, carrying a crew of three astronauts: Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans and Harrison H. Schmitt lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center #OTD in 1972, to begin the last Apollo lunar mission. After the launch, the crew took the classic photograph of Earth known as "The Blue Marble".
#OTD in 185, supernova SN 185, the oldest known supernova explosion for which written records exist, was noted by Chinese astronomers in the constellation of Circinus. Nebula RCW 86 is probably the supernova remnant of this event.
December 7, 2025 at 8:21 PM
#OTD in 185, supernova SN 185, the oldest known supernova explosion for which written records exist, was noted by Chinese astronomers in the constellation of Circinus. Nebula RCW 86 is probably the supernova remnant of this event.
#OTD in 1995, Galileo atmospheric probe entered Jupiter's atmosphere, directly measuring its composition. The radio signal from the probe was received by the Galileo orbiter for 57.6 minutes.
December 7, 2025 at 8:03 PM
#OTD in 1995, Galileo atmospheric probe entered Jupiter's atmosphere, directly measuring its composition. The radio signal from the probe was received by the Galileo orbiter for 57.6 minutes.
#OTD 1958, Pioneer III, the first of two small spacecraft developed by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory with the goal to fly by the Moon and return data about cosmic radiation, was launched. It reached a maximum altitude of 102,320 km before falling back to Earth.
December 6, 2025 at 9:49 PM
#OTD 1958, Pioneer III, the first of two small spacecraft developed by the Army Ballistic Missile Agency and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory with the goal to fly by the Moon and return data about cosmic radiation, was launched. It reached a maximum altitude of 102,320 km before falling back to Earth.
#OTD in 1901, Werner Heisenberg, a German theoretical physicist, considered one of the founders of quantum mechanics and known for the uncertainty principle, was born. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1932 "for the creation of quantum mechanics".
December 5, 2025 at 8:09 PM
#OTD in 1901, Werner Heisenberg, a German theoretical physicist, considered one of the founders of quantum mechanics and known for the uncertainty principle, was born. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1932 "for the creation of quantum mechanics".
Reposted
Today's #ArtAdventCalendar is this illustration, showing the planet Uranus seen from its closest known moon, Miranda.
#SciArt #blender
#SciArt #blender
December 5, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Today's #ArtAdventCalendar is this illustration, showing the planet Uranus seen from its closest known moon, Miranda.
#SciArt #blender
#SciArt #blender
#OTD in 1965, Gemini VII spacecraft was launched. It carried astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell on the 14-day mission – a new record for the duration of a spaceflight. The spacecraft also acted as a rendezvous target for the Gemini VI-A mission.
December 4, 2025 at 9:53 PM
#OTD in 1965, Gemini VII spacecraft was launched. It carried astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell on the 14-day mission – a new record for the duration of a spaceflight. The spacecraft also acted as a rendezvous target for the Gemini VI-A mission.
#OTD in 1639, the first recorded transit of Venus was observed by two English amateur astronomers – Jeremiah Horrocks and William Crabtree. This phenomenon was predicted by Horrocks. The observations allowed Horrocks to estimate the size of Venus and the distance between Earth and the Sun.
December 4, 2025 at 8:45 PM
#OTD in 1639, the first recorded transit of Venus was observed by two English amateur astronomers – Jeremiah Horrocks and William Crabtree. This phenomenon was predicted by Horrocks. The observations allowed Horrocks to estimate the size of Venus and the distance between Earth and the Sun.
#OTD in 2015, ESA's LISA Pathfinder satellite, a technology demonstrator for future spaceborne gravitational wave detectors, was launched.
December 3, 2025 at 10:34 PM
#OTD in 2015, ESA's LISA Pathfinder satellite, a technology demonstrator for future spaceborne gravitational wave detectors, was launched.
#OTD in 1999, Mars Polar Lander crashed on the surface of Mars, most likely due to premature termination of the engine firing prior to the lander touching the surface.
December 3, 2025 at 10:26 PM
#OTD in 1999, Mars Polar Lander crashed on the surface of Mars, most likely due to premature termination of the engine firing prior to the lander touching the surface.
Reposted
Fantastic space (etc.) artwork by @markgarlick.com:
www.markgarlick.com
I have this retro travel advert of Proxima Centauri hanging on my bathroom wall.
www.markgarlick.com
I have this retro travel advert of Proxima Centauri hanging on my bathroom wall.
November 19, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Fantastic space (etc.) artwork by @markgarlick.com:
www.markgarlick.com
I have this retro travel advert of Proxima Centauri hanging on my bathroom wall.
www.markgarlick.com
I have this retro travel advert of Proxima Centauri hanging on my bathroom wall.
Reposted
#ArtAdventCalendar #SciArt
Proxima is the nearest star to the Sun. It is a red dwarf, 1/5 the size of our Sun and 20,000 times dimmer. Here we see it seen from the surface of one of its planets. To the left one can also make out Alpha Centauri, which is a binary star with two Sun-like components.
Proxima is the nearest star to the Sun. It is a red dwarf, 1/5 the size of our Sun and 20,000 times dimmer. Here we see it seen from the surface of one of its planets. To the left one can also make out Alpha Centauri, which is a binary star with two Sun-like components.
December 2, 2025 at 10:02 AM
#ArtAdventCalendar #SciArt
Proxima is the nearest star to the Sun. It is a red dwarf, 1/5 the size of our Sun and 20,000 times dimmer. Here we see it seen from the surface of one of its planets. To the left one can also make out Alpha Centauri, which is a binary star with two Sun-like components.
Proxima is the nearest star to the Sun. It is a red dwarf, 1/5 the size of our Sun and 20,000 times dimmer. Here we see it seen from the surface of one of its planets. To the left one can also make out Alpha Centauri, which is a binary star with two Sun-like components.
Reposted
#OTD 3️⃣0️⃣ years ago, 2 December 1995, launch of the joint ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). Originally designed for a two-year mission to study the Sun, it was extended multiple times and is still operational 🧪🔭
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
@science.esa.int @americaspace.bsky.social
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
@science.esa.int @americaspace.bsky.social
December 2, 2025 at 8:59 AM
#OTD 3️⃣0️⃣ years ago, 2 December 1995, launch of the joint ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). Originally designed for a two-year mission to study the Sun, it was extended multiple times and is still operational 🧪🔭
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
@science.esa.int @americaspace.bsky.social
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
@science.esa.int @americaspace.bsky.social
Reposted
#OTD 2 December 1993, Space Shuttle flight STS-61, the first Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission, was launched with @esa.int astronaut Claude Nicollier on board 🧪🔭
@science.esa.int @exploration.esa.int @stsci.edu
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-61 #SpaceHistory
@science.esa.int @exploration.esa.int @stsci.edu
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-61 #SpaceHistory
December 2, 2025 at 9:45 AM
#OTD 2 December 1993, Space Shuttle flight STS-61, the first Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission, was launched with @esa.int astronaut Claude Nicollier on board 🧪🔭
@science.esa.int @exploration.esa.int @stsci.edu
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-61 #SpaceHistory
@science.esa.int @exploration.esa.int @stsci.edu
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STS-61 #SpaceHistory
#OTD in 2013, Chang'e 3 with Yutu rover was launched. On Dec. 14 it landed in Mare Imbrium, the first spacecraft to soft-land on the Moon since Luna 24 in 1976.
#OTD in 2020, Chang'e 5 landed in Oceanus Procellarum. The spacecraft collected 1.7 kg of lunar soil and returned to Earth on Dec. 16.
#OTD in 2020, Chang'e 5 landed in Oceanus Procellarum. The spacecraft collected 1.7 kg of lunar soil and returned to Earth on Dec. 16.
December 1, 2025 at 10:04 PM
17-year-old Yuri Gagarin at the foundry department of the Lyubertsy Steel Plant in 1951. He graduated from trade school as a foundryman and later pursued his studies at the Saratov Technical College, where he specialized in tractors.
November 30, 2025 at 8:56 PM
17-year-old Yuri Gagarin at the foundry department of the Lyubertsy Steel Plant in 1951. He graduated from trade school as a foundryman and later pursued his studies at the Saratov Technical College, where he specialized in tractors.
#OTD in 1967, PSR B1919+21, the first known radio pulsar, was discovered at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory in Cambridge, UK, by Jocelyn Bell Burnell. Pusars are now understood to be rapidly rotating, magnetized neutron stars.
November 28, 2025 at 6:44 PM
#OTD in 1967, PSR B1919+21, the first known radio pulsar, was discovered at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory in Cambridge, UK, by Jocelyn Bell Burnell. Pusars are now understood to be rapidly rotating, magnetized neutron stars.
#OTD in 1964, Mariner IV, the first successful mission to Mars, was launched. The spacecraft flew by Mars on July 15, 1965, and returned the first close-up pictures of another planet.
November 28, 2025 at 6:09 PM
#OTD in 1964, Mariner IV, the first successful mission to Mars, was launched. The spacecraft flew by Mars on July 15, 1965, and returned the first close-up pictures of another planet.
#OTD in 1971, Soviet Mars 2 spacecraft entered orbit around Mars, but its lander crashed on the Martian surface. The lander became the first human-made object to reach the surface of Mars.
November 27, 2025 at 9:22 PM
#OTD in 1971, Soviet Mars 2 spacecraft entered orbit around Mars, but its lander crashed on the Martian surface. The lander became the first human-made object to reach the surface of Mars.
Astérix, the first French satellite, was launched #OTD in 1965, on the maiden flight of a Diamant A launch vehicle from Hammaguir, Algeria. With this launch, France has become the third nation to launch a satellite on its own launch vehicle.
beyondearthsky.blogspot.com/2025/11/and-...
beyondearthsky.blogspot.com/2025/11/and-...
November 26, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Astérix, the first French satellite, was launched #OTD in 1965, on the maiden flight of a Diamant A launch vehicle from Hammaguir, Algeria. With this launch, France has become the third nation to launch a satellite on its own launch vehicle.
beyondearthsky.blogspot.com/2025/11/and-...
beyondearthsky.blogspot.com/2025/11/and-...
#OTD 110 y ago "Die Feldgleichungen der Gravitation" paper with field equations formulated by Albert Einstein was presented to the Prussian Academy of Sciences. Einstein’s field equations are a central part of general relativity, describing how matter and energy influence the curvature of spacetime
November 25, 2025 at 7:25 PM
#OTD 110 y ago "Die Feldgleichungen der Gravitation" paper with field equations formulated by Albert Einstein was presented to the Prussian Academy of Sciences. Einstein’s field equations are a central part of general relativity, describing how matter and energy influence the curvature of spacetime