Something great, something big, something very special that’s never happened before is about to happen!
On July 19, 2013, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, currently in orbit around Saturn, will be turned to image that planet and its ring system during an eclipse of the sun, as it has done twice before during its previous nine years in orbit. But this time, the images collected will capture a glimpse of our own planet alongside Saturn, in what will be the first time the Earth’s inhabitants know in advance their picture is being taken from a billion miles away.
And now, even Morgan Freeman is getting ready for that splendid and brief moment of cosmic self-awareness and global celebration of us and our lush, life-giving planet coming this Friday.
Will you be joining him? I hope so!
For the times that the Earth will be imaged from Cassini in your country and time zone, visit http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/wavea…
And if you are a photography buff or a musical composer, would love to beam your creation into space, and enjoy a challenge, consider entering one of our two contests held in association with Cassini’s imaging of Earth on July 19. The winning entries will be included in a digitally encoded message that will be broadcast into the galaxy from the most powerful radio telescope on Earth on the anniversary of The Day The Earth Smiled. NOTE: The image you will be taking for our fellow galactic citizens MUST be taken on Friday, July 19.
Go to Message to the Milky Way to find out more. http://bit.ly/13EasCp
Finally, if you’d like to find if there is a Day The Earth Smiled event or gathering near you, visit Astronomers Without Borders at http://www.astronomerswithoutborders….
And by all means, do remember on Friday to look up and smile!
Carolyn Porco
CEO/President, Diamond Sky Productions, LLC
Founder, The Day The Earth Smiled
http://carolynporco.com
http://twitter.com/carolynporco
http://facebook.com/carolynporco
Also, and as reported by NBC – you can observe the festivities online as well:
Slooh looks back at Saturn: Slooh Space Camera will be sharing imagery of Saturn as seen by the company’s remotely operated telescope system in the Canary Islands, starting at 5:30 p.m. ET Friday. “At the exact time the Cassini spacecraft is snapping pics of Earth, Slooh will be snapping images of Saturn — live and in true color, with a live broadcast team,” Slooh’s president, Patrick Paolucci, said in an email. You can watch the show over the Web, or via Slooh’s iPad app, or by clicking on the video window below.
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