On October 16, we had the unique opportunity to cover First Lady Dr. Jill Biden's visit to Patrick Space Force Base as a part of the Joining Forces initiative. The initiative contributes to three areas of support for military members, their families, caregivers and veterans. These areas include educational opportunities for military children, the overall well-being and health … [Read more...]
To Nona & Beyond: Comet Close Approach
Over the past couple of years, astrophotographers and observers alike have been graced with approximately one brilliant comet per year. In 2020, we had Neowise, 2021 Leonard, and 2022 comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF). Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was discovered on March 2, 2022, by the Zwicky Transient Facility – hence the acronym ZTF attached to the comet’s name. The comet was … [Read more...]
To Nona & Beyond: SpaceX’s 60th Launch of 2022
On Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 4:34 a.m., we witnessed SpaceX’s 60th launch of 2022. The clear conditions made for optimal viewing from Lake Nona as Falcon 9 arched over The Wave Hotel, illuminating the early morning skies. The payload included 54 Starlink satellites that were delivered to low Earth orbit. This was the first mission dedicated to the second-generation Starlink … [Read more...]
To Nona & Beyond: The Monumental Mission of Artemis I
Ever since the termination of NASA’s Apollo program, taking place from 1961 to 1972, humanity has lacked the capability to send people to the moon. However, this will soon be coming to an end with NASA’s Artemis program – the successor to Apollo. The Artemis program aims to establish a permanent human presence on the moon. This would be quite a large leap over Apollo, where … [Read more...]
To Nona & Beyond: Celebrating Space Week
Last month, we celebrated World Space Week! It was established by the United Nations in 1999 and is observed each year from October 4-10. The dates were specifically selected as a nod to two very notable space events. On October 4, 1957, Sputnik, the first human-made satellite, was sent into orbit, opening the door to greater space exploration. On October 10, 1967, the … [Read more...]