On July 20th, 1969 — forty-one years ago today, and less than six months shy of President Kennedy’s deadline — Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to set foot upon the Moon.  We would land on the Moon five more times, the last being in December 1972.  Phil Plait, aka The Bad Astronomer, says it’s been too long since we’ve walked on the Moon.  I agree.

The Apollo 11 mission is well-documented, so I won’t rehash that here.  Other people have done a better, more thorough job that I could hope to do on my own.

I grew up in Huntsville, so I naturally know a lot about the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.  If you’ve never studied them, however, I’d recommend that you start with this Wikipedia entry for Apollo 11.

When you’re done, plan to spend some time on Google Moon.  If you have a recent version of Google Earth installed, you can view the same data on a 3D terrain model with integrated 360-degree panoramic photos, as well as detailed models of the lunar lander module and the American flag that we left behind.

]]> http://dimwell.net/2010/07/houston-tranquility-base-here-the-eagle-has-landed-2/feed/ 0 http://dimwell.net/2010/07/links-for-2010-07-19/ http://dimwell.net/2010/07/links-for-2010-07-19/#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:03:17 +0000 delicious http://dimwell.net/2010/07/links-for-2010-07-19/

• Dell: Windows or Ubuntu?
  I'd say it's pretty safe to assume that anyone who asks this question needs to stick with Windows.
• The Helplessness of a Father in the Internet Age
  "[T]here was a time when these kinds of threats worked, and maybe it was a good thing."

• 10 Sci-Fi Movies We’d Like to Throw Into a Black Hole
  It's rare that I completely agree with a "Top Ten" list, but this one is absolutely on-target, right down to its inclusion of Star Trek V.
• The hard choice in Afghanistan.
  Rachel Maddow: "[E]ach additional American life sacrificed to a goal we know we won't reach is a moral outrage — a moral disaster — that we have a responsibility, in this life during wartime, to stop."

• Inside [New York] City’s Last Silent Place
  My first thought, predictably: "I wonder who was in there when they were filming those scenes for 'Ghostbusters'."
• In Politics, Sometimes The Facts Don't Matter
  NPR: "A new body of research out of the University of Michigan suggests [...] that we base our opinions on beliefs and when presented with contradictory facts, we adhere to our original belief even more strongly."

• Apple posts four new FaceTime ads for iPhone 4.
  As a soon-to-be father (7 weeks and counting …), I can't see how these are anything other than a Home Run for Apple.

• YouTube moves solidly into the future by supporting 4K content.
  It's still heavily compressed, but holy crap.
• The world is subtle… and that’s why it’s beautiful.
  Phil Plait on the balance between philosophical ideals and their practical boundaries.

• Lightning Strikes Three Buildings in Chicago at Once | Vimeo
  A one-in-a-lifetime capture by Craig Chimala, shot on a Canon EOS 7D.

• "Apple of My Eye" – an iPhone 4 film
  I haven't posted much about the iPhone 4 (mostly because I'm still waiting on mine), but this is remarkable. It's a short film, filmed and edited in HD, entirely on an iPhone 4.
• The “Thriller” Diaries – Vanity Fair
  An incredible glimpse into the making of Michal Jackson's "Thriller".
• Glastonbury Festival 2010 – The Big Picture
  I make no effort to hide my unbridled love for the great American music festival, but Glastonbury absolutely dwarfs Bonnaroo. In the famous words of Liz Lemon, "I want to go to there."

Monkey-Pirate-Robot-Ninja-Zombie

I’m a big fan of Rock-Paper-Scissor-Lizard-Spock, but this is pretty awesome for two reasons:

1. Zombie eats Pirate.
2. Ninja karate chops Pirate.

All is right with the world. (From BoingBoing, via Alex.)

Luke's X-wing Fighter (Click to enlarge.)

Earlier tonight, my wife and I attended the VIP Premiere of the traveling Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination exhibit.  The exhibit opens to tomorrow at the US Space & Rocket Center here in Huntsville, AL.

I took a few dozen photos throughout the exhibit, but this is easily my best capture of the night.