November 9, 2009 - Carl's Cosmos

Carl’s Cosmos The awe-inspiring Tarantula Nebula is a fitting backdrop for remembering someone who made the wonders of the Universe accessible to a large portion of the world’s population. Born seventy-five years ago this week, Carl Sagan was a professor of astronomy at Cornell University, but he was best known as a popularizer of science, reaching and inspiring millions through his books, magazine articles, and television broadcasts. His Cosmos series became the most-watched series in public television history, and the accompanying book was the best-selling science book ever published in English. Sagan was a pioneer in the field of exobiology and played a leading role in planetary exploration. Sagan died in 1996 from a rare bone marrow disease.

Image credit: R. Jay GaBany / www.cosmotography.com

Weekly Calendar

November 9-15, 2009

Holidays - Sky Events - Space History

Monday 9

1934: Carl Sagan born
1967: Surveyor 6 lands on Moon
1967: Apollo 4 launched, first Saturn V launch

Tuesday 10

1970: Luna 17 launched

Wednesday 11

Remembrance Day (Canada)
Veteran’s Day

1875: Vesto Slipher born
1966: Gemini XII launched
1982: STS-5 Columbia launched

Thursday 12

Saturn 8° north of Moon

1833: Great Leonid Meteor Shower
1980: Voyager 1 flies past Saturn
1981: STS-2 Columbia launched

Friday 13

1971: Mariner 9 becomes first spacecraft to orbit Mars
1978: Einstein Observatory (HEAO-2) launched

Saturday 14

1969: Apollo 12 launched, second lunar landing mission
2008: STS-126 Endeavour launched

Sunday 15

1738: William Herschel born
1973: First powered flight of X-24B lifting body
1988: Green Bank 300-foot radio telescope collapses
1988: Soviet Shuttle Buran launched