Get Out of the Way, Earth

Here we have my rather sad attempt at photographing the lunar eclipse of early Tuesday morning. There will be thousands of better shots, but this proves I did actually get up early to witness this pretty cool event. Given, I probably wouldn't have bothered if I weren't working at 4am -- so the timing was perfect, as the eclipse peaked at 3:37. There must have been 50-75 people up on Mt. Tolmie to check it out. Pretty incredible thing to wrap ones head around, the aligning of just three celestial bodies. I'm reading a novel about the early days of the space program right now -- it touches breifly on how they launched the two Voyagers at the precise moments that would allow them to hit most of the planets, timed to use each planet's gravity to shoot onto the next. Some pretty complex math involved in that. The book is 'Space' by James Michener, which I'd recommend to any fellow space buffs. Fictional, but based on history -- an entertaining read. It's culminating right now in a 'what if' scenario, as in, what if there'd been an 18th Apollo mission. The book has inspired me to get back into model rocketry, something I loved doing as a kid. I've built one rocket and flown her five times. 'BETHANY ONE' will fly again, soon as I can get back to the hobby store for more engines!

Well, we're just about into September -- a big psychological milestone in the year. Back to school, that's big at our house as Bethy returns to teaching. Also the start of the hockey season -- that will keep me busy with playing and reffing. Junior hockey gets going early September too. At my work, Sept. is both the start of a new fiscal year and a ratings period. All levels of government get back to work in a serious way come Sept. An exciting time! It's been an unforgettable summer, despite the iffy weather.

I need a nap.