Mon-Jas Charan
Message Board Member
"Poena Vigoratus. Pullus cavo vix. Palma , est eternus"
Posts: 2,630
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Post by Mon-Jas Charan on Aug 31, 2010 10:11:20 GMT -5
NEWS BLOG by Kelly Beatty Jack Horkheimer Passes Away at 72 Amateur astronomy lost one its most iconic figures today. Jack Horkheimer, known to millions as public television's ebullient "Star Gazer," died August 20, 2010 at age 72. The exact cause of death was not disclosed, though he had battled chronic respiratory problems for decades.
Jack Horkheimer: Star Gazer
Always enthusiastic about viewing the heavens, Jack Horkheimer is seen here in a frame from one of the final episodes of his long-running "Star Gazer" television series. Miami Science Museum Horkheimer had been a fixture at the Miami Planetarium for more than 45 years, where he began as a volunteer and served as its executive director since 1973. But he'll be remembered most for his exuberant and often zany television persona, who helped us all appreciate the breadth and depth of eyeball-only astronomy.
The show started airing locally on WPBT in Miami, then went national in 1985. Along the way his nom de television morphed from "Star Hustler" to "Star Gazer," to sidestep aggressive web-browsing filters.
The shows are distributed free, via satellite to more than 200 stations across the U.S. and to other outlets like the Armed Forces Network. You can download any of the past year's episodes as well. Since Horkheimer and longtime planetarium colleague Bill Dishong produced several episodes in advance, the last one to feature Horkheimer — his 1,708th — will air the first week of September and feature the Summer Triangle. As always, he begins with a chortling "Greetings, greetings, fellow stargazers and ends with his signature phrase "Keep looking up!"
Beyond the enthusiasm he projected over the air waves, Horkheimer had encouraged kids to get involved in astronomy, most notably through annual $1,000 awards given to aspiring young amateur astronomers through the Astronomical League.
It's not yet clear how or if his show will continue. Tony Lima of the Miami Science Museum, home to the planetarium, says the staff is still trying to make sense of Horkheimer's passing, adding, "We at the Museum all feel this loss quite a bit." At least one month of shows will be hosted by Chris Trigg, another staffer at the Miami facility.
Horkheimer's inspiration will live on. In 2007 Cricket Books published a collection of comic strips (first seen in Odyssey magazine) featuring his madcap take on viewing the sky. Colorful to the end, "Horky" offers this amusing, self-penned epitaph in his online bio:
"Keep Looking Up was my life's admonition, I can do little else in my present position."
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Post by Leda EmBorr on Feb 5, 2011 20:01:06 GMT -5
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Post by Leda EmBorr on Mar 14, 2012 8:22:45 GMT -5
Did anyone see the conjunction last night? Through the telescope you could actually see Venus in its phase! And Jupiter's moons were very clear. www.space.com/14895-venus-jupiter-skywatching-conjunction.htmlMars was shining bright red on the other side of the sky... even my hubby was impressed with it. He was like... "oh wow its red!" Yes honey, mars is red lol
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Post by Leda EmBorr on Mar 21, 2012 7:15:31 GMT -5
This is sort of an astronomy topic.... shadowplaynyc.myshopify.com/Hubble deep space clothing!!! I wish I had thought of this lol... These look so easy to make I think I'll get some starry fabric and have a go at it! Ultimate astro-geek wear! Its cool how they printed Hubble images on the fabric though... unique!
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Post by Jedimom/Cor-Al Gelkar on Mar 21, 2012 14:27:38 GMT -5
Ooooo... I really like that. I wouldn't look good in it but I love it!
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Post by Dianakin on Mar 21, 2012 21:16:05 GMT -5
That is fantastic and very inventive......a bit of the Heavens on your clothing!!!
Diana/Daystar
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Post by Leda EmBorr on Jun 5, 2012 17:23:11 GMT -5
Anyone able to catch the Venus transit today? It just started at 6:03 eastern daylight time, and here I sit under overcast skies. Got my telescope w/filter outside just in case it clears up before sunset, but I doubt it. www.space.com/15541-venus-transit-sun-2012-guide-infographic.htmlLast time I did get to see it and I was blown away! I really got a sense of where we are in the solar system... it was profound! If you have the means to view this I highly recommend it!
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Post by Dianakin on Jun 5, 2012 19:51:48 GMT -5
I don't have a way to see it but seeing the footage onthe TV about it was fantastic!
Diana/Daystar
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Post by Jedimom/Cor-Al Gelkar on Jun 5, 2012 19:55:33 GMT -5
Yea, it was kind of cloudy here too. I love to watch over the Lake but couldn't see much.
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Mon-Jas Charan
Message Board Member
"Poena Vigoratus. Pullus cavo vix. Palma , est eternus"
Posts: 2,630
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Post by Mon-Jas Charan on Jun 6, 2012 0:10:30 GMT -5
The local Astronomy club has about 12 scopes set up in the park. Play peek a boo with the clouds but got to watch it for about an hour.
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Post by Leda EmBorr on Jun 6, 2012 17:21:13 GMT -5
Ah lucky you!!! ;D
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Mon-Jas Charan
Message Board Member
"Poena Vigoratus. Pullus cavo vix. Palma , est eternus"
Posts: 2,630
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Post by Mon-Jas Charan on Jul 23, 2012 17:25:19 GMT -5
We lost a Space Hero today - Sally Ride, the first American woman in Space. I had dinner with her one evening at Denny's ... We will miss you and all your contributions to education through Sally Ride Science.
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Post by Leda EmBorr on Aug 9, 2012 7:08:48 GMT -5
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Mon-Jas Charan
Message Board Member
"Poena Vigoratus. Pullus cavo vix. Palma , est eternus"
Posts: 2,630
|
Post by Mon-Jas Charan on Apr 9, 2013 20:02:03 GMT -5
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Post by Ani-Chay Pinn on Apr 28, 2013 22:44:36 GMT -5
Yep, that is pretty cool.
There's nothing like a little perspective to show how far away things are. The time delay to Mars is 2+ minutes at the shortest for communication with Curiosity. That pesky speed of light thing.
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