Cosmic Con, 2015...
I recently become a member of Cardiff Astronomical Society. On my first meeting, I heard Phill mention something about tickets to attend Cosmic Con in Manchester, and instantly I was keen. That evening, I asked about the ticket but they had already been requested by someone else. I was gutted, but didn't think too much about it afterwards, until... the following Thursday I received an email stating that the two tickets to Cosmic Con were up for grabs!!! I got straight on the phone, without hesitation and told Phill I'd be thrilled to have them off him!
A
few days later and I'm on the road up to Manchester with the biggest
smile on my face! I was like a kid at Christmas, I was ready to burst
with excitement!!!
I met some amazing people, including the wonderful Karen & Becky, the two lovely ladies sat at my table at the Gala Dinner, to the amazing, inspirational Astronaut Kathy Thornton.
NASA'S LARGEST PICTURE EVER...
Thursday 29th January, 2015
I actually saw this image one morning whilst getting ready for work. It is thee most amazing image your eyes will ever witness; http://www.scoopwhoop.com/news/wow-nasa/
Stars, Space & NASA...
Thursday 22nd January, 2015
I have always had an interest in the stars, Space & NASA, as my cousin Christopher Greenfield has always had a huge involvement in the topics. His whole life pretty much has been dedicated to everything space related and has resulted in sending me packs of stickers, Astronaut and Mission badges and booklets about space and the International Space Station, jam packed with images and posters of the moon and Astronauts.
I am so privileged to have such an interesting cousin and one who inspires me a lot with his dedication and commitment to his job and his interests. I treasure all the items he sent me as a kid still to this day, and have the posters hanging up on my wall in my front room which are accompanied with a pair of my Bampi's binoculars for me to gaze at stars with when the night sky is clear.
Visiting Houston, Texas...
When visiting Chris and his wife Clare in Texas in 2010, whilst on our world tour, we stayed up nearly all night talking space talk. Grant even signed me up to the International Space Station Tracker, so I'd get notifications emailed to me to make me aware of when it was heading over the UK. I was hooked from the first moment I saw that little image of the ISS moving on my laptop screen LOL.
I don't have the brains that most people who are into the stars, space and NASA do, but I sure do try to understand it all. I think it's so fascinating!
Meeting Astronaut, Lee Morin...
As many of you may already know, Grant & I met Astronaut Lee Morin!!! My cousin Chris and Clare had arranged it as a surprise when we were staying with them in Houston, Texas. We had been to visit the Space Centre that day, where I'd purchased a teddy of an Astronaut, I was so happy!!! I brought him home and showed him off to my mum and dad on Skype. Chris explained a little while later that they were taking us out somewhere?! It wasn't until we parked up outside someone's house, I begun to wonder what on earth was going on. To this day, I still don't quite believe it happened...me, meeting an Astronaut!!!
We walked up this gentleman's drive, and up towards him I walked, shook his hand, and sort of heard Chris introducing me to someone called Lee Morin. Me not knowing who the hell this guy was, I asked, "Sorry, who are you?!" LOL.
My mouth literally hit the ground when I heard Chris explaining whose hand I was shaking. He repeated, "Stacey, meet Lee Morin, the Astronaut!"
As Lee invited us into his Garage/Workshop, he showed us around, whilst explaining stories of his Missions, and showed us book ends that had once been bolts for the rocket he was traveling to Space in! And that's all I could think about, was how this guy who I couldn't take my eyes off, that his hair had been in Space, and his eyes had witnessed what every other human being probably dreams about maybe at least once in their life time, of how Planet Earth looks like from Space!
As you'll get to read one day when I get my Travel Journal published into a book, a story about when I met Lee, and how when our visit was coming to an end, I felt the need to ask him a question, I just couldn't bring myself to leave without have asking an Astronaut any questions. As hard as it was to try and think of something that wouldn't sound too ditsy, these two questions just popped into my head;
"What does it feel like going up into Space?"
Lee explained that the only way he can describe it, is, you know when you go up in an elevator, and you reach your level, and the elevator sort of jerks and you get that odd feeling in your belly? Well, the feeling of going to Space is like that but for 2 weeks!
I then asked him, "What does Earth look like from Space?"
Lee explained that the only way he can think to describe it so we could try to put it into perspective, is, if you are standing up, and you sprinkle sugar on the floor, those specs of sugar granules are what it's like looking at clouds back on Earth.
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| Grant, Astronaut Lee Morin, Me & my cousin Chris at Lee's Workshop! |
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| Lee explaining the story behind his exploded book end! |
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| Lee's book end from Space Rocket! |
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| Me, Chris & Grant listening to Lee's answers to my Questions! |
What an absolute day to remember! Thanks Chris & Clare for the best surprise anyone could have ever given us! It was truly magical!
You made traveling around the world so worth it! lol :-)