By Ted Grussing
… the New Horizon Spacecraft which was launched January 19th 2006 did a very close fly by and mapping mission of Pluto some three billion miles from Earth in July of 2015 which you can view at: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170731.html . Strongly recommend this view, only about two minutes, but Pluto is out there now and this is what it looked like two years ago.
Traveling at close to 36,000 mph. it took nine years to get there and its next mission is an object in the Kuiper Belt sometime in 2019 and I think it will then begin the exit from the solar system too. One of the closest potential planets that may support our type of life form is about sixteen light years from earth; doesn’t sound too far away, but traveling at 36,000 miles per hour, it will take 298,048 years to get there … definitely need to move a little faster. It will be possible someday and then perhaps the tale told in the trilogy by Greg Bear will become a reality. Re-reading Legacy, Eon and Eternity and enjoying them as much as the several reads that antedate the current read.
Meanwhile, back on earth and specifically in the Sedona/Verde Valley area, I took this shot of Robbers Roost Rock which is situated near the SE base of Casner Mountain which rises above the rock behind it in this image. There is a switchback road you can see above the rock going to the top of the mountain and the gap between Casner Mountain and Black Mountain is in the upper left portion of the photo and you have a view into Sycamore Canyon and beyond. Just below the top about a third from the right side of the rock there is a cave from which some beautiful photos have been taken. I prefer my method of access :+) You can get the history of Robbers Roost and some photos in a great article in Sedona Monthly at:http://www.sedonamonthly.com/2015/03/hike-sedona-robbers-roost/ .
Another week underway … major infusion of espresso in about five hours and then down to Cabela’s in Glendale to have some side guides put on the boat trailer, then a stop at Watson Lake on the way home (kinda on the way) and see if we can get some more neat shots. Have a beautiful day … keep breathing … life is good as are most people. Sixteen light years just sounds so close, especially when you consider our galaxy the Milky Way is about 100,000 light years in diameter …
Cheers
Ted
…I yield myself to the thousand enchantments of sky and field and wood,
and play again like a child on the soft green of the earth.
— Max Ehrmann
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The easiest way to reach Mr. Grussing is by email: ted@tedgrussing.com
In addition to sales of photographs already taken Ted does special shoots for patrons on request and also does air-to-air photography for those who want photographs of their airplanes in flight. All special photographic sessions are billed on an hourly basis.
Ted also does one-on-one workshops for those interested in learning the techniques he uses. By special arrangement Ted will do one-on-one aerial photography workshops which will include actual photo sessions in the air.
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