12 years: carl sagan's hopeful legacy
another year has passed too quickly. on this day, i commemorate the loss of carl sagan, and this year more than ever, i'm inspired and encouraged by his legacy.
this morning i was glad to receive an email from the sagan appreciation society, quoting this letter from ann druyan:
EDIT: this has been posted on ann druyan's blog, the observatory.
also, nick sagan has his post up here.
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dear friends,
i urge you to spend a few moments watching the inspiring brief film that NASA has just put up to announce the carl sagan exoplanet fellowships. you can see it by clicking here http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/planet_quest-movies/sagan_fellows/sagan_fellows_vid.cfm or by going to http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov and clicking on video #1.
NASA's science-driven mission portfolio, its cultivation of young talent to pursue cutting-edge research, and the decision to commit its genius to a question of transcendent cultural significance, would have thrilled carl.
that this knowledge will be pursued in his name, as he joins einstein and hubble to form a triumvirate of the leading lights of 20th century astronomy, is a source of infinite pride to our family. it signifies that carl’s passion to engage us all in the scientific experience, his daring curiosity and urgent concern for life on this planet, no longer eclipse his scientific achievements.
the NASA/JPL site records 333 new worlds discovered as of this moment... and counting. we are poised on the brink of cosmic citizenship, on coming to know something of the other planets in our galactic community.
i have more hope this december than in many years. the campaign against science in the united states may be ending. we may be about to get a government that respects our laws, one that may act to protect our future.
with a renewed sense of discovery, i wish you all a good solstice and a very happy 2009.
ann
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the sagan appreciation society on youtube has uploaded the video:
high quality
so i begin another december 20th, looking hopefully towards the future.
my contribution on a pale blue dot.
7 pearls of wisdom:
Carl Sagan was such a monumental, pivotal figure in my early life and intellectual formation. Astronomical measures fall way, way short of anything capable of humanly comprehending the behemoth, massive red giant GRB importance Carl had to the whole human race... to the entire solar system. This day I once again mourn his untimely passing and hurt for the immeasurable loss of one of the greatest humans who ever walked this earth.
We miss you, and love you, and wish you were with us, Carl. You were the most brilliant result of 15 billion years of cosmic evolution.
Thanks for sharing this.
How might one sign up for such a mailing list? The web site is currently under construction. :-/
I am in love with your curiosity of space planets and exploration. I am so excited about nasa and the exploration of space I followed Phoenix from a few weeks before landing to the last communication have been following Cassini and look forward to what is next
@nullifidian, i don't think there's a mailing list yet. i'll try and find out.
Oh, my mistake. If you do find that they have one, I'd love to know about it.
Thank you.
As a red state mormon, I remember being pissed as hell at Sagan for his anti-nukes stance. He used the analogy of two men sitting in a room with a floor completely covered with gasoline, and debating on how many matches each should have. I drank the cool-aid and hated him for it. As I matured, discovered science and logic, I remember thinking that this man was wise and I was foolish; and that I from that point on in my life endeavored to never again be foolish. I do not know if I have succeeded, but I do know Sagan changed my life. To make that confession, well maybe I still have some growing up to do. Thanks TMT and keep looking to the skies, and I'll try and get my students to do so, as well as myself.
@nullifidian, the text is from ann druyan's blog, the observatory. i've edited the post to include her link.
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