Happy 30th to the Shuttle!!!

http://fstoppers.com/space-shuttle-program-turns-30-takes-an-epic-picture/

Visiting with Dr. Kip Thorne

What did you do last Friday? Well, we hung out with Dr. Kip Thorne, casually conversed about such light topics as Black holes, Wormholes, and winning friendly bets. Oh, does that sound interesting to you? We call this: just another Friday in the Intersection of Art & Science.

You may have heard of him - he is only known for his prolific contributions to gravitation physics and astrophysics and is one of the world's leading experts on the astrophysical implications of Einstein's general theory of relativity. He is a longtime friend of Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan and was the Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics at Caltech until recently.

After traveling through the architecturally AMAZING Center of Astrophysics and Astronomy building at Caltech, Kip gave us an overview on his new discoveries in the science of black holes including the different gravitational rotations after passing the event horizon. We discussed colliding black holes and the intense gravitational waves they produce, sending space and time into wild oscillations moving all the way to us, but too small for us to detect alone. With the help of computers, they are able to test and observe things never seen before. It is so exciting to hear his excitement while discussing the new observations and what that means to the study of our universe.

We had a chance to hear about the bets he has placed with Stephen Hawking which of course we already knew about but nothing beats a first-hand story..and with pictures!

He also mentioned, in passing, the big Hollywood movie he is working on - I see another LASS-O outing in the future.

Dan Goods - JPL Artist in residence

“Our current view of the universe, to quote Albert Einstein, is "not weirder than we do imagine, but weirder than we can imagine." That said, we have no choice but to observe the universe through human eyes and brains. How can we even start to make sense of it? 

One answer might be to call in the artists. For thousands of years, people have used art to explore ideas that humble, confuse or even frighten us. (Michelle Thaller, Spitzer Science Center)”

Dan Goods, the JPL artist in residence, has come up with a solution to ease the understanding of the universe, as well as making the public more comfortable with it. The solution that Goods has come up with, is using the intersection of Art and Science. Exactly what LASS-O is aiming to achieve by the end of this course, Goods does everyday of his professional career.

Goods graduated in 2002 in the graphic design program at Art Center College of Design. Throughout his studies he was always interesting in science as well as art and design. Once he graduated he decided to follow his true passions and combine them into one. Even though the job of a resident artist didn’t exist, Goods was determined and persistent in creating this into his career, which he then turned into a prominent position at JPL.

Who knew that an artist was the one thing missing from the JPL team? Goods role at JPL is one that has revolutionized the way JPL can communicate.

“During the day I am the “Visual Strategist” for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where I develop creative ways of communicating. My work ranges from art pieces in museums, to ways of communicating to politicians. (Goods)”

With his knowledge of both science and art, Goods has taken his work outside of JPL. With his work being shown all over the world Goods has become one of the first of his kind to have viewers understand the intersection of Science and Art.

Topanga National Park was great. The location was perfect for what we needed. Unfortunately, however, being by the coast meant quite a bit of air moisture, including some light clouds. This wouldn’t have been quite as bad if the moon hadn’t been out at ‘high midnight,’ which reflected off the moisture in the air.

Nevertheless, everyone was set up and ready to go. And all things considered, our photos were great, especially considering the weather.

Now, I say, “the weather.” Most people normally wouldn’t say there was weather. The sky was, after all, clear. But when the moon reflects off the moisture that there is, you get an effect quite similar to car headlights in fog at dawn. So, all things considered, we did pretty well if you take a look at the shots.

Moreover, Scott was great. He brought two telescopes with him, centering one on Mars and the other on the Orion nebula, glowing green from the release of energy of the excited ions of gas. The aura was amazing. We all really enjoyed the work that Scott put in for us (and did I mention he made our barn door trackers for us? Thanks, again, Scott!).

    (Photo of the Orion nebula taken from Wikipedia)

A few of us went to the beach afterwards in separate groups to see what we could get there. My group ended up just north of Santa Monica pier. We took some fun shots of the ocean and the sky around us, eventually heading back from a great night around 3.

     A shot I took and edited to get some funky effects :-)))

    Apparently, wide-angle lenses are the best for capturing UFOs mid-flight.

    Santa Monica Pier blown out against the night sky around 1:30AM.

All in all, for a first run, this was a great night!

AND!!!! Scott is apparently planning to hold an event open to the public for anyone that might want to go out and take some great shots at night! We'll get more info on that later!

Ashley Zangle : Astrological Engineering

Some work by Ashley Zangle
http://ashleyzangle.com/

JPL Designer & Animator: John Howard

On Wednesday, January 26^th, we met with JPL resident animator John Howard. He entertained us with his personal animation reel of work he has done over his career then gave us a look at the pieces he has created for JPL. Howard started with his history and career in the animation field beginning with his education, which began in Science.

I think many of us are deterred from our curiosities and deep interests in science when we must face a particular unfriendly necessity: calculus. While Howard had a deep affection for science, calculus drove him to another passion of his in Studio Art. He graduated with a BA in Studio Art from University of California, Santa Barbara with an emphasis in Photography and Printmaking in 1980. When studying for his MFA at the University of California, Los Angeles, Howard fell in love in 3D computer graphics. Though this technology was only in it’s developing stages, he knew where this was headed and had a deep interest in the process. He completed his MFA in Electronic Imagery in 1984.

After graduating, Howard was immediately hired as a senior technical director at Omnibus Computer Graphics where he worked on animation based projects such as Flight of the Navigator. He continued working in the Hollywood Film Industry and opened up his own company, Viewport Images, in 1991.

Although he had a successful run in the film industry, Howard grew tired of the Hollywood scene. He closed his company in 2004 and pursued one that could combine his talents in animation and his interests in space and science. He contacted NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and to his surprise, there was an opening.

John Howard has been working with JPL since February of 2005 and has been creating remarkable animations of our solar system and beyond for JPL, NASA, NASA TV, media and for public viewing. He helps scientists and engineers simulate how a satellite will operate and orbit, how a rover may move and collect data. Howard takes the static designs of the engineers and makes them move and react on other planets and in space before they have even been launched.

In addition to his animation work, Howard also designs logos and branding for the many projects at JPL/NASA including the Building Curiosity project which showcases the Mars Curiosity Rover that we are all excited to see launch later this year.

As a graphic designer and amateur animator, it is exciting and encouraging to speak with John Howard. Hearing his life story and insights are uniquely valuable to me and his work is an inspiration to everyone at JPL.

Imitation Black Hole Created on Earth

"Yes, we've managed to create a black hole...or at least the optical equivalent of a black hole's extreme, light-trapping properties thanks to an ingenious combination of lasers and glass. Best of all, it offers proof of Stephen Hawking's famous radiation."

Read the rest http://io9.com/5652229/imitation-black-hole-created-on-earth-using-lasers-and-pure-glass