The Day of Action was a great success. More than 100 space enthusiasts from around the country traveled to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 18, meeting with their representatives in Congress to advocate for increased investments in NASA’s space science programs. Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye also met with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other leaders in Congress to advance the Society’s core enterprises of planetary exploration, the search for life, and defense from asteroid impacts. Image credit: The Planetary Society.
It’s almost eclipse season! We’ve got some great resources to help you prepare to enjoy this rare celestial phenomenon. Start with the guide to the October 2023 annular eclipse, which will also be visible as a partial eclipse over a very large area. And if you’re making plans to travel to the path of totality for the April 2024 total solar eclipse, we’ve got a handy guide to the practicalities of doing so.
Alone (for now), but far from lonely. Although humans have not yet found evidence of extraterrestrial life, the search has never lost hope. This is the theme of a new book from Planetary Society co-founder Louis Friedman, “Alone but Not Lonely: Exploring for Extraterrestrial Life.” Lou joined this week’s Planetary Radio to discuss the book, which looks at the search for life, from habitable worlds to the technologies that might allow us to explore exoplanets without leaving our stellar backyard.
A space traveler needs to know what they’re in for. Best-selling science writer Mary Roach joined The Planetary Society’s members-only virtual book club meeting this month to talk about her book “Packing for Mars,” which explores the fascinating and surprising realities of what it takes to keep humans alive and well in space. If you missed it, you can watch the recording. Want to take part in the next book club meeting? Log into our online member community. If you aren’t already a member, join today.