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Posted by: mars loon Nov 17 2006, 06:44 AM

Prof. Jim Bell of Cornell University will present “Postcards from Mars: Spirit and Opportunity Roam the Red Planet” at a lecture on 12 December 2006 on the campus of Princeton University at 8 PM in Peyton Hall (Ivy Lane). Free and open to the public. UMSF forum members especially welcome. The lecture is sponsored by the Amatuer Astronomers Association of Princeton. Please visit the website or contact me for details:
http://www.princetonastronomy.org/

Prof. Bell will also be signing copies of his new, highly praised book “Postcards from Mars: The First Photographer on the Red Planet”.

Today (publication day) I received a stack of copies and my review is that its FABULOUS. The book is glossy with high quality reproductions and quite current. Mars fans will love this book. There are over 10 fold out panoramic panels of 3 and 4 pages in width. So now you can savor and contemplate the images. And its vastly superior to a computor monitor.

Although most of the content ends around Sol 600 or so due to publishing deadlines, Jim did manage to include some late breaking and striking images from Home Plate and Erebus. Only the latest images from McMurdo and Victoria are not included.

The book is divided into 3 chapters focusing on the prelaunch history, followed by details on Spirit and Opportunity and concluding with a brief postscript of late breaking images

ken

Ken Kremer

Program Chairman
Amateur Astronomers Association of Princeton

http://www.princetonastronomy.org/
mailto: ken@princetonastronomy.org

Posted by: djellison Nov 17 2006, 08:15 AM

I was fortunate enough to recieve a copy earlier in the week and it is spectacular. Just enough written word to give the sort of background I was hoping for, but enough images to make anyone go "ooooooOOoooo" I was going to write a little review for here - but Emily said exactly what I would have said over at the blog...

I just hope someone took pictures of the MiniTES team's keyboard that morning.... (you'll have to read it to find out why )

Doug

Posted by: PhilCo126 Nov 18 2006, 09:30 AM

Any chance we could directly buy 'autographed' copies ?
( Maybe bulk-order for interested UMSF forum-members )

Post Scriptum: I can contact Dr Bell as a start? http://marswatch.astro.cornell.edu/resume.html

Posted by: mars loon Nov 20 2006, 05:39 AM

I may be able to help with this if people are willing to pay for the book plus the additional shipping and handling charges.

Please contact me quickly in case I need to order additional books

again, the lecture is open to all and please let me know if you wish to attend

ken

Ken Kremer

mailto: ken(at)princetonastronomy(dot)org

Posted by: Stu Nov 20 2006, 08:40 AM

VERY tempting, seeing as Amazon have so BADLY let me down with this book. I ordered it on Nov 1st, and was told delivery within a week... then a two week delay was announced... they've now just informed me I won't get the book until the start of January. Not happy.

Looks a great book.

Posted by: paxdan Nov 20 2006, 09:40 AM

hmm amazon.co.uk still give a delivery estimate of: 22 Nov 2006 - 24 Nov 2006 for me.

edit: have updated post to clarify i'm buying from amazon.co.uk not .com

Posted by: djellison Nov 20 2006, 09:58 AM

.com and .co.uk will be very different.

Doug

Posted by: jaredGalen Nov 20 2006, 11:32 AM

Might I suggest you edit the email address just for the sake of reducing the chance of getting extra spam and things.

Posted by: PhilCo126 Nov 20 2006, 05:11 PM

Well, I have contacted Dr Bell an he wrote:

Quote:
I would be happy to sign a personal copy of the book for you or any other member of the UMSF forum. Please include a self-addressed return package (box or large envelope) with the required return postage.
End Quote

His Cornell University address can be found at website:
http://marswatch.astro.cornell.edu/resume.html

O.K. that's settled then
Philip
http://mars-literature.skynetblogs.be/

Posted by: Airbag Nov 22 2006, 06:43 PM

I'll be at the Princeton meeting Ken mentioned; if anybody has any questions they would like to ask Dr. Bell just post them here and I will do my best to relay them.

Airbag

Posted by: Airbag Nov 23 2006, 04:31 AM

Apparently it is also possible to just send him an email directly

Airbag

Posted by: mars loon Dec 12 2006, 05:42 AM

Reminder:

Prof. Jim Bell of Cornell University will present a lecture titled “Postcards from Mars: Spirit and Opportunity Roam the Red Planet” on 12 December 2006 on the campus of Princeton University at 8 PM in Peyton Hall (Ivy Lane). Free and open to the public.

Sponsored by the Amatuer Astronomers Association of Princeton. Please visit the website or contact me for details: http://www.princetonastronomy.org/

Prof. Bell will also be signing copies of his new fantastic new book “Postcards from Mars: The First Photographer on the Red Planet”.

Read the big article in the Mon Dec 11 issue of the Trenton Times on the front page of the Science Section on p. B1


Post you questions here and Airbag and myself will try to get answers ! or send a quick email


ken


ken@princetonastronomy.org

Posted by: ustrax Dec 15 2006, 10:58 AM

So? How was it?

Posted by: mars loon Dec 15 2006, 03:29 PM

It was absolutely fantastic ! ...................

and the biggest crowd I have ever had hosting a speaker and in fact the biggest crowd in the history of our astronomy club.

The room was filled to the brim with over 160 for ca. 100 seats. Many people sat on the steps, which were also full and it all worked well with the stadium seating.

The night was a mars loons and a mars lovers dream.

Jim is a great guy, very engaging, knowledgeable of course, quite humerous and able to connect perfectly with the crowd. He presented his favorite images (frequently with animations of the full wide pans) from both rovers, including the latest from Bottomless Bay, Cape St Mary, MuMurdo etc. Following his talk he answered audience questions for over half an hour, then we had to finally brake for the book autographing because it was getting late into the night.

The team has not exactly decided the future path for Spirit, except to go back to Home Plate. Spirit's driving ability are not clearly known, except that forward progress is likely to be much slower. Oppy will continue clockwise around Victoria for now, while they look for a safe path in and out. He said they definately want to try and drive in. Especially since this is likely to be her final resting place with the nearest target of interest ca. 10-15 km distant.

So as they all say, "We'll See"

It was my priviledge to host him and chat with him along with my good UMSF friend Airbag. Perhaps we will post some pictures. His talk is completely different from other team members I have attended including Steve Squyres, Steve Gorevan and Matt Golembek. more comments later as time permits.

By all means, you should leap at the speed of a dust devil for the "opportunity" to attend a talk by Jim Bell, The lead scientist

For those who may be interested I have a few autographed book copies remaining.

ken

PS: Oh yes, also a great big shot of Ultreya ... El Dorado

which reminded me of you ! and this great UMSF forum

and we three also mused of knowing the rocks and terrain at Gusev and Meridiani, better than our own backyard!

Posted by: ustrax Dec 15 2006, 03:41 PM

Aaarghhh!!!
Why are all this miles in between?!

I'm really happy for the success of the initiative and for the growing interest around space science that the MER mission provided.

I believe that great part in that success has to do with the people leading it, Jim Bell is really a great scientist and, for what I've been reading, a better person.

Maybe, someday, an opportunity to attend a talk occurs in this side of the Atlantic...someday...

Ahhh...how I envy you guys...

Posted by: Airbag Dec 15 2006, 04:04 PM

Chat with him? We went for a beer and enjoyed dinner with him too!!!

It was indeed a great evening as Mars Loon wrote above.

Airbag

Posted by: Airbag Dec 19 2006, 01:47 AM

Mars Loon asked me to post some images of the event, so with your indulgence...

Airbag

PS In case you are wondering Mars Loon is the one the left, and Jim is on the right.

Posted by: ustrax Dec 19 2006, 03:59 PM

The dinner looks good...

Posted by: PhilCo126 Dec 19 2006, 05:23 PM

Thanks for sharing those photos...

Posted by: mars loon Dec 24 2006, 02:15 AM

Ah yes, well I left out some good stuff (like intimate rover details over beer ) to allow Airbag to have some fun

really hope you do get to attend a rover scientist talk ! otherwise, perhaps on my next trip to Europe .....

ken

Posted by: mars loon Dec 25 2006, 10:13 PM

A Martian Christmas present

Today, after celebrating Christmas and opening the presents from Santa with the kids I had a chance to read the paper. To my surprise and glee, a great article about Jim Bell's recent talk appeared prominantly in the local paper (The Trenton Times) on the top of p. 3.

here is the link to the article titled:

Mars talk is out of this world
Scientist discusses search for evidence of water
Monday, December 25, 2006
The Trenton Times (New Jersey)

http://www.nj.com/news/times/index.ssf?/base/news-2/116702321579070.xml&coll=5

plus I have a few more crowd shots to post shortly

ken

PS: I have a few "autographed" copies remaining of "Postcards from Mars" by Jim Bell for those interested

ken@princetonastronomy.org

Posted by: volcanopele Dec 26 2006, 12:54 AM

I only caught the latter part of the talk. Nice comparison to donut purchases (apparently 9 billion dollars per year) in response to the cost of the MER mission.

Posted by: Bob Shaw Dec 26 2006, 01:02 AM

I believe there was a famous comparison between US $ spending per capita on Apollo at it's peak, and ice cream.

Ice cream won by a mile.

Bob Shaw

Posted by: ustrax Jan 5 2007, 12:42 PM

http://space.com/entertainment/070104_bell_mars.html

EDITED: Ooops, already on another thread...

Posted by: PhilCo126 Feb 12 2007, 07:34 PM

Received my book this evening via Amazon.co.uk and the publication looks fine. I like both the format ( 30 X 30 centimeters ) and the quality glossy pages. Photos & panoramas cover Spirit as far as sol 751 and Opportunity as far as sol 666. One thing I miss is the JPL photo-number at each image, which is always a good reference to find the image in different formats in the online JPL Planetary Photo Journal.
I fully understand Doug's idea to wait the mission out and publish a complete mission overview book, as I want to see more than 190 pages
Overall 8/10 for this superb hardcover book!