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Posted by: Stu Dec 24 2010, 09:30 AM

Ok, I'll start - Merry Christmas to everyone on UMSF!!

Posted by: Tesheiner Dec 24 2010, 10:30 AM

My best wishes to everyone.

Posted by: dilo Dec 24 2010, 10:33 AM

Very well done, Stu!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holydays to all UMSF friends!

Posted by: Astro0 Dec 24 2010, 11:16 AM

Last year I wrote a Mars Rover version of http://www.unmannedspaceflight.com/index.php?showtopic=6370&view=findpost&p=152404 to mark the festive season.
To continue the tradition, I hope some of you enjoy this... I had to change very little, because the words still ring so true

All the best to everyone on UMSF. Stay safe and well. Enjoy time with family and friends.
We all have so much to look forward to in 2011.

Be merry,
Astro0

----------

With respect to the New York Sun newspaper and its famous reply to a query from Virginia O'Hanlon near Christmas 1897.

YES VIRGINIA, OPPORTUNITY HAS REACHED SANTA MARIA

Dear Editor
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say that the Mars Rover Opportunity will never reach the crater Santa Maria. Papa says, "If you see it online, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is Opportunity at Santa Maria?
- Virginia McGregor

Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds.

All minds, Virginia, whether they be adult's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours, humans are mere insects, ants, in our intellect as compared with the boundless worlds about us, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, Opportunity has reached Santa Maria. She got there as certainly as the love and generosity and devotion of the Rover Drivers exists, and you know that they abound and give their life its highest beauty and joy.

Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no craters like Santa Maria! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in limited sense and sight. The external light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Opportunity reaching Santa Maria! You might as well not believe that a Rover could reach Endurance or Gusev or Erebus or Husband Hill or Victoria or Home Plate. You might get your papa to hire men to watch all the computer screens on Christmas eve to catch sight of Santa Maria, but even if they did not see Santa Maria images coming down, what would that prove? Not everyone will see Santa Maria, but that is no sign that Opportunity did not reach there.

The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor adults can see. Did they all see dust devils dancing on the dunes? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders that are unseen and unseeable on Mars.

You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love and the romance of space exploration can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond.

Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else so real and abiding. Behold Santa Maria crater! Thank Opportunity! She lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times 10,000 years from now, she will continue to make glad the heart of childhood and the Spirit of exploration.

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Dec 24 2010, 04:12 PM

Nice one Astro0. Can't wait to read next year's, Yes Virginia Opportunity has reached Endeavor Crater? Yes Virginia Spirit woke up?

Posted by: Lunik9 Dec 25 2010, 10:55 AM

To all UMSF forum-members: All the best for the New Year 2011 !

Posted by: Ron Hobbs Dec 25 2010, 09:34 PM

Happy Holidays to everyone from Stockholm! I was up north along the Arctic Circle in the village of Vuollerim talking about the Moon and trying to see the lunar eclipse. Didn't see the eclipse, but I did inspire a bunch of the young people in the village. Maybe we will bring the Solar System Ambassadors (or something like it) to Europe yet.

What a season! Oppy at Santa Maria, storms on Saturn, etc., etc., etc. Thanks to all of you for the great images and information. All the best to you. Here's to a fabulous 2011.

Ron

Posted by: JohnVV Dec 27 2010, 02:30 AM

http://www.imagebam.com/image/cb4947110799553
or
http://www.imagebam.com/image/9f206b110801742

Posted by: Astro0 Dec 31 2010, 07:22 AM

Happy New Year planet Earth!!!!!

See you in the future

Astro0

EDIT: Midnight and it's 2011 in Australia!!! Woo Hoo!
Have a great one everyone on UMSF!!!

Posted by: Mirek Dec 31 2010, 10:25 PM

Happy 2011 to all members of UMSF.

It's gonna be a great year... Messenger at Mercury, Dawn at Vesta, launch of MSL, Kepler etc...

Posted by: Fran Ontanaya Dec 31 2010, 11:52 PM

Happy new planetary revolution from Spain.

Posted by: djellison Jan 1 2011, 04:24 AM

It's been a hell of a year for me personally - and in no small part because of the places UMSF has taken me and the people it's put me in touch with.

Happy New Year everyone - this next decade should be legen...

wait for it

dary.

Seriously - this year alone... Stardust NeXT, Messenger, Dawn, Juno, MSL, Grail, Endurance Crater...the list just goes on and on.

Posted by: nprev Jan 1 2011, 05:30 AM

A good year approaches; already here for a great many of our members.

All the best to all of us. As usual, there will be unexpected triumphs, and unexpected challenges...which will always be met. At all times, there will be here a remarkable and refreshing view of another year of the exploration of our Solar System and beyond that we will share in a way not possible before...truly a gift of not only technological progress, but also a gift of the time & effort of those talented "amateurs" who graciously contribute their time and effort to see what cannot be seen otherwise.

I wish that I could list you all, but I'm afraid to do so for fear of omitting anyone (even though I'm a robot, I am squishy inside). Suffice to say that you have enriched many people personally, and human culture and experience as well; that's something lasting and meaningful, and it matters.

I do wonder (but will never know) just how many young people will be inspired to pursue careers in science, and especially the space sciences, based on your efforts. We'll never know, but I am certain N</=1...and that's enough. This is a net good for the world.

Peace and good tidings to you all.

Posted by: ElkGroveDan Jan 1 2011, 05:37 AM

All things considered, I preferred the movie version.

Posted by: Bobby Jan 1 2011, 08:23 AM

Happy New Year to everyone here at UMSF & our 2 Rover Buddies.

Posted by: eoincampbell Jan 2 2011, 03:03 AM

Belated best wishes for an exciting year to all at UMSF, the best site on this world

Posted by: volcanopele Jan 2 2011, 03:49 AM

I don't know, in Demolition Man, LA got flattened by the Big One of 2010...

Posted by: antipode Jan 2 2011, 11:58 PM

Yeah, but the damned aliens imploded Jupiter! And told us to keep the hell of Europa while they conducted their little genetics experiment!

The nerve - and on OUR turf

P

Posted by: nprev Jan 3 2011, 12:30 AM

Yeah, really! The least that Roy Scheider should have done was negotiate a rental agreement for the Jupiter system...several quadrillion bucks a year, easy, and no modifications to the property without prior authorization from the landlords!

Posted by: machi Jan 3 2011, 10:36 AM

We solved this problem in Space Odyssey 3000 .

Posted by: remcook Jan 3 2011, 03:12 PM

Happy new year everyone!