Futures Past "A Visual History of Science Fiction" Due Out in November **UPDATE**

Wow, lots of news about publication of really superior Science Fiction.

Jim Emerson just sent me a note, with his "Editor Hat" on to let us know about "Futures Past" described as a Visual History of Science Fiction, which will be available in November of this year (2014).  

Jim makes it clear that this is no "one trick pony" printing 1 volume, done, and gone.  Nope, this will be the first of a 50 (that's right fifty volume set!!!) volume series that will cover 1926 to 1975.  And talk about comprehensive! Each will cover all the SF books, films, magazines,  and more, in exhaustive detail, with a great number of full color illustrations as well.  The hope is for this series to be the "most comprehensive history of the field ever".

The first volume will be for the year 1926 (which Jim tells me is available right now, and I suspect that it will be one hell of a treat.  Here is the website - www.sfhistory.net 

**UPDATE**  Jim sent me a note that it is year 1926 that will first be available and that volume is available right now!  Please check the website for more information. (ed. PAC) 

Kickstarter YA Novel Star's Reflection by Gail Arthur Eddy

Now here is something interesting and right down our alley (as science fiction BMU devotees)

Casey Wolf just sent me a note on how you might help sponsor a book through kickstarter.

The author is Gail Arthur Eddy and the title is Star's Reflection.

Here is what Casey wrote about the young adult novel  in her note:

• Set in modern times and in a temple of Hathor in Egypt, it is evocative and exciting. Through the agency of an ancient mirror, and the determination of young girls, an old wrong must be righted and a Priestess Path safeguarded.
• Gail's first novel, Mella Mella, was short-listed for the Governor General's Award.

I have had a quick look at the campaign and there is a support level to match anyone that is interested in doing so.  

Episode 419 of Beam Me Up is online!

In my opening comments I talk about "Future Diary" an excellent anime series all so I can play the opening theme for same!

Next a review of "RIO pt2" in short, calling it a turd is doing it a favor.

I always like the week where I get to run another episode of IPS.

This week Episode 28 of In Plain Sight written and narrated by Jason Kahn, 28th months from the talented Mr. Kahn 2 and 1/3 years and he is still going strong.  I honestly hope he decides to compile these great stories into an ebook, that would be so great!

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has again spotted something on Titan of  scientific interest.  Plus some trivia on Titan.

It is no suprise that I really like the concept of 3d printers.  Now that they are becoming affordable and easy to operate, the are becoming much more prevalent, even NASA is taking up the reigns for
the devices.

And catch up on the darkest material yet...it's wild!

And the final story for the afternoon is "Even a Non-Corporeal Can Get Lonely by David Scholes

Summer Storms are Blowin on Titan

Computer models have long predicted the onset of storms in the atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft has finally been able to capture these storm clouds over Titan's  northern sea  Ligeia Mare.  The storm being tracked was producing very Earthlike winds of  7 to 10 mph.

Storm clouds have been documented on Titan's southern latitudes since Cassini arrived in 2004, during Titan's summer in the lower latitudes.  But until 2010 when Titan entered summer in the northern latitude, no clouds had been seen until now.

The picture here was obtained in July 2014 as Cassini receded from Titan after a close flyby.

I would hazard a guess that most of us suffer from hubris when thinking of a Titan year being analogous to a Luna year here on Earth. (for those of you scratching your head and saying umm luna year is the same as Earths because it travels around the Sun with us...well no...a "year" is one orbit around the primary by a secondary or satellite.  Luna year apx. 29 days) Titans year however is 30 Earth years and a season is about 7 EYs.   Wow do you start to get the scale of things out in the gas giant arena?   Luna orbits Earth so fast because it is so freakishly close!

You can read the rest of the Astronomy Magazine article HERE



http://www.astronomy.com/news/2014/08/cassini-tracks-clouds-developing-over-a-titan-sea

3D Printed Telescope?!

Wow, what a weird co-incident! Justin, one of my anime guys and I were talking about the effects and the possibility of 3D printing and up comes this article from the Adafruit blog concerning NASA's experimenting with a complete 3D build of a telescope.

 NASA Aerospace Engineer Jason Budinoff  aims to complete the telescope by the end of the fiscal year, and afterwards, the entire assembly will undergo vigorous testing to assure that it is space worthy.

Read the rest of the very interesting addafruit article HERE