“Looking at the stars always makes me dream,” Van Gogh said, “Why, I ask myself, shouldn’t the shining dots of the sky be as accessible as the black dots on the map of France? Just as we take the train to get to Tarascon or Rouen, we take death to reach a star.”
Quietly from its exile, orbiting 375 miles above our little planet, the doomed Hubble telescope blinks, offering new observations on old light. And as reported recently in the scientific community: not unlike Van Gogh who painted �The Starry Night’ from his own asylum in Saint-Remy… fondly remembering the outdoors.
A final Shuttle mission to service the Hubble was cancelled in January, thus cutting short its spectacular life. Ex-senator and former rocket jockey, John Glenn said, “I think this kind of thing is wrong. It just pulls the rug out from under the scientists. I think they are just sort of scratching their heads, wondering why they put their faith in NASA.”
“Now I think I know what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they’re not listening still.
Perhaps they never will.”
- Vincent (Starry, Starry Night), by Don McClean
…
Even now, in failing health, scientists expect that the Hubble is diligently working on its next masterpiece.
what?
If you are not familiar with this project, you can get more info on Nasa's Hubble Project site.
On Mar.05.2004 at 02:04 PM