Thursday, July 30, 2015

The unwritten letter


One of the most serene and breathtakingly beautiful places I have visited so far, includes the sleepy town of Rameshwaram. It is hard to say what makes this place so special. It has its own charm and hits you with its simplicity. I first read about this place in "Wings of Fire". The most true description of this place. Rameshwaram undoubtedly has given us one of the most inspiring, lovable and genuine person, technologist, President and teacher of not only India, but the world. 

Past couple of days have been in disbelief. Avoiding to write, yet reading each bit of news and experiences about the great personality. It is really worth a thought, how every single person who has met him, has a positive incident about him to share. I don't remember when was it that I read this book. It was gifted to me. It changed my perspective. About myself. About dreams. About chasing dreams and a journey called life. It felt that I have known this person. What was it that I connected with is still hard to say. Ever since I read the book, I wanted to meet him. A person so great in thought, character and action. Yet, so humble and down-to-Earth. With roots attached on ground, and head held high. Don't know what is so charming about him- the ease of making any dream come true, the capability to break through the 'religion' label, or the art to smile through any situation. I could never meet him. I had read somewhere that he did respond to letters written by students. I wanted to write one. Unfortunately over the years, it took a back seat, and was lost in the chaos of thoughts of the mind and life. Missed it. The unwritten letter. 
Why do we tend to forget the little things that make us who we are? Why do we forget the important people, books, personalities who influenced us? 

Dear Kalam Sir, you are a true hero. Heroes live forever. Thank you for giving us wings of fire and igniting our minds. You definitely touched several lives. You live forever, in our hearts.

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Get yourself to do that something you always wanted to-even if it is as simple as writing a letter. Life doesn't give a second chance. Though I could never meet him, I feel indirectly connected by two things- One, that I could work for a while at the organisation where he did- ISRO. And two, I got an opportunity to visit Rameshwaram and the lands end- Dhanushkodi. 


Mandapam to Pambam 

Dhanushkodi

Dhanushkodi


The rail bridge seen from road bridge




Tuesday, July 21, 2015

A historic day







20th July, 1969. A giant leap for mankind, Apollo 11 landed on the only natural satellite that faithfully orbits the Earth. The first time ever man set foot on a body outside Earth, first time ever the samples got back to study, an incredible journey of exceptional technology (Saturn V, one of the best ever), and courage. It is hard for us to even imagine what it must have been like. Apollo 11 started a whole new adventure and a science for humanity. We proved, that no boundaries exist for the human mind. If an idea is conceived, then definitely there is a way to achieve it. It set a new benchmark for space science and exploration (and ignited a passion for outer space in many little minds).

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/apollo11.html

Do watch the video on NASA page. 

(For any Apollo lovers there, one of the best books I have read about Apollo missions is "Man on Moon" by Andrew Chaikins. I agree that Apollo 11 should be a separate blog too).

20th July, 1976. Viking 1 lander touched the surface of another planet- the Red Planet Mars. It beamed the pictures of this amazing planet leaving us spellbound. After so many years, our curiosity has only built up, and Curiosity (the robot geologist) carries the legacy forward of the landers of Mars. A science initiated by the Viking. Viking performed experiments there like a dedicated student and excelled, the laboratory being a whole new planet to explore. It went on to make discoveries about the Martian atmosphere and the surface too. 

http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/viking.html


20th July 2015. Happy 2nd birthday to " I, my kaleidoscope and the world"--about myself, my beliefs and views and my way of life. My colorful and sometimes a black and white kaleidoscope. About the world- its amazing rocks, and out of the world too! It's been a great ride around the Sun. A happening year too, learning a lot, completing more than a year as a teacher and mentor. Much more things which would rather be undone, but these are 'experiences' at the cost of mistakes. Lessons learnt. Life goes on :) All your wishes may not be fulfilled, but then do you thank for all your blessings?

I wish to express a huge THANK YOU to each one of you who spend their precious minutes and read this blog (nearing 2000 page views, which means a lot for me). It isn't only a blog for me, it is a small space I have of myself to express just a handful of the innumerable thoughts that rush through. A medium to say things which I would not have otherwise. I write for fun. The flow of thoughts and emotions which come with writing are satisfying (try it! ). I may not have been the best daughter or sister or friend, but every new day gives me a chance to improve. 

Every 20th July may not be historic. Still, no day is ever the same, be sure you make the most of every new day. Smile a little more, fret a little less, love lots, dream big and keep travelling! Don't keep these as a 'to-do' list for tomorrow, there may be none.



Keep reading, it keeps me motivated. 

Thursday, July 16, 2015

A New Horizon

A whopping 4.8 billion kilometers. An enduring 3460 plus days of nail-biting countdown. A 700 million dollar spacecraft and thousands of curious hearts ! 




It has been over 2 days for the historic flyby of the New Horizons spacecraft to Pluto. Reaching your destination can be a long affair. And one of immense patience too. But the New Horizons spacecraft has it all. Enduring and patient, it cruised in nothingness for a flyby to Pluto. A technological feat, whose planning began well before it was launched in January 2006. The road to Pluto was challenging and demanding. But now its Pluto's time to shine! :) 
Enough of artist's illustrations for Pluto, it has its own identity now-a colour, a precise size, terrain, features and much more! 

As Dennis Overbye puts in an excellent New York Times column,
"None of us alive today will see a new planet up close for the first time again."

More than 9 years back, all we heard was about the elusive Pluto (in fact the curiosity around Pluto begins well before its discovery in 1930, the story of its discovery is too interesting). Nothing extraordinary size-wise too. A small, frigid body, at the edge of the solar system moving in a weird orbit, that poor Pluto was even demoted to a dwarf planet. It is for the first time Earthlings get to see Pluto in close-up. And well, it is beautiful. It has surprised us with its thin atmosphere and geology too. 

To get to Pluto, take a left at Jupiter. The New Horizons spacecraft, launched in 2006, used a gravitational slingshot boost from Jupiter to speed its way. 
-Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute


It is a time to celebrate, not only for scientists and technologists behind it, but for every single being who are witnessing this. I would always want something astronomical to witness in my lifetime (something like Man landing on Moon :P), and I must admit, this is one of those moments, I am glad I am alive to cherish Pluto's first scientific photo-op. Hope Pluto has more surprises packed for us ( Can you imagine, New Horizons send us data back from 3 billion miles ?! ) New Horizons is also making sure it is doing some serious science in the little time it has. It may eventually lead us to answer fundamental questions about solar system, its origin and formation, Kuiper belt objects, composition, geology, atmosphere of these and much more). 

New Horizons Payload

Credits: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute.

This piano sized spacecraft with its army of seven instruments does the reconnaissance around the dwarf. A visible, infrared and an ultraviolet spectrometer, a radiometer, a telescopic camera, energetic particle spectrometer. The SDC (Student Dust Counter) is inspiring as it is built and operated by students (measures the space dust)

So what does this dwarf look like (apart from the big heart)? The high resolution images show icy mountain ranges estimated to be rising more than 3 kilometers. Surprisingly, it also shows smoother areas (no impact craters implies younger surfaces) which means that Pluto is awake and kickin' (active and youthful; internal processes?). Considering the proximity to the Kuiper belt, it also means that it has survived impacts and collisions. It is quite possible that it is still active (what if New Horizons could catch a glimpse of the activity if it occurs! Woaahh, asking for too much there). 





The mountains on Pluto likely formed no more than 100 million years ago--mere youngsters in a 4.56-billion-year-old solar system. This suggests the close-up region, which covers about one percent of Pluto’s surface, may still be geologically active today. 
-NASA

Charon doesn't stay behind in surprising! Canyons, rigged terrain, darker mysterious regions, cliffs. What more would you expect from a tiny object? Mind blowing indeed!



Must watch the animation view of Pluto through the years. 
https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/views-of-pluto-through-the-years

Ruler of the underworld is exposed by Earthlings, kudos to the NASA and New Horizon team. Just as I finish writing this, the "encounter mode" is over and a "cruise mode" is on again :( However we will continue receiving the data for 16 months with an extremely slow transfer rate.

An incredible story has just begun. 

(Meanwhile, the stress of waiting was reduced by the comical strips, really clever :) ) 


Pluto




P.S. 
Stay focused, even if it means taking years to get what you want. Worth it! <3 

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Source:

http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Pluto/index.php

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/overview/index.html

http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/nh-fact-sheet-2015_1.pdf

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/news/index.html

All images: NASA

Sunday, July 5, 2015

A virtual world



Virtual
ˈvəːtʃʊəl,ˈ-tjʊəl/
adjective
COMPUTING: 
not physically existing as such but made by software to appear to do so.

Are we living in a virtual world?
We hear this word more than often these days. Virtual friends, virtual relationships. While several prefer to stay in touch through the condition 'no calls, whatsapp only' or 'emails preferred' specifications. Sometimes, it is easier to talk or rather 'chat' than the conventional one-to-one conversation.So much so, that in a group, usually seen, everyone seems to have head down into their 'smart'phones and connecting to some one through the virtual web.

Why do we fail to appreciate the physical presence of people these days? 

A hundred 'likes' would make us more happy than someone coming up to you and telling you how beautiful you looking in that new blue dress! That is how much a person is attached to his or her virtual self than the real self!

So, does this virtual self also obey they psychological laws of traits and personalities? Well, it is complex. Social interaction and behavioral research has reached a whole new level (I won't be surprised if a new branch of psychology is made for this).
Technology was created for simplifying life. Not for the replacement of human connection. 

Or are humans done with the socially interactive wiring of their brains? And unconsciously drifting towards evolving into a species that are happy or content in a figment of a virtual world.


Is it fulfilling? 

I may have a thousand friends (on Facebook) yet I am sitting alone in a cafe sipping my favorite coffee. I may chat with several people in a day but nothing beats the feeling when a person looks into your eyes and smiles. (On a lighter note, somewhere I read, quitting Facebook is like the new adult version of running away from home, all know you are doing it for attention and you'll be back :D ) 


While virtual life undoubtedly has several pros ranging from marketing to networking to rapidly conveying news to entertainment to getting information (which may be false at times),  to communicating instantaneously; how much 'space' it should get in your life is a personal affair.
Life is easy and a click away, no doubt!

Are the thoughts created by the mind also virtual? 
Unless these thoughts turn into action they remain in the imaginary sphere. 
Well, at least virtually you can live the life you want!

A real life seems far off, while a virtual life is just a click away!

(by the way, I happened to delete my WhatsApp account temporarily and feeling liberated than ever. It saves me a lot of anxious moments (also minus the sleep procrastination) Do it..for a day at least!)

There's a fine line between the real and virtual. Hope you identify that line. Goodnight! 

P.S.:
Using a virtual medium to convey this.

:)