Ken Carpenter

@kenastro.bsky.social

587 Followers 244 Following

Astrophysicist at NASA/GSFC. Fan of Exploration of the Universe in which we live, MD RenFest, and all things Trek & Disney. Posts are my own.

Luminous: The Symphony of Us - Epcot, 13 May 2025. In Luminous, we finally have a worthy successor to Iluminations - Reflections of Earth - beautifully done, with a story as inspiring as that of its predecessor.
Never have I been able to get actual reservations for either the lounge or the main "Space 220" restaurant at Epcot - but on a lark, I tried for walk-in seating at the bar - and after a bit of a wait, bingo, finally got in! The food was superb, though expensive as promised. :)
"The Way of Water" - Epcot, World of Nature. 13 May 2025.
The two major pieces of the Roman Space Telescope in the NASA GSFC Clean Room, as the telescope comes together before our eyes.
Hard to stay optimistic nowadays, but here are some wise words from LOTR about the value of not giving up.
Photo of nameplate on my visitor's office at NOIRLab. I got a chance to return to some old stomping grounds in Tucson last week to talk about my "Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI)" NIAC Study to a Steward Observatory and NOIRLab Joint Colloquium. Lots of good side conversations on space interferometry and astrophysics from the Moon as well.
Interesting morning clouds over Carolina Beach, NC, Nov. 28, 2024.
Cloud structure in the sky last night that looks like a "skier" coming off a ski jump.
Dramatic bumpy cloud structures in a blue sky over Maryland last night.
Blue Angels in their trademark Delta formation! Pensacola Air Show.
Thunderbirds at the Pensacola NavalAirShow. Nov 2, 2024
@topsyturvyshow doing one of their amazing acrobalance routines at the @mdrenfest on Oct. 5, 2024. With @labellian.lily and Amanda Renaud.
K. Carpenter giving a talk at the 2024 NASA Innovative Advanced Concept (NIAC) Symposium in Pasadena, CA on his in-progress Phase 1 study of the "Artemis-enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI) lunar-based interferometer concept.
A view to north-northwest from the road approaching the mountain top #CerroNoroeste, near #PineMountainClub, CA.
Photo of very long airplane contrail on deep blue sky.
A request for help in finding a Living Donor for a (partial) liver transplant for my son David.
A beautiful new stained glass Jackalope from Rockcrest Glass Studio, hanging in the dining room windows in late afternoon sunlight.
Album cover of "An Ancient Calling" by Samas, signed by Sam Carroll and Asia Lupo.
Healthy Coleus plant, before the deer invaded.