If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know that I
a) like Spitzer Space Telescope
b) like to educate people, and
c) especially kids.
So it was really cool when I stumbled on this wonderful animation of my dear friend Michelle Thaller, Education and Public Outreach manager for Spitzer, being interviewed by kids at SpacePlace.
If you’re wondering what she looks like unanimated (and she’s one of the most animated people I know), then here you go:
That was us in Chicago a couple of years ago. It was windy, so my shirt kept puffing out, and had nothing to do with the vast amount of good Chitown food I stuffed myself with that week.
November 2nd, 2006 at 7:19 pm
Hey, that was really cool! I liked the commercials for Spitzer.
November 2nd, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Ah, I see you were out front of Adler Planetarium for that photo. What was the event?
November 2nd, 2006 at 8:51 pm
Wow. Michelle and I went to college together, and then we taught Astronomy together at CTY for three summers. Seeing her on the blog was a blast from the past.
I’ve emailed her a hello at the last address I have for her, but if you talk to her again soon, please tell her I send my greetings.
November 2nd, 2006 at 9:39 pm
Astronomers are allowed to look this good?
November 2nd, 2006 at 10:40 pm
Only the female ones.
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:14 pm
From the same site, I learned that Kip Thorne used to play saxophone and clarinet! So did I (studied saxophone in college before switching to physics and astronomy), and so did one of my physics professors! Cool. The ties between music and science are incredible.
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:29 pm
hey, thanx for the info (:
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:29 pm
much appreciated
November 3rd, 2006 at 5:36 am
Those cartoons are really cool Phil.
So when are they going to interview you?
Like, it shouldn’t be that hard to draw a ping pong ball eith glasses on it
November 3rd, 2006 at 12:54 pm
Holy Nova!, your doctor friend is purty.
November 3rd, 2006 at 3:01 pm
Good interview, she DOES have the “excitement” of space deep in her being…
Quoting Michelle from the interview…
“I really believe that everybody in the world should be able to look at space the way we do, to know about distant planets, distant galaxies. To me there is nothing more important than telling people what we are discovering..”
This is such a “basic truth” that it makes me a bit sad to think of those who will never understand (for whatever reasons) the magnificance, and beauty of the Universe.
November 3rd, 2006 at 10:10 pm
Yeah, I got a puffy shirt too…. honestly…
November 4th, 2006 at 1:25 am
Well I spent a couple of hours following all the links and as a consequence e-mailed the link to enable my granddaughter (14) to hopefully foster a greater interest in Astronomy. With her high school assignments covering a widely diverse (oops – Tautology) field, I hope she can utilise the site for inspiration.
Yeah, I was impressed with Michelle Thaller’s work and admire the company she has. More power to her. Gee Phil, you have cool Friends.
Ivan.
November 4th, 2006 at 10:15 am
HLM said:
“Astronomers are allowed to look this good?”
Lorne Ipsum said:
“Only the female ones.”
Hey, c’mon, guys, the BA’s hardly Quasimodo.
November 4th, 2006 at 10:17 am
Thomas Siefert said:
“Yeah, I got a puffy shirt too…. honestly…”
Careful, there, Thomas – some people might start calling you a puff…
November 4th, 2006 at 10:18 am
Hey, my smiley didn’t work!
That preceding reply was meant to be tongue-in-cheek, BTW.
November 4th, 2006 at 3:18 pm
Nigel Depledge, They already do
November 5th, 2006 at 12:45 pm
Steve Eaton:
Yeah, music and math talent overlap the same areas of the brain. For instance, I’ve found it quite difficult to solve differential equations in my head while at the same time drumming to the edge of magic(sorry for the rip off there Mickey HArt).
Doh!!!
GAry 7
November 5th, 2006 at 9:56 pm
Cool, a Mickey Hart fan!
So, guys on this thread… Michelle Thaller may have once had a crush on Carl Sagan, but how many of us have a crush on her?
July 26th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Ding! And there’s an entry in the Loomis-Michael Observatory log books to prove it.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Ever since I first saw Michelle on Universe, I’ve wished that I lived where I could attend any classes taught by her. She reminds me of all of my very best teachers – from grade school through college. Animated and with an absolute love for the subject. This comes through to the student and they respond.
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August 5th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Thank you sooo much. Being an education person at NASA can be a little ego-deflating. Yes!!