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Tonight is the start of Yuri’s night! It’s a global celebration of the launch of Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, which was on April 12, 1961. It’s also the anniversary of the first Shuttle launch in 1981. Tonight kicks off a week of parties around the planet, and I bet there’s one somewhere near you. The Yuri’s night page has a map.
Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides, one of the founders of Yuri’s Night, sent me a note saying that there will be a pretty cool party tonight at Goddard Space Flight Center, my old stomping ground in the Washington DC suburb of Greenbelt, MD. They’ll have a huge Hubble cake (made by Charm City Cakes, which was featured on the TV show "Ace of Cakes"), which sounds fantastic. Admission is ten bucks.
I wish I could go, but I’m here in Boulder. Tonight I’ll be with my in-laws, celebrating their own anniversary, but perhaps I’ll raise a glass to Yuri. At the time, his government and mine were not on the best of terms, but even then some folks had a glimmer that in the future things would be better, and those differences would pale when viewed through the other end of time’s telescope. And here we are, not even half a century later, toasting the memory of the first human in space.
May he have billions of successors.
April 4th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
As long as Yuri having a good time that is all that matters.
April 4th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Er … anyone else notice that April 4 – 12 isn’t a “night”? It’s, like, more than a whole week.
April 4th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
I’ll flip a coin later to see if either alcohol or telescope wins for the night’s activities. (They definitely don’t work well together.) Anyone planning to celebrate next weekend in Atlanta (at the AA con), by chance?
April 4th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I will gather as many fellow space-geeks as I can here in Minneapolis to honor the first human being who flew into space, carrying the dreams of all of humanity with him.
Yuri Gagarin’s name will live forever.
April 4th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Viva socialism!
April 4th, 2009 at 3:12 pm
On the he was launched in space aboard Vostok 1, he said, ‘I will see you back on Earth!’
April 4th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Not to rub it in your face, Phil, but… I’ll be there
I’ll give the Whitesides a holla for you.
April 4th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
Was Yuri the first? There’s still some controversy over that.
http://www.onpedia.com/encyclopedia/yuri-gagarin
April 4th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
He’s still the first human in space regardless of what politics was. It always astounded me how the space agencies were able to arrange meetings in space such as docking with the MIR, which certainly required approval of both governments, even though officially they were enemies though not at war.
Gee, was it almost 50 years ago already?
@Nigel Depledge: yup, no one has any respect for words these days; surely you are familiar with anniversaries which do not recur with a period of a year? It’s a bit like Alice in Wonderland: “Nonsense. It means whatever I want it to, neither more nor less.” On the other hand, BA only claimed that one night, ‘tonight’, – whatever that may be – is Yuri night; who knows what the other nights will be called.
April 4th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
It occurs to me I have one of the coolest B-days for space history. April 12, Gagarin’s launch, and STS-1, Discovery, 1981. Nothing really noteworthy happened exactly a year later, except of course, ME, and oh yeah, the world record size tuna was caught and recorded.
April 4th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
And here we are, not even half a century later, toasting the memory of the first human in space.
May he have billions of successors.
Here’s another opinion from the nemesis of manned space flight, Prof. Bob Park.
1. SPACE: A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT ABOUT NASA SCIENCE.
Dear Mr. President: Last month you said the space agency is drifting and needs a mission “appropriate for the twenty-first century.” The new Administrator, you said, should think about “the next great adventures and discoveries under the NASA banner.” I know you’ve been busy with G20 stuff and haven’t had time to name this visionary, so in an effort to help What’s New did the thinking for whoever it will be: 1) Astronauts are a relic of the 1960’s “space race” and a major obstacle to the continued exploration of space. Therefore the ISS, which serves no useful purpose anyway, should be given to China and the crew sent home on the Soyuz. Maybe astronauts could be awarded medals for courage in fighting the Cold War. 2) Global-warming critics insist climate change is the result of solar variations and is not anthropogenic. Therefore, NASA should move with due haste to locate DSCOVR at the unique Lagrange-1 vantage point to resolve this question. 3) The greatest quest in science is to find life to which we are not related. Therefore, NASA’s robotic exploration of the solar system should be expanded to include the ocean moons of Jupiter. There should also be a ban on human visits to any planet that might harbor life; we’re crawling with bugs. 4) The great discovery of this century is the existence of planets around other stars. The bad news is that we can’t get to an exoplanet. The good news is they can’t get here. Therefore we should employ the huge advances in optical technology to develop a new generation of advanced space telescopes capable of examining exoplanets for evidence of life.
But of course, some on this blog maintain that Prof. Park doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
April 4th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
Prof PArk is oriented toward minimal cost effectiveness, which is supplied by robots. Phil, myself and just about anyone who has bothered to read Dr. Gerard K. O’Nielles book, The High Frontier believes the human migration to space is worth any investment, as it assures the survival of not only our species, but all those species we need to take with us to facilitate that survival. It’s likely that those we leave behind may only prosper thru our departure.
Life cannot remain sequestered to a single vulnerable planet. It’s just to fragile a bucket,,,
GAry 7
April 4th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Dang: Should read “,,,minimalist,,,”
Oops!
G7
April 4th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Let’s also raise a glass to everyone who was lost either directly or indirectly in their pursuit of getting us out there, shall we?
April 4th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Re Gary Ansorge
1. Human migration to space where? There is only one planet or moon in the solar system amenable to life and that’s the earth. There is no place in the solar system to migrate to.
2. What about other planets in the universe? So far, there is not a shred of evidence for the existence of another planet in the universe with similar characteristics as the earth. There probably are such planets, but the notion that humans can reach them is piffle. With present technology, it would take several thousand years to even reach Alpha Centauri, which, being a multiple star system, probably doesn’t have any planets.
April 4th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
How can it be the start of Yuri’s night if he did not launch till the 12th? This is bogus.
April 4th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Re: SLC,
“Human migration to space where?”
You partially answered your own question.
Also, this part reads better as,
“There is only one planet or moon in the solar system *currently* amenable to life and that’s the earth.”
April 4th, 2009 at 5:56 pm
Also, make that,
“…*currently* amenable to life *as we know it*…”
April 4th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
RE: SLC and Prof. Bob Park.
Russia to Unveil Spaceship Plans
Prospective Piloted Transport System
“But of course, some on this blog [think] that Prof. Park know[s] what he’s talking about.”
April 4th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Typical Russian party night. They plan on staying drunk for a good long time.
April 4th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Typical Russian party night. They plan on staying drunk for a good long time.
Gary Ansorge:
…
I suspect you meant Prof Park is oriented toward maximal cost effectiveness. But perhaps you were trying to imply that robot exploration is of minimalist cost effectiveness because it doesn’t inspire people as effectively as humanned exploration?
April 4th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
May he have billions of successors.
Of course he will! It’s morning in America, right Phil? The shiny new infallible federal government is certainly spending enough money to toss a couple billion folks into space. I’d party hardy myself, but, well, I might not have a job soon despite being educated and hard working. Maybe I can pick up some tax dodging tips from all the shiny new government officials to save a little scratch.
April 4th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
@Romeo Vitelli: there’s a controversy, all right, just as there’s
one about Moon landings. IOW, a pile of horse manure…
April 4th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Phil, you underestimate how rural some of your readers are. Ann Arbor is a good four or five hours from here. I’d hardly call that “nearby.” Though, were I still stationed in South Carolina, it’d be further, from the look of the map. Though I guess that’s why you didn’t include a wager with your “I bet.”
Ann Arbor is a great city, honestly, but the stargazing is far better here. And the meteor showers are incredible.
Weather depending, of course.
April 4th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
Phil, we have events for Yuri’s Night in Boulder too:
http://lyra.colorado.edu/sbo/public/astroday.html
I’m sure people would be thrilled if you showed up.
April 4th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Your command is my wish.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Typical of the left wing bias of this blog when it celebrates the feats of a godless commie.
Pity poor Yuri didn’t live long enough to really bask in the glory of his achievement in the long term.
@SLC
Seriously. No one is forcing you or Bob Park to participate. Manned space flight is a purely voluntary thing. We’ll send you a postcard.
April 5th, 2009 at 5:07 am
Re Shane
Seriously. No one is forcing you or Bob Park to participate. Manned space flight is a purely voluntary thing. We’ll send you a postcard.
Al long as tax money is being wasted on manned space flight, it’s not a voluntary thing. I have no objection if private enterprise wants to waste money on the endeavor.
April 5th, 2009 at 5:07 am
And…and..hic..here’s a big CHI..EE..RRS to…hic…Guri…no, I mean…Juri….[doh]…hic, hic,…I mean Yuri on the 12th…hic…hic. Now…wherzzz…hic…me glass?
John
April 5th, 2009 at 6:25 am
I actually saw Yuri Gagarin when he came to London in 1961. I am so cool…..
April 5th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Is anything going down in Atlanta this week?
April 5th, 2009 at 8:48 am
I chatted with Charles Simonyi on the space station yesterday during the 1730 pass over Ottawa. Been trying to get a space station QSO for years.
Timing was excellent to coincide with Yuri Night.
April 5th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
SLC, et al,
It’s quite true there is only one habitable PLANET in this solar system and I for one would like to keep it that way,,,by leaving,,,
A fragile ecosystem is no place for a high tech civilization to grow and prosper, but space colonies of multiple sizes, from family sized rocks to city sized behemoths are fair game for open ended development. No planets required, in fact, they’re a lousy place for a techno civilization,,, too deep a gravity well,,,very hard to get anywhere.
As I said, read Dr O’Neilles High Frontier,,,it’s cheap on Alibris, if you can’t afford a new book,,,
GAry 7
April 5th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
# sophia8 Says:
April 5th, 2009 at 6:25 am
“I actually saw Yuri Gagarin when he came to London in 1961. I am so cool…..”
I helped with decorations for the Chicago parade honoring the first Apollo astronauts to land on the moon. I watched from the 22nd floor as they drove past. I am also cool, but I must admit that you are cooler.
April 5th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
@~Sophia8 and Blizno
Well, I may be cooler than you two …because I actually got to sew together the suit that Yuri wore on that first flight into space….ah shucks…who am I trying to kid… I’m lying…and OKAY…you two are cooler
))
John
April 6th, 2009 at 6:08 am
[...] Yuri’s Night 2009 [...]
April 6th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
19 days after Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space (and the first to orbit the Earth to boot!), Alan Shepard became the first human to travel into space and land in their spacecraft. A minor point, but most international flight records require you to craft in the craft you set the record with.
Sometimes, it feels like my generation has missed out on most of the cool space firsts.
I barely remember Pioneer 11 at Saturn, and I remember Voyager2 at Uranus & Neptune, and the first space shuttle, but none of those were as hyped as Mercury, Gemini, or Apollo.
I do recall being very impressed personally by Voyager 2; it’s still my favorite space mission ever, and I consider that mission at least as impressive as Aopllo 11. (Especially since the Apollo program didn’t have Carolyn Porco and Voyager did, hubba hubba!)
April 6th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Fracking TYPO,
It should read, “most international flight records require you to LAND in the craft you set the record with.”
April 8th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
[...] Yuri’s Night showcased on CollectSPACE, Laughing Squid, and The Bad Astronomer [...]
April 25th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
[...] Night also received strong mentions from Dr. Phil Plait, the “Bad Astronomer”, Scott Beale’s Laughing Squid, the Google Lunar X PRIZE’s Launch Pad, and Dave Mosher [...]
May 11th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
[...] Yuri’s Night was in April, and a reader asked me if I would make a short welcome video for a YN party he was throwing for local kids to get them inspired about space. While the celebration was a while back, I think the sentiments here are important, so I wanted to share the video with you. [...]