The Mars Report - August 18th 2014

[caption id="attachment_2896" align="aligncenter" width="215" class=" "] High-Resolution Self-Portrait by Curiosity Rover Arm Camera[/caption]

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                Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today is Monday August 18^th, 2014. It has been just eleven days since my world was turned upside down and I was told that I have Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer. I am still working my way through, like, the stages of ‘grief’ (?). I think that I am to the anger part. Anyway, regardless of my personal/health situation I am going to… “Keep Moving Forward” by writing and publishing as many of my regular articles as I can manage. That being the case, today is Monday and that means a trip to Mars!

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‘The Mars Report’ is now entering its third year of publication. It is easy to keep track because I started this article series right around the time that Curiosity landed on the Martian surface. So long as I keep up with Curiosity’s Anniversaries I can keep track of just how long I have written and published this series of articles.

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As most of you, My Dear Readers, know in preparation for this article I go to the Mars Mission Web Site @ NASA/JPL[1]. I go there to take a ‘look-see’ for new and/or interesting images from Curiosity and Opportunity (Spirit is no longer ‘with’ us). When I went to check things out, for this edition of ‘The Mars Report’ I was delighted to discover that there were about a half-dozen ‘new’ images for me to share with you! That was all I needed to get me moving on this edition, and get all of us back on the Martian surface!

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Now, My Dear Readers, I am going to ask for your indulgence here. As I am still suffering from my neurological pain, and now we can add to that my pain and weakness and fatigue as a result from the cancer. Please understand that I just might use more of the descriptions and narratives from the web site than ever before. However, unlike some (recent) politicians I will properly footnote and credit the sources of the material that I ‘barrow’. I really do not like using the work of other writers, I really enjoy my writing… a lot! I just have to be honest about just how much I can do, and still get articles written and published. Better to barrow some, and publish more, than to barrow none and publish less. Yes?

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For our every first image of the day I thought it would be a good practice to share an image showing Curiosity’s current location on the Martian Surface. Curiosity is currently located in Hidden Valley. This appears at the end of the yellow line near the upper/Center/Right hand side of this image. Right below the number 705, for the Seven hundredth-fifth Sol day on the Martian surface. Curiosity started out at Bradbury’s Landing, named after the brilliant Science Fiction author Ray Bradbury.

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[caption id="attachment_3358" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Curiosity’s Current Location in ‘Hidden Valley’[/caption]

(Curiosity’s Current Location in ‘Hidden Valley’)

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While in the location ‘Hidden Valley’ rover Curiosity spots a large rock outcrop, apparently well suited for its fourth drilling operation. This part of the rock outcrop has been labeled ‘Bonanza King’. Our next image was taken while still in the location ‘Hidden Valley’ and looking up the ramp to the rock outcrop and ‘Bonanza King’. Just between you, My Dear Readers, and me? I honestly think that they should take and release more color images from Curiosity. Now I know that color images take up huge amounts of space and take substantially longer to transfer and upload. However, I think that it would make for nicer looking pages for my blog! J

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[caption id="attachment_3361" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Looking Up the Ramp Holding 'Bonanza King' on Mars[/caption]

(Looking Up the Ramp Holding 'Bonanza King' on Mars)

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Having arrived at the rock outcrop out next image looks back and downward. Gazing backward towards ‘Hidden Valley’ through a ‘Fish Eye’ lens, we look into the valley and at a portion of the rock outcrop that ‘Bonanza King’ is found. In this shot, as well as the previous image, you can clearly see the tire tracks of Curiosity in the loose Martian soil. When man, finally, arrives on the Martian surface I image that those astronauts will find the Martian surface very similar to that of the moon. Dusty, loose soil barely clinging to the Martian surface and kicked up by the slightest movement or wind.

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[caption id="attachment_3363" align="aligncenter" width="630"] View Down 'Hidden Valley' Ramp at 'Bonanza King' on Mars[/caption]

(View Down 'Hidden Valley' Ramp at 'Bonanza King' on Mars)

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I really am surprised that I have, so far, not resorted to just ‘copy/paste’ from the web site. It is quite encouraging that I am still taking my time and added my personal touch by writing all descriptions and the narrative myself! Our next image is, again, another shot from Curiosity looking back down and Northeastern into ‘Hidden Valley’. This shot is taken from the rock outcrop along side the ‘Bonanza King’ site of Curiosity’s nest drilling. You can see, in the background of this image, the foothills of our ultimate destination, Mount Sharp! I am looking forward to the arrival of Curiosity at Mount Sharp. All the incredible images, the discoveries, and the scientific experiments and insights we will gain from that location.

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[caption id="attachment_3359" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Down Northeastern Ramp into 'Hidden Valley' on Mars[/caption]

(Down Northeastern Ramp into 'Hidden Valley' on Mars)

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Now for our next image, My Dear Readers, is the candidate for the forth drilling operation by Curiosity on the Martian surface… … … ‘Bonanza King’! This is the ONLY ‘color’ image in this edition of ‘The Mars Report’. I didn’t want to put it first, and blow my best image at the very beginning. I didn’t want to put it last, and take the chance that many of you, My Dear Readers, might leave before you saw the only color image. Therefore, I made the decision to place this color image near the middle of my article. That way I am not popping my best right off the bat, and I am not so burying my best that many of you, My Dear Readers, never ‘see’ this beautiful color image. Here goes!

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[caption id="attachment_3360" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Drilling Candidate Site 'Bonanza King' on Mars[/caption]

(Drilling Candidate Site 'Bonanza King' on Mars)

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The final two images for this edition of ‘The Mars Report’ neither come from Curiosity! Here, at the end, I have decided to move away from Curiosity and show some of the work from Opportunity and NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Opportunity was one of two rover’s that landed on the Martian surface as part of the same project and very close to the same time. The other rover was Spirit. Spirit met with an untimely death when it was parked facing the wrong direction, and in an unshielded area, just before the last ‘Martian Winter’. It just didn’t make it and is sitting, in silence, on the Martian surface.

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However, conversely. Opportunity has just finished achieving a milestone in travel. It has just hit the twenty-five mile mark on the Martian Surface. This, My Dear Readers, is the single greatestdistance traveled by any man-made object, on an extraterrestrial surface, since the beginning of time! Giving Opportunity the distinction of extraterrestrial sojourner and America the nation that made it happen! Kudos to all the people responsible for the; programming, construction, launch, landing and direction of Opportunity! KUDOS! Here is the image, from Opportunity, at the end of that twenty-five miles.

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[caption id="attachment_3362" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Opportunity's Surroundings After 25 Miles on Mars[/caption]

(Opportunity's Surroundings After 25 Miles on Mars)

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Here, at the end, My Dear Readers, I just could not make it any further. I am so very proud to have made it seven pages and six images with all the description and narrative written solely by me! However, I am at the very limit my the pain I can handle and my creativity is suffering. Therefore, I am going to ‘copy/paste’ the description and information for the final image of this edition. I do hope that you understand and do not think less of me or hold it against me… that I just had to get a little help… here at the end.

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“A path resembling a dotted line from the upper left to middle right of this image is the track left by an irregularly shaped, oblong boulder as it tumbled down a slope on Mars before coming to rest in an upright attitude at the downhill end of the track. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter recorded this view on July 3, 2014.

The boulder's trail down the slope is about one-third of a mile (about 500 meters) long. The trail has an odd repeating pattern, suggesting the boulder could not roll straight due to its shape.

Calculated from the length of the shadow cast by the rock and the known angle of sunlight during this afternoon exposure, the height of the boulder is about 20 feet (6 meters). Its width as seen from overhead is only about 11.5 feet (3.5 meters), so it indeed has an irregular shape. It came to rest with its long axis pointed up.”[2]

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[caption id="attachment_3357" align="aligncenter" width="630"] An Irregular, Upright Boulder on Mars[/caption]

(An Irregular, Upright Boulder on Mars)

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With that, My Dear Readers, we come to the end of this edition of ‘The Mars Report’. I have feelings of great accomplishment, considering my current health condition, and joy! I am really feeling it. Right about now I am wondering just how long I am going to be able to keep this up? I will be forced to resort to using my Speech-to-text software… soon. That does not make me happy, as I feel that I miss out on some of the creativity that happens when fingers strike keys.

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My Dear Readers, regardless of how I make it happen? I will continue to write and publish, right here at The Other Shoe for you, My Dear Readers. Now, I would like to ask your indulgence in a personal matter. As you may, or may not, be ware I have just been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This is a very serious form of cancer of the lymph nodes.

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This cancer can be treated and with the proper drugs it responds well and I could live another 10-13 years. Aye, there’s the rub.’ I am a ‘man with limited means’. As such… I am forced to ask you, My Dear Readers, for your assistance. Below is a box. It is a box that is connected to my Indiegogo Campaign – Danny’s Cancer Treatment Fund. If you would, PLEASE, could PLEASE take a moment.. watch the video (I am pretty funny in it) and reach out and HELP me FIGHT this CANCER!

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Adieu!

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Thank YOU!

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Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo

http://igg.me/at/DannyCancerTreatmentFund/x

© 2010 – 2014 Hanning Web Wurx and The Other Shoe

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo[/caption]

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[1]http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mars/eventwebcast/index.html#

[2]http://www.nasa.gov/jpl/mro/pia18594/#.U_F8JcVdX85

FIVE HUNDRED Articles - #2 - The Mars Report

[caption id="attachment_2365" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Moving Images of Curiosity Passing Over Dune[/caption]

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.      Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today is a continuation of the celebration of the publication (lots o’ations… there) of my Five Hundredth Article here at The Other Shoe. Yesterday we celebrated this auspicious occasion with a review of ‘Lost In Space’! With less than one year in publication, this article series enjoys a large following and handsome traffic numbers. I greatly increased its readership and traffic numbers, two weeks ago, by starting the ‘Tour of Our Solar System’ mini-series.

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Initial response was very encouraging, and that was bolstered when I took our ‘Ship of the Stars’ to the very outermost reaches of our solar system; ‘The Oort Cloud’ and the ‘Kuiper Belt’. You, My Dear Readers, were mesmerized by the photos and creative imagery of this, the very outermost reaches of our solar system. It was a ‘long shot’, my turning us around and spending twenty pages and sixteen images trucking out ‘Ship of the Stars’ from the orbit of Venus, past the Asteroid Belt, five planets and six ‘Dwarf Planets’ to share the awe and splendor of these ‘little known’ regions of space    .

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Now, ‘The Mars Report’ has been a pretty straight forward affair. Well, at least since the landing of the Curiosity Rover on the Martian surface. Not many of you, My Dear Readers, will remember that we did have a ‘Mars Report’ or sorts) prior to Curiosity. I shared images from the rovers ‘Spirit’ and ‘Opportunity’ long before our current intrepid sojourner made the scene. ‘Spirit’ has ‘left us’ being taken away by bad positioning prior to and during a particularly harsh Martian Winter. I still share images from the rover Opportunity. As a matter of fact the very last edition of ‘The Mars Report’ had a spectacular image, from Opportunity as it overlooked Endeavor Crater.

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The biggest ‘take-away’ is that you, MY Dear Readers, really enjoy your images from the stars and Mars! I am all too happy to help provide your eye-candy ‘fix’. With that in mind, My Dear Readers, let us embark on a ‘celebration and review’ of this the storied series… ‘The Mars Report’!

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[caption id="attachment_28" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Curiosity Lowered By 'Sky Crane' to Martian Surface[/caption]

• Curiosity’s First Images from Mars : “This Saturday (August 5th, 2012) NASA and JPL reached the climax of the current Mars Lander/rover project, Curiosity. I was watching, on JPL web TV as the ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’ culminated with America putting the largest and most sophisticated rover on the surface of Mars. The one ton Curiosity has its own; nuclear reactor, laser drill, 20″ tires, and ten scientific instruments and High Definition cameras. Just released today, 3D images coming from Curiosity. Looking at them, I think we will all need to dig up our ‘Red/Blue’ 3D glasses to enjoy these gems.” This article is the beginning of The Mars Report. It was not until later in the series that I ‘landed’ (pun, intended) on the current title for the series; The Mars Report. I really did sit and watch, via internet broadcast on the JPL Web site, the Mars Lander successfully place Curiosity on the Martian surface @ Bradbury Point. Curiosity represented the single heaviest non-human payload ever deposited on extraterrestrial soil. They accomplished this task with the very first use of a ‘Sky Crane’ that hovered over the landing site and slowly lowered the Curiosity package to a successful soft-landing. I think I might have held my breath the majority of the ‘Seven Minutes of Terror’ along with the staff/crew at JPL. The successful accomplishment of this task has opened huge vista of exploration for NASA/JPL, and mankind. After witnessing the landing… I just knew that I had to write about the adventure Curiosity had just embarked. I had to involve and inform you, My Dear Readers, of this Herculean effort and journey. I am write happy I did.

[caption id="attachment_247" align="aligncenter" width="630"] This is a self portrait of the mast of the Curiosity rover.[/caption]

• Curiosity Update – The Mars Report – September 1st 2012: “This is our first ‘The Mars Report’ for the month of September, 2012. Since I wrote, last, the rover has moved! Yes, Curiosity has moved from the landing zone and is starting the longest journey of any extraterritorial vehicle in the history of mankind. If Spirit and Opportunity are good examples, we will be seeing Curiosity roving and taking samples and pictures in 2020. Curiosity has his own nuclear power plant and supplemental solar power, too. So, I am sitting here and looking at the images that I have uploaded for today’s article, trying to figure out which I should lead with, what image comes first? The ‘Vanity’ shot, of course! Here is an image, from the Curiosity rover, showing the tracks it has made in the Martian soil. You can clearly see the robotic arm, in the foreground, with Curiosity’s name.” This is, like, the second or third of this series. It is the first edition where I have panoramic (HD) images to post with the article. I have started to incorporate more and more of the information from the NASA/JPL web site into the descriptions of the images. Basically, I am honing my work and improving the quality of the articles in this series. Now, I am a long way from the level of work I am publishing now. However, already I am seeing that The Mars Report has the ability to drive a lot of traffic to my blog. That is welcome news, at this point, as I am (at the time of it first publication) I was working hard to raise the funds I needed for my power chair. I really do wish I could repeat that success, now. I would really like to eat on a regular basis.

[caption id="attachment_682" align="aligncenter" width="630"] On Sol 84 (Oct. 31, 2012), NASA's Curiosity rover used the Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) to capture this set of 55 high-resolution images, which were stitched together to create this full-color self-portrait.[/caption]

• Mid-May The Mars Report: “Welcome back, My Dear Readers, to the Mid-May edition of The Mars Report here @ The Other Shoe. It is a genuine pleasure to bring you this edition of The Mars Report. Reason? This is a special edition devoted to panoramic shots of the surface of Mars! This article has NO: rocks, drilled holes, tire tracks or self-portraits (well… maybe just one shot of the rover Curiosity… Have to give her props for what she does!). So without further adieu I bring you the plains and mountain of our sister planet, Mars.” At the time of the publication of this article, Curiosity had found its way out onto open areas. This allowed for huge panoramic views from the mast camera and I spared no time sharing these breath-taking views with you, My Dear Readers. This article was the very first to include a self-portrait of/by Curiosity. This series was getting better with every edition, and I was all too happy to see the corresponding increases in traffic.

[caption id="attachment_146" align="aligncenter" width="630"] This is a High Definition Panorama of the Martian horizon from Curiosity in the shadow of Mount Sharp.[/caption]

• The Mars Report in 3D! : “Welcome, My Dear Readers, to the 3D issue of The Mars Report here @ The Other Shoe. This entire issue will contain nothing but three-dimensional images from curiosity on Mars. I have wanted to bring a three-dimensional issue to you, My Dear Readers, but until this week the NASA JPL website just did not have enough images. That situation changed this week.” This edition of The Mars Report was my very first 3-D publication. I explained what kind of glasses you needed to find/use to see the images in full three-dimensions. The article received a fair amount of traffic and 19 ‘Like’s. I did not repeat this type of article. I was concerned that you, My Dear Readers, might have difficulty finding the right type of 3D glasses to full enjoy the technology. This article shows the creativity and joy that writing and publishing this series brought me. I continued to publish this series, up until my health became more of an issue… and a hindrance.

[caption id="attachment_2264" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Mars Rover Looks For Route via Dingo Gap[/caption]

• The Mars Report – January 30, 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today I am ushering in the return of one of Today I am ushering in the return of one of my favorite series of articles; The Mars Report. I remember when I announced, right here at The Other Shoe, that the rover Curiosity had successfully landed on the surface of Mars. That was more than 500 days ago, and now I bring you the most up-to-date news from Curiosity and Mars.” This issue of The Mars Report signals the, hopeful, return of this series to The Other Shoe. Curiosity has traveled a great distance, since last we checked in on the rover. We are no approaching the ‘Dingo Gap’ looking for the safest approach to Mount Sharp. In the images included in this issue you can clearly see the foothills (of Mount Sharp) in the background. The panoramic images are still breath-taking and a real draw. I hope that I can continue to update this series on a regular basis, and bring all of us more and more news from the Martian Surface.

[caption id="attachment_2720" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Bright Spot Toward Sun in Image from NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover[/caption]

• The Mars Report – April 14th 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Well, since I last published about Mars, April 7^th, there has been some hubbub about… well, a light… on… Mars! Yes, as on can well imagine, this had the blogo’sphere burning daylight. ‘An independent light source seen on Mars!’ Had very nutcase and shut-in burning up their ISPs with radical ideas about its source, and reason. My Dear Readers, if that is the ‘kind of’ blogging you are looking for… then this is not the place for you. Please exit stage left…” THIS edition of ‘The Mars Report’, My Dear Readers, serves as a great example of what I like to share and what I refuse to play into… just for ‘ratings’. In this edition I address the… ‘clap trap’ made (in some parts of the bloggosphere) about a reflection seen on the Martian surface. In just a matter of hours this reflection went from… just that a ‘reflection’ to ‘alien contact on Mars!’. Poppycock! That is why I took the time in this edition to debunk the sensationalism and share science. You see, My Dear Readers, for me... there is more than enough ‘awe and mystery’ in this mission without having to go out and search for sensationalism! Glad I decided to include this edition in this 500^th review and celebration.

[caption id="attachment_2760" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Self-Portrait by Freshly Cleaned Opportunity Mars Rover, False Color[/caption]

(Self Portrait Opportunity March 2014)

• The Mars Report – A Decade of Opportunity on Mars : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today I am pleased to present a short review of a decade of images from the Mars rover, Opportunity. Launched in July of 2003 and landing on the surface of Mars January 2004, both the Opportunity and Spirit rovers have produced images and science, consistently, for the past ten years. NASA/JPL have proved, beyond any doubt, that they can design, build, launch and guide scientific platforms like no other country on earth.” And there it is, My Dear Readers! The overwhelming feeling of national pride that comes/came with; Apollo, the Shuttle, Spirit and Opportunity, Voyager, and Curiosity! America has made itself great by undertaking the Herculean adventures into the stars! Greatness is not something one rides on their laurels and obtains! NO! Greatness must be earned… and RE-earned time and time again. Not only that but each and every time America sets a goal in space? Our children benefit greatly and ‘Look to the Stars’! What better… greater ‘gift’ can we give to our children… our posterity than the desire to reach further and further into space? It is this desire for adventure… need for expansion and drive to reach that has made America… GREAT! This is a tribute to Opportunity and Spirit. TWO intrepid adventurers sojourning on the Martian surface. There could be no ‘The Mars Report’ without; Spirit, Opportunity and Curiosity!

[caption id="attachment_2812" align="aligncenter" width="192"] Curiosity Meteor Sighting[/caption]

(Curiosity Meteor Sighting)

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• The Mars Report – April 28th 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today is Monday April 28^th 2014, and this is ‘The Mars Report’. Today I will share a duo of unique finds, from the NASA/JPL web site. Our first find is a series of five images from the Martian rover Curiosity’s ‘Right NavCam’ (Navigation Camera). Today at 4:50AM the right navcam captured a meteor falling in the distance. Now, a few eccentric bloggers are (of course) spinning this as so ‘ET’ moment. The evidence is that Curiosity’s diligence was repaid with the capture of a falling celestial body, a meteor. The next four images, below, are the images showing the falling meteor.” This edition is just chock-full with the hard science that you can come to expect from this series and my blog. In this edition I share several images where Curiosity captured a meteor falling to the Martian surface. This is the reason that I just love to share these adventures in space. My Dear Readers, I really hope that you all make the time to enjoy and revel in these moments. Aside from special moments with familty and friends… at least for me… these are the stuff great memories are made from!

((Image thanks to NSA/JPL Curiosity team and the NASA/JPL web site)

[caption id="attachment_3153" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Self-Portrait of/by Curiosity at ‘The Kimberly’ 4/2014[/caption]

(Self-Portrait of/by Curiosity at ‘The Kimberly’ 4/2014)

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• The Mars Report – June 30th, 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. I’d like to welcome you to an all new edition of ‘The Mars Report’. Thankfully, when I checked with the NASA/JPL web site today there were several new images from Curiosity. This is welcome news to be and means that you, My Dear Readers, have some great new images, from the Martian surface, to enjoy!” What ‘celebration and review’ would be complete without a link to the most recent edition of the series? Once I am done with all the writing and publication that comes with this 500^th Celebration I will get back to my regular and normal writing and publications. I look forward to that! This is a special edition in that I have shared images from both Curiosity and Opportunity in this edition. That a look and ENJOY!

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Well, My Dear Readers, that brings us to the end of this, the Second edition of the celebration of my publication of the 500^th article at The Other Shoe! ‘The Mars Report’ is such an iatrical part of the success that is this wonderful, and wondrous, blog. When I started… I started for all the right reasons..Oh, at first I was lead a bit astray. I spent too much time on ‘earthly’ endeavors… politics… elections… political posturing. I have grown in the past four years and five hundred articles. Now… much more of my time is spent in sharing; science, information, world news, and the endeavors of mankind. Oh… I will still write about those ‘other’ subjects. However, they do not have the same pull or hold on my attentions… or pursuits..

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/ILbmfgZ5Uo4]

(Mercury in Front of the Sun, Seen From Mars)

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That brings us to the end of this edition of ‘Five Hundred Articles – A Celebration and Review’ right here at ‘The Other Shoe’! I hope that everyone has enjoyed his or her time here today. Until we meet again…

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Adieu!

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Thank YOU!

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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234"] PLEASE shop at The Other Shoe eBay Store![/caption]

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http://www.ebay.com/usr/enzomatrixlt

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[caption id="attachment_2866" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Danny Hanning of The Other Shoe - May 6th, 2014[/caption]

FIVE HUNDRED ARTICLES a Reveiw & Celebration! #1 Redux

       Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. It is my sincere hope that everyone had a very safe and fun July 4^th weekend! This is the very heart of our ‘American Summer’ season, and one of the favorites for American children all over our great nation. I remember sitting atop the Herman Professional Building, right across the street from the Herman Zoo and Herman Park watching the 4^th fireworks while sitting in an air-conditioned office. Sitting and eating orange slices with my face (nearly) plastered to the doctor’s office window. What a great way to start a summer vacation!

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However, today I am here to (re)present the occasion of the publication of my FIVE HUNDRETH article here at The Other Shoe! I tried to start this celebration and review on Thursday of last week. Yet the, combined, misfortune of; the actual blog (of the primary location… where all of the 500 articles are published) crashing, and the overshadowing 4^th of July weekend threw a bit of a ‘monkey-wrench’ into my plans. Therefore, today I am restarting this incredible “Celebration and Review”!

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Today I am here to introduce an article which was originally published last Thursday, July 3^rd, 2014. Now, My Dear Readers, I am just completely baffled as to how/why every time I go to publish one of these ‘Celebration(s) & Review(s)’ this darn blog location decides to crash and burn. Yet, it does just that each and every time. I really wanted to showcase this incredible accomplishment at the correct time! I wanted to publish these articles of celebration and the reviews on schedule.

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However, if life has taught me anything it has taught me to ‘roll with the punches’! That is why today I am going to try (yet again) to publish a series of five articles over the next five days. Each day I will showcase one of the many wonderful series of articles I have published, here at The Other Shoe, during the past Four Years and FIVE HUNDRED articles! Yes, My Dear Readers, I am very proud of this accomplishment. Very proud to have written and published FIVE HUNDRED articles in a little over four years   .

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Now, My Dear Readers, as most of you are all too familiar these articles are not just a paragraph or two. Many of these articles are a dozen or more pages (when written in ‘Word’ with a 12pt font), some even exceeding twenty pages! The average article, I publish here, is about seven pages in length. A rough estimate, of the number of pages I have written, clocks in at (or just above) 5,000 pages! Yet, it is not just the length that matters! Two of my, and you’re My Dear Readers, favorite articles contain anywhere from a half-dozen to a dozen images for your viewing pleasure.
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Bottom line, My Dear Readers, is that these five hundred articles were written out of pride. Pride in my work and pride in myself. Each and every time I press ‘Publish’ I think of what my father used to tell me. “Danny, remember when you walk out that front door you represent the ‘Hanning’ family!” I still do my best to represent the Hanning Family, and I do my best to represent myself! Pride in oneself, and pride in one’s work, are attributes that I feel sure radiate from these pages.

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Even in the face of deteriorating health, increased pain and growing concerns for my new and ongoing health problems. I do my best each and every week to write and publish work that shows my pride. Now, this week is also a week where I have a C.T. scan scheduled and another doctor’s appointment. Today I will be re-publishing the first article of the Five Part Series celebrating my accomplishment. Later today I will finish writing and prepare for publishing tomorrow’s article. That way, all I have to do tomorrow is (at some point during the day) press ‘Publish’ and I will be able to stay on schedule.

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Today’s article is a review and celebration of one of the single most popular article series, here at The Other Shoe; ‘Lost In Space’! With less than a year in publication this article series has already garnered a growing number of loyal fans. Each and every week I do my best to push the limits of the images and science that I have at my disposal. Starting, last week, I engaged in a ‘Tour of Our Solar System’!

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So, without further adieu… I give you the review of ‘Lost In Space’!

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[This article was originally published Thursday July 3^rd, 2014]

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[caption id="attachment_3168" align="aligncenter" width="630"] The Dwarf Planets[/caption]

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Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today I am very happy to announce that this is my 500^th article published here at The Other Shoe! I sit here in a state of complete amazement that in just four short years I have managed to write and publish Five Hundred articles for you, My Dear Readers. Though, I feel I must be candid, it is just in the last year that I feel my writing has come into its own.

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With the publication of ‘The Horror in Smithville’ (now in its 13^th part), ‘The Mars Report’ and ‘Lost Is Space’ (now with two “Gargantuan” editions, recently) I feel that this blog has ‘found its legs’. Over the past two months my readership has fluctuated right around Fifty unique visitors each and every week! Even with my daily struggles with pain, I manage to write and publish one a regular enough schedule.

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For the next several days I will be putting my regularly scheduled articles on hiatus while I pen and publish reviews of my most popular series here at The Other Shoe. With my health and pain being my major concerns, I will work as hard as my body will allow, bringing you a series of five to six ‘review’ articles. Each one of these reviews will showcase one of the most popular of the many series here at The Other Shoe.

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Today, I am going to start with an overview of one of the single most popular article series ever! ‘Lost In Space’! This article series started March 26^th of this year, but recent editions have catapulted this series to the very top of my traffic reports!

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With interest growing with each and every edition, this view of; our solar system, nearby stars, and universes near and far has captured the imagination of hundreds of you, My Dear Readers. This is the reason that I have decided to place ‘Lost In Space’ at the top of the list of article series to be reviewed for this ‘500^th Article Published’ celebration!

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Quite honestly the ‘Lost In Space’ series was started as a bit of a lark. I was desperately searching for something ‘new’ to help drive traffic. I realized that ‘The Mars Report’ enjoyed a certain amount of success, and wondered if another ‘space based’ series might fill the need and find a ‘sweet-spot’ for readers. Little did I image that, over just a matter of a few months, that this series would find its way to the top of my traffic reports! Then, to accomplish this feat in only twelve editions… well, that is a major accomplishment!

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So, when it came time to pick which article series I was going to showcase… well, ‘Lost In Space’ was the very first to come to mind. In just the past two weeks I have published two “Gargantuan” editions of this fine article series. Each of these was over twelve pages in length and with at least a dozen images from all over our solar system. This article series may be one of the ‘new kids’ on the blog, but it has quickly some into its own!

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Now, without further adieu… I give you a review of ‘Lost In Space’ here at The Other Shoe!

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(Below is THE image that started it ALL...)

[caption id="attachment_2598" align="aligncenter" width="630"] (Hubble Looking into the Heart of the Milky Way)[/caption]

(Hubble Looking into the Heart of the Milky Way)

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• Lost in Space #1 – March 26th, 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today, and with this article, I am launching a brand-new series of articles for The Other Shoe. As you can see from the title of this article the name of this all-new series is ‘Lost in Space’. Yes, I lifted the name from a TV series I very much enjoyed as a boy. However, every month I find more and more articles, about space, that just do not fit into ‘The Mars Report’. Therefore, from this day forward every article about space exploration, space flight, experimentations and space flight, the potential commercial colonization of Mars, and/or any other article I find about space will be found here every week in ‘Lost in Space’.” And, with that, the single most popular article series (to date) was born! Little did I know with within a few short months that this article series would leap to the top of my traffic reports, and find its way into the hearts and minds of so many adoring readers. Today, every week when I look at the traffic reports I find ‘Lost In Space’ either #1 or in the top THREE articles! My Dear Readers, if you have not been around for the past couple of weeks, the last two editions of this revered article series have each been ‘Gargantuan’ issues! Both issues with a dozen, or more, images and twelve to twenty pages in length! I am very happy to place this at the top of my ‘500^th Article Review and Celebration’ this July 4^th weekend!


• Lost in Space – April 2nd, 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. A very special welcome, indeed, to this the second edition of ‘Lost in Space’! I am quite proud to announce that last week’s, premier, edition of this article helped spearhead the single largest increase in visitor traffic (at both locations) for my blog(s). It would seem, that I am not the only person that enjoys looking at beautiful images from outer space. Kudos to all of you, My Dear Readers, which visited between Wednesday and Sunday of last week as your visits helped. You helped propel my work to ever-growing levels of popularity. That’s a ‘Good Thing’!”


• Lost In Space – April 9th, 2104 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. My Dear Readers, it is not often that I take time to revel in my achievements, bathe in the glory of success. That changes, for today, now! Last week saw the second edition of this article series ‘Lost in Space – April 2^nd, 2014’. By today, Sunday, this second edition has garnered more ‘Likes’ than the first. It is this success that I celebrate and enjoy. In the past two weeks I have painted this blog with stellar images from distances many can hardly conceive. Scrolling over my creation, I feel a sense of great joy and overwhelming pride.” It is here, My Dear Readers, that it has become clear that this article series was well on its way to occupying the #1 spot… the TOP spot on my blog. There is no arguing with ‘Likes’ or traffic reports. The numbers quickly showed that this series was on its way to the top… with a rocket!

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[caption id="attachment_2725" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Galaxy M106[/caption]

(Galaxy M106)

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• Lost in Space – April 16th 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe, and welcome to this week’s edition of ‘Lost in Space’. As with every week, I have already picked out the images for your viewing pleasure. Boy, do I have a great batch of stellar eye-candy for you to view. Just like every other week, I have also done a bit of research for each image I present. Having said, I simply must tell you, My Dear Readers, that the universe around us is a wondrous place filled with amazing sights and incredible science.” With each and every passing week I bore witness to ever-growing numbers of readers of this wonderful series. Not only that, this article was pushing the traffic of my whole blog into, previously, unknown territory. I was seeing weekly traffic head up to, and passing, FIFTY unique visits per week!


• Lost in Space – April 25th, 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today I would like to welcome you to another fine edition of the space faring series ‘Lost in Space’! I have some pretty spectacular images, again, from the space telescope Hubble. As well, with each image I will do my best to share information about location, and what it is that we are looking at. However, before we get started today I would like to as just how many of you, My Dear Readers, have taken the plunge?” And, YOU, My Dear Readers, WERE “taking the plunge”! Every week I would sit amazed that the numbers… the visits and my readership continued to climb! This is just what I had always wanted for this blog… and you, My Dear Readers!


• Lost In Space – NEW May 2nd, 2014 : “Welcome back MY Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. As well, a big ‘Other Shoe’ welcome to the very first May edition of ‘Lost in Space’! Fighting back a fever and sounding like I have gravel in my lungs, I am here to do my best at delivering another enjoyable edition of this wonderful article series. Today I have prepared four images from the Hubble Space Telescope and one video.”

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The STAR of 'Lost In Space' The Hubble Space Telescope!

[caption id="attachment_2828" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Hubble Space Telescope Reaches Orbit[/caption]

(Hubble Space Telescope Reaches Orbit)

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• Lost In Space – May 6th, 2014 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. An amazing fact came to my attention, just today. You see… I have been In LOVE with; Space, Space Flight, Space Exploration, Space Images, Star Gazing, Star Maps… you get the idea, since I was like an aware human being. Like most star-nuts I have a favorite constellation. The amazing fact is that in all the editions of ‘Lost in Space’ I have not once featured my favorite constellation. Therefore, the image you see above addresses this shortcoming!”


• Lost In Space – May 20th 2014 : “From that day forward, unfortunately, the Hubble Space Telescope is on its own. There will be no more repair or upgrade missions for this twenty-five year veteran of the space program. It is gravely unfortunate that the end of the ‘shuttle era’ also spells a certain end for this member of the NASA/JPL family. My Dear Readers, I promise that so long as Hubble transmits images from orbit I will share those images with you right here on a weekly basis.” Little did anyone know, at this point, but ‘Lost In Space’ was about to make a huge change! This was the last article, of this series, that lacked… direction. To this point I had just shared images that struck my fancy, from the Hubble Space Telescope. However, starting with the very next edition… we began our ‘Tour of Our Solar System’! This was a real turnaround for the article series, and I saw traffic only IMPROVE!


• Lost in Space – Solar Tour #1 – Mercury : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Now, My Dear Readers, I promised a bit of a ‘Solar System Tour’ for this article series, many weeks ago. I explained that while I completely enjoyed showing all the wonderful images from the Hubble Space Telescope of galaxies near and far, I have long wanted to write and publish a tour of our solar system. That even now, in the 21^st century, all too many people have never seen the most recent images of all the planets in our own solar system.” This was the very first of the ‘All New’ direction for this storied article series. From this point on, this series had a direction and it was well received by all of you, My Dear Readers!


• Lost In Space – Tour of Our Solar System – #2 Venus : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Welcome to the second article in this series ‘Lost In Space – Solar System Tour – #2 Venus’. First, I would like to express my ‘Thanks’ to the NASA/JPL Magellan Team & Web Site[2] for all of the images shown here, today. Let’s start out with some of the basic facts and figures about our ‘Sister Planet’ Venus. Venus is named after the Roman Goddess of Love and Beauty. Babylonians in 1581 BCE did the first known observations of Venus. Previously known as both the ‘Morning Star’ and the ‘Evening Star’ it was the Babylonians that discovered that they were one in the same.”


• Lost in Space – Tour of Our Solar System #3 : “We leave the orbit of the planet of our birth, to pull our Ship of the Stars into orbit of our nearest planet. Now, as many of you, My Dear Readers, know we visit this planet every single week. We visit with my series of articles names ‘The Mars Report’. Just click on the link, behind you, and check out the latest edition of this wonderful series. Now, we leave the orbit of Mars, headed for our next solar destination. However, to get to our next destination of Jupiter we must pass through the ‘Asteroid Belt’!” It is here, My Dear Readers, that the BIG change started for ‘Lost In Space’! Instead of going to: Earth… then Mars… then to the ‘Asteroid Belt’? I decided to turn our ‘Ship of the Stars’ towards the Outer Reaches of our solar system. This is the 1^st of the ‘Gargantuan’ editions of this wonderful article series. As well, My Dear Readers, this is the article that really catapulted my blog’s traffic to previously unknown levels!


• Lost In Space – Tour of Our Solar System #4 : “Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today we resume our journey in our Ship of the Stars at the very edge of our solar system. We are here, out at the Kuiper Belt and the Oort Cloud and we turn our ship back towards the center of our solar system. Yet, before leaving My Dear Readers I want to spend some time here among the Kuiper Belt and the three ‘Dwarf Planets’ that make up the known parts of this distant sector of our solar system.” Another "Gargantuan" edition of 'Lost In Space' thanks to the huge subject matter I picked. The 'Kuiper Belt' and the 'Oort Cloud' are the largest... areas(?)... sections(?)... PARTS of our solar system. The Oort Cloud, by itself, is larger than the whole area taken up by all of the 'Terrestrial' planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars). As a matter of fact the 'Oort Cloud' extends to nearly HALF the distance to the NEXT STAR! I know evry difficult to wrap your head around the sizes that exist at the outer reaches of our solar system! Thankfully, the next several editions will be about single planets. They will be about the largest of the planets... the 'Jovian' Gas Giants!

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That, My Dear Readers, brings us to the end of this review of ‘Lost In Space’. In just twelve issues, this series has managed to push itself to the #1 position on traffic reports and readership. Right now we are at the outer reaches of our solar system. Here among the Dwarf Planets of the Kuiper Belt and the stellar gases and debris of the Oort Cloud we find the very building blocks of the terrestrial and Jovian worlds.

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In upcoming issues we will keep moving, in our ‘Ship of the Stars’ back through the Jovian planets and then to the terrestrial planets. I hope that everyone keeps coming back to enjoy the continuing journey of our ‘Ship of the Stars’! It is the real success of this series that has gained it the position of #1 in this the ‘500^th Article Review & Celebration’!

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My Dear Readers this is the very first article of this wonderful celebration of the publication of my ‘Five Hundredth Article’ published here at The Other Shoe! I must admit… I am really surprised that I have managed to write and publish 500 articles. That I have managed to meet this lofty goal in just four years? Is a tribute to my deeply held desire to inform and entertain you, My Dear Readers.

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I hope that you, My Dear Readers, enjoy this article… this celebration and choose to ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ this article and this blog! Every week I work, very hard, to increase readership and attendance here at my blog. My Dear Readers, I an not sure if you realize… that every single time that you ‘Like’ and ‘Share’ my work… my articles… my blog… it goes out and out and out! It is seen by an every growing and ever widening group of people.

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That means that more and more people have the opportunity to read and enjoy this blog and my work. I am very proud of the work that I do here… and I work to keep the quality of my work the best! I take a great deal of pride in my work, in the articles I write and publish. I hope that every day… every week.. and every month my desire to publish the best shows through!

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Adieu!

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Thank YOU!
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[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="234"] The Other Shoe eBay Store[/caption]

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http://www.ebay.com/usr/enzomatrixlt

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[caption id="attachment_2866" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Danny Hanning of The Other Shoe - May 6th, 2014[/caption]

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Article # 402