ad astra per aspera

to the stars, through hardship. blog run by firlalaith

[todayspace]

pinned post - last updated june 10, 2026

CREDITS

*The banner is a photo by astronaut Don Pettit from space in January 2025 as the sun began to rise over a cloudy Pacific Ocean. It is a long-exposure image that displays the wide band of the Milky Way Galaxy above the aurora and airglow that shine closer to Earth's horizon (paraphrased from a description of the photo on NASA's tumblr)

*The icon is an artist's imagining of one of the Cassini probe's final orbits before it plunged into the atmosphere of Saturn and burned up, just a bright streak of light between Saturn's rings and the gas giant itself.

*blog title is the motto of Starfleet in Star Trek. It's Latin for "to the stars through hardship".

NOTES

*Please ask questions if there's something unclear. I try to explain things but there will always be something I think is obvious and basic knowledge that isn't either of that to someone who hasn't grown up reading tons about space and space exploration.

*Speaking of, posts about space exploration might end up being very American centric since I have easy access to information about NASA and its history. I highly encourage folks to send in asks letting me know about space exploration based in other countries, even if it's just "hey can you tell me more about this person, they were the first astronaut from my country to go to the ISS". Half the reason I made this blog is because I want to learn more.

*Politics is an unavoidable topic in space exploration, as is talking about the contributions of companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin. Both are going to happen here, but they will be tagged so that you can block those posts as needed.

*If spoilers for a book, tv show, or movie are a concern for you, they will be tagged with their full title so you can block as needed (you can also ask me what tag i intend to use for them).

*I do not do special tags for triggers (except for death and sexual assault type content). I will not make any on request, but you can ask what I do use.

[todayspace]

space poll #16: how long does it take light from the sun to reach saturn?

40 minutes

80 minutes

13 minutes

8 minutes

5.5 hours

1 hour

22 minutes

4.16 hours

250 minutes

80 hours

8 hours

42 minutes

Voting ended on2h

Googling the answer before voting allowed and the answer is in the notes.

[todayspace]

It takes 80 minutes for sunlight to travel from the sun to Saturn.

Other numbers used were either random or the time it takes sunlight to travel to various random objects in the solar system.

[bisexualbaker]

Happy Moon Landing Eve! Remember to leave out milk and cookies for Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, and don’t let Michael Collins convince you to prank NASA!

[bisexualbaker]

If Tumblr is still here next July 19th, I fully expect this post to obliterate my activity feed.

[todayspace]

space poll #17: where on the moon did Apollo 11 land?

oceanus procellarum/ocean of storms

mare tranquillitatis/sea of tranquility

Fra Mauro

Hadley-Apennine

Descartes Highlands

Taurus-Littrow Valley

Remaining time: 6 days 21 hours

Note: as usual, answer in reply or you can google it before voting.

[blasteffect]

Saturn by JWST

[todayspace]

Image description: a photo of Saturn that makes its rings look like they're glowing on a field of black with tiny white specks (stars)

[todayspace]

space poll #16: how long does it take light from the sun to reach saturn?

40 minutes

80 minutes

13 minutes

8 minutes

5.5 hours

1 hour

22 minutes

4.16 hours

250 minutes

80 hours

8 hours

42 minutes

Voting ended on2h

Googling the answer before voting allowed and the answer is in the notes.

[todayspace]

One day left

[todayspace]

Can We See the American Flags Left on the Moon by the Apollo Astronaut

Guests at public star parties often ask us, “Can we see the flags on the Moon erected by the Apollo astronauts over 50 years ago?” This ques

Posted june 30 2023

[nemfrog]

Saturn and six moons. Voyage dans les mondes. 19th c. Jean Macé.

Gallica

[todayspace]

Image description: black and white print of Saturn with its six largest moons around it

[staticbluue]

“People should pass a test before being allowed to have kids.” “Isn’t it scary how white people have this inborn capacity for evil?” “I’ll never pass because males and females have different skull shapes.” “Autistic people have a stronger sense of justice than anyone else.” “I don’t want AMABs in my space because they’re dangerous.” “You shouldn’t have access to hormones if you dress like THAT.” “Anyone who does something that awful isn’t human.” “Some people really shouldn’t be allowed to vote.”

This is eugenics. This is phrenology. THIS IS NAZI SHIT, YOU ARE A LEFTIST BUYING INTO NAZI SHIT. YOU ARE NOT IMMUNE TO NAZI SHIT.

[raptorliver]

Cassini plunges past the inner rings

details under cut vvv

and heres like a less saturated thus more accurate version, i think

i like this one. makes Cassini pop more

[todayspace]

Image description: a series of photos of a painting of the Cassini probe against the backdrop of Saturn's rings. Everything is in beautiful shades of brown.

[todayspace]

space poll #16: how long does it take light from the sun to reach saturn?

40 minutes

80 minutes

13 minutes

8 minutes

5.5 hours

1 hour

22 minutes

4.16 hours

250 minutes

80 hours

8 hours

42 minutes

Voting ended on2h

Googling the answer before voting allowed and the answer is in the notes.

[todayspace]

I know I give you all the go ahead to look it up before voting but it still amazes me to see how many of you picked the right answer.

[junkfoodcinemas]

EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE (2022) Dir. Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert

[geeseareassholes]

[dduane]

NASA spacecraft wakes up to continue groundbreaking mission beyond Pluto | CNN

NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft recently came out of hibernation to continue its journey through an unexplored part of the solar system.

[todayspace]

CNN article above posted july 16, 2026

NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft Wakes from Hibernation in Good Health - NASA Science

Following its longest hibernation period ever of nearly a year, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has emerged in good health and is ready to be

^ posted july 7, 2026

NASA's New Horizons probe just woke up from hibernation 6 billion miles away beyond Pluto. What's it doing out there?

"All these discoveries from pioneering missions like Voyager and New Horizons teach us how little we know about what lies beyond."

^posted july 8, 2026

[bobbole]

The rings of Saturn. Voyager 2 - 1981

[todayspace]

Image description: a colorful photo of Saturn's rings. The image is rotated so the rings point upwards, inside of downwards as the image is normally depicted.

From NASA's website:

"Possible variations in chemical composition from one part of Saturn's ring system to another are visible in this Voyager 2 picture as subtle color variations that can be recorded with special computer-processing techniques. This highly enhanced color view was assembled from clear, orange and ultraviolet frames obtained Aug. 17, 1981, from a distance of 8.9 million kilometers (5.5 million miles). In addition to the previously known blue color of the C-ring and the Cassini Division, the picture shows additional color differences between the inner B-ring and outer region (where the spokes form) and between these and the A-ring."

[todayspace]

space poll #16: how long does it take light from the sun to reach saturn?

40 minutes

80 minutes

13 minutes

8 minutes

5.5 hours

1 hour

22 minutes

4.16 hours

250 minutes

80 hours

8 hours

42 minutes

Voting ended on2h

Googling the answer before voting allowed and the answer is in the notes.

[detailedart]

Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, 25.01.25, by Manusia dan Langit (composite picture of the alignment also called “planet parade”)

[mimosa-sexypeople-contests-2026]

Tumblr Sexyman Contest 2026 Final Round

Senshi (Dungeon Meshi)

Ryland Grace (Project Hail Mary)

Mr. Ant Tenna (Deltarune)

Remaining time: 1 day 53 minutes

Tenna art by @9Aaaalt29 on twt

[todayspace]

Vote Grace