Thanksgiving In Space

A number of activities in space will mark the day, including a comet kissing the sun.

Comet ISON, which was discovered a year ago, is making its first spin around the sun and will come the closest to the super-hot solar surface at 1:37 p.m. EST. It may take a few hours before astronomers know if the comet survived its brush with the sun. If it survives, and maybe even if it doesn’t, people in the Northern Hemisphere will have a good chance of seeing the comet – or its remains – in the first two weeks of December just before sunrise and after sunset. It won’t be visible with the naked eye on Thursday, but NASA has a fleet of telescopes trained on ISON (EYE’-sahn).

For the six people on board the International Space Station – including American astronauts Mike Hopkins and Rick Mastracchio – it’s time for a traditional Thanksgiving feast. But don’t expect them to be carving a succulent bird. In a video from space, the two astronauts showed off their menu, all in small sealed packets: irradiated smoked turkey, thermostabilized yams, cornbread dressing, potatoes, freeze-dried asparagus, baked beans, bread, cobbler and what Hopkins called his favorite dehydrated green bean casserole. It comes with a view from space that is juicier than any turkey on Earth. “Though we miss our families, it’s great to be in space,” Hopkins said from 260 miles above Earth in a taped message.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.