Birds, Rockets, Comets & Dinos

FEASTING:  No real surprise this morning's Dinovember diorama involved a Thanksgiving dinner. They looked downright civilized, and served as a nice centerpiece for our turkey day meal.

POTTERED: At 1 p.m. our time, the ABC Family channel started a Harry Potter marathon. 

Annabelle has finished all the HP books, and CJ's on the 6th of 7. Of course, the number one thing we were looking for today were sets and props we saw with our own eight eyes while at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.  

While watching "Prisoners of Azkaban," CJ and Annabelle were quick to point out the night bus, and excitedly recalled they had been inside it during the tour. 

And we saw the wacky, wonky bridge that we all walked across.

Of course, many scenes take place in the Great Hall, where the tour starts.

And it was fun to watch the shots of Hogwarts, knowing that many were filmed using this amazing model.

Taking that tour was a highlight of our UK visit. So glad that we made it out there despite being completely bedraggled from a delayed red eye flight from NYC the night before, and having zero sleep in what seemed like two days.

COLD TURKEY:  Three days ago, SpaceX was scheduled to launch an SES-8 telecommunications satellite designed to provide communications coverage of the South Asia and Asia Pacific regions. However, the launch ended in a scrub with a second or less until scheduled lift off. 

The launch attempt was rescheduled for Thanksgiving (the powers that be wouldn't let them do it any sooner, so as not to interfere with Thanksgiving travelers). 

Today started off on a cheery note, with SpaceX Tweeting: 

"Happy Spacegiving!

Tonight's launch of the Falcon 9 rocket is targeting a 5:39pm ET liftoff - the first Thanksgiving launch from Cape Canaveral since 1959."

A bit after 2:30 I tuned in for the opening of the launch window, and watched the countdown, which was aborted at the last second again. BUMMER!

The launch crew talked it over, reset the clock and the countdown started again. Yippee!!

However, it was aborted again, this time at the 20 second or so mark. DOUBLE BUMMER.

No announcement from SpaceX on what exactly caused today's delays, or when the next attempt will be undertaken.

ZOMBIE COMET:  Comet ISON watchers had been pondering the comet's fate as it was set to whiz perilously close to the sun today. Odds were that it wouldn't emerge on the other side. Just after noon today, I saw this notice from NASA in my Facebook feed. 

"Breaking up is hard to do. Our satellites can't see#comet #ISON after it made its closest approach to the sun today. Like Icarus, it may have flown too close to the sun. We will continue to learn, and we will post updates as they become available."

However, as the day wore on, other people started to weigh in. There was talk of something looking like a tail on the other side. And then talk of a nucleus (the bright object at 11 o'clock in the NASA photo below). So then came talk of a zombie comet. ... 

Comet wonks are all agog. It will be interesting to see what news tomorrow's telescope peering brings.

TURKEY ON HIGH: It probably won't surprise you to learn that the astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the ISS enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal today. The menu included irradiated turkey and freeze-dried dressing. Mmmmm! Pass the gravy!