Chris Hadfield

Did you know Canada..  I just have to shout my love for Canadian Chris Hadfield (born in Sarnia, Ontario).

One of the coolest guys on Twitter in my opinion, this former Royal Canadian Air Force fighter pilot is also the first Canadian to walk in space, and the first Canadian to command the International Space Station.

He has been aboard the International Space Station since December 21st 2012 and has kept the world in touch with space daily via his Twitter and Facebook feed, enlisting his sons Evan and Kyle to manage his social media presence (how awesome is that?!)

He is funny, playing a cute April Fools joke on his readers yesterday with some alien presence, he is also informative, sharing with the world what they are working on, how they accomplish daily tasks in space, he also shares gorgeous, breath taking pictures of our world.

I don't know what it is or what it wants, but it keeps repeating "Sloof Lirpa" over and over. Alert the press. twitter.com/Cmdr_Hadfield/…
— Chris Hadfield (@Cmdr_Hadfield) April 1, 2013

Are you following Chris Hadfield?

First Canadian in Space

Did you know Canada.. it was Marc Garneau who was the first Canadian in space! He took part in three flights aboard NASA Space shuttles. He was also the president of the Canadian Space Agency from 2001-2006, and in 2003 was installed as the ninth Chancellor of Carleton University in Ottawa.

He was Canada's first astronaut and he became the first Canadian in space in October 1984. In 1984 he was seconded to the new Canadian Astronaut Program (CAP), one of seven chosen from over 4,000 applicants. He flew on the shuttle Challenger, STS-41-G from October 5 to 13, 1984 as payload specialist.

In 1992-93 he underwent further training to become a mission specialist. He worked as CAPCOM for a number of shuttle flights and was on two further flights himself - STS-77 (May 19 to 29, 1996) and STS-97 (to the ISS, November 30 to December 11, 2000). He has logged almost 678 hours in space and is now retired as an astronaut.

Garneau was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1984 in recognition of his role as the first Canadian astronaut. He was promoted the rank of Companion within the order in 2003 for his extensive work with Canada's space program.

Source: Canadian Space Agency, Wikipedia

World's largest dark-sky preserve

Did you know Canada..  Alberta's Jasper National Park is the world's largest dark-sky preserve as announced by Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent Friday.

(JasperDarkSkyFest.com)

Jasper National Park, established in 1907, is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. At 11,228 square kilometres, Jasper National Park's dark-sky preserve is larger than the combined total of the rest of the world's dark-sky preserves.

A dark-sky preserve is an area that is kept free of artificial light. The purpose of a dark-sky preserve is to promote astronomy and the reduction of light pollution. Canada is just about the only country with established and extensive standards for dark-sky preserves based on the work of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

They hold a Dark Sky Festival every year as well, visit JasperDarkSkyFest.com for more information about events!

Source: jasper.travel, Parks Canada, jaspernationalpark.com, Wikipedia

Eyes to the sky

Did you know Canada.. today we could get a show in the sky thanks to
the class X2 flare erupted from sun on Tuesday and will reach Earth today. It's being reported that the solar X-ray flare on Tuesday is the largest of its type since December 2006. While causing some radio disruption in southern China it's unlikely that it will completely take out any radio or power.

This flare can enhance the northern lights making them more visible today if conditions are right. Aurora borealis, or northern lights, is a luminous glow of the upper atmosphere which is caused by energetic particles and it's these particles that are to reach Earth today.

Let us know if you see anything!

Source: CBC, Space Weather Canada, NOAA