Today NASA announced that the Space Infrared Telescope Facility is being named the Lyman Spitzer Space Telescope. I think this is quite a fitting thing to do in memory of a man who contributed so much to astronomy. I had the opportunity to spend some time talking with Dr. Spitzer when I was doing research on the history of the Hubble Space Telescope for Hubble Vision back in the early 1990s. He was a delight to talk to and to me he sounded just like Vincent Price, especially over the phone.

Today is the grand unveiling of the Spitzer Telescope’s first “glory” images, and they are glorious indeed! To whet your appetite, here’s a great image of a distant galaxy.

And, put a link to the Spitzer Space Telescope site in your links — I have a feeling there’ll be great things coming from them in the months and years ahead!

P.S. Update on availability of Visions of the Cosmos: the publisher tells me it is due to be stocked at Amazon.com (see links at left) no later than Dec. 22, 2003.