The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
So my last update ended Sunday evening. I worked on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday I worked an overnight shift and so took the morning and afternoon off. We went to our pool. It was the first time I visited the pool since moving here. I enjoyed my time relaxing, reading and swimming laps. Then I went to work again. I was off on Thursday and we decided to go to The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Virginia. For those of you who are Transformer 2 fans, The Decepticon, Jetfire, is found at this location in the film. This is a real place near the Dulles Airport. Outside the museum is a beautiful sculpture called Ascent, by John Safer.
Once inside, we went up to the observation tower to watch the planes land at Dulles Airport. When we got up to the tower, we seemed have come to a lull in the landing. we watched several United Flights land and then several other airlines.
After a little while we went down to learn about air traffic control. Jon and I became separated from Cheryl and James. We went out to see the aircraft on display. The display hanger is HUGE! We came out in the middle directly about the SR-71, i.e. Jetfire. This a picture looking down on the SR-71.
This is from the North side of the hanger to the South side of the hanger.
This is a view of the Space Hanger, which houses the Space Shuttle, Enterprise.
This is a Jon and I walking past the Enterprise. Shortly after this, we were rejoined by Cheryl and James.
This is one of my favorite things about our visit. This is a copy of the "Sound of Earth" Record. This was sent out on the Voyagers in 1977. It basically tells anyone out in space that Earth houses intelligent life. When I was in astronomy, we learned about this record and even had a homework assignment to figure out one of its messages.
This is a picture of me on the South side of the Hanger looking North.
This is my favorite aircraft in the museum, the AIR FRANCE Concorde. It is a supersonic aircraft for transport. Sadly, they are now retired from service.
Jon's favorite aircraft was the Enola Gay. The Enola Gay was the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, Japan at the end of World War II. There is a monument to the Enola Gay in Wendover, NV.
We stopped by the gift shop on our way out the door. While nothing caught my eyes for purchase, I did enjoy trying on Amelia Earhart's goggles and scarf.
Jon and James were leap-frogging outside by the sculpture. It was a a pretty good picture.
We left the museum then and decided to drive through Great Falls, Virginia on the way home. It was a lot of fun looking at all the mansions but we got stuck in traffic. :(
Once inside, we went up to the observation tower to watch the planes land at Dulles Airport. When we got up to the tower, we seemed have come to a lull in the landing. we watched several United Flights land and then several other airlines.
After a little while we went down to learn about air traffic control. Jon and I became separated from Cheryl and James. We went out to see the aircraft on display. The display hanger is HUGE! We came out in the middle directly about the SR-71, i.e. Jetfire. This a picture looking down on the SR-71.
This is from the North side of the hanger to the South side of the hanger.
This is a view of the Space Hanger, which houses the Space Shuttle, Enterprise.
This is a Jon and I walking past the Enterprise. Shortly after this, we were rejoined by Cheryl and James.
This is one of my favorite things about our visit. This is a copy of the "Sound of Earth" Record. This was sent out on the Voyagers in 1977. It basically tells anyone out in space that Earth houses intelligent life. When I was in astronomy, we learned about this record and even had a homework assignment to figure out one of its messages.
This is a picture of me on the South side of the Hanger looking North.
This is my favorite aircraft in the museum, the AIR FRANCE Concorde. It is a supersonic aircraft for transport. Sadly, they are now retired from service.
Jon's favorite aircraft was the Enola Gay. The Enola Gay was the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima, Japan at the end of World War II. There is a monument to the Enola Gay in Wendover, NV.
We stopped by the gift shop on our way out the door. While nothing caught my eyes for purchase, I did enjoy trying on Amelia Earhart's goggles and scarf.
Jon and James were leap-frogging outside by the sculpture. It was a a pretty good picture.
We left the museum then and decided to drive through Great Falls, Virginia on the way home. It was a lot of fun looking at all the mansions but we got stuck in traffic. :(
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