Crocodiles and the Kennedy Space Center

A memorial at KSC for those that have died in service to the space program.

These are the names of the seven astronauts that died in the Columbia tragedy in 2003.

A bronze plaque with the likeness of each person who died, faces the large black memorial. The seven astronauts from the Challenger are at top center.

A marker stands nearby that says, "Whenever mankind has sought to conquer new frontiers, there have been those who have given their lives for the cause. This astronauts memorial, dedicated May 9th, 1991, is a tribute to American men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice believing the conquest of space is worth the risk of life. -Astronauts Memorial Foundation."

On our first attempt to see the shuttle launch we waited at Space View Park. The launch was scrubbed that night due to low cloud coverage. The location of the launchpad was obvious to anyone who looked at the horizon.

Two days later we returned to the shores of Titusville where we saw the shuttle Discovery launch at 8:47pm Eastern time. I took this photo through my telescope. While blurry, I don't think it's half bad from 11 miles away!

The launchpad after launch. Orion is partially visible at the top of the photo.

My aunt and uncle's cat, Snorkel.

Their other cat, Sydney. They are adorable.

On Friday, December 8th, Jupiter, Mars and Mercury aligned within a degree of arc. I took this long exposure of them just before sunrise.

An osprey flies in front of the launch towers at Cape Canaveral.

A croc in the Merritt National Wildlife Refuge.

Look at those scales! Beautiful!

I'm watching you watching me!

A beautiful rainbow at Merritt Island NWR.

The Atlantic Ocean as seen from the top of a 600 year old massive mound of oyster shells called Turtle Mound at the Canaveral National Seashore. The shells deposited there by Native Americans.

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in St. Augustine, FL. It was a Spanish Fort in pre-revolutionary times, when the English, Spanish and French were trying to lay claim to the new world.

An ornately decoration spanish cannon from the 1740's. They just don't make 'em like they used to.

Fort Matanzas National Monument, outside of St. Augustine, FL.

A reenactor "held down the fort" and showed us how the Spaniard fired cannons.

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E Bay street in Jacksonville, FL

Our lightspeed trip home to Atlanta.