“We are a way for the Cosmos to know itself.” – Carl Sagan

OOC: For those that know me, they know what a huge fan I am of Carl Sagan and the series he hosted, “Cosmos”. I was in high school when it first aired and I was memorized. It was really the first time a scientist of his caliber was able to take such a vast and complex subject and explain it in a way that all could understand. His love for science was only out shown by his desire to share the wonders of the universe with all those that would take the time to listen and learn.

I enjoyed science, having doubled up on it in high school and I loved astronomy, which I took in college, but I never pursued it as a career. Rather, I simply read what I could, watched documentaries, and from time to time, got my telescope out to gaze upon the stars. “Cosmos” sparked my desire to explore, to learn, and to expand my knowledge of the universe not only in an educational way, but also in entertainment. Already a reader of SciFi, my journeys were limited to my own imagination and those of the authors I read. Tabletop roleplaying games took me further and of course, movies and television expanded upon that. But it wasn’t until Eve Online launched, that I felt I was really getting a sense of exploring a far off, dangerous, yet wonderful place, all on my own. So, when folks ask why am I exploring New Eden, one system at time, and not only passing through each star system, but taking a moment to snap images of all the planets, well – blame Carl Sagan.

Tonight, the new “Cosmos” will air simultaneously on 10 different Fox Network channels. The original, of course, is a bit dated now, Carl Sagan has passed on and returned to star stuff, to use his own words. So it remains to be seen if this new series will have the charm that the original did. I plan on watching it with my son, who’s soon to be in high school, and I hope it lives up to my expectations and inspires another generation of explorers.

With that in mind and in honor of my return to Eve Online as well as the new “Cosmos” airing, I updated a video I had done a few years ago. Now maybe you understand why I chose the somewhat dated, maybe campy, yet full of charm narration that I chose. Carl Sagan from “Cosmos” Episode 7: “The Backbone of Night”. I hope you enjoy it.

Now, on to the real reason you’re probably wanting to read this post. Soon I will be passing 1,000 systems explored. I’m currently at 842 systems across 10 regions of New Eden with over 7,000 images in my gallery. When I pass the 1k star systems explored mark, I plan on running a contest and will give away 1 PLEX to the winner. So keep reading and following for details. Good luck!