The New Guy

• By Jason McCracken
• June 7, 2013
• Comments Off on The New Guy

Hello Blueshifters! Prepare to join me on a few blogs this summer as I explore the infinite out here at the Goddard Space Flight Center. “Who are you?” you ask.  Jason McCracken, meanderer extraordinaire and intern magnificent!

I was born and raised in Rockford, IL, where I became heavily involved in gaming and rock climbing. As soon as I could hold a controller in my hand you found one there and the second I got a hold of a D20 I never stopped rolling. And I’ve never felt more alive than climbing on an arête, slipping off into a 20-foot whipper. And I’ve never been more mind-blown then when I stare off into space and wonder at the amazingly impossible things that are going on.

It’s all fun and games until you get an arrow to the knee….  
Credit: Jason McCracken

Warming up before Long’s Peak in Estes Park, CO  
Credit: Jason McCracken

From Rockford I moved to Bozeman, MT, to continue my education and build a world of opportunity around me. At Montana State University I study physics and work for the Space Public Outreach Team (SPOT) as well as at the Taylor planetarium and tutoring. Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing the spark form in someone’s eye from figuring the mysteries in their universe and getting excited about their newfound enlightenment.

In the middle of Nowhere, MT, hiking with friends.  
Credit: Jason McCracken

And now I find myself here at Goddard where I can share my experiences with you as well as gain new experiences and delve into a whole new world I’ve only dreamt about.

The gravitational lensing is cool but what’s really interesting is who is orbiting who!  
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Maybe we can take a step back and imagine, like Einstein, what it was like to ride a wave of light, or ponder the outcome of falling into a black hole. How fast do neutron stars spin and what makes a magnetar tick? There are brilliant things out there and fantastic things that boggle even the most deranged sci fi writer. Hopefully I can be successful in pouring a little knowledge out but even more importantly leave you with more grand questions and great thirst for more. Allons-y!

When life hurls a star at you at 130 kilometres/second (291,000 miles per hour) do a barrel roll!
It won’t help but barrel rolls are cool.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Please feel free to leave any comments or suggestions or questions and I will do my best to acknowledge, adjust and/or enlighten to the best of my ability.

Being born on Halloween makes you special!  
Credit: Jason McCracken