[ExI] Birthday Wishes to Ray Bradbury

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(Forwarded from the Cassini Huygens list)

How? The Planetary Society Makes It  Easy

Earth's foremost Martian, Ray Bradbury, turns 90 on August 22,  and you can
help him celebrate by sending a personal birthday message. The  Planetary
Society is collecting birthday greetings on its website from  well-wishers
around the world to make a giant card for Bradbury.

"I first  read your books ["The Martian Chronicles"] as a teenage bride in
Africa under  the light of a Tilly lamp with bugs and mosquitoes buzzing
round me. Never  forgotten!" reads one fan's message for the card.

Bradbury's  extraordinary body of work includes "The Martian Chronicles,"
"Fahrenheit 451"  and a vast collection of stories, poems and plays. Many
space scientists and  engineers cite his imaginative journeys to other worlds
as a source of  inspiration to them to pursue careers in planetary
exploration. His famous  collection of stories, "The Martian Chronicles," traveled to
the planet Mars  aboard the Phoenix lander as part of a mini DVD created by
the Planetary  Society, entitled "Visions of Mars."

"The Red Planet wonders and  adventures that you first inspired in us have
been constantly in our minds as we  have strolled around Mars these past 6+
years with Spirit and Opportunity. Like  you, we yearn to see the place with
our own eyes!  A fine, dusty day that  will be...! With best wishes for a
great 10th decade and beyond," from Jim Bell  and the entire Mars Exploration
Rover team.

While Bradbury's birthday is  August 22, the deadline for submitting
messages to the Planetary Society is  August 9, 2010 to allow time to create the
card. Please add your greeting to pay  tribute to the man who brought
humanity along with him on a seven-decade ride  through the imagination.


"You've traveled and chronicled  another orbit of the sun! You've done
great work -- please keep it up!" said  Bill Nye, the Society's Executive
Director (Designate). "Your incredible  optimism, enthusiasm and vision have
enthralled people around this planet and  motivated all of us trying to reach
other planets," said Louis Friedman,  Executive Director of the Planetary
Society.

www.planetary.org/special/fromearth/bradbury