My Hero

Carl is my hero. He just is. Especially the bits of him that must have made it into my bloodstream by now; c’mon man, we’re all star dust, don’t you remember that?

Carl gave me the permission to believe that there was something else out there bigger than this earth and its humans. At a time when I was desperate for anything other than those two things,

Carl offered the universe and its infinite potential. I didn’t need to understand it all, or even pursue it in any way. Just knowing it was there, beautiful, powerful and limitless was perspective enough.

I was ten years old.

Cynthia, Ipswich, MA

A Young Scientist.

This video from 1963 shows a rehearsed Sagan discussing the atmosphere of Venus.

Two more from flickr

Hello from Japan

I was watching Cosmos after a hard day's work at J-List last night as I saw the post on Mr. Sagan's "meinichi," the Japanese word for the anniversary of a person's dying -- and I'd just done a post on what "meinichi" means a few days ago. I credit Mr. Sagan for installing a sense of wonder in me that I'll have all my life.

Peter Payne

Carl Sagan

I remember so clearly watching all of the Cosmo programs hosted by Carl Sagan. I looked forward to them with such enthusiasm that my family began teasing me about it, calling him my "boyfriend". I didn't care - he was magnetic, charming, persuasive, literate, imaginative, charismatic, even poetic. And he was a scientist? As an artist type myself I never cared much for the sciences but his approach was so appealing - not dry and boring, that I found myself transfixed by his lectures, because that's really what they were.

It was a great loss when Dr. Sagan passed away. His voice of reason and clarity, and his thoughtfulness are very much needed today.

Frances Barrineau
Ashburn, Virginia

Memories From a Former Student

I was a rising college senior in the summer of 1965, and was considering Harvard as a possible Graduate school in Astronomy. I had contacted the Astronomy Dept to set up an interview, as I was planning to come East, from California, late that summer. I was assigned a then very young (and still very unknown) Assistant Professor, Carl Sagan, as my interviewer. I was very impressed by our meeting, and was ultimately accepted as a Grad Student, entering in the Fall of 1966. I knew I was very much interested in Astronomy, as a whole, but did not have any idea as to what specific field I would concentrate on.

I took a course in Planetary Astronomy from Carl, as a 2nd Year student, and that lead to publishing 2 papers with Carl as co-author, on the microwave spectrum of Venus. In order to get that research approved, Carl had to personally ‘go to bat’ for me, with a major governing committee within the Astronomy dept. That really impressed me.

Little did I know at the time, but Carl was in the process of being forced out of the Astronomy Department at Harvard – a story that many at Harvard are still not willing to acknowledge. That fall, Carl was denied Tenure at Harvard, and left for Cornell where he was immediately appointed a Full Professor, and named Director of the Center for Planetary Studies.

I almost followed him to Cornell, but ultimately chose to stay at Harvard, and received my PhD in 1972.

Carl was a superb teacher and mentor, and I will always remember the year and half that I studied and learned under his tutelage.

Arthur Wood
Former Sagan Student
Harvard University 1966-1972
PhD, Astronomy, 1972

Thank You, Dr. Sagan

I remember reading in a 1980 issue of Science magazine about a new science series to premiere that fall. From the first opening minutes of the show, my life had changed. I especially remember the segment on the Library of Alexandria and how its destruction held back science for centuries. This spurred my commitment to fighting ignorance and superstition. We certainly could use Dr. Sagan now.

Bill Brantley, Winchester, Kentucky

My Homage...

While I don't want to plug my own music, my wife and I have a band called SAGAN and we released a cd/dvd movie called "Unseen Forces" - which is VERY informed by COSMOS. Here's the trailer:

Unseen Forces

I still miss him.

Thats all.

jlsr

Carl Sagan

How much do I admire him. Why did he have to go? He gave us so much and could have kept giving… his teachings… his personality… his science… his super clear ways of expressing his knowledge. I salute him on this 10th Anniversary of his departure and wish all of you that have put together all this for him the best. Thank you all.
Carl Sagan… that you may be eternally resting in peace… in the Cosmos...
Cordially,
Herbert Erdmenger, Guatemala

Carl Sagan on "The Tonight Show"

I was the talent coordinator who first put Carl Sagan on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" back in the 1970's. A then relatively unknown scientist to the popular media, he had just written a book and I was approached by his publicist who half-heartedly suggested we consider him as a guest.

Little did the PR person know that Johnny's favorite hobby, besides tennis at the time, was astronomy. And my instincts told me that Carson would enjoy a visit on the air with Sagan. Well the rest is history. Dr. Sagan made numerous visits back to the show and would often go out to dinner with our star afterwards.

Once, while going over the notes with Carl on the phone the day before an appearance on the show, he asked me who else had been booked. "Oh we've got a terrific show," I replied. "Tony Bennett will be on, along with..." He interrupted me before I could say another word. "I should know who Tony Bennett is, shouldn't I?" he queried. That's when I realized that brilliant scientists don't necessarily know what's going on in show business!

We laughed about this often on succeeding visits to the show and he never failed to ask who the other guests were going to be. Interestingly he seemed to recognize all their names. Obviously he had begun to do his "entertainment other-world" research.

"The Tonight Show" was an entertainment vehicle but, from time to time, we invited guests on who had something very important to share with the viewer. I'm proud that I was responsible for adding Dr. Carl Sagan to that list.

- Howard Papush