Carl Sagan: A Glorious Dawn

The NASA announcement today of their new solar system discovery immediately made me wonder how Carl Sagan would have felt on hearing this news. There are 7 Earth-sized planets orbiting a small star 40 light-years away in the constellation of Aquarius, they could hold life, they could even support our life. Sagan said it was time for us to 'venture to the stars' if we manage not to destroy ourselves.Because of my interest in working in the zone where science and mysticism overlap, I find Sagan a continuing source of inspiration.We're made of star stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself.Sagan, Carl (1990). Cosmos: A Personal VoyageScience is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.Sagan, Carl; Druyan, Ann (1997). The Demon-Haunted World.We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever.Sagan, Carl (1980). CosmosSomething about remembering your own tininess and insignificance along with acknowledging that you have the ability to create something wonderful despite only 'fluttering for day' is infinitely liberating. A bit hippie, but there you go.