Invasion of the Little Green Men, Part 2 - Wednesday, April 20, 2022

This blog is continued from Part 1...

After walking the 11k this morning, we were hungry. After a short drive back to the 5th wheel, we had tuna sandwiches, celery, and raw cauliflower for lunch. Bob wanted to spend the afternoon catching up on some work and I wanted to go to the Goddard Planetarium at the Roswell History Center and Art Museum. The planetarium was having a show about black holes at 1 pm.

I skedaddled over to the museum. On Wednesdays, seniors get into the museum free. That was a nice surprise. I paid $5 for the planetarium show. After the show, I went through the museum.

The show was about to start and I secured a seat in the planetarium, although it wasn't crowded on a Wednesday afternoon. To start the show and get our eyes and brains accustomed to the dark, light, and movement, they showed a presentation with fractals, geometric forms that are self-similar and repeat. Here is a link to a website that will explain this better than I can. The patterns formed by the fractals were mesmerizing. After about five minutes, the main show in the planetarium began and we learned about black holes. It's amazing to me how much information there is about the universe and how little we still know. I enjoyed the show. 

When the black hole show was over, the planetarium host came in and put up the Roswell night sky onto the ceiling. He then proceeded to point out constellations we could see in Roswell that night. That was fun. One fact he stressed was if we went out at 5 am Thursday morning, we could see four planets lined up. That doesn't happen often.

From the planetarium, I started my museum exploration with art in the 1970s.

"The Only House with an Apple Tree,"
by Beverly K. Magennis. Ceramic.
 (1976).

"Progress Suite #IV," by Luis Jimenez.
Color lithograph on paper. (1976)

Rogers Aston: the Aston Bronzes (lost-wax technique) - see below.

Description of the "lost-wax" 
technique.

"Blackfeet Scout," by Rogers Aston.

"Blackfeet Scout,"
by Rogers Aston.

In the whole museum, the most interesting display was about Robert H. Goddard. He's the one who laid the foundations for the science of rocket propulsion who I mentioned in yesterday's blog. He was very smart and I said I'd tell you more about him in today's blog. The time has come.

The patents he registered (214, 130 of them posthumously) include many inventions that are in use today.

• German V-2 rockets. The Germans re-engineered his ideas. 

Patented in 1946.

• Magnetic levitation (maglev).

Patented in 1949.

• The rocket turboprop.

Patented in 1942.

• Solar energy.

In researching this, I could not find
a patent in Dr. Goddard's name.

• Rockets for airplanes.

• Radio tubes.

Patented 1915.

• Explosive propulsion.

Patented 1949 & 1951.

A rocket launcher.

Dr. Robert Goddard.

Also on exhibit was a historical reconstruction of Dr. Goddard's workshop from 1930 to 1941.

Other history highlights in the museum:

Some of my favorite art:

"Oddy Knocky," by William Goodman.
Oil on plywood panel.

A close-up of part of "Oddy Knocky."

"Pow-Wow," by Willard Midgette. 
Oil on linen. (1975)

"Little Green Men," a 
series by Eric Garcia. Eleven
watercolor drawings on paper.

Kit Carson/Greedo from
"Star Wars."

Capt. Joseph Lea/Guerilla
General from "Planet of
the Apes."

Dr. Robert Goddard/Dr. Spock
from "Star Trek."

Don Juan de Oñate/Borg
from "Star Trek." 

Lewis & Clark/Grays from
"The Roswell Incident."

See the two pieces of 
art below.

"Tourist Town, Taos," by Barbara 
Latham. Egg tempera on panel.

"Stable," by Barbara Latham.
Linocut on paper.

See the next two pieces
of art.

Left: "The Rainy Season," 1947
Right: "The Valley Farm," 1945
both by Peter Hurd. Egg tempera
on panel.

"Ann Carol," by Henrietta Wyeth.
Oil on canvas

See the two pieces below.

"Bird of Fire," by Michele
Bourque Sewards, 1978.
Lithograph on paper.

"Blue Tiger," by Michele Bourque
Sewards, 1979. Lithograph
on paper.

When I finished at Roswell History Center and Art Museum, I had just enough time to spend at the International UFO Museum and Research Center. 

UFO mural on the outside of the 
International UFO Museum. 

Copyright information for the 
mural above.

One of the "Abduction Stories"
on the outside of the museum.

Alien diorama inside the UFO Museum.

The alleged incident that
started it all.

Here are a few photos to give you an idea of what's inside the museum. I found a lot of it very fascinating.

First alien contact in 
400-600 AD?

What people think aliens look like.

UFOs.

Elaborate crop circles.

"Beam me up."

Reading all the exhibits in the UFO Museum reinforced my belief that there must be intelligent life in other places in the universe.

Then when I got outside in the hot air, I went looking for an ice cream shop. I found a nice plaza with New Mexico's state song mural. But mostly, I just got hotter walking four blocks looking for ice cream and not finding any.

Sign outside a store.

It was time to head back to the 5th wheel, but first I had to take the pickup to Discount Tire to have the tire pressure sensor checked. It keeps giving an alarm, but our tire pressure is fine. I also stopped to fill the truck with diesel for our drive to Ruidoso in the morning. 

When I got home, Bob had done quite a bit of work. We had dinner and just before dark, we went to north Ruidoso so I could get my photo taken at the "Welcome to Ruidoso" sign. Then we went to Dairy Queen for Peanut Buster Parfaits. At last, ice cream! It tasted so good.

"Welcome to Roswell" sign.

We called it a night and started getting the 5th wheel ready to roll. I'm so glad I finally got to spend time in Roswell and see the International UFO Museum. Roswell's History Center and Art Museum and the Planetarium show were an added bonus.