After I posted the amazing picture of the Shuttle launch and the F-15E fighter jet last week, I got a nice email from Peter Hugosson-Miller, an avid skydiver. He and some friends went jumping over Florida one day a few years back... in fact, it was on April 24, 1990. If that date sounds familiar, then maybe the picture he sent me will jog your memory:

In the foreground are Peter and his jump-buddies, and in the background is

the Space Shuttle Discovery launching the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit!

How freaking cool is that? The picture was taken by Van Wideman, and just slays me. I remember what I was doing on that very day -- getting ready to start my PhD work using that telescope, an adventure that would last for ten years. At the time, though, it sure felt like jumping out of an airplane... The final launch of Discovery is scheduled for September 16, 2010. Picture credit: Van Wideman, scanned by Peter Hugosson-Miller, touched up a bit by me to clean up blemishes and adjust contrast. Used with permission.

Related posts: - Happy 20th anniversary, Hubble! - Hubble picture of the week - Hard to port! Eject Goose, eject!