It does, doesn’t it? If you think so, you aren’t alone. On 12 April 2008, you can celebrate space with others all over the world. The global event is called Yuri’s Night Out, in honor of the Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who became the first person to venture into space on 12 April 1961.

Here in Northern California, the party will be held at the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California — 30°16’02″N, 097°45’50″W to be more precise. Or, you can catch the party in Croatia (Zagreb: 45°49’00″N, 015°59’00″E) or maybe Ethiopia (Addis Ababa: 09°02’00″N, 038°42’00″E). A complete listing of parties is available if you’re interested.

So what does this have to do with Flickr? With so many great space photographers in the Flickr community, one of the organizers, Jonathan, got in touch to ask us if any Flickr members or groups might be interested in exhibiting at the Bay Area event.

Either a group proposal that includes having several participating artists display works together, or individual artists responding to the open call with their own vision, its all good.

Interested? Here’s a link to the application form. The event will be able to supply most of the technical needs, but you’ll want to include any details in your application.

Good luck, explorers!

Here’s a few groups to get your juices flowing: astrophotography, stars, and astronomy, organized by map view.

Photo by StarmanMike.

This is for you, Watson: Photos from last year’s Yuri’s Night Out Bay Area 2007.

A handful of books have been written about the potential of masses, the wisdom of crowds. It’s as if an elegance is born out of the seeming attraction — and a beauty emerges from a large, harmonious grouping of things. It’s a grace that can prompt thought, feeling and even action. It’s the stuff that can re-surface the type of hope evidenced in tears and seeming miracles — the kind of meaning that’s bred from a mean.

It’s what fills my thoughts on the eve before Super Tuesday.

Photos from Esther17, tengtan, Pockafwye, Sam Foster and racineur.

“Lunar new Year” (Chinese’s New Year) is the most celebrated holiday season in Korean culture. Families gather up at their home town, and share well-wishing remarks and delicious treats. Koreans start the New Year by eating “rice-soup” in the morning as a celebration of “getting a year older” and make a big bow to elders as an expression of respect. Elders grant money called “Sae-Bae Don” as a return to the big bow. For children, “Sae-Bae Don” highlights the holiday like the children’s day. This year’s holiday is longer than even and it would be wonderful!

Happy New year! photos from annamatic3000, petergarnhum and JoonYoung.Kim.

한국 사람들에게는 설날이 1년중 가장 큰 명절입니다! 모두들 가족이 있는 고향으로 돌아가 함께 맛있는 음식을 먹으며 덕담을 나눈답니다. 새해 첫날 아침 일찍 일어나 떡국을 먹고 윗어른에게 절을 하면 어른들은 아이들이 한해동안의 복을 기원하면서 새뱃 돈을 준답니다. 새뱃돈 덕분에 설날은 아이들에게 또 다른 “어린이날”처럼 즐거운 날이랍니다. 이번 설 연휴는 5일이나 되서 더 즐거울 것 같네요!

새해 복 많이 받으세요! 사진은 annamatic3000님, petergarnhum님, JoonYoung.Kim님의 Flickr에서 가져왔습니다.