Blackbeard

Pirates Once Ruled Florida’s Waves

March 25, 2025Posted inFlorida History, Things to Do and See in Florida

Florida’s coastline has long been a magnet for treasure hunters, history buffs, and, let’s be honest, anyone who’s ever daydreamed about stumbling upon Pieces of Eight while digging in the sand. Central to these tales is the story of the 1715 Spanish Treasure Fleet, also known as the Plate Fleet. This fleet’s misadventures off Florida’s coast have left a legacy of sunken riches and countless stories. To this day, treasure hunters and metal detectorists alike search for lost gold and jewelry, and from time to time, they find it.

Blackbeard
Blackbeard
Florida Front Plate

Florida Bill Would Require Front License Plates In The Sunshine State

March 21, 2025Posted inFlorida News

Florida legislators are considering a bill that would require motorists to display license plates on both the front and rear of their vehicles. The proposal, introduced by Senator Joe Gruters (R-Sarasota), seeks to enhance the identification of vehicles involved in hit-and-run incidents. Gruters emphasized that many cameras capture only the front of vehicles, making rear-only plates insufficient for identification purposes.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore

Boeing CFT Astronauts Set To Return to Earth Tomorrow

March 17, 2025Posted inAviation and Space News, Boeing, ISS, NASA, Space News, SpaceX, Uncategorized

It’s finally time for NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to come home! If everything goes according to plan, one of the most talked about journeys in American spaceflight will come to an end with a splashdown tomorrow evening somewhere off the coast of Florida.

Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore Photo: NASA
Crew 10 Rises To Orbit, On Its Way To ISS

Crew 10 Rises To Orbit, On Its Way To ISS

March 14, 2025Posted inAviation and Space News, ISS, NASA, Space News, SpaceX, Starlink

It was a good day to have a good day here in Florida, and that’s exactly what NASA, SpaceX and Crew-10 had today at Kennedy Space Center. Falcon 9 lifted off carrying three astronauts and one cosmonaut towards orbit and the International Space Station just as the sun was starting to set in the west. Some seven and a half minutes later, SpaceX booster B1090 completed its duty for the day by landing at LZ-1 in Cape Canaveral, 8.8 miles south of LC-39A.

Liftoff of Crew 10 by Jim Siegel
Liftoff of Crew 10 by Jim Siegel / FMN
Terran 1

Tech Titan Eric Schmidt Takes Charge at Relativity Space

March 13, 2025Posted inAviation and Space News, Relativity Space, Space News

Former Google CEO Invests in Commercial Launch Company

Eric Schmidt, renowned for his tenure as Google’s CEO from 2001 to 2011, has been named Chief Executive Officer of Relativity Space. Schmidt has also infused capital into the cash-starved company, giving it life and the means to finish its Terran-R medium lift rocket. That rocket is planned to fly from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as early as next year.

Relativity Space’s Terran-1 rocket lifts off in 2023.
Photo: Relativity Space
Miami Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Rein In HOAs

Miami Lawmaker Introduces Bill To Rein In HOAs

March 11, 2025Posted inFlorida News, Florida Real Estate

In Florida, mention the letters HOA and you are likely to hear tales of loathing and disgust. Homeowners Associations (HOAs) were established here with the idea of maintaining community standards and manage shared amenities, aiming to preserve property values and ensure a cohesive living environment. The problem is, there have been numerous instances where HOAs overstep their boundaries, make capricious enforcement decisions and are downright petty.

Around 45% of homes in Florida are part of an HOA.

Abusive neighbors
Lunar eclipse in 2022

How To Photograph A Lunar Eclipse

March 10, 2025Posted inThings to Do and See in Florida
A 2022 lunar eclipse
A 2022 lunar eclipse nearing totality, as the moon still has a white edge to it.
Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN

Very late Thursday night (March 13, 2025) and through the wee hours until dawn on Friday, Florida will see a total lunar eclipse, its first since 2022. While not particularly rare, a total lunar eclipse is an excellent opportunity for photographers to capture celestial clockwork while showing off their artistic skills. Here’s some information to help you get started photographing a lunar eclipse on your own.

Intuitive Machines IM-2 Confirmed On Its Side, Mission Ended

Intuitive Machines IM-2 Confirmed On Its Side, Mission Ended

March 7, 2025Posted inAviation and Space News, CLPS, Intuitive Machines, NASA, Space News
Intuitive Machines Nova-C IM-2 'Athena' on its side on the lunar surface.
Intuitive Machines Nova-C IM-2 ‘Athena’ on its side on the lunar surface.
Photo: Intuitive Machines.

Despite high hopes, Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 mission has concluded after it was confirmed that the lander is on its side on the Moon and cannot properly charge its batteries. The company confirmed that in an update this morning.