Mississauga Astronomical Society

Fortyfourth Meeting

Members’ Night

Day:                Friday, July 22, 2005

Chair:         Phil Mozel

Watching the Space Shuttle

Randy Attwood  shared his experiences watching and covering space shuttle flights ten in all, five of them with Canadian astronauts. On some occasions he went as a member of the media with accreditation, or as a photographer for the Canadian Space Agency allowing him to get close to the action.

Cape Canaveral is a natural place for space launches due to its proximity to the equator and ocean to the east. Randy showed satellite images of the cape and the places from which rockets and shuttles are launched, Spaceport USA, the press site grandstand, vehicle assembly building and shuttle launch facility, the runway where alligators sun themselves and need to be removed, and Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge.

Randy described the events prior to launch of a shuttle. In the 1980’s, a few days before launch, a briefing would be held by the military at the Johnson Space Centre. Artist would paint at the launch site. Then the astronauts would arrive and practice rescues in the water.  Others practiced jet landings similar to those for a shuttle. The day before the launch, a L – 1 press conference would be held. At the press site, tripods were staked out by hoards of photographers.  Three hours before launch, astronauts had their walkabout with media photographers jockying for positions. Randy specifically recalled Sally Ride and the Canadians Marc Garneau (STS 41G in 1984), Steve McLean (STSD 52), and Robert Thirsk (STS 78). STS 2 in November 1981 was scrubbed with only 31 seconds to launch. Randy had better success with STS 3, and STS 5 where he obtained photographs, and with STS 7.  He described his remote camera setup triggered by the noise of the shuttle and programmed with an alarm clock to prevent premature photos during a thunderstorm.  He showed photos of the Marc Garneau and Chris Hatfield launches, and the shots from the vehicle assembly building for Robert Thirsk.

The only landing Randy witnessed was STS 3 at White Sands NM. In contrast to a launch, the landing is very quiet. He also showed videos of a night launch. Randy reminded us of the imminent return to space of the shuttle with STS 114.

Favourites  For the second year in a row, members discussed a favourite astronomical book, software, equipment etc.

Roy Swanson uses the Mississauga Public Library to borrow favourite books. He described the Nexstar Users Guide and Patrick Moore’s book “Astronomy with a Home Computer”.  The book ties in computer technology with telescope setup and use of a laptop working with a telescope.

Phil Mozel discussed “The Book Nobody Read” by Owen Gingerich. It turns out that some of the 500 copies of  “The Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres” by Nicholas Copernicus have extensive notes and comments on the book’s pages. Gingerich’s book is a book about the census of Copernicus’ de Revolutionibus. Phil described his own encounter with the Census and with an original copy of de Revolutionibus in the Tom Fisher Rare Book Library at the Robarts library at U of T.

Phil Mozel and john Marchese described Starfest, the largest annual astronomical gathering in Canada held at Mount Forest in August, as well as the Manitoulin Star Party and star night at Charleston Lake Provincial Park.  

Chris Malicki spoke about the book Mathematical Astronomy Morsels III by Jean Meeus. In addition to containing a great deal of eclipse trivia found nowhere else, the book delves into numerous other esotheric topics such as the circumstances of Venus passing south of Antares, Venus visible at midnight, Saturn perihilia and many others.

Colin Jackson showed the group a freeze dried ice cream for shuttle astronauts which he had purchased at the Space centre in Cape Canaveral.

Karl spoke about a favourite website narrowbandimaging.com for astroimagers.

Submitted by Chris Malicki, Secretary  Chris Malicki, Secretary                               back to M.A.S. meeting reports page
Mississauga Astronomical Society