Sunday 8 December 2013

"The favorite pastime of every astronaut is to see the world"

"I've never been "had" for brunch before"  Chris Hadfield quipped, as he stepped up to the lecturn.  He was the closing act in the Ben McNally books and Globe and Mail Authors' Brunch held at the King Edward Hotel, December 8, 2013.

Far from being just a Hadfield love fest (although a sizeable number of people were there to see the Colonel), there were talks by three other authors before Canada's favorite astronaut was introduced to talk about his tome.

First up was Jason Tetro, who spoke about "The Germ Code" .  Great speaker - should've bought his book too - I can still rectify that.  Sounded really interesting about how we basically have to learn to get along with germs.  (note to self - buy some Lactobacillus acidophilus)  He also spoke to Quirks and Quarks in an interview that preceded this event.

Next up was Lynn Coady, talking in a roundabout way about her Giller prize winning book of short stories.   She didn't seem particularly prepared is about all I can say.

As opposed to the charming Rachel Joyce, who was there to promote "Perfect".  The admittedly jet lagged writer was unabashed at referring to notes, and said we were the largest room of people she'd spoken to, and rather than being withdrawn, was a delightful teller of stories.

Which bought us to the passionate, erudite Chris Hadfield.


In Mike Mullane1 fashion, Col.2  Hadfield opened his talk to a roomful of Torontonians by launching (he he - see what I did there? ) into the topic of enemas.  Of course.  Because what does one want hear an astronaut author talk about, especially just after a lovely King Eddie brekky of fruit and poached eggs?   Poop.  Or rather how one, on the morning of one of the most momentous events of ones life, start said morning by evacuating as much poop as possible from ones body, so that you don't need to (hopefully) do it for another couple of days.  And with a hose up ones bum, lying on the floor  shivering (one would suppose) on the the cold tiled floor of a Kazakhstan bathroom.  Killing the time, talking to his wife Helene on the phone ("everyone should marry an Helene") while unbeknownst to him, crewmate Tom Marshburn could hear everything that they were saying.  Awkward.... ;)  Perhaps no more awkward than the last terrestrial kiss he received - from the mustached Russian technician who kissed him on the forehead at the request of Helene as he was being strapped in for launch.

He then described the physical sensations of the experience of launch in his Soyuz capsule.  The risk of 7 million pounds of thrust under you.  The uncomfortable chair.  Max G and the forces on his body, and at almost 9 minutes, the engines exhaust their fuel, and being suddenly weightless.  What being such a social networking star was like, and how taking photos of the homes of many was a very connecting experience.  Seeing Earth from the cupola.  And now, after all that, what's it's been like meeting folks on the book tour and returning to life in Canada
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeDKF__Vuu8 .

After the talk, standing in the long line to get "An Astronaut's Guide to Life"  signed, I chatted to Ian and Sue Wheelband.  I had plans for what I'd say when I finally got to the top of the line.  I was going to perhaps find out what happened to the RASC sticker shown in this image (getting that to space is a whole other story 4).  I was going to record our conversation, so I could just enjoy the moment and not have to think about what he'd just said.

Maybe open with some bon mots like;
"I asked you a question at the CSA tweetup when you were on your mission about observing from the ISS, but I really wanted to ask you about light pollution instead"
"How's your hand, must be numb by now?"
"You met my husband last week - he photographed you for a Globe and Mail story - what's this about spoons and the Soyuz?" 3
"How do you like my Chris Hadfield expedition 34/35 guitar world tour bag?"
"This photo you sent with the RASC sticker is framed at the David Dunlap Observatory, and continuing to inspire kids and thousands of visitors a year to the largest telescope in the world that is run by volunteers, and is located in the north part of Toronto".
"I hope you have something relaxing planned for the holidays - won't you be in the UK?"

But, in typical spazzy Katrina fashion, I got to the top of the line, and shook his hand.  Mumbled "congratulations on your successful mission" but it sounded to me like it came out as "congwaaaaaaaatumissssss duh" and of course forgot to record it.  Starstruck and cognizant of the long line still behind me.

I was curious what happened to the RASC sticker that went to space.  So, I snuck in a question and asked him about it.   He said I might still get it back, that the Canadian Space Agency was working to reunite people with flown items..... so, we'll see.

He also signed my Chris 2D

I look forward to curling up to read the book; and will be thankful the next time I sit on my own comfy toilet.



1 - Riding Rockets - great book - go out and buy it.  One of my favorite books about the space program.
http://mikemullane.com/riding-rockets/  Goes into exquisite detail of how competitive astronauts are, right down to how well they do their enemas

2 - He's retired - does one still address him as Colonel?
3 - Here's the finished article with Fred's photo http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/science/in-waterloo-chris-hadfield-has-his-final-stint-as-a-lab-rat/article15757547/

4 -  In October 2011, the Canadian Science Writers Association (CSWA) invited the Toronto RASC to an early morning meet-and-greet with Chris Hadfield, just over a year before he was to launch to the International Space Station. Members Eric Briggs, Brenda Shaw, Sharmin Chowdhury, Bill Longo, Kiron Vangella, William Stanley and myself were representing the centre.

I didn’t come empty handed – I was carrying a RASC sticker.  I brought this sticker to the Toronto RASC meeting prior to this event, whereupon many RASCals touched the sticker – with the purpose of getting many fingerprints on the sticker as possible.  And from there with any luck, to Space!

I took the opportunity at the CSWA event to ask him about the vision of long term astronauts and how it can be negatively impacted by spaceflight – his theory was that it had something to do with extra cranial fluids putting pressure on the optic nerve.  Shortly after his presentation, I had a brief moment (before he was whisked away to his next meeting – with Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies – I’m assuming he was working on their “ISS-Is Somebody Singing” collaboration) to ask him to take this RASC sticker  to space with him.  He wasn’t sure if this would be possible.

He referred me to the Canadian Space Agency representative present, and I handed over the sticker.  I continued to follow up with her, and as you can see, the sticker made it.  Where it is now however……. I’m not sure. 


ps - couldn't find a superscript function on Firefox - hope the references make sense

"The favorite pastime of every astronaut is to see the world"

"I've never been "had" for brunch before"  Chris Hadfield quipped, as he stepped up to the lecturn.  He was the closing act in the Ben McNally books and Globe and Mail Authors' Brunch held at the King Edward Hotel, December 8, 2013.

Far from being just a Hadfield love fest (although a sizeable number of people were there to see the Colonel), there were talks by three other authors before Canada's favorite astronaut was introduced to talk about his tome.

First up was Jason Tetro, who spoke about "The Germ Code" .  Great speaker - should've bought his book too - I can still rectify that.  Sounded really interesting about how we basically have to learn to get along with germs.  (note to self - buy some Lactobacillus acidophilus)  He also spoke to Quirks and Quarks in an interview that preceded this event.

Next up was Lynn Coady, talking in a roundabout way about her Giller prize winning book of short stories.   She didn't seem particularly prepared is about all I can say.

As opposed to the charming Rachel Joyce, who was there to promote "Perfect".  The admittedly jet lagged writer was unabashed at referring to notes, and said we were the largest room of people she'd spoken to, and rather than being withdrawn, was a delightful teller of stories.

Which bought us to the passionate, erudite Chris Hadfield.


In Mike Mullane1 fashion, Col.2  Hadfield opened his talk to a roomful of Torontonians by launching (he he - see what I did there? ) into the topic of enemas.  Of course.  Because what does one want hear an astronaut author talk about, especially just after a lovely King Eddie brekky of fruit and poached eggs?   Poop.  Or rather how one, on the morning of one of the most momentous events of ones life, start said morning by evacuating as much poop as possible from ones body, so that you don't need to (hopefully) do it for another couple of days.  And with a hose up ones bum, lying on the floor  shivering (one would suppose) on the the cold tiled floor of a Kazakhstan bathroom.  Killing the time, talking to his wife Helene on the phone ("everyone should marry an Helene") while unbeknownst to him, crewmate Tom Marshburn could hear everything that they were saying.  Awkward.... ;)  Perhaps no more awkward than the last terrestrial kiss he received - from the mustached Russian technician who kissed him on the forehead at the request of Helene as he was being strapped in for launch.

He then described the physical sensations of the experience of launch in his Soyuz capsule.  The risk of 7 million pounds of thrust under you.  The uncomfortable chair.  Max G and the forces on his body, and at almost 9 minutes, the engines exhaust their fuel, and being suddenly weightless.  What being such a social networking star was like, and how taking photos of the homes of many was a very connecting experience.  Seeing Earth from the cupola.  And now, after all that, what's it's been like meeting folks on the book tour and returning to life in Canada
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeDKF__Vuu8 .

After the talk, standing in the long line to get "An Astronaut's Guide to Life"  signed, I chatted to Ian and Sue Wheelband.  I had plans for what I'd say when I finally got to the top of the line.  I was going to perhaps find out what happened to the RASC sticker shown in this image (getting that to space is a whole other story 4).  I was going to record our conversation, so I could just enjoy the moment and not have to think about what he'd just said.

Maybe open with some bon mots like;
"I asked you a question at the CSA tweetup when you were on your mission about observing from the ISS, but I really wanted to ask you about light pollution instead"
"How's your hand, must be numb by now?"
"You met my husband last week - he photographed you for a Globe and Mail story - what's this about spoons and the Soyuz?" 3
"How do you like my Chris Hadfield expedition 34/35 guitar world tour bag?"
"This photo you sent with the RASC sticker is framed at the David Dunlap Observatory, and continuing to inspire kids and thousands of visitors a year to the largest telescope in the world that is run by volunteers, and is located in the north part of Toronto".

But, in typical spazzy Katrina fashion, I got to the top of the line, and shook his hand.  Mumbled "congratulations on your successful mission" but it sounded to me like it came out as "congwaaaaaaaatumissssss duh" and of course forgot to record it.  Starstruck and cognizant of the long line still behind me.

I was curious what happened to the RASC sticker that went to space.  So, I snuck in a question and asked him about it.   He said I might still get it back, that the Canadian Space Agency was working to reunite people with flown items..... so, we'll see.

He also signed my Chris 2D

I look forward to curling up to read the book; and will be thankful the next time I sit on my own comfy toilet.



1 - Riding Rockets - great book - go out and buy it.  One of my favorite books about the space program.
http://mikemullane.com/riding-rockets/  Goes into exquisite detail of how competitive astronauts are, right down to how well they do their enemas

2 - He's retired - does one still address him as Colonel?
3 - Here's the finished article with Fred's photo http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/science/in-waterloo-chris-hadfield-has-his-final-stint-as-a-lab-rat/article15757547/

4 -  In October 2011, the Canadian Science Writers Association (CSWA) invited the Toronto RASC to an early morning meet-and-greet with Chris Hadfield, just over a year before he was to launch to the International Space Station. Members Eric Briggs, Brenda Shaw, Sharmin Chowdhury, Bill Longo, Kiron Vangella, William Stanley and myself were representing the centre.

I didn’t come empty handed – I was carrying a RASC sticker.  I brought this sticker to the Toronto RASC meeting prior to this event, whereupon many RASCals touched the sticker – with the purpose of getting many fingerprints on the sticker as possible.  And from there with any luck, to Space!

I took the opportunity at the CSWA event to ask him about the vision of long term astronauts and how it can be negatively impacted by spaceflight – his theory was that it had something to do with extra cranial fluids putting pressure on the optic nerve.  Shortly after his presentation, I had a brief moment (before he was whisked away to his next meeting – with Ed Robertson of the Barenaked Ladies – I’m assuming he was working on their “ISS-Is Somebody Singing” collaboration) to ask him to take this RASC sticker  to space with him.  He wasn’t sure if this would be possible.

He referred me to the Canadian Space Agency representative present, and I handed over the sticker.  I continued to follow up with her, and as you can see, the sticker made it.  Where it is now however……. I’m not sure. 


ps - couldn't find a superscript function on Firefox - hope the references make sense

Wednesday 4 September 2013

Small scopes on an alt-az mount are fun


45.7667 N
Sept 3

According to accuweather, scheduled to have showers at 7pm, which means there was not a cloud in the sky.

(amateur astronomers look at the forecast differently to "normal" folks  - post for another day)

Set up.

Sat by the fire about 50 or so metres away to keep warm and chat to Fred while it got dark.
Venus was the first beacon, shining like a plane light coming towards me fairly low in the west.  Would start with the objects about to set.  At about 40 X magnification could see the gibbous disc.
The not-quite-white-yellowish naked eye glow of Saturn, which came next.
“Hello beautiful”.  I’ll never get sick of looking at, well, any of the planets.
But Saturn, is so identifiable.  The colour, the shape, the grand swoop of the rings around the planet.
What I thought was one of its moons Titan (along the ring plane, about 5 “Saturns” away) was (I later found out) just a star in the field of view.   Titan was the smaller dot “above” the planet, about 2 Saturn discs away.  I didn't have my laptop with me - a Twitter friend in the UK looked it up in Stellarium for me (thanks Mark).
I looked around me.  The Milky way was starting to become visible.  A couple of mozzie bites, a slight breeze keeping the dew down for now.  No dew heather on tonight, mostly to save my battery pack for Algonquin.

On to Scorpius, where I could easily see M4 through my 9X finderscope.  Good seeing.

East of Scorpius but before Sagittarius Ophiucus winds its way quite low, between these two constellations.

After M4, I was on the hunt for more globulars.
M19, easy catch at about 50X mag.
Could even just see NGC 6284 as a non stellar object.
M62
Thought I’d look for M6 since the sightlines were good – like the southern sky (not hemisphere but direction) equivalent of the Pleiades in that it’s a naked eye smudge but through binoculars or telescope at low power the stars  form a very pretty open cluster.

Was whizzing through objects too quickly to sketch them tonight, just want to see what I can see.

Upwards to M107, another globular.

Felt like looking north.

M81/82 at fairly low magnification, two for one galaxies.  Two galaxies in the one field of view.  Two doses of awesome.
One edge on, one face on.

Nova Delph 13 very high in the sky.  Dimming, was about mag 4.5 when I first saw it August 17 at the CAO , about mag 6 last weekend.

Cor Caroli – back to the north

M63 – another galaxy – small smudge

M108 – smudge

M51 – about the favorite face on galaxy I have for observing.  Yes, I know I need a light bucket – only so much I can see with an 80mm refractor, but even at low power I can see the bright central core and interacting arms of this galaxy cannibalizing another one 37 million light years away.

Dew - egads.  Going to pack it in, wasn't that late, around 11pm - but my optics were dewy and to be honest I was getting a little "hair on the back of my neck" feeling.  There are bears around, but haven't seen any here.


Tuesday 3 September 2013

Looks good for tonight

Forecast said it would be raining right about now.  Guess I'll be able to set up scope soon.




Rain



45.7667 N

Sept 2

Will tell you about my Skywatcher tracking dob one day – remind me.
I love the intuitiveness of using a dobsonian - just point at what you want to look at.
The optics of my dob were great, collimating was simple.
What I had issues with were the cables and power issue.
Blake had help me resolve the pin power plug by replacing it with something more secure.
I just didn't like being burdened with power packs, cables, etc...
For now, clouds and insomnia await.
No observing.  Listening to rain.

Forecast lied


Photo copyright Fred Lum
45.7667 N
September 1/13

Again, the forecast was calling for rain.
Again it didn’t rain.

Set up scope, chair.  Got to be comfortable and stable to observe. (Orion 80 apocromatic refractor, on a portamount with Manfrotto legs.  Super portable and easy to set up and operate).

M22 globular again, this time in the scope.  With 14mm eyepiece, can start to resolve stars – just so pretty.  Such a jewel.

M71 globular – same magnification.  Could see why M. Messier would want to cross it off his “not comet” list.  Smudgy
*Fred joining me, camera at hand*

M27 – dumbbell nebula. Low mag (26mm) then higher mag – then OIII filter, just to play around with appearances.  I found the 14mm no filter the most pleasing.   Hourglass shape, tilted, blobby.

M11 – the Wild Duck.  I love looking at this – I get to it by scooting up Ophiucus to the West, so as not to get lost in the milky way.  Star hopping.  Like many other objects in astronomy, I don’t see the shape it’s named for.

M31 and M33 again tonight, this time with more magnification.  M33 lower surface brightness – something very satisfying about finding galaxies with a small scope.

End of Summer, new location


45.7667 N

August 31,13

Forecast was for rain, but by 9.30pm the clouds had cleared out. 
Temperature was coolish but comfortable, throwing on a fleece after dark.
Wasn’t sure what the clouds were going to do, so just grabbed my 10X50 binoculars and sat in a chair.  Listened to the crickets and the wind, and the remaining opportunistic mosquitoes.  Dewy.


Wanted to grab Scorpius before it set.  Very pretty triangle of Antares, M4 and Sigma Sco in the field of view.  M4 (globular cluster) is not do-able from Toronto due to the light pollution and sightlines, but from here – easy peasy.  Round smudge.

On to Nova Delph 2013 – dimmer than when I last saw it, a bit dimmer than mag 6.  Maybe 6.5?  Will look again and compare.  Must get on to the AAVSO reporting – will add it to my to-do list.
They have a binocular list of objects too.

Sagittarius – and “The Teapot”.  The Milky Way “steam” comes out of the spout, and if you just follow this with your binoculars upwards, you’ll start to see all sorts of identifiable knots of stars and nebulae.   So much there, that it’s easy to get lost.  Got out my handy dandy Pocket Sky Atlas.

M8 – The Lagoon Nebula.  Extremely identifiable lateral amoeba shape with stars imbedded in it.

M22 – globular cluster off the lid – one of my faves – lovely round conglomerate.

M28 – smaller GC west of Kaus Borealis in Sag

M31 – the Great Andromeda Galaxy in binoculars is so obviously a face on spiral galaxy with a dense central core – and easily visible naked eye from here too – I’m always blown away when I look without optical aid at M31 – a whole other galaxy with hundred of billions of stars, which is over 2 million light years away from us and gradually closing. 

M33 – Hop, skip and a jump from M31 down to Trangulum and this smaller but still binocular galaxy.  Not naked eye for me though – at least not  tonight.