On his first visit outside the eastern bloc, Yuri Gagarin arrived in London for a 5 day visit on Tuesday July 11th 1961. He was greeted with a tumultuous and sincere warm welcome everywhere he went including his meetings with the Prime minister and the Queen. The British government juggled with acknowledging Gagarin personal courage and the Soviet Union’s historic technological achievement whilst assuring its allies, USA, France and West Germany that the visit would not be exploited exclusively as a communist propaganda opportunity.
When the Manchester based Amalgamated Union of Foundry Workers discovered that Gagarin had trained as a foundry worker, they invited him to join their union as a honorary member. He came to Manchester on 12th July and visited the union office, the Metrovicks plant in Trafford Park and the city’s town hall before flying back to London six hours later.
During the late seventies I had lived near this union office and only discovered in 2010 that Gagarin had actually been there. I looked but failed to find any books on the subject so I decide to write one. It is called “Yuri Gagarin in London and Manchester” and attempts to fill in a small bit of the Gagarin story.
The first and last chapters describe Gagarin’s flight, some of the key individuals involved, the air crash that claimed his life in 1968 and his personal impact as an advocate of peace during the Cold War. In the remaining chapter – 2-7, I document the background to his invitation and details of where he went and who he met. Some of those recollections are the subject of this episode. It includes clips from Captain Eric Brown and Reg Turnill, longer versions of which are available in episodes 40 and 41. My thanks to those who contributed to this episode – Reg Turnill, Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw, Brenda Knowles, Marjorie Rose, Stanley Nelson, Captain Eric Brown and Stanislava Sajawizc.
His autobiography was published when he was Eighty in 2003. It is upfront, strongly opinionated, potentially uncomfortable in places for some and remarkably honest. He writes unapologetically with the political correctness of an earlier generation. He recounts his meetings with many of the key contributors in science and astronomy of the late twentieth century. It is a unique personal account of the development of astronomy and science during a fascinating period humanity’s exploration of space. An absolute “must read” for those of us who grew up with Sky at Night.
I met Sir Patrick Moore at his home in Selsey, called Farthings, on 20th of August 2009. He was an extremely hospitable host. We discussed several themes of his autobiography Eighty Not Out, and we started with cricket.
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Today’s quote, reflecting his tongue-in-cheek and humorous approach to to life, is from Patrick Moore himself.
At my age I do what Mark Twain did. I get my daily paper, look at the obituary and if I am not in there I carry on as usual.
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All of these take place in Liverpool as it celebrates its role as the 2008 European City of Culture. Infact, if you do see this in time and are close enough to Liverpool there is in interesting lecture this Thursday 17th June 18:30, Chadwick Lecture Theatre, University of Liverpool. Robert Fosbury, is talking about How Astronomers Image the Sky.
Many astronomical societies are preparing or have already completed a program of speakers for the 2008/9 season. If you are a member I would encourage you exploit one or better still all three resources featured in today’s episode to advertise you societies events. You will be surprised at the visitors who may turn up.
You can’t think of Darwin without Wallace, Laurel without Hardy. In UK astronomy there is no more an enduring and familiar partnership than Henbest and Couper. Nigel and Heather have been writing, broadcasting, supporting and publicising astronomy for decades.
Their most recent project is a series of daily radio programs for BBC Radio4 called Cosmic Quest and an associated book History of Astronomy which together chart the story of how human societies through history and around the globe have attempted to understand the universe and their place within it.
After a 7 year journey, Cassini/ Huygens arrived at Saturn in 2004 and Huygens landed on the surface of Titan on January 14th 2005. The only moon within the solar system known to have a substantial atmosphere.
On Monday 3rd of July 1989 it was possible to study the atmosphere of Titan from here on Earth when it occulted a 5.8mag star 28 Sagittarius. Ken Irving from Salford Astronomical Society describes the observation he made and video recording of the unexpected central flash. Available below.
Using data from the onboard Acoustic Sensor Unit, the Planetary Society compressed Huygens two and half hour descent into a 10 second audio clip.
After landing, Huygens continued to transmit data including those incredible pictures of the surface for another 70 minutes until the communication link to Earth – Cassini disappeared over the horizon. It would not come in range again for 40 days by when Huygens’ batteries were dead. There in its dark cold -180C deep freeze it remains. Probably intact. Professor John Zarnecki from the Open University who lead the Surface Science Package team talk a little about the achievements f the Cassini/Huygens mission.
Next year marks the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 landing in the Sea of Tranquillity on the moon. In today’s episode – assistant director & co-producer Chris Riley talks about the recent film “In the Shadow of the Moon” which recounts that period and someone who was a part of it – astronaut Buzz Aldrin on his interest in Astronomy.
A short written account of his visit including a lunch with him and his wife is here.
The veteran BBC aerospace correspondent Reg Turnill recalls some of the key moments that he personally covered during the height of the space race. Reg has recorded his eye witness account in his book The Moonlandings.
Chris Lintott one of the authors of Bang! and a co-presenters on Sky at Night far too young to have experienced the Apollo program personally, looks forward to the next manned mission to the moon. You have probably heard of Galaxy Zoo but did you know Galaxy Zoo 2 is in the pipeline too.
On his first visit outside the eastern bloc, Yuri Gagarin arrived in London for a 5 day visit on Tuesday July 11th 1961. He was greeted with a tumultuous and sincere warm welcome everywhere he went including his meetings with the Prime minister and the Queen. The British government juggled with acknowledging Gagarin personal courage and the Soviet Union’s historic technological achievement whilst assuring its allies, USA, France and West Germany that the visit would not be exploited exclusively as a communist propaganda opportunity.
