AstrotalkUK

Not for profit website/blog on astronomy, space and my writing

Online via Zoom. History of Britain in Space, Yuri Gagarin’s 1961 visit to London and Manchester, Covid-19 Facts and Fiction, and Cybersecurity

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C3844735 10:00 Tue July 28th Britain in Space. The story of Britain’s space programme. Single presentation. Online and Free register here.

Tim Peake. Credit ESA
  • Early rocketry Societies in England
  • Development of British Ballistic Missile & Nuclear Tests in Australia
  • Launch Satellite of Black Arrow & satellite Prospero from Woomera
  • British Astronauts Helen Sharman & Tim Peake
  • UK Spaceports
  • Virgin Galactic & Orbit
  • SSTL and Skylon

C3844737 10:00 Thu July 30th. The Day the Cosmonaut came to Manchester. Single presentation. Free and online. Register here.

This presentation is based on my 2011 book – Yuri Gagarin in London and Manchester. It will cover

  • Gagarin’s achievement?
  • What was he like as an individual?
  • Why he came to Britain?
  • Where in London and Manchester he went and who he met?
  • Legacy of his visit?

C3844797 11:00 Fri July 31st Covid-19 Facts and Fiction. Single presentation. Online and free. register here.

Covid-19

With support from Dr James Anson, a microbiologist and medical director at Liverpool Clinical laboratories, we explore the truth behind the globally popular myths listed on the World Health Organisation website.

C3844740 Staying Safe online. Starts Mon 3rd August. Introduction to key concepts and principles in information security for home computer users. Four weekly sessions. Register here

17:15 Aug 3rd Week1: Cyber Security concepts – an introduction
17:15 Aug 6th Week2: Common Cyber Attacks
17:15 Aug 10 Week3: Secure home working
17:15 Aug 13
Week4: Online Tools and resources

Comet Neowise

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So here are a few pics with limited post processing. These are my first pictures of a comet since Hale-Bopp in 1997! Got some nice pictures of Hale-Bopp from San Francisco during WWW06 in April 1997. Hale-Bopp has a period of 2500 years and comet Neowise about twice that. So both are once-a-life-time events.

After a couple of futile attempts last week when I did see it between the gaps in the clouds but these were fleeting moments and I got no pictures. The following pictures were taken during the early hours of 20th July 2020.

Yes, I know, this is a pretty feeble attempt compared to some stunning images (I and you will have) seen elsewhere. But ..

Comet Neowise

Presentation Slides 18 July 2020

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The BIS-WM branch organised a live presentation today (18 July 2020) using Zoom. Thanks to all at BIS-WM for organising and all of you who joined. I said I would share the links and slides.

1. Astrotalkuk.org – Episode 68 from 2014. Archive material from March 2020.
2. Look inside the book.
3. Purchase book. Use  33% discount code = YYFEP4D during checkout only on this link. If in India then use Pothi.com
4. Indian Airmails.com – Piyush Khaitan. Other useful links.
5. British Interplanetary Society

Click for the presentation in pdf format

Download the slides used in the presentation in pdf format. The video of the recording will be made available soon. All those who registered will be notified by email when it is available online.

India’s Forgotten Rocket Pioneer – Fee Zoom Meeting 14:00 – 15:15 Saturday 18th July

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Early development of rockets took place in several countries during the 1930s and 1940s. In Austria it was Friedrich Schmiedl, Germany had Gerhardt Zucker and in India it was Stephen H Smith. Although was a contemporary of Hermann Oberth, Robert Goddard and Willy Ley, Smith’s contribution was not in the same league. 

Organised by the West Midlands branch of the British Interplanetary Society. Join us live. It is free but you need to register here.

Smith joined the BIS in late 1934 and details of his rocket experiments were published in the BIS bulletin in 1935. So this presentation will have a strong BIS component.

Want to look inside the book – click here or the image below.

Look inside the book

The main contact for Smith in India was BIS secretary Leslie Johnson. Most of the letters I found were from Smith to Johnson but one was from Johnson to Smith. I will speak about this during my presentation.

Letter from Leslie Johnson to Stephen Smith dated 31st Aug 1938