DOCSLIB.ORG

Jjmonl 1511 B.Pmd

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Jjmonl 1511 B.Pmd alactic Observer GJohn J. McCarthy Observatory Volume 9, No. 11 November 2016 Ball of Yarn About 15,000 light years away in the constellation Sagittarius, a white dwarf star is radiating super hot gas into the belly of its surrounding nebula . See page 16 for more information. The John J. McCarthy Observatory Galactic Observer New Milford High School Editorial Committee 388 Danbury Road Managing Editor New Milford, CT 06776 Bill Cloutier Phone/Voice: (860) 210-4117 Production & Design Phone/Fax: (860) 354-1595 www.mccarthyobservatory.org Allan Ostergren Website Development JJMO Staff Marc Polansky It is through their efforts that the McCarthy Observatory Technical Support has established itself as a significant educational and Bob Lambert recreational resource within the western Connecticut Dr. Parker Moreland community. Steve Allison Tom Heydenburg Steve Barone Jim Johnstone Colin Campbell Carly KleinStern Dennis Cartolano Bob Lambert Route Mike Chiarella Roger Moore Jeff Chodak Parker Moreland, PhD Bill Cloutier Allan Ostergren Doug Delisle Marc Polansky Cecilia Detrich Joe Privitera Dirk Feather Monty Robson Randy Fender Don Ross Randy Finden Gene Schilling John Gebauer Katie Shusdock Elaine Green Paul Woodell Tina Hartzell Amy Ziffer In This Issue "OUT THE WINDOW ON YOUR LEFT" ............................... 4 ASTRONOMICAL AND HISTORICAL EVENTS ......................... 14 KEPLER ........................................................................ 4 COMMONLY USED TERMS ............................................... 17 PHOBOS ........................................................................ 5 REFERENCES ON DISTANCES ............................................ 17 MARS EXPLORATION ROVER OPPORTUNITY ........................ 5 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/IRIDIUM SATELLITES .......... 17 ENDEAVOUR CRATER AND THE "GULLY" ............................ 6 SOLAR ACTIVITY ........................................................... 17 ANOTHER OCEAN WORLD? ............................................. 6 IMAGE CREDITS ............................................................ 17 ASCENDING MOUNT SHARP .............................................. 7 SECOND SATURDAY STARS ............................................... 18 THE FAREWELL TOUR OF CASSINI .................................... 8 NOVEMBER GRAPHIC CALENDAR ..................................... 19 LEONID METEOR SHOWER ............................................... 9 DANGER: SPACE DEBRIS .................................................. 9 A CHANGING CLIMATE ................................................... 10 EXOMARS AND SCHIAPARELLI ......................................... 11 CHINESE RADIO TELESCOPE OPERATIONAL ....................... 12 NOVEMBER HISTORY: APOLLO 12 .................................... 12 NOVEMBER NIGHTS ....................................................... 13 SUNRISE AND SUNSET ...................................................... 14 2 Nov 2016 http://www.mccarthyobservatory.org November Astronomy Calendar and Space Exploration Almanac http://www.mccarthyobservatory.org Nov 2016 • 3 “Out the Window on Your Left” T’S BEEN 44 YEARS since we left the last footprint on the Idusty lunar surface. Sadly, as a Kepler nation founded on exploration and the conquest of new frontiers, we appear to have lost our will to lead as a space-faring nation. But, what if the average citizen had the means to visit our only natural satellite; what would they see out the window of their spacecraft as they entered orbit around the Moon? This column may provide some thoughts to ponder when planning your visit (if only in your imagination). Kepler lies 300 miles west of the majestic crater Copernicus, in the lava plains between crater’s central peaks are offset The German astronomer Oceanus Procellarum (Ocean of from center and the southern rim Johannes Kepler used the Storms) to the west and Mare is higher than its northern coun- observational data of Tycho Insularum (Sea of Islands) in the terpart. These characteristics sug- Brahe, a Danish astronomer, to east. Eighteen miles (29.5 km) in gest that the crater was created develop his three laws of diameter, Kepler has a youthful by a moderately oblique impact planetary motion. It’s likely not appearance with its bright system with the impactor arriving from a coincidence that Riccioli took of rays extending across the over the northeastern horizon. notice that one of the rays from surrounding mare. While a con- Kepler (in the form Keplerus) Tycho crater traverses the Kepler temporary of Copernicus, and was the name given to the crater crater (Brahe was very protective considerably younger than the by the Italian astronomer and Je- of his data) in his naming the Imbrium basin impact, sections suit Giovanni Battista Riccioli on crater Kepler. of Kepler’s walls have collapsed lunar maps drawn by colleague and The irregular shaped crater over time leaving mounds of fellow astronomer Francesco Encke lies to the southeast of rubble on the crater’s floor and Maria Grimaldi. The annotated Kepler. Named after the German discontinuities in its rim. The maps were included in Riccioli’s astronomer Johann Franz Encke, crater’s ray system is generally 1651 Almagestum Novum (an en- who became famous for his calcu- symmetrical, although somewhat cyclopedic work covering lations that led to the discovery of suppressed to the east. The astronomy and related subjects). a family of short-period comets. 4 Nov 2016 http://www.mccarthyobservatory.org Phobos Unlike Earth’s Moon, which is one of the largest natural satellites as compared to the size of its parent body, the moons of Mars are more akin to residents of the asteroid belt. The image (above) of Mars and its larger moon Phobos, taken by the Indian Space Research Organization’s Mars Orbiter, shows the diminutive size of the moon. Phobos is an irregular chunk of rock, 10 by 14 by 11 miles (17 by 22 by 18 km). By comparison, Earth’s Moon is 2,200 miles in diameter. Phobos orbits Mars at an average distance of 3,700 miles (6,000 km), closer to a planet than any other moon. The moon completes an orbit of Mars in less than 8 hours. Phobos is so close to Mars (and getting closer by 6.6 feet or 2 meters every hundred years), that the Mars and Phobos (on the planet’s gravitational tidal forces limb). Credit: ISRO/ISSDC/ are expected to break apart the Emily Lakdawalla moon in 30 to 50 million years. Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity The Opportunity rover, twelve years on the surface, has a new mission and target for exploration. After exploring Marathon Valley, an opening in the western rim of the 14- mile (22 km) diameter crater Endeavor, for the past year the rover is now on the move to a gully that scientists believe may have been carved by flowing water. The gully is located approxi- mately a half mile (less than a kilometer) to the south, requiring the rover to traverse rugged rim terrain. Opportunity’s new mission is expected to last up to two years, a challenge in the harsh Martian Marathon Valley (in approximately true color) looking into the environment which will include Endeavour crater, with the eastern rim of crater on the horizon hunkering down for an eighth win- Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell Univ./Arizona State Univ. ter season in 2017. http://www.mccarthyobservatory.org Nov 2016 • 5 Long past its 90-day warrantee, ute to our understanding of the Red Another Ocean World? Opportunity is still mobile and very Planet’s past. Dione may be the third moon capable of navigating the rock- The rover has traveled 26.99 in the Saturnian system to harbor strewn landscape. Its suite of miles (43.44 km) since it landed a subterranean ocean. A recent instruments remain functional (for in Eagle crater in 2004. It had been analysis, made possible by the the most part), although issues stationary for several days with gravity measurements collected with its computer’s non-volatile resources (in orbit and on Earth) by the Cassini spacecraft sug- memory require the rover to dedicated to the Schiaparelli land- gests the presence of a deep, glo- transmit each day’s observations ing (also at Meridiani Planum). bal ocean beneath a thick icy before shutting down for the night Opportunity’s camera was posi- shell. The icy shell covering the (or the information is lost). Still the tioned in an attempt to capture the ocean is estimated to be about 60 intrepid explorer manages to add descent of Schiaparelli, but the miles (100 km) thick. If miles to the odometer and contrib- lander did not come into view. confirmed, Dione would join Saturn’s moons Enceladus and Endeavour Crater Titan as water worlds. and the “Gully” The ocean, potentially tens of miles (kms) deep, is thought to be in contact with the rocky core of the 700-mile-wide (1,120 km) moon. Rock-water interactions are important, in that they can provide the ingredients (nutri- ents) for life as well as a source of energy. Similar modeling of the moon Enceladus by the team, led by Mikael Beuthe of the Royal Ob- servatory of Belgium, points to a thinner icy shell than suggested by previous analyses, particularly near the south pole which has active geysers. A thinner shell would facilitate access to the ocean (by probe or submersible). Janiculum Dorsa, the raised scar Western Rim of Endeavour in the middle of this Cassini image, Crater. Credits: NASA/JPL- is providing new evidence of pres- Caltech/Univ. of Arizona sure from a subsurface ocean on Dione. (Source: JPL). 6 Nov 2016 http://www.mccarthyobservatory.org Dione A topographic image
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Space Administration
    https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19700024651 2020-03-23T18:20:34+00:00Z TO THE CONGRESSOF THE UNITEDSTATES : Transmitted herewith is the Twenty-first Semiannual Repol* of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Twen~-first SEMIANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS JANUARY 1 - JUNE 30, 1969 NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION WASHINGTON, D. C. 20546 Editors: G. B. DeGennaro, H. H. Milton, W. E. Boardman, Office of Public Affairs; Art work: A. Jordan, T. L. Lindsey, Office of Organiza- tion and Management. For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402-Price $1.25 THE PRESIDENT May 27,1970 The White House I submit this Twenty-First Semiannual Report of the National Aeronautics and Space Aldministration to you for transmitttal to Congress in accordance with section 206(a) of the National Aero- nautics and Space Act of 1958. It reports on aotivities which took place betiween January 1 and June 30, 1969. During this time, the Nation's space program moved forward on schedule. ApolIo 9 and 10 demonstrated the ability of ;the man- ned Lunar Module to operate in earth and lunar orbit and its 'eadi- ness to attempt the lunar landing. Unmanned observatory and ex- plorer class satellites carried on scientific studies of the regions surrounding the Earth, the Moon, and the Sun; a Biosatellite oarwing complex biological science experiment was orbited; and sophisticated weather satellites and advanced commercial com- munications spacecraft became operational. Advanced research projects expanded knowledge of space flighk and spacecraft engi- neering as well as of aeronautics.
    [Show full text]
  • The Active Centaurs
    The Astronomical Journal, 137:4296–4312, 2009 May doi:10.1088/0004-6256/137/5/4296 C 2009. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. THE ACTIVE CENTAURS David Jewitt Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA; [email protected] Received 2009 January 5; accepted 2009 February 24; published 2009 April 3 ABSTRACT The Centaurs are recent escapees from the Kuiper Belt that are destined either to meet fiery oblivion in the hot inner regions of the solar system or to be ejected to the interstellar medium by gravitational scattering from the giant planets. Dynamically evolved Centaurs, when captured by Jupiter and close enough to the Sun for near-surface water ice to sublimate, are conventionally labeled as “short-period” (specifically, Jupiter-family) comets. Remarkably, some Centaurs show comet-like activity even when far beyond the orbit of Jupiter, suggesting mass loss driven by a process other than the sublimation of water ice. We observed a sample of 23 Centaurs and found nine to be active, with mass-loss rates measured from several kg s−1 to several tonnes s−1. Considered as a group, we find that the “active Centaurs” in our sample have perihelia smaller than the inactive Centaurs (median 5.9 AU versus 8.7 AU), and smaller than the median perihelion distance computed for all known Centaurs (12.4 AU). This suggests that their activity is thermally driven. We consider several possibilities for the origin of the mass loss from the active Centaurs. Most are too cold for activity at the observed levels to originate via the sublimation of crystalline water ice.
    [Show full text]
  • The Space Race
    The Space Race Aims: To arrange the key events of the “Space Race” in chronological order. To decide which country won the Space Race. Space – the Final Frontier “Space” is everything Atmosphere that exists outside of our planet’s atmosphere. The atmosphere is the layer of Earth gas which surrounds our planet. Without it, none of us would be able to breathe! Space The sun is a star which is orbited (circled) by a system of planets. Earth is the third planet from the sun. There are nine planets in our solar system. How many of the other eight can you name? Neptune Saturn Mars Venus SUN Pluto Uranus Jupiter EARTH Mercury What has this got to do with the COLD WAR? Another element of the Cold War was the race to control the final frontier – outer space! Why do you think this would be so important? The Space Race was considered important because it showed the world which country had the best science, technology, and economic system. It would prove which country was the greatest of the superpowers, the USSR or the USA, and which political system was the best – communism or capitalism. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvaEvCNZymo The Space Race – key events Discuss the following slides in your groups. For each slide, try to agree on: • which of the three options is correct • whether this was an achievement of the Soviet Union (USSR) or the Americans (USA). When did humans first send a satellite into orbit around the Earth? 1940s, 1950s or 1960s? Sputnik 1 was launched in October 1957.
    [Show full text]
  • Russian Project Space Sputnik 1
    Russian Project Space Sputnik 1 Sputnik 1 was the first artificial Earth satellite. The Soviet Union launched it into space because it inaugurates the The Space Age and that is when the space race started. Laika, Belka, Strelka Laika was the first dog to be sent into space who died on 3 November 1957. Belka and Strelka spent a day in space aboard and they didn’t die. Vostok 1 and Yuri Gagarin Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space in the Vostok 1 capsule.He“paved the way for space exploration and truly went where no man had been before.” Valentina Tereshkova Valentina Tereshkova is the first female to go into space.She spoke with Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, who said, “Valentina, I am very happy and proud that a girl from the Soviet Union is the first woman to fly into space and to operate such cutting-edge equipment.” Voskhod 2 and Alexei Leonov Voskhod 2 was another milestone in space exploration and Alexei Leonov became the first person to leave the spacecraft to conduct a spacewalk. Mir the space station Mir was a space station operated by the Soviet Union and it was the first modular space station, it was brought down in 2001. The Russian Space Programme in the 21st Century The Russian government promised to replace its key space assets, inherited from the former USSR, with a brand-new triad of space infrastructure for the 21st century. In addition to a next-generation manned spaceship, Russia committed to build a new launch site and a fleet of rockets with a wide range of capabilities.
    [Show full text]
  • The Minor Planet Bulletin
    THE MINOR PLANET BULLETIN OF THE MINOR PLANETS SECTION OF THE BULLETIN ASSOCIATION OF LUNAR AND PLANETARY OBSERVERS VOLUME 36, NUMBER 3, A.D. 2009 JULY-SEPTEMBER 77. PHOTOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS OF 343 OSTARA Our data can be obtained from http://www.uwec.edu/physics/ AND OTHER ASTEROIDS AT HOBBS OBSERVATORY asteroid/. Lyle Ford, George Stecher, Kayla Lorenzen, and Cole Cook Acknowledgements Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire We thank the Theodore Dunham Fund for Astrophysics, the Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004 National Science Foundation (award number 0519006), the [email protected] University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Received: 2009 Feb 11) Blugold Fellow and McNair programs for financial support. References We observed 343 Ostara on 2008 October 4 and obtained R and V standard magnitudes. The period was Binzel, R.P. (1987). “A Photoelectric Survey of 130 Asteroids”, found to be significantly greater than the previously Icarus 72, 135-208. reported value of 6.42 hours. Measurements of 2660 Wasserman and (17010) 1999 CQ72 made on 2008 Stecher, G.J., Ford, L.A., and Elbert, J.D. (1999). “Equipping a March 25 are also reported. 0.6 Meter Alt-Azimuth Telescope for Photometry”, IAPPP Comm, 76, 68-74. We made R band and V band photometric measurements of 343 Warner, B.D. (2006). A Practical Guide to Lightcurve Photometry Ostara on 2008 October 4 using the 0.6 m “Air Force” Telescope and Analysis. Springer, New York, NY. located at Hobbs Observatory (MPC code 750) near Fall Creek, Wisconsin.
    [Show full text]
  • Visible and Near-Infrared Colors of Transneptunian Objects and Centaurs from the Second ESO Large Program
    A&A 493, 283–290 (2009) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:200810561 & c ESO 2008 Astrophysics Visible and near-infrared colors of Transneptunian objects and Centaurs from the second ESO large program F. E. DeMeo1, S. Fornasier1,2, M. A. Barucci1,D.Perna1,3,4, S. Protopapa5, A. Alvarez-Candal1, A. Delsanti1, A. Doressoundiram1, F. Merlin1, and C. de Bergh1 1 LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, 92195 Meudon Principal Cedex, France e-mail: [email protected] 2 Université de Paris 7 Denis Diderot, Paris, France 3 INAF – Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma, via Frascati 33, 00040 Monte Porzio Catone, Italy 4 Università di Roma Tor Vergata, via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy 5 Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Lindau, Germany Received 10 July 2008 / Accepted 9 October 2008 ABSTRACT Aims. We investigate color properties and define or check taxonomic classifications of objects observed in our survey. Methods. All observations were performed between October 2006 and September 2007 at the European Southern Observatory 8 m Very Large Telescope, UT1 and UT2 at the Paranal Observatory in Chile. For visible photometry, we used the FORS1 instrument, and for near-infrared, ISAAC. Taxonomic classifications from the Barucci system were assigned using G-mode analysis. Results. We present photometric observations of 23 TNOs and Centaurs, nine of which have never been previously observed. Eighteen of these objects were assigned taxonomic classifications: six BB, four BR, two RR, and six that are given two or more categories due to insufficient data. Three objects that had been previously observed and classified, changed classes most likely due to surface vari- ation: 26375 (1999 DE9), 28978 (Ixion), and 32532 (Thereus).
    [Show full text]
  • Jjmonl 1712.Pmd
    alactic Observer John J. McCarthy Observatory G Volume 10, No. 12 December 2017 Holiday Theme Park See page 19 for more information The John J. McCarthy Observatory Galactic Observer New Milford High School Editorial Committee 388 Danbury Road Managing Editor New Milford, CT 06776 Bill Cloutier Phone/Voice: (860) 210-4117 Production & Design Phone/Fax: (860) 354-1595 www.mccarthyobservatory.org Allan Ostergren Website Development JJMO Staff Marc Polansky Technical Support It is through their efforts that the McCarthy Observatory Bob Lambert has established itself as a significant educational and recreational resource within the western Connecticut Dr. Parker Moreland community. Steve Barone Jim Johnstone Colin Campbell Carly KleinStern Dennis Cartolano Bob Lambert Route Mike Chiarella Roger Moore Jeff Chodak Parker Moreland, PhD Bill Cloutier Allan Ostergren Doug Delisle Marc Polansky Cecilia Detrich Joe Privitera Dirk Feather Monty Robson Randy Fender Don Ross Louise Gagnon Gene Schilling John Gebauer Katie Shusdock Elaine Green Paul Woodell Tina Hartzell Amy Ziffer In This Issue "OUT THE WINDOW ON YOUR LEFT"............................... 3 REFERENCES ON DISTANCES ................................................ 18 SINUS IRIDUM ................................................................ 4 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/IRIDIUM SATELLITES ............. 18 EXTRAGALACTIC COSMIC RAYS ........................................ 5 SOLAR ACTIVITY ............................................................... 18 EQUATORIAL ICE ON MARS? ...........................................
    [Show full text]
  • Episode 2: Bodies in Orbit
    Episode 2: Bodies in Orbit This transcript is based on the second episode of Moonstruck, a podcast about humans in space, produced by Dra!House Media and featuring analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Aerospace Security Project. Listen to the full episode on iTunes, Spotify, or on our website. BY Thomas González Roberts // PUBLISHED April 4, 2018 AS A DOCENT at the Smithsonian National Air & Space But before humans could use the bathroom in space, a Museum I get a lot of questions from visitors about the lot of questions needed to be answered. Understanding grittiest details of spaceflight. While part of me wants to how human bodies respond to the environment of outer believe that everyone is looking for a thoughtful Kennedy space took years of research. It was a dark, controversial quote to drive home an analysis of the complicated period in the history of spaceflight. This is Moonstruck, a relationship between nationalism and space travel, some podcast about humans in space. I’m Thomas González people are less interested in my stories and more Roberts. interested in other, equally scholarly topics: In the late 1940s, American scientists began to focus on Kids: I have a question. What if you need to go to the two important challenges of spaceflight: solar radiation bathroom while you're in a spacesuit? Is there a special and weightlessness.1 diaper? Aren't you like still wearing the diaper when you are wearing a spacesuit? Let'sThomas start González with radiation. Roberts is the host and executive producer of Moonstruck, and a space policy Alright, alright, I get it.
    [Show full text]
  • Jjmonl 1810.Pmd
    alactic Observer John J. McCarthy Observatory G Volume 11, No. 10 October 2018 Halloween spook See page 19 for more information The John J. McCarthy Observatory Galactic Observer New Milford High School Editorial Committee 388 Danbury Road Managing Editor New Milford, CT 06776 Bill Cloutier Phone/Voice: (860) 210-4117 Production & Design Phone/Fax: (860) 354-1595 www.mccarthyobservatory.org Allan Ostergren Website Development JJMO Staff Marc Polansky Technical Support It is through their efforts that the McCarthy Observatory Bob Lambert has established itself as a significant educational and recreational resource within the western Connecticut Dr. Parker Moreland community. Steve Barone Jim Johnstone Colin Campbell Carly KleinStern Dennis Cartolano Bob Lambert Route Mike Chiarella Roger Moore Jeff Chodak Parker Moreland, PhD Bill Cloutier Allan Ostergren Doug Delisle Marc Polansky Cecilia Detrich Joe Privitera Dirk Feather Monty Robson Randy Fender Don Ross Louise Gagnon Gene Schilling John Gebauer Katie Shusdock Elaine Green Paul Woodell Tina Hartzell Amy Ziffer In This Issue INTERNATIONAL OBSERVE THE MOON NIGHT .......................... 3 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION/IRIDIUM SATELLITES .............. 18 INOMN HIGHLIGHT, MARE HUMORUM SOLAR ACTIVITY ................................................................ 18 AND GASSENDI CRATER .................................................. 5 NASA'S GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE ................................... 18 LUNAR ICE ........................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Read Book Laika Ebook
    LAIKA PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Nick Abadzis | 208 pages | 07 Sep 2007 | Roaring Brook Press | 9781596431010 | English | New Milford, United States Laika PDF Book Others pry tears from dry eyes, keeping Kleenex in business with tearjerker endings. See also:. Fruit flies launched in became the first animals to reach outer space and be recovered alive. Topics Movies space. Four other dogs died in Soviet space missions: Bars and Lisichka were killed when their R-7 rocket exploded shortly after launch on 28 July ; [31] Pchyolka and Mushka died when Korabl-Sputnik 3 was purposely destroyed with an explosive charge to prevent foreign powers from inspecting the capsule after a wayward atmospheric reentry trajectory on 1 December Animal rights groups at the time called on members of the public to protest at Soviet embassies. However, Laika was not the first animal in space. After reaching orbit, Sputnik 2's nose cone was jettisoned successfully; however the "Block A" core did not separate as planned, preventing the thermal control system from operating correctly. LCCN : sh Gravity wave detector all set Robots get cheeky The big and the bizarre Botox 'may cause new wrinkles' Alien 'abductees' show real symptoms Leatherbacks 'extinct in 30 years' Isle of the Dead gives up clues Meacher attacks GM crops Foes urged to spare Iraq's wildlife Ariane 4 blasts into history Ankle-deep on Mars Goodbye Dolly. Soviet physicians chose Laika to die, but they were not entirely heartless. For years, the party line from officials was that Laika had been humanely euthanized before the satellite reentered the atmosphere.
    [Show full text]
  • The Ethics of Animal Research – Teacher Notes
    The Ethics of Animal Research – Teacher Notes The previous lesson showed the extensive use of animals in the early days of space research and even today to further our understanding of the space environment. This raises important questions about the ethics of using animals in research. The use of animals in scientific experimentation has always been, and will always be a controversial subject. It is however an unavoidable fact that without animal research we would know far less about biology, diseases and medical conditions that affect humans and other animals. While researchers agree that animals should only be used when there is no known alternative and they should be treated with humane respect to avoid suffering, the scientific community continue to agree that the historical use of animals in research has allowed the development of medical treatment, surgical techniques, vaccines and the advancement of science in other areas. As we know animals were used extensively to serve as surrogates for human beings in the early days of spaceflight to learn vital information about the environment. In recent times, although animals continue to be used in space research, valid arguments about animal suffering have led to great improvements in their treatment. It is estimated that between 50 and 100 million animals are used in research experiments every year. Animals used in testing come from a variety of sources. While many animals, particularly worms and rats, may be purpose bred for testing other animals are still caught in the wild. Opponents to animal testing argue that it is cruel and unnecessary, that the results never reliably predict the reaction of human physiology and that animals have the same right as humans not to be used for experimentation.
    [Show full text]
  • Desind Finding
    NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE ARCHIVES Herbert Stephen Desind Collection Accession No. 1997-0014 NASM 9A00657 National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC Brian D. Nicklas © Smithsonian Institution, 2003 NASM Archives Desind Collection 1997-0014 Herbert Stephen Desind Collection 109 Cubic Feet, 305 Boxes Biographical Note Herbert Stephen Desind was a Washington, DC area native born on January 15, 1945, raised in Silver Spring, Maryland and educated at the University of Maryland. He obtained his BA degree in Communications at Maryland in 1967, and began working in the local public schools as a science teacher. At the time of his death, in October 1992, he was a high school teacher and a freelance writer/lecturer on spaceflight. Desind also was an avid model rocketeer, specializing in using the Estes Cineroc, a model rocket with an 8mm movie camera mounted in the nose. To many members of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR), he was known as “Mr. Cineroc.” His extensive requests worldwide for information and photographs of rocketry programs even led to a visit from FBI agents who asked him about the nature of his activities. Mr. Desind used the collection to support his writings in NAR publications, and his building scale model rockets for NAR competitions. Desind also used the material in the classroom, and in promoting model rocket clubs to foster an interest in spaceflight among his students. Desind entered the NASA Teacher in Space program in 1985, but it is not clear how far along his submission rose in the selection process. He was not a semi-finalist, although he had a strong application.
    [Show full text]