BBC4 Tonight at 21:00 hrs: Britain's Star Men

[ronin]

Good to see those old scopes. Not sure about the Mt Wilson scope status, sure I have read of people visiting it and having arrangements for viewing through the scope - might be wrong on the scope but thought it was Mt Wilson I read of. Also the place opened up easily, I would have thought that the dome opening would have been the first bit to seize. So the fact that that bit still worked relatively easily would make me think it is still used in some manner.

Is there not a Las Vegas Astro Club that could not make use of it ?

The Rainbow Bridge bit I liked to an extent, the extent being about two thirds the length that it was. Would have preferred another scope and a shorter Rainbow Bridge bit. The conversation about the London Marathon was interesting. One of them does it (Roger ??) and their time was 3 hrs 57 minutes. As a time under 5 hours for their age meant an automatic entry to the next years they commented they could do half the marathon, stop, have lunch, then complete the remaining half and still be under 5 hours.

 

[Gina]

Yes, I agree.

[Steve Ward]

You can still hire the 100" Hooker 'scope for a night's viewing , $5000.00 for a full night for 18 people ( that's just £215.00/person )

Or just $1700 for the 60"

2016 season ended now though.

https://www.mtwilson.edu/

https://www.mtwilson.edu/100in.html

https://www.mtwilson.edu/60in.html

[barkis]

I must say Maggie Aderyn-Pocock's Personality has started to gel with me.
I had some reservations initially when she became linked with the Sky at Night programme,
but as time elapsed, and I saw and heard more of her, I know now I was wrong to doubt the lady and I
am now a fan, so 'Go Maggie' .

[Gina]

I like her too

[iPeace]

12 hours ago, barkis said:

I must say Maggie Aderyn-Pocock's Personality has started to gel with me.
I had some reservations initially when she became linked with the Sky at Night programme,
but as time elapsed, and I saw and heard more of her, I know now I was wrong to doubt the lady and I
am now a fan, so 'Go Maggie' .

I always appreciated her, and her presenting style has improved in my opinion without compromise to her personality.

She still bears witness to the inspiration which has driven her to great achievement, inspiration which she shares with all who are so inclined.

It seems to me so much more difficult nowadays to do anything along the lines of what Sir Patrick did; perhaps it's all the more necessary for the fast changing times.

I think it's great to see scientists who are not also stand-up comedians or former rock stars (with full respect and admiration for the usual suspects) being their perhaps eccentric selves and broadcasting interesting and important stuff to a new generation.

Sir Patrick once answered a letter from Heather Couper with the reassurance that being a girl was no handicap at all when it came to making a career in astronomy. I feel good about the slim chance that Maggie will ever have to address such concerns voiced by young ladies with similar interests and aspirations.

[Timebandit]

On 29/09/2016 at 11:24, John said:

This might be interesting:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07xjh6z

 

Thanks for putting up the post John about Britain's Star Men on BBC 4. If you had not advised of this on SGL yesterday then I would of missed that.

Found it a very interesting programming. Not only did it give an insight of these chaps lives when they were younger and their help and achievements towards astronomy, but also gave you an insight to what brilliant minds they had as individuals and as a team in there specific areas of knowledge. The road trip showed some wonderful sights and as for some of the observatory buildings it was a real inside to me and others I hope what actually takes place , but in layman's terms . As for the massive mirror scopes that were shown with 5 meter plus primary (I bet the dob mob lads where wide open with amazement at those) it was fascinating . If I remember correctly they could manufacturer a glass form of a blank in  a primary mirror in 4 to 5 days , but then had to wait up to 4 months for it to cool down. And then to grind and polish it to the correct specification then up to 2years. A lot of hard and specialist work in those BIG reflectors 

Anyway a most enjoyable programming that gave you an rounded  insight  into some brilliant minds , lovely locations and a oversight of our astronomy hobby from a different but understandable programming. I hope other SGL members enjoyed this as much as me?

[spike95609]

I thought it was a very interesting programme, not just from a purely astronomical perspective but to see them retracing their steps and reminiscing. If I lived in California, light pollution or not, I'd use the Mount Wilson scope. I love the idea of a Newtonian that's so big you basically sit in it alongside the secondary.

Did anyone see that very old Horizon programme after Maggie's moon programme? It was fascinating to listen to the overly optimistic views of people in 1984 of how space exploration was going to evolve. It was only 12 years after the last Apollo mission, and though it had gone very quiet in the years since, suddenly they were talking about space stations as a possible stepping stone to venturing out into the solar system, and it seemed possible that people would be living on the Moon by the year 2000 and that mining expeditions would be sent into the far beyond. 30 years on, how disappointed the manned spaceflight proponents must be. It was also interesting to me because a bit of the filming took place at the Kennedy Space Center, and I was there in 1984 - when you're 8 years old you can't walk around those immense rockets and it not make an impression on you.

[iPeace]

1 hour ago, spike95609 said:

...a bit of the filming took place at the Kennedy Space Center, and I was there in 1984 - when you're 8 years old you can't walk around those immense rockets and it not make an impression on you.

I was at KSC 20 years later - the immense rockets never lose their ability to impress.

[Mick J]

Looks like this is being repeated tonight at 10.30 BBC4,   follows the Sky at Night Goodbye Rosetta Special.   

[Gina]

Drat - forgot Sky at Night - have to watch the repeat...