Britain’s first astronaut and Professor of Space Physics Helen Sharman is recognised in New Year’s honours 2018!
The New Year’s Honours list recognises the achievements of a wide range of extraordinary people across the country.
Source – RocketSTEM
Helen Sharman is appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for services to science and technology educational outreach
On 18th May 1991, Helen Sharman became Britain’s first astronaut in space and the first woman to visit the Mir Space Station.
After responding to a radio advertisement asking for applicants to be the first British astronaut, Helen Sharman was selected for the mission live on ITV, on 25th of November 1989, ahead of nearly 13,000 other applicants.
Before launch, Sharman spent 18 months in intensive flight training in Star City.
Helen gained a Bachelor of Science from the University of Sheffield and her PhD from Birkbeck University of London.
Sharman was appointed an OBE in 1993, and in the same year became an honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.
She has also received several honorary degrees from universities throughout the UK, and in 2015 was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the British Science Association.
Congratulations Helen – you are an inspiration to all!
Here are the most inspiring people we have met this year, and just a few of the many workshops that we have run at festivals/events and with The Scouting Association groups!
Today (15.12.2017) is two years since Tim Peake launched to the International Space Station (ISS)!
He described the journey back as “the best ride I’ve been on ever”, adding: “The smells of Earth are just so strong”.
On the 15th December 2015, Tim took the most exhilarating ride of his life, lifting off, on a Russian Soyuz rocket with Russian commander Yuri Malenchenko and US astronaut Tim Kopra!
Source – European Space Agency
Professor Brian Cox and Dara O Briain presented live coverage of British astronaut Tim Peake’s arrival at the International Space Station, at the Science Museum in London. They were joined by astronauts including former ISS commander Chris Hadfield and Helen Sharman, and Dallas Campbell reported live from the launch in Kazakhstan!
Source – BBC
Source – BBC
Source – BBC
Since his Principia Mission Tim has done many tours/talks, attended events, becoming a Scout ambassador, writing books and much more!
Children have been inspired by his Principia Mission – in a way that they may not have been interested in space especially from a scientific or mathematical point of view, but have been drawn in through a number of different ways, such as competitions, challenges and experiments!
Thank you to Tim for being such an inspiration to all!
Retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly gave an inspirational talk in Oxford, where he was joined by presenter Dallas Campbell!
The fascinating evening took place on the 24th November 2017!
Meeting with Scott Kelly!
Scott talked about his new book Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery – a personal account of the wonders and trials of space travel, the challenges of long-term space flight and the potential for mankind to set foot on Mars!
Scott left the audience spellbound, with his candid account of his life leading up to becoming an astronaut!
Thank you to Scott Kelly and Dallas Campbell for a captivating evening!
MajorTim.space exhibited at Rural Conwy STEM Quest to celebrate Dark Matter Day!
The event took place Tuesday 31st October 2017!
We ran our hovercraft workshop and a quiz with prizes!
The event was run by Gwasanaeth Ieuenctid Conwy Youth Service & Grwp Llandrillo Menai, at Canolfan Ieuenctid Llanrwst Youth Centre!
Visitors had a great time making their hovercrafts and testing their knowledge in our quiz (with prizes including MajorTim.space Anniversary badges)!
On Tuesday 31st October it’s Dark Matter Day, and to commemorate we will be running workshops at Rural Conwy STEM Quest!
The event is being run by Gwasanaeth Ieuenctid Conwy Youth Service & Grwp Llandrillo Menai, at Canolfan Ieuenctid Llanrwst Youth Centre from 11.30am!
It’s our first anniversary, and we will be celebrating by running drop-in ‘build your own mini hovercraft’ workshops, and a quiz where there is a chance to win a prize – including MajorTim.space anniversary badges!
So come and find us, have some fun and learn about astronomy and friction in the process!
Today 16.10.2017, an “unusual” reddish sky and red-looking sun has been seen across many parts of the UK!
The reason why….
Ophelia originated in the Azores where it was a hurricane and as it tracked its way northwards it dragged in tropical air from the Sahara.
This meant that dust from the Sahara was brought with it.…
The dust gets picked up into the air and goes high up into the atmosphere, and that dust has been dragged high up in the atmosphere above the UK.
The particles in the air cause blue light to scatter, leaving longer-wavelength red light to shine through.
Chris Lintott is a professor in Astrophysics and is based at Oxford University!
He is an astronomer and co-founder of both Galaxy Zoo and the Zooniverse that grew from it, Chris is interested in how galaxies form and evolve and how citizen science can change the world!
I would like to thank the wonderful Chris Lintott for this interview!
Here is our interview with him…..
What fuelled your passion for Astrophysics?
“I grew up looking at the stars and wondering about them – I have always been fascinated by the idea that we can look at things that are so far away and try and come up with explanations for what we see. I was also lucky that the school I went to had a telescope – and that they were crazy enough to hand us the keys and let us play with it. That was very inspiring – that chance early on to try and do some real observing.”
You have met many wonderful people – who would you say has had the most influence on you?
“The obvious answer is Patrick Moore, whose program I’m lucky enough to help take care of. The best things about Patrick came from his love of people – he was always happy to take time to explain things, and all of his programs include explanations for those tuning in to astronomy for the first time and for those who consider themselves expert. I hope we still do that today – if so, it’s because Patrick taught me.”
How did Galaxy Zoo start?
“I arrived in Oxford ten years ago as a new researcher, having just got my PhD. I was supposed to be studying how stars form in different galaxies, but that meant sorting through many images of galaxies. A student called Kevin Schawinski had looked through 50,000 but it wasn’t enough, and we came up with the idea of asking the public to help.”
Kevin Schawinski and Chris Lintott! Source – Galaxy Zoo Blog
You are the co-founder of both Galaxy Zoo and the Zooniverse that grew from it – what is it like to work on two amazing reasearch projects?
“It’s been great fun – and continually surprising. I don’t think I’ve been able to predict what will happen next at any point.”
What is the best part of your job?
“I like the people. I get to work with so many interesting people from around the world, all of whom are doing what they do because they really want to. That makes for some very interesting conversations.”
Do you have a favourite Sky at Night episode that you’ve worked on?
“The program we did after the little Philae probe landed on its comet was wonderful. I like the Rosetta and Philae teams very much, and they let us follow along through some very stressful days as they worked out what had happened to the lander.
Artist’s impression of the Rosetta orbiter deploying the Philae lander to comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko! Source – ESA Science Copyright – ESA–C. Carreau/ATG medialab
I think we made quite a complicated story very easy to follow – and we had to rush to get it ready. I think we finished the program only a couple of hours before it had to be broadcast. ”
What was it like working with the late Sir Patrick Moore?
“Patrick didn’t suffer fools gladly, but he was very generous – with his time, and with his program which he invited the rest of us onto. It was exciting to be around him, because he was always interested in the next idea, and in how to explain it to as many people as possible.”
What advice would you give to anybody wishing to pursue a career in Astrophysics and Presenting?
“Don’t worry too much about the career, but try and do interesting things. If you do enough of those, and you have a bit of luck, you’ll find that opportunities to do more come your way.”
MajorTim.space exhibited at New Scientist Live at ExCel London!
The event took place 28th September – 1st
October!
We ran our hovercraft workshop and a quiz with prizes!
With special guests in
attendance to the event – including
Tim Peake, Helen Sharman and Al Worden!
We were able to meet Tim Peake , Helen Sharman and Al Worden again, but this time in a private meeting backstage after their talk!
Later on we had two special visitors to our stand who took part in our activities….
Libby Jackson – Astronaut Flight Education Programme Manager for the UK Space Agency!
After all of the visitors had left…..
Al Worden – Apollo 15, retired NASA astronaut!
We had a fantastic time meeting so many enthusiastic Young Space Explorers, who had a great time making their hovercrafts and testing their knowledge in our quiz (with prizes including MajorTim.space Anniversary badges)!
MajorTim.space exhibited at New Scientist Live at ExCel London!
