News

A couple of weeks ago (15.08.2018) we delivered our ‘Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!’ workshops with GirlGuiding Brownie groups, as part of their Wild Sleepout at RSPB Conwy!

The Brownies made Hoop Gliders and Thaumatropes, while learning the science behind them – Both of which they could take away with them!

It was great to see the young people having fun exploring STEM and excited to spend the night at RSPB Conwy!

After they made their hoop gliders we took them outside for a test flight!

They enjoyed testing them so much that we had to do a competition – which was very close and we were unable to pick a winner – they were all winners!

Fantastic STEM Explorers – who enjoyed learning the science behind the activities!

If you run a Scout Association/Girlguiding unit or Youth Club/Group in North Wales – contact us for more information about our workshops – Also, visit our MajorTim.space’s ‘Galactic Outreach Workshops’! page for more info!

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We will be running our drop-in ‘Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!’ workshops and some friction activities at Techniquest Glyndwr’s Family Fun Days, in Wrexham this Friday and Saturday (24th/25th August).

In a unique collaboration with the RAF and its celebrations marking the 100th year – Technquest Glyndwr will be presenting an even bigger range of activities over the three days in the former TJ Hughes building in Chester Street/Henblas Square with the additional input from the RAF.

We will be running two different drop-in activities and some friction challenges:

Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!

Make a Hoop Glider and a RAF themed Thaumatrope, while learning the science behind them – Both of which you can take away with you!
Plus, we have some friction challenges that will get you thinking!

The event will be held in the old TJ Hughes building, in Wrexham.

Our drop-in ‘Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!’ workshops are always extremely popular!

So come and find us to have some STEMtastic fun!

Recently (12.08.2018), NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe Mission to ‘touch’ the Sun!

NASA’s historic Parker Solar Probe mission will revolutionize our understanding of the Sun, where changing conditions can propagate out into the solar system, affecting Earth and other worlds.  Parker Solar Probe will travel through the Sun’s atmosphere, closer to the surface than any spacecraft before it, facing brutal heat and radiation conditions and ultimately providing humanity with the closest-ever observations of a star.

It is the first space craft to be named after a living person – astrophysicist Eugene Parker, 91, who first described solar wind in 1958.

“Wow, here we go! We’re in for some learning over the next several years,” he said after watching the lift-off from the scene.  The University of Chicago professor said he had been biting his nails in anticipation.

Journey to the Sun

In order to unlock the mysteries of the Sun’s atmosphere, Parker Solar Probe will use Venus’s gravity during seven flybys over nearly seven years to gradually bring its orbit closer to the Sun.  The spacecraft will fly through the Sun’s atmosphere as close as 3.8 million miles to our star’s surface, well within the orbit of Mercury and more than seven times closer than any spacecraft has come before – Earth’s average distance to the Sun is 93 million miles.

Flying into the outermost part of the Sun’s atmosphere, known as the corona, for the first time, Parker Solar Probe will employ a combination of in situ measurements and imaging to revolutionize our understanding of the corona and expand our knowledge of the origin and evolution of the solar wind.  It will also make critical contributions to our ability to forecast changes in Earth’s space environment that affect life and technology on Earth.

Extreme Exploration

Parker Solar Probe will perform its scientific investigations in a hazardous region of intense heat and solar radiation. The spacecraft will fly close enough to the Sun to watch the solar wind speed up from subsonic to supersonic and it will fly though the birthplace of the highest-energy solar particles.

To perform these unprecedented investigations, the spacecraft and instruments will be protected from the Sun’s heat by a 4.5-inch-thick (11.43 cm) carbon-composite shield, which will need to withstand temperatures outside the spacecraft that reach nearly 2,500 F (1,377 C).

The Science of the Sun

The primary science goals for the mission are to trace how energy and heat move through the solar corona and to explore what accelerates the solar wind as well as solar energetic particles.  Scientists have sought these answers for more than 60 years, but the investigation requires sending a probe right through the 2,500 degrees fahrenheit heat of the corona.  Today, this is finally possible with cutting-edge thermal engineering advances that can protect the mission on its dangerous journey. Parker Solar Probe carries four instrument suites designed to study magnetic fields, plasma and energetic particles and image the solar wind.

Teaming for Success

Parker Solar Probe is part of NASA’s Living With a Star program to explore aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society.  The Living With a Star flight program is managed by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington.  The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, manages the mission for NASA. APL has designed and built the spacecraft and also operate it.

Asteroid 249516 Aretha, found by NASA’s NEOWISE mission and named after the Aretha Franklin to commemorate the ‘Queen of Soul’ will keep orbiting beyond Mars.

Aretha Franklin died last Thursday (16.08.2018), aged 76 years.

She won 17 Grammy Awards and influenced countless singers.  She recorded such hits as “Respect”, “Chain of Fools” and “Think”.
She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005.

The asteroid was first detected in 2001 and was designated as an asteroid in February 2010 by the NEOWISE project, according to NASA.  The project officially named the space object after Franklin in 2014.

It measures just under three miles across and it orbits between Mars and Jupiter — one of hundreds of thousands currently traveling in that main asteroid belt, according to NASA’s count.  It takes 249516 Aretha about five-and-a-half years to make one trip around the sun, according to The Atlantic.

As long as Aretha the asteroid doesn’t crash into another space object, she’ll be orbiting the sun forever.

MajorTim.space were invited to run drop-in STEM activities at RSPB Conwy’s Big Wild Sleepout – 4th August 2018!

We were running our drop-in ‘Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!’ workshops and some friction activities!

Visitors took part in two different drop-in activities and some kinetic energy challenges:

Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!

Visitors made Hoop Gliders and Thaumatropes, while learning the science behind them – Both of which they could take away with them!

Plus, we had some kinetic energy challenges that got them thinking!

This was RSPB Conwy’s second Big Wild Sleepout of the year!

We were running our ‘Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!’ workshops at both and had a fantastic time!

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We had a great time running our drop-in ‘Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!’ workshops and some friction activities at Techniquest Glyndwr’s Family Fun Day, in Wrexham – 1st August 2018!

We were running two different drop-in activities and some friction challenges:
Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!

Visitors made Hoop Gliders and Thaumatropes, while learning the science behind them!
Plus, we had some friction challenges that got them thinking!

The event was held in the old TJ Hughes building, in Wrexham!

We thoroughly enjoyed exhibiting at the Family Fun Day!

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MajorTim.space were invited to attend Bluedot Festival as press on the Saturday (21.07.2018)!

Here is our review of the Festival –

A busy start to Saturday – Many people arriving for a day at the festival, campers have slept on the site which is home to the iconic Lovell Telescope.

“Bluedot is a wonderful fusion of music, science and space.  It was an honour to be part of it again and brilliant to see the festival continue to grow.  I’m just sorry that I couldn’t stay for very long this year! – Libby Jackson, Human Spaceflight & Microgravity Programme Manager at UK Space Agency

Plenty of entertainment to suit the whole family!

Visitors got to explore the grounds of the Telescope on such a lovely warm day – with a fantastic line-up of talks, workshops and other exciting entertainment options.

 

Mission Control stage was absolutely stunning, amazing set-up with an impressive array of spotlights.

The first talk that we attended was by Professor Jim-Al-Khalili on the Mission Control stage.

Jim Al-Khalili OBE is a Theoretical physicist, scientist, author and broadcaster.

Jim took to the stage and gave a fascinating talk, which was popular with long queues outside waiting to get a seat (even sitting on the floor to see his talk).

The packed audience were captivated and inspired by Jim-Al-Khalili’s talk.

He is an enthusiastic speaker and has an amusing sense of humour.

The brilliant talk was followed by a signing of his book – Quantum: A Guide for the Perplexed

 

There are many options for breakfast, lunch, tea or snacks with stalls that cater for all dietary needs – serving vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free food/refreshments.

The Bluedot Festival also banned plastic bottles and have gone plastic free.
They advised visitors to bring their own reusable cups/bottles – offering free water bottle fill-ups with drinking taps and a stall located around the festival.
Helping to protect the environment!

 

Next talk on our agenda was by the fantastic Dr Tamsin Edwards on the Mission Control stage.

Tamsin Edwards is a climate scientist, specialising in testing and assessing uncertainties for climate models, especially for the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheet contributions to future sea level rise.

Tamsin gave a very interesting talk – bringing in the crowds and captivating the audience.

Very passionate about her subjects – she gave a talk that was both enjoyable and interesting for the whole audience!

 

Dallas Campbell’s talk commenced shortly after Tamsin Edwards finished on the Mission Control stage.

Dallas Campbell is a presenter/broadcaster who presents many of  the most popular factual television programmes.

Dallas gave an amusing and interesting talk – both entertaining and packed with jokes to bring laughter to the audience!

Dallas Campbell is an enthusiastic speaker/presenter and he definitely pulled in the crowds.

His talk was followed by a signing of his popular book – Ad Astra: An Illustrated Guide to Leaving the Planet

 

In the evening the Telescope projections began.

The projections looked spectacular with the moon peeping out behind later in the evening to add to the atmosphere!

 

A display of metal fire lights could be seen on the other side of the site.

 

Also, on the other side of the grounds there were some stunning installations of lights – projecting different colours on trees – adding ambience to the evening.

Overall the Bluedot Festival definitely pulls in the crowds, both campers/day visitors with a fantastic line-up – providing a remarkable and unforgettable experience for the whole family.

 

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Click here for more photos by Amelia’s Photography of Bluedot Festival!

 

On this day (5th August) in 1971 – Apollo 15 astronaut, Al Worden carried out the first deep space EVA (Extravehicular Activity)!

He exited the CM and made three trips to the SIM bay at the rear of the SM to retrieve film cannisters and check the equipment.

His total EVA time was 38 minutes, 12 seconds.

We are extremely proud that Al Worden is the patron of MajorTim.space – https://majortim.space/our-patron/

Astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon was born on this day (5th August) in 1930.

Neil Armstrong was also a research pilot in the X-15 and carried out the first successful docking of two vehicles in space as commander of Gemini VIII.

MajorTim.space were invited to run drop-in STEM activities at RSPB Conwy’s Big Wild Sleepout – 28th July 2018!

We were running our drop-in ‘Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!’ workshops and some friction activities!

Visitors took part in two different drop-in activities and some kinetic energy challenges:

Be Mystified – The Forces of Science!

Visitors made Hoop Gliders and Thaumatropes, while learning the science behind them – Both of which they could take away with them!

Plus, we had some kinetic energy challenges that got them thinking!

While we were running our activities we met these two STEM explorers (Millie and Rosie) who loved our stand –

We also met Rainer a STEM enthusiast who was celebrating his 5th birthday the day after – here he is telling us about his love for science and adventures in Spain! –

Also, thanks to these two nature explorers for demonstrating our kinetic energy
challenges –

We are looking forward to returning to RSPB Conwy this Saturday for their second Big Wild Sleepout!

We will be running the same activities as shown above and hope to see you there!

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