The MoneyTree Space Week Special Edition

SPECIAL ISSUE 2014

SPACE

THE FINAL FRONTIER Special Edition in conjunction with the Department of Science & Technology

JM BUSHA

SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Get started, work hard, up your performance and receive one of the following prizes from JM BUSHA Investment Group, the student partner:

UNIVERSITY (i) Full Scholarship (Tuition and Accommodation) (ii) Tuition Grant (iii) Textbooks Grant HIGH SCHOOL The best performing Grade 11 student receives (i) R1,000 Prize money (ii) Two library books and (iii) Qualifies for entry into the JM BUSHA Scholarship Award THE FUTURE A good education, a good career, a better life, and the best investment portfolio are equal to a secure financial and happy future.

For that, talk to JM BUSHA Investment Group.

Invest wisely. It’s your performance. www.jmbusha.com or invest@jmbusha.com

DIRECTORS’ REPORT “S

pace, the final frontier.“ Remember that famous quote from the Star Trek series, with the star ship Enterprise setting out “to go where no man [human?] has gone before”? Well, that frontier is on our doorstep with the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), our very own space agency, about whom you can learn more in this issue.

Today, as never before, it is an exciting time to be a young learner of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Southern Africa, because there are opportunities to go on a journey into the future as exciting as in the original science fiction films and books. Our country has staked its claim as an important member of the international astronomical scientific community, and the future is bright for our young scientists. Under the auspices of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), the National Research Foundation (NRF), SANSA, and a very active Astronomical Society, the sky is the limit. No, sorry, there is no limit and the sky is merely the beginning!

If you have not heard the names KAT, MeerKAT, SALT or SKA, turn the pages in this Special Edition on Space to learn more about the vast variety of world-class telescopes and observatories that are spread across our amazing landscapes, and how scientists are probing ever deeper into our origins and our future.

Humans have been fascinated with the prospects of space – whether it is alien life forms (friend or foe); a newly discovered habitable planet, moon or exoplanet; or untold riches of known or new minerals uncovered on Mars or elsewhere. Space ships, space stations, astronauts and cosmonauts, heroes and villains, meteorites and comets, galaxies and supernova, and the controversies and calculations of the Big Bang and the possibility of an eventual Big Crunch. That is the stuff that the science of space and all the underlying sciences that propel us ever further on this quest are made of.

In this issue, you can learn more about the exciting programmes that SANSA runs throughout the year.

You may find out how to pursue a career in space-related disciplines. You can also feast your eyes on some of the most breathtaking visuals – photos taken deep in space of nebulae, supernovas, planets and more.

But, it is the mind that will surely stretch, as the infinity of space and the related physics often leave one gobsmacked. Yes, our brains are small when it comes to comprehending the magnitude of it all, yet we are quick learners.

Space is not an abstract concept, though. It is part of our lives and has been since the dawn of humanity.

(We arrived a bit later than the estimated date of 13.7 billion years ago for the Big Bang). The stars and planets have been part of ancient cultures, and we share a beautiful piece of ethnoastronomy that explains what some of the constellations and bodies meant to our own forefathers. Likewise, space is beeeeg in popular culture so we have created some fun lists of films, books and music where concepts of outer space and exploration feature prominently. We firmly believe that today’s science fiction is tomorrow’s technology.

We hope that this special issue of The Money Tree will open your eyes to our world and to new possibilities and opportunities like nothing you have ever read before has been capable of doing. In the words of Buzz Lightyear: “To infinity and beyond.”

Learn more about the vast variety of world-class telescopes and observatories that are spread across our amazing landscapes, and how scientists are probing ever deeper into our origins and our future.

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Special Edition in conjunction with the Department of Science & Technology

SPACE: AFRICAN 36 SANSA: Serving Humanity 42 Astronomy in South Africa 60 AstroEthnography 62 Astronomic Growth in Southern Africa

SPACE: GALACTIC 34 What is Space Week?

46 A Short History of Space Exploration 52 Are We Alone?

56 Own Your Own Star 58 Missions to Mars

ENTERTAINMENT 16 Ask the Elder 17 Space By The Numbers 18 Cool Space Apps 20 Movies 24 Music 30 Books

PHOTOGRAPHIC ESSAYS 8 Visual Essay: Best of Hubble 100 64 Rare Moment: ISS and the Space Shuttle

COVER IMAGE

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA, ESA, M LIVIO AND THE HUBBLE 20TH ANNIVERSARY TEAM (STSCI) Hubble Captures View of “Mystic Mountain” This craggy fantasy mountaintop enshrouded by wispy clouds looks like a bizarre landscape from Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image, which is even more dramatic than fiction, captures the chaotic activity atop a pillar of gas and dust, three light-years tall, which is being eaten away by the brilliant light from nearby bright stars. The pillar is also being assaulted from within, as infant stars buried inside it fire off jets of gas that can be seen streaming from towering peaks.

This turbulent cosmic pinnacle lies within a tempestuous stellar nursery called the Carina Nebula, located 7,500 light-years away in the southern constellation of Carina. The image celebrated the 20th anniversary of Hubble’s launch and deployment into an orbit around the Earth.

Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 observed the pillar on 1-2 February 2010. The colours in this composite image correspond to the glow of oxygen (blue), hydrogen and nitrogen (green), and sulphur (red).

LEFT

Hubble's Sharpest View of the Orion Nebula This dramatic image offers a peek inside a cavern of roiling dust and gas where thousands of stars are forming. The image, taken by the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, represents the sharpest view ever taken of this region, called the Orion Nebula. More than 3,000 stars of various sizes appear in this image. Some of them have never been seen in visible light. These stars reside in a dramatic dust-and-gas landscape of plateaus, mountains, and valleys that are reminiscent of the American Grand Canyon.

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…ALL in ONE Magazine At THE MONEY TREE, we pride ourselves in satisfying our target markets through research and diversification of our products – we put YOUR interests first.

The Money Tree Magazine – a Student Investor (Pty) Ltd publication THE TEAM: Joseph Makamba Busha (Chairman), Matthew Piper (Managing Director), Tokologo Phetla (Executive Director), Karidas Tshintsholo (Executive Director), Jack Newby (Executive Director), Siyabonga Mseleku (Investment Writer), Tsepiso Secker (Chief Writer), Mmabato Thobejane (Relationship Manager) 4

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THE

MONEY TREE A Student Investor Publication SPECIAL EDITION 2014 Joseph M Busha Chairman For Student Investor Matthew Piper Managing Director matthewpiper@studentinvestor.co.za 071 293 4409

Tokologo Phetla Director: Operations & Strategy tokologophetla@studentinvestor.co.za 073 684 8874

Karidas Tshintsholo Director: Marketing & Corporate Relations

Jack Newby Director: Financial Education

For The Money Tree Magazine Publisher Chapel Lane Media Charl du Plessis charl@chapellane.co.za 082 452 8110 Managing Editor Tanya Goodman tanya@chapellane.co.za Art Direction White Space Invaders ws-invaders.co.za 082 959 3263

Advertising Sales Tokologo Phetla sales@studentinvestor.co.za 073 684 8874

Distribution Free distribution at major university and college campuses, and at premier high schools across South Africa. To find out where to get your copy, contact distribution@studentinvestor.co.za Print by CTP, Cape Town Stock Photos from dollarphoto.com The Money Tree magazine is published quarterly by Chapel Lane Media on behalf of Student Investor.

Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Chapel Lane Media, Student Investor or any of its clients. Information has been included in good faith by the Publisher and Editor, and is believed to be correct at the time of going to print. No responsibility can be accepted for errors and omissions. No material (articles or photographs) in the publication may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without specific written permission from the Editor. Submissions of articles and photographs for the publication are to be arranged in advance and will be published at the discretion of the Editor. The Publisher, while exercising all reasonable care, cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage.

Please ensure that all enquiries for material submission are mailed to editor@tmtmag.co.za Copyright © 2014.

All copyright for material appearing in this magazine belongs to Chapel Lane Media in conjunction with Student Investor and/or contributors.

All rights reserved.

How to read QR-codes First, you need a QR-code app and a smartphone or tablet equipped with a camera. Then, go to the app store and search for a free QR-code app.

Some examples of free QR-code apps: RedLaser for iOS; RedLaser or QR Droid for Android; QR Code Scanner Pro for BlackBerry.

When you launch your app, you’ll see that your phone’s camera is activated.

Next, line up the camera on your device with the QR code you want to scan and hold the device steady until the app can read the code.

Then, most apps automatically take you to the relevant website; some you have to click or tap. Have fun!

MEET THE DIRECTORS Joseph Makamba Busha Joseph Makamba Busha is Chairman of Student Investor (Pty) Ltd, and Group Managing Director of JM Busha Investment Group. His love for education, work and business experience made it easier for an idea to be converted into a business. His life is devoted to creating a better, more inclusive and responsible society and equitable world.

Matthew Piper Matthew Piper is the Managing Director of Student Investor (Pty) Ltd. His passion for entrepreneurship, investing and empowering others is what led to the founding of Student Investor. When away from the bustle of business life, he spends his time on other passions such as art and academia. Matthew aims to be at the forefront of change in South Africa through entrepreneurial leadership.

Tokologo Phetla Tokologo Phetla is the Director of Operations & Strategy of Student Investor (Pty) Ltd. His vision is to contribute to the creation of an economically powerful African continent. He aims to do this through entrepreneurship and building up what he terms, a new African Consciousness. “The vision is simple: To change the face of the world, make it look more African.”

Karidas Tshintsholo Karidas Tshintsholo is the Director of Marketing & Corporate Relations of Student Investor (Pty) Ltd. Karidas is a learner at heart who enjoys the study and application of Economics. He is an aspiring serial entrepreneur and hectic jazz fan who is crazy about Mustangs.

A young man who knows he is an integral part of a bright future for the African continent.

Jack Newby Jack Newby is the Director of Financial Education of Student Investor (Pty) Ltd. He is passionate about the financial markets and numbers have always fascinated him. He has been managing his own portfolio since he was 18, with great returns. He believes Student Investor can help the youth of South Africa learn about the markets and he encourages everyone to be part of this revolution.

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VISUAL ESSAY

HUBBLE TOP 100 IMAGES

LIGHT CONTINUES TO ECHO THREE YEARS AFTER STELLAR OUTBURST The Hubble Space Telescope’s latest image of the star V838 Monocerotis (V838 Mon) reveals dramatic changes in the illumination of surrounding dusty cloud structures. The effect, called a light echo, has been unveiling never-before-seen dust patterns ever since the star suddenly brightened for several weeks in early 2002.

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CREDIT: NASA, ESA, AND THE HUBBLE HERITAGE TEAM (AURA/STSCI)

The Hubble Space Telescope sits in Earth’s low-orbit and has recorded visible light images from deep space and time for 24 years. It is a joint project between NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA). Named after astronomer Edwin Hubble, who calculated the date of the Big Bang, observations from Hubble have led to many breakthroughs in the sciences. This visual essay features a small selection from the Hubble Heritage Team, who gathered together their favourite images that Hubble has sent back over the years. This is just a tiny fraction of what is available.

You can download the complete set in a free app for your iPad from the App Store.

GHOSTLY STARFORMING PILLAR OF GAS AND DUST

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA, THE ACS SCIENCE TEAM AND ESA TEXT CREDIT: NASA, HOLLAND FORD (JHU), THE ACS SCIENCE TEAM AND ESA

Resembling a nightmarish beast rearing its head from a crimson sea, this celestial object is actually just a pillar of gas and dust. Called the Cone Nebula (in NGC 2264) – so named because in ground-based images it has a conical shape – this monstrous pillar resides in a turbulent star-forming region. This picture, taken by the Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) aboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, shows the upper 2.5 light-years of the Cone, a height that equals 23 million roundtrips to the Moon. The entire pillar is seven lightyears long.

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WFC3 VISIBLE IMAGE OF THE CARINA NEBULA

CREDIT: NASA, ESA AND THE HUBBLE SM4 ERO TEAM

Composed of gas and dust, the pictured pillar resides in a tempestuous stellar nursery called the Carina Nebula, located 7,500 lightyears away in the southern constellation of Carina.

Taken in visible light, the image shows the tip of the three-light-year-long pillar, bathed in the glow of light from hot, massive stars off the top of the image.

Scorching radiation and fast winds (streams of charged particles) from these stars are sculpting the pillar and causing new stars to form within it. Streamers of gas and dust can be seen flowing off the top of the structure.

Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 observed the Carina Nebula on 24-30 July 2009. WFC3 was installed aboard Hubble in May 2009 during Servicing Mission 4. The composite image was made from filters that isolate emission from iron, magnesium, oxygen, hydrogen and sulphur.

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THE RING NEBULA (MESSIER 57)

CREDIT: NASA, ESA, AND C. ROBERT O’DELL (VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY).

This new image shows the dramatic shape and colour of the Ring Nebula, otherwise known as Messier 57.

From Earth’s perspective, the nebula looks like a simple elliptical shape with a shaggy boundary. However, new observations combining existing ground-based data with new NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope data show that the nebula is shaped like a distorted doughnut. This doughnut has a rugby-ballshaped region of lowerdensity material slotted into in its central “gap,” stretching towards and away from us.

CREDIT: NASA, ESA AND THE HUBBLE SM4 ERO TEAM

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THE HORSEHEAD NEBULA

CREDIT: NASA, ESA, AND THE HUBBLE HERITAGE TEAM (AURA/STSCI)

This Hubble image, captured and released to celebrate the telescope’s 23rd year in orbit, shows part of the sky in the constellation of Orion (The Hunter). Rising like a giant seahorse from turbulent waves of dust and gas is the Horsehead Nebula, otherwise known as Barnard 33.

This image shows the region in infrared light, which has longer wavelengths than visible light and can pierce through the dusty material that usually obscures the nebula’s inner regions. The result is a rather ethereal and fragile-looking structure, made of delicate folds of gas — very different to the nebula’s appearance in visible light.

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LIGHT AND SHADOW IN THE CARINA NEBULA

NASA/ESA, THE HUBBLE HERITAGE TEAM (AURA/STSCI)

Previously unseen details of a mysterious, complex structure within the Carina Nebula (NGC 3372) are revealed by this image of the “Keyhole Nebula,” obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope. The picture is a montage assembled from four different April 1999 telescope pointings with Hubble’s Wide Field Planetary Camera 2, which used six different colour filters. The picture is dominated by a large, approximately circular feature, which is part of the Keyhole Nebula, named in the 19th century by Sir John Herschel.

This region, about 8,000 light-years from Earth, is located adjacent to the famous explosive variable star Eta Carinae, which lies just outside the field of view toward the upper right. The Carina Nebula also contains several other stars that are among the hottest and most massive known, each about 10 times as hot, and 100 times as massive, as our Sun.

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Q&A

ASK THE ELDER Dear Elder,

Dear Sir,

Dear Elder

Is Pluto a planet or not? My father tells me that when he grew up there was never any doubt about Pluto being a planet, yet my teacher seems to have a different opinion.

Why can one not see the Southern Cross when in Europe? And what are we missing out on that they may be able to see?

Who won the space race? And why did it even start?

Yasmina Yusuf, Berea

Emily Prozezsky, Nelspruit Jack Mosdell, Springs

Dear Yasmina Dear Emily,

Dear Jack, You know what Emily, whereas we have the

The end of World War II is marked by the point at which Allied troops from the USA, Britain and

Officially, Pluto is no longer a planet since 2006, when it was down-graded to being a dwarf planet. For your interest, I will mention that it is the second largest dwarf planet known to us, with only Eris being larger. To get a sense of scale, consider that Pluto is about one-third of the moon’s volume, even though, being entirely rock and ice, it weighs only about one sixth of the moon. Blame it on the International Astronomical Union (IAU) who decided, after the discovery of Eris, to define planets more precisely and exclude ice objects like Pluto from the definition. This definition is

Southern Cross, they have the Pole Star in the northern hemisphere. But I bet you that few people know that one can actually see the Southern Cross (or the Crux Constellation) from parts of the northern hemisphere at select times of the year. For instance, around midevenings during April in Cancun, one might be able to see this set of stars. Crux is arguably the most distinguishable constellation of the major 88 that we observe, and consists of four stars: Alpha, Beta, Gamma and Delta Crucis, ranging from 88 to 364 light-years away from Earth. And next time we play an international

others came in from the western part of Germany and met with the advancing Russian forces invading from the east. They met in Berlin where part of the negotiations to end the war resulted in dividing the city into sectors, and so started 45 years of Cold War. East and West had very different ideologies, and each advance in the area of arts or sciences, or any victory in sport, was taken to validate that the one or the other ideology was superior. Free markets, capitalism and democracy versus statism and communism. Who won? I suppose we all won because the urge to outdo their opponents propelled both sides

by no means popular in all quarters, so I would suggest that both your father and your teacher are correct.

test against either the Aussies or Kiwis, look carefully at their flags and you will see that the stars on their flags are the Southern Cross.

The Elder

The Elder

into spending irrational amounts of resources on developing space programmes, all to our modernday benefit. The Russians had the first man in space. The Americans stepped on the moon first.

I suspect both sides can claim some victory.

The Elder

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BY THE NUMBERS

6 x 10

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−273.15° Celsius ABSOLUTE ZERO OR 0 KELVIN. THE TEMPERATURE OF MOST OF THE UNIVERSE.

THE MASS OF EARTH IN KILOGRAMS. IT AFFECTS GRAVITY. GRAVITY AFFECTS EVERYTHING.

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THE NUMBER OF NATURALLY OCCURRING ELEMENTS THAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTAL BUILDING BLOCKS OF ALL THE MATTER IN THE UNIVERSE.

THE ESTIMATED WEIGHT IN KILOGRAMS OF MAN-MADE SPACE JUNK CURRENTLY ORBITING EARTH.

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THE NUMBER OF ATOMS OF HYDROGEN PER CUBIC METRE OF SPACE REQUIRED TO REVERSE THE BIG BANG AND MAKE ALL END IN THE BIG CRUNCH ONE DAY.

6.3 million

1995 600 THE NUMBER OF TIMES MARS IS FURTHER AWAY FROM EARTH THAN THE MOON, THE FURTHEST HUMANS HAVE JOURNEYED.

THE FIRST YEAR IN WHICH A WOMAN PILOTED A SPACE SHUTTLE WHEN US COMMANDER EILEEN COLLINS GUIDED STS-63 TO SPACE STATION MIR.

1.4 times

WHEN A STAR IS THIS MUCH BIGGER THAN THE SUN, OR MORE, IT IS DESTINED TO BECOME A SUPERNOVA.

13.7 billion

THE NUMBER OF YEARS AGO THAT THE BIG BANG OCCURRED, AS CALCULATED BY EDWIN HUBBLE.

THE NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE ARMSTRONG AND ALDRIN SET FOOT ON THE MOON. TIME FOR MARS?

45

THE NUMBER OF TIMES OF ALL THE OTHER PLANETS COMBINED THAT THE LARGEST PLANET IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM, JUPITER, WOULD BE IN TERMS OF MASS.

2.5 times 17

TECHNOLOGY

SPACE APPS

The Best According to Mashable.com*

NASA

MOBILE OBSERVATORY

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the government agency behind the USA’s space programme, as well as all things that fly. The NASA app is free and available on all devices and it keeps users abreast of the world’s premier space agency’s progress, projects, missions and research with the help of feature stories, photos, videos, live webcasts and more. On log-in, we could see what the Hubble telescope was beaming back to Earth, as well as a recent starburst.

According to Mashable, this app for Android users is one of the most detailed astronomy apps out there and is often considered a great alternative to Pocket Universe. While it comes with the updated star maps, Mobile Observatory also has interactive views of the solar system and zoomable views of the sky and planets. It's basically an Astronomy 101 textbook loaded onto your phone.

SOLAR WALK 3-D POCKET UNIVERSE For iPad and iPhone users only, this app takes you on a virtual tour of the universe, provides you with frequent astronomical updates, and can be set to operate across a variety of time zones. If you are into quizzes, or want to see the moons of our sister planets, this one is for you at about R30 in the iStore.

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Apple has featured Solar Walk 3D on its Best Apps list for three consecutive years, and for good reason. The high-def, interactive views of our solar system will blow away even the nerdiest of space lovers. Unlike other astronomy apps, Solar Walk also has 3D models of man-made satellites, like the Hubble. The only drawback is that you need cyan-red 3D glasses to access the 3D modes.

SKY MAP

EXOPLANET

While it's not as robust as Pocket Universe, Sky Map is a great alternative for Android users. As Google's "window on the sky," this app was originally created by 20 employees who genuinely loved astronomy. Last year, the company open-sourced the app to allow for further development.

OK, we've given you lots of great app options for the major planets and astronomy maps, but what about all those other alien worlds? The Exoplanet app for iPhone and iPad is an interactive database of every known exoplanet beyond our solar system. Updated every day, the app pushes notifications whenever a new exoplanet is discovered.

SPOT THE STATION MOON ATLAS Here's the best thing about our moon: It's one of the only out-of-thisworld objects you can see every night, even under bright city lights.

Don't take its dependability for granted – there's always something more to learn about our lunar friend. Moon Atlas for iPhone and iPad is a 3D globe that you can pinch and control to manipulate for finer detail. Swipe to view the moon from every angle and read through more than 1,800 named features.

NASA's Spot the Station isn't really an app, but rather a service.

Whenever the International Space Station is visible in your area, NASA will shoot you a text or email. As the third-brightest object in the sky, the ISS is visible with the naked eye. On a clear day, it looks like an airplane whizzing through the sky.

*About www.mashable.com: Mashable is a British-American news website, technology and social media blog founded by Pete Cashmore in 2005. The website's primary focus is social media news, but it also covers news and developments in mobile, entertainment, online video, business, web development, technology, memes and gadgets.

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MOVIES

ALIEN ALERT

BY CHARL DU PLESSIS

ET could not phone home for all the tea in China. He would have needed to buy airtime and, given the distance, it would have been prohibitively expensive. Besides, he only would have qualified for pay-as-you-go rates, assuming that the corner shop would take his currency!

These trivial details have never stopped Hollywood from making our aliens and extra-terrestrials, good and bad alike, somewhat human in significantly more aspects than that which could possibly be credible. In what follows, we list some of the more popular space or alien movies of all time. Then, more as an afterthought, we also wade through some of the scientific hubris in these science-fiction films, just to make sure we do not have unreasonable expectations of whom we may encounter someday.

DISTRICT 9

Special Edition in conjunction with THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

What better place to start than in our own neighbourhood? Aliens land in Johannesburg, looking no worse than passengers on a SAA flight from New York usually do on touchdown, give or take a few funny limbs and scaly looks. We do to them what came naturally to the Apartheid government – we create an alien Soweto of sorts and get Afrikaans cops to boss them around. Although we see no Romeo and Juliet type of cross-species romance, they share many common features with us: they think like us, share emotions and have many of the same gestures. They can, of course, travel interstellar and shoot weapons activated by their DNA, so we are not quite the same. For a test of reality, it is almost certain that aliens won’t have DNA that can mix with ours, they won’t enjoy dining on cat food and they won’t have technology we can instantly operate.

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INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS

Originally filmed in 1956, the 1978 remake of this movie was just long ago enough that one suspects the next Hollywood blockbuster might soon be coming to a cinema near you (starring Will Smith yet again?). The central idea of this script is how ordinary people get replaced by aliens who take on all of their physical features but are void of human emotion.

Voila, in the absence of emotion, we have a perfectly functioning society. The nasty aliens are called the “Pod People” because as they fled their dying world and touched down on Earth, they fell on leaves with small pink flowers and assimilated. The movie has all the right elements, with bodies being discovered and all agencies with any authority remaining frustratingly disinterested and sceptical. Witnesses also get converted by the Pods. We want to leave you emotionally hanging by not revealing how it all ends. Not quite Hollywood happy.

The main thesis is interesting – that the Pod people might have been doing humans a favour by removing all emotion.

ALIEN

It might be hard to believe today, but yes, once it was possible to have pin-up status despite having freakish, octopus-like creatures with gnarly teeth bursting out of your chest. Just ask Sigourney Weaver, who played Warrant Officer Ripley. Alien introduced scientific research, and good-looking female scientists in white coats to the science-fiction genre in a big way. What we also liked was the fact that this 1979 female astronaut-scientist had strong leadership qualities – a culmination of everything that feminists had been fighting for all in one package. Ripley is the lone survivor of plenty attempts to flush the alien out of the space ship Nostrodomo.

Pure fiction, one would hope, and clearly, way too early to think of androids having the capacities that the film gave to Ash, the company’s secret agent on the mission.

2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY

In 1968, the next century seemed a long way off to Director Stanley Kubrick and his cast. The story of 2001 deals with an epic journey to the planet Jupiter. Now, bear in mind that in 1968, the first space flights had already occurred and that a step on the Moon was a mere one year away. So, Kubrick and Clarke should be forgiven if they thought there was a likelihood of a journey to Jupiter within the not too distant future. Reality check? Who knows where humanity might have ventured by now if the end of the Cold War did not interrupt the excessive, beat-them-at-any-cost investment in the space race. The sequel, based on Arthur C Clarke’s book 2010, pulled heavyweights such as Roy Scheider (of Jaws fame), Helen Mirren and John Lithgow, and that year, too, has come on gone with nothing quite as memorable as what Clarke predicted.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

This was the first in a series of doomsday movies that were to hit the big screen in the mid-1990s. If we all entered the new millennium somewhat fearful, blame it on this. Prior to this science fiction disaster movie, as purists like to classify them, aliens were hiding out in distant places. Now, they were hovering over our cities in larger-than-life spaceships. After a devastating attack, survivors gather in the Nevada desert to stage a counter attack and comeback. The film had a staggering 3,000 special effects shots to finish, and it grossed over $817 million at the box office, the second-highest take ever. After this movie, Will Smith was firmly entrenched as our first line of defence against any future alien invasion. Films like Men in Black and more would follow. Now the reality check? Surely, in the deep southern parts of the US, heroes are seldom men of colour?

ET

Spielberg did aliens and he did them well. ET was cute enough to be a soft toy. It is hard to remember why he came here and how he was going to get back. All you really need to know is that he was decidedly in the toiletpaper-puppy-picture league of warm and fuzzy feelings, and he left us with two memorable moments. The one being the immortal words “ET phone home.” The other, when ET rides in the front basket of a bicycle jumping over the moon. Oh yes, the young Drew Barrymore was a close second on the cuteness factor. Now, let’s get real. Given that mobile phones only hit the market well after this movie’s 1982 release, what are the odds that aliens would be “phoning home?”

FACT: ET was Spielberg’s response to the “stalled space program.” In 1981 Spielberg said: “If the government won’t fund the space program, to allow people’s imagination to soar, then all I can do is make movies that bring space down to earth and make it more accessible to the imagination.”‘

COCOON

When eighty year olds start acting as if they are on Spring Break, there may be something wrong with the water. For three residents of an old age home, Sunny Shores, who occasionally sneak into their neighbours’ pool, that is exactly the case. Why? Because the neighbours are aliens who rented the place and filled the pool with a life force intended to revive 20 of their species who had been cocooned for millennia after a previously failed trip. As other residents of Sunny Shores sniff out the truth, they join in the pool. Soon, grandmas are climbing trees with their grandsons, yet they drain all the life force from the water. Now, the cocooned Antareans cannot go back and are returned to the ocean floor. We are certain that these aliens are not like us in any way, because no right-thinking human would do what they did next. Having had their plans scuppered, basically by the greedy exhaustion of their life force by the elderly, they turn the other cheek and offer to take these geezers on the return trip with them, to live forever. I hope there is one sequel that shows that this greed got suckered and that these humans ended up as slaves or slugs in that foreign constellation where the Antareans came from. Did we mention Captain Jack falling in love with the alien neighbour?

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MOVIES

SPECIES

This film is about a group of scientists who try to track down and trap a killer alien seductress before she successfully mates with a human male. Dream on. Enough said that if we encounter foreign life forms one-tenth as attractive as lithe Natasha Henstridge, the main alien character in this 1995 film and the first in a three-part series, we will rethink religion. Did we mention the star-studded cast, including Natasha Henstridge, Ben Kingsley, Forest Whitaker and Natasha Henstridge? Scientific reality check – dudes in white coats should know there is something fishy if they suddenly are about to get lucky after all these years.

Special Edition in conjunction with THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

AVATAR

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Science fiction went 3-D big time with this 2009 epic movie that turned the aliens into good guy humanoids called the “Na’vi” and humans into the pigs who threatened their peaceful and harmonious existence. This takes place on Pandora, a lush habitable moon of a gas giant in the Alpha Centauri star system. I heard kids and grown-ups cry in the theatre when that beautiful big tree in which the Na’vi lived came tumbling down in front of the mega-bulldozers. Genocide on a inter-galactic scale. The scientific inventions in the movie are awesome – starting with the concept of having a geneticallyengineered avatar out on your behalf doing all the dirty and downright dangerous work. But, could one not please swop back into yourself for the moments when you fall in love?

(Director James Cameron, after all, gave us Titanic and other romantic movies). The furthest stretch in the movie? What greedy industrialist would ever call a precious mineral “Unobtanium?” And by the way, Avatar again features Sigourney Weaver, of Alien fame.

MEN IN BLACK

We have been invaded. Unknown to us, hiding inside zipped-up human-lookalike costumes and in dark alleys and Chinese restaurants, and living and working side by side to us, are gazillions of really ugly aliens.

And there is this super agency that employs the gruff Tommy Lee Jones and the too upbeat and witty Will Smith to smooth over any possible transgressions of our foreign visitors (and I am not speaking of the French).

I have lost count how many MIBs there have been and I am sure it will overtake the Rocky franchise one day, because the stories are just too good, the characters (human and alien alike) truly enjoyable, and the recipe just works so well as entertainment. The first MIB grossed $589 million. Our only concern with how closely this movie may be mirroring reality is that we have little doubt that some far-left-leaning civil rights group would long ago have made some stink about the rights to memory and therefore would have started complaints about how the MIB wipe memories with the click of a switch.

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MUSIC

MUSIC NO ORDINARY COUNTDOWN

BY TANYA GOODMAN Space exploration, alien invasions, and imaginary worlds have sparked the creative genius in many an artist. Music also plays an important role in some of the most famous films about space – think 2001: Space Odyssey.” And for the astronauts themselves, music is a central part of maintaining some sort of normal life (NASA has kept the song list for the wake up tune which is beamed up every day to get them “out” of bed.)

Welcome to some of our favourite pieces on the subject. Haunting, triumphant, tentative and some just simply out of this world. (PS: Use your smartphone to snap the QR codes and watch videos for many of these too.)

We ara Te bl ch e

the“I und m mu usic wor erst si a ld an senMankc sha nd I b throu d ha se o ind h pes eliev gh soms alw f won as al the une tha us et ays de way ive t and. It’s nhing t beenr abous hadrse. h a beedisco tural at’s imcurio t spaca u to v e n to b, ander. It i wanplantes. It’s , s t d spae like is alw , alw to tra in ce. this ays ays vel ” – . W go has Van e a ing gel re is

PETER SCHILLING MAJOR TOM (Coming Home)

Special Edition in conjunction with THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

DAVID BOWIE SPACE ODDITY

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http://youtu.be/D67kmFzSh_o “Space Oddity” became a hit at the time of the first Apollo lunar landings, and later proved to be strangely prophetic when the near-tragedy of Apollo 13 occurred only months after the song’s release. In the cuttingedge video, Bowie plays both Ground Control and Major Tom, the ill-fated space voyager who dutifully follows orders and tells his wife “he loves her very much.”

Ground Control to Major Tom Commencing countdown, engines on Check ignition and may God’s love be with you Here am I floating round my tin can Far above the Moon Planet Earth is blue And there’s nothing I can do.

http://youtu.be/N0sb1SZxCAs With a character unofficially related to “Major Tom,” the theme of David Bowie’s 1969 album “Space Oddity,” this song is also about an astronaut being caught in an accident in space. It was first released in German in 1983. There is also a possible connection between Elton John’s Rocket Man and Major Tom, a connection notably made by Bowie himself, who while singing Space Oddity in concert would sometimes call out, “Oh, Rocket Man." 4321 Earth below us drifting falling floating weightless calling calling home...

THE KINKS SUPERSONIC ROCKET SHIP

ELTON JOHN ROCKET MAN http://youtu.be/RncBJaNloyM The lyrics in the song, inspired by the short story “The Rocket Man” in The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury, and written by John’s longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin, describe a Mars-bound astronaut’s mixed feelings at leaving his family in order to do his job. The song echoes the theme of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” but seems to be more about how the perception of an astronaut’s job was becoming normalized. Among numerous other performances, John played “Rocket Man” at the launch site of Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998.

She packed my bags last night pre flight Zero hour 9:00am And I'm gonna be high, as a kite by then I miss the earth so much I miss my wife It’s lonely out in space On such a timeless flight

http://youtu.be/thXmHW4-WC4 This song offers visions of a utopia on board a rocket ship where no one is discriminated against and no one needs to be "hip" to fit in. It’s got a groovy Calypso sound with hints of steel drum in the background. An all round happy picture, indeed.

On my supersonic rocket ship Nobody has to be hip Nobody needs to be out of sight. Out of sight.

Nobody’s gonna travel second class There’ll be equality And no suppression of minorities.

Well alright.

We’ll take this planet, shake it round And turn it upside down.

My supersonic rocket ship.

CHRIS DE BURGH A SPACEMAN CAME TRAVELLING http://youtu.be/sVakQ5aegLY Humankind’s venture into space has also raised the question of whether other lifeforms have or will visit Earth. Chris de Burgh’s song brings a message of peace and goodwill wrapped up in a religious metaphor.

A spaceman came travelling on his ship from afar, ‘Twas light years of time since his mission did start, And over a village he halted his craft, And it hung in the sky like a star, just like a star He followed a light and came down to a shed, Where a mother and child were lying there on a bed, A bright light of silver shone round his head, And he had the face of an angel, and they were afraid

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MUSIC

MOBY WE’RE ALL MADE OF STARS http://youtu.be/5iJ6mLb8r00 Richard Melville Hall, known by his stage name Moby, is an American singer-songwriter, musician, DJ and photographer. He is well known for his electronic music, vegan lifestyle, and support of animal rights. This is a sweet, hippy kinda song about the interconnectedness of it all.

People they come together, people they fall apart No one can stop us now cause we are all made of stars

RADIOHEAD SUBTERRANEAN HOMESICK ALIEN

Special Edition in conjunction with THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

http://youtu.be/N0sb1SZxCAs We think it’s a brilliant essay question, and so does Radiohead: “If you were an alien from another planet arriving on Earth, how would you describe what you saw?” Apparently, the question was part of the inspiration for this haunting, sad song about alienation and loneliness.

Up above Aliens hover Making home movies For the folks back home Of all these weird creatures Who lock up their spirits Drill holes in themselves And live for their secrets

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SUN RA & HIS ASTRO-SOLAR-INFINITY ARKESTRA TAPESTRY FROM AN ASTEROID http://youtu.be/8_f5e9eJpLw From the album We Travel the Space Ways on Saturn Records, Sun Ra’s tune (with yet another astronomical word – asteroid – in it) is about as spacy as you can get. Sun Ra was a prolific jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his “cosmic philosophy,” musical compositions and performances. This one is purely an instrumental piece so there are no lyrics. You’ll have to take his word for it that it’s about space. And since he claims to come from some other world, maybe he’s right.

No one can stop us now cause we are all made of stars.

EUROPE THE FINAL COUNTDOWN http://youtu.be/9jK-NcRmVcw Big hair not withstanding, the sound on this track is huge. Epic orchestral arrangements kick this one off and it only goes up from there. The lyrics speak of a departure from Earth. Is it for exploration or for escape?

We’re leaving together, But still it’s farewell And maybe we’ll come back, To earth, who can tell ?

I guess there is no one to blame We’re leaving ground Will things ever be the same again?

GOLDFISH MOONWALK AWAY (MOONLANDING MIX) http://youtu.be/wbNJR2JYn7I An electronic duo from the Southern-most tip of Africa, Goldfish (Dave Poole and Dom Peters) have gone from impromtu jams at a tiny beach club in Cape Town to headlining Amsterdam’s Olympic Stadium, cracking a top 10 on the US iTunes Dance chart, a residency at Pacha Ibiza with David Guetta, and DJ’s like Fedde le Grand knocking at their door to remix their tracks. Their genre-defying mix of live instruments, house beats and searing live performances make them one of SA’s hottest musical acts at the moment. Their recent video release of the remix of “Moon Walkaway” has awesome footage from NASA and the International Space Station. Plus some cool retro voice overs from Mission Control.

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND’S SATELLITE http://youtu.be/LEGV9H0aZaQ Though Dave Matthews has been living abroad for quite some time, we like to claim him as our own. Some say this song is about a girl. Others claim it’s just a reworking of the childhood rhyme, “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” We think it’s a bit more unsettling and somewhat prescient as the song seems to predict the ever-present surveillance that advanced technology brings to modern society. And the fact that whoever controls it is both Peeping Tom and king. Who is the “king of the satellite castle”?

Satellite in my eyes Like a diamond in the sky How I wonder Satellite strung from the moon And the world your balloon Peeping Tom for the mother station

VANGELIS MYTHODEA: MUSIC FOR THE NASA MISSION: 2001 MARS ODYSSEY

Among Vangelis’ many other pieces, you might want to also listen to the track that was the theme music to Carl Sagan’s Cosmos series: http://youtu.be/xOf4SktPDak

http://youtu.be/G_U4k_lc3pE This dramatic piece of music was performed as a concert conceived and designed by Vangelis at the Temple of Zeus in Athens Hellas ( Greece) along with the London Metropolitan Orchestra and the chorus of the Greek National Opera.

The record was officially released on 23 October 2001, to coincide with the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft entering the orbit of planet Mars.

Vangelis described the connection he felt between the music and the mission on the 2001 Mars Odyssey official website: “I made up the name Mythodea from the words myth and ode. And I felt in it a kind of shared or common path with NASA’s current exploration of the planet [Mars]. Whatever we use as a key – music, mythology, science, mathematics, astronomy – we are all working to decode the mystery of creation, searching for our deepest roots.”

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MUSIC

BRIAN ENO AN ENDING (ASCENT) http://youtu.be/UVa94VdRqZM http://youtu.be/gtblKaNtJWU Known as the father of modern ambient music, Eno started his musical career early, with the band Roxy Music. Eno has gone on to produce a number of highly eclectic and increasingly ambient electronic and acoustic albums, and also works frequently as producer for many popular artists.

You might also recognise his music in a number of films. The piece we selected is a track from his 1983 composition Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks, which was commission by Al Reinert for his film, For All Mankind – a documentary of the Apollo missions. Eno says: “I was excited by this project, it afforded an opportunity to explore

ERIC IDLE/MONTY PYTHON THE GALAXY SONG http://youtu.be/buqtdpuZxvk This hilarious song is an astronomy lesson set to music and originally part of the movie, The Meaning of Life.

The science in it has remarkably stood the test of time (an analysis of the lyrics determines that the facts stated in the song are largely correct: http://ephemeris.sjaa.net/0312/b.html).

It’s a great tune to listen to if you need a little perspective on life and your place in the universe. We are but a mere speck.

Whenever life gets you down, Mrs Brown And things seem hard or tough And people are stupid, obnoxious or daft And you feel that you've had quite enough Just remember that you're standing on a planet that's evolving And revolving at nine hundred miles an hour That's orbiting at nineteen miles a second, so it's reckoned

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the feelings of space travel: being weightless, seeing the night time campfires of Saharan Nomads from high above the Earth, looking back to a little blue planet drifting alone in space, looking out into the endless darkness beyond, and finally stepping onto another planet.”

We suggest you listen to the whole thing. And watch the documentary here: http://youtu.be/h9fNX81-H8s

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BOOKS

FAMOUS BOOKS ABOUT

SPACE You Build It; They Will Come

W 30

ould scientists and engineers even know what kind of future to dream about and work towards if it weren’t for science fiction writers? As outrageous as some authors might often be, like when suggesting travel at faster than the speed of light, or positing zero-gravity without rotational spin (2001: A Space Odyssey actually got that one right), collectively, this

science fiction authors have created and continue to create possibilities, leaving it up to our scientists and engineers to fill in the detail and make it reality. Soon, much later, or never?

Within the body of works of science fiction and fantasy, there is little that has grabbed the imagination as wildly as has space and its infinite, unexplored frontiers. The final frontier, perhaps? But the frontier of

genre of literature has inspired and intimidated homo sapiens to develop some amazing technologies.

It would be an understatement to suggest that science fiction writers are not easily distracted by the laws of physics or logic. Consider the ease with which they envision us communicating with aliens, using devices such as Star Trek's Universal Translator or the Babel Fish in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Or the dictorobitron in Plan 9 from Outer Space. With each of these sparks of the imagination, however,

limitless possibility? Beyond any doubt. In what follows then, we pay homage, in no particular order, to great works of science fiction literature that have set this spark of possibility alight and have kept it blazing brightly. Everyone has their own list of favourites, and there are surely some great works we have omitted in compiling this list. If this genre grips you, then you should also visit the Hugo and Nebula Awards (see sidebar) websites for lists of their winning authors and titles through the years. As it is often said: “Life is too short to read bad books.”

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY Arthur C Clarke One of the most awarded, enjoyed and heralded creations in the science fiction genre, Clarke wrote a novel about a scientific mission that ensues after a 3 million-year-old enigmatic monolith is found buried on the moon and pointing towards Saturn. First released as a film under the direction of Stanley Kubrick, who co-wrote the movie script with Clarke, the latter filled out the pieces after the film’s release and released it as a novel.

Quite unusual.

In the story, the best of earth's scientists are sent on an epic journey in the direction of Jupiter to investigate with the ultra-advanced HAL 9000 computer. But HAL's programming has been patterned after the human mind, and he is capable of guilt, neurosis... and even murder.

Thematically, the story further deals with elements of human evolution, technology, artificial intelligence, and extra-terrestrial life. This is a cult movie. If you have not seen it yet, plan a weekend with friends. Watching the movie of 162 minutes is an epic of its own. Else, retreat by yourself and read the book. It is well worth the read.

DUNE Frank Herbert Years ago, after the band The Police disbanded and before Sting started composing elevator music, he starred in the movie adaptation of this classic.

The images of Sting, struggling through a sandy wasteland, parched and without a drop of water, battling giant underground worms that looked like seven-storey-high earthworms are right up there in terms of timelessness. To many sci-fi fans, Herbert's Dune is essentially to science fiction what Lord of the Rings is to fantasy.

In this epic series, Herbert was able to create complete histories, politics, religions, and ecological systems for his feudal interstellar society. Set on the desert planet Arrakis, Paul Atreides transforms into a mysterious man known as Muad'Dib as he sets out to avenge the murder of his father, and leads a revolution that earns him the emperor's throne.

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BOOKS

THE HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY Douglas Adams This is some of the most hilarious science fiction ever written and the first book, in a trilogy of four or more books (you get it?), that has totally crept into popular culture. If you have not yet had someone offer you a Galactic Gargleblaster, or if no one in your presence has joked that the answer to life and the universe is 42, you are definitely hanging out with the wrong crowd.

The first book starts off with an explosion and nothing is ever the same again as Arthur Dent and his friend Ford Prefect – a secret researcher for the interstellar travel guide "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" – set off on their travels. The pair escapes on an alien spaceship, and the book follows their bizarre adventures around the universe along with frequent and memorable quotes like “Flying is the art of throwing yourself at the ground and missing.” It is sad that Adams recently passed away. Hopefully he is in Section 42, wherever that may be.

Special Edition in conjunction with THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON

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Jules Verne Jules Verne is the granddaddy of all science fiction writers, and he wrote this novel back in 1865. It tells the story of the Baltimore Gun Club, a post-American Civil War society of weapons aficionados, and their attempts to build an enormous sky-facing Columbiad space gun and launch three people – the Gun Club's president, his Philadelphian armour-making rival, and a French poet – in a projectile with the goal of a moon landing.

Perhaps not Verne’s most famous book, when one thinks of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea or Journey to the Centre of the Earth for instance, but it is a remarkable book in that Verne attempted to calculate some of the distances to the moon. And he did so with uncanny accuracy. This book too, is often credited by early 20th century rocket scientists, on whose shoulders later space programmes would stand, for their early interest and inspiration.

THE HUGO & NEBULA AWARDS Science fiction writers receive recognition for their work by competing for two major awards. They are called “The Hugos” and “The Nebula” respectively.

The Nebula was introduced in 1966 by the nonprofit association of writers called the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Amaerica (SFWA) and was modelled on The Edgars – the awards system for mystery writers. Annual awards go to four works of different length. With ever-changing rules, there have been periods where film and television scripts also competed for annual recognition, but today those categories compete separately for The Bradbury Award. For The Nebula, authors nominate their favourite literature from the previous year (never their own writing) and six final authors are submitted to the ballot cast among members of SFWA. The winner receives a trophy but no cash prize; the trophy is a transparent block with an embedded glitter spiral nebula and gemstones cut to resemble planets. Some claim that if there is any distinction between The Nebula and The Hugos, it is that The Nebula relates more to literary judgment versus The Hugos’ emphasis on readership popularity.

The Hugos are named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine “Amazing Stories,” and were officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards until 1992.

The awards have been organised since 1953 under the auspices of the World Science Fiction Society.

The actual award is based on the design of hood ornaments of 1950s cars and consists of a finned rocket ship on a wooden base. The Hugo Awards recognise a significantly more expansive range of categories, among them science fiction magazines, fanzines and websites, and artists and editors alike.

Regardless, along with The Nebula, The Hugos are the most prestigious awards for any science fiction or fantasy writer. www.thehugoawards.org www.sfwa.org/nebula-awards

CONTACT Carl Sagan Sagan needs no introduction. He single-handedly popularised the study of space globally with his TV series called Cosmos.

For the younger generation, the new Cosmos recently screened is just an update by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

In this best-selling novel, Earth receives several messages from extra-terrestrial beings. Many of the messages are based in the international language of mathematics, allowing the humans to reach out to and eventually interact with alien life. The protagonist, played by Jodi Foster in the movie version, has to battle scepticism and ridicule, until... (that would be giving it away).

STARSHIP TROOPERS Robert A Heinlein First published in 1959, Starship Troopers is a classic in military adventure and tells the story of Juan Rico, who decides to join Earth's marine fighting force to combat alien enemies. The book follows the rigorous training the men go through in the boot camp, and the psychological state of the recruits and their commanders. Rico and the other characters discuss moral and philosophical aspects of suffrage, civic virtue, juvenile delinquency, capital punishment, and war. One of the original sci-fi greats, Starship Troopers went on to inspire many other military science fiction novels, like Joe Haldeman's The Forever War. The 1997 Paul Verhoeven film of the novel was ranked as one of the top films of its decade.

ASIMOV’S TRILOGIES Isaac Asimov The author of I, Robot, popularised by Will Smith’s epic movie, is better known among serious fans for his three trilogies, Empire, Foundation and Robots, which all end up connecting together into the same fictional universe in later books. Asimov wrote no aliens into this universe (a fact he explains in another related story), but the exploration of different human societies, of trudging through a graveyard of our own grandfathers, is awe-inspiring stuff.

The Best WAR OF THE WORLDS HG Wells Be afraid. Be very afraid. That is exactly what happened in 1938 when New York-based dramatist Orson Welles aired a CBS radio broadcast of this novel, and created a panic across America when people thought he was live-reporting an invasion by Martians. Wells' novel was first published in 1898, and has had amazing staying power, culminating in the 2005 Spielberg movie (the final sign of greatness, one wonders?). It is written in the first person and gives the account of an invasion by Martians, having been shot across space in large tubes and emerging from holes in the ground inside of large, death-spewing and tentacled machines.

The narrator faces questions of morality, such as the choice to lock-up and starve someone who may alert the Martian machines to their whereabouts.

Also, as part of the invasion literature of that time, he speaks of the masses of displaced people and their experiences as they hopelessly, and without much clue as to the cause of their suffering, join the mass exodus from their besieged homes and cities. The book is a great read for many reasons, among others to also witness how the English language and its idioms have changed within the span of a little over one hundred years.

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TECHNOLOGY

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CELEBRATING WORLD SPACE WEEK Since its United Nations declaration in 1999, World Space Week has grown into the largest public space event on Earth. More than 1,400 events in 80 countries celebrated the benefits of space and shared the excitement about space exploration in 2013. The theme for 2014 – “Space: Guiding Your Way” – is based on the importance of satellite navigation.

What is World Space Week?

World Space Week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. The reason the celebrations are held each year from October 4 – 10 is to commemorate two events: • 4 October 1957: Launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, thus opening the way for space exploration.

• 10 October 1967: The signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.

Where and how is World Space Week celebrated?

World Space Week consists of space education and outreach events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world in a common timeframe.

What are the goals of World Space Week?

• Provide unique leverage in space outreach and education.

• Educate people around the world about the benefits that they receive from space • Encourage greater use of space for sustainable economic development • Demonstrate public support for space programmes

• Excite young people about science, technology, engineering, and math • Foster international cooperation in space outreach and education

2014 Theme: Space: “Guiding Your Way” World Space Week 2014 highlights the benefits of satellite navigation to humankind. In 2014 we are seeing the rollout of many improved and brand new Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), like 3rd generation GPS, Glonass, Beidou and Galileo.

With the increase in systems we are also seeing an enormous increase in satellite navigation applications, in road navigation, but also in aviation, shipping, agriculture, disaster recovery and many other areas in society.

Navigation satellites not only accurately pinpoint our position on the planet, they also provide time signals to keep clocks in sync, which is critically important for global trading and many other time-sensitive sectors.

In times of disaster, navigation satellites help rescuers quickly find spots where people need help.

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) we can compare maps before and after things changed. And GNSS satellites are important to help you planning your trips and tell you where it will rain and where it will shine.

And let’s not forget about the GPS receiver in your own smartphone, helping you to find your way or locate places in your neighbourhood!

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SANSA - THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL SPACE AGENCY

SPACE SCIENCE SERVING HUMANITY HUMANITY 36

Y

S

outh Africa has a world class Space Agency which was launched in December 2010. The Agency is mandated to provide for the promotion and use of space and cooperation in space-related activities, foster research in space science, advance scientific engineering through human capital and support the creation of an environment conducive to industrial development in space technologies within the framework of national government policy.

When South Africa invested in space, the focus was on developing capabilities and forms part of the larger national plan to improve information and communications technology (ICT), infrastructure, agriculture and education, safety and security. These are all essential elements for building a resilient economy that is underpinned by sustainable development.

Due to the specialised skill sets needed for space programmes, government invests in education and outreach programmes in schools through to higher education institutions to generate a skilled technical workforce. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education develops the advanced skills required for a competitive workforce that can generate economic growth.

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SANSA - THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL SPACE AGENCY

SANSA AIMS TO BRING THE FOLLOWING BENEFIT TO ALL SOUTH AFRICANS

Special Edition in conjunction with THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Societal Capital: improving quality of life by using space science and technology for day-to-day societal benefits.

Human Capital: training and developing critical skills, promoting science appreciation among our youth and improving the scientific literacy and engagement of our populace.

Intellectual and technological capital: the cornerstone of vibrant and innovation-rich space science and technology programme, responsive to changing needs and increasing global space knowledge, market share and self-dependence.

Economic capital: increasing global competitiveness and enhancing efficient logistics and cost-effective production, trading and distribution.

Global capital: creating global partnerships and international engagements.

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The Agency does this through merging and re-packaging the existing national capacity, competence, experience and expertise in space science and technology into six thematic focus areas: • Earth Observations – drives and coordinates South Africa’s earth observation efforts to sustainably benefit all South Africans in an earthfriendly manner. Our activities are aligned with the South African Earth Observation Strategy (SAEOS) and other related international initiatives like GEO, GEOSS and CEOS. • Space Operations – SANSA provides state-of-the-art ground station facilities and services, including satellite tracking, telemetry and command, as well as launch support, in-orbit testing, mission control and space navigation.

• Space Science – focuses on basic and applied space science research and related services, as well as human capacity development, science advancement and public engagement activities • Space Engineering – will lead space system and sub-system development activities. Our efforts are aligned with South Africa’s strategic drive to become self-reliant with its own satellite system development capabilities, unique technologies and related skills to create a technology base for our industry and promote initiatives in advanced manufacturing technology.

These engagements provide opportunities to develop the human capital within SANSA through interaction and knowledge sharing with global experts as well as provide collaborative opportunities for our expert scientists and researchers in South Africa.

EDUCATION, OUTREACH & PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT SANSA has embarked on a successful Eminent Speaker Series that provides a platform for the local public to engage with renowned scientists and thought leaders on pertinent space related topics.

There are courses offered Building capacity through outreach to various industries, programmes and public engagement research institutions and universities covering aspects that bring benefit from remote sensing and digital elevation modelling to airforce skills training. The Agency accommodates interns in earth observation and space applications across the directorates.

In addition, staff members continue to provide external examiner services for students in South African universities and engagement with the Department of Education for development of material for school curriculum. This has enabled a valuable contribution to be made by SANSA scientists and researchers.

• Human Capital Development – aims to train and develop South Africans in key areas of national importance, develop scarce and transferable skills and contribute to transforming the country into a knowledge-based economy.

• Science Advancement and Public Engagement – aims to increase the uptake and appreciation of science among our youth and improve the overall scientific literacy and engagement of the general public.

The Agency has made some milestone achievements since its inception.

Space expert sharing exciting technologies we utilise with young learners

KEEPING OUR EYE ON THE SUN

The Space Lab stimulating practical science at schools

As part of knowledge creation and development, SANSA developed and distributed the unique Fundisa school edition for high school learners. This important resource is intended to help promote an understanding of earth observations among Grade 10 to 12 learners. The existing Fundisa Disc programme, which targets university students and contains satellite imagery, open source image processing software and geospatial datasets were distributed to most national HEIs. Engagements with South African learners and the public is aimed at increasing the uptake and appreciation of science among the youth and to improve overall public scientific literacy. The space experts can be engaged with at various events and exhibitions such as: national school visits, guided tours of SANSA facilities, National Science Week Events, World Space week activities, Eding Festival, Sasol Techno X, ScifestAfrica, Science Tube, SAASTEC Conference and other career showcasing outreach and awareness programmes. The SANSA Science Centre in Hermanus hosts successful public “Open Days” to showcase what SANSA does and how it impacts on our daily lives.

The centre also hosts Winter and Summer schools for undergraduate students over the vacation periods, which prove invaluable in increasing the volume of bursary applications SANSA receives for further study in space science and engineering disciplines.

The SANSA Space Lab, a mobile vehicle that is used to bring learners in rural areas a mobile science laboratory, has reached many schools in rural Oudtshoorn, George, Mosselbay, Ceres and Mdantsane areas. This has contributed significantly in raising understanding of practical science and mathematics amongst these learners who would otherwise not have access to a science laboratory.

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA/SDO

SANSA houses the Regional Warning Centre on space weather in Africa. An extreme space weather event, or solar superstorm, is one of a number of potentially high impact, but low probability natural hazards.

In response to a growing awareness in government, extreme space weather now features as an element of national risk assessment in numerous countries.

Solar flares erupt on the Sun

Space weather can cause detrimental effects to the power grid, satellites, avionics, aircraft over polar regions, HF radio communication, mobile telephones, internet and GPS systems to name a few. Consequently it has been identified as a risk to the world economy and society.

The most important social and economic aspects of space weather are related to being aware of and possibly avoiding the consequences of space weather events by efficient warning systems allowing for preventive measures to be taken. With society's growing dependency on technological systems, it has become vital to monitor the effects of space weather.

The Space Weather Centre provides an important service to the nation by monitoring the Sun and its activity, providing space weather forecasts, warnings, alerts, and environmental data on space weather conditions to government and private-industry users in Africa.

LOOKING BACK ON EARTH Earth observation is a significant part of the Agency’s offering to government departments and public sector stakeholders who utilise the data for service delivery priorities such as infrastructure development, resource management, agriculture and disaster monitoring, and safety and security of the country.

SANSA utilises its access to the SPOT 5 Earth observation satellite to 39

SANSA - THE SOUTH AFRICAN NATIONAL SPACE AGENCY

a pass while the satellite imagery is being downloaded. It also enables users to pinpoint the current position of Landsat 7 & Landsat 8 satellites as they move along their orbit in space. The acquisition of this tool places SANSA one step closer to becoming the world’s foremost authority on technology in the field of Earth Observation.

During the rainy season, SANSA was able to proactively demonstrate the value of earth observation in post disaster assessment to the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) by providing flood maps of the affected areas in Matatiele, Eastern Cape. In another disaster of fire, assessment and analysis was done for the Aliwal North and Dewetsdorp areas for use in adjudication and dispute settlement processes.

THE BIG BUSINESS OF SPACE Space is big business around the world and South Africa aims to seize the opportunities we have to capitalise on the global market. At the SANSA ground station in Hartebeesthoek, a recent Ka-band antenna upgrade gave South Africa a uniquely competitive position to monitor a new wave of satellites launched over the southern hemisphere. By updating the antenna, SANSA is able to offer clients the entire range within the Ka-band frequency, thus creating new possibilities for international business and partnerships.

This latest addition to the growing number of technologically advanced antennae on-site will enable South Africa to have a greater advantage and opportunity for managing the increasing demand for high-quality space operations products and services, thus contributing to our economy while positioning the country among reliable space nations around the world.

Special Edition in conjunction with THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Fields of Petrusberg from the National Mosaic

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produce and distribute the National Mosaics to government and industry stakeholders for their use in addressing national challenges or for research purposes. The Mosaic is comprised of scenes of multiple images (called tiles) taken through a satellite (SPOT 5) and combined together to give comprehensive information about every part of the country.

Some of the examples of the use of the Mosaic include measuring the growth of informal settlements over the years, monitoring the quality of water in dams, industrial development, monitoring agricultural land and crop yields.

The Agency also became one of the first ground stations in the world to be in possession of a moving window display for Landsat 8.

A moving window display is a visual representation of a satellite pass over the footprint area commonly referred to as a pass. This display aids technical operators that monitor the pass to validate the quality of

Searching the skies with antenna at SANSA

IMAGE CREDIT: NESNAD India's Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)

SANSA recently undertook support for some significant and wellpublicised global space missions. The expert teams provided launch, in-orbit testing and TT&C services to NASA on the Mars Rover mission and the recent LADEE and Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 missions as well as the Indian Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). If successful, India would be the fourth space agency to explore the Red Planet.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the LADEE spacecraft on a Minotaur V vehicle during a five-day launch period that started on 6 September 2013. The LADEE mission is divided into mission phases: Launch, Ascent, Activation and Checkout, Phasing Orbits, Lunar Orbit Insertion, Commissioning, Science, and Decommissioning.

SANSA has been supporting the mission as of the launch date. Our facilities, the technical knowledge and our team's years of expertise in supporting missions of such magnitude are what attracted NASA to SANSA. The facility's location in the Southern Hemisphere also plays in our favour on such missions.

Back here on Earth, SANSA continues to provide cutting edge services in our quest to maintain our reputation as the leading ground station on the continent.

Another significant space engineering milestone for South Africa is the development of an earth observation satellite that will help to independently manage challenges unique to the African continent as part of the African Resource Management Constellation. Once operational, this satellite will provide data to assist in responding to the needs of society (across Africa) in areas of food security, disaster management and land use. Some of the uses foreseen include management of natural disasters such as floods and fires at the Kruger National Park and/or management of disease in crops by enabling farmers to take timeous corrective action.

The technical coordination of satellite system and sub-system development will enable establishment of Centres of Competence (CoC) in space sensors (payloads) and in satellite sub systems, which will enhance the country’s core capabilities in satellite development.

Development of a satellite is an exciting opportunity to develop new intellectual capital across a variety of disciplines. The design of the physical structure requires ingenious electronic engineering; computer

Artist impression of TshepisoSAT in orbit

A PROMISE FOR THE FUTURE

engineering used for communications with Earth; and radiation protection to name a few associated engineering requirements. Design of sub systems provide an opportunity to build highly sensitive sensors

SANSA is proud to have been involved in the development of South Africa’s first CubeSAT in partnership with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). ZACUBE-1, now TshepisoSAT, was launched on 21 November 2013, carrying a High Frequency (HF) Beacon transmitter that will be used to calibrate the HF Radar Antenna System in Antarctica.

SANSA provided assistance with design, construction and assembly of the payload to CPUT on this student development project.

and historically these have resulted in advances in other fields of science, such as medicine.

SANSA continues to push the boundaries on South Africa’s space capacity and capability to bring benefit to all citizens while developing the next generation of space scientists and engineers.

Learn more at: www.sansa.org.za 41

LOCAL RESOURCES

ASTR NOMY IN SA EDUCATION Several universities undertake research in astronomy and offer courses in astronomy.T he University of Cape Town (UCT) Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravity Centre, a research group consisting of the Dept of Astronomy and the Cosmology and Gravity group in the Dept of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, has access to optical, near-infrared and radio facilities (SAAO, SALT and MeerKAT) and contains a theoretical cosmology group. The University of South Africa (UNISA) Dept of Mathematical Sciences offers a number of postgraduate study opportunities. The University of the Free State Dept of Physics offers undergraduate and graduate programmes in astrophysics. The Dept of Physics at North-West University runs the

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Centre For Space Research, with a Masters and a PhD programme in Space Physics. The Dept of Computational and Applied Mathematics at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) offers MSc and PhD courses in astronomy. The Astronomy Group at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) researches cosmology and galaxy evolution studies relevant to the MeerKAT/Square Kilometer Array project and to SALT, but also includes stellar evolution studies.

Simulations of galaxy evolution are carried out at the Centre for High Performance Computing.

The Dept of Physics and Electronics at Rhodes University specialises in radio astronomy and has its own observatory outside Grahamstown.

NASSP (National Astronomy and Space

Sciences Programme) was established as a joint project of all the universities offering Honours and Masters degrees in astronomy. The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), situated in Muizenberg, Cape Town, is a collaborative project of the Universities of Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, Cambridge, Oxford and Paris-Sud-XI. AIMS offers an intensive nine-month postgraduate course which concentrates on developing research skills. The Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Unit (ACRU) based in the School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal was established to promote research in, and increase public awareness of, astrophysics and cosmology.

HARTEBEESTHOEK

HESS

METEOR IMPACT SITES

The Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO), 30km north-west of Krugersdorp, is a national research facility for radio astronomy managed by the NRF. The 26-m telescope operates at 18, 13, 6, 5.0, 3.6, 2.5 and 1.3-cm wavelengths and is used for observations of interstellar and circumstellar molecules, pulsars, quasars and active galaxies.

The 15-m-diameter radio telescope antenna prototype for the Karoo Array Telescope (XDM, the eXperimental Development Model) constructed at Hartebeesthoek in 2007 has been converted for operational use with 13 and 3.6-cm receivers. The 7.6-m antenna is being used to test the C-BASS (C-Band All Sky Survey) receiver; when operational, the receiver will be moved to its sister antenna near Carnarvon in the Northern Cape. The Observatory provides research facilities for local and international astronomers and participates in global networks of radio telescopes using the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) technique. This has two purposes: high-angular resolution imaging for astronomical purposes and high-precision position determination for geodetic purposes. The Space Geodesy programme also operates a Satellite Laser Ranger for precise measurement of satellite orbits and a network of Global Navigation Satellite System (e.g. GPS, GLONASS) base stations for geodetic research. Tours of the Observatory are held once a month on a Saturday from 16:00 to 20:00. It is essential to book for all visits at 012 301-3100 office hours or email aware@hartrao.ac.za.

The HESS (High Energy Stereoscopic System) Gamma-Ray Telescopes are located in the Khomas Highland of Namibia, about 100km south-west of Windhoek. HESS is an array of four gamma-ray telescopes, each with a 12-m hexagonal segmented mirror. Each telescope is equipped with an advanced electronic camera with 960 high-speed detectors, designed to detect the weak flashes of light emitted by high-energy gamma rays in the Earth’s atmosphere to an accuracy of 0.1°. These can detect gamma ray sources with intensities a few thousandths of the flux of the Crab Nebula.

The first telescope became operational in 2002 and since January 2004 the four-telescope array has been in regular operation. On 26 July 2012 the HESS II telescope, with a 28-m mirror, came online, making it the largest Cherenkov telescope ever built. HESS is operated by an international collaboration of institutes from Germany, France, UK, Ireland, Czech Republic, Armenia, Namibia and South Africa (North West University). Access to the site is restricted and tours are by arrangement only.

The Tswaing (Soutpan) Meteor Crater is located about 40km north of Pretoria. This crater is the result of a meteoritic impact about 220,000 years ago and is 1.4km in diameter. The Hoba

Meteorite is an iron-nickel meteorite located on a farm 18km from Grootfontein in northern Namibia. Believed to have fallen some 80,000 years ago, this 60-ton meteorite, claimed to be the largest in the world, measures 3m x 3m x 1m. The Vredefort structure is currently regarded as the oldest and largest clearly visible impact structure on Earth, formed when a gigantic meteorite (larger than Table Mountain) hit the Earth some two billion years ago. The original crater is estimated to have been 250300km in diameter. In 2005 July it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

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IMAGE CREDIT: SKA 44

KAT, MEERKAT, SKA

PLANETARIA

SALT

The Karoo Array Telescope (KAT-7), MeerKAT and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) are three radio telescope projects currently being developed. KAT-7, located at Klerefontein,

The Iziko Planetarium is located within the Iziko: South African Museum in Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town. It is equipped with a Minolta Series IV projector and seats 140 people. Contact

The South African Large Telescope (SALT) is located in the small Karoo town of Sutherland where clear skies offer one of the world’s largest telescopes clear access to observation.

11km outside Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, is already operational and is the world’s first radio telescope made of composite materials.

MeerKAT, currently under construction, will consist of 64 antennas and will be part of the Phase 1 dish array of the SKA. When commissioned in 2014, MeerKAT will be a premier instrument in its own right. When completed in 2024, the SKA will be the world’s biggest radio telescope, consisting of thousands of antennas spread out over 3,000km. At least 13 countries are already involved in its development. About 70% of the SKA will be built in South Africa. The SKA will be made up of three different kinds of receiving technologies: a mid-frequency array of about 3,000 steerable 15-m-diameter dishes, a dense aperture array of 250 60-m mid-frequency dishes, and a sparse aperture array consisting of thousands of lowfrequency fixed-orientation dipole antennas. The sparse aperture array will be built in Western Australia.

021 481-3900. The Johannesburg Planetarium is situated in the grounds of the University of the Witwatersrand. It is equipped with a Zeiss projector and has seating for more than 400

Functioning on a SAOO field station, it is funded by an international consortium involving South Africa, the United States, Germany, Poland, India, the United Kingdom and New Zealand and has been operational since September 2011. SALT collects light from astronomical objects and accurately focuses it to one of four points. From there the light proceeds into an optical instrument while the telescope tracks the relative movement of the object across the sky to maximise exposure time. The massive telescope’s construction is quite an achievement in itself, with an almost 30-ton dome shutter, a telescope ring that is reputedly the smoothest concrete slab ever poured in SA, special aluminium cooling walls, and several other features. Visit www.salt.ac.za or call 023 571-1205.

persons. Contact 011 717-1392. The Museum of Science and Technology in Pretoria (012 322-6406) and the Unizul Science Centre in Richards Bay (035 797-3204) each operate a Starlab inflatable planetarium. The new Naval Hill Planetarium in Bloemfontein is the first digital planetarium in sub-Saharan Africa. The auditorium, seating 80 adults, is integrated with the 86-year-old Lamont-Hussey Observatory.

Contact: Prof M J H Hoffman AT 051 401-2924 or email: HoffmaMJ.SCI ufs.ac.za.

IMAGE CREDIT: GRAEME WILLIAMS/MEDIACLUBSOUTHAFRICA

LOCAL RESOURCES

SAAO

ASSA

BOYDEN

The Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA) is a body consisting of both amateur and professional astronomers. Membership is open to all interested persons, regardless

The South African Astronomical Observatory (SAOO) is funded by the National Research Foundation and located in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. Twice a month, members of the public are invited to visit this nerve centre for optical and infrared astronomy in the country.

SAOO runs an active Outreach programme that includes hosting school groups and also offers visits to the SALT facility in Sutherland.

The Observatory has a fascinating history dating back to 1820, which is when the main building was constructed, making it one of the oldest permanent structures in Cape Town. Owing to light and air pollution in the city, most of the actual observing happens in Sutherland in the Northern Cape, about 380km from Cape Town.

SAOO is an active research centre and offers a wide range of equipment for collaborating scientists. Visit: www.saoo.ac.za or call 021 447-0025. email aware@hartrao.ac.za.

of knowledge or experience. Shortly after the 1910 apparition of Halley’s Comet, the Cape Astronomical Association was established in 1912. In 1918, the Johannesburg Astronomical Association was created. In 1922 the two Associations merged to form ASSA. The declared objectives, as recorded in the Constitution, are the encouragement and stimulation of the study of astronomy in Southern Africa; the association of observers and their organisation in the work of astronomical observation and research; and the dissemination of such current astronomical information as may be helpful to observers and others interested in astronomy. In addition to the annual Sky Guide, the Society issues the peer-reviewed Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (MNASSA), published electronically six times per year. The Society awards the ASSA Scholarship, and administers the SAAO-ASSA Scholarships. www.assa.saao.ac.za.

Boyden Observatory, situated at Mazelspoort (25km east of Bloemfontein), is managed by the University of the Free State. Professional observing facilities include the third-largest optical telescope in Africa, namely the 1.52-m Boyden-UFS reflector. The robotic 0.41-m Watcher reflector was recently installed by the University College, Dublin, Ireland. Other instruments include the 0.41-m Nishimura reflector, the 0.33-m Alvan Clark refractor, the historic 0.25-m Metcalf triplet refractor and a 0.20-m coelostat. A stellar auditorium, seating 100 inside and 200 on the roof, is used during the Observatory’s many public evenings. The auditorium includes an interactive Personal Response System with large screen multimedia facilities. Visits are by appointment only. Contact: Prof P J Meintjes on 051 401-2191 or email him on meintjpj.sci@ufs.ac.za. Alternatively, Prof M J H Hoffman on 051 401-2924 or email HoffmaMJ.SCI@ufs.ac.za.

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YESTERDAY

A VERY SHORT

HISTORY OF

SPACE SPACE

BY PIERRE DU PLESSIS

IMAGE CREDITS: NASA AND COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG

ANIMALS

46

In 1947 (American) fruit flies are the first animals in space. On 3 November 1957 the Russians place the first animal in orbit with a dog called Laika. She was never to return to Earth. On 31 January 1961, the first tasks in space are performed by Hominidae chimpanzee Astrochimp #65, now renamed Ham (after the Holloman Aerospace Medical Center in the USA, where training for this flight was conducted). Ham’s capsule was retrieved from the Atlantic Ocean after 16 minutes and 39 seconds in orbit. Curious George, the popular character from the children’s books of the same name, undertook a similar mission in the story Curious George Gets a Medal published four years before Ham’s flight.

FIRST PEOPLE 12 April 1961, aboard the Vostok 3KA-3 (Vostok 1), Russian Yuri Gagarin becomes both the first human to travel into space, and the first to orbit the earth. On 5 May 1961, after a delayed October 1960 flight that created the chance for Gagarin to pip him, American Alan Shepard pilots the Freedom 7 mission and becomes the second person, and the first American, to travel into space. Unlike Gagarin, whose flight was strictly automatic, Shepard takes some control of the Freedom 7. (Shepard returns to space 10 years later as Commander of the Apollo 14 mission.) Within two years, on 16 June 1963, the Russians also send the first woman into space with Valentina Tereshkova and Vostok 6. Meanwhile, on 3 June 1965 Edward H White II becomes the first American to step outside his spacecraft and let go.

47

YESTERDAY

THE MISSIONS The USSR shows uncanny marketing savvy by naming their early missions in a far more memorable manner, yet the Americans catch on soon. Here are the names of missions since the late 1950s. Sputnik (Russian), Explorer (US), Luna (R), Venera (R), Vostok (R), OSO (US), Mariner (US), X-15 (US), Voskhod (R), Gemini (US), Surveyor (US), Mir (The USSR’s space station), Galileo (US), Cosmos (R), Apollo (US), Magellan (US), Lunokhod (R), Salyut (R), Mars (R), Viking (US), Pioneer (US), Ulysses (US/European Space Agency), Orion (R), Voyager (US), Pathfinder (US), Stardust (US), Shoemaker (US), Messenger (US), Cassini-Huygens (US/ ESA/Italy’s ASI), RadioAstron (R) and Hayabusa (Japan).

THE MOON In January 1959, the USSR’s Luna 1 capsule arrives in the vicinity of the Moon for the first time. On 14 September 1959 Luna 2 successfully impacts with the lunar surface east of Mare Imbrium. Less than a month later, Luna 3 sends pictures of the far side of the moon. On 3 February 1966, Luna 9 performs the first soft landing. By April of the same year, satellite Luna 10 orbits the Moon. The US performs a soft landing with Surveyor on 2 June 1966 and send home pictures. In 1968, Americans Borman, Lovell, and Anders in Apollo 8 become the first to directly see the far side of the Moon. On 21 July 1969, the Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin famously step on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission.

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THE PLANETS Since the first planetary fly-by of Venus by Mariner 2 (US) on 14 December 1962, further flybys and impact or soft landings on planets follow soon.

Mariner 4 gets within 9,846 kilometres of Mars in 1965.

Venera 3 (USSR) impacts Venus by March 1966. Venera 7 performs a soft landing on Venus by December 1970 and sends back signals. Mars 2 (USSR) impacts Mars by November 1971.

During December 1973, Pioneer 10 (US) comes within 130,000km of Jupiter and in March 1974, Mariner 10 (US) gets within 703km of Mercury. Venera 9 (USSR) orbits Venus in 1975. Within another four years, Pioneer 11 (US) reaches within 21,000km of Saturn. By 1983, Pioneer 10 (US) becomes the first spacecraft beyond the orbit of Neptune and the first spacecraft to pass beyond all Solar System planets. In 1986, Voyager 2 (US) gets within 81,500km of Uranus and continues for a 1989 Neptune fly-by. With the Russians out of the space race, the US and others orbit Jupiter (1995), Saturn (2004) and Mercury (2011).

And in 2005, Cassini-Huygens performs a soft landing on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan.

THE ACCIDENTS

Wearable Tech

American President Richard Nixon had prepared a statement in case Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were left stranded and to die on the moon: “Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.” They were, however, more fortunate than others. The first fatal accident in a space mission befell Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, whose problem-plagued Soyuz 1 capsule crashed onto Russian soil in 1967.

In 1971, the Russian cosmonauts Georgi Dobrovolski, Viktor Patsayev, Vladislav Volkov died while returning to Earth from the Salyut 1 space station. Their Soyuz 11 craft performed a textbook-perfect landing but the rupture of a ventilation valve left them without oxygen and exposed to air pressure that killed all three. The Americans did not escape death either, with the Apollo program losing astronauts with ground fires and flight tests. Yet, most memorable is the explosion of spaceshuttle Challenger in 1986, killing the whole crew, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher being followed by millions of school children as she was to teach from space. Seventeen years later, in 2003, the Columbia space shuttle blew apart upon re-entry. Both these American events were viewed on live television.

49

YESTERDAY

SOUTH AFRICANS IN SPACE Two South Africans have been into space.

IT millionaire Mark Shuttleworth from Cape Town spent a week as a “space tourist” in the International Space Station (ISS). He was launched into space in a Russian Soyuz three-person space capsule from the Baikonur cosmodrome on 25 April 2002. The first privately built spaceship was Spaceship One, designed by Burt Rutan. The commercial pilot who first took it all the way into space – higher than 100km above the ground – on a test flight on 21 June 2004 was Mike Melvill, who comes from Durban.

SA WOMEN IN ASTRONOMY Women play a big role in astronomy in South Africa. Dr Patricia Whitelock, who recently headed up the South African Astronomical Observatory, uses the variable Mira stars to establish distances. Dr Sharmila Goedhart of South Africa’s SKA project is an expert on the formation of high-mass stars. Dr Claire Flanagan at the Johannesburg Planetarium studies neutron stars. Dr Catherine Cress at the University of the Western Cape is a cosmologist. Professor Renee Kraan-Korteweg is the Chair of the Astronomy Department at UCT and studies galaxies.

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FAMOUS WOMEN IN ASTRONOMY Jocelyn Bell-Burnell (1943–, British) discovered pulsars in 1967 as a PhD student at Cambridge University, while supervised by Antony Hewish (who received the Nobel Prize for the discovery). Annie Jump Cannon (1863–1941, US) was the first astronomer to classify the heavens systematically. She worked as an astronomer and published information about 225,000 stars. Cecilia PayneGaposchkin (1900–1979, British). Her PhD dissertation, showing stars are made primarily of hydrogen and helium, was said to be one of the best in 20th century astronomy. Henrietta Swan Leavitt (1868–1921, US) discovered that a particular type of variable star known as a Cepheid could be used as a distance marker, making it possible to determine astronomical distances to objects such as far away galaxies. Carolyn Shoemaker (1929–, US) had discovered 32 comets by 2002, more than any living astronomer. She has also discovered more than 300 asteroids.

FAMOUS SA ASTRONOMERS While serving as the Director of the Union Observatory in South Africa, Robert Innes showed that Proxima Centauri was the nearest star to the Sun. He was a brilliant self-taught mathematician and astronomer who left school at age 12 and became a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society when he was only 17.

Dr Bernie Fanaroff studied radio galaxies and has classes of galaxies named after him. He now leads the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project and was awarded the prestigious Order of Mapungubwe: Silver in 2013 for his work. Dr Thebe Medupe grew up near Mafikeng. He earned his MSc (cum laude) in Astrophysics and then obtained his Astrophysics Doctorate at the University of Cape Town. He is the founding director of Astronomy Africa and is perhaps best known for his work on the Cosmic Africa project that attempts to reconcile science and myth.

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INTELLIGENCE

ARE WE

ALONE? A

re we alone in the universe? Are there other habitable planets we earthlings could move to if (when?) we destroy our own? Is someone or something watching us? Is there intelligent life out there?

These are questions that have driven astronomers and writers, scientists and religious cults to pursue lifelong journeys of exploration and discovery.

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organisation, SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) is to seek evidence of life in the universe by looking for some signature of its technology. SETI was established

by Dr Frank Drake (see the Drake Principle sidebar) in the 1960s.

Although SETI was initially derided by some and has struggled, at times, to get funding, it has now become accepted as a legitimate science, assisted by NASA grants and acknowledgment by the National Research Council, and attracting some of the brightest scientific minds. (You may have seen the film Contact, a story written by Carl Sagan, where Jodie Foster portrays the film's

KEPLER-186F THE FIRST EARTH-SIZE PLANET IN THE HABITABLE ZONE This artist’s concept depicts Kepler-186f, the first validated Earth-size planet to orbit a distant star in the habitable zone. The discovery of Kepler-186f confirms that Earth-size planets exist in the habitable zones of other stars and signals a significant step closer to finding a world similar to Earth.

The size of Kepler-186f is known to be less than ten percent larger than Earth, but its mass, composition and density are not known.

Kepler-186f orbits its star once every 130 days and receives one-third the energy that Earth does from the sun, placing it near the outer edge of the habitable zone. If you could stand on the surface of Kepler-186f, the brightness of its star at high noon would appear as bright as our sun is about an hour before sunset on Earth.

Kepler-186f resides in the Kepler-186 system about 500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Cygnus.

protagonist, Dr Eleanor “Ellie” Arroway, who is a SETI scientist who finds strong evidence of extraterrestrial life and is chosen to make first contact.)

Part of the search for intelligent life requires scientists to search for exoplanets in the “habitable zone” – a range of orbital distances at which surface water on a planet with an atmosphere would neither freeze nor boil. Of the nearly 1,800 confirmed exoplanets found in the past two decades, approximately twenty orbit their host star in the habitable zone. However, all of these previously discovered worlds are larger than Earth, and consequently their true nature –

rocky or gaseous – is unknown.

In April 2014, the discovery of Kepler-186f, a planet estimated by astronomers to not only be roughly the same size as the Earth but also located in a habitable zone, was met with great excitement.

“The discovery of Kepler-186f is a significant milestone in humanity’s efforts to find evidence of life elsewhere in our galaxy,” said Dr David Black, President and CEO of the SETI Institute. “Finding similar planets around other stars, and ultimately being able to sense remotely signposts of life on those planets, is the next key step toward understanding our place in the cosmos.”

Find out more about SETI: www.seti.org See what the Kepler telescope is seeing right now: http://kepler.nasa.gov/

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA AMES/SETI INSTITUTE/JPL-CALTECH

N

ow, with 11 countries participating in the construction of SKA, the Square Kilometre Array, designed to be the largest and most sensitive radio telescope ever, scientists and lay people alike may finally have an answer. Among its five goals, SKA aims to be able to help detect Earth-like planets and examine the way they were formed. It will search for complex molecules, the building blocks of life in space and will also offer the possibility of detecting very faint radio transmissions that might provide evidence for intelligent life among the stars.

The sole purpose of another

53

INTELLIGENCE

“What do we need to know about to discover life in space?�

In 1961, Dr Frank Drake, working as a a radio astronomer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia conceived an approach to bound the terms involved in estimating the number of technological civilisations that may exist in our galaxy. The Drake Equation identifies specific factors thought to play a role in the development of such civilisations. Although there is no unique solution to this equation, it is a generally accepted tool used by the scientific community to examine these factors.

Where, N = The number of civilizations in The Milky Way Galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions are detectable.

R* = The rate of formation of stars suitable for the development of intelligent life. fp = The fraction of those stars with planetary systems. ne = The number of planets, per solar system, with an environment suitable for life. fl = The fraction of suitable planets on which life actually appears. fi = The fraction of life bearing planets on which intelligent life emerges.

fc = The fraction of civilizations that develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.

L = The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space.

According to the Drake Equation, given the limits of our existing technology, any practical search for distant intelligent life must necessarily be a search for some manifestation of a distant technology.

Besides illuminating the factors involved in such a search, the Drake Equation is a simple, effective tool for stimulating intellectual curiosity about the universe around us, for helping us to understand that life as we know it is the end product of a natural, cosmic evolution, and for making us realize how much we are a part of that universe. A key goal of the SETI Institute is to further high quality research that will yield additional information related to any of the factors of this fascinating equation.

KEPLER-186 AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM The diagram compares the planets of our inner solar system to Kepler-186. The five planets of Kepler-186 orbit an M dwarf, a star that is half the size and mass of the sun.

The Kepler-186 system is home to Kepler-186f, the first validated Earthsize planet orbiting a distant star in the habitable zone.

The artistic concept of Kepler-186f is the result of scientists and artists collaborating to imagine the appearance of these distant worlds.

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA AMES/SETI INSTITUTE/JPL-CALTECH

THE DRAKE EQUATION

IMAGE CREDIT: ESO/BASED ON A DIAGRAM BY FRANCK SELSIS, UNIV OF BORDEAUX

A PLANET IN THE HABITABLE ZONE

By refining the orbit of the planet Gliese-581d, first discovered in 2007, a team of astronomers has shown that it lies well within the habitable zone, where liquid water oceans could exist. This diagram shows the distances of the planets in the Solar System (upper row) and in the Gliese-581 system (lower row), from their respective stars (left). The habitable zone is indicated as the blue area, showing that Gliese 581-dis located inside the habitable zone around its low-mass red star.

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OWN YOUR OWN

STAR?

W

hat do you give the person who already has everything?

Why not name a planet or star in their honour? Great graduation gift, you say?

Perfect Father’s Day present? Do a quick Google search on “name your own star” and you will turn up a plethora of results. There are many websites who promise to facilitate such a purchase, let you choose your own star in any galaxy on their register, and will send you a fancy, embossed certificate. Sound too cool to be true? It is.

So, can you really name your own star or planet? Well, “yes and no,” says Fraser Cain, author of a website called www.universetoday. com. Yes, if you want to waste a little money for the sheer fun of it, but not if you really want to lay claim to a celestial body because such ownership cannot actually be bought or sold.

Only the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has authority to designate stars, planets, asteroids, comets, and other heavenly bodies according to internationally accepted rules. And

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the IAU does not sell naming rights nor does it authorise any other company or organisation to do so. The IAU does not recognise any star registry as having the right to name stars. In fact, the IAU cautions consumers that products and services marketed by such registries have no formal or official validity whatsoever. With a few exceptions of ancient or Arabic names, nearly all stars are actually designated by catalogue numbers rather than names as a means of

“Like true love and many other of the best things in human life, the beauty of the night sky is not for sale, but it is free for all to enjoy.” – International Astronomical Union (IAU) making their identification easier for astronomers, professional and amateur alike.

The IAU, while serious about the work they do and having zero tolerance for those they deem charlatans in the star-naming business, also have a sense of humour. “Like true love and many other of the best things in human life,” they explain, “the beauty of the night sky is not for sale, but it is free for all to enjoy.”

But what if you just want the novelty of naming

a star or “giving” one as a gift to a lover or friend?

Help yourself, says the IAU. What you’ll get is “an expensive piece of paper and a temporary feeling of happiness, like if you take a cup of tea instead of the doctor’s recommended medicine. But at least you do not risk getting sick by paying for a star name, only losing money.”

If you are serious about giving the gift of opening someone’s eyes to the beauty of the night sky or the awe-inspiring science of astronomy, rather go to your nearest planetarium or observatory. They can direct you to the local astronomy club or society where enthusiasts will be happy to show you (and your friend!) the real stars through their own telescopes.

Maybe you’ll get infected and end up buying a telescope yourself. Alternatively, if you do wish to have a personal star but prefer to stay inside, you can now also explore the entire sky in the comfort of your own home. Digital sky surveys have become freely available on CD-ROM or as downloadable Apps and allow you to browse through many hundreds of millions of stars on your home computer and print out a chart of any one that pleases you. These public digital maps are in fact the main database of at least some of the commercial star naming enterprises and cost about the same as the name of a single star. So why pay a mark-up for buying your stars one at a time?

SIZE COMPARISON FOR EXOPLANETS GJ 436B AND GJ 1214B This illustration compares the sizes of exoplanets GJ 436b and GJ 1214b with Earth and Neptune. These so-called super-Earths have masses between those of gas giants like Neptune, and smaller, rocky planets like Earth. No such type of planet exists in our Solar System. (This artistic rendering of the exoplanets is speculative and does not necessarily reflect what their true appearance might actually be.)

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA, ESA, AND A. FEILD AND G. BACON (STSCI)

VANITY

NAME AN EXOWORLD CONTEST

P

eople have been naming celestial objects for millennia, long before any scientific system of names ever existed. Even today, almost every civilisation and culture uses common names to describe the stars and planets visible to the naked eye, as well as their apparent distribution in the sky.

For the first time, in response to the public’s increased interest in being part of discoveries in astronomy, the International Astronomical

Union (IAU) is recently announced that it is organising a worldwide contest to give popular names to selected exoplanets along with their host stars. The proposed names will be submitted by astronomy clubs and non-profit organisations interested in astronomy, and votes will be cast by the public from across the world through the web platform NameExoWorlds. Once the votes are counted, the winning names will be officially sanctioned by the IAU, allowing them to be used freely in parallel with the existing scientific nomenclature, with due credit to the clubs or organisations that proposed them.

The project has been launched in partnership with Zooniverse – home to the internet’s largest, most popular and most successful citizen science projects. Check it out here: www.NameExoWorlds.org

NameExoWorlds contest: a crowdsourcing process to name ExoWorlds.

ExoWorlds: 350 well-studied, confirmed exoplanets and their host stars.

Zooniverse: a citizen science web portal owned and operated by the Citizen Science Alliance. The organization grew from the original Galaxy Zoo project and now hosts dozens of projects which allow volunteers to participate in scientific research.

AN EXOPLANET SEEN FROM ITS MOON (artist’s impression) The diversity of exoplanets is large – more than 800 planets outside the Solar System have been found to date, with thousands more waiting to be confirmed.

Detection methods in this field are steadily and quickly increasing – meaning that many more exoplanets will undoubtedly be discovered in the months and years to come.

IMAGE CREDIT: IAU/L. CALÇADA

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IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD

MISSIONS TO

C

MARS

onditions on Mars vary wildly from what we know on our own planet, despite the fact that it has similar characteristics like polar ice caps and clouds in its atmosphere, seasonal weather patterns, volcanoes, canyons and other recognisable features. Over the past three decades, spacecraft have shown us that Mars is rocky, cold, and dry beneath its hazy, pink sky. Among our discoveries about Mars, one stands out above all others: the possible presence of liquid water on Mars, either in its ancient past or preserved in the subsurface today. Water is key because almost everywhere we find water on Earth, we find life.

The defining question for Mars exploration has, therefore, become: Was there life on Mars, are there any signs of life today, and

can life be sustained there in the future?

Building on the success of the two rover geologists that arrived at Mars in January 2004, NASA’s next rover mission, the Mars Science Laboratory, carrying the Curiosity rover, arrived at Gale Crater on Mars in August 2012. Twice as long and three times as heavy as the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, the Mars Science Laboratory is busy collecting Martian soil and rock samples and analysing them for organic compounds and environmental conditions that could have supported microbial life now or in the past.

More recently, MAVEN, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission, arrived at Mars in September 2014. The mission’s goal is to explore the planet’s upper atmosphere, ionosphere, and interactions with the Sun and solar wind. By studying ions, or small

NASA's Curiosity Rover self-portrait

electrically charged particles, in and above the Red Planet’s tenuous atmosphere, the Solar Wind Ion Analyzer will help answer why Mars has gradually lost much of its atmosphere, developing into a frozen, barren planet.

Probably the biggest news on Earth regarding the Red Planet, however, was India’s celebration of a major technological coup when their Space Agency (the ISRO) reached a significant milestone in September. Their first mission to Mars successfully entered orbit, making them the first Asian nation to do so. What is most remarkable is that the Indian Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) cost a mere $74 million, just a fraction of the $671 million the US space agency NASA spent on its newly arrived MAVEN Mars mission (and substantially less, as many suggested, than the Hollywood movie Gravity). Mangalyaan, as the craft is known, is expected to spend six months in orbit, sending back data on Mars’ surface features, morphology, mineralogy and atmosphere. With the orbital insertion of MOM achieved, India became only the fourth nation/space programme to reach Mars (behind the former Soviet Union, NASA, and the European Space Agency).

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Indian Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) reaches the Red Planet

8 days from

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HISTORY

AFRICAN ETHNOASTRONOMY There is a rich history of folklore and belief among local cultures about the origin, meaning and role of different astronomical bodies. In what follows, we share with you some of these more ancient interpretations, with the courtesy of Dr Peter Alcock, the author of the book Venus Rising.

THE SKY AND THE STARS A wide-spread African concept is that the sky is a solid dome, perhaps made of blue rock, resting on the Earth, upon which the Sun moves. The traditional Tswana idea is that stars are holes in the rocky vault that is the sky.

The Nyae Nyae !Kung Bushmen saw the sky as the dwelling place of all the divine beings and spirits of the dead. The “things of the sky” generally do not influence or reflect the affairs of man, the !Kung taught, nor do they affect the weather, the growth of vegetation, or other conditions of the earth; they are in a realm of their own.

While the /Xam Bushmen believed the stars were formerly people, some !Kung Bushmen taught that stars are, in fact, small creatures, and look like tiny porcupines – they have little legs, ears, teeth and are covered with tiny spines. Another !Kung account says that stars are actually ant lions, watching from overhead with their bright eyes. When they are hungry and see an ant, they quickly fall to the ground to catch it. Some say that all the stars fall to the ground each morning, and we see them on earth as insects. The Ibibio of Nigeria spoke picturesquely of the stars as “Sand of the Moon.”

originally a man, the /Xam said, whose head shone brightly. But he was a lazy fellow and would sleep late, keeping his light to himself.

So one day, out of desperation, the First Bushmen chopped off his head and threw it up into the sky so that his light could be shared with everyone.

On rare occasions, the Moon passes

THE SUN The Nyae Nyae !Kung Bushmen think of the Sun as a “death thing” because of its searing heat and the association with thirst, hunger, and exhaustion.

The /Xam Bushmen would ask the Sun, early in the morning before they set out to hunt, to steady the hunter’s arm when aiming at game. The Sun was 60

IMAGE CREDIT: COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG

between the Earth and the Sun, resulting in a solar eclipse. If the alignment is exact, then the entire Sun is momentarily blacked out.

Such a total eclipse was not a welcome sight to the Xhosa, who saw it as an ill omen. In Zulu, Sotho and Tswana traditions this was called “the darkening of the Sun,” ukufiphala kwelanga and fifalo ya letsatsi respectively. The Venda spoke picturesquely of mutsha-kavhili, “the two dawns.”

THE MOON The Moon – iNyanga to the Xhosa and Zulu, Nwedzi to the Shona and Venda, and Ngwedi to the Sotho and Tswana – is probably the most obvious feature in the night sky, because of its size, brightness, and changing appearance (phases). As the Moon orbits the Earth it goes through a sequence of phases, from New Moon (invisible) to crescent, half-

moon, Full Moon, half-moon, and back to New Moon.

To the Kora KhoiKhoi, the Moon was kham, “the Returner;” the Nama KhoiKhoi spoke of khab. The KhoiKhoi also considered the Moon as “the Lord of Light and Life”, and would sing and dance at times of New and Full Moon.

The Nyae Nyae !Kung Bushmen said that the crescent phases with sharp points was male, while the Full round Moon was female.

The Xhosa considered the time of New Moon as a period of inaction.

When it reappeared as a crescent in the evening sky, it was cause for celebration. Important events were scheduled to take place around the time of Full Moon. Also at Full Moon the mothers would de-worm their children, believing that at this time the worms collected in one place and could be effectively treated.

The Naro Bushmen taught that when the crescent Moon slopes downward, it is said to be looking into a grave and this is a sign that many people will die in that season. A crescent pointing upward was a favourable sign. The round Full Moon is a sign of satisfaction and that people will find plenty of food.

In /Xam Bushmen mythology, the Moon is a man who has made the Sun angry. The Sun’s sharp light cuts off pieces of the Moon until almost the whole of the Moon is gone, leaving only one small piece. The Moon then pleads for mercy and the Sun lets him go. From this small piece, the Moon gradually grows again until it becomes a Full Moon. The /Xam also have another account of how the Moon came to be. In the old times, it was said, the Moon was one of the leather sandals of the Mantis-god / kaggen. The sandal was placed in water to soften it somewhat, but this angered the water spirit who then froze the water, locking the sandal in ice. When /kaggen saw the frozen sandal he discarded it, throwing it up into the sky, where it became the Moon.

Whatever its origin, the /Xam considered the New Moon as being able to influence hunting and the gathering of ants’ eggs, and when the crescent was sighted, they would ask for its assistance.

The surface of the Moon has dark and bright markings; flat lava plains and rocky highlands, respectively. In many African traditions these markings are said to resemble the figure of a man or woman carrying a bundle of sticks.

When the Earth’s shadow falls on the Moon, a lunar eclipse occurs. The Nyae Nyae !Kung Bushmen said that this was caused by the lion, putting his paw over the Moon to darken the night so he could have better hunting.

Under certain atmospheric conditions, a “moon bow” can form, appearing as a large ring around the Moon. To the /Gwi Bushman, such a ring was a sign that food will be plentiful.

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DEVELOPMENT & OUTREACH

GROWTH IN SOUTHERN AFRICA ASTRONOMIC

W

ith some of the most exciting scientific and technological developments in the field of astronomy happening right here in our Southern African backyard, countries in the region are seeing a growing interest and involvement in the field of astronomy, supported by the international community of scholars in this field.

Zambia was the most recent country to take a major step forward when its Copper Belt University (CU) opened a regional node of the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Office for Astronomy for Development (OAD). The proposal to open a regional office in Zambia enjoyed the support of astronomy collaborators in Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and South Africa, including the South African Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Project office.

The IAU is the international organisation that brings together almost 11, 000 distinguished astronomers from more than 90 countries. Its

Special Edition in conjunction with THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IMAGE CREDITS: IAU

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mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world’s largest professional body for astronomers.

On 16 April 2011, the IAU opened the OAD in partnership with the South African National Research Foundation (NRF) at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) in Cape Town.

Since then three Regional Nodes (China, Thailand, Ethiopia), one Language Expertise Centre and three Task Forces have been established. Zambia now joins this programme.

The establishment of this Southern African regional node is significant as this part of the continent is currently very active in terms of the development of world-class astronomy facilities,

including the optical Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), the radio Karoo Array Telescope (MeerKAT), the gamma-ray High Energy Stereoscopic System (HESS) as well as the SKA. The office in Zambia will exploit all these advantages to benefit the region at large. This office will also reach out to other countries in Africa which, like Zambia, form part of the SKA Project. This is a key task to ensure that all countries involved in the SKA have the skills and personnel required both to derive maximum benefit from the major telescope project and to help make the SKA a scientific success.

Signing the agreement on behalf of the IAU, Assistant General Secretary Piero Benvenuti had the following to say: “Astronomy is possibly the most ancient science and the IAU is committed to maintain and spread worldwide this precious heritage. But astronomy is not only pure science, it is a fascinating cultural adventure that engages the entire society and brings many benefits.

It has a powerful attraction for young people, encouraging them to follow mathematical and scientific curricula, and it fosters advanced technological developments.”

Learn more: www.iau.org www.astro4dev.org

Undergraduate Support Programme is equivalent to four freestanding SKA SA undergraduate bursaries (except if less than four students are supported by the programme in any particular year, in which case the grant will be reduced accordingly).

Closing date for applications: 17 October 2014 http://www.ska.ac.za/students/ugblock.php Contact: amashemola@ska.ac.za

WWW.SKA.AC.ZA SKA IN AFRICA The SKA has an active bursary and capacity development programme ranging from artisan and in-service training programmes to advanced studies at postgraduate level.

Block Grant Undergraduate Support Programme Call for Applications 2015 The annual grant provided by the SKA SA for the

IMAGE CREDITS: SKA SOUTH AFRICA

Bursary Programme National Diploma and Bachelor of Technology Call for Applications for January 2015 The South African SKA Project supports students who wish to study towards a National Diploma or a Bachelor of Technology in Electronic or Mechanical Engineering.

Call for applications for bursaries for the January 2015 intake is now open to National Diploma (Theory Semesters Only: S1, S2, S3 and S4) students, and to Bachelor of Technology students.

(Note: This particular call does NOT support students completing / wishing to complete the Experiential Learning component of a National Diploma).

Closing date for applications: 17 October 2014 http://www.ska.ac.za/students/uhbp.php Application form: nrfsubmission.nrf.ac.za Contact: amashemola@ska.ac.za

The SKA SA project supports science and engineering students and researchers around the country for work related to MeerKAT and SKA challenges. This group working at the University of Cape Town is (from left to right) Bradley Frank, Prof Erwin de Blok and Moses Mogotsi. Frank is a PhD student working on a large study of the rotation of galaxies, as measured using the Doppler shift of the gas in these galaxies. His study will enable us to say more about dark matter in galaxies. Moses Moses Mogotsi is a Masters student measuring the random motions in cold gas in nearby galaxies. These measurements can be used to determine under what conditions gas in galaxies can turn into stars. Their studies are supervised

by Prof Erwin de Blok, an expert on dark matter in galaxies, as traced by the dynamics of the neutral gas observable with radio telescopes. Both Brad’s and Moses’ studies will be important in interpreting observations of the very distant universe that MeerKAT and the SKA will deliver.

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SNAPSHOT

A RARE MOMENT

IMAGE CREDIT: NASA

The Space Shuttle and the International Space Station Photographed Together

Special Edition in conjunction with THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Usually, pictures of the Space Shuttle, taken from space, are snapped from the International Space Station (ISS). And, vice versa, pictures of the ISS are snapped from the shuttle. How, then, can there be a picture of both the shuttle and the ISS together, taken from space?

The answer is that during the Space Shuttle Endeavour's last trip to the ISS in May 2011, a supply ship departed the station with astronauts who captured a series of rare views. The supply ship was the Russian Soyuz TMA-20, which landed in Kazakhstan later that day.

This spectacular image captures the relative sizes of the ISS and the docked shuttle. Far below, clouds of Earth are seen above a blue sea

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CHECK OUT MORE ASTRONOMY PICS OF THE DAY Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html

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