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Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 05:07:39 From: Space Digest maintainer <digests@isu.isunet.edu> Reply-To: Space-request@isu.isunet.edu Subject: Space Digest V16 #492 To: Space Digest Readers Precedence: bulk Space Digest Tue, 27 Apr 93 Volume 16 : Issue 492 Today's Topics: Drag Free Satellites Help viewing Voyager CD ROMs on Mac I want that Billion Keeping Spacecraft on after Funding Cuts. LARSONIAN Astronomy and Physics Life on Mars??? Vandalizing the sky Welcome to the Space Digest!! Please send your messages to "space@isu.isunet.edu", and (un)subscription requests of the form "Subscribe Space <your name>" to one of these addresses: listserv@uga (BITNET), rice::boyle (SPAN/NSInet), utadnx::utspan::rice::boyle (THENET), or space-REQUEST@isu.isunet.edu (Internet). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 26 Apr 93 19:14:42 GMT From: "J.A. Vanden Beukel" <vandenbe@crayxmp.lmsc.lockheed.com> Subject: Drag Free Satellites Newsgroups: sci.space Regarding drag free satellites, Joe Cain gives a good description of the concept. It is however more than a concept. The Navy's Triad satellite succesfully used drag free control. Drag free control is an integral part of the Stanford Gravity Probe-B spacecraft, due to fly in 1999. It is also part of the European STEP satellite. Jeff V. ------------------------------ Date: 26 Apr 1993 18:33:17 GMT From: "Peter G. Ford" <pgf@space.mit.edu> Subject: Help viewing Voyager CD ROMs on Mac Newsgroups: sci.space In article cnp@morrow.stanford.edu, ME.DMG@forsythe.stanford.edu (David Gaba M.D.) writes: >Two and a half years ago I purchased a set of CD ROMs from the >University of Colorado Lab for Atmos. and Space Physics. They >were Space Sciences Sampler and Voyagers to the Outer Planets. >... >With Pixel Pusher we could never get past messages something like >This file has no PDS label, please fill in the following info >(a bunch of slots with most zeros). Yet, we could open the >image file in Word and see the label file at the beginning. The compressed image format used for the Voyager disks is not (yet) supported by any Macintosh display software that I know of. However, there does exist a program that can convert the images to a format that is recognized by recent versions of both Pixel Pusher and NIH/Image. It is called "PDS Decompress" and is available via anonymous ftp from the "pub" directory on "delcano.mit.edu" [18.75.0.80]. This is a Binhex/ Stuffit archive and contains the application itself, Think-C source, and a very brief description. The most recent version of NIH/Image (1.48) may be down-loaded from "starhawk.jpl.nasa.gov", where it is located in "image148.hqx" in the "pub" directory. This archive also contains source code, but not the documentation, which is located in the "image1455.hqx" archive in the same directory. Regards, Peter G. Ford Manager, Microwave SubNode NASA Planetary Data System ------------------------------ Date: 26 Apr 1993 17:07:06 GMT From: Doug Mohney <sysmgr@king.eng.umd.edu> Subject: I want that Billion Newsgroups: sci.space In article <C5x86o.8p4@zoo.toronto.edu>, henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: >In article <1r6rn3INNn96@mojo.eng.umd.edu> sysmgr@king.eng.umd.edu writes: >>You'd need to launch HLVs to send up large amounts of stuff. Do you know >>of a private Titan pad? > >You'd need to launch HLVs to send up large amounts of stuff *if* you assume >no new launcher development. If you assume new launcher development, with >lower costs as a specific objective, then you probably don't want to >build something HLV-sized anyway. > >Nobody who is interested in launching things cheaply will buy Titans. It >doesn't take many Titan pricetags to pay for a laser launcher or a large >gas gun or a development program for a Big Dumb Booster, all of which >would have far better cost-effectiveness. Henry, I made the assumption that he who gets there firstest with the mostest wins. Ohhh, you want to put in FINE PRINT which says "Thou shall do wonderous R&D rather than use off-the-shelf hardware"? Sorry, didn't see that in my copy. Most of the Pournellesque proposals run along the lines of <some dollar amount> reward for <some simple goal>. You go ahead and do your development, I'll buy off the shelf at higher cost (or even Russian; but I also assume that there'd be some "Buy US" provos in there) and be camped out in the Moon while you are launching and assembling little itty-bitty payloads in LEO with your laser or gas gun. And working out the bugs of assembly & integration in LEO. Oh, hey, could I get a couple of CanadARMs tuned for the lunar environment? I wanna do some teleoperated prospecting while I'm up there... Software engineering? That's like military intelligence, isn't it? -- > SYSMGR@CADLAB.ENG.UMD.EDU < -- ------------------------------ Date: 22 Apr 93 15:22:29 EDT From: Chris Jones <clj@ksr.com> Subject: Keeping Spacecraft on after Funding Cuts. Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro In article <1r6aqr$dnv@access.digex.net>, prb@access (Pat) writes: >Voyager has the unusual luck to be on a stable trajectory out of the >solar system. All it's doing is collecting fields data, and routinely >squirting it down. One of the mariners is also in stable >solar orbit, and still providing similiar solar data. There are no Mariner craft from which we are still receiving data. I believe you are referring to one or more of Pioneers 6 through 9 (launched from December 1965 through November 1968), which were put into solar orbits to study interplanetary space. I recall reading that at least one of them was still functioning 25 years after launch. -- Chris Jones clj@ksr.com ------------------------------ Date: 26 Apr 93 12:10:08 -0600 From: mcelwre@cnsvax.uwec.edu Subject: LARSONIAN Astronomy and Physics Newsgroups: sci.space LARSONIAN Astronomy and Physics Orthodox physicists, astronomers, and astrophysicists CLAIM to be looking for a "Unified Field Theory" in which all of the forces of the universe can be explained with a single set of laws or equations. But they have been systematically IGNORING or SUPPRESSING an excellent one for 30 years! The late Physicist Dewey B. Larson's comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe, which he calls the "Reciprocal System", is built on two fundamental postulates about the physical and mathematical natures of space and time: (1) "The physical universe is composed ENTIRELY of ONE component, MOTION, existing in THREE dimensions, in DISCRETE UNITS, and in two RECIPROCAL forms, SPACE and TIME." (2) "The physical universe conforms to the relations of ORDINARY COMMUTATIVE mathematics, its magnitudes are ABSOLUTE, and its geometry is EUCLIDEAN." From these two postulates, Larson developed a COMPLETE Theoretical Universe, using various combinations of translational, vibrational, rotational, and vibrational- rotational MOTIONS, the concepts of IN-ward and OUT-ward SCALAR MOTIONS, and speeds in relation to the Speed of Light (which Larson called "UNIT VELOCITY" and "THE NATURAL DATUM"). At each step in the development, Larson was able to MATCH objects in his Theoretical Universe with objects in the REAL physical universe, (photons, sub-atomic particles [INCOMPLETE ATOMS], charges, atoms, molecules, globular star clusters, galaxies, binary star systems, solar systems, white dwarf stars, pulsars, quasars, ETC.), even objects NOT YET DISCOVERED THEN (such as EXPLODING GALAXIES, and GAMMA-RAY BURSTS). And applying his Theory to his NEW model of the atom, Larson was able to precisely and accurately CALCULATE inter- atomic distances in crystals and molecules, compressibility and thermal expansion of solids, and other properties of matter. All of this is described in good detail, with-OUT fancy complex mathematics, in his books. BOOKS of Dewey B. Larson The following is a complete list of the late Physicist Dewey B. Larson's books about his comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe. Some of the early books are out of print now, but still available through inter-library loan. "The Structure of the Physical Universe" (1959) "The Case AGAINST the Nuclear Atom" (1963) "Beyond Newton" (1964) "New Light on Space and Time" (1965) "Quasars and Pulsars" (1971) "NOTHING BUT MOTION" (1979) [A $9.50 SUBSTITUTE for the $8.3 BILLION "Super Collider".] [The last four chapters EXPLAIN chemical bonding.] "The Neglected Facts of Science" (1982) "THE UNIVERSE OF MOTION" (1984) [FINAL SOLUTIONS to most ALL astrophysical mysteries.] "BASIC PROPERTIES OF MATTER" (1988) All but the last of these books were published by North Pacific Publishers, P.O. Box 13255, Portland, OR 97213, and should be available via inter-library loan if your local university or public library doesn't have each of them. Several of them, INCLUDING the last one, are available from: The International Society of Unified Science (ISUS), 1680 E. Atkin Ave., Salt Lake City, Utah 84106. This is the organization that was started to promote Larson's Theory. They have other related publications, including the quarterly journal "RECIPROCITY". Physicist Dewey B. Larson's Background Physicist Dewey B. Larson was a retired Engineer (Chemical or Electrical). He was about 91 years old when he died in May 1989. He had a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Science from Oregon State University. He developed his comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe while trying to develop a way to COMPUTE chemical properties based only on the elements used. Larson's lack of a fancy "PH.D." degree might be one reason that orthodox physicists are ignoring him, but it is NOT A VALID REASON. Sometimes it takes a relative outsider to CLEARLY SEE THE FOREST THROUGH THE TREES. At the same time, it is clear from his books that he also knew ORTHODOX physics and astronomy as well as ANY physicist or astronomer, well enough to point out all their CONTRADICTIONS, AD HOC ASSUMPTIONS, PRINCIPLES OF IMPOTENCE, IN-CONSISTENCIES, ETC.. Larson did NOT have the funds, etc. to experimentally test his Theory. And it was NOT necessary for him to do so. He simply compared the various parts of his Theory with OTHER researchers' experimental and observational data. And in many cases, HIS explanation FIT BETTER. A SELF-CONSISTENT Theory is MUCH MORE than the ORTHODOX physicists and astronomers have! They CLAIM to be looking for a "unified field theory" that works, but have been IGNORING one for over 30 years now! "Modern physics" does NOT explain the physical universe so well. Some parts of some of Larson's books are FULL of quotations of leading orthodox physicists and astronomers who agree. And remember that "epicycles", "crystal spheres", "geocentricity", "flat earth theory", etc., ALSO once SEEMED to explain it well, but were later proved CONCEPTUALLY WRONG. Prof. Frank H. Meyer, Professor Emeritus of UW-Superior, was/is a STRONG PROPONENT of Larson's Theory, and was (or still is) President of Larson's organization, "THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF UNIFIED SCIENCE", and Editor of their quarterly Journal "RECIPROCITY". He moved to Minneapolis after retiring. "Super Collider" BOONDOGGLE! I am AGAINST contruction of the "Superconducting Super Collider", in Texas or anywhere else. It would be a GROSS WASTE of money, and contribute almost NOTHING of "scientific" value. Most physicists don't realize it, but, according to the comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the late Physicist Dewey B. Larson, as described in his books, the strange GOOFY particles ("mesons", "hyperons", ALLEGED "quarks", etc.) which they are finding in EXISTING colliders (Fermi Lab, Cern, etc.) are really just ATOMS of ANTI-MATTER, which are CREATED by the high-energy colliding beams, and which quickly disintegrate like cosmic rays because they are incompatible with their environment. A larger and more expensive collider will ONLY create a few more elements of anti-matter that the physicists have not seen there before, and the physicists will be EVEN MORE CONFUSED THAN THEY ARE NOW! Are a few more types of anti-matter atoms worth the $8.3 BILLION cost?!! Don't we have much more important uses for this WASTED money?! Another thing to consider is that the primary proposed location in Texas has a serious and growing problem with some kind of "fire ants" eating the insulation off underground cables. How much POISONING of the ground and ground water with insecticides will be required to keep the ants out of the "Supercollider"?! Naming the "Super Collider" after Ronald Reagon, as proposed, is TOTALLY ABSURD! If it is built, it should be named after a leading particle PHYSICIST. LARSONIAN Anti-Matter In Larson's comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe, anti-matter is NOT a simple case of opposite charges of the same types of particles. It has more to do with the rates of vibrations and rotations of the photons of which they are made, in relation to the vibrational and rotational equivalents of the speed of light, which Larson calls "Unit Velocity" and the "Natural Datum". In Larson's Theory, a positron is actually a particle of MATTER, NOT anti-matter. When a positron and electron meet, the rotational vibrations (charges) and rotations of their respective photons (of which they are made) neutralize each other. In Larson's Theory, the ANTI-MATTER half of the physical universe has THREE dimensions of TIME, and ONLY ONE dimension of space, and exists in a RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIP to our MATERIAL half. LARSONIAN Relativity The perihelion point in the orbit of the planet Mercury has been observed and precisely measured to ADVANCE at the rate of 574 seconds of arc per century. 531 seconds of this advance are attributed via calculations to gravitational perturbations from the other planets (Venus, Earth, Jupiter, etc.). The remaining 43 seconds of arc are being used to help "prove" Einstein's "General Theory of Relativity". But the late Physicist Dewey B. Larson achieved results CLOSER to the 43 seconds than "General Relativity" can, by INSTEAD using "SPECIAL Relativity". In one or more of his books, he applied the LORENTZ TRANSFORMATION on the HIGH ORBITAL SPEED of Mercury. Larson TOTALLY REJECTED "General Relativity" as another MATHEMATICAL FANTASY. He also REJECTED most of "Special Relativity", including the parts about "mass increases" near the speed of light, and the use of the Lorentz Transform on doppler shifts, (Those quasars with red-shifts greater than 1.000 REALLY ARE MOVING FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT, although most of that motion is away from us IN TIME.). In Larson's comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe, there are THREE dimensions of time instead of only one. But two of those dimensions can NOT be measured from our material half of the physical universe. The one dimension that we CAN measure is the CLOCK time. At low relative speeds, the values of the other two dimensions are NEGLIGIBLE; but at high speeds, they become significant, and the Lorentz Transformation must be used as a FUDGE FACTOR. [Larson often used the term "COORDINATE TIME" when writing about this.] In regard to "mass increases", it has been PROVEN in atomic accelerators that acceleration drops toward zero near the speed of light. But the formula for acceleration is ACCELERATION = FORCE / MASS, (a = F/m). Orthodox physicists are IGNORING the THIRD FACTOR: FORCE. In Larson's Theory, mass STAYS CONSTANT and FORCE drops toward zero. FORCE is actually a MOTION, or COMBINATIONS of MOTIONS, or RELATIONS BETWEEN MOTIONS, including INward and OUTward SCALAR MOTIONS. The expansion of the universe, for example, is an OUTward SCALAR motion inherent in the universe and NOT a result of the so-called "Big Bang" (which is yet another MATHEMATICAL FANTASY). THE UNIVERSE OF MOTION I wish to recommend to EVERYONE the book "THE UNIVERSE OF MOTION", by Dewey B. Larson, 1984, North Pacific Publishers, (P.O. Box 13255, Portland, Oregon 97213), 456 pages, indexed, hardcover. It contains the Astrophysical portions of a GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe developed by that author, an UNrecognized GENIUS, more than thirty years ago. It contains FINAL SOLUTIONS to most ALL Astrophysical mysteries, including the FORMATION of galaxies, binary and multiple star systems, and solar systems, the TRUE ORIGIN of the "3-degree" background radiation, cosmic rays, and gamma- ray bursts, and the TRUE NATURE of quasars, pulsars, white dwarfs, exploding galaxies, etc.. It contains what astronomers and astrophysicists are ALL looking for, if they are ready to seriously consider it with OPEN MINDS! The following is an example of his Theory's success: In his first book in 1959, "THE STRUCTURE OF THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE", Larson predicted the existence of EXPLODING GALAXIES, several years BEFORE astronomers started finding them. They are a NECESSARY CONSEQUENCE of Larson's comprehensive Theory. And when QUASARS were discovered, he had an immediate related explanation for them also. GAMMA-RAY BURSTS Astro-physicists and astronomers are still scratching their heads about the mysterious GAMMA-RAY BURSTS. They were originally thought to originate from "neutron stars" in the disc of our galaxy. But the new Gamma Ray Telescope now in Earth orbit has been detecting them in all directions uniformly, and their source locations in space do NOT correspond to any known objects, (except for a few cases of directional coincidence). Gamma-ray bursts are a NECESSARY CONSEQUENCE of the GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe developed by the late Physicist Dewey B. Larson. According to page 386 of his book "THE UNIVERSE OF MOTION", published in 1984, the gamma-ray bursts are coming from SUPERNOVA EXPLOSIONS in the ANTI-MATTER HALF of the physical universe, which Larson calls the "Cosmic Sector". Because of the relationship between the anti-matter and material halves of the physical universe, and the way they are connected together, the gamma-ray bursts can pop into our material half anywhere in space, seemingly at random. (This is WHY the source locations of the bursts do not correspond with known objects, and come from all directions uniformly.) I wonder how close to us in space a source location would have to be for a gamma-ray burst to kill all or most life on Earth! There would be NO WAY to predict one, NOR to stop it! Perhaps some of the MASS EXTINCTIONS of the past, which are now being blamed on impacts of comets and asteroids, were actually caused by nearby GAMMA-RAY BURSTS! LARSONIAN Binary Star Formation About half of all the stars in the galaxy in the vicinity of the sun are binary or double. But orthodox astronomers and astrophysicists still have no satisfactory theory about how they form or why there are so many of them. But binary star systems are actually a LIKELY CONSEQUENCE of the comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe developed by the late Physicist Dewey B. Larson. I will try to summarize Larsons explanation, which is detailed in Chapter 7 of his book "THE UNIVERSE OF MOTION" and in some of his other books. First of all, according to Larson, stars do NOT generate energy by "fusion". A small fraction comes from slow gravitational collapse. The rest results from the COMPLETE ANNIHILATION of HEAVY elements (heavier than IRON). Each element has a DESTRUCTIVE TEMPERATURE LIMIT. The heavier the element is, the lower is this limit. A star's internal temperature increases as it grows in mass via accretion and absorption of the decay products of cosmic rays, gradually reaching the destructive temperature limit of lighter and lighter elements. When the internal temperature of the star reaches the destructive temperature limit of IRON, there is a Type I SUPERNOVA EXPLOSION! This is because there is SO MUCH iron present; and that is related to the structure of iron atoms and the atom building process, which Larson explains in some of his books [better than I can]. When the star explodes, the lighter material on the outer portion of the star is blown outward in space at less than the speed of light. The heavier material in the center portion of the star was already bouncing around at close to the speed of light, because of the high temperature. The explosion pushes that material OVER the speed of light, and it expands OUTWARD IN TIME, which is equivalent to INWARD IN SPACE, and it often actually DISAPPEARS for a while. Over long periods of time, both masses start to fall back gravitationally. The material that had been blown outward in space now starts to form a RED GIANT star. The material that had been blown OUTWARD IN TIME starts to form a WHITE DWARF star. BOTH stars then start moving back toward the "MAIN SEQUENCE" from opposite directions on the H-R Diagram. The chances of the two masses falling back into the exact same location in space, making a single lone star again, are near zero. They will instead form a BINARY system, orbiting each other. According to Larson, a white dwarf star has an INVERSE DENSITY GRADIENT (is densest at its SURFACE), because the material at its center is most widely dispersed (blown outward) in time. This ELIMINATES the need to resort to MATHEMATICAL FANTASIES about "degenerate matter", "neutron stars", "black holes", etc.. LARSONIAN Solar System Formation If the mass of the heavy material at the center of the exploding star is relatively SMALL, then, instead of a single white dwarf star, there will be SEVERAL "mini" white dwarf stars (revolving around the red giant star, but probably still too far away in three-dimensional TIME to be affected by its heat, etc.). These will become PLANETS! In Chapter 7 of THE UNIVERSE OF MOTION, Larson used all this information, and other principles of his comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe, to derive his own version of Bode's Law. "Black Hole" FANTASY! I heard that physicist Stephen W. Hawking recently completed a theoretical mathematical analysis of TWO "black holes" merging together into a SINGLE "black hole", and concluded that the new "black hole" would have MORE MASS than the sum of the two original "black holes". Such a result should be recognized by EVERYone as a RED FLAG, causing widespread DOUBT about the whole IDEA of "black holes", etc.! After reading Physicist Dewey B. Larson's books about his comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe, especially his book "THE UNIVERSE OF MOTION", it is clear to me that "black holes" are NOTHING more than MATHEMATICAL FANTASIES! The strange object at Cygnus X-1 is just an unusually massive WHITE DWARF STAR, NOT the "black hole" that orthodox astronomers and physicists so badly want to "prove" their theory. By the way, I do NOT understand why so much publicity is being given to physicist Stephen Hawking. The physicists and astronomers seem to be acting as if Hawking's severe physical problem somehow makes him "wiser". It does NOT! I wish the same attention had been given to Physicist Dewey B. Larson while he was still alive. Widespread publicity and attention should NOW be given to Larson's Theory, books, and organization (The International Society of Unified Science). ELECTRO-MAGNETIC PROPULSION I heard of that concept many years ago, in connection with UFO's and unorthodox inventors, but I never was able to find out how or why they work, or how they are constructed. I found a possible clue about why they might work on pages 112-113 of the book "BASIC PROPERTIES OF MATTER", by the late Physicist Dewey B. Larson, which describes part of Larson's comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe. I quote one paragraph: "As indicated in the preceding chapter, the development of the theory of the universe of motion arrives at a totally different concept of the nature of electrical resistance. The electrons, we find, are derived from the environment. It was brought out in Volume I [Larson's book "NOTHING BUT MOTION"] that there are physical processes in operation which produce electrons in substantial quantities, and that, although the motions that constitute these electrons are, in many cases, absorbed by atomic structures, the opportunities for utilizing this type of motion in such structures are limited. It follows that there is always a large excess of free electrons in the material sector [material half] of the universe, most of which are uncharged. In this uncharged state the electrons cannot move with respect to extension space, because they are inherently rotating units of space, and the relation of space to space is not motion. In open space, therefore, each uncharged electron remains permanently in the same location with respect to the natural reference system, in the manner of a photon. In the context of the stationary spatial reference system the uncharged electron, like the photon, is carried outward at the speed of light by the progression of the natural reference system. All material aggregates are thus exposed to a flux of electrons similar to the continual bombardment by photons of radiation. Meanwhile there are other processes, to be discussed later, whereby electrons are returned to the environment. The electron population of a material aggregate such as the earth therefore stabilizes at an equilibrium level." Note that in Larson's Theory, UNcharged electrons are also massLESS, and are basically photons of light of a particular frequency (above the "unit" frequency) spinning around one axis at a particular rate (below the "unit" rate). ("Unit velocity" is the speed of light, and there are vibrational and rotational equivalents to the speed of light, according to Larson's Theory.) [I might have the "above" and "below" labels mixed up.] Larson is saying that outer space is filled with mass- LESS UN-charged electrons flying around at the speed of light! If this is true, then the ELECTRO-MAGNETIC PROPULSION fields of spacecraft might be able to interact with these electrons, or other particles in space, perhaps GIVING them a charge (and mass) and shooting them toward the rear to achieve propulsion. (In Larson's Theory, an electrical charge is a one-dimensional rotational vibration of a particular frequency (above the "unit" frequency) superimposed on the rotation of the particle.) The paragraph quoted above might also give a clue to confused meteorologists about how and why lightning is generated in clouds. SUPPRESSION of LARSONIAN Physics The comprehensive GENERAL UNIFIED Theory of the physical universe developed by the late Physicist Dewey B. Larson has been available for more than 30 YEARS, published in 1959 in his first book "THE STRUCTURE OF THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE". It is TOTALLY UN-SCIENTIFIC for Hawking, Wheeler, Sagan, and the other SACRED PRIESTS of the RELIGION they call "science" (or "physics", or "astronomy", etc.), as well as the "scientific" literature and the "education" systems, to TOTALLY IGNORE Larson's Theory has they have. Larson's Theory has excellent explanations for many things now puzzling orthodox physicists and astronomers, such as gamma-ray bursts and the nature of quasars. Larson's Theory deserves to be HONESTLY and OPENLY discussed in the physics, chemistry, and astronomy journals, in the U.S. and elsewhere. And at least the basic principles of Larson's Theory should be included in all related courses at UW-EC, UW-Madison, Cambridge, Cornell University, and elsewhere, so that students are not kept in the dark about a worthy alternative to the DOGMA they are being fed. For more information, answers to your questions, etc., please consult my CITED SOURCES (especially Larson's BOOKS). UN-altered REPRODUCTION and DISSEMINATION of this IMPORTANT partial summary is ENCOURAGED. Robert E. McElwaine B.S., Physics and Astronomy, UW-EC ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1993 18:45:07 GMT From: kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov Subject: Life on Mars??? Newsgroups: sci.space I know it's only wishful thinking, with our current President, but this is from last fall: "Is there life on Mars? Maybe not now. But there will be." -- Daniel S. Goldin, NASA Administrator, 24 August 1992 -- Ken Jenks, NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov (713) 483-4368 "The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything." -- Edward John Phelps, American Diplomat/Lawyer (1825-1895) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 03:07:21 EDT From: Tom <18084TM@msu.edu> Subject: Vandalizing the sky Wm Hathaway comments; >I'd like to add that some of the "protests" do not come from a strictly >practical consideration of what pollution levels are acceptable for >research activities by professional astronomers. Some of what I >would complain about is rooted in aesthetics. Many readers may >never have known a time where the heavens were pristine - sacred - >unsullied by the actions of humans. The space between the stars >as profoundly black as an abyss can be. With full horizons and >a pure sky one could look out upon half of all creation at a time >- none of which had any connection with the petty matters of man. >Any lights were supplied solely by nature; uncorruptable by men. >Whole religions were based on mortal man somehow getting up there >and becoming immortal as the stars, whether by apotheosis or a belief >in an afterlife. >The Space Age changed all that. [more on man's effect on the environment] >But there is still this desire to see a place that man hasn't >fouled in some way. >.... I think my point about a desire for beauty is valid, >even if it can't ever be perfectly achieved. I agree that the desire for beauty is valid, but I think your desire to impose your vision of beauty is not. You mention the age-old desire to somehow get up there, but ignore the beauty of the actual achievment of that vision. You mention the beauty of a very dark sky, not impeded by the effects of humans, but ignore the beauty of the as-dark-as-can-be sky that is only visible from space, a vision that we, or at least, our descendents, may one day be able to see, in part, because of efforts that others call ugly. One day, I hope, humans will be able to look out, not upon half the heavens, with only nature-creted lights, but upon all of the heavens, with no lights. If advertising in space can help us reach that goal, it is no less beautiful for the way we reach it, than the 'pristine' sky of yesteryear (or yester-century), which is totally unreachable. One of the original conceptions of beauty in wetsern sculpture was a human form, in the effort of striving to reach a goal. I don't think there's any reason to believe that modernity has changed that, just because it has changed the way we strive. BTW, there are places that people haven't fouled. Sometimes they make it better. -Tommy Mac ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tom McWilliams 517-355-2178 wk \\ As the radius of vision increases, 18084tm@ibm.cl.msu.edu 336-9591 hm \\ the circumference of mystery grows. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of Space Digest Volume 16 : Issue 492 ------------------------------