Astronaut Piers Sellers on Danny Baker

British astronaut, Piers Sellers was on the Danny Baker podcast this week. It was a fascinating interview. This is one of the guys who assembled the ISS in orbit while spacewalking. It was fascinating to hear him talk about his experiences and I found it amazing how down to earth (pun intended) he was. There was no arrogance and the conversation flowed freely and easily between them. I recommend you listen to it while it’s still available. I’m going to listen to it again.

Observations – Saturday 11 August 2012 – Meteorwatch Barr Beacon

Location: Barr Beacon
Weather: dry, cold (for August), cloudy.
Highlights: ISS, Perseids meteor,

21:45 Arrived at Barr Beacon with a car full of kit – scope, camera, tripod, table, chair , cases etc etc. quite cloudy though – almost completely covered so decided to leave all but a camping chair and a case with a few bits in the car.
There were about 35 people up there for the Walsall Council/Walsall Astronomical Society Meteorwatch event. I set up my chair and wrapped up in hoody, body warmer and beanie. It was cold for the time of year. Clouds cleared a bit so saw a few stars and a few constellations – Lyra, Cygnus, Hercules, Cassiopeia, Ursa Major. Not much meteor activity though. Quite a few satellites – must have seen 6 or 7.

22:24. Had a wander round the clear patches of sky with the bins. Split the Mizor and Alcor double on the handle of the big dipper.

22:42. A really good ISS pass – about the best I’ve ever seen. West to East – appearing below and to the South of Arcturus in the West, slightly brighter than Arcturus. I spotted it and pointed it out to others. I’d been tracking it in SkySafari so knew where and when it was going to be. As it climbed its apparent velocity increased as did its magnitude become perhaps -2 or -3 overhead just South of Vega. It then faded towards the East. Observed through binoculars, bright orange and large, couldn’t make out any physical detail. I should be able to predict where it will be and observe a pass through the scope for a future pass.

A few people saw meteors but I didn’t at this point. I got chatting with some chaps, one of whom I’d come across on Stargazers Lounge. We chatted about various aspects of astronomy. He does a lot of imaging from his own home observatory and he told me he has got some time coming up on the Faulkes telescope based in Hawaii which was interesting. Whilst chatting and looking upwards I saw a very very brief flash of a probable meteor. North to East for about 10deg.

23:30 by now there were just three of us left. All the families and kids had gone, some who’d been running round and some of whom we’d been talking to and pointing out things of interest like the ISS, satellites and various stars and constellations.
We decided to call it a night. As we were walking back to the cars together, all three of us saw the same orange streak, less than a second in running toward the West from about 60deg to perhaps 40deg. Was a buzz to see a decent one and share the sighting with others. A corroborated sighting. Made on or two hairs stand up on the back of my neck, but perhaps that was the cold.
It was reasonably clear by now but too late to set up there, so I left with the intention of setting up in the garden when I got home but it was too cloudy to be worthwhile.