Author: Mark Mortimer

Coaxing meaning out of a dash of colour is no trivial feat in observational astronomy. A minute arc of red gracing the edge of a galaxy might be the sprinkling of energy from the beginning of time or a software processing error. Jeff Kanipe in his book Chasing Hubble’s Shadows adds colour to these arcs and other findings by putting them into a context of universe evolution. He tells of today’s astronomers, their tools of the trade and the results they are finding. With them peering ever deeper into space, we find colours that add a whole new depth to history.

Observational astronomy uses a variety of receivers to capture electromagnetic radiation across a broad band of the spectrum. The Hubble Space Telescope is one of the best known. Its well known images include the Hubble Deep Field, the Hubble Deep Field South and the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. From these we realize that black patches of night sky aren’t empty but rather have a complex and visually enticing collection of swirling galaxies. Because of their distance, we know they came into being not long after the Big Bang and its evidentiary cosmic microwave background. These, and results from other detectors, have given astronomers more to substantiate their postulations of the changes that shaped our universe. They see, or think they see, the evolution of matter and resulting radiation from moments after the Big Bang, through various dark ages and renaissances and on.

Galactic morphology is a neat phrase and the gist of Kanipe’s book. Its purview is to review work on the genesis of galaxies. The presumption is that the Big Bang did occur. After lots of rapid changes took place, galaxies came into being. These then died, moulted, collided or otherwise transfigured to the shapes we see today. Kanipe concentrates on radiative emissions, in particular redshifts. He offers notes and observations from astronomers working with many of today’s premier instruments, including the Keck scope in Hawaii, Europe’s Plateau de Bure radio interferometer, and the infrared sensitive Spitzer Space telescope. As Kanipe is a science journalist, it is other people’s words that carry the weight. However, with the inclusion of the views of many of today’s and yesterday’s leading experts, there is no doubting the content’s authenticity.

Being a journalist, Kanipe includes pleasant, descriptive prose together with very particular, specialized scientific concepts. For example, he writes that the universe ‘makes a bombastic entrance then settles down to a languid, insipid period of expansion’. This is not to imply that hard details are absent, as many particulars abound. There’s the Gun Peterson trough described as an absorption feature in high-redshift quasars that can be used to test for reionization of neutral hydrogen. Findings are like detecting the universe’s last scattering surface at a redshift of 1100. As well, perhaps to give the reader a breath of air, Kanipe includes a review of his personal journey to the top of Mauna Kea, resplendent with tales of colourful shirts and adventures in oxygen depletion.

Though the majority of this book aims to and succeeds at recording the gains made in the last decade, Kanipe also includes a look into the near future. There’s the SKA or a Square Kilometre Array and the purpose it is to fulfill. Also, he includes a description of the Atacama Large Millimetre Array proposed for the Chilean Andes for millimetre and submillimtre observations. With these and others, Kanipe interweaves instruments, theories and people in a finely balanced review and prognosis. As the book’s title indicates, Edwin Hubble looked at shadows to differentiate between ghostly errors and landmarks and others continue this activity today.

Though it’s easy to describe the contents of the book, it’s not as easy to determine the best target audience. For example, mentioning the theory of leaking gravitons that makes our universe naturally self-inflationary demands a certain prior knowledge. Yet it isn’t provided therein. On the other hand, the descriptions of many of the stellar events and the ground based research activities would be more appealing to the generalist. It is certainly a busy, well written review of recent and proposed work in observation astronomy. But, the level of writing is uneven. The blend between science and journalism isn’t quite smooth enough. Nevertheless, the topic stays on focus with great quantities of relevant information.

The redshift of a galaxy’s emission, like the lines on a person’s face, give great clues to the source’s age. Sliding redshifts in images show us light originating from the very start of existence. Jeff Kanipe in his book Chasing Hubble’s Shadows tells of the last decade’s hunt for larger and larger redshifts amongst galaxies and the chase to find the very first galaxy.

Review by Mark Mortimer

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Pandora had her box. Adam and Eve had their apple. Physicists have the expanding universe. Whether the universe expands forever into a deep freeze or eventually contracts back into a hellish speck containing all energy, the future looks grim. Michio Kaku in his book Parallel Worlds doesn’t let these portends cause any dismay as he provides plenty of ideas for dealing with and possibly escaping from a failing universe. For after all, opening a box wasn’t the end of the world, nor was eating an apple.

Nearly all cosmologists agree that our universe isn’t static. It’s apparently expanding at an accelerating rate. A long time from now, living beings, even ones adapted to a low density environment, will eventually be unable to process information, or anything else, and thus couldn’t live. This we deduce from many years research with telescopes, antennas and very fast computers. Step by step with the observations are the mathematical reasonings. The uncertainty principle, quantum mechanics, relativity, string theory all try to correlate the forces, fields and particles that constitute our existence. But, once entering into the realm of mathematics, the equations can lead to places that aren’t observable. Here, the fifth dimension is more than a musical group. String theory may need up to 11 dimensions for its resolution, but where are these dimensions located? Not much farther past this issue is the thought of many universes. Maybe the other dimensions are in other universes. In consequence, should our universe be no longer habitable, then perhaps we need just pop into another one and continue on.

This book on parallel worlds by Michio Kaku’s is a serious, science based review of alternate universes and their relevance to us. Using very little scientific jargon, Kaku takes the reader along the standard trail from Greek philosophers up to today’s cosmologists. Along the way, he includes notice of the works of Newton, Halley, Darwin, Einstein, Gamow and other luminaries. These references, however, don’t obscure the main thrust which is to enable understanding of our universe. Kaku explains why the night is black, how the uncertainty principle links to consciousness, and where quantum theory can lead to infinite realities. His main focus though is on the potential of string theory. He effectively argues that we need a theory of everything to deal with the expanding universe and, today, string theory is the best candidate. Kaku expects that one of the treats available with this theory is the ability to explore black holes and determine if they are a potential escape route to other universes.

As can probably be deduced from the previous paragraph, this book covers a lot of high-end physics in a very short time. But, as Kaku wanted, it can be read and grasped without any previous introduction to physics or cosmology. Given that the reader is expected to concur with the idea of future civilisations fabricating their own universe, there still remains a lot that remains a matter of faith. I compare this to the challenge of teaching a blind person about colour. Kaku easily passes this challenge. The book does draw on much at the forefront of today’s research in physics, but the reader isn’t left hanging.

As can be expected in a relatively small book that tackles a large topic, its pace is fast. By assuming no prior knowledge, Kaku needs to and does cover a lot before he gets to the life stages of universes. Universes and a unifying theory aren’t his sole objective as he considers today’s research into gravity waves and some attempts to discover the Higgs boson. He even contemplates research and engineering far into the future. For example, he sees the possibility for warp drive in the sense of a network of paths connecting people on disparate, distant planets. But the book’s focus is on a grand unifying theory and how its discovery could shape humanity’s future.

By using simple descriptions, Kaku shows off the works of today’s physicists so that anyone can understand and appreciate their work. He maintains a nice balance between detail and corollary. This, together with a copious glossary and a large ‘notes’ section, makes this book easily accessible to anyone. As can be expected, sometimes the topics drift especially to the philosophical side of things. However, given that the concept of the book is on alternate universes, this is fair game. Hence, whether to appreciate the complexity of our existence, have an exhilarating companion reader for Star Trek episodes, or simply to get hyped up on physics, this book works.

Our own world has more than enough challenges to keep us busy for eons. There may, however, come a time when we the Earth is a safe abode for us all. Then would be a good time to consider how we might survive the end of our universe. Michio Kaku in his book Parallel Worlds takes a step in this direction. Certainly we have many obstacles to overcome, but we are also showing the ability with which to overcome them.

Review by Mark Mortimer

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Before the U.S.’s Mercury mission placed people in orbit, the U.S. sent chimpanzees to test the physiological impact of space travel. Before either of these, people and animals were subject to simulations of the high acceleration of lift off as well as the micro-gravity of space. Of course, as the rockets weren’t ready, other test devices were needed. Thus, using ingenuity, trial and perseverance, people gathered the background knowledge for putting a human into space and having them undertake a useful role during their voyage.

Dr. Chambers was the head of the Human Engineering Division of the Aviation Medical Acceleration Laboratory. In this role, he prepared experiments and trials that built confidence in the success of human space flight. Extreme experiments included a 24 hour exposure to a 2G force that simulated a mission to Mars and bungee cords placed along a wall to simulate bouncing along in the lighter Moon gravity. With human space flight just beginning, almost everything undertaken was original but all had role in preparing the astronauts. In keeping with standard research and development, a prescriptive series of steps were used to resolve each increment of research. And Dr. Chambers was at the centre of the action, though it is Mary Chambers who wrote this book.

Mary Chambers is Dr. Chambers’ wife and thus she had a ring-side view of the experiments, experimenters and subjects. From this perspective, she provides a charming and witty account of the goings-on of her husband and cohorts. In a more familial than technical narrative, she discuses how her husband developed a research methodology and then she discusses many of the experiments themselves. Often Dr. Chambers was the test subject in these original trials which of course brings in many spousal concerns. She continues on to present a more emotional aspect of the training; the fears and uncertainties of the subjects, the boundless curiosity of the testers and their unifying desire for success. Her view is warmly candid and evocative of the time.

This book is a short, well illustrated memorial to the Chambers family and the work accomplished by Dr. Chambers. Many references to the Mercury astronauts and even Ham the chimpanzee show how closely the family was integrated into the space program. There is a certain lack of technical issues or contributions to science. A simple statement of the establishment of principles and standards of human capabilities and limitations’ is made without more detail. In spite of this, Mrs. Chambers does provide a nice tie-in between this space research and today’s physiological understanding such as the detrimental effects of extensive bed rest. However, this book isn’t a technical reference; rather it’s a folksy memorial to a vibrant time and one family’s contribution.

Travelling into the unknown is fun but also scary. Simulations and training can reduce the fear so that people can continue making contributions, even while experiencing new environments. Mary Jane Chambers and Dr. Randall Chambers in their book Getting Off the Planet show the depth of research needed to prepare humans for space flight. With such effort, astronauts were able to navigate in space, perform orbital rendezvous and competently travel on the Moon’s surface.

Review by Mark Mortimer

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The moon Europa orbits the giant gas planet Jupiter. The recent Galileo probe and the more dated Voyager probe traveled past this moon and, with their collection of sensors, they took measurements. Galileo, even with its failed main communication antenna, was kept busy taking pictures. Some images filled in the blanks remaining from Voyager. Others were high resolution views of noteworthy features. Other sensors already revealed that a water-ice layer lies overtop an earthen core. However, there are almost no craters. So the surface is relatively new. No one knows how the surface refreshes itself but one option is for local heat from the ground to melt the overburden of ice. Of course, water, heat and some other choice ingredients are the ingredients for life. This possibility is what gives Europa its present allure.

Europa is front and centre throughout this book and in it Greenberg pushes a number of related agendas. First and foremost he classifies aspects of the images and associates them to possible causes. There is no expectation for the viewer to be a wiz as Greenberg starts slow and builds up. A history lesson begins the book. Galileo’s personal observations start the ball rolling, then Greenberg continues on with eccentricity, rotation, tides and stresses. The detail can get nitty-gritty, but not to such a depth as to loose the general reader. Suffice it to say that he’s very thorough with his description of the likely forces at play on Europa’s surface.

Having completed this background, Greenberg goes on to describe each of the classifications he and his team made from the images. Using the complete set transmitted by the Galileo probe, he presents, in a clear and thorough fashion; exotic ridges, bounding cycloids, complex chaos areas and spotty lentiuclae. But he doesn’t just leave the descriptions standing on their own. For each he provides an hypothesis for their formation and often he supports these with results from computer simulation. Further, ready references to nearby black and white or colour images allow the reader to also view the special shapes. Greenberg’s explanations are clear, succinct and well supported.

Another agenda that Greenberg raises in this book regards the politics of scientific exploration. Though Greenberg is part of the Galileo Imaging Team, he bemoans its seemingly military structure over his preferred equal weighted collective. His concern is that science might become subject to personal issues. As such, there are many references to Greenberg or a member of his team being harangued by the status quo who were supporting their own canonical model. Because of this, an interesting undertone of uncertainty exists throughout the book as well as perhaps a tinge of animosity. Yet, these don’t distract from the science and do add a certain human perspective to the writing.

A final agenda or objective is an apparent desire to capture and store hard won knowledge. The perception is that the research funding is running out and the team members are disbanding. Hence, for posterity’s sake, the results of many years’ and many peoples’ work are brought together between two covers.

Though relying upon little technical information, Greenberg has written an exemplary book. Chapters stand well on their own and each leads smoothly into the next. The sum total defines a comprehensive hypothesis regarding the shaping of Europa’s surface. Sub-theories have a sound basis and each have an excellent description. A plethora of images allow the reader to appreciate the team’s challenges and their hard won results. Because of this, the book is a solid, self-contained overview of Europa that would be a great reference for a researcher or an interesting read for anyone wanting to check-out what’s happening at one of the leading edges of planetary science.

Being at the forefront of science is exhilarating on its own. Sharing the wonders with other people increases the satisfaction even more. Richard Greenberg’s Europa, The Ocean Moon summarizes his research and that of his colleagues resulting from the Galileo probe’s mission to Jupiter. Europa’s ice surface may seem haphazard in construct but with intuition and perception, we can see how science can make reason out of this exotic world.

Review by Mark Mortimer

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Frank Herbert wrote the book ‘Dune’ in 1965, while the Apollo program was yet to deliver on its promise of landing humans on the Moon. Since then, over 20 million copies were printed. In answer to a clamour from science fiction fans, David Lynch wrote the screen play for and brought to life a cinematic version. This, however, was not greatly appreciated by the general theatre audience. Nevertheless, science fiction fans kept asking for it and eventually a lengthened version was prepared for television viewing. From this, today, there is the longer Dune ? Extended Edition with 40 more minutes of film than in the original theatrical feature.

One can better understand this movie by considering the times. By 1965, humans had only just discovered space flight. Perhaps because of this, Herbert’s novel mostly focuses on human interactions as well as strange new worlds. Though the movie was made in 1984, there’s little to suggest the improved knowledge of space from the nearly 20 intervening years. Also, Lynch made his movie before computerized visual effects became main stream. Thus, achieving a believable visualisation of alien landscapes and space flight was a matter of using models, skilful depth perception and on screen trickery. Yet, there are many locations on Earth which can easily look like another planet. As well, adept cinematographers have been beguiling audiences for many years. So the capability existed to create a vision of humans far away in space and time.

Using this capability, Lynch does make the planet Dune into a special, alien world. Vistas of stars and multiple moons help the audience leave behind Earth. A driving score by Toto keeps the movie flowing, and the audience’s attention focused. Unfortunately, the premise of the movie, even with an extra 40 minutes, still doesn’t come clear. Having read and enjoyed Herbert’s book, a viewer can piece together most of the parts of the movie. Without having done this, the movie can’t stand on its own. The plot isn’t an adventure or a romance or some political suspense thriller. It is of a messiah coming to terms. Yet, the basis for being a messiah and the correlation with the people of Dune isn’t obvious in the film. The significance of some characters is vague to the point where one questions their inclusion. Even the most magical part, the folding of space to allow for interstellar travel, isn’t immediately obvious. The fact that a narrator has a voice over every now and again demonstrates this film’s disjoint nature.

This leads to the greatest short comings of this DVD, the lack of input from David Lynch himself. A few minutes of him explaining his goal and direction would have been a real coup. Instead, there are other bits, interesting but not as beneficial. Some stand alone deleted scenes are in the package, as well as short reviews of visual designs, sketches and techniques for special effects. Equally interesting are the reviews of the costume designer and how material was more scrounged than invented. This adds to the value of learning how to make a film but not of making the Dune film. Because of this short coming, this edition is a longer version rather than a definitive description of the film and its making.

However, even with these short comings, the film is grand. Wide open spaces, opulent throne rooms, and a tendency for oration rather than dialogue captures the image of a messiah. My review hardware was a standard television with its own small speakers. To do justice, this film needs a large screen with surround sound so the viewers’ senses are overtaken as they enter the intergalactic intrigue of 8000 years in the future. Even with the three hour running time of the extended edition, there’s a lot to keep a viewer’s interest.

Science fiction challenges a person to grapple with the normalities of the present. It lets them envision other worlds, other living beings, and other physical laws. In the movie Dune ? Extended Edition, David Lynch includes these and more in a perspective of political intrigue in another place at another time. After all, envisioning the future through science fiction gives us ideas with which to plan, while ignoring the future may put us out of even a messiah’s reach.

Review by Mark Mortimer

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The Saturn V richly deserves the many superlatives heaped upon it. The most apt is it being described as nearly 6 million pounds of explosive fuel waiting for a match to set it alight. Striking as this sounds, it was the control of the resulting exothermic reactions that gently pushed man and machine into the space age. However, where the car industry could continually make corrections to correct design flaws, these rockets had to perform nearly flawlessly every time. This ensured the safety of the people and the achievement of the assigned mission. As well, these rockets were at the centre of a race between nations, thus there was an impassioned need to build, test and use them as quickly as possible. Thus, judicious testing ensured that each Saturn V rocket was ready to perform when called upon.

The author’s goal is to recover and present the manufacturing steps and test results of the Saturn V stages. They admirably do so. In a manner that would warm many engineers’ hearts, though perhaps bore the average reader, the authors list relevant dates, locations and events for each stage produced. That is, there’s a review of the 19 S-IC stages, the 27 S-II stages, and, the 26 S-IVB stages. The stages are listed in a numeric, hence chronological, sequence and all reviews follow the same format. There’s a short, one paragraph summary of the stage’s eventual use, a description of its manufacturing history and a listing of the testing of the complete stage, usually focusing on the all up test that included static firing of the engines. The test results get listed immediately after, as are any abnormalities. With this expansive coverage of the testing, the book well meets its goal of providing a record of Saturn V’s manufacturing and tests.

Supporting this compilation is a quick survey of some support elements. There’s a review of the J-2 and F-1 engines, the Pregnant Guppy and Super Guppy cargo aircraft, the barges and the relevant development centres. Of interest, the J-2 may be produced again for the Crew Launch Vehicle’s upper stage. These short asides are brief but useful additions to help the reader understand the enormity of the project.

Though the book provides extensive information, it’s not exhaustive. As the authors note, there’s a massive quantity of records in storage, with little to no organization to aid in searching through it. As such, problems encountered while testing are simply stated, such as ‘a minor bearing overheating problem was encountered during the move’. There are even slight traces of levity, such as the comment �the failure was due to the inability to abort 3.2 million pounds of water�. But humour isn’t the goal; this book is a collection of information and facts solely.

Accompanying this book’s sound review is an excellent potpourri of photographs, videos and historical documents. The book has a centre section with many colour plates of test firings, stage construction or simple transportation. Black and white pictographs are sprinkled throughout the text. The videos and support documentation are in the enclosed DVD. One can easily enjoy the sonic reverberations kicking through the speakers when viewing really close up images of the engine tests!

Though the book is large, the manufacturing and test record pages are a bit less than half. The remainder are reprints of two historical NASA publications, the Saturn V News Reference and the Saturn V Payload Planner’s Guide. Both these documentations provide background information. The first provides a ready review of the details of the Saturn V’s design, while the later is a marketing brochure that advertises the rockets capabilities, in the unfulfilled hope that many more would be built. By adding these, the book becomes an excellent reference for Saturn V enthusiasts as well as those interested in engineering test programs or large equipment handling and manufacturing.

Though the Saturn was a rocket, it was also a system. Millions of individual pieces, each serving their own function, had to operate in unison. Alan Lawrie and Robert Godwin in their book Saturn V recover all the manufacturing steps and test results that together gave the confidence to the engineers to say that this system was worthy to send a human on a journey into space.

Review by Mark Mortimer

Copies are available for purchase from Countdown Creations.

Mars is the planet most like Earth. With this accreditation, it has remained one of the likeliest off-world places for people to colonize. There are the usual obstacles; long distance, no water, no infrastructure and a harsh environment. But with any fresh world, there are great opportunities for new technologies, new leadership and new societies. Governments of countries on Earth understandably have no mandate to establish colonies off-world and they’ve shown little progress. However, their constituents do have both the mandate and desire to pursue this captivating goal. Drawing on this desire is the organization called The Mars Society. Within are thousands of people who regularly contribute to our knowledge base on how people can successfully get to and profit from Mars. In their view, combining opportunities and desires into a concerted effort is one means of having that first human footfall on the Martian surface.

Lacking a government’s or business’ mandate to step onto Mars, the Mars Society is a ready outlet for people with this desire. Annual conferences allow individuals and teams to come together to spread the word. This book, and its enclosed CD, collect an expansive selection of contributions apparently from a number of conferences between the years 2000 and 2004. Many contributions are reports in scientific format that result directly from two of the Mars Society’s research encampments; the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah and the Flashline Arctic Research Station on Devon Island. At these sites, people with no astronaut training or experience but lots of desire can emulate the tasks and challenges of a hypothetical Mars site. In so doing, they can actively add knowledge today to contribute to tomorrow’s footfall.

Though the analogue sites are the basis for most of the papers, they don’t constrain the topics. Given the unique conditions of the sites (e.g. bare rock and hostile climate), people can assess particular aspects of a team on Mars. They can simulate and examine group dynamics amongst the participants, construct storage vaults using local material and measure dust ingress before gears grind to a halt. Contributors with other backgrounds and objectives also have reports. For them, sites may be backyards for greenhouse studies, desks and computers for rocket design or purely their own experience, such as with quality management. In essence, as we’re going to have to replicate many of the natural and human contrived processes, the Earth is just one big analogue.

With so much to choose from, there’s no wonder that the reports cover a broad selection of topics. This is the book’s undoing. All topics relate to Mars but this is the only common thread. Some get very technical, such as discussing bit rates and data packets for computer networks. Others are almost dreamy in their visions of leadership and government. Because of this, it is the authors’ passion that rises up to claim the common thread rather than the technical work or the target. As well, a contradiction arises. The book begins by claiming that NASA’s constituency driven mandate makes poor results by being random and entropic. Yet, the perception from reading this book is that these individual’s efforts are equally random and entropic. Organization and focus are lacking.

Nevertheless, if you have any interest in a human presence on Mars, this randomness shouldn’t and indeed won’t trip you up. This book will empower the average person to get off their duff and lend a hand. As is obvious, much work needs doing and there are many ways to contribute. The international range of authors and the many formats (e.g. reports, poetry and song) demonstrate the many possible routes. The annual conference, the thousands of supporters and this book show that volunteers need not work in isolation or without appreciation.

With Mars never leaving its nearby orbit and shimmering down on us at night, we’re always reminded of its proximity. And, we’ve proven our ability to go into space and walk on the surface of other realms. The book On to Mars – Volume 2 is a compilation by Frank Crossman and Robert Zubrin containing reports of ideas and results from people who are more than ready to put people on Mars. Their efforts speak loudly, and when that footfall first strikes, assuredly there will be a great chorus of cheers.

Review by Mark Mortimer

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The Apollo program of the 1960’s successfully placed a few military men and one geologist on the Moon’s surface. The goal of the program was to showcase the technology of the US. The result aimed for people around the world to believe that their style of government was better than communism. Since this propaganda event, the US, and indeed the rest of the world has, at best, placed a few more people in low earth orbit. Though a number of programs and concepts were dreamed of and even broadcasted, no funds were ever sent their way. Hence, since the highwater mark of landing on the Moon, people have remained in the relatively safe environs within the Earth’s radiation belt. Only a few robots and probes have gone farther to learn more. With over 30 years accumulated knowledge, many expect that it’s time to use this knowledge and get some return from our investment in space.

The desire to return comes out clear and strong in this book. There are twenty eight articles, each written by a motivated specialist. The common theme addresses the how and why of having people return to the Moon. With so many contributors, particular topics can get quite esoteric. Routine thoughts about launch vehicles are followed by more expansive articles on land ownership, rocket sleds, nanobot proving grounds and conscious evolution. As varied as the topics are, none reside in the realm of science fiction. Each has a sound basis in reason. And each, at least according to the author, would make a valuable contribution to this new program. Judicious editing by Tumlinson and Medlicott keep the articles clear, concise and relevant.

Given that both editors are board members of the Space Frontier Foundation, there is no surprise that the underlying theme of the book is for a greater frontier like attitude to Moon exploration. Given this viewpoint, there’s lots of NASA bashing and suggestions for improvements. The articles aren’t necessarily anti-establishment, the authors just believe that their ideas can improve that which has gone before. But, the authors can be overly optimistic. They seem to forget that during the frontier days there was lots of experimentation together with many accidental and purposeful deaths. This downside is never mentioned. Rather, the typical expectation shown in the articles is for the government to build the transportation infrastructure, as the railways in the old west. Once done, rich people or well funded corporations would use it in the time honoured practise of making profit. Maybe this approach will occur and succeed, maybe it won’t. However, this frontier approach is the only one supported within the book.

By having many different authors and many different angles, each article has its own style and flavour. Like an ice cream stand, there should be something for everyone. Also, the authors make convincing arguments. This leaves the impression is that they’ve argued their cases often and can support their reasoning. This robustness lends credence to individual theories and the underlying theme. Also, the topics flow with little repetition, aside from the berating of NASA though these can easily be skipped over. A preamble presumably written by one of the editors effectively places each article in the flow of the arguments. The editors did however miss a fair number of errors which takes some of the polish off. Nevertheless, if you’re interested in alternative options in getting people working on the Moon, this book has many articles which might strike your fancy.

Government programs are one of the few places where you can get away with spending other people’s money. Fun as it is, everyone from program managers on up the line must be able to substantiate the investment. Rick Tumlinson and Erin Medlicott in their book Return to the Moon bring together articles from many experts to add some options for the US government’s current program to place people again on the Moon and then on to Mars. The many ideas can bring a fresh new perspective to spending money and realizing profit from setting up a work place for humans off of Earth.

Review by Mark Mortimer

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Fred Hoyle was a north country Yorkshire man who grew up independent of teachers and tutors. In following his own interests rather than a legislated curriculum, he happily ambled about his home turf until he got a taste of science and decided that’s where his future lay. With dedicated application, he did well enough at national and university tests to garner scholarships and eventually become a contributing member of Cambridge’s faculty. There, he entered into the developing field of cosmology and stayed with it for the remainder of his life. He contributed to the ideas of accretion and nucleosynthesis and maintained a lively debate on whether the universe was evolutionary or in steady state. As well, he practised his skills at public dissertations by publishing many science fiction books, speaking on radio and even writing operas. An ensuing shower of awards speaks to the appreciation many people had for his efforts, but some of his more pointed ideas kept a few of Hoyle’s peers at a distance.

This biography by Jane Gregory concentrates more on what Fred Hoyle did rather than who he was. There’s not much describing Hoyle’s early life or his non-academic activities. Rather, Gregory works through correspondence leading up to and following definite accomplishments. The information in the book is soundly based upon well referenced documentation, and in so doing, Gregory replays many of Hoyle’s controversies. For example, there’s Hoyle’s disparaging thoughts about the process of guarded peer reviews. A number of times his requests for publication were rejected. Also, there’s the emotional debate Hoyle had with Martin Ryle regarding whether the universe is in a steady state or is evolutionary. Gregory also includes many brief reviews of Hoyle’s fictional works which all seem to have sentient beings arrive on Earth from elsewhere in the universe. There subsequent purpose is to undertake some nefarious action that only a scientist can resolve. With Gregory’s thoroughly quoted compilation, the reader can easily appreciate the volume and strength of Hoyle’s work.

The challenge with Gregory’s book is that it doesn’t actually address any one particular aspect of Hoyle’s life. There’s much on the science, whether nuclear physics, radar or cosmology, but not really enough to understand the implications of Hoyle’s work in the general scientific community. There’s a large number of notes regarding politics in science, especially with building an institute at Cambridge, constructing a telescope in Australia and considering the role of an Astronomer Royal. But, there’s not enough to understand the nature of developing scientific policy nor how Hoyle coped. There simply is not enough describing Hoyle’s non-academic life to fully appreciate who this person was and why they were driven to do what they did. Rather than taking one of these paths and doing it justice, Gregory presents all through copious direct and in-direct references. This then leaves the reader to come to their own conclusion concerning Fred Hoyle.

Though this general lack of direction is bothersome, the solid reference sheds excellent light on some of Hoyle’s more questionable actions. Gregory provides a fair and unopinionated review regarding Hoyle’s concern with Jocelyn Bell and the awarding of a Nobel prize for radioastrophysics. She provides an equally fair presentation of Hoyle’s interest in panspermia and the archaeopteryx fossil. The inclusion of comments from colleagues and peers is particularly rewarding and could have been amplified to provide a more sound idea of Hoyle’s dedication to his personal interests and the type of person he was. By doing so, the reader would feel as if they had visited with Hoyle himself rather than have simply read about his accomplishments.

Only a well aimed paw of a bear will stop a fish from making its safe migratory journey up river. This dedication and passion to travel against the current is reflected in the actions of some driven people. Jane Gregory in her book Fred Hoyle’s Universe brings forward the account of Fred Hoyle and shows how this theoretical astronomer made many lasting and sometimes unexpected contributions to our collective knowledge. After all, remaining safely ensconced in established perceptions is not going to teach anyone anything.

Review by Mark Mortimer

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The Apollo 11 flight put the first humans onto the Moon’s surface. This culmination of the space race between the USA and the USSR is the watershed in human space travel. Though a singularly exciting event in its own right, this mission was many years in the making and needed the contribution of tens of thousands across the country. As such, there was a deserved celebration when the Command Module slowly descended into the Pacific Ocean 8 days after launch.

Godwin’s space guide for this event is necessarily abbreviated and succinct, as it is just a guide. An historical overview begins with Miletus predicting a solar eclipse in 585 BCE, speeds past the Montgolfiers and their balloons, then plants the reader at the beginning of the space race. This was when both the US and USSR planned to launch a satellite during the International Geophysical Year of 1957. The guide continues with the Apollo program’s immediate predecessors, the Redstone program, the Gemini program and touches on the big decisions for Apollo itself, such as the rendezvous method. Brief backgrounds of the astronauts follow and then a step by step listing of major flight events, each aligned with a corroborating time line. The written section of the guide concludes with a description of the experimental equipment and other ancillary gear. Much is omitted but, for a guide, Godwin picks just the right amount of just the right facts to make it interesting and pertinent.

The remainder of the guide, nearly half, is filled with coloured drawings and photographs. There’s the rocket and the Command/Service Module in graphic detail. Artist’s imagery help visualize important points in Apollo 11’s flight, such as docking, separation and descent. Last, many wonderful photographs and video cuts position the reader back to this inspiring time as men first walked the lunar surface.

By being precise, Godwin has ably written a guide for space enthusiasts. Sufficient details allow the reader to grasp the immensity of the endeavour without being overpowered by minutiae. The historical lead-in smoothly sets the scene of the Apollo era. Facts and data corroborate the magnitude. And, the photographs leave no doubt that the program did have men successfully go to the Moon and return. Some shortcuts are evident; there’s no table of contents nor index. Also, many of the images don’t have credits, though we can safely guess that most if not all are direct from NASA. Nevertheless, given the hour or so to read, this guide will sit comfortably with many young space dreamers.

Also, as found on the review copy, there’s a slip cover advertising the IMAX film ‘Magnificent Desolation’. The film relives many of the moments from all the Apollo missions and is thus a great companion to the guide (or vice versa).

For many, short newsclips are the sole window to the ever changing world about them. Equally brief guides might be all that some can or want to invest into history, no matter how recent. Robert Godwin in his pocket space guide Apollo 11 satisfies this need in his clear and colourful review of the Apollo program’s first successful lunar lander.

Review by Mark Mortimer

Read more reviews online, or purchase a copy from Amazon.com.