Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics - Moonbounce

[Tanja]

I am going to attend this (http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/visitorcentre/events/2009/moonbounce.html) event tomorrow with one of my work colleagues.

She was one of the five competition winners - the competition was to come up with a phrase she would have said instead of Armstrong's one small step etc.

Her prize is:
Five lucky winners will be able to read out their messages, which will be turned into radio signals by the scientists here at Jodrell Bank, transmitted towards the Moon and reflected off its surface. After travelling through space at the speed of light, the returning signals will be caught just a few seconds later using the giant Lovell Telescope. The winners will be able to hear their own voices echoing back to Earth from the surface of the Moon, a quarter of a million miles away.

:)

[bokonon]

So, what did she have to say?

[BillC]

From the link:Sadly, we can't send you to the Moon in person but we can bounce your voice off its surface!That's quite an inventive prize.

[wackyvorlon]

I'm aware of some amateur radio operators who bounced a signal off Venus.

Very impressive, but very difficult:

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/march2009/eve.htm

[Blue Bubble]

That's just soooo cool - lucky Tanja.

[MG1962]

I am going to attend this (http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/visitorcentre/events/2009/moonbounce.html) event tomorrow with one of my work colleagues.

She was one of the five competition winners - the competition was to come up with a phrase she would have said instead of Armstrong's one small step etc.

Her prize is:


:)

Not a very well thought out contest. What are all the aliens nested in their listening stations going to make of this. July 1969 log shows humans first setting foot on the Moon

July 2009............first setting foot on the Moon

............then again

and again

Seriously the bureaucratic nightmare you are creating will make Independence Day seem like a film

[bokonon]

"Suck it, Artemis! Top of the moon, ma! Top of the moon!"

[Starthinker]

What if bouncing all these messages off the moon pushes it into a higher orbit?

[bokonon]

What if bouncing all these messages off the moon pushes it into a higher orbit?
It's getting higher all the time anyway.

Suck it, Newton! The moon is falling UP! Where's your "gravity" now?

[Tanja]

I just got back, it was a wonderful day.

I was rubbing shoulders with people like Sir Bernard Lovell (he is 95!) and Professor Colin Pillinger, who clearly enjoys speaking to lay audiences - he was very entertaining.

My colleague bounced her message off the moon, and everyone in the audience had the chance to say "hello, moon" together, and we could then hear it bounced back.

But the best bit, by far, was the tour of the Lovell Telescope (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovell_Telescope). We got to go all the way up to the bowl (is that what it's called?). Here is a picture of me standing there:

[bokonon]

All right, ignore my question, you're not the only source of information on the internet.

Here are the winners:

Jack Walsh (age 6), London - "Wow! The Earth looks amazing from up here. I'm having the time of my life."

Stefan Croker, Manchester - "I stand here not on the dreams of one but the labours of many. We work best when we work together."

Ayesha Ghose (age 6), London - "Wow! I feel amazed and really proud to be the first person on the Moon!"

Raymond Tait, Torquay - "Welcome to the first outpost of the last frontier."

Lydia Stanley, London - "Today the Moon... tomorrow the Universe!"

I kind of like that "first outpost of the last frontier" phrase, but the "welcome" bit spoils it for me. He sounds like a host greeting dinner guests.

I know, sour grapes, but if I'd heard about it in time, I'm pretty sure "Suck it, Artemis!" would have been a contender.

[Tanja]

So, what did she have to say?

Sorry I ignored your question the first time round, but I am glad you found the answer yourself. I spoke to one of the people who selected the winners - they were selected from about 400 applications.

[bokonon]

Sorry I ignored your question the first time round, but I am glad you found the answer yourself. I spoke to one of the people who selected the winners - they were selected from about 400 applications.
No problem.

They probably wouldn't have been willing to comp the airfare from Los Angeles anyway...

[MG1962]

Stefan Croker, Manchester - "I stand here not on the dreams of one but the labours of many. We work best when we work together."


Actually I could almost hear Neil saying this