ASTROLETTERS
8 ASTRONOMY • APRIL 2019Exploration overshadowed
I’m embarrassed to say that I knew noth-
ing about the BepiColombo mission until
reading your magazine. I haven’t been
keeping up with science news as I once
did, and it’s a shame. The lack of news
coverage about this incredible Mercury
adventure says so much about our cul-
ture, and it’s not positive. The mission to
Mercury is one of the greatest explora-
tion feats of human history, yet the media
ignores it, and instead covers news of
much less importance.
I viewed the BepiColombo launch
online, and it was spectacular. I’m a senior
citizen and recall exactly where I was
when Sputnik shocked the world. Back
then, everyone was fascinated by space
exploration, yet sadly all we’re fed these
days is junk about celebrities, politics,
and related trivia. Your timeline for the
Mercury mission is a keeper. The approach
to the planet is a long way off, but it’s
something to live for, and I hope I’m
around when the spacecraft arrives.
— Rosalind Ellis Heid, Baltimore, MDSeptember 2018 issue. This was espe-
cially true regarding Alfred McEwen’s
article about the Mars orbiter. Since I
am interested in history, and the history
of science in particular, I also enjoyed
reading about the artifacts in “Minting
a celestial memory” and the history of
astronomy in “How William Huggins
shaped astrophysics.” It provides a good
historical context for astronomical
understanding. Keep up the good work!
— Wolfgang Golser, Tuc son, A ZDedicated reader
The 45th anniversary issue was stellar. I
have read every issue since the beginning,
have used it in my planetarium prepara-
tion for 27 years, and also use it in my
high school astronomy classes. The color
photos from the beginning were a major
factor in student interest, and the dia-
grams were easy to understand when used
in the classroom. Thanks for the help
you’ve provided over the years.
— Dan Goins, Martinsville, INMurmuration made clear
Jeff Hester’s July 2018 column on murmu-
ration gave me additional understanding
of an event at our family farm in Percival,
Iowa, in 2016. While standing in the bed
of my pickup, I noticed to the east a very
large f lock of starlings coming my way.
Within seconds they were very near, and
suddenly a large black bulge of them was
flying at ground level, and then swept
over and around me. I could see the
stream of birds opening up to clear my
face, with its dumbfounded look. I knew
it wouldn’t last long, so I turned quickly
to see the same scene in reverse — them
blending back together. The noise was
a surround sound of a humming beat.
I wish I had a witness to the event.
— David Silcox, Nebraska City, NEReliving history
Having credentials in several fields of
science, I deeply appreciate the quality of
the astronomical information presented,
along with the digital images, in theWe welcome your comments at Astronomy Letters, P. O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187;
or email to [email protected]. Please include your name, city, state, and country.
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