Showing posts with label Williams. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Williams. Show all posts

January 22 - Space-Stuff Day

 Posted on January 22, 2021

This is an update of my January 22, 2010, post:



On this date in 1992, Dr. Roberta Bondar, Canada's first female astronaut, became the first neurologist to enter space. She flew on the Discovery space shuttle and did microgravity experiments with a variety of organisms. Dr. Bondar also served as NASA's head of space medicine.


On this date in 1997, American Lottie Williams became the first—and, so far, only— human ever reported to be hit by human-made space debris (also known as “space junk”). Williams was jogging in a park near her Oklahoma home very early in the morning, and she saw a brilliant fireball-type meteor. She felt a “gentle tap” on her shoulder and looked down; on the ground was a piece of blackened metal. 

Later it was confirmed that the metal was a piece (shown in her hands, above) of a fuel tank for a rocket that had launched a U.S. Air Force satellite the year before. The rest of the fuel tank crashed into a field in Texas (shown below).



On this date in 2003, we said goodbye to Pioneer 10, the first thing made by humans to leave the solar system. The next day (January 23, 2003) scientists were able to detect the last feeble signal from the spacecraft as it continued to speed away from Earth.


Launched in 1972, Pioneer 10 was the first spacecraft to fly through the asteroid belt and to fly by Jupiter. Even though it accomplished these two main goals before two years had passed, Pioneer kept up the studies and transmissions as it streaked through the outer regions of our solar system. All told the spacecraft studied interplanetary and planetary magnetic fields; solar wind parameters; cosmic rays; the heliosphere; neutral hydrogen abundance; distribution, size, mass, flux, and velocity of dust particles, Jovian aurorae and radio waves, atmosphere of Jupiter and some of its satellites. Of course, it also photographed Jupiter and its satellites.


The mission was formally ended in 1997. After that time the probe was used in training flight controllers on how to acquire radio signals from space. Scientists believe that no longer have contact with Pioneer 10 because it is too far away and because the power supply is dwindling—not because of equipment failure.

A Message to Aliens?

Before Pioneer 10 and its sister spacecraft Pioneer 11 were launched, a journalist named Eric Burgess had a great idea—putting a message of some sort to any alien intelligences that may discover the probe, somewhere, someday. He made his suggestion to Carl Sagan, a famous astronomer and science writer.

Sagan loved the idea and, with the help fellow scientist Frank Drake and wife Linda Salzman Sagan, created a clever message to unknown creatures and minds, trying to communicate with images a little about who we humans are and where we live.


The plaque is 9 inches by 6 inches and made of gold-adonised aluminum. Here is an explanation of what the various symbols mean. And here is a great website to learn more about Pioneer 10.

Read about Space Junk.

Build a Pioneer 10 paper model.

Run gravity simulations.



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February 12 - Happy Birthday, Fannie Barrier Williams

Posted on February 12, 2019

Yet another amazing African American woman?

You betcha!

Fannie Barrier Williams was born on this date in 1855. Both of her parents were born in the North, apparently born free, and Barrier Williams was brought up in Brockport, New York. Even though her family was the only black family in their church congregation and maybe school and community, Barrier Williams said that their white neighbors were accepting and friendly.


It was after she grew up, and she moved away from Brockport and began to teach elsewhere, that Barrier Williams first experienced and saw racism and unfair treatment of black women. I wonder if the fact that she knew it could be different, and better, was part of the reason that Barrier Williams became fired up to make changes. 

Whatever the cause, she was an activist her whole life.

In addition to being an educator, Barrier Williams organized groups for African American voters and got involved with the women's suffrage movement. She helped found the National League of Colored Women and the National Association of Colored Women and the NAACP and Provident hospital (an interracial medical facility and school to train nurses) and Frederick Douglass Center and the Phillis Wheatley Home for Girls and the National Federation of Afro-American Women and and and...!



Barrier Williams helped to integrate a prestigious women's club and a library board, and she made sure that black people had representation at the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893. She spoke in public, including being asked to eulogize Susan B. Anthony in front of a suffrage convention.


All of this activism and accomplishment promoted the rights of black people, of women, and especially of black women. But it made society better and stronger for EVERYONE!


 

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September 26 – Happy Birthday, Serena Williams!

Posted on September 26, 2018

The place was Saginaw, Michigan.
The date was September 26, 1981.
A child was born.

Who knew, then, that that child would grow up to be an icon, a queen, a star?

Serena Williams has been a star in women's tennis for a long time. She holds some records and has some really impressive stats, and many tennis experts say that she is the greatest female player of the Open Era. She has changed the game, like many other champions before her. And she has also been the focus of quite a bit of controversy.

Last year Williams gave birth to a daughter. Unfortunately, she had some complications and a really rough time during and after the birth; fortunately, she fought her way back to health and is making a comeback on the tennis court. 

Williams stopped playing tennis in February of 2017, ranked #1, because she was pregnant. But being away from tennis for 14 months, her ranking fell to 453 in the world! But she reached the finals of the 2018 Wimbledon AND the 2018 US Open, so she has already risen back up to #16 in the world. Wow!


Here are just some of the big-time accomplishments of Serena Williams:

  • Tied with Steffi Graf for the most consecutive weeks (186 weeks) at Number 1 by a female tennis player.
  • Ranked #1 eight separate occasions, and third in total number of weeks at #1 (319 weeks) by a female tennis player.
  • Ranked #1 among all active players, male and female, for most Grand Slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles combined.
  • Most recent female player to have a Grand Slam (in 2014-2015). A Grand Slam is winning all four of the biggest tennis titles in one year.
  • One out of only three players (male or female) to have two Grand Slams.
  • Tied for most Olympic Gold Medals (4 Gold Medals) in tennis - tied with her sister Venus!


I could go on, but there are too many accomplishments to list here.

Some of the changes Serena Williams and her sister Venus have made on their sport ramping up the athleticism among female tennis players and challenging racism and sexism in the sport. Serena has also changed the way people think about tennis clothing, being a trend setter but also an inspiration for controversy. She has designed fashion and has lines of athletic wear, handbags, jewelry, and even nails. 


Above and below, pieces from Serena's fashion lines.



Williams has also become an activist for social justice issues. Some of Williams's endorsements capitalize on the fact that she pushes back against racism and sexism.

This Nike ad speaks to the fact that the French Open
officials outlawed the sort of "costume" Serena Williams
wore this year (above), even though it was worn partly
for medical necessity!


Also on this date:
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