September 2017

Rolf Stabroth - Saturn V

If you were here last month you'll remember that Rollie was almost finished with his new Saturn V. Well, he's done, with only painting left to do. We can't wait to see it decked out and ready to fly!

Lots Going On...

There's always a lot going on at any rocket launch; flying, photography, shop talk and fellowship with other hobbyist.

In the photo above I'm handing our club president Ron Dunn his copy of Rocket Babe - Ant Men. When Ron isn't building a rocket or running things on launch day he likes to read.

If you'd like something interesting and entertaining to read, get your copies of the entire Rocket Babe series, paperback or Kindle. Here's how...

Get The Entire Series On Kindle!

Just click the Amazon links below:

Prefer Paperback? No Problem!

Signed / personalized paperback copies of Rocket Babe - Dust Storm, Rocket Babe - Fallen Angel and Rocket Babe - Ant Men are all now available directly from the author!

Books are great gifts for any occasion! Holidays, birthdays or just because!

Dust Storm $10.00
Fallen Angel $12.00
Ant Men $13.00

Standard book rate shipping: $4 for 1st book; $1 for each additional book per address in the same order. Please allow 7-10 days for shipping, longer during the holidays.

*Special "Set" pricing! Get all 3 books for $32.00 includes shipping within the continental U.S.! Saves over $9 off the regular price and shipping!

*Shipping outside the USA available. Contact us for a postage quote before placing your order.

HOW TO ORDER:

Send your email order to Verna at: vernarockets@hotmail.com with BOOK as the subject.

List each dedication separately and clearly. Be sure to include the full shipping address.

Verna will reply with how to send in your money order. Sorry, money orders only.

If you have any questions PLEASE email us: vernarockets@hotmail.com

We love the Cestris!

New School Year - New Opportunities!

Every kid you know is back in school. If you are the parent or grandparent of a student from 5th grade through high school why not let this be the year you volunteer to help a science or math teacher?

Your kid's teacher may not have a clue about rocketry but you could be the one to bring something fresh and exciting to their classroom. You need to talk to the teacher ASAP to see when rocketry will fit best into their curriculum. It may be very soon or it could be next Spring but now is the time to find out. If it is next spring you have a lot of time to make plans for a great rocket day or week!

The last 9 years our local club has helped a local 8th grade science teacher launch hundreds of rockets as the grand finale of her school's Rocket Week. They cover the text book portion of Newton's laws and pertinent information in class as they build their first rocket. Once they're ready we come to the school and provide launch equipment and personnel to help them complete the program.

Male or female, you can do it too. We have had many ladies work our events, so if you're female, gender is not an excuse not to volunteer. All it takes is some planning and a little time, you just have to be willing. Think about it then ask their teacher what you can do to help. It's a lot of work and it's a lot of fun!

Or, you can sit home and hope someone else will do it.

Randy

Totality!

Unless you've been under a rock for the last 2 months or in a coma you've probably heard a lot about the total eclipse that made its way across the U.S. and if you live here most likely you were able to enjoy some portion of it. Our youngest son and his family live in Clarksville, Tennessee and with Clarksville being directly in the path, we were able to stay with family and witness the event with them. Good thing too, there wasn't a room available back to Birmingham.

If you have never experienced a total eclipse you've really missed something spectacular. In my lifetime I have enjoyed several solar eclipses but until last month I had never observed totality. There are many aspects of any solar eclipse that make the event special but there are a couple of things you can only see during totality and for those few minutes it can be an awe inspiring and deeply spiritual event.

Having the proper eye protection for viewing is essential before and after but during the totality phase you only need your own bare eyes to see heavenly wonders you cannot experience any other time or way.

Most people know during totality the sky darkens, the temperature drops 10-12 degrees, animals get ready to bed down and a star or planet or two become visible but the "sunset effect" is something you have to see for yourself. Try to imagine late sunset, 15-20 minutes after the sun is below the horizon but the sky still has a low golden glow. Now imagine that, all the way around the entire 360*horizon! It looks like you're surrounded by sunset! Other things to see with eye protection are the diamond ring, ring of fire and Bailys beads.

During totality is the only time you can remove your eye protection. It's at this time you can enjoy the most magnificent part of the eclipse, the corona. What you see appears like the image above, like fine, brilliant white hair, flowing in all directions but resembling the way magnetic flux lines are usually portrayed on a science class graph. With all that's going on during this time if you can remember to focus on the moon's dark side for a moment you can just make out some of it's surface features.

There are many things to see during a window of approximately 2 minutes but what an amazing 2 minutes!

Above: From our book series Rocket Babe, 107 pilot, Lt. Addison, waits for the eclipse to begin on Commander Randall's shoulders.


Many people think an eclipse is a very rare event but that's not true. On average there's an eclipse somewhere on the planet approximately every 18 months but you have to be willing to travel to distance places around the globe to enjoy it.

If you missed the 2017 eclipse there will be another total eclipse in the U.S. April 8, 2024. I'm already scouting for a place to observe.

Randy

Bones says...

I love Ant Men!