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Author
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Topic: Astrophilately part of APS Summer Seminar
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NAAmodel#240
Member Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 01-05-2017 07:16 AM
   
Excited to announce that the American Philatelic Society (APS) has included an "Introduction to Astrophilately" in their Summer Seminar offerings, joining the likes of Wayne Youngblood, Steven Zwillinger, Trish Kaufmann, and Cheryl Ganz.Our course will be June 26-27 at the Match Factory in Bellefonte. Please support Astrophilately by registering soon. It takes a minimum of four students to hold the class (although I told them we could teach up to 1,000). Let's grow the hobby and develop new exhibits by meeting at APS and sharing what we know. |
Cozmosis22
Member Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 01-06-2017 01:12 PM
That looks like a great seminar you have lined up and participants even get a (autographed copy of your) fine book, "American Astrophilately: The First Fifty Years." Would love to attend but Pennsylvania is a bit too far away this year.Have a question regarding APS display acceptability of postmark locations for certain events. Is this Houston machine cancel OK, preferable, or no good for the Apollo 11 landing date?  |
Antoni RIGO
Member Posts: 176
From: Palma de Mallorca, Is. Baleares - SPAIN
Registered: Aug 2013
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posted 01-08-2017 09:39 AM
Please, let me try to reply to this question about if this Houston machine cancel (pmk onwards) is Ok, preferable or no good for this specific space event.Before doing this, I think it is necessary to know that Astrophilately is based in two pilars: date and place. Apollo 11 landing site happened on Jul 20, 1969 and Houston was involved in this Apollo mission?. If yes to both questions, then cover can be considered an astrophilatelic cover. If one or two answers are not, then this cover is only a memento, or a philatelic cover not linked with our hobby. But your question goes further and requests an answer to Ok, preferable or no good. Houston was, and still is, the main mission control for all manned space flights; and obviously was the control centre for Apollo 11 mission. First signals from Moon with Armstrong descending from Apollo LM were received in Spain and transmitted to Houston where Capcom talked with astronauts. No other place in the world, except Houston, talked with astronauts. So, Houston pmk is OK for Apollo 11 landing site. Furthermore, Houston pmk is preferable to any other place, even any of the tracking stations supporting landing site. Covers from other places linked to this mission can be showed as supplement (Guidelines 3.3.13). However, Houston pmk dated Jul 20, 1969 is (as long I know) a backdated pmk because if you take a look to perpetual calendar, Jul 20, 1969 was sunday and all post offices were closed at the time when Apollo astronauts walked on Moon. According Astro rules-guidelines, postmarks will be valid if cancelled next business day after space event, this Houston pmk dated Jul 20, 1969 could be qualified as no good. In spite of this, as not properly covers with Houston pmk Jul 21, 1969 referred to Apollo landing site are known, an appropiate and probably correct way to display this cover in a competitive exhibit is with two lines (one describing the cover and another one as philatelic info). "Jul 20, 1969 Houston. Control centre for Apollo 11 landing site.
Note: Jul 20, 1969 was sunday and this pmk is backdated. However, as not other covers are known it is shown here as commemorative date for this capital event." |
NAAmodel#240
Member Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 01-14-2017 08:21 AM
Antoni gives a well reasoned explanation. To tell the story of the landing on the Moon a Houston, Webster or Clear Lake cancel with the July 20th postmark is required. In numerous instances the precise date is not possible. If the launch takes place after the post office closes or the event occurs on a Sunday or federal holiday the cancel is unavailable. Classified launches that failed to notify collectors (think USSR) also create a problem.FIP Regulations permit you to handle this situation in two ways. The covers you have are fine as long as you explain that the postmark is backdated. Fakes, like those done by Charles Riser, can also be shown as long as you mention it. The alternative is to show the next day the post office is open. A good example is the next day cancel found on Prime Recovery Ships (PRS) closed on the recovery day. |
cosmos-walter
Member Posts: 691
From: Salzburg, Austria
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted 01-16-2017 02:29 AM
I would not regard the Houston machine postmark as backdated. In 1969 Houston, Texas hat 1.2 million inhabitants. Most likely at least one Houston post office worked on Sundays. Probably there were more requests for Houston postmarks for Apolo 11 moon landing days than could be done on one day. Covers which were in the post office in time are not regarded as back-dated, if there were to many of them to be treated on the very day.Usually hand postmarks can be easier back-dated than machine postmarks. Moreover, I never heard, e.g. Apollo 11 insurance covers with Houston moon landing postmark were backdated. What is your opinion on "NASA Local Post"? |
DOX32
Member Posts: 242
From: Lakewood Ranch FL USA
Registered: Jul 2004
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posted 01-16-2017 03:09 PM
quote:
Originally posted by NAAmodel#240:
Please support Astrophilately by registering soon.
David, I will try to attend. |
NAAmodel#240
Member Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 01-21-2017 02:46 PM
Walter, my esteemed colleague, makes a well reasoned point. When Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins boarded the USS Hornet LOTS of collectors wanted the postmark. In contrast to the 44 philatelic cancels reportedly placed by the USS Lake Champlain for MR-3, the Apollo 11 mission resulted in 250,000 postmarks (240,000 machine and 10,000 hand cancels). It is highly unlikely that the couple of sailors working in the mail room could get all the mail processed in 24 hours. We certainly don't suggest that any of those covers are backdated. Walter is correct that the Post Office processes mail on days that counter service is not available. |
NAAmodel#240
Member Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 04-19-2017 02:43 PM
GREAT NEWS! APS says we have enough students to hold the course. I only recognize two of those registered. How about some of you old hands joining us to talk Astrophilately? It is billed as an intro course but I promise to bring interesting covers to stimulate debate (think Apollo 17 Insurance covers). Please contact APS and support our hobby. I'd like to have a full house. |
cvrlvr99
Member Posts: 139
From: Arlington, TX
Registered: Aug 2014
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posted 04-24-2017 04:31 PM
Wish I could make it to Pennsylvania, but my 8 frame exhibit was invited to participate in the new 20th Century George Brett Cup competition for exhibits that have won a Grand or Reserve Grand at a World Series of Philately show. So I'll be in Denver that weekend. — Ray |
NAAmodel#240
Member Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 07-03-2017 05:47 AM
Great time at the American Philatelic Society this past week. Too early to say whether the Intro to Astrophilately minted any new collectors. Folks did say they enjoyed the class and I certainly enjoyed leading it. |
backburner
Member Posts: 80
From: NYC, NY, USA
Registered: Nov 2005
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posted 07-04-2017 11:46 AM
As far as the July 20, 1969 machine cancel being backdated, there is a possibility that the cancel is legitimate if it was done at a main post office facility because they are open on a Sunday and do cancel at that time. Then the cachet was added on later. Something to think about! |
fimych
Member Posts: 228
From: Boston MA, USA
Registered: Jun 2015
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posted 07-04-2017 01:06 PM
David, that’s great news!I was looking forward to join but had some logistics issues so hopefully it will happen next year. I looked through the course brochure and noticed some ASTP covers as well as "tricky" topics like recovery ships and fakes. As my primary interest is Soviet/Russian space program with special focus on ASTP it would be great to get an extra insight from the experienced collector like you. I also have thoughts to create and exhibit as I've got some invitations to local exhibitions here in US (thanks to my website). |
NAAmodel#240
Member Posts: 312
From: Boston, Mass.
Registered: Jun 2005
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posted 07-05-2017 06:44 AM
Efim, I now serve as the Executive Director of the Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History in Weston. You should visit and we can discuss exhibiting your material. Can't remember if I showed you the Reichman/Bartos book on Soviet tracking ships. |
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