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Author
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Topic: Collecting autographs of space scientists
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AirKing
Member Posts: 34
From: East Yorkshire, England
Registered: Jan 2016
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posted 07-06-2016 04:13 PM
   
As well as collecting astronaut autographs, does anyone else collect the autographs of scientists who are working on exploring and explaining the universe?In 2014, I went to the Starmus festival and obtained two of the books on the festival that had been signed by Stephen Hawking with his thumbprint. At the festival, I had one of the books signed by Charlie Duke, Walter Cunningham and Alexei Leonov. Three Noble prize winners signed — Robert Wilson, John Mather and Harry Kroto. Other scientists that signed were Garik Israelian, Richard Dawkins, Katerina Harvati, Mark Bosclough, Brian May (from Queen), John Ellis and Astronomy Magazine editor David Eicher. Two weeks after attending Spacefest I went to Tenerife for this year's Starmus. There were many more speakers this year so I was kept busy getting both books signed. I added another six Noble prize winners — Eric Betzig, Brian Schmitt, Edvard Moser, Joseph Stiglitz, Elizabeth Blackburn and David Gross. The additional astronauts were Chris Hadfield, Rusty Schwickart, Claude Nicollier and Garrett Reisman. The scientists included Brian Greene, Brian Cox, Barry Barish, Joel Parker, Steve Balbus, Roger Penrose, Chris Rapley, Jill Tarter, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Carolyn Porco and Martin Rees. Also signing were Brian Eno, Rick Wakeman and the composer Hans Zimmer. |
Cozmosis22
Member Posts: 968
From: Texas * Earth
Registered: Apr 2011
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posted 07-06-2016 06:37 PM
Very, very nice. Synthesizer guys Wakeman and Eno were performing at the event?Not sure if he is considered a "space scientist" or not but met Bucky Fuller a few times and he was excited about the space shuttle program once it got up and running.  |
jtheoret
Member Posts: 344
From: Albuquerque, NM USA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 07-06-2016 09:03 PM
I collect space scientists and astronomers. I have tried to get astronomers who have discovered solar system bodies or exoplanets and projects scientists and/or principal investigators of U.S. robotic missions from Ranger, Surveyor, Viking, Voyagers, MERS, Curiosity, Pathfinder, MRO, LRO, Cassini, Prospector, Phoenix, Mariner, Odyssey, Pioneers, Galileo, Messenger, etc. as well as other NASA related scientists (of course many of these are teams, which is why I try to get at least PIs). Most are on event covers for particular missions, but also cards or a favorite photo or two. I enjoy this part of my collection every bit as much as astronauts - which reminds me - got a new mission or two to get... |
randy
Member Posts: 2176
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 07-06-2016 10:03 PM
Would John C. Houbolt count? He's the one who came up with the lunar orbit rendezvous plan. |
jtheoret
Member Posts: 344
From: Albuquerque, NM USA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 07-07-2016 12:27 AM
I count him! |
MCroft04
Member Posts: 1634
From: Smithfield, Me, USA
Registered: Mar 2005
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posted 07-07-2016 09:25 PM
I have some great photos signed by Farouk El-Baz. The inscriptions were thoughtfully written with my geology background in mind. Some of my favorite signed photos in my collection! |
Wehaveliftoff
Member Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 07-07-2016 10:34 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Cozmosis22:
Not sure if he is considered a "space scientist" or not but met Bucky Fuller a few times...
Yes, Bucky was a great guy, signer, awesome narrator , by the way too. Yet do not understand the thumbprint notion, seems to ruin it. Never really saw a thumbprint autograph before, the times they are a changing (wonder if Stephen Hawking would agree to it, if one had a alcohol cloth handy to clean the ink off). |
AirKing
Member Posts: 34
From: East Yorkshire, England
Registered: Jan 2016
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posted 07-08-2016 01:30 AM
Stephen Hawking has motor neurone disease so it is physically impossible for him to hold a pen let alone write his name. Everyone's fingerprints are unique to themselves and so Proffesor Hawking signs all documents with his thumbprint. At Starmus 2014 the organiser went on stage and said that they had 500 copies of the book "Starmus: 50 Years of Man in Space" and that Stephen had put his thumbprint in a small number of the books and so you had a one in six chance of getting a signed book although if you bought six they would guarantee you got a signed copy (some people did buy six). The books cost 40 euros and you just handed over your money and were given a book. You were not allowed to open the book to see if it was signed and ask for another if it was not so it was pure luck if you got a signed copy. I was lucky twice. As Stephen cannot move his arms one of his assistants takes his hand, puts his thumb on an ink pad and then applies it to the page. The assistant then stamps the book and signs it themselves to confirm authenticity. A book signed by Stephen Hawking is virtually impossible to get hold of and it was a case of being in the right place at the right time. In my opinion it is one of the rarest and hardest signatures to obtain and a lot of the speakers at Starmus 2016 said the same. This year there were no signed books at all. |
Wehaveliftoff
Member Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 04-14-2017 05:55 AM
Any cS'ers have an actual signed book by Stephen Hawking? And if so, how was it acquired? | |
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