Deirdre reports on the astronomical sketching exhibition at Birr Castle in Ireland
Posted using ShareThis
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Friday, September 11, 2009
Falling Man
Remembering The Falling Man 911
Across the entire global community there seems to be no alignment of agreement on ethics in relation to the journalistic press or the photo journalistic press. There are varying degrees of guidelines and principles for all the strata of output in the media in the twenty first century.
The cultural evolution theory developed by the nineteenth century anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan is a stiff ethnocentric model that I found difficult to place over any society in the world. He put forward the idea that societies developed from the first stage of savagery onto barbarism then finally reaching civilization.
I found this view a little narrow and a little shallow until I began to focus on the microcosm of society that is the world’s press, in this context the model sat very well.
All aspects of Morgan’s cultural evolution theory reside in both the shallowness and depths of the worlds printed and broadcast media. From tabloids to broadsheets, from rolling news to in-depth reports directly from the centre of disasters and war.
The savage, the barbarian, and the civilized exist together. These various media formats feed us their view of world events static and unfolding. The savage paparazzi, who dive to lower and lower depths of unethical behavior to achieve images for reward. The barbaric photojournalism of war, human suffering and the occasional attempt at civility by the more ethically sensitive media. Some at least try to find a balance towards the honor of the individual and human dignity.
It is a fact that a picture paints a thousand words. A photograph is revealing to the viewer and revealing of its subject. One image still etched in my mind as regards ethical issues and the privacy of the individual is the 2001 image of “The Falling Man” .
This image appeared in newspapers across the globe in the day’s post 911; it is heralded as an iconic image in the same vain as the Unknown Soldier.
In a documentary made at the time, it was put forward as a heroic image of an American in an elegant gracefully fall.
The fact is, this is an image of a man in the last few seconds of his life. A very private moment stolen by the click, click, click, of a press photographer. The photojournalist job that day was to get exclusive graphic images to sell to the networks.
Now, one could argue that the latter was perhaps in the public interest or that the public has a right to know allowing ethical considerations being overridden.
Journalism and the freedom of the press has an ethnology all of its own. The victim falling to his death on 911 did not go to work to become an icon of a tragic day.
It is unfortunate how a murdered man becomes a reluctant hero in his dying moments and this somehow brings a badge of honor to the photojournalist who captured this barbarism.
The photograph was subsequently used to eventfully identify the man but that also brought up issues which evoked anger and shame. Somehow the people who fell from the twin towers that day became referred to as jumpers. This implied that they committed suicide which some people associated with shame.
Journalists and photojournalists have a responsibility to bring us news, to investigate on our behalf. They also have a responsibility to attempt to achieve equilibrium between their story gathering abilities and the right to the privacy and dignity of an individual.
Where is the point that people must relinquish their privacy as they perhaps become celebrities? If you rise your head above the parapet you are it seems, automatically relieved of autonomy over your private life. Moral sensitivity good taste and compassion are required on the part of journalists especially when they are reporting about victims of accidents or other tragedies.
If you die because of an act of terrorism and your dying image is captured on film you become an overnight celebrity, a hero, an icon, somehow transmuted from an ordinary individual to someone owned by the world? In your life perhaps you were an unremarkable person and in your death you become a moral dilemma, something to be honed and cooked up into a media offering for the masses to digest.
RIP to all victims of 911
Across the entire global community there seems to be no alignment of agreement on ethics in relation to the journalistic press or the photo journalistic press. There are varying degrees of guidelines and principles for all the strata of output in the media in the twenty first century.
The cultural evolution theory developed by the nineteenth century anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan is a stiff ethnocentric model that I found difficult to place over any society in the world. He put forward the idea that societies developed from the first stage of savagery onto barbarism then finally reaching civilization.
I found this view a little narrow and a little shallow until I began to focus on the microcosm of society that is the world’s press, in this context the model sat very well.
All aspects of Morgan’s cultural evolution theory reside in both the shallowness and depths of the worlds printed and broadcast media. From tabloids to broadsheets, from rolling news to in-depth reports directly from the centre of disasters and war.
The savage, the barbarian, and the civilized exist together. These various media formats feed us their view of world events static and unfolding. The savage paparazzi, who dive to lower and lower depths of unethical behavior to achieve images for reward. The barbaric photojournalism of war, human suffering and the occasional attempt at civility by the more ethically sensitive media. Some at least try to find a balance towards the honor of the individual and human dignity.
It is a fact that a picture paints a thousand words. A photograph is revealing to the viewer and revealing of its subject. One image still etched in my mind as regards ethical issues and the privacy of the individual is the 2001 image of “The Falling Man” .
This image appeared in newspapers across the globe in the day’s post 911; it is heralded as an iconic image in the same vain as the Unknown Soldier.
In a documentary made at the time, it was put forward as a heroic image of an American in an elegant gracefully fall.
The fact is, this is an image of a man in the last few seconds of his life. A very private moment stolen by the click, click, click, of a press photographer. The photojournalist job that day was to get exclusive graphic images to sell to the networks.
Now, one could argue that the latter was perhaps in the public interest or that the public has a right to know allowing ethical considerations being overridden.
Journalism and the freedom of the press has an ethnology all of its own. The victim falling to his death on 911 did not go to work to become an icon of a tragic day.
It is unfortunate how a murdered man becomes a reluctant hero in his dying moments and this somehow brings a badge of honor to the photojournalist who captured this barbarism.
The photograph was subsequently used to eventfully identify the man but that also brought up issues which evoked anger and shame. Somehow the people who fell from the twin towers that day became referred to as jumpers. This implied that they committed suicide which some people associated with shame.
Journalists and photojournalists have a responsibility to bring us news, to investigate on our behalf. They also have a responsibility to attempt to achieve equilibrium between their story gathering abilities and the right to the privacy and dignity of an individual.
Where is the point that people must relinquish their privacy as they perhaps become celebrities? If you rise your head above the parapet you are it seems, automatically relieved of autonomy over your private life. Moral sensitivity good taste and compassion are required on the part of journalists especially when they are reporting about victims of accidents or other tragedies.
If you die because of an act of terrorism and your dying image is captured on film you become an overnight celebrity, a hero, an icon, somehow transmuted from an ordinary individual to someone owned by the world? In your life perhaps you were an unremarkable person and in your death you become a moral dilemma, something to be honed and cooked up into a media offering for the masses to digest.
RIP to all victims of 911
Thursday, August 13, 2009
ALCON 2009 New York
Viewed from 37.000 feet the landscape of Canada was laced with thousands of steel blue pools. Meandering river channels etched life into a combat green background. Shoals of puffy cumulus raced beneath me in several layers, of white and grey. The Air Lingus shamrock tipped wing sliced through the atmosphere toward a New York landing.....................
Below are a few micro moments from my trip to New York for ALCON 2009
at The Astronomical Leagues Convention
in Hofstra University New York.
Deadly Moons will be part of Heritage Week at Newgrange
next Saturday August 22nd details to follow.
e mail skysketcher@gmail.com
The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.
Plutarch
Deirdre Linda and Galileo at Custer Observatory Long Island
The Amateur Observers Society of New York were my hosts
Linda Prince did a great job organising children from the
Science Camp at Hofstra and local children from her
young astronomers group to attend the workshop.
http://www.aosny.org/
A few images from my visit to ALCON in New York
Deirdre gets The Astronomical Leagues Master Outreach Award
one of 25 given out this year and the first International one :-)
Presented by Dr Mike Reynolds Outreach Chair for the League.
I do not do outreach for awards , but it was nice to get one.
Apollo 19 LEM built but never launched to the moon
on exhibit at The Cradle of Aviation Long Island NY
Biggest highlight - Seeing the Apollo 19 Lunar Lander at The Cradle of Aviation
Biggest shock - The size of the empty space at ground zero
Best fun - The Star B Q at the Custer Institute Long Island
Most satisfying - The cross cultural success of Deadly Moons
Most interesting - Hayden Planetarium and The Natural History Museum
Best building - The Guggenheim
Most extraordinary fun - Meeting Twitter followers :-)
Most beautiful - a huge Stibnite Crystal from China in the Natural History Museum
Very classy - The collection of Poetry given to all at the Star B Que
compiled by Robert Chapin published by Harvey Miller.
Very pleased with the reaction to my other two talks.
Enjoyed - The people , the friendships, the children , the heat, the scopes , the city , the transport, the food, the laughing , the learning, the fun.
Biggest giggle , the role playing at Vivian Whites workshop ( sorry Vivian we collapsed )
good workshop tho :-)
The NY children's moons on exhibition at ALCON
alongside astronomical sketches from Sir Patrick Moore CBE
Deirdre , Jane Houston Jones , Michael Portuesi , and Bill Crispeno
The outstanding Guggenheim Museum
where I saw an exhibition of drawings by Frank Lloyd Wright
with Linda Prince and Stu Parker an astronomer from New Zealand
We had a hot dog picnic in Central Park before heading to
Ground Zero, and after dinner later I was happy to join in
Music Under the Stars , a public star party at an Irish
Concert in Massapequa . We viewed the moon
and Jupiter in a variety of scopes. I gave away Eyes in the Skies DVD's from ESA :-)
http://www.hellofromearth.net/
Send a message to Gliese 581d on this website
What's Up for August 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
On August 3rd I head to Hofstra University in Long Island New York for ALCON. The Astronomical League's annual convention.
The Astronomical League is the largest organisation for amateur astronomers in the world.
I am proud to be a member , or as overseas members
are described " a member at large"
Deirdre will be " at large" at their annual convention , and am delighted to be contributing to the event. with two talks and a workshop.
Details by clicking on the ALCON EXPO Logo above.
Upcoming events in Armagh Planetarium a great day out .!!!
I recommend Manor Park Restaurant beside the observatory , very nice indeed.
French wonderful :-)
2 College Hill
Armagh, BT61 9DN, United Kingdom
Armagh, BT61 9DN, United Kingdom
The events are as follows:
1. Public Lecture "Cosmos versus Canvas: Tensions between Art and Science in Astronomy Images", 7.30 pm Tuesday 4 August 2009, in the Armagh Planetarium
Dr Jayanne English of the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada will deliver a free public lecture in the Armagh Planetarium on Tuesday 4 August at 7.30 pm. The title and brief summary of the lecture are:
"Cosmos versus Canvas: Tensions between Art and Science in Astronomy Images"
Dr English is an outstanding speaker who uses bold colour images from telescopes to act as extraordinary ambassadors for astronomers because they provoke huge curiosity in people's minds. The images are especially popular during the International Year of Astronomy, but raise the question whether the snapshots are documenting physical reality or are merely artistic "space-scapes" created by digitally manipulating astronomical images. The lecture will provide a tour of how original black and white data, for example from the Hubble Space Telescope, are converted into the familiar colour images gracing newspapers and magazines. Each image can be regarded as a battlefield where the attempt by scientists to represent their discoveries accurately all but drowns out the artistic voice of visual literacy. Yet sometimes in this battle between cultures of science and visual art, both sides win. This struggle will be presented from the perspective of a professional astronomer who has also trained as an artist.
This public lecture is part of the Armagh Observatory's programme of events to support the United Nations International Year of Astronomy 2009.
For tickets to the public lecture, please contact Neil Cullen at the Armagh Planetarium; Tel: 028-3752-4725; Fax: 028-3752-6187; email: neil@armaghplanet.com or Aileen McKee at the Armagh Observatory; Tel: 028-3752-2928; Fax: 028-3752-7174; e-mail: ambn@arm.ac.uk.
2. European Heritage Open Day, Saturday 12 September 2009
The Observatory will open its doors to visitors on Saturday 12 September as part of the annual European Heritage Open Days events organized by the Environment and Heritage Service of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency. These open days are a Europe-wide celebration of our heritage, culture and architecture. Many countries in Europe will be taking part by opening, free of charge, properties not usually accessible to the general public. Guided tours will be available at: 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 15:00 and 16:00.
3. Public Lecture "What is Light?", 7.30 pm Thursday 17 September 2009, in the Market Place Theatre, Armagh
Leo Enright, a broadcaster on Space Exploration and Science will deliver a free public lecture in the Market Place Theatre on Thursday 17 September at 7.30 pm. The title and brief summary of the lecture are:
"What is Light?"
Leo Enright explores the history of Ireland's sometimes tenuous connection with luminosity - while naming and shaming some modern big wicks. He will focus on the importance of continuing public access to dark skies, especially during the present 'Golden Age' of astronomy, whilst noting that historically Ireland has sometimes been defined by the absence of light - as why else would the Romans have called it Hibernia?
The public lecture is being given as part of the 9th European Symposium for the Protection of the Night Sky that takes place from 17 - 19 September 2009 in the Market Place Theatre, Armagh.
For tickets to this public lecture, please contact Aileen McKee at the Armagh Observatory; Tel: 028-3752-2928; Fax: 028-3752-7174; e-mail: ambn@arm.ac.uk.
4. Public Lecture "Why Are We Here?", 8.00 pm Thursday 22 October 2009, in St. Patrick's Trian, Armagh
Dr Martin Hendry of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow will deliver a free public lecture in the Rotunda Theatre, St. Patrick's Trian, on Thursday 22 October at 8.00 pm. The title and brief summary of the lecture are:
"Why Are We Here?"
Since the dawn of civilisation human cultures have sought to understand our place in the universe, asking "big questions" about our cosmic origins. Modern cosmology provides some startling answers to these questions: not only is the universe expanding, but we believe the expansion to be accelerating - driven by a mysterious "dark energy" that challenges our ideas about gravity and the very nature of space and time. Moreover our runaway universe appears to be rather delicately balanced, in the sense that small changes in the laws of nature would result in a very different cosmos - most likely unsuitable for life like us. What does all of this mean for our cosmic origins? Is our universe unique, or do we belong to a "multiverse" - a vast ensemble of universes, each with its own laws of nature? In his lecture, Dr Hendry will explore these, and other, questions posed by the latest cosmological discoveries, and discuss what implications they might have for the existence of life in the universe.
For tickets to this public lecture, please contact Aileen McKee at the Armagh Observatory; Tel: 028-3752-2928; Fax: 028-3752-7174; e-mail: ambn@arm.ac.uk.
The BAA have a U TUBE page click here.
A familiar face here, the exuberant John Mason, several other videos on the link above.
That's all for now
Deirdre
Sunday, July 12, 2009
At Deirdre 's talk Astronomy and other COOL STUFF in Pembrook Library in Dublin July 8th
Astronomy and other COOL STUFF is a fun talk for 8yr olds + part of Dublin City Libraries Summer events. Please contact the libraries directly if you wish to come , all welcome , its free.
Still to come this month
Deadly Moons - Astronomy Art Workshop Wexford Town Library 11am July 14th
Phone +353 53 9121637
Rapid Rockets and Wicked Robots - Astronomy Art Workshop Donaghmede Library 11am
Telephone: +353 1 8482833 July 15th
Astronomy and other COOL STUFF
Finglas Library on July 16th at 11 am
Telephone: +353 1 8344906
Active Region 1024 July 6th 09:15 UT PST 40 8mm TVP eyepiece. Pastels and Staedtler Ergosoft Pencils on black paper. Seeing - Wilson Scale 3 Some very fine detail visible , the AR was not as busy as the 4th of July. The flares were less active. I just managed this one sketch before the clouds rolled in again. The AR fibrils stood out very clearly from time to time , the plage was much less vibrant than July 4th. The mottling held well defined patterns over large areas. One of the sunspots appeared larger than previous and the penumbra was visible without going up and down the bandwidth of the scope. I sketched in the spots alone first then tuned the scope to pick out the other details visible in the h alpha. That day I decided to use pencil over pastel to try to achieve as exact a sketch as I could. My drawing covers approx 100,000
square miles of the solar disc.
The link to this sketch made the front page
of Spaceweather on July 6th
There are some lectures left at TARA in July
Contact them directly,click into the image to see it larger.
That's all for now - Enjoy Jane Houston Jones What's Up for July below here
Thursday, June 25, 2009
A series of still images telling the story of a mural painted by the children of 5th class from O'Connell's Boys National School in Dublin City . Deirdre Kelleghan spoke to the children about the project and this is the result. The mural was initiated by Sarah - Jayne Reid , the school were very supportive to the whole effort.
This mural kicked off on April 23rd and finished on
Tuesday June 23rd.
I was invited to give a presentation to the children from 5th class.
Sarah-Jayne Reid a friend and Arts Facilitator kindly got me involved and it took off from there.
Sarah-Jayne helped the children to express their ideas on the wall.
I did a presentation about Apollo, Our Solar System, Robotic Exploration and some lunar and solar observing with the children.
Many thanks to the teachers and pupils from O'Connell's Boys National School for welcoming me to their classrooms. Thanks to Sarah - Jayne Reid for the invite to get involved with these very creative Dublin school children. Thanks also to Dr Carolina Odman from UNAWE for the Cornerstones interest in sharing the enthusiasm shown by these Irish children.
UNAWE Special Focus Children's Voices http://www.unawe.org/joomla/
Children enjoy the 3D images from Stereo
SOLARFEST 2009 was really good last weekend .
89 Euro was collected in lieu of HB Ice Cream for Downs Syndrome Ireland.
6 more blocks of HB Ice Cream are yet to be exchanged for euros, any takers ???? :-)
Nick Howes - Astronomy Now speaking at Dunsink during SOLARFEST
Thanks to all the speakers , the standard set a high bar for 2010.
Thanks to all who donated and to all who attended . I would hope to have a bigger
event next year with a more expansive program. Many thanks to DIAS for funding the
event , and to Hilary O Donnell for her continued support.
Thanks to Goddard Space Center for the excellent solar outreach material.
That's all for now more to come :-)
Deirdre Kelleghan - skysketcher@gmail.com
Outreach Coordinator IFAS
http://www.irishastronomy.org/
http://www.deirdrekelleghan.com/
https://twitter.com/skysketcher
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