G'day All,
Did anyone catch the new show on ABC called "Rocketman" ?
The basic plot is about this bloke in Wales who builds rather large rockets in his back shed and launches them on a public beach. He is obcessed with anything to do with astronomy/space science.
Now I don't know a huge amount regarding rocketry but I know enough about it and astronomy to have spotted the following blunders.
1. He wants to get his rocket into space. The rocket stands about 8 foot. He attached two strap on boosters but I just don't think that a puny rocket of that size would make it into space itself. As a side note - the script writers did get something correct in that they got one of the characters to mention that space started 62 miles up.
2. They showed the man and his love interest gazing up at a full Moon. Remeber, this is supposed to be in Wales. Mare Crisium should be on the right limb (about 3 o'clock from the centre) of the Moon as seen from Wales but in the picture it was at the 12 o'clock position.
3. A telescopic field of view was shown and this field of view was able to encompass
ALL 
of Ursa Major, which is about 25 deg across!!!
4. The telescope that provided this awesome view was a 4.5" wobbletronic
AND it had the main lens cap on but with the smaller aperture cap off!!
A nice quirky amusing British show. But why can't they get the basics right?
Rocketman - 19:30 Saturday ABC
Peter.
