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TCS Updated: 5th June 2009



About The Citizen Scientist!

The Citizen Scientist is a tool, a forum, a gallery of uncommon ingenuity. Every week we publish news, ideas, and techniques from the amateur scientist community. Our goal is to educate and empower those who enjoy testing the limits of their genius and experience against the wonders and mysteries of science and technology.


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Another Conjunction of the Moon and Venus

Forrest M. Mims III


There have been several beautiful conjunctions of the moon and Venus and even Jupiter in recent months.

Editorial: Meet Thierry Legault, Award-Winning Astrophotographer
by Forrest M. Mims III

Forrest Mims' World of Science
by Forrest M. Mims III

Backscatter. Views and responses from TCS readers.

Eye on the Sky: The June Sky
by Paul Curtin

Wanderings with Ralph Coppola

Mind of a Theorist: Introduction to Physics by George E. Hrabovsky

A Revolution in DIY Engineering

How to Build With Grid Beam. A Fast, Easy, and Affordable System for Constructing Almost Anything by Phil Jergenson, Richard Jergenson and Wilma Keppel. New Society Publishers, 2008. ISBN 978-0-86571-613-1. Available online at www.newsociety.com.

Keeping Up With DrShawn on Twitter

Amateur Scientists in the News

Nikola Tesla Energy Independence Celebrations

Update: The Great Plains Super Launch

Wanted: Contributions to The Citizen Scientist

Wire Wrapping

Allan Rydberg

Wire wrapping is a method of assembling electronic circuits that is well suited for one-of-a-kind electronics projects. It cannot compare with a printed circuit board in terms of cost or efficiency in large numbers, but it offers many advantage when used for a single home-brew or commercial construction project. The major advantage is the ability to wire a circuit and then make changes.

Poorman's Space Program

The BalloonSat Easy Flight Computer

Part 2. Finalizing the Computer

L. Paul Verhage


Part 1 described the assembly of the BalloonSat Easy Flight Computer. Follow Paul at Twitter.


5. Camera and Switch Cables

Cut six wires and strip 6 mm (¼ inch) of insulation from their ends. The lengths of the wires depend on the size of your BalloonSat; however, 15 cm (six inches) ought to be long enough). Insert each wire into the PCB as you did for the battery snap and holder (for strain relief) and then solder.

Poorman's Space Program

A BalloonSat Update


Paul Verhage's series on near space experiments using BalloonSats is among the most important collection of amateur science articles to appear in The Citizen Scientist. Paul will eventually publish the series as a book.

Wanted: NOAA's Citizen Weather Observers

David Helms


The editorial by Forrest M. Mims III in the 30 July 2004 of The Citizen Scientist was titled Wanted: Citizen Weather Observers. In his editorial, Forrest described the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Weather Service's (NWS) Cooperative Weather Observer Program (COOP), in which there are about 200 opportunities per year for new volunteers to participate. Fact is, NOAA offers a wide variety of opportunities for volunteers of all stripes to help safeguard the nation against natural and man-made disasters.

This Week at Hilton Pond

Bill Hilton Jr.
Executive Director
Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History
York, South Carolina 29745 USA

Nothing's Slower Than A Turtle (15-21 April 2009)

Last June we wrote about a painted turtle who excavated her nest just outside our office window. Since then several people have asked whatever became of the hatchlings, and not until "This Week at Hilton Pond" did we finally have the answer.

 

   
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