Way back: The Founders with the WEP! (It's only a model...)

Art Code, Bob Bless, and Ted Houck, with the WEP model (which still exists, by the way, packed in a crate).  This is another one from Sam.

Sam sends a couple of photos from the '80s or maybe even late '70s

Here are a couple from HSP/WUPPE days (or before?) sent by Sam.  Feel free to comment, especially if you can add any details.  And feel free to try to add photos in comments too.  (I don't want to be the sole author here--not really sustainable.)

From left, Bob Meyer, Lisa Randlemann, Don Michalski, Paul Parter, Marilyn Meade.  What are they looking at on that o'scope?  Except for Don, looking at the camera, who nevertheless seems to be in on the joke.

Why are we crowded onto the freight elevator with furniture?  I have no memory of this.

SAL Christmas Tree photos from Marilyn

Marilyn sent me photos from the 2013 SAL party.  Unlike me, she had the presence of mind to photograph the tree!  Many if not all of those ornaments are true SAL relics.  Do you recognize any of those ornaments?  Can you suggest who might have made which out of what?  Feel free to add a comment in response.

PBO robotic telescope

So is this the famous robotic telescope at PBO?  Can anyone confirm that?  Can you add any specifics? It is said to be the very first true robotic astronomical telescope.

Parties

Parties at the lab were a great tradition at SAL.  Interesting and fun, of course, such that we want to be there, yet frequent enough that there was no pressure to show up; easy-going enough to turn into sub- and post-parties, perhaps heading over to the Terrace; and oddly productive in that we often continued to discuss work, even solve real problems amid the socializing.

I recall best the Christmas parties, mostly because it was fun to see what everyone had come up with for tree ornaments.  Paper creations, random objects, clippings, even some actual Christmas ornaments on occasion.  Dig as I can, I can't find any photos from any of those parties.  We really should have taken a photo of that tree each year.

Last year a few of us got together (mostly at Sam's urging I think) for a little Christmas reunion, this time in Sterling Hall near where the lab now resides.  From left, Jen, Sam, Kay, Marilyn, Jeff, Kurt, Barb, me.  You can see a little bit of the tree on the lower left--it still didn't occur to me to photograph it!  -Jim Lattis

Inspiration from our fearless leader, RCB (lightly edited)

It seems to me that we might test the waters by saying among other things, what SAL accomplished during its 40-odd year lifetime: of course the biggies: OAO, WUPPE, and HSP. But there were lots of others: first manned space astronomy observations (or at least the attempt with the X-15), a fairly active rocket program, established the techniques whereby we became one of the only non-commercial manufacturers of UV interference filters, the important technique of using synchrotron radiation from the Stoughton accelerator as a useful UV light source for calibration, the construction and operation of the first fully automatic ground observatory, and finally the development and successful flights of a reliable, inexpensive star tracker. There was other hardware: e.g., design, construction and operation of various spectrographs, that became the standards of their time. And of course, the development of the (then) sophisticated OAO operation system, and finally the bazillion of hours spent in organizing and reducing vast amounts of data, both UV and IR.

What we propose is that the people involved communicate their memories (good and bad, as desired), the most interesting aspects of their participation in these projects, the weird and wonderful people met, the anxieties and celebrations, etc. In *NO WAY* is this intended as a formal history of the lab, but rather as personal recollections giving something of the flavor of the Lab, NASA, and our interactions with the parties involved. It is not intended as a day-by-day account, but simply the high (and low) lights of the work. We were essentially the first academic group involved in stellar UV astronomy, produced most of the research in the department from the late 50s to the turn of the century, a record essentially unknown to any of the new folks at Washburn. It seems to us that it would be a great shame for all this to simply disappear.

The biggest chore on your part will be to jog your memory and decide what you want to say. Jim and I would put this together in some logical form, provide a little continuity and background, and send it back to you for your OK. We imagine this could result a short booklet.  [Editor: But first, a collection in the form of this blog.  Email contributions to SALMemoirs@gmail.com.]

Introducing Memoirs of the Space Astronomy Laboratory of Univ. of Wisconsin

From the time of its founding and through the busy years of OAO-2, HSP, & WUPPE and the advent of StarTracker 5000, Space Astronomy Lab was a vibrant part of the astronomical community in Madison at the University of Wisconsin.  This blog will be dedicated to what was unique and memorable about "the lab."

HSP team reunion, October 2012

Do you know anyone in this photo?  Are you in it?  Know anyone who should have been?  Do you know those instruments: OAO, HSP, DXS, WUPPE, WISP, and the others?  Then we want to hear from you.  

• Tell us something about SAL that was important to you.  
• Share an anecdote. 
• Send a photo, and explain it. 
• Did you ever win the Blinding Flash Award?  How did that happen? 
• Did you help decorate the Christmas Tree?  With what? 
• Recall any great parties?  Let's hear about them.

We'll post it here to share with all and perhaps stimulate other memories, stories, observations, and the like.  Write up a contribution and email it to SALMemoirs@gmail.com.