Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Feb 8, 2010 21:03:01 GMT -6
The Chicago Astronomer's new Astro Dog "Laika"
I recently got a new dog after a three year period after losing my last one. This new pup was mistreated by some creep and abandoned on the street on a bitterly cold January night. A former student of mine took her in and gave her to me. She is settling in nicely and will be a great companion.
Her name was Emily and some sort of Boxer, Beagle, Pit, Ridgeback mix. But with a new life with the Chicago Astronomer, she needed a new name. I had asked my friends for suggestions, but - they needed to be of a space or astronomical nature.
I got quite a few....
11 Jan 2010
Addie (Adler Planetarium)
Andromeda (Andi - Andy - Dro -Meda - Romi)
Angel
Ariel
Astra
Astrid
Astro
Astro Jane
Astro Joan
Astro Jr.
Athena
Aurora
Caroline Herschel
Calipso
Cassiopia (Cassie)
Celeste
Chewbacca
ClementineComet
Cosmo
Diana
Deimos
Dogtor Who
Ellie
EnHeduanna of Babylon
Electra
Europa
Eta Carinae
Galilei
Galileo
Gemini
Glushko
Haley
Hera
Horkheimer
Hypatia of Egypt
Hubble
Kalliope (Kalli)
Kepler
Juliet
Laika
Leeloo
Leilani (Leila)
Lyra
Lucy
Luna
Magellian (Maggie)
Miranda
Maia
Maria Mitchell
Margaret Peachy Burbidge
Moon
Nancy Grace Roman
Nova
Oberon
Ophelia
Optimus Prime
Orion
Pegasus
Persephone
Phobos
Phoenix
Pisces
Planeta
Portia
Puck
Puppis
Rocket
Rockit
Sagan
Skye
Star
Starla
Saturn
Sirius
Sondok of Korea
Starbuck
Star Jones
Stella
Stellar
Strella
Sol
Soleil
Telli
T'pring
T'Pol
T'Pau
Quasar
Unmbriel
Uranus
Ursa
Venus
Vera Rubin
Vyger
Wednesday
Princess Amidala
Pluto
Vega
V373 Cassiopeiae
136199 Eris
We both went through the list several times, with me calling out the names and looking for a response...
Of all the names, she gave a response to..."Laika"....and that's quite cool.
And with Laika, being the first dog in space....we both dig it...
Here is a nice vid:
But, the story of Laika did not end well....she died within hours of liftoff...from fright it was later disclosed. And there were no provisions to recover her and she burned up in re-entry. One of the lead scientist Oleg Gazenko, said decades later: " The more time passes, the more I'm sorry about it. We shouldn't have done it... We did not learn enough from this mission to justify the death of the dog."
Quite sad.
But, the story of Laika did not end well....she died within hours of liftoff...from fright it was later disclosed. And there were no provisions to recover her and she burned up in re-entry. One of the lead scientist Oleg Gazenko, said decades later: " The more time passes, the more I'm sorry about it. We shouldn't have done it... We did not learn enough from this mission to justify the death of the dog."
Quite sad.
But, Laika's memory and sacrifice lives on with my new pup and we both like it. Laika will make a good astro dog and will join me on some astronomical observation sessions when it gets warmer.
