Buran Russian Space Shuttle in Technik Museum Spyer Germany

"Selfie" before Buran OK-GLI and Soyuz landing capsule TM-19 in Spyer Museum

One of my bucket list items : visiting the Russian Space Shuttle. In the Technik Museum Speyer in Germany the Space Shuttle Buran (OK-GLI) can be seen in real life. This prototype was used for testing landings and gliding-flights. In order to do this, the prototype was equipped with 4 fan jets so it could take off and land on its own. This prototype was also the first "shuttle" to land with full automated control without any pilot activity.  Based on this prototype and the learning of the scaled models BOR 1-5 two final Space Shuttles were made. One of those was succesfully launched in space on November 15, 1988 and landed safely and automated after making two orbits.

BOR 5 Scaled test Model

For more information see this video.
See also this Russian Video
Information of Technik Museum Spyer

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Inside of the Buran Space Shuttle

View on the tail and 4 fan jets of the Buran

Wiring of the 4 Fan Jets in the tail of the Buran Space Shuttle

Assembly of Buran piggybacked on Myasishchev VM-T Atlant to Baikonur

Buran OK-GLI Prototype with 4 Fan Jets

Launch of the first and only Buran into space on Nov 15, 1988

Landing after two orbits in space; fully automated

Perfect set up of the Buran at the Technic Museum Spyer 

Nightscape Iridium 35 Flare

Very bright Iridium Flare (Iridium 35) with constellations Perseus, Cassiopeia and Andromeda (including M31 Andromeda Galaxy).

Technic Museum Sinsheim

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Visiting the Technic Museum Sinsheim (Germany) with a lot of interesting cars, F1 racingcars but most interesting of course the two main attractions are the Concorde and Tupolev 144. Both jets could reach twice the speed of sound.

Double Double Epsilon Lyrae

Only Double (Double Double  Epsilon Lyrae)

About 1,2° east from Vega it's possible to observe a double star with low magnification. This is epsilon Lyrae and is separated by 208 arc seconds. Compare this with a separation of 720 arc seconds of Alcor & Mizar in the constellation Ursa Major.
When viewing with larger magnification both stars have a compagnon. They are separated by respectively 2,3 arc seconds and 2,4 arc seconds.

Visual I was able to see the Double Double using reflector TAL200K with 12mm. However, my pictures did not cover the Double Double; both using the TAL200 aswell as the TLAPO80/480 f/6.

Double Star Albireo Beta Cygni

The Double Star Albireo (Beta Cyg) as observed with refractor TLAPO 80/480 f/6 and reflector TAL200K f/8.5. Both stars are separated by 35 arc seconds and both telescopes show the double star nicely. The brightest star is colored yellow, the B-component itself has a blue color. This combination is one of the best to see the difference in color and a perfect view during a starparty.

All pictures are taken with Nikon D7500 and are single shots. Limited editing using CS4.

Pictures of a couple of NGC's

A couple of NGC are observed the past weeks.

NGC 6210 Planetary Nebula : beautifull blue dot
NGC 6440 Globular Star Cluster
NGC 6445 Planetary Nebula : small blue shape
NGC 6712 Globular Star Cluster
NGC 6888 Crescent Nebula - in the middle of the milky way - rich of stars
NGC 6997 Open Star Cluster - in the middle of the milky way - rich of stars
NGC 6207 Galaxy near M13 Globular Star Cluster

All pictures taken with Refractor TLAPO80/480 f/6 and Nikon D7500 with flattener x1. Stacking was performed with DeepskyStacker and final editing using CS4.

Parker Solar Probe underway to the Sun

So far so good after a great lift off of the Delta IV Heavy rocket.