Astronomy » Cosmic Stories Blog (tag [Annuals])

Pilots of the Future

Sun, 23 Jan 2022 06:00:00 GMT

In the mid twentieth century, young children were wowed by tales of heroism by a succession of space pilots with unlikely or alliterative names. But what was their attraction and impact?

An Annual Treat

Sun, 26 Dec 2021 06:00:00 GMT

For the many young people who thrilled to the adventures of characters such as Dan Dare or Doctor Who, the factual information presented in Annual gift books may well have provided their first insights into the genuine science and sweeping discoveries which lay behind their idols.

An Icon of Futures Past

Sun, 02 May 2021 06:00:00 GMT

Looking at Jodrell Bank's representation in science fiction and SF paratexts.

Dan Dare at Herstmonceux

Sun, 04 Apr 2021 08:00:00 GMT

Herstmonceux Castle in Sussex became the new home of the Royal Greenwich Observatory research organisation in a gradual transition that spanned the late 1940s and 1950s. As this article discusses, Dan Dare: Pilot of the Future, and its host comic The Eagle provides a fascinating insight into the observatory at this moment of transition, as well as introducing children to the key features of a working observatory.

Who's Moon (an Annual view)

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 14:13:00 GMT

My essay "Who's Moon" in "Doctor Who and Science" (eds Lindy Orthia and Marcus K Harmes) has just been published. Here I explore in a little more depth two articles which present aspects of the Moon and its exploration to the avid young readers of the 1979 and 1980 Doctor Who annuals.