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| Astronomy and the Faulkes telescope - K.A.Mosedale
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analysing light from distant supernovae in other galaxies. These massive explosions of very large stars are still far from fully understood and it will be good to contribute in a small way to the research. The Eagle Nebula is a huge cloud of mainly hydrogen gas where active star formation is currently taking place. It is only 7000 light years from earth and thecloud in this image is 5 light years high (or approximately five thousand billion kilometres). The dumbbell nebula is the remains of a star that has run out of fuel. Only very large stars explode as a supernova and this star was not large enough to do so. It has blown its outer layers of gas off into space where the energy still being emitted from the remains of the central star (visible in the centre of the image) causes them to glow. The dumbbell shape has arisen because the shedding of the outer layers of the star was not symmetrical. Over time, the gases will cool and the nebula will no longer be visible. Our sun is similar in size to this star and in about five billion years time when it runs out of fuel, it will form a nebula similar to this. There are billions of other galaxies like our own Milky Way and so relatively few have names. NGC 891 (New Galaxy Catalogue number 891) is viewed side on and so the details of its structure are hidden from us. What is very clear is the dust lane running down the main axis of the galaxy and the glow from the billions of stars in the core. This image was taken as part of a project to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the famous Jodrell Bank telescope near Manchester. The galaxy is particularly active in the radio part of the electromagnetic spectrum and so is of interest to radio astronomers. Top of page Radley College Video Unit films many of the concerts held during the year, and one of our most popular recordings is the DVD of the Carol Service and Christmas Concert. However, last year, this was overtaken by the H Social Summer Concert which contained some of the funniest moments ever captured. But by far the most popular DVD of recent years was the Dons’ Revue, with four cameras capturing the action from all angles. The Video Unit is also employed by outside organisations, including Opera Anywhere, who present a wide range of operatic material at many venues in the area. The latest production filmed was Proms on the Pond performed to a capacity crowd, during the peak of summer, in heavy rain. Keeping the cameras and microphones dry proved quite a battle, but the final DVD proved as popular as ever. The construction of J and K Socials is being captured via a system installed by Ray Smith and Max Horsey with the software and processing being masterminded by James Chadwick. With one picture being taken every 2 minutes, James has been working full-time to create a time-lapse masterpiece. All the artwork for DVD cases and labels is produced by a small team including Alex Wise, Alex and James Chadwick amongst others and a team of between twenty and thirty boys help with filming, editing and authoring to DVD. Video editing requires very fast computers armed with large amounts of storage. With this in mind, Alex Chadwick constructed our latest computer, based around a Dual Quad Core processing system running Adobe Production Premium. Armed with 1500 GB it is now possible to work on several projects at the same time. Top of page
Among the top GCSE projects was James Chadwick’s Plant Alert, a temperature display system which changes colour according to whether the temperature is rising or falling. All the A level and GCSE projects were on exhibition at the annual Electronics Competition, which this year was judged by Tom Webb, OR, who is now teaching DT at Reeds School. Whilst a student at Radley, he designed many of the circuit boards still in use for class work and free-time. Top of page The finals for the Roche Court Articulation Prize took place on Monday 12th March 2007, 6–9.30pm, at the Roche Court New Art Centre, East Winterslow, Salisbury, Wiltshire. Delaval Knight’s presentation on Sargeant Jagger and the 1925 Royal Artillery Monument of Hyde Park Corner won third prize in the competition. The annual competition is organised by the Roche Court Educational Trust for sixth form students and the 2007 competition was judged by the RA sculptor Bill Woodrow and Andrew Nairne, director of Modern Art Oxford. Students had to present their images in a Powerpoint and speak for ten minutes on any artwork of their choice which inspired and interested them. As the judges presented Delaval with a cheque for £50 both Bill Woodrow and Andrew Naire greatly commended Delaval on the power of his presentation, they both felt his delivery conveyed his intense interest and enthusiasm in his topic and wished he could have talked for longer exploring the resonances in contemporary commemorative monuments. The presentations were followed by an excellent buffet in the intimate setting of the early nineteenth century house and gallery. Sargeant Jagger and the Royal Artillary Monument of Hyde Park Corner - Delavel C Knight
Born into a poor family in Kilnhurst, near Sheffield on December 17th 1885, Sargeant Jagger grew to become a highly regarded student at the Royal College of Art, London from 1808–11. In July 1914 Jagger was announced the winner of the Prix de Rome. On the 4th August, however, England declared war on Germany and on the 2nd September Jagger (now aged 29) turned down the scholarship and enlisted in the Artist’s Rifles. He first served at Gallipoli; the horror of what he witnessed was to haunt him for the rest of his life. He was wounded in November 1915, almost having to have his arm amputated, but he recovered and was sent to fight again, this time in the trenches of Flanders. Jagger suffered several gas attacks, was badly wounded at the battle of Neuve Eglise and received a Military Cross for bravery in 1918. It was these dramatic real life experiences that arguably inspired his post-war sculpture. Sargeant Jagger’s Royal Artillery Monument is not forgotten and remains in one’s mind’s eye. Its powerful composition and stunning realist imagery make it stand out as a forceful, though different, remembrance of war. The monument stands at Hyde Park corner, London, a site originally criticised as one with ‘Much noise and buses all round’1, but which has now become an island of monuments, serving as a suitably eye-catching composition in a prominent position. What is immediately apparent about Jagger’s design is the use of an architectural centrepiece rather than a sculptural one, which, like many of his other memorial designs, allowed him to use an architectural framework with sculpture put round it, almost as decoration. Principally, one is faced with a vast plinth, various low relief panels, four free standing bronze sculptures and a life size replica of a Howitzer artillery piece placed on top of the composition, at a glance totally different from the elegant, antiquity based war memorials on the corner and perhaps deserving of the contemporary description, ‘A toad squatting, which is about to spit fire out of its mouth’ by Lord Curzon before his death2. Jagger has favoured an original architectural design, integrating the monument with its architectural setting: the three-dimensional design grows from firm foundations on a firm base. In other words, like all great buildings (but unlike a lot of modern sculpture), it has a base, middle and a top.
… On the four ends of the cross, raised off the ground by one of the levels of the podium, are placed four large bronze figures of First World War soldiers: a gunner, an officer, a driver and a dead soldier. The dark bronze acts as a striking contrast to the white Portland stone, which accentuates the soldiers. The over-life-size sculptures stare out from the sculpture with grim satisfaction on their faces and one can sense a clear sense of ‘job done’ in their sombre, almost emotionless expressions. The dead soldier on the south side was a late addition in the design of the monument and was originally praised for its ‘dignified presentation of death’. The recumbent figure is covered by his greatcoat and helmet and seems a very conservative representation of death, however, on close inspection, one is able to see a different aspect; the tightened skin over the face and hands being immediately apparent and driving home the brutal reality of death. The gunner stands tall and firm with legs spread wide apart while his back arches back with the strain of carrying four 18-pound shells in his pockets. Although his face remains emotionless one senses his determination through the muscular tension in his shoulders and arms. The driver spreads his arms wide and back to lean casually against an above platform. With one foot forward, legs together and head lowered, the figure is in the shape of a cross possibly drawing attention to the regiment’s sacrifice. What is notable about many of Jagger’s soldiers is his exploitation of the heavy military great coat and of other drapery, seen clearly in the heavy folds of the driver’s spread coat, the tension of the shellfilled pockets of the gunner, the officer’s coat over his arm and the dead body’s covering. The realism is perhaps first picked up in these intricate details. The figures are almost dehumanised, but it is the strong echoes of Rodin’s sculpture and the realism employed that gives them more of a sense of ‘war as labour’: ultimately flesh, muscle and bones are not steel as suggested by modernists, the gap has been bridged by the depiction of human effort. Flanking the bronzes, on the pedestal itself, are a series of low reliefs executed in the stone, each depicting the strains of battle endured by men from the heavy artillery, horse artillery, a communications post and a trench howitzer. The shallow style permits a combination of the vivid depiction of vigorous action with an emphasis on surface detail. There is an obsessive concentration on the accessories of war and a disturbing compression of space in the hectic scenes, appealing to me as they contain the most energetic and dynamic scenes on the memorial, contrasting wildly with the sombre bronzes. The compositions in the images seem to teem with action and violence, ultimately portraying the commotion of war. Other details on the monument include the carved names of all the countries the regiment fought in and the carved coat of arms over the dead soldier bronze, whose conjunction emphasises the ceremonial connection between the dead and the regiment. When comparing the Royal Artillery Monument to other memorials of its time, it is clear that Jagger succeeded in creating a distinguished piece of art. Serving in the war, combined with the eclecticism of a Royal Academician, it is the thinking behind the sculpture and indeed architecture that is so striking and different. Jagger has created a vehicle crammed with symbols of remembrance. The message verges on being too blunt but is saved by the satisfied and distant gaze on the soldiers faces. They seem remorseful for their dead comrades but simultaneously trust that their deaths have been for the defence of a country well worth it. However, one must not lose sight of the fact that it is only a memorial: it is arguable that although Jagger was commended by the Artillery committee, the trend of war memorials ultimately is a minor, unnoticed part of British art, in that a memorial could hardly ever change the course of it. On the other hand the brutal realism Jagger employed can now only be admired as the monument still attracts people thus serving its purpose: to make people remember and honour the glorious dead of the Royal Artillery Regiment who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the First World War. (Abridged) Top of page
One of the most memorable experiences from our time there, was the school’s ‘Roman Day’, when all the pupils and some of the teachers dressed up in Roman clothes and learnt about Roman culture and history. It was suggested by Ms Murtagh that a few of the Radleian classicists might write and perform a short play in Latin; a slightly forced script emerged in the ten minutes which we had to prepare, largely due to the fact that we had to work around the little conversational Latin that we knew. The final product wasn’t exactly Virgil, but the audience loved it.
Working with children who have such enthusiasm was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. The constant attention and kindness shown to us, not only by the children but also by the teaching staff, helped make those Wednesday afternoons an event to look forward to. We’d also like to think that we have been a help to them, giving them more time to work individually; seeing classes with one teacher and thirty people shows just exactly how lucky we are at Radley, with an exceptionally low pupilteacher ratio. Helping at St Swithun’s was a fantastic experience and a huge thank you ought to be said to all the members of St Swithun’s Primary School. I don’t think we will ever forget the months we spent working there, or our strange nicknames they gave us which will probably stick for many years to come. |
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The Faulkes telescope is one of a growing network of robotic telescopes that can be controlled over the internet. Although sessions have to be booked well in advance, use of the telescope is free to UK schools. It is used by the Physics department to capture images of galaxies and other interesting astronomical objects. As well as producing superb photographs, the images can be used to develop understanding about the universe and our place in it. Because it is such a high quality telescope, with a 2- metre diameter primary mirror, it can also be used for research. We have just joined a project which allows us to collaborate with Polish scientists with the aim of
The Electronics GCSE and A level projects represent some of the finest work achieved in recent years, with a range of ideas which were both novel and demanding. Alex Chadwick designed a multi channel computer fan speed controller, with integral LCD display, and this, together with his final examinations placed him in the top 5 A level candidates in the country. Alex’s project was closely followed by Tobin Chew’s formidable water cooled computer, part of which was his A level project. Water cooling allows the processing speed to be increased beyond the range recommended by the manufacturer.
The enormously complicated arrangement of LEDs resulted in one of the most complex designs ever created for a GCSE project, together with a massive computer program to keep the system stobing in the correct sequence. Many people have trouble waking up in the morning, but some suffer from a condition known as SAD which causes severe problems in winter when there is a lack of daylight. Hugo Walker’s project, a ‘Sunrise Alarm Clock’ was designed to help overcome the problem, and was beautifully designed, both inside and out. Shooting skills were also catered for by Max Blanshard’s Safe Shooter, a device which allows the target to automatically move round after each shot. Max also added a radio control system which allows control of the target from a safe distance.
Public sculpture, along with architecture, is the art to which most people (or at least most city dwellers) are exposed most often, and this is no doubt why many have ceased to consider it a form of art at all. Every day millions walk and drive past the public monuments in London without sparing them a second glance, yet in fact they include works of the finest quality. Many of these monuments are war memorials and therefore there is a perhaps an understandable difficulty in convincing people that such sombre and depressing memorials can be works of art. Some of the finest such works were created by Charles Sargeant Jagger who, because he died comparatively young and because his major commissions were war memorials, has seldom received the recognition he deserves as one of the foremost British sculptors of the 20th Century. Although he did not change the course of British art and can be regarded as a minor or a “forgotten” artist, Jagger’s eclectic work offers an interesting insight into many art trends of his time. 
The monument is designed to be viewed from all four of its sides, each offering different scenes of war, but also an individual interpretation of the monument’s composition. The plinth is a vast three-dimensional cross of smooth, white Portland stone with various platforms decreasing in surface area as they rise to the top, rather like an irregular Aztec pyramid without a pinnacle. Resting on top of the plinth and pointing south is a life size Howitzer field gun carved again in Portland stone, completing the steady rise of the pyramidal composition. This effect ties in with Jagger’s ultimate aim that every war memorial should be in every sense a memorial directly and obviously about war. As an infantryman, Jagger claimed he respected the Artillery for its ‘terrific power’, something obviously reflected in the boldness of the Corps memorial’s design. The Howitzer was the only gun that could be treated in sculpture to represent these attributes, and it would have been important to create a base that would suggest a gun emplacement: thus the podium had to provide a suitable platform that both highlighted and formed a suitable replica of an emplacement for the massive gun that the regiment used and died beside. 
For the past few years, Ms Murtagh and a small group of boys have helped at St Swithun’s Primary School in Kennington as part of the Fifth Form Wednesday Activities program. This year it was the turn of a select group from H Social: Noah Assheton, Henry Carr, Jamie Crole, Sam Gundle, George Hackett and Ollie Hörbye. The children we were working with were between the ages of ten and eleven and we largely focused on reading with them and helping them with experiments in their science lessons. In a school where there is not enough staff to give much one on one teaching, extra help was great for the children.
Another touching moment was when, close to the beginning of our time there, one of the children came to one of us to read. Not an unusual experience, except for the fact that he hadn’t been sent and confessed that he was meant to be in a science class but that he really wanted to read to someone. It showed just how much we were appreciated and was extremely moving.