Stamps commemorating the end of the Space Shuttle era…

 

Date of Issue : 21 July 2011

On July 21, 2011, the day the Shuttle Atlantis touched down for the last time, the Marshall Islands Postal Service issued seven new stamps commemorating the end of the Space Shuttle era. Since its beginning in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has been responsible for many remarkable accomplishments. For example, on May 5, 1961, NASA sent Alan Shepard, the first American astronaut, into space.

Then, just eight years later, on July 16, 1969, NASA launched Apollo 11, carrying astronauts Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins on a journey to the Moon. In 1973, NASA was responsible for launching Skylab, a space-borne laboratory which circled the earth for nearly seven years. However, NASA’s next project—the famed Space Shuttle—is perhaps its greatest accomplishment so far. For 30 years beginning with the launch of Columbia on April 12, 1981, the Space Shuttle was the workhorse of America’s space program, bringing America as close as it has ever come to routine space travel.

For information about this issue,  contact the Stamps and Philatelic Center of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, One Unicover Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82008-0021. Information may also be obtained by calling 1-800-443-4225 or ordering on-line at www.unicover.com/hprlrms.htm.

NASA’s final shuttle launch marks end of collector's era

Ron DiIulio, director of the astronomy program, has been chronicling the progress of the space program through the collection of autographed, commemorative envelopes and stamps for nearly half a century.

Now DiIulio will be seeking out the final pieces of his collection.Since the 1960s, DiIulio has collected artifacts that document most of the space programs’ “firsts,” including NASA’s first landing tests, the first time Americans entered space, groundbreaking for Kennedy Space Center, the first flight of a female astronaut and more. DiIulio even has stamps commemorating America’s space program from Colombia, Geneva, Switzerland and the Ajmer region of India.

“Pretty much everyone has a collection of something,” said DiIulio. “Having artifacts that can tell the story of the space program is invaluable. These kinds of items can really get people excited: it’s all about the power of imagination.”

“The final launch will be the end of an era,” said DiIulio. “We built this impressive fleet of ships, and now we are putting them on display and essentially ending America’s physical exploration of space. I’m glad that I’ll be able to share the history of the program with future generations through my collection.”

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Atlantis lands, NASA's shuttle program ends

 

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New stamps on Astronomy from Germany

 

Date of Issue : 11 August 2011

German Post will issue four new stamps on Astronomy on 11 August 2011.

Courtesy : Shrikant Parikh, Ahmedabad

Club News

Real Tributes to unsung heroes by a Philatelist…

Here I wish to share a great work and  service by Mr Anil Dhir, renowned philatelist from Bhubaneshwar. Mr Dhir is known for his extraordinary   work and  deep research in  philately and   social fields. “The Last Post” is an excellent example of his work with many more to mention… His selfless effort  and love for deep research makes him always very special in his work and findings. Here is another finest piece of work rather great service done by him….Read the full story !

 

1945 - An untold story of war & love

- DN Singh

This story begins with a visit to the Madras War Cemetery early this year, by a man in quest of a trace dating back some 66 years. The man in question, Anil Dhir has a penchant for history and has an enviable record in unearthing the glories of the past. Dhir says he was in search of material for his article on the War Cemeteries in India, which took him from one end of the geography to the other. 

His quest landed him in Chennai, where the Madras War Cemetery is situated. The Cemetery presented interesting clues before Dhir and a challenge too. At the Cemetery he had a tryst with an interesting disclosure - a set of fourteen graves which were of airmen who had apparently died in a plane crash at Amarda Road. The fourteen individually named headstones were arranged side-by-side, but from the Cemetery Registry it was learnt that they had been interred as a collective grave. A collective grave is a burial of recovered remains which, though not individually identified, constitute of a small group of known individuals.

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It is a gigantic task, almost impossible to locate the living relatives of  the  airmen   who died in crash many years ago..... and  real  heart felt tributes to the  unsung heroes by Mr Anil Dhir  who is always in the quest of something different and unique !!  This is a heart touching story. To do this work one must have a great patience to work and wait .....which Mr Dhir has proved...in many  of his tasks done in past years.... The Last Post by Anil Dhir is one such example , well  known to   philatelists...   Philatelic Community is proud to be asscoited with Mr Dhir !! Great work  by him !!

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New Zodiac Stamps from Japan..

 

Date of Issue : 7 July 2011

Special Stamps
"Constellation Series Vol.1"

Japan Post issued new "Zodiac" stamps on July 7, 2011, aiming to promote culture and science . The stamps depict constellations of Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, House, Aquila, Cygnus, Hercules, Ophiuchus Serpens, Delphinus and Fish Hook.

The design of a postage stamp are as below :
(1) Libra
It looks good for the southern sky of early summer, many faint stars, the stars line up well, "balance" is far from the image. Appear next to the East "Virgo" listed in the Astra air-hand model was the goddess of justice, "the balance right and wrong measure" has become a constellation.Orbit of the sun across the sky (the ecliptic) is a constellation of 12 passes. Also a highly recognized constellations are used in astrology since ancient times.
(2) Scorpio
Clearly visible in the sky of the southern summer evening, is typical of the summer constellations. Impressive is how the stars have aligned in an S-shaped, bright images can facilitate the appearance of a scorpion. Noticeably bright orange first-magnitude star Antares at the heart of the scorpion.
(3) Sagittarius
Often seen in the late summer evening in the southern sky. You have (Archer), a family chalone half human half horse centaurs of Greek mythology, aimed at the heart of the Scorpion Antares is 引Ki絞Tta a bow shape. The broad background is bright Milky Way flows.
(4) House that
The constellations visible high overhead in the summer evenings. Is a small constellation, if the stars line up in place, the Western harp harp can image. Vega is very noticeable white glow, the Tanabata "Princess and the (Orihime) Stars" in the "Summer Triangle of stars" is one of three first-magnitude star to form.
(5) Aquila
The constellations visible in the southern summer night sky. Altair is strikingly noticeable sparkle "of the Summer Triangle" is one of three forms of the first magnitude, the Tanabata "Hiko (eon) Stars" is. In the dark of the night sky, the constellation Vega and Altair and this (Orihime star), but notice how shiny on both sides of the Milky Way.
(6) Cygnus
The constellations visible high overhead in the summer evenings. The stars arranged in a cross in the background of the Milky Way, emerge the form of a swan flying in the sky with outstretched wings. In its beauty, is called the Northern Cross on the Southern Cross. Deneb is the tail feathers shine in the position of "Summer Triangle of stars" is one of three first-magnitude star to form.
(7) Hercules
You look high overhead in the evening of the summer constellations. Hercules is a hero to Greek mythology, a saga that has been involved in various other constellations. Bright star, but look at the dark night sky, you will emerge strong hero figure of Hercules.
(8) Ophiuchus Serpens
You look south of the constellation of Hercules in the summer evening. Ophiuchus is a figure of Asklepios is the Greek myth in medicine saint, and get the dragon is a symbol of medicine. Serpens is the snake is this. If you know the head and tail, no other such a constellation.
(9) Delphinus
The constellations visible in the southern summer night sky. If appointed to the compact arrangement of the stars just fainter stars in the Milky Way near the banks and jump out of the water Pyonto is a very impressive figure of a dolphin. In Greek mythology, Poseidon is the god of the sea appeared as use.
(10) Selling your mothers Fishing
"Selling our mothers fishing", the constellation name has been established by the International Astronomical Union is now used worldwide by name "ancient constellation Japan." Use fishing line to the curve of the stars of Scorpio S-shaped "hook" not likened to the name has been handed down around the old fishing villages of the Seto Inland Sea.

New Stamps on Sports from Japan

Date of Issue : July 08, 2011

Special Stamps
"100 Years of Japanese sport"

(1) Big Japan Amateur Sports Association was founded (1911)
(2) Japan's first Olympic participation (1912)
(3) National Sports Festival (since 1946)
(4) "Flying Fish of Fujiyama" was called Jin Zhi, Hiroshi Furuhashi (1949)
(5) boy scouts founder of Sports (1962)
(6) The 18th Olympic Games (Tokyo 1964 /)
(7) the 11th Olympic Winter Games (Sapporo 1972 /)
(8) The 18th Olympic Winter Games (Nagano 1998 /)
(9) sports Masters of Japan (2001 -)
(10) The 29th Olympic Games (Beijing 2008 /)
Background sheet:
100 Years of Japanese sports logo / on a background
Japan Amateur Sports Association logo / left in the background
Japanese Olympic Committee logo / right in the background
18th Olympic Games / bottom of the background (Tokyo, 1964 /)
Opening Ceremony Olympic cauldron

Club News

Special Cover on Anandilal Podar to be released on 30 July

A special cover will be released in Kolkata on 30th July  on ANNANDI LALL PODDAR, mayor of Calcutta in early 40's and a leading businessman of his time.Shri Anandilal Podar was an associate of Mahatma Gandhi. Shri Podar not only contributed liberally to sustain the Freedom movement but also endeavored upliftment of poor having put himself on the mission of education of the mass. Shri. Podar in 1921 establishment Anandilal Education Society now called Anandilal Podar Trust. He was the founder member of Podar Enterprise.

Interesting news about the cover is the number to be printed, 10,000. its perhaps the largest number of special cover to be released in India on a single issue. The cover has been designed by Mr Souvik Roy of Kolkata. Mr Souvik Roy may be contacted for this special Cover. email : lorenzosouvik@gmail.com 

Souvik Roy is a noted philatelist of Kolkata and has prepared a specialized collection on  Tagore Theme. Recently  a  Philatelic Exhibition on Tagore was held at  Rabindranath Tagore Centre in Kolkata organised by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India. The exhibits of  Sekhar Chakrabarti, Moloy Sarkar  and Souvik Roy were displayed  in this exhibition.

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