Spaceship Ulysses

THE original Ulysses took ten years to return home from Troy. On the way he encountered all sorts of monsters, lovers and other hazards. A latter-day Ulysses is taking just five and a half years to get back to where it started-and the only dangers it faces are charged particles, stray extraterrestrials and cosmic rays. For this Ulysses is a spacecraft, and in a few months' time it will have completed its first full orbit of the sun. Unlike most of the familiar things that orbit the sun-planets, asteroids and even other spacecraft-Ulysses does not circulate in the plane of the ecliptic (the region of the solar system that is analogous to the earth's equator). Instead, its orbit is almost perpendicular to that plane.

Ulysses was launched in 1990 on a five-year mission to study the sun. The craft gathered new data about the speed and direction of the solar wind. It discovered the 3D shape of the sun's magnetic field. It recorded solar flares on the sun, and super-solar flares from distant neutron stars. Ulysses even flew through the tail of comet Hyakutake, an unexpected encounter that delighted astronomers. The mission was supposed to end in 1995, but Ulysses was too successful to quit. NASA and the ESA have granted extensions after extensions. A milestone was reached on June 10^th 2011 when Ulysses became the longest-running ESA-operated spacecraft, overtaking the International Ultraviolet Explorer which logged 18 years and 246 days of operations. At present The Ulysses orbital path is carrying the spacecraft away from Earth. The ever-widening gap has progressively limited the amount of data transmitted. Ulysses project managers, with the concurrence of ESA and NASA, decided it was an appropriate time now to end this epic scientific adventure.

The 7c Europa stamp issued by Cyprus depicts the European spaceship "Ulysses" launched in October 1990 from the shuttle "Atlantis". Its objective was to study some parts of the Sun, the solar wind, the cosmic rays, and to trace gravity waves. This nice maxicard was given to me by Merja.

Lighthouse of Genoa aka La Lanterna

I had the pleasure of being in Genoa in August 1957 when My family including myself were waiting to board the Llyod Triestino liner MV Asia on our way back to India. That was when our host included a visit for us to the famous Lighthouse of Genoa better known as , which is the main lighthouse for the city's port. Besides being an important aid to night navigation in the vicinity, the tower serves as a symbol for the City of Genoa, and is one of the oldest standing structures of its kind in the world. It is built on the hill of San Benigno at some little distance from the Sampierdarena neighborhood. At 249 feet (76 m) it is the world's second tallest "traditional lighthouse" built of masonry. It is constructed in two square portions, each one capped by a terrace; the whole structure is crowned by a lantern from which the light is shone.

In 1405 the priests who were responsible for the upkeep of the lighthouse placed on its cupola a fish and a golden cross to serve as symbols of Christianity. During the cinquecento the structure was heavily damaged again, this time by friendly fire from the Genovese against the French. Thirty years later, in 1543, the tower was once again reconstructed, assuming the form in which it may still be seen today. In 1449 one of the keepers of the lighthouse was listed as Antonio Colombo, uncle of explorer Christopher Columbus. The cape on which the Lanterna stands was at one time a peninsula before the nearby coastline was filled in and reshaped. To the west, it marked the entrance to the original port of Genoa, today the Porto Antico. Over time, the hill on the cape assumed the name "Capo di Faro", or "Lighthouse Cape"; it is also sometimes referred to as the cape of San Benigno, after the convent that once stood there. Today, the hill is gone save for a small rise upon which the lighthouse stands; the rest of it was removed to provide infill for other areas of the city. This nice card was sent to me by Stefania.

Finnish Gunner’s of the 18th Century

A platoon of smartly dressed Finnish artillerymen with a mobile cannon in the Army of the 18^th Century. This platoon was probably based in Turku. They bear a close resemblance to the Swedish-Finnish artillery of the 18^th century. The uniforms worn by this group of men is similar to those used during Charles XII (King of Sweden from 1697 to 1718). This card was sent to me by one of my friends who preferres to remain anonymous.

Albert Gustaf Aristides Edelfelt

Albert Gustaf Aristides Edelfelt (21 July 1854 – 18 August 1905) was a Swedish-speaking Finnish painter. Albert Edelfelt was born in Porvoo, Finland. His father Carl Albert was an architect. Edelfelt admired the poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, who was a friend of the family. The company of Runeberg had a lasting impact on Edelfelt, who from time to time turned to scenes from Finnish history in his paintings. Edelfelt went on to illustrate Runeberg's epic poem The Tales of Ensign Stål. He studied art in Antwerp (1873–1874), Paris (1874–1878) and Saint Petersburg (1881–1882). He married Baroness (friherinnan) Ellan de la Chapelle in 1888 and they had one child. Edelfelt was one of the first Finnish artists to achieve international fame. He enjoyed considerable success in Paris and was one of the founders of the Realist art movement in Finland. He influenced several younger Finnish painters and helped fellow Finnish artists such as Akseli Gallen-Kallela to make their breakthrough in Paris.

The painting on the card displayed, was titled “From the anchorage at Copenhagen III”. The card was sent to me by Jaana.

Valamo Monastery

The Valamo monastery, Finland's only Orthodox monastery, is a hidden gem. The Red Army annexed the original monastery during WWII; the latest church was consecrated in 1977. Like all good monks, the clergy at Valamo produce their own wine (which visitors can buy) using crowberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackcurrants. In February 1940, during the Winter war, Finnish government decided to evacuate Valaam monastery (located on the island in the lake Ladoga) to Finland. 200 monks, monastery library and about 60% of icons have been moved on military tracks - ice on the lake Ladoga was strong enough. Now it's the biggest Christian Orthodox centre in Finland

New Valamo or New Valaam is an Orthodox monastery in Heinävesi, Finland. The monastery was established in 1940, when some monks from Valaam Monastery in Karelia were evacuated from their old abode on a group of islands in Lake Laatokka (Ladoga) to Eastern Finland. The old (Valamo) Valaam Monastery was quite soon after the outbreak of the Winter War occupied by the armed forces of the Soviet Union. After a temporary dwelling place the monks decided to settle down in Heinävesi in Eastern Finland. The choice fell on a mansion in Papinniemi, Heinävesi, after the monks had found there, quite surprisingly, an icon of St. Sergius and St. Herman, the founders of Valaam (Valamo) monastery in the 12th century. The monks considered this to be a sign from God. Having received evacuees from the Konevsky (Konevitsa) and Pechenga (Petsamo) monasteries, it is now, the only monastery for men of the Finnish Orthodox Church.

The Finnish Orthodox Church has also a monastery for women, Lintula Holy Trinity Convent, which is situated 18 kilometres (11 miles) from New Valamo, in Palokki, Heinävesi. My dear friend Merja sent me this card.

St. Vladimir Cathedral in Luhansk

Luhansk (formerly Voroshilovgrad) also known as Lugansk is a city in southeastern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Luhansk Oblast (province). The city itself is also designated as its own separate municipality within the oblast. The current estimated population is around 445,900 (as of 2004). Luhansk is perhaps one of the few cities in the world that was renamed four times within 55 years. During the soviet times the city was called Voroshilovgrad in tribute of the Soviet military commander Kliment Voroshilov, a native of Luhansk, exactly since November 5, 1935, but on March 5, 1958, the old name Luhansk was reinstated until 1969. On January 5, 1970, after Voroshilov dead, the name of the city was changed again to Voroshilovgrad. On May 4, 1990, a decree of the Ukrainian SSR renamed again the city with its original name.

St. Vladimir Cathedral in Luhansk this unique structure. Its construction began in 1993, laying the first stone was with the former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. Cathedral was solemnly consecrated on 19 March 2006. St. Vladimir Cathedral today is the biggest religious buildings in southeast Ukraine. The Cathedral can accommodate about 3 thousand parishioners. This lovely card was sent to me by Stanislav who lives in Luhansk.

United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea

In June 2000, after two years of fighting in a border dispute, Ethiopia and Eritrea signed a cessation of hostilities agreement following proximity talks led by Algeria and the Organization of African Unity. In July, the Security Council set up UNMEE to maintain liaison with the parties and establish a mechanism for verifying the ceasefire. In September 2000, the Council authorized UNMEE to monitor the cessation of hostilities and to help ensure the observance of security commitments.

On 30 July 2008, the Security Council terminated the mandate of UNMEE with effect from the following day. The Council decision came in response to crippling restrictions imposed by Eritrea on UNMEE, as well as the cutting off of fuel supplies – making it impossible for the operation to continue carrying out its mandated tasks, and putting at risk the safety and security of UN personnel.

The picture shows a Corporal of a Canadian Regiment making friends with a young Ethiopian. The Obverse of the card at left gives more information regarding the card and the nice stamp affixed to the card. Thank you Ian Perry for this nice card.