18 November 2004
Tiny Tim out of retirement
Photo opportunity: 5.00pm, Friday 19 November, Lamb Gallery, University Of Dundee, Tower Building,
Dundee
A satellite receiving system, known as 'Tiny Tim', that spent three years tracking space satellites from
the roof of the University of Dundee's Dental School has come out of retirement to form part of the Earth
Watch exhibition. Organised by the University’s Satellite Receiving Station, Earth Watch opens this
Friday, giving the public an opportunity to find out more about Earth observing satellites, the Dundee
station itself and discover how it helps scientists with their research.
Visitors will be able to see first hand how a satellite receiving system works as they watch Tiny Tim
physically move and follow satellites 800km above Earth's surface as they pass through Tiny Tim’s
reception range. Once locked on, visitors can watch as the satellite images are received in real time and
appear on a connected computer screen.
The display in the University's Tower Building replicates how Tiny Tim actually operated from the roof of
the Dental School until only earlier this year. It was from there that this system with a 1.2m diameter
dish tracked polar orbiting satellites, collecting data from over 12,000 satellite passes.
The Earth Watch exhibition also contains satellite images of major environmental events from Mount Etna
erupting to the Boscastle storm in Cornwall and imagery of Hurricane Alex that caused devastation in the
UK earlier this year.
The station provides rapid access to current and archive data via the Internet. The data is used for
diverse applications such as directing marine research ships to areas of interest, monitoring changes in
vegetation coverage in relation to wildlife habitat and supporting a NASA project looking at oceanic
factors that affect global change. Schools and the general public also use the station's website
extensively and even airline pilots use the site to check the latest weather conditions.
Funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the station provides data to scientists to
help them discover more about Earth's environment including climate change, pollution and natural
resources. It has been supporting scientists for almost 30 years by receiving and recording data from a
number of Earth observation satellites and visitors to Earth Watch can look at images from over 70,000
satellite recordings extending back to 1978.
Neil Lonie, Station Manager said, "This is a great opportunity for the public to find out about the work
we carry out in the receiving station. The systems, including Tiny Tim, have captured data and imagery
of some of the most memorable events in the last 30 years including volcanic eruptions and major weather
related events such as the Great Storm of 1987. We want the public including children to have the chance
to see some of these incredible images. To understand what goes on in the station, people need more than
images, so with Tiny Tim operating and images being displayed as they are received, everyone will be able
to understand how we collect information from satellites here in the University."
On the opening night, staff from the Dundee Satellite Receiving Station will be on hand to answer any
questions on the displays.
Earth Watch opens on Friday 19 November in the Lamb Gallery, Tower Building, University of Dundee,
5-7pm. All welcome and free admission.
The exhibition runs until 14 January. Opening times Mon - Fri 9.30am - 8pm, Sat 9.30am-4.30pm.
For further information please contact the Satellite Receiving Station on 01382 344409
By Angela Durcan, Press Officer 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, a.durcan@dundee.ac.uk | 
