Astrodome
The Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome, and officially named the NRG Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. It served as the second home to the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB) from its opening in 1965 until 1999, and the home to the Houston Oilers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1968 until 1996, and also the part-time home of the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1971 until 1975. Additionally, the Astrodome was the primary venue of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo from 1966 until 2002. When opened, it was named the Harris County Domed Stadium and was nicknamed the "Eighth Wonder of the World".
The stadium is part of the NRG Park complex that was originally known as the "Astrodomain" located in Houston's Texas Medical Center business district, and was constructed from 1962 until 1964 after being funded for $35 million by Harris County taxpayers. It received considerable renovations in 1988 that significantly expanded seating, and altered many original features. The venue regularly hosted events until it was declared non-compliant with fire code by the Houston Fire Department in 2008. Parts of it were demolished in 2013, after several years of disuse.
Astrodome (aeronautics)
An astrodome is a hemispherical transparent dome fitted in the cabin roof of an aircraft to allow the use of a sextant during astro-navigation.
Prior to the introduction of electronic means of navigation the only way to fix an aircraft's position at night was by taking star sights using a sextant in the same manner as that used by marine navigators for hundreds of years on board ships. To do this requires a 360-degree view of the horizon and the astrodome was devised to allow an uninterrupted view of the sky from horizon to horizon.
Astrodomes were prominent on many Royal Air Force (RAF) and Commonwealth operated multi-engined aircraft of the Second World War, and on foreign aircraft ordered by them for their use, such as the Liberator and Dakota, as a considerable part of the RAF's operations and other flying were carried out at night.
Later use on ocean-racing yachts
In the 1950's and 60"s, astrodomes were gradually phased out, as radionavigation and ground plotting radars took over, but enjoyed a second career on ocean racing yachts (specially in singlehanded racing). Eric Tabarly, record-breaking winner of the 1964 OSTAR single-handed transatlantic race, and former French Aéronavale (Fleet air arm) pilot, had fitted lis revolutionary lightweight ketch-rigged racer Pen Duick II with an astrodome scavenged from a Shorts Sunderland decommissioned aircraft.
Podcasts:
Astrodome
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