STRATOSPHERIC CLOUD ALERT: On the evening of Jan. 26th, sky watchers in parts of England and the Netherlands witnessed unusually colorful sunsets and prolonged twilights. Atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley believes that "we are experiencing an episode of Polar Stratospheric Clouds (Type 1) as a result of unusually low stratospheric temperatures. I saw them myself." High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for these clouds at sunrise and sunset in the days ahead.
Info: http://spaceweather.com
---------
Close Encounter with Mars
01.26.2010
January 26, 2010: It rises in the east at sunset, pumpkin-orange and brighter than a first magnitude star. You stare at it, unblinking. Unblinking, it stares right back.
It is Mars.
This week Earth and Mars are having a close encounter. On Jan. 27th, the Red Planet will be only 99 million kilometers away and look bigger through a telescope than at any time between 2008 and 2014. The planet's 14-arcsecond diameter will remain essentially unchanged for another week or so, setting the stage for some good observing.
"Mars is an excellent target for all backyard telescopes right now," reports amateur astronomer Joel Warren, who sends these pictures from his observatory in Amarillo, Texas:
"The planet's North Polar Cap was brilliant in my 11-inch reflector," he says.
And because summer is coming to the Martian north, the bright polar cap and its icy-blue clouds are shifting, sublimating and changing every night. It's a lively show for anyone with a mid-sized telescope and a digital camera.
Sign up for EXPRESS SCIENCE NEWS delivery
But a telescope is not required to enjoy the show. Mars is a pleasing sight even to the unaided eye. With a visual magnitude of -1.3, it is almost as bright as Sirius (magnitude -1.44), the brightest star in the sky.
Compare the two—Sirius vs. Mars. They are in the same patch of sky all week long. While Sirius is as blue as the tip of an acetylene torch, Mars looks more like the ruddy head of a lit match. The contrast is beautiful.
Another fun comparison: Sirius twinkles but Mars does not. Distant, pinprick stars are more disturbed in their appearance by tiny irregularities in Earth's atmosphere than nearby, disk-shaped planets. Compared to the dancing light of a star, Mars has a smooth, unblinking glow.
For visual observers, the best display comes on Friday, Jan. 29th, when the full Moon and Mars converge for a floodlamp-bright conjunction. On that night, Mars will be at opposition—i.e., directly opposite the sun. It will rise alongside the Moon at sunset and soar overhead at midnight, never straying more than about 6o from the first full Moon of 2010. (Note: Contrary to "Mars Hoax" emails, Mars will not be as wide as the full Moon. To the unaided eye, Mars will resemble a bright orange star.)
Right: The full Moon and Mars converge in the constellation Cancer on Jan. 29th. Full-sized sky maps: Jan. 27, 28, 29.
Earth and Mars have close encounters approximately every 26 months. Some are closer than others, however. In 2003, the Earth-Mars distance was only 56 million kilometers, a sixty-thousand year minimum. The whole world stopped to watch as news reports trumpeted the event. This year's gulf is almost twice as wide, and professional astronomers do not consider it a particularly remarkable encounter.
Don't let that stop you. Mars is near. Take a look!
Author: Dr. Tony Phillips Credit: Science@NASA
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Lat' 52.418056N Long' 1.719722E (Chimney Pot)
--
Elev: 38ft/11.5824 Meters above sea level
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Friday 29 January 2010
Biggest Full Moon of the Year
Space Weather News for Jan. 28, 2010
http://spaceweather.com
FULL MOON AND MARS: Friday night's full Moon is the biggest and brightest full Moon of the year. It's a "perigee Moon," as much as 14% wider and 30% brighter than other full Moons you'll see later in 2010. But that's not all. Mars is having a close encounter with Earth, and on Friday night, Jan. 29th, it will join the Moon for an all-night-long conjunction. Don't miss it! Sky maps and images may be found at http://spaceweather.com.
FLYBY ALERT: NASA is preparing to launch space shuttle Endeavour on Feb. 7th. It's the last night launch of the shuttle program and it kicks off a 13-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). You can follow the ISS and Endeavour as they streak across the night sky using our new Satellite Flybys app for the iPhone or iPod Touch. Details at http://simpleflybys.com.
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
http://spaceweather.com
FULL MOON AND MARS: Friday night's full Moon is the biggest and brightest full Moon of the year. It's a "perigee Moon," as much as 14% wider and 30% brighter than other full Moons you'll see later in 2010. But that's not all. Mars is having a close encounter with Earth, and on Friday night, Jan. 29th, it will join the Moon for an all-night-long conjunction. Don't miss it! Sky maps and images may be found at http://spaceweather.com.
FLYBY ALERT: NASA is preparing to launch space shuttle Endeavour on Feb. 7th. It's the last night launch of the shuttle program and it kicks off a 13-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). You can follow the ISS and Endeavour as they streak across the night sky using our new Satellite Flybys app for the iPhone or iPod Touch. Details at http://simpleflybys.com.
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
[BAA 00467] Mars Section: North polar cap
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00467 http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
Mars Section: North polar cap
Mars comes to opposition tomorrow. It is to be hoped that the recent extreme
weather over the UK and Europe will not succeed in completely spoiling the
moment for everyone.
Just now, there is an especially interesting feature visible within the large
North polar cap, and observers should give it their attention. It is shown on
many images, but visual observers often miss it: an annular rift is observable
at all longitudes as a thin, dark line. When the seasonal carbon dioxide cap
has sublimed away, this feature (a permanent dune field) will mark the
boundary of the small cap remnant which persists throughout the summer. It is
also known as the polar collar, and its thickness varies with longitude. The
annular rift within the cap was well seen by Section members at the 1995
opposition, and it is also visible on amateur (and HST) images from other
oppositions during the 1990s decade. However, historical observations have
rarely shown it, suggesting that perhaps the thickness of the seasonal polar
deposit may vary slightly from year to year. Historical data are reviewed in
detail in our 1995 Section Report, which may be downloaded as a pdf file from
the Mars Section website (http://www.britastro.org/mars).
Observers are also reporting brighter parts of the cap near its southern
boundary: later on, irregularities and rifts will appear and portions of the
cap will become detached. The best-known and largest of the detached portions
is labelled Olympia on the telescopic maps. All of these details should be
carefully recorded, and the data sent to the undersigned.
Further notes about the current opposition will appear in the February number
of the BAA Journal.
Dr Richard McKim, Director, 2010 January 25
richardmckim@btinternet..com
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail: circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Thu Jan 28 23:12:38 GMT 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00467 http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
Mars Section: North polar cap
Mars comes to opposition tomorrow. It is to be hoped that the recent extreme
weather over the UK and Europe will not succeed in completely spoiling the
moment for everyone.
Just now, there is an especially interesting feature visible within the large
North polar cap, and observers should give it their attention. It is shown on
many images, but visual observers often miss it: an annular rift is observable
at all longitudes as a thin, dark line. When the seasonal carbon dioxide cap
has sublimed away, this feature (a permanent dune field) will mark the
boundary of the small cap remnant which persists throughout the summer. It is
also known as the polar collar, and its thickness varies with longitude. The
annular rift within the cap was well seen by Section members at the 1995
opposition, and it is also visible on amateur (and HST) images from other
oppositions during the 1990s decade. However, historical observations have
rarely shown it, suggesting that perhaps the thickness of the seasonal polar
deposit may vary slightly from year to year. Historical data are reviewed in
detail in our 1995 Section Report, which may be downloaded as a pdf file from
the Mars Section website (http://www.britastro.org/mars).
Observers are also reporting brighter parts of the cap near its southern
boundary: later on, irregularities and rifts will appear and portions of the
cap will become detached. The best-known and largest of the detached portions
is labelled Olympia on the telescopic maps. All of these details should be
carefully recorded, and the data sent to the undersigned.
Further notes about the current opposition will appear in the February number
of the BAA Journal.
Dr Richard McKim, Director, 2010 January 25
richardmckim@btinternet..com
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail: circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Thu Jan 28 23:12:38 GMT 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
[BAA 00468] Event at the Science Museum Dana Centre on 4th February 2010
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00468 http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
This event at the London Science Museum's Dana Centre on 4th February may be
of interest to some members.
David Boyd, President
president@britastro.org
****************************************************************
The Science Museum's Dana Centre in London will be holding a free public event
on the 4th February entitled "Space - a real frontier?" which may be of
interest to you or your colleagues.
The event will be discussing international endeavours and cross-culture
collaborations in astronomy and space exploration including the current
involvement of over 15 nationalities in the International Space Station, the
emergence of China and India in the space technology field and the rich
historical tradition of world fascination with what lies beyond earth and the
need to pool knowledge to explore it.
Simon Schaffer, Professor of History of Science at the University of Cambridge
and presenter of the BBC TV series Light Fantastic will talk about historical
global astronomical projects including India's Jaipur observatory, a centre
for excellence almost three centuries ago. Doug Millard, the Science Museum's
curator for Space Technology, will look at the more recent past and the
shifting balance of competition and collaboration between the Soviet Union and
the U.S.A during the Cold War. And Craig Underwood from the Surrey Space
Centre discusses the new players in the field of satellite technology and all
the countries that have used the facilities of his world-leading centre.
The evening will continue as we move over to the main museum where our experts
bring these examples to life through a guided tour of selected objects and
exhibits in the Science Museum galleries 1001 Inventions and Cosmos and
Culture. From centuries-old observatories through precious astrolabes to
Soviet Union telescopes explore the rich history of countries and cultures
exchanging knowledge and technology to explore what lies beyond earth.
This event is free but to ensure your place please pre-book at
tickets@danacentre.org.uk or call 02079424040. It is also worth mentioning
that the Dana Centre and d.cafére licensed premises open only to those aged 18
or over. For more information about this or any of our other events please
visit our website www.danacentre.org.uk.
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail: circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Thu Jan 28 23:16:06 GMT 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00468 http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
This event at the London Science Museum's Dana Centre on 4th February may be
of interest to some members.
David Boyd, President
president@britastro.org
****************************************************************
The Science Museum's Dana Centre in London will be holding a free public event
on the 4th February entitled "Space - a real frontier?" which may be of
interest to you or your colleagues.
The event will be discussing international endeavours and cross-culture
collaborations in astronomy and space exploration including the current
involvement of over 15 nationalities in the International Space Station, the
emergence of China and India in the space technology field and the rich
historical tradition of world fascination with what lies beyond earth and the
need to pool knowledge to explore it.
Simon Schaffer, Professor of History of Science at the University of Cambridge
and presenter of the BBC TV series Light Fantastic will talk about historical
global astronomical projects including India's Jaipur observatory, a centre
for excellence almost three centuries ago. Doug Millard, the Science Museum's
curator for Space Technology, will look at the more recent past and the
shifting balance of competition and collaboration between the Soviet Union and
the U.S.A during the Cold War. And Craig Underwood from the Surrey Space
Centre discusses the new players in the field of satellite technology and all
the countries that have used the facilities of his world-leading centre.
The evening will continue as we move over to the main museum where our experts
bring these examples to life through a guided tour of selected objects and
exhibits in the Science Museum galleries 1001 Inventions and Cosmos and
Culture. From centuries-old observatories through precious astrolabes to
Soviet Union telescopes explore the rich history of countries and cultures
exchanging knowledge and technology to explore what lies beyond earth.
This event is free but to ensure your place please pre-book at
tickets@danacentre.org.uk or call 02079424040. It is also worth mentioning
that the Dana Centre and d.cafére licensed premises open only to those aged 18
or over. For more information about this or any of our other events please
visit our website www.danacentre.org.uk.
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail: circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Thu Jan 28 23:16:06 GMT 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
[BAA 00469] Meteorites and the Early Solar System - 12-14 March 2010
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00469 http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
This course being run by the Natural History Museum and the Jurassic Coast
World Heritage Team may be of interest to some members.
David Boyd, President
president@britastro.org
****************************************************************
Meteorites formed 4.568 billion years ago in the protoplanetary disk around
the young sun. They are the building blocks of our planets and represent a key
stage in the growth from sub-millimetre fine dust grains in the interstellar
medium to thousands of kilometre sized planets. Thus, the study of meteorites
provide us not only with the formation conditions of our own solar system, but
also with conditions that must be met by other protoplanetary systems, in
order for them to form planets. This knowledge in conjunction with results
from astronomical observations of protoplanetary disks enable us to predict
whether a distant system is capable to form planets in the future or not.
The vast majority of meteorites originate from the asteroid belt. This is a
region between Mars and Jupiter that contains more than a million bodies, the
largest with a diameter of nearly 1000 km. A few meteorites come from Mars and
the Moon. Although all meteorites come from within our solar system, some
contain a small fraction of tiny, so called 'stardust' grains that formed in
other stars or during the explosion of stars in e.g. super nova events.
The course will cover all major aspects of meteorite formation and what we
learn from them about the evolution of our solar system, but also the
formation and evolution of Mars and the Moon. One part will be devoted to our
current knowledge about other protoplanetary disks and exo-planets.
Information about booking on the course can be found here:
http://www.field-studies-council.org/2010/courseinfo.aspx?id=31
The Natural History Museum is joining together with the Field Studies Council,
Jurassic Coast World Heritage Team and Lyme Regis Development Trust to offer a
range of natural science courses operating from the Town in February and March
2010.
http://www.field-studies-council.org/2010/walkingandgeology/jurassiccoast.aspx
This Pilot Project offers a unique programme of field based learning led by
leading specialists in zoology, entomology, botany, mineralogy and
palaeontology to individual students, special interest groups and to further
professional career development.
This is the first time that the Natural History Museum.s Science Directorates
are working in this way and student places will be limited on this pilot for
an innovative, internationally significant educational offer based on the
unique universal value of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The 2010
pilot project is the next step in establishing the Jurassic Coast Studies
Centre
******************************************************************
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail: circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Thu Jan 28 23:18:56 GMT 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00469 http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
This course being run by the Natural History Museum and the Jurassic Coast
World Heritage Team may be of interest to some members.
David Boyd, President
president@britastro.org
****************************************************************
Meteorites formed 4.568 billion years ago in the protoplanetary disk around
the young sun. They are the building blocks of our planets and represent a key
stage in the growth from sub-millimetre fine dust grains in the interstellar
medium to thousands of kilometre sized planets. Thus, the study of meteorites
provide us not only with the formation conditions of our own solar system, but
also with conditions that must be met by other protoplanetary systems, in
order for them to form planets. This knowledge in conjunction with results
from astronomical observations of protoplanetary disks enable us to predict
whether a distant system is capable to form planets in the future or not.
The vast majority of meteorites originate from the asteroid belt. This is a
region between Mars and Jupiter that contains more than a million bodies, the
largest with a diameter of nearly 1000 km. A few meteorites come from Mars and
the Moon. Although all meteorites come from within our solar system, some
contain a small fraction of tiny, so called 'stardust' grains that formed in
other stars or during the explosion of stars in e.g. super nova events.
The course will cover all major aspects of meteorite formation and what we
learn from them about the evolution of our solar system, but also the
formation and evolution of Mars and the Moon. One part will be devoted to our
current knowledge about other protoplanetary disks and exo-planets.
Information about booking on the course can be found here:
http://www.field-studies-council.org/2010/courseinfo.aspx?id=31
The Natural History Museum is joining together with the Field Studies Council,
Jurassic Coast World Heritage Team and Lyme Regis Development Trust to offer a
range of natural science courses operating from the Town in February and March
2010.
http://www.field-studies-council.org/2010/walkingandgeology/jurassiccoast.aspx
This Pilot Project offers a unique programme of field based learning led by
leading specialists in zoology, entomology, botany, mineralogy and
palaeontology to individual students, special interest groups and to further
professional career development.
This is the first time that the Natural History Museum.s Science Directorates
are working in this way and student places will be limited on this pilot for
an innovative, internationally significant educational offer based on the
unique universal value of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site. The 2010
pilot project is the next step in establishing the Jurassic Coast Studies
Centre
******************************************************************
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail: circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Thu Jan 28 23:18:56 GMT 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Thursday 28 January 2010
Endeavour's readiness review underway / NASA sets new plan for Spirit
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 @ 1802 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
++++
NOW AVAILABLE! The next space shuttle crew patch for STS-130!
Get free shipping to U.S. addresses!
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com
++++
NASA OFFICIALS CAUCUS FOR ENDEAVOUR'S REVIEW
--------------------------------------------
The Flight Readiness Review is underway today at the Kennedy Space Center
to examine preparations for space shuttle Endeavour's upcoming mission and
set the formal launch date.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/status.html
LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART:
http://spaceflightnow.com/sts130/fdf/130windows.html
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO:
http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/hd/sts130/
SPACEFLIGHT NOW VIDEO ARCHIVE
http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/index.php
SPIRIT TO SLEEP THROUGH WINTER, THEN START NEW WORK
---------------------------------------------------
The Mars rover Spirit's transition from operational rover to a hibernating
robot will be the most dangerous period either rover has been forced to
endure on the Red Planet, but it may yield a new awakening as a stationary
scientific lander later this year.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/26spirit/
NEW GSLV ROCKET ENGINE FORCES INDIAN LAUNCH DELAYS
--------------------------------------------------
Trouble with a new cryogenic engine is delaying India's plans to debut an
updated all-Indian version of its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle,
the most powerful rocket in the country's inventory.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/26gslv/
THIS WEEK IN SPACE WITH MILES O'BRIEN
-------------------------------------
In the latest episode of This Week in Space with Miles O'Brien: a decision
nears from President Obama on the future of the manned space program, Elon
Musk of SpaceX vehemently denies his rockets will be unsafe for
astronauts, the clock ticks down to the launch of the shuttle Endeavour,
the rover Spirit moves (but just a little), and Miles checks out the
lunar-inspired artwork of moonwalker Alan Bean. You also can subscribe for
free to watch episodes from iTunes.
http://spaceflightnow.com
+++
GET OUR LIVE UPDATES FROM TWITTER!
Sign up to Spaceflight Now's Twitter feed
and get text message updates on your cell phone.
http://twitter.com/spaceflightnow/
+++
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
++++
NOW AVAILABLE! The next space shuttle crew patch for STS-130!
Get free shipping to U.S. addresses!
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com
++++
NASA OFFICIALS CAUCUS FOR ENDEAVOUR'S REVIEW
--------------------------------------------
The Flight Readiness Review is underway today at the Kennedy Space Center
to examine preparations for space shuttle Endeavour's upcoming mission and
set the formal launch date.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/status.html
LAUNCH WINDOWS CHART:
http://spaceflightnow.com/sts130/fdf/130windows.html
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO:
http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/hd/sts130/
SPACEFLIGHT NOW VIDEO ARCHIVE
http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/index.php
SPIRIT TO SLEEP THROUGH WINTER, THEN START NEW WORK
---------------------------------------------------
The Mars rover Spirit's transition from operational rover to a hibernating
robot will be the most dangerous period either rover has been forced to
endure on the Red Planet, but it may yield a new awakening as a stationary
scientific lander later this year.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/26spirit/
NEW GSLV ROCKET ENGINE FORCES INDIAN LAUNCH DELAYS
--------------------------------------------------
Trouble with a new cryogenic engine is delaying India's plans to debut an
updated all-Indian version of its Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle,
the most powerful rocket in the country's inventory.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/26gslv/
THIS WEEK IN SPACE WITH MILES O'BRIEN
-------------------------------------
In the latest episode of This Week in Space with Miles O'Brien: a decision
nears from President Obama on the future of the manned space program, Elon
Musk of SpaceX vehemently denies his rockets will be unsafe for
astronauts, the clock ticks down to the launch of the shuttle Endeavour,
the rover Spirit moves (but just a little), and Miles checks out the
lunar-inspired artwork of moonwalker Alan Bean. You also can subscribe for
free to watch episodes from iTunes.
http://spaceflightnow.com
+++
GET OUR LIVE UPDATES FROM TWITTER!
Sign up to Spaceflight Now's Twitter feed
and get text message updates on your cell phone.
http://twitter.com/spaceflightnow/
+++
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Wednesday 27 January 2010
Very Useful Information For January
January Celestial Calendar by Dave Mitsky
All times are UT (subtract five hours, and one calendar day when appropriate, for EST)
1/1 The Moon is at perigee, subtending 33'36" from a distance of 358,682 kilometers (222,875 miles), at 20:33
1/3 The Earth is at perihelion (147,097,907 kilometers or 91,402,485 miles distant from the Sun) at 0:00; Mars is 7 degrees north of the Moon at 12:00; the Quadrantid meteor shower (40 to 120 or more per hour) peaks at 19:00
1/4 The latest sunrise of 2010 at latitude 40 degrees north occurs today; Mercury is in inferior conjunction with the Sun at 19:00
1/6 Saturn is 8 degrees north of the Moon at 19:00
1/7 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 10:39; the latest onset of morning twilight of 2010 at latitude 40 degrees north occurs today; asteroid 4 Vesta is stationary at 21:00
1/9 The Curtiss Cross, an X-shaped illumination effect located between the craters Parry and Gambart, is predicted to occur at 4:25
1/10 Mercury is at its greatest heliocentric latitude north today
1/11 The waning crescent Moon is 1.1 degrees south of the first-magnitude star Antares (Alpha Scorpii), with an occultation taking place in southern Greenland, eastern Canada, and the northeastern United States, at 13:00; Venus is in superior conjunction with the Sun at 22:00
1/13 Mercury is 5 degrees north of the Moon at 16:00
1/14 Saturn is stationary at 19:00
1/15 New Moon (lunation 1077) occurs at 7:11 - an annular solar eclipse occurs in central Africa, parts of India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and China and a partial solar eclipse in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; Mercury is stationary at 16:00
1/17 The Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'01" from a distance of 406,435 kilometers (252,547 miles), at 1:40; Neptune is 4 degrees south of the Moon at 23:00
1/18 Jupiter is 5 degrees south of the Moon at 10:00
1/20 Uranus is 6 degrees south of the Moon at 11:00
1/22 The Lunar X (the Purbach or Werner Cross), an X-shaped illumination effect involving various rims and ridges between the craters La Caille, Blanchinus, and Purbach, is predicted to occur at 15:54
1/23 First Quarter Moon occurs at 10:53; a double Galilean satellite shadow transit begins at 16:00
1/24 Venus is at aphelion today
1/25 The Moon is 0.03 degrees north of the bright open cluster M45 (the Pleiades) in Taurus at 11:00
1/27 Mars is closest to the Earth today; Mercury is at greatest western elongation (25 degrees) at 6:00; the Moon is 0.8 degrees north of the bright open cluster M35 in Gemini at 18:00
1/29 Mars (magnitude -1.3, size 14.1") is at opposition at 20:00
1/30 Full Moon (known as the Ice Moon, the Moon After Yule, the Old Moon, and the Wolf Moon) occurs at 6:18; Mars is 7 degrees north of the Moon at 8:00; the Moon is at perigee, subtending 33'50" from a distance of 356,593 kilometers (221,577 miles), at 9:05
The astronomer Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687) was born this month.
The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on the morning of January 3 but is compromised by strong moonlight. This shower can sometimes reach zenithal hourly rates of more than 100 meteors per hour. The radiant of the Quadrantids lies at the junction of the constellations of Boötes, Hercules, and Draco in what was once called Quadrans Muralis. The near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1 is believed to be the source of these meteors.
The Moon is 15.5 days old and is located in Gemini on January 1 at 0:00 UT. See http://www.curtrenz.com/1024s.html for a map of the grazing lunar occultation of the fourth-magnitude star Wasat (Delta Geminorum) occurring on January 1 and http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/bstar/0111zc2366.htm for information on the lunar occultation of the first-magnitude star Antares taking place on January 11. The largest Full Moon of 2010 occurs on January 30. Tides will be larger than normal on January 31. The Moon is at its greatest declination north of +25.8 degrees on January 26 and its greatest declination south of -25.8 degrees on January 12. Latitudinal libration is at a maximum of +6.9 degrees on January 7 and a minimum of -6.9 degrees on January 22. Longitudinal libration is at a maximum of +7.2 degrees on January 8 and a minimum of -7.8 degrees on January 24. Visit http://www.astronomyblogs.com/member/saberscorpx/?xjMsgID=50821 for tips on spotting extreme crescent Moons. Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this month are available at http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
The Sun is located in Sagittarius on January 1. On January 15, the longest annular solar eclipse until 3043 occurs in Africa and southern and eastern Asia.
Data (magnitude, apparent size, illumination, and distance from the Earth in astronomical units) for the planets and Pluto on January 1: Mercury (2.9, 9.6", 6%, Sagittarius, 0.70 a.u.), Venus (-4.0, 9.8", 100%, Sagittarius, 1.71 a.u.), Mars (-0.8, 12.7", 96%, Leo, 0.74 a.u.), Jupiter (-2.1, 35.0", 99%, Capricornus, 5.64 a.u.), Saturn (0.9, 17.8", 100%, Virgo, 9.32 a.u.), Uranus (5.9, 3.4", 100%, Aquarius, 20.60 a.u.), Neptune (8.0, 2.2", 100%, Capricornus, 30.88 a.u.), and Pluto (14.1, 0.1", 100% , Sagittarius, 32.68 a.u.).
Visibility of the classical planets at mid month from 40 degrees north latitude: Mercury can be seen during morning twilight; Mars is visible the entire night; Jupiter sets at 8:00 p.m. EST; Saturn rises at 11:00 p.m. EST and culminates at 5:00 a.m.
Jupiter and Uranus lie in the southwest evening sky. At midnight, Mars is in the southeast and Saturn is in the east. Mercury can be seen in the southeast, Mars in the west, and Saturn in the southwest in the morning.
Mercury is in inferior conjunction on January 4. For observers at 40 degrees north, Mercury is 9 to 10 degrees above the horizon a half hour before sunrise from January 15 to the end of the month. Greatest western elongation takes place on January 27.
Venus reaches superior conjunction on January 11 and is not visible this month.
Earth is at perihelion on January 3. On that date, it is about 3% (5.0 million kilometers or 3.1 million miles) closer to the Sun than on July 6, when Earth is at aphelion.
In early January, Mars rises about 7:00 p.m. and culminates around 2:00 a.m. EST. It begins to retrograde westward from Leo into Cancer during the second week of January, moving from west of the Sickle of Leo to the vicinity of Gamma Cancri, a total of ten degrees. Mars increases in apparent size by 1.4 arc seconds and brightens by more than half this month. Mars is nearest to the Earth on January 27, when it's at a distance of 93.3 million kilometers (61.7 million miles). When the Red Planet reaches opposition - a rather unfavorable one - on January 29, it shines at magnitude -1.3 and subtends 14.1 arc seconds. However, although it is quite small in angular size, Mars does have a favorable northern declination of 22 degrees and 10 minutes at opposition, when it will be less than four degrees to the northeast of the bright open cluster M44. The northern hemisphere of Mars, which is experiencing springtime, is tipped towards Earth. This means that the northern polar cap will be particularly prominent. The following Martian surface features are near the central meridian at midnight EST on the indicated dates: Sabaeus Sinus, Mare Acidalium, and Chryse Planitia (January 1); Sabaeus Sinus, Syrtis Major, and Hellas (January 7); Syrtis Major and Hellas (January 14); Mare Cimmerium, Mare Sirenum, Elysium, and Amazonis (January 21); Solis Lacus and Tharsis (January 28). When viewed at the same time from one night to the next, Martian surface features seemingly rotate 9 degrees backward each night. A map of the surface features of Mars appears in the December 2009 issue of Sky & Telescope. Sky & Telescope's Mars Profiler, a valuable online resource for identifying Martian surface features can be found at http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307831.html
Jupiter moves from Capricornus to Aquarius this month. It sets about four hours after sunset at the start of January and less than two hours after the Sun by the end of the month. Jupiter's four major moons were discovered by Galileo Galilei four hundred years ago this month. Data on the Galilean satellites is available at http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307071.html
On the first night of 2010, Saturn rises at approximately 11:30 p.m. EST. It's situated less than half a degree north of the celestial equator, about one degree north of the fourth-magnitude star Eta Virginis. The inclination of Saturn's rings is 4.9 degrees, the greatest amount of ring tilt from October 2008 through August 2010, on the morning of January 8. Saturn begins retrograde (western) motion on January 14. Titan is near Saturn on January 2, 10, 18, and 26. Iapetus is at greatest eastern elongation on January 10. For additional information on the satellites of Saturn, browse http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3308506.html
Uranus bids farewell to Aquarius and enters Pisces, residing just south of the Circlet of Pisces. The seventh planet is greater than 40 degrees in altitude on the first day of January at the end of twilight and sets late in the evening, about two hours after Jupiter. As it heads towards conjunction in March, Uranus appears lower in the sky with each successive night.
Neptune is located approximately two degrees to the west of Jupiter in early January. By the end of the month, Neptune disappears into evening twilight as it approaches conjunction on February 14.
Finder charts for Uranus and Neptune appear on page 59 of the September 2009 issue of Sky & Telescope and are posted online at http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/41561382.html
Pluto is not a viable telescopic target this month.
Asteroid 4 Vesta shines at seventh-magnitude as it glides northwestward through northern Leo during January. On the nights of January 1 and January 2, it lies between 46 and 52 Leonis. 4 Vesta is located just three arc minutes from a 6.6-magnitude star on the night of January 21.
Comet 81P/Wild passes southeastward through Virgo this month. The tenth-magnitude periodic comet lies one degree to the south of Saturn during the first week of January. Comet 88P/Howell and Siding Spring (2007 Q3) are two other possible cometary targets. Visit http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/ for additional information on these comets.
A free star map for January can be downloaded at http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html
The famous eclipsing variable star Algol (Beta Persei) is at a minimum, decreasing in magnitude from 2.1 to 3.4, on January 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 21, 24, 27, and 30. For more on Algol, see http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/Algol.html and http://www.solstation.com/stars2/algol3.html
One hundred and five binary and multiple stars for January: Omega Aurigae, 5 Aurigae, Struve 644, 14 Aurigae, Struve 698, Struve 718, 26 Aurigae, Struve 764, Struve 796, Struve 811, Theta Aurigae (Auriga); Struve 485, 1 Camelopardalis, Struve 587, Beta Camelopardalis, 11 & 12 Camelopardalis, Struve 638, Struve 677, 29 Camelopardalis, Struve 780 (Camelopardalis); h3628, Struve 560, Struve 570, Struve 571, Struve 576, 55 Eridani, Struve 596, Struve 631, Struve 636, 66 Eridani, Struve 649 (Eridanus); Kappa Leporis, South 473, South 476, h3750, h3752, h3759, Beta Leporis, Alpha Leporis, h3780, Lallande 1, h3788, Gamma Leporis (Lepus); Struve 627, Struve 630, Struve 652, Phi Orionis, Otto Struve 517, Beta Orionis (Rigel), Struve 664, Tau Orionis, Burnham 189, h697, Struve 701, Eta Orionis, h2268, 31 Orionis, 33 Orionis, Delta Orionis (Mintaka), Struve 734, Struve 747, Lambda Orionis, Theta-1 Orionis (the Trapezium), Theta-2 Orionis, Iota Orionis, Struve 750, Struve 754, Sigma Orionis, Zeta Orionis (Alnitak), Struve 790, 52 Orionis, Struve 816, 59 Orionis, 60 Orionis (Orion); Struve 476, Espin 878, Struve 521, Struve 533, 56 Persei, Struve 552, 57 Persei (Perseus); Struve 479, Otto Struve 70, Struve 495, Otto Struve 72, Struve 510, 47 Tauri, Struve 517, Struve 523, Phi Tauri, Burnham 87, Xi Tauri, 62 Tauri, Kappa & 67 Tauri, Struve 548, Otto Struve 84, Struve 562, 88 Tauri, Struve 572, Tau Tauri, Struve 598, Struve 623, Struve 645, Struve 670, Struve 674, Struve 680, 111 Tauri, 114 Tauri, 118 Tauri, Struve 730, Struve 742, 133 Tauri (Taurus)
Challenge binary star for January: 14 Orionis
Notable variable star for January: U Orionis
Notable carbon star for January: R Leporis (Hind's Crimson Star)
Seventy deep-sky objects for January: B26-28, B29, M36, M37, M38, NGC 1664, NGC 1778, NGC 1857, NGC 1893, NGC 1907, NGC 1931 (Auriga); IC 361, Kemble 1 (Kemble's Cascade asterism), NGC 1501, NGC 1502, NGC 1530, NGC 1569 (Camelopardalis); NGC 1507, NGC 1518, NGC 1531, NGC 1532, NGC 1535, NGC 1537, NGC 1600, NGC 1637, NGC 1659, NGC 1700 (Eridanus); IC 418, M79, NGC 1832, NGC 1888, NGC 1964 (Lepus); B33, Cr65, Cr69, Cr70, IC 434, M42, M43, M78, NGC 1662, NGC 1973-75-77, NGC 1981, NGC 1999, NGC 2022, NGC 2023, NGC 2024, NGC 2112 (Orion); Be11, NGC 1491, NGC 1496, NGC 1499, NGC 1513, NGC 1528, NGC 1545, NGC 1548, NGC 1579, NGC 1582, NGC 1605, NGC 1624 (Perseus); DoDz3, DoDz4, M1, Mel 25, NGC 1514, NGC 1587, NGC 1647, NGC 1746, NGC 1807, NGC 1817 (Taurus)
Top ten binocular deep-sky objects for January: Kemble 1, M36, M37, M38, M42, NGC 1528, NGC 1647, NGC 1746, NGC 1981
Top ten deep-sky objects for January: M1, M36, M37, M38, M42, M43, M78, M79, NGC 1501, NGC 2024
Challenge deep-sky object for January: IC 2118 (Eridanus)
The objects listed above are located between 4:00 and 6:00 hours of right ascension.
All times are UT (subtract five hours, and one calendar day when appropriate, for EST)
1/1 The Moon is at perigee, subtending 33'36" from a distance of 358,682 kilometers (222,875 miles), at 20:33
1/3 The Earth is at perihelion (147,097,907 kilometers or 91,402,485 miles distant from the Sun) at 0:00; Mars is 7 degrees north of the Moon at 12:00; the Quadrantid meteor shower (40 to 120 or more per hour) peaks at 19:00
1/4 The latest sunrise of 2010 at latitude 40 degrees north occurs today; Mercury is in inferior conjunction with the Sun at 19:00
1/6 Saturn is 8 degrees north of the Moon at 19:00
1/7 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 10:39; the latest onset of morning twilight of 2010 at latitude 40 degrees north occurs today; asteroid 4 Vesta is stationary at 21:00
1/9 The Curtiss Cross, an X-shaped illumination effect located between the craters Parry and Gambart, is predicted to occur at 4:25
1/10 Mercury is at its greatest heliocentric latitude north today
1/11 The waning crescent Moon is 1.1 degrees south of the first-magnitude star Antares (Alpha Scorpii), with an occultation taking place in southern Greenland, eastern Canada, and the northeastern United States, at 13:00; Venus is in superior conjunction with the Sun at 22:00
1/13 Mercury is 5 degrees north of the Moon at 16:00
1/14 Saturn is stationary at 19:00
1/15 New Moon (lunation 1077) occurs at 7:11 - an annular solar eclipse occurs in central Africa, parts of India, Sri Lanka, Burma, and China and a partial solar eclipse in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia; Mercury is stationary at 16:00
1/17 The Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'01" from a distance of 406,435 kilometers (252,547 miles), at 1:40; Neptune is 4 degrees south of the Moon at 23:00
1/18 Jupiter is 5 degrees south of the Moon at 10:00
1/20 Uranus is 6 degrees south of the Moon at 11:00
1/22 The Lunar X (the Purbach or Werner Cross), an X-shaped illumination effect involving various rims and ridges between the craters La Caille, Blanchinus, and Purbach, is predicted to occur at 15:54
1/23 First Quarter Moon occurs at 10:53; a double Galilean satellite shadow transit begins at 16:00
1/24 Venus is at aphelion today
1/25 The Moon is 0.03 degrees north of the bright open cluster M45 (the Pleiades) in Taurus at 11:00
1/27 Mars is closest to the Earth today; Mercury is at greatest western elongation (25 degrees) at 6:00; the Moon is 0.8 degrees north of the bright open cluster M35 in Gemini at 18:00
1/29 Mars (magnitude -1.3, size 14.1") is at opposition at 20:00
1/30 Full Moon (known as the Ice Moon, the Moon After Yule, the Old Moon, and the Wolf Moon) occurs at 6:18; Mars is 7 degrees north of the Moon at 8:00; the Moon is at perigee, subtending 33'50" from a distance of 356,593 kilometers (221,577 miles), at 9:05
The astronomer Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687) was born this month.
The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on the morning of January 3 but is compromised by strong moonlight. This shower can sometimes reach zenithal hourly rates of more than 100 meteors per hour. The radiant of the Quadrantids lies at the junction of the constellations of Boötes, Hercules, and Draco in what was once called Quadrans Muralis. The near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1 is believed to be the source of these meteors.
The Moon is 15.5 days old and is located in Gemini on January 1 at 0:00 UT. See http://www.curtrenz.com/1024s.html for a map of the grazing lunar occultation of the fourth-magnitude star Wasat (Delta Geminorum) occurring on January 1 and http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/bstar/0111zc2366.htm for information on the lunar occultation of the first-magnitude star Antares taking place on January 11. The largest Full Moon of 2010 occurs on January 30. Tides will be larger than normal on January 31. The Moon is at its greatest declination north of +25.8 degrees on January 26 and its greatest declination south of -25.8 degrees on January 12. Latitudinal libration is at a maximum of +6.9 degrees on January 7 and a minimum of -6.9 degrees on January 22. Longitudinal libration is at a maximum of +7.2 degrees on January 8 and a minimum of -7.8 degrees on January 24. Visit http://www.astronomyblogs.com/member/saberscorpx/?xjMsgID=50821 for tips on spotting extreme crescent Moons. Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this month are available at http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm
The Sun is located in Sagittarius on January 1. On January 15, the longest annular solar eclipse until 3043 occurs in Africa and southern and eastern Asia.
Data (magnitude, apparent size, illumination, and distance from the Earth in astronomical units) for the planets and Pluto on January 1: Mercury (2.9, 9.6", 6%, Sagittarius, 0.70 a.u.), Venus (-4.0, 9.8", 100%, Sagittarius, 1.71 a.u.), Mars (-0.8, 12.7", 96%, Leo, 0.74 a.u.), Jupiter (-2.1, 35.0", 99%, Capricornus, 5.64 a.u.), Saturn (0.9, 17.8", 100%, Virgo, 9.32 a.u.), Uranus (5.9, 3.4", 100%, Aquarius, 20.60 a.u.), Neptune (8.0, 2.2", 100%, Capricornus, 30.88 a.u.), and Pluto (14.1, 0.1", 100% , Sagittarius, 32.68 a.u.).
Visibility of the classical planets at mid month from 40 degrees north latitude: Mercury can be seen during morning twilight; Mars is visible the entire night; Jupiter sets at 8:00 p.m. EST; Saturn rises at 11:00 p.m. EST and culminates at 5:00 a.m.
Jupiter and Uranus lie in the southwest evening sky. At midnight, Mars is in the southeast and Saturn is in the east. Mercury can be seen in the southeast, Mars in the west, and Saturn in the southwest in the morning.
Mercury is in inferior conjunction on January 4. For observers at 40 degrees north, Mercury is 9 to 10 degrees above the horizon a half hour before sunrise from January 15 to the end of the month. Greatest western elongation takes place on January 27.
Venus reaches superior conjunction on January 11 and is not visible this month.
Earth is at perihelion on January 3. On that date, it is about 3% (5.0 million kilometers or 3.1 million miles) closer to the Sun than on July 6, when Earth is at aphelion.
In early January, Mars rises about 7:00 p.m. and culminates around 2:00 a.m. EST. It begins to retrograde westward from Leo into Cancer during the second week of January, moving from west of the Sickle of Leo to the vicinity of Gamma Cancri, a total of ten degrees. Mars increases in apparent size by 1.4 arc seconds and brightens by more than half this month. Mars is nearest to the Earth on January 27, when it's at a distance of 93.3 million kilometers (61.7 million miles). When the Red Planet reaches opposition - a rather unfavorable one - on January 29, it shines at magnitude -1.3 and subtends 14.1 arc seconds. However, although it is quite small in angular size, Mars does have a favorable northern declination of 22 degrees and 10 minutes at opposition, when it will be less than four degrees to the northeast of the bright open cluster M44. The northern hemisphere of Mars, which is experiencing springtime, is tipped towards Earth. This means that the northern polar cap will be particularly prominent. The following Martian surface features are near the central meridian at midnight EST on the indicated dates: Sabaeus Sinus, Mare Acidalium, and Chryse Planitia (January 1); Sabaeus Sinus, Syrtis Major, and Hellas (January 7); Syrtis Major and Hellas (January 14); Mare Cimmerium, Mare Sirenum, Elysium, and Amazonis (January 21); Solis Lacus and Tharsis (January 28). When viewed at the same time from one night to the next, Martian surface features seemingly rotate 9 degrees backward each night. A map of the surface features of Mars appears in the December 2009 issue of Sky & Telescope. Sky & Telescope's Mars Profiler, a valuable online resource for identifying Martian surface features can be found at http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307831.html
Jupiter moves from Capricornus to Aquarius this month. It sets about four hours after sunset at the start of January and less than two hours after the Sun by the end of the month. Jupiter's four major moons were discovered by Galileo Galilei four hundred years ago this month. Data on the Galilean satellites is available at http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307071.html
On the first night of 2010, Saturn rises at approximately 11:30 p.m. EST. It's situated less than half a degree north of the celestial equator, about one degree north of the fourth-magnitude star Eta Virginis. The inclination of Saturn's rings is 4.9 degrees, the greatest amount of ring tilt from October 2008 through August 2010, on the morning of January 8. Saturn begins retrograde (western) motion on January 14. Titan is near Saturn on January 2, 10, 18, and 26. Iapetus is at greatest eastern elongation on January 10. For additional information on the satellites of Saturn, browse http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3308506.html
Uranus bids farewell to Aquarius and enters Pisces, residing just south of the Circlet of Pisces. The seventh planet is greater than 40 degrees in altitude on the first day of January at the end of twilight and sets late in the evening, about two hours after Jupiter. As it heads towards conjunction in March, Uranus appears lower in the sky with each successive night.
Neptune is located approximately two degrees to the west of Jupiter in early January. By the end of the month, Neptune disappears into evening twilight as it approaches conjunction on February 14.
Finder charts for Uranus and Neptune appear on page 59 of the September 2009 issue of Sky & Telescope and are posted online at http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/41561382.html
Pluto is not a viable telescopic target this month.
Asteroid 4 Vesta shines at seventh-magnitude as it glides northwestward through northern Leo during January. On the nights of January 1 and January 2, it lies between 46 and 52 Leonis. 4 Vesta is located just three arc minutes from a 6.6-magnitude star on the night of January 21.
Comet 81P/Wild passes southeastward through Virgo this month. The tenth-magnitude periodic comet lies one degree to the south of Saturn during the first week of January. Comet 88P/Howell and Siding Spring (2007 Q3) are two other possible cometary targets. Visit http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/ for additional information on these comets.
A free star map for January can be downloaded at http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html
The famous eclipsing variable star Algol (Beta Persei) is at a minimum, decreasing in magnitude from 2.1 to 3.4, on January 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 21, 24, 27, and 30. For more on Algol, see http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/Algol.html and http://www.solstation.com/stars2/algol3.html
One hundred and five binary and multiple stars for January: Omega Aurigae, 5 Aurigae, Struve 644, 14 Aurigae, Struve 698, Struve 718, 26 Aurigae, Struve 764, Struve 796, Struve 811, Theta Aurigae (Auriga); Struve 485, 1 Camelopardalis, Struve 587, Beta Camelopardalis, 11 & 12 Camelopardalis, Struve 638, Struve 677, 29 Camelopardalis, Struve 780 (Camelopardalis); h3628, Struve 560, Struve 570, Struve 571, Struve 576, 55 Eridani, Struve 596, Struve 631, Struve 636, 66 Eridani, Struve 649 (Eridanus); Kappa Leporis, South 473, South 476, h3750, h3752, h3759, Beta Leporis, Alpha Leporis, h3780, Lallande 1, h3788, Gamma Leporis (Lepus); Struve 627, Struve 630, Struve 652, Phi Orionis, Otto Struve 517, Beta Orionis (Rigel), Struve 664, Tau Orionis, Burnham 189, h697, Struve 701, Eta Orionis, h2268, 31 Orionis, 33 Orionis, Delta Orionis (Mintaka), Struve 734, Struve 747, Lambda Orionis, Theta-1 Orionis (the Trapezium), Theta-2 Orionis, Iota Orionis, Struve 750, Struve 754, Sigma Orionis, Zeta Orionis (Alnitak), Struve 790, 52 Orionis, Struve 816, 59 Orionis, 60 Orionis (Orion); Struve 476, Espin 878, Struve 521, Struve 533, 56 Persei, Struve 552, 57 Persei (Perseus); Struve 479, Otto Struve 70, Struve 495, Otto Struve 72, Struve 510, 47 Tauri, Struve 517, Struve 523, Phi Tauri, Burnham 87, Xi Tauri, 62 Tauri, Kappa & 67 Tauri, Struve 548, Otto Struve 84, Struve 562, 88 Tauri, Struve 572, Tau Tauri, Struve 598, Struve 623, Struve 645, Struve 670, Struve 674, Struve 680, 111 Tauri, 114 Tauri, 118 Tauri, Struve 730, Struve 742, 133 Tauri (Taurus)
Challenge binary star for January: 14 Orionis
Notable variable star for January: U Orionis
Notable carbon star for January: R Leporis (Hind's Crimson Star)
Seventy deep-sky objects for January: B26-28, B29, M36, M37, M38, NGC 1664, NGC 1778, NGC 1857, NGC 1893, NGC 1907, NGC 1931 (Auriga); IC 361, Kemble 1 (Kemble's Cascade asterism), NGC 1501, NGC 1502, NGC 1530, NGC 1569 (Camelopardalis); NGC 1507, NGC 1518, NGC 1531, NGC 1532, NGC 1535, NGC 1537, NGC 1600, NGC 1637, NGC 1659, NGC 1700 (Eridanus); IC 418, M79, NGC 1832, NGC 1888, NGC 1964 (Lepus); B33, Cr65, Cr69, Cr70, IC 434, M42, M43, M78, NGC 1662, NGC 1973-75-77, NGC 1981, NGC 1999, NGC 2022, NGC 2023, NGC 2024, NGC 2112 (Orion); Be11, NGC 1491, NGC 1496, NGC 1499, NGC 1513, NGC 1528, NGC 1545, NGC 1548, NGC 1579, NGC 1582, NGC 1605, NGC 1624 (Perseus); DoDz3, DoDz4, M1, Mel 25, NGC 1514, NGC 1587, NGC 1647, NGC 1746, NGC 1807, NGC 1817 (Taurus)
Top ten binocular deep-sky objects for January: Kemble 1, M36, M37, M38, M42, NGC 1528, NGC 1647, NGC 1746, NGC 1981
Top ten deep-sky objects for January: M1, M36, M37, M38, M42, M43, M78, M79, NGC 1501, NGC 2024
Challenge deep-sky object for January: IC 2118 (Eridanus)
The objects listed above are located between 4:00 and 6:00 hours of right ascension.
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Tuesday 26 January 2010
Now A Stationary Research Platform, NASA's Mars Rover Spirit Starts a New Chapter in Red Planet Scientific Studies
NOW A STATIONARY RESEARCH PLATFORM, NASA'S MARS ROVER SPIRIT STARTS A
NEW CHAPTER IN RED PLANET SCIENTIFIC STUDIES
The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-030&cid=release_2010-030
WASHINGTON -- After six years of unprecedented exploration of the Red Planet, NASA's Mars
Exploration Rover Spirit no longer will be a fully mobile robot. NASA has designated the once-
roving scientific explorer a stationary science platform after efforts during the past several months to
free it from a sand trap have been unsuccessful.
The venerable robot's primary task in the next few weeks will be to position itself to combat the
severe Martian winter. If Spirit survives, it will continue conducting significant new science from its
final location. The rover's mission could continue for several months to years.
"Spirit is not dead; it has just entered another phase of its long life," said Doug McCuistion, director
of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "We told the world last year
that attempts to set the beloved robot free may not be successful. It looks like Spirit's current location
on Mars will be its final resting place."
Ten months ago, as Spirit was driving south beside the western edge of a low plateau called Home
Plate, its wheels broke through a crusty surface and churned into soft sand hidden underneath.
After Spirit became embedded, the rover team crafted plans for trying to get the six-wheeled vehicle
free using its five functioning wheels – the sixth wheel quit working in 2006, limiting Spirit's
mobility. The planning included experiments with a test rover in a sandbox at NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., plus analysis, modeling and reviews. In November, another wheel quit
working, making a difficult situation even worse.
Recent drives have yielded the best results since Spirit became embedded. However, the coming
winter mandates a change in strategy. It is mid-autumn at the solar-powered robot's home on Mars.
Winter will begin in May. Solar energy is declining and expected to become insufficient to power
further driving by mid-February. The rover team plans to use those remaining potential drives for
improving the rover's tilt. Spirit currently tilts slightly toward the south. The winter sun stays in the
northern sky, so decreasing the southward tilt would boost the amount of sunshine on the rover's solar
panels.
"We need to lift the rear of the rover, or the left side of the rover, or both," said Ashley Stroupe, a
rover driver at JPL. "Lifting the rear wheels out of their ruts by driving backward and slightly uphill
will help. If necessary, we can try to lower the front right of the rover by attempting to drop the right-
front wheel into a rut or dig it into a hole."
At its current angle, Spirit probably would not have enough power to keep communicating with Earth
through the Martian winter. Even a few degrees of improvement in tilt might make enough difference
to enable communication every few days.
"Getting through the winter will all come down to temperature and how cold the rover electronics
will get," said John Callas, project manager at JPL for Spirit and its twin rover, Opportunity. "Every
bit of energy produced by Spirit's solar arrays will go into keeping the rover's critical electronics
warm, either by having the electronics on or by turning on essential heaters."
Even in a stationary state, Spirit continues scientific research.
"There's a class of science we can do only with a stationary vehicle that we had put off during the
years of driving," said Steve Squyres, a researcher at Cornell University and principal investigator for
Spirit and Opportunity. "Degraded mobility does not mean the mission ends abruptly. Instead, it lets
us transition to stationary science."
One stationary experiment Spirit has begun studies tiny wobbles in the rotation of Mars to gain
insight about the planet's core. This requires months of radio-tracking the motion of a point on the
surface of Mars to calculate long-term motion with an accuracy of a few inches.
"If the final scientific feather in Spirit's cap is determining whether the core of Mars is liquid or solid,
that would be wonderful -- it's so different from the other knowledge we've gained from Spirit," said
Squyres.
Tools on Spirit's robotic arm can study variations in the composition of nearby soil, which has been
affected by water. Stationary science also includes watching how wind moves soil particles and
monitoring the Martian atmosphere.
Spirit and Opportunity landed on Mars in January 2004. They have been exploring for six years, far
surpassing their original 90-day mission. Opportunity currently is driving toward a large crater called
Endeavor and continues to make scientific discoveries. It has driven approximately 12 miles and
returned more than 133,000 images.
JPL manages the rovers for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more
information about Spirit and Opportunity, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/rovers .
-end-
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
NEW CHAPTER IN RED PLANET SCIENTIFIC STUDIES
The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-030&cid=release_2010-030
WASHINGTON -- After six years of unprecedented exploration of the Red Planet, NASA's Mars
Exploration Rover Spirit no longer will be a fully mobile robot. NASA has designated the once-
roving scientific explorer a stationary science platform after efforts during the past several months to
free it from a sand trap have been unsuccessful.
The venerable robot's primary task in the next few weeks will be to position itself to combat the
severe Martian winter. If Spirit survives, it will continue conducting significant new science from its
final location. The rover's mission could continue for several months to years.
"Spirit is not dead; it has just entered another phase of its long life," said Doug McCuistion, director
of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "We told the world last year
that attempts to set the beloved robot free may not be successful. It looks like Spirit's current location
on Mars will be its final resting place."
Ten months ago, as Spirit was driving south beside the western edge of a low plateau called Home
Plate, its wheels broke through a crusty surface and churned into soft sand hidden underneath.
After Spirit became embedded, the rover team crafted plans for trying to get the six-wheeled vehicle
free using its five functioning wheels – the sixth wheel quit working in 2006, limiting Spirit's
mobility. The planning included experiments with a test rover in a sandbox at NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., plus analysis, modeling and reviews. In November, another wheel quit
working, making a difficult situation even worse.
Recent drives have yielded the best results since Spirit became embedded. However, the coming
winter mandates a change in strategy. It is mid-autumn at the solar-powered robot's home on Mars.
Winter will begin in May. Solar energy is declining and expected to become insufficient to power
further driving by mid-February. The rover team plans to use those remaining potential drives for
improving the rover's tilt. Spirit currently tilts slightly toward the south. The winter sun stays in the
northern sky, so decreasing the southward tilt would boost the amount of sunshine on the rover's solar
panels.
"We need to lift the rear of the rover, or the left side of the rover, or both," said Ashley Stroupe, a
rover driver at JPL. "Lifting the rear wheels out of their ruts by driving backward and slightly uphill
will help. If necessary, we can try to lower the front right of the rover by attempting to drop the right-
front wheel into a rut or dig it into a hole."
At its current angle, Spirit probably would not have enough power to keep communicating with Earth
through the Martian winter. Even a few degrees of improvement in tilt might make enough difference
to enable communication every few days.
"Getting through the winter will all come down to temperature and how cold the rover electronics
will get," said John Callas, project manager at JPL for Spirit and its twin rover, Opportunity. "Every
bit of energy produced by Spirit's solar arrays will go into keeping the rover's critical electronics
warm, either by having the electronics on or by turning on essential heaters."
Even in a stationary state, Spirit continues scientific research.
"There's a class of science we can do only with a stationary vehicle that we had put off during the
years of driving," said Steve Squyres, a researcher at Cornell University and principal investigator for
Spirit and Opportunity. "Degraded mobility does not mean the mission ends abruptly. Instead, it lets
us transition to stationary science."
One stationary experiment Spirit has begun studies tiny wobbles in the rotation of Mars to gain
insight about the planet's core. This requires months of radio-tracking the motion of a point on the
surface of Mars to calculate long-term motion with an accuracy of a few inches.
"If the final scientific feather in Spirit's cap is determining whether the core of Mars is liquid or solid,
that would be wonderful -- it's so different from the other knowledge we've gained from Spirit," said
Squyres.
Tools on Spirit's robotic arm can study variations in the composition of nearby soil, which has been
affected by water. Stationary science also includes watching how wind moves soil particles and
monitoring the Martian atmosphere.
Spirit and Opportunity landed on Mars in January 2004. They have been exploring for six years, far
surpassing their original 90-day mission. Opportunity currently is driving toward a large crater called
Endeavor and continues to make scientific discoveries. It has driven approximately 12 miles and
returned more than 133,000 images.
JPL manages the rovers for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more
information about Spirit and Opportunity, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/rovers .
-end-
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Monday 25 January 2010
Looming Martian winter threatens Spirit rover
NEWSALERT: Monday, January 25, 2009 @ 1645 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
===========================================
Looking for a job out of this world?
The top jobs and the best talents in
the space industry are on Space Careers.
http://www.space-careers.com/?id=sfn
Space Careers, a one-stop reference source
for employment in the space industry.
===========================================
LOOMING MARTIAN WINTER THREATENS SPIRIT ROVER
---------------------------------------------
NASA Headquarters managers face an imminent decision to formally halt
further extraction maneuvers by the Mars rover Spirit to conserve
electricity and to save the rover's life while it remains stuck in a sand
trap 61 million miles from Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/24spirit/
THIS WEEK IN SPACE WITH MILES O'BRIEN
-------------------------------------
In the latest episode of This Week in Space with Miles O'Brien: a decision
nears from President Obama on the future of the manned space program, Elon
Musk of SpaceX vehemently denies his rockets will be unsafe for
astronauts, the clock ticks down to the launch of the shuttle Endeavour,
the rover Spirit moves (but just a little), and Miles checks out the
lunar-inspired artwork of moonwalker Alan Bean. You also can subscribe for
free to watch episodes from iTunes.
http://spaceflightnow.com
iTunes subscription:
http://tinyurl.com/twisitunes
OCEANS OF DIAMOND POSSIBLE ON URANUS AND NEPTUNE
------------------------------------------------
High pressure experiments that mimic conditions on the icy gas giants show
that chunks of diamond can float on a sea of liquid carbon.
http://astronomynow.com/news/n1001/21diamond/
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
===========================================
Looking for a job out of this world?
The top jobs and the best talents in
the space industry are on Space Careers.
http://www.space-careers.com/?id=sfn
Space Careers, a one-stop reference source
for employment in the space industry.
===========================================
LOOMING MARTIAN WINTER THREATENS SPIRIT ROVER
---------------------------------------------
NASA Headquarters managers face an imminent decision to formally halt
further extraction maneuvers by the Mars rover Spirit to conserve
electricity and to save the rover's life while it remains stuck in a sand
trap 61 million miles from Earth.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/24spirit/
THIS WEEK IN SPACE WITH MILES O'BRIEN
-------------------------------------
In the latest episode of This Week in Space with Miles O'Brien: a decision
nears from President Obama on the future of the manned space program, Elon
Musk of SpaceX vehemently denies his rockets will be unsafe for
astronauts, the clock ticks down to the launch of the shuttle Endeavour,
the rover Spirit moves (but just a little), and Miles checks out the
lunar-inspired artwork of moonwalker Alan Bean. You also can subscribe for
free to watch episodes from iTunes.
http://spaceflightnow.com
iTunes subscription:
http://tinyurl.com/twisitunes
OCEANS OF DIAMOND POSSIBLE ON URANUS AND NEPTUNE
------------------------------------------------
High pressure experiments that mimic conditions on the icy gas giants show
that chunks of diamond can float on a sea of liquid carbon.
http://astronomynow.com/news/n1001/21diamond/
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
NASA's WISE Eye Spies Near-Earth Asteroid
NASA's WISE Eye Spies Near-Earth Asteroid
The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-028&cid=release_2010-028
PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has spotted its
first never-before-seen near-Earth asteroid, the first of hundreds it is expected to find during its
mission to map the whole sky in infrared light. There is no danger of the newly discovered
asteroid hitting Earth.
The near-Earth object, designated 2010 AB78, was discovered by WISE Jan. 12. The mission's
sophisticated software picked out the moving object against a background of stationary stars. As
WISE circled Earth, scanning the sky above, it observed the asteroid several times during a
period of one-and-a-half days before the object moved beyond its view. Researchers then used
the University of Hawaii's 2.2-meter (88-inch) visible-light telescope near the summit of Mauna
Kea to follow up and confirm the discovery.
The asteroid is currently about 158 million kilometers (98 million miles) from Earth. It is
estimated to be roughly 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) in diameter and circles the sun in an elliptical orbit
tilted to the plane of our solar system. The object comes as close to the sun as Earth, but because
of its tilted orbit, it will not pass very close to Earth for many centuries. This asteroid does not
pose any foreseeable impact threat to Earth, but scientists will continue to monitor it.
Near-Earth objects are asteroids and comets with orbits that pass relatively close to Earth's path
around the sun. In extremely rare cases of an impact, the objects may cause damage to Earth's
surface. An asteroid about 10 kilometers (6 miles) wide is thought to have plunged into our
planet 65 million years ago, triggering a global disaster and killing off the dinosaurs.
Additional asteroid and comet detections will continue to come from WISE. The observations
will be automatically sent to the clearinghouse for solar system bodies, the Minor Planet Center in
Cambridge, Mass., for comparison against the known catalog of solar system objects. A
community of professional and amateur astronomers will provide follow-up observations,
establishing firm orbits for the previously unseen objects.
"This is just the beginning," said Ned Wright, the mission's principal investigator from UCLA.
"We've got a fire hose of data pouring down from space."
On Jan. 14, the WISE mission began its official survey of the entire sky in infrared light, one
month after it rocketed into a polar orbit around Earth from Vandenberg Air Force Base in
California. By casting a wide net, the mission will catch all sorts of cosmic objects, from
asteroids in our own solar system to galaxies billions of light-years away. Its data will serve as a
cosmic treasure map, pointing astronomers and telescopes, such as NASA's Spitzer Space
Telescope and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, to the most interesting finds.
WISE is expected to find about 100,000 previously unknown asteroids in our main asteroid belt,
a rocky ring of debris between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It will also spot hundreds of
previously unseen near-Earth objects.
By observing infrared light, WISE will reveal the darkest members of the near-Earth object
population -- those that don't reflect much visible light. The mission will contribute important
information about asteroid and comet sizes. Visible-light estimates of an asteroid's size can be
deceiving, because a small, light-colored space rock can look the same as a big, dark one. In
infrared, however, a big dark rock will give off more of a thermal, or infrared glow, and reveal its
true size. This size information will give researchers a better estimate of how often Earth can
expect potentially devastating impacts.
"We are thrilled to have found our first new near-Earth object," said Amy Mainzer of NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Mainzer is the principal investigator of NEOWISE,
a program to mine the collected WISE data for new solar system objects. "Many programs are
searching for near-Earth objects using visible light, but some asteroids are dark, like pavement,
and don't reflect a lot of sunlight. But like a parking lot, the dark objects heat up and emit
infrared light that WISE can see."
"It is great to receive the first of many anticipated near-Earth object discoveries by the WISE
system," said Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL.
"Analysis of the WISE data will go a long way toward understanding the true nature of this
population."
JPL manages the WISE mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The
principal investigator, Edward Wright, is at UCLA. The mission was competitively selected
under NASA's Explorers Program managed by the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
The science instrument was built by the Space Dynamics Laboratory, Logan, Utah, and the
spacecraft was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. Science operations
and data processing take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the California
Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. The ground-based
observations are partly supported by the National Science Foundation.
More information is online at http://www.nasa.gov/wise and http://wise.astro.ucla.edu .
-end-
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-028&cid=release_2010-028
PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has spotted its
first never-before-seen near-Earth asteroid, the first of hundreds it is expected to find during its
mission to map the whole sky in infrared light. There is no danger of the newly discovered
asteroid hitting Earth.
The near-Earth object, designated 2010 AB78, was discovered by WISE Jan. 12. The mission's
sophisticated software picked out the moving object against a background of stationary stars. As
WISE circled Earth, scanning the sky above, it observed the asteroid several times during a
period of one-and-a-half days before the object moved beyond its view. Researchers then used
the University of Hawaii's 2.2-meter (88-inch) visible-light telescope near the summit of Mauna
Kea to follow up and confirm the discovery.
The asteroid is currently about 158 million kilometers (98 million miles) from Earth. It is
estimated to be roughly 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) in diameter and circles the sun in an elliptical orbit
tilted to the plane of our solar system. The object comes as close to the sun as Earth, but because
of its tilted orbit, it will not pass very close to Earth for many centuries. This asteroid does not
pose any foreseeable impact threat to Earth, but scientists will continue to monitor it.
Near-Earth objects are asteroids and comets with orbits that pass relatively close to Earth's path
around the sun. In extremely rare cases of an impact, the objects may cause damage to Earth's
surface. An asteroid about 10 kilometers (6 miles) wide is thought to have plunged into our
planet 65 million years ago, triggering a global disaster and killing off the dinosaurs.
Additional asteroid and comet detections will continue to come from WISE. The observations
will be automatically sent to the clearinghouse for solar system bodies, the Minor Planet Center in
Cambridge, Mass., for comparison against the known catalog of solar system objects. A
community of professional and amateur astronomers will provide follow-up observations,
establishing firm orbits for the previously unseen objects.
"This is just the beginning," said Ned Wright, the mission's principal investigator from UCLA.
"We've got a fire hose of data pouring down from space."
On Jan. 14, the WISE mission began its official survey of the entire sky in infrared light, one
month after it rocketed into a polar orbit around Earth from Vandenberg Air Force Base in
California. By casting a wide net, the mission will catch all sorts of cosmic objects, from
asteroids in our own solar system to galaxies billions of light-years away. Its data will serve as a
cosmic treasure map, pointing astronomers and telescopes, such as NASA's Spitzer Space
Telescope and the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope, to the most interesting finds.
WISE is expected to find about 100,000 previously unknown asteroids in our main asteroid belt,
a rocky ring of debris between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. It will also spot hundreds of
previously unseen near-Earth objects.
By observing infrared light, WISE will reveal the darkest members of the near-Earth object
population -- those that don't reflect much visible light. The mission will contribute important
information about asteroid and comet sizes. Visible-light estimates of an asteroid's size can be
deceiving, because a small, light-colored space rock can look the same as a big, dark one. In
infrared, however, a big dark rock will give off more of a thermal, or infrared glow, and reveal its
true size. This size information will give researchers a better estimate of how often Earth can
expect potentially devastating impacts.
"We are thrilled to have found our first new near-Earth object," said Amy Mainzer of NASA's
Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Mainzer is the principal investigator of NEOWISE,
a program to mine the collected WISE data for new solar system objects. "Many programs are
searching for near-Earth objects using visible light, but some asteroids are dark, like pavement,
and don't reflect a lot of sunlight. But like a parking lot, the dark objects heat up and emit
infrared light that WISE can see."
"It is great to receive the first of many anticipated near-Earth object discoveries by the WISE
system," said Don Yeomans, manager of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL.
"Analysis of the WISE data will go a long way toward understanding the true nature of this
population."
JPL manages the WISE mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The
principal investigator, Edward Wright, is at UCLA. The mission was competitively selected
under NASA's Explorers Program managed by the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
The science instrument was built by the Space Dynamics Laboratory, Logan, Utah, and the
spacecraft was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. Science operations
and data processing take place at the Infrared Processing and Analysis Center at the California
Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. The ground-based
observations are partly supported by the National Science Foundation.
More information is online at http://www.nasa.gov/wise and http://wise.astro.ucla.edu .
-end-
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
COMETS I HAVE SEEN AND OBSERVED OVER THE YEARS.....
Highspots January-March 2010
4 Jan Mercury inferior conjunction
5 Jan Mercury 3° N of Venus
11 Jan Venus superior conjunction
15 Jan Moon 1° N of Venus
18 Jan Asteroid (7102) Neilbone at opposition (mag 17.5)
27 Jan Mercury greatest elongation W (25°)
29 Jan Mars at opposition
16 Feb Venus 1/2° S of Jupiter
18 Feb Asteroid (4) Vesta at opposition (mag 6.1)
14 Mar Mercury superior conjunction
22 Mar Saturn at opposition
-------------------------------------------------------
Comets I have seen and Observed regularly since I started Astronomy and Skywatching back in 1996:
COMET HYAKUTAKE [C/1996 B2]
COMET HALE-BOPP [C/1996 01]
COMET LINEAR [C/1999 S4] (Disintegrated)
COMET MCNAUGHT-HARTLEY [C/1999 T1]
COMET LINEAR [C/2001 A2]
COMET LINEAR [C/2000 WM1]
COMET IKEYA-ZHANG [C/2002 C1]
COMET SWAN [C/2002 O6]
COMET HOENIG [C/2002 04]
COMET KUDO-FUJIKAWA [C/2002 XC5]
COMET NEAT [C/2002 V1]
COMET JUELS-HOLVORCEM [C/2002 Y1]
COMET BRADFIELD [C/2004 F4]
COMET MACHHOLZ [C/2004 Q2]
COMET POJMANSKI [C/2006/ A1]
COMET SWAN [C/2006 M4]
COMET MCNAUGHT [C/2006 P1]
COMET LINEAR [C/2006 VZ13]
COMET LONEOS [C/2007 F1]
COMET HOLMES [17P]
COMET HALE-BOPP [C/1996 01]
COMET LINEAR [C/1999 S4] (Disintegrated)
COMET MCNAUGHT-HARTLEY [C/1999 T1]
COMET LINEAR [C/2001 A2]
COMET LINEAR [C/2000 WM1]
COMET IKEYA-ZHANG [C/2002 C1]
COMET SWAN [C/2002 O6]
COMET HOENIG [C/2002 04]
COMET KUDO-FUJIKAWA [C/2002 XC5]
COMET NEAT [C/2002 V1]
COMET JUELS-HOLVORCEM [C/2002 Y1]
COMET BRADFIELD [C/2004 F4]
COMET MACHHOLZ [C/2004 Q2]
COMET POJMANSKI [C/2006/ A1]
COMET SWAN [C/2006 M4]
COMET MCNAUGHT [C/2006 P1]
COMET LINEAR [C/2006 VZ13]
COMET LONEOS [C/2007 F1]
COMET HOLMES [17P]
COMET LULIN [2007 N3]
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
New episode of "This Week In Space" / More asteroid funding needed
NEWSALERT: Sunday, January 24, 2010 @ 1855 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
+++++++++
Experience the journey of NASA's most "successful failure" mission
during an exclusive Apollo 13 40th Anniversary celebration alongside
crewmembers Fred Haise, James Lovell and NASA Flight Director Gene
Kranz on April 9 at Kennedy Space Center, FL.
http://www.astronautscholarship.org/2010_apollo13.html
+++++++++
THIS WEEK IN SPACE WITH MILES O'BRIEN
-------------------------------------
In the latest episode of This Week in Space with Miles O'Brien: a decision
nears from President Obama on the future of the manned space program, Elon
Musk of SpaceX vehemently denies his rockets will be unsafe for
astronauts, the clock ticks down to the launch of the shuttle Endeavour,
the rover Spirit moves (but just a little), and Miles checks out the lunar
inspired artwork of moonwalker Alan Bean. You also can subscribe for free
to watch episodes from iTunes.
http://spaceflightnow.com
MORE FUNDING NEEDED TO MEET ASTEROID DETECTION MANDATE
------------------------------------------------------
NASA is not doing enough to complete a mandated search for
Earth-threatening asteroids and comets because the space agency is not
receiving enough money for the problem, according to a National Research
Council report.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/22neo/
EUROPEAN DATA RELAY SYSTEM TO BE DECIDED IN 2010
------------------------------------------------
The European Space Agency expects to finalize a proposed data relay
satellite system and secure enough funding to build the network this year,
senior space officials said.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/22edrs/
OBSERVATORY TO MONITOR SUN'S BEHAVIOR NEARS LAUNCH
--------------------------------------------------
At a satellite-readying hangar outside the Kennedy Space Center on
Thursday, NASA's sophisticated new Sun-studying probe was enclosed within
the giant metal fairing that will shroud the craft during ascent to space
atop an Atlas 5 booster next month.
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av021/100121sdo.html
NO SIGN OF PHOENIX DURING THREE DAYS OF LISTENING
-------------------------------------------------
NASA says they heard no signals from the Phoenix lander this week during
30 communications passes over the probe's icy landing site, an expected
outcome because the craft was never designed to survive the dark and cold
Martian winter.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/21phoenix/
ENDEAVOUR CREW BOARDS THE SPACECRAFT FOR REHEARSAL
--------------------------------------------------
Dressed in their bright orange spacesuits and following the scripted
launch morning routine, the six astronauts who will blast off aboard
Endeavour next month went to the launch pad and climbed inside the shuttle
Thursday for a realistic dry run.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/100121tcdt/
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
+++++++++
Experience the journey of NASA's most "successful failure" mission
during an exclusive Apollo 13 40th Anniversary celebration alongside
crewmembers Fred Haise, James Lovell and NASA Flight Director Gene
Kranz on April 9 at Kennedy Space Center, FL.
http://www.astronautscholarship.org/2010_apollo13.html
+++++++++
THIS WEEK IN SPACE WITH MILES O'BRIEN
-------------------------------------
In the latest episode of This Week in Space with Miles O'Brien: a decision
nears from President Obama on the future of the manned space program, Elon
Musk of SpaceX vehemently denies his rockets will be unsafe for
astronauts, the clock ticks down to the launch of the shuttle Endeavour,
the rover Spirit moves (but just a little), and Miles checks out the lunar
inspired artwork of moonwalker Alan Bean. You also can subscribe for free
to watch episodes from iTunes.
http://spaceflightnow.com
MORE FUNDING NEEDED TO MEET ASTEROID DETECTION MANDATE
------------------------------------------------------
NASA is not doing enough to complete a mandated search for
Earth-threatening asteroids and comets because the space agency is not
receiving enough money for the problem, according to a National Research
Council report.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/22neo/
EUROPEAN DATA RELAY SYSTEM TO BE DECIDED IN 2010
------------------------------------------------
The European Space Agency expects to finalize a proposed data relay
satellite system and secure enough funding to build the network this year,
senior space officials said.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/22edrs/
OBSERVATORY TO MONITOR SUN'S BEHAVIOR NEARS LAUNCH
--------------------------------------------------
At a satellite-readying hangar outside the Kennedy Space Center on
Thursday, NASA's sophisticated new Sun-studying probe was enclosed within
the giant metal fairing that will shroud the craft during ascent to space
atop an Atlas 5 booster next month.
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av021/100121sdo.html
NO SIGN OF PHOENIX DURING THREE DAYS OF LISTENING
-------------------------------------------------
NASA says they heard no signals from the Phoenix lander this week during
30 communications passes over the probe's icy landing site, an expected
outcome because the craft was never designed to survive the dark and cold
Martian winter.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/21phoenix/
ENDEAVOUR CREW BOARDS THE SPACECRAFT FOR REHEARSAL
--------------------------------------------------
Dressed in their bright orange spacesuits and following the scripted
launch morning routine, the six astronauts who will blast off aboard
Endeavour next month went to the launch pad and climbed inside the shuttle
Thursday for a realistic dry run.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/100121tcdt/
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Sunday 24 January 2010
The Asteroid Vesta...
Anyone seen Asteroid Vesta yet?
Fantastic finder chart in the SPA mag-Invaluably useful:
Fantastic finder chart in the SPA mag-Invaluably useful:
As well as this:
http://media.skyandtelescope.com/documents/WEB_VestaPath_Fndr.pdf
http://media.skyandtelescope.com/documents/WEB_VestaPath_Fndr.pdf
and this:
The faint Comets of 81P/Wild and Siding Spring (2007 Q3) around Mag 10 or less are a little bit out of my reach and I cannot pick these ones out or see them with my equipment.
I think I've seen Asteroid Vesta but I'm not sure-I'll have to wait for another clear sky window to confirm it and if it has moved in relation to the background stars-what's the betting its tonight it'll be clear (Sunday)....
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Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Saturday 23 January 2010
P/2010 A2 (LINEAR): The 5th Main-Belt Comet
| P/2010 A2 (LINEAR): The 5th Main-Belt Comet |
|---|
Summary Caption: Main-belt comet P/2010 A2 imaged at the WIYN 3.5-m telescope on UT 2010 Jan 11 by James Annis (Fermilab), Marcelle Soares-Santos (FermiLab and University of Sao Paulo) and David Jewitt (UCLA). The portion of the image shown is about 3 arcmin in length (140,000 km at the comet). The broad band of light is sunlight scattered from dust apparently emitted from the tiny, point-like object at the head of the comet (indicated by arrows in the right-hand panel). In this image, numerous background stars and galaxies have been largely removed by image processing (a straight median stack, if you want to know). Main Belt Comets (MBCs) Some MBCs, notably the prototype 133P, appear to behave just like comets (e.g. their activity waxes and wains repetitively) and they are thought to be powered by the sublimation of near-surface ice. This ice may be primordial. Other MBCs could be dust clouds produced by colliding asteroids or by some other surface instability. Future observations may reveal the nature of P/2010 A2. At the moment, it's too early to say. Papers About MBCs David Jewitt
P/2010 A2 is the 5th recognized Main Belt Comet (MBC). It differs from the others in having an orbit within the hot, inner regions of the asteroid belt. The morphology suggests - but does not prove - a recent collisional origin. We cannot rule out the possibility that P/2010 A2 is driven by ice sublimation, as is MBC prototype 133P/Elst-Pizarro, or by an undetermined process. 
Main Belt Comets have been known as the third distinct class of comet since 2006 (see the first-listed paper, below). They simultaneously possess
Comet Jewitt Kuiper
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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
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Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Friday 22 January 2010
Strange Comet, Vesta and more ...
A Strange "Comet" Among the Asteroids
January 7th's announcement that the LINEAR telescope had spotted a new periodic comet wasn't all that interesting: a 20th-magnitude blip out in the asteroid belt in a benign orbit that wouldn't come anywhere near Earth. Designated P/2010 A2 (LINEAR) by the IAU's Minor Planet Center, it was just another notch on the finderscope for this discovery machine near Socorro, New Mexico, which has chalked up 77 periodic comets (and a couple hundred one-timers) since coming online in 1998.
But as other observers chipped in positions over the next week, it became clear that this was an object worth watching. For one thing, the now-precise orbit was looking less like a comet's and more like an asteroid's. And images of the interloper showed a tail growing in length yet without a clearly defined head. The online chatter got more animated — just what was this, anyway?
On January 14th, Javier Licandro and others used the Nordic Optical Telescope in the Canary Islands to get a better view, and they discovered something completely unexpected: a small asteroid lay 2 arcseconds to P/2010 A2's east and was moving along with it. Moreover, the "comet" showed no central condensation and looked more like a narrow dust swarm about 110,000 miles (177,000 km) long.
Licandro quickly enlisted the biggest aperture in the island's observatory complex: the Gran Telescopio Canarias. Dozens of images taken three days ago using its immense 34-foot (10.4-m) aperture confirm that the "comet" is being shadowed. It's hard not to conclude that we are watching the aftermath of a collision in the asteroid belt. But it's still too early to know for sure. Licandro and his colleagues are analyzing the GTC images carefully — and they hope to make them public soon.
Meanwhile, comet specialists are hoping to observe the strange goings-on with both the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. Neither has been given the green light yet, but if/when that happens the observations would be made within the next few days. According to Caltech astronomer William Reach, Spitzer no longer has the ability to look deep in the infrared, but it can still record at 3.6 and 4.5 microns, where the cometary gases carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide have strong emissions.
The cometary object P/2010 A2, as captured on January 11, 2010, by the 3.5-m WIYN telescope in Arizona. Note the small distinct object (arrowed). Astronomers are trying to determine if the diffuse cloud is normal cometary outgassing or the result of a collision between two objects. For more detail about this image, click here.
J. Annis / M. Soares-Santos / D. Jewitt
On January 14th, Javier Licandro and others used the Nordic Optical Telescope in the Canary Islands to get a better view, and they discovered something completely unexpected: a small asteroid lay 2 arcseconds to P/2010 A2's east and was moving along with it. Moreover, the "comet" showed no central condensation and looked more like a narrow dust swarm about 110,000 miles (177,000 km) long.
The newfound "comet" designated P/2010 A2 has an orbit that's squarely in the asteroid belt, circling the Sun ever 3.4 years. Click here for a larger view.
JPL / SSD
Meanwhile, comet specialists are hoping to observe the strange goings-on with both the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. Neither has been given the green light yet, but if/when that happens the observations would be made within the next few days. According to Caltech astronomer William Reach, Spitzer no longer has the ability to look deep in the infrared, but it can still record at 3.6 and 4.5 microns, where the cometary gases carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide have strong emissions.
Posted by Kelly Beatty, January 19, 2010
Vesta in 2010
Late these evenings Leo climbs the eastern sky with the promise of the distant springtime to come. Leo's forequarters form the landmark Sickle asterism, and in and around the Sickle this season lurks the most prominent asteroid in the sky: 4 Vesta. Although Vesta is not the largest asteroid, it generally becomes the brightest around its season of opposition; its unique surface material is less dark colored than most of the stuff in the asteroid belt.
Vesta reaches opposition on the night of February 17–18, when it will shine at magnitude 6.1. (Notice that, as you'd expect, this date comes halfway through Vesta's retrograde loop on the map here.) Using the map, you can follow Vesta starting immediately. It's magnitude 7.4 as early as December 20th, when you'll have to wait up until about 11 p.m. to see Leo well risen in the east. Vesta is magnitude 7.2 on January 1st, 6.4 on February 1st, 6.2 on March 1st, 6.8 on April 1st, 7.3 on May 1st, and back down to 7.7 on June 1st. That means it's in binocular range for the whole time.
A very special coincidence happens right around opposition. Between the evenings of February 16th and 17th for the Americas, Vesta threads the gap between Gamma Leonis (magnitude 2.5) and 40 Leonis (magnitude 4.8), which is located 22 arcminutes to Gamma's south. This familiar binocular pair will have a faint new interloper! Watch the asteroid's progress from night to night — or even, with a telescope, from hour to hour. Around those dates Vesta moves northwestward by 1 arcminute in a little less than 2 hours — or, at high magnification, 1 arcsecond in a little less than 2 minutes of time.
Click here for a full-page printable chart in PDF format showing Vesta's path through the "fixed" stars in 2010.
Click on the map above for a full-page printable PDF version.
A very special coincidence happens right around opposition. Between the evenings of February 16th and 17th for the Americas, Vesta threads the gap between Gamma Leonis (magnitude 2.5) and 40 Leonis (magnitude 4.8), which is located 22 arcminutes to Gamma's south. This familiar binocular pair will have a faint new interloper! Watch the asteroid's progress from night to night — or even, with a telescope, from hour to hour. Around those dates Vesta moves northwestward by 1 arcminute in a little less than 2 hours — or, at high magnification, 1 arcsecond in a little less than 2 minutes of time.
Click here for a full-page printable chart in PDF format showing Vesta's path through the "fixed" stars in 2010.
Posted by Alan MacRobert, December 31, 2009
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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Thursday 21 January 2010
Bright Sungrazing Comet
Space Weather News for Jan. 21, 2010
http://spaceweather.com
SUNGRAZING COMET: NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft has discovered another bright sungrazing comet. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has a good view of the comet's death plunge, which is happening today. Check http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.
NORTHERN LIGHTS: A solar wind stream hit Earth on Jan. 20th sparking the first geomagnetic storm of the year and an intense display of polar auroras. Images from around the Arctic Circle may be found here: http://spaceweather.com/aurora/gallery_01jan10_page3.htm
SPACE WEATHER ALERTS: For less than the cost of a night at the movies, you can turn your cell phone into a space weather alert system. Sign up for Spaceweather PHONE (http://spaceweatherphone.com) to receive instant notices of geomagnetic storms, CME impacts, and strong solar flares.
http://spaceweather.com
SUNGRAZING COMET: NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft has discovered another bright sungrazing comet. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has a good view of the comet's death plunge, which is happening today. Check http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.
NORTHERN LIGHTS: A solar wind stream hit Earth on Jan. 20th sparking the first geomagnetic storm of the year and an intense display of polar auroras. Images from around the Arctic Circle may be found here: http://spaceweather.com/aurora/gallery_01jan10_page3.htm
SPACE WEATHER ALERTS: For less than the cost of a night at the movies, you can turn your cell phone into a space weather alert system. Sign up for Spaceweather PHONE (http://spaceweatherphone.com) to receive instant notices of geomagnetic storms, CME impacts, and strong solar flares.
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Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Dunes of Mars
Dunes of sand-sized materials have been trapped on the floors of many Martian craters. This is one example, from a crater in Noachis Terra, west of the giant Hellas impact basin. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured this view on Dec. 28, 2009.The dunes here are linear, thought to be due to shifting wind directions. In places, each dune is remarkably similar to adjacent dunes, including a reddish (or dust colored) band on northeast-facing slopes. Large angular boulders litter the floor between dunes.Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona--
Good Clear Skies
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Astrocomet
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Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Wednesday 20 January 2010
Mission to Jupiter
With its suite of science instruments, Juno will investigate the existence of a solid planetary core, map Jupiter's intense magnetic field, measure the amount of water and ammonia in the deep atmosphere, and observe the planet's auroras.Juno’s principal goal is to understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter. Underneath its dense cloud cover, Jupiter safeguards secrets to the fundamental processes and conditions that governed our solar system during its formation. As our primary example of a giant planet, Jupiter can also provide critical knowledge for understanding the planetary systems being discovered around other stars.This artist's concept shows the Juno spacecraft in orbit around the planet Jupiter.Image Credit--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
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Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
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Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
SpaceX refutes safety panel's report / Shuttle launch on track
NEWSALERT: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 @ 1928 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
+++++++++
Experience the journey of NASA's most "successful failure" mission
during an exclusive Apollo 13 40th Anniversary celebration alongside
crewmembers Fred Haise, James Lovell and NASA Flight Director Gene
Kranz on April 9 at Kennedy Space Center, FL.
http://www.astronautscholarship.org/2010_apollo13.html
+++++++++
MUSK REFUTES REPORT SLAMMING SAFETY STANDARDS
---------------------------------------------
A commercial space pioneer and a former astronaut are answering claims by
an independent advisory panel that private companies do not meet NASA
human-rating standards and last year's presidential review of the space
program did not adequately consider safety.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/19safety/
THIS WEEK IN SPACE
------------------
Subscribe for free to our new video podcast on iTunes and get your weekly
fix of space news delivered to your desktop!
http://tinyurl.com/twisitunes
COOLING LINE FIX ON TRACK FOR ENDEAVOUR'S LAUNCH
------------------------------------------------
Work to modify hoses needed to route ammonia coolant to and from a new
space station module is running on or ahead of schedule and the new lines
should be delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in time for an on-schedule
launch Feb. 7, officials said Wednesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/100120tcdtqa/
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO:
http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/hd/sts130/
SPACEFLIGHT NOW VIDEO ARCHIVE
http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/index.php
NEXT SHUTTLE CREW FLIES TO CAPE FOR COUNTDOWN TEST
--------------------------------------------------
Commander George Zamka and his crew of space station builders reached
Kennedy Space Center at sundown Monday for this week's emergency training
exercises and a countdown dress rehearsal.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/100118tcdtarrive/
ULA TO SERVE MILITARY, SCIENCE IN 2010
--------------------------------------
United Launch Alliance plans 10 launches this year with Atlas and Delta
rockets to dispatch payloads to space for science, Earth observation,
navigation, communications and military reconnaissance missions.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/19eelv/
+++
GET OUR LIVE UPDATES FROM TWITTER!
Sign up to Spaceflight Now's Twitter feed
and get text message updates on your cell phone.
http://twitter.com/spaceflightnow/
+++
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
+++++++++
Experience the journey of NASA's most "successful failure" mission
during an exclusive Apollo 13 40th Anniversary celebration alongside
crewmembers Fred Haise, James Lovell and NASA Flight Director Gene
Kranz on April 9 at Kennedy Space Center, FL.
http://www.astronautscholarship.org/2010_apollo13.html
+++++++++
MUSK REFUTES REPORT SLAMMING SAFETY STANDARDS
---------------------------------------------
A commercial space pioneer and a former astronaut are answering claims by
an independent advisory panel that private companies do not meet NASA
human-rating standards and last year's presidential review of the space
program did not adequately consider safety.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/19safety/
THIS WEEK IN SPACE
------------------
Subscribe for free to our new video podcast on iTunes and get your weekly
fix of space news delivered to your desktop!
http://tinyurl.com/twisitunes
COOLING LINE FIX ON TRACK FOR ENDEAVOUR'S LAUNCH
------------------------------------------------
Work to modify hoses needed to route ammonia coolant to and from a new
space station module is running on or ahead of schedule and the new lines
should be delivered to the Kennedy Space Center in time for an on-schedule
launch Feb. 7, officials said Wednesday.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/100120tcdtqa/
HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO:
http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/hd/sts130/
SPACEFLIGHT NOW VIDEO ARCHIVE
http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/index.php
NEXT SHUTTLE CREW FLIES TO CAPE FOR COUNTDOWN TEST
--------------------------------------------------
Commander George Zamka and his crew of space station builders reached
Kennedy Space Center at sundown Monday for this week's emergency training
exercises and a countdown dress rehearsal.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/100118tcdtarrive/
ULA TO SERVE MILITARY, SCIENCE IN 2010
--------------------------------------
United Launch Alliance plans 10 launches this year with Atlas and Delta
rockets to dispatch payloads to space for science, Earth observation,
navigation, communications and military reconnaissance missions.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/19eelv/
+++
GET OUR LIVE UPDATES FROM TWITTER!
Sign up to Spaceflight Now's Twitter feed
and get text message updates on your cell phone.
http://twitter.com/spaceflightnow/
+++
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Solar Activity in the Offing
Space Weather News for Jan. 19, 2010
http://spaceweather.com
FARSIDE SOLAR ACTIVITY: Over the past two days, NASA's STEREO-B spacecraft has detected two eruptions from an active region just behind the sun's eastern limb. The source of the blasts appears to be old sunspot 1039. The sun's rotation will begin turning the spot toward Earth this week, so there could be some Earth-directed solar activity in the offing. Check http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.
ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE: On Jan. 15th, the Moon passed directly in front of the sun, producing a "ring of fire" solar eclipse over the Indian Ocean and surrounding lands. The eclipse gallery contains many must-see images. Start browsing here: http://spaceweather.com/eclipses/gallery_15jan10_page4.htm
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
http://spaceweather.com
FARSIDE SOLAR ACTIVITY: Over the past two days, NASA's STEREO-B spacecraft has detected two eruptions from an active region just behind the sun's eastern limb. The source of the blasts appears to be old sunspot 1039. The sun's rotation will begin turning the spot toward Earth this week, so there could be some Earth-directed solar activity in the offing. Check http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.
ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE: On Jan. 15th, the Moon passed directly in front of the sun, producing a "ring of fire" solar eclipse over the Indian Ocean and surrounding lands. The eclipse gallery contains many must-see images. Start browsing here: http://spaceweather.com/eclipses/gallery_15jan10_page4.htm
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Tuesday 19 January 2010
Safety panel says killing Ares 1 "unwise" / Station module moves to pad
NEWSALERT: Monday, January 18, 2009 @ 1343 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
===========================================
Looking for a job out of this world?
The top jobs and the best talents in
the space industry are on Space Careers.
http://www.space-careers.com/?id=sfn
Space Careers, a one-stop reference source
for employment in the space industry.
===========================================
SAFETY PANEL SAYS CANCELING ARES 1 ROCKET IS A BAD IDEA
-------------------------------------------------------
Add another voice to the sea of experts weighing in on the upcoming White
House decision on NASA's future. A panel of independent safety specialists
says abandoning NASA's besieged Ares 1 rocket is "unwise" because
potential commercial space transportation providers are currently unable
to meet stringent safety standards.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/15asap/
ENDEAVOUR'S PAYLOAD DELIVERED TO PAD 39A
----------------------------------------
The Tranquility module that'll be a new room with a view for the
International Space Station was trucked to space shuttle Endeavour's
launch pad overnight, destined for blastoff next month.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/status.html
LAUNCH PAD DEVELOPMENT COULD DELAY VEGA UNTIL 2011
--------------------------------------------------
The debut launch of Europe's new Vega small satellite launcher could slip
until 2011, mainly due to potential delays in the development of ground
systems at the rocket's launch site in South America.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/18vega/
CHINESE ROCKET LAUNCHES WITH NAVIGATION SATELLITE
-------------------------------------------------
A Chinese Long March rocket hauled a new navigation satellite to a
high-altitude perch over Earth on Saturday, marking the first space launch
of the year for the world's space programs.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/16longmarch/
SECOND EPISODE OF "THIS WEEK IN SPACE"
--------------------------------------
Miles O'Brien and "This Week in Space" are back for their first show of
2010. In this episode: the space nation awaits direction from President
Obama, Endeavour gets ready to deliver a room with a view, how an
abandoned McDonald's is being used to restore closeups of the Moon, a
space telescope finds new planets, plus an interview with
Hubble-Hugger-In-Chief John Grunsfeld.
http://spaceflightnow.com
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now
===========================================
Looking for a job out of this world?
The top jobs and the best talents in
the space industry are on Space Careers.
http://www.space-careers.com/?id=sfn
Space Careers, a one-stop reference source
for employment in the space industry.
===========================================
SAFETY PANEL SAYS CANCELING ARES 1 ROCKET IS A BAD IDEA
-------------------------------------------------------
Add another voice to the sea of experts weighing in on the upcoming White
House decision on NASA's future. A panel of independent safety specialists
says abandoning NASA's besieged Ares 1 rocket is "unwise" because
potential commercial space transportation providers are currently unable
to meet stringent safety standards.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/15asap/
ENDEAVOUR'S PAYLOAD DELIVERED TO PAD 39A
----------------------------------------
The Tranquility module that'll be a new room with a view for the
International Space Station was trucked to space shuttle Endeavour's
launch pad overnight, destined for blastoff next month.
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts130/status.html
LAUNCH PAD DEVELOPMENT COULD DELAY VEGA UNTIL 2011
--------------------------------------------------
The debut launch of Europe's new Vega small satellite launcher could slip
until 2011, mainly due to potential delays in the development of ground
systems at the rocket's launch site in South America.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/18vega/
CHINESE ROCKET LAUNCHES WITH NAVIGATION SATELLITE
-------------------------------------------------
A Chinese Long March rocket hauled a new navigation satellite to a
high-altitude perch over Earth on Saturday, marking the first space launch
of the year for the world's space programs.
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1001/16longmarch/
SECOND EPISODE OF "THIS WEEK IN SPACE"
--------------------------------------
Miles O'Brien and "This Week in Space" are back for their first show of
2010. In this episode: the space nation awaits direction from President
Obama, Endeavour gets ready to deliver a room with a view, how an
abandoned McDonald's is being used to restore closeups of the Moon, a
space telescope finds new planets, plus an interview with
Hubble-Hugger-In-Chief John Grunsfeld.
http://spaceflightnow.com
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
[BAA 00465] The Comet's Tale
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00465 http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
publish
I have just completed the latest edition of the Comet Section newsletter "The
Comet's Tale" and this is now available on the Section web page at
http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds under http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/tail29.pdf
Unfortunately as I will soon be departing for the island of South Georgia, I
will not be able to distribute printed copies until March. If Section members
are able to download it and do not want a printed copy, please let me know as
this will save on printing and postage.
Two moderately bright comets are observable in the morning sky, but at 10th
magnitude will not be immediately obvious. Finder charts for 81P/Wild are
available at http://www.shopplaza.nl/astro/comets/comets.htm and there are
charts for both it and 2007 Q3 at http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/
Jonathan Shanklin
Director, Comet Section
j.shanklin@bas.ac.uk
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail: circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Mon Jan 18 22:29:18 GMT 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00465 http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
publish
I have just completed the latest edition of the Comet Section newsletter "The
Comet's Tale" and this is now available on the Section web page at
http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds under http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/tail29.pdf
Unfortunately as I will soon be departing for the island of South Georgia, I
will not be able to distribute printed copies until March. If Section members
are able to download it and do not want a printed copy, please let me know as
this will save on printing and postage.
Two moderately bright comets are observable in the morning sky, but at 10th
magnitude will not be immediately obvious. Finder charts for 81P/Wild are
available at http://www.shopplaza.nl/astro/comets/comets.htm and there are
charts for both it and 2007 Q3 at http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/
Jonathan Shanklin
Director, Comet Section
j.shanklin@bas.ac.uk
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail: circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Mon Jan 18 22:29:18 GMT 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Monday 18 January 2010
Star Maker
Galaxies throughout the universe are ablaze with star birth. But for a nearby, small spiral galaxy, the star-making party is almost over.Astronomers were surprised to find that star-formation activities in the outer regions of NGC 2976 have been virtually asleep because they shut down millions of years ago. The celebration is confined to a few die-hard partygoers huddled in the galaxy’s inner region.The explanation, astronomers say, is that a raucous interaction with M81, a neighboring group of hefty galaxies, ignited star birth in NGC 2976. Now the star-making fun is beginning to end. Images from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope show that star formation in the galaxy began fizzling out in its outskirts about 500 million years ago as some of the gas was stripped away and the rest collapsed toward the center. With no gas left to fuel the party, more and more regions of the galaxy are taking a much-needed nap. The star-making region is now confined to about 5,000 light-years around the core.Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and J. Dalcanton and B. Williams (University of Washington, Seattle)
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Real Astronomer and head of the Comet section for LYRA (Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth Regional Astronomers) also head of K.A.G (Kessingland Astronomy Group) and Navigator (Astrogator) of the Stars (Fieldwork)
--
Web: http://lyra.freewebsites.com/
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