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Wednesday 30 June 2010

Ghostly Encounter

The surface of Saturn's moon Dione is rendered in crisp detail against a hazy, ghostly Titan. Visible in this image are hints of atmospheric banding around Titan's north pole.

The image was taken in visible blue light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on April 10, 2010. The view was acquired at a distance of approximately 1.8 million kilometers (1.1 million miles) from Dione and 2.7 million kilometers (1.7 million miles) from Titan. Scale in the original image was 11 kilometers (7 miles) per pixel on Dione and 16 kilometers (10 miles) on Titan. The image has been magnified by a factor of 1.5 and contrast-enhanced to aid visibility.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
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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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What's Up for July?

Dark nebulae near the center of our Milky Way galaxy.
 
Hello and welcome! I'm Jane Houston Jones at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.
 
The Milky Way looks like a river of tiny diamond clusters surrounding mysterious dark islands.
 
Notice how the Milky Way divides into two streams overhead. Between these two streams lies a dark band of starlight-obscuring dust.
 
Summer is the best time of year to observe these dusty areas.
 
The Milky Way thickens and brightens as it flows southward towards the horizon, near the constellation Sagittarius. Sagittarius is easy to see in the southern sky this month. The brightest stars look just like a teapot. And the center of our galaxy looks like hot steam spewing from the teapot's spout.
 
Dr. E. E. Barnard made the first wide-angle photographs of our Milky Way at Lick Observatory in 1889. He saw dark regions visible among the mass of stars.
 
Earlier astronomers thought these dark regions were simply areas where there weren't any stars.
 
Barnard thought just the opposite. He thought that these empty areas were actually concentrations of matter blocking our view. He was correct.
 
A dark nebula called "Barnard 86" is one of his discoveries.
 
A dark nebula is a kind of interstellar cloud so dense that the light from background stars, or from emission and reflection nebulae is blocked.
 
Like fog around a streetlamp, a reflection nebula shines only because the light from an embedded source illuminates its dust. The nebula does not emit any visible light of its own.
 
Emission nebulae are glowing clouds of interstellar gas which have been excited by some nearby energy source, usually a very hot star, causing them to emit light.
 
It takes radio or infrared astronomy to pierce these dark clouds and see beyond them.The three dark lanes of dust in the Trifid nebula can be seen in visible wavelength images.
 
Infrared images from the Spitzer Space Telescope reveal bright regions of star-forming activity.
 
There are many dark nebulae visible to the unaided eye. Look for the Pipe nebula, the Lagoon nebula and the Great Dark Rift above the teapot of Sagittarius.
 
Then, when you look at the dust lanes within spiral galaxies, you'll be able to compare them to the Great Rift overhead in our summer Milky Way.
 
Towards the end of the month, don't miss the parade of planets low in the western sky. Mars and Saturn march towards one another, readying for their August 1 conjunction.
 
You can learn more about NASA missions at www.nasa.gov
 
That's all for this month. I'm Jane Houston Jones.
 
--
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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Probe plots course to comet rendezvous / New national space policy

     NEWSALERT: Tuesday, June 29, 2010 @ 1517 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
         The latest news from Spaceflight Now


++++++++++
AGI Users' Conference: We're Coming to You!

AGI is taking its technology on the road in 2010. We'll be making stops in
18 states around the U.S. Each free, one-day event includes hands-on
software demos, virtual expert sessions, developer kiosks and user
discussions. Register today at
http://uc.agi.com
++++++++++


SPACE PROBE SWINGS BY EARTH FOR RENDEZVOUS WITH COMET
-----------------------------------------------------
NASA's intrepid comet explorer has used Earth as a gravitational
slingshot, zipping by the planet to reshape its interplanetary trajectory
and take aim toward its next target.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/28epoxi/


RADIO OBSERVATIONS SHED LIGHT ON HANNY'S VOORWERP
-------------------------------------------------
New high resolution radio observations from the European Very Long
Baseline Interferometry Network and the UK's Multi-Element Radio Linked
Interferometer Network have probed the famed green cloud of gas known as
"Hanny's Voorwerp."

http://astronomynow.com/news/n1006/25voorwerp/


GALAXY COLLISION FIRES UP QUASAR
--------------------------------
Using the Very Large Telescope in Chile and the Gran Telescopio Canarias
on La Palma, a team of astronomers have found evidence for a high
luminosity quasar powered by the collision of two galaxies.

http://astronomynow.com/news/n1006/25quasar/


SOYUZ TAKES STATION CREW FOR "SPIN AROUND THE BLOCK"
----------------------------------------------------
The International Space Station's new docking module added by the shuttle
Atlantis astronauts in May received its first vehicle Monday when the
outpost's crew relocated a Soyuz capsule there.

http://spaceflightnow.com/station/exp24/100628relocate/


"THIS WEEK IN SPACE:" FALCON 9 RESULTS
--------------------------------------
An exclusive interview with SpaceX's safety officer delves into the
post-flight review of the Falcon 9 test launch. Also this week, the final
shuttle missions slip out and John Glenn enters debate about the space
program's future.

http://spaceflightnow.com/twis/


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Sign up to Spaceflight Now's Twitter feed
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--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

Tuesday 29 June 2010

Opening up asteroid sampler / Ariane launch reset for today

NEWSALERT: Saturday, June 26, 2010 @ 1654 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
The latest news from Spaceflight Now


++++++++++
AGI Users' Conference: We're Coming to You!

AGI is taking its technology on the road in 2010. We'll be making stops in
18 states around the U.S. Each free, one-day event includes hands-on
software demos, virtual expert sessions, developer kiosks and user
discussions. Register today at
http://uc.agi.com
++++++++++


SCIENTISTS PEER INSIDE HAYABUSA ASTEROID CAPSULE
------------------------------------------------
Scientists inside a spotless clean room near Tokyo are carefully opening
the drum-shaped capsule from the Hayabusa mission, beginning months of
tedious evaluations to determine whether the $200 million mission returned
dust grains from an asteroid.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/25hayabusa/


NASA: CHINA NOT INVITED TO JOIN SPACE STATION PROGRAM
-----------------------------------------------------
NASA says the International Space Station partner countries have not
invited China to join the orbiting lab complex, dismissing a Russian news
story proclaiming the Russian space agency contacted the rising space
power about signing on to the project.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/25china/


FAMILIAR GLITCH ADDED DRAMA TO ARIANE COUNTDOWN
-----------------------------------------------
Thursday's back-to-back last-second scrubs of an Ariane 5 rocket launch
were caused by the vehicle's first stage pressurization system, an issue
similar to the problem that triggered an unusual Arianespace quality
review earlier this year, the company's top executive said Friday.
Arianespace will try again Saturday night to launch two satellites for the
Middle East and South Korea.

http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v195/100626update/


COMET-BOUND PROBE NEEDS EARTH TO SHAPE ITS TRAJECTORY
-----------------------------------------------------
The NASA spacecraft made famous for firing a projectile into a comet five
years ago is speeding back toward Earth to receive a critical boost Sunday
that will send the satellite to another cometary rendezvous this November.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/24epoxi/


+++
GET OUR LIVE UPDATES FROM TWITTER!
Sign up to Spaceflight Now's Twitter feed
and get text message updates on your cell phone.
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--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

SPA ENB No. 291

                ***********************************
                 The SOCIETY for POPULAR ASTRONOMY
                ***********************************
        ====================================================
         Electronic News Bulletin No. 291      2010 June 27
        ====================================================

Here is the latest round-up of news from the Society for Popular
Astronomy.  The SPA is Britain's liveliest astronomical society, with
members all over the world.  We accept subscription payments online
at our secure site and can take credit and debit cards.  You can join
or renew via a secure server or just see how much we have to offer by
visiting  
http://www.popastro.com/



JUNE BOÖTIDS - INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
By Alastair McBeath, SPA Meteor Section Director

As noted last time, the June Boötids were predicted to produce some
fresh activity on June 23-24, with Zenithal Hourly Rates (ZHRs)
perhaps comparable to the ~20-50 level that happened at their previous
significant return in 2004. Early indications are that some observers
did detect visual activity from the shower over parts of Europe then,
and several video meteor systems recorded a number of June Boötids as
well.  Probable Boötid rates were reported from around 20h UT on June
23 to 02:30 on June 24.  Four potential peaks were predicted, centred
at 22:40, 00:07, 01:22 and 03:53 UT that night.  So far, there is no
good indication that any of those specific timings produced unusual
Boötid numbers.

Boötid ZHRs have been difficult to compute so far, because observers
seem to have struggled with conditions -- including problems due to
the bright Moon, and sometimes clouds and haze.  Intriguingly, not all
the visual observers reported seeing some June Boötids during the
interval noted above either.  My initial impression, based on details
reported to the IMO-News and Meteorobs electronic mailing lists
(archived via their respective home pages,
http://www.imo.net , and
http://www.meteorobs.org ), as well as more directly, could imply that
even where Boötid rates were claimed, ZHRs may not have been
impressive, perhaps just 10 or so.  Video Boötid numbers also seem to
have been quite low, somewhere between similar to, to well below, the
sporadic numbers recorded during the same time.  It is too soon to
comment on how accurate or representative these very preliminary
estimates may have been.  However, if correct, the overall pattern
could suggest that the dust trails may have been less concentrated
than expected, and given a broader, but less active, maximum around
and across the four timing predictions.

No positive UK visual reports from June 23-24 have reached the Meteor
Section as yet, with the usual weather problems at fault, according to
the few people to get in touch soon after the expected event.
Accordingly, all further June Boötid data would be gratefully
received!


MAY 14-15 FIREBALL
By Alastair McBeath, SPA Meteor Section Director

More details have been established now for the 01:18 UT fireball on
May 14-15, noted last time, seen from Warwickshire and imaged from the
Netherlands by Klaas Jobse's all-sky fireball camera system.  Although
no very precise analysis was possible, it is likely the fireball flew
on a roughly southeast to northwest trajectory above East Anglia,
possibly starting from a point around 90-100 km altitude above
central-northern Essex, somewhere between ~10 km south of Colchester
to ~20 km west of that city.  The last imaged point on the trail,
which was almost certainly not the true end, could have been 10 km or
so south of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, at an altitude of ~50 km.
Extrapolating from these rough estimates could imply the true end was
maybe at 45 +/- 5 km altitude above a point ~20 km northwest of
Peterborough.  Taking these values as approximately correct would lead
to an atmospheric path length for the fireball of ~120-125 km,
descending at an angle of 20°-30° from the horizontal. The visual
observer's estimate for the event's duration of three to four seconds
would in turn infer an atmospheric velocity, not allowing for
deceleration, of ~35 +/- 7 km/s, thus about medium-speed on the 11 to
72 km/sec meteor atmospheric velocity scale.  Although additional data
would be needed to confirm all these points, they do fit plausibly
within the expected ranges for fireball-class meteors.  There is no
evidence to suggest that a meteorite fall happened following this
meteor, but continuing the estimated trajectory to the surface might
have suggested a speculative arrival zone roughly on or east of a line
from about Nottingham north-northwest to the Leeds area of central
England.

Fireball observations from the British Isles and nearby are always
welcomed by the Meteor Section.  (A fireball is any meteor that
reaches at least magnitude -3 at its brightest.)  Information on what
to send and where to is available on the "Making and Reporting
Fireball Observations" webpage, at:
http://snipurl.com/u8aer , which
includes a report form suitable for e-mailing.


SOME COMETS MAY HAVE COME FROM OTHER STARS
SwRI,

Many comets may have been born in orbit around other stars, according
to astronomers from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in
Boulder, Colorado.  The team's computer simulations suggested that the
Sun may have captured small icy bodies from other stars while it was
in its birth star cluster.  While the Sun currently has no companion
stars, it is believed to have formed, with many other stars, from a
dense cloud of interstellar gas.  In the early stages, many of the
stars may have formed lots of small icy bodies -- comets -- in discs
from which planets may have formed.  Most of the comets could have
been ejected gravitationally from their original systems by newly
forming giant planets, becoming free-floating members of the cluster.
The Sun's cluster came to a violent end, however, when the hottest
young stars blew away its remaining gas.  The new models indicate that
the Sun could have captured a large cloud of comets as the cluster
dispersed.  The process of capture is surprisingly efficient and leads
to the possibility that the cloud consists of a potpourri of material
from other stars that formed with the Sun.


ANCIENT OCEAN MAY HAVE COVERED ONE-THIRD OF MARS
University of Colorado, Boulder

An ocean may have covered one-third of the surface of Mars some 3.5
billion years ago, according to a new study conducted by scientists at
the University of Colorado in Boulder.  The study is the first to
combine the analysis of water-related features, including scores of
delta deposits and thousands of river valleys, to test for the
occurrence of an ocean sustained by a global hydrosphere on early
Mars.  While the notion of a large, ancient ocean on Mars has been
repeatedly proposed and challenged, the new study provides support for
the idea that a sustained sea existed on Mars more than 3 billion
years ago.  More than half of the 52 river delta deposits identified
by the researchers in the new study -- each of which was fed by
numerous river valleys -- probably marked the boundaries of the
proposed ocean, since all were at about the same elevation.
Twenty-nine of the 52 deltas were connected either to the ancient Mars
ocean or to the ground-water table of the ocean and to several large
adjacent lakes.  The study implies that ancient Mars probably had an
Earth-like hydrological cycle, including precipitation, runoff, cloud
formation, and ice and ground-water accumulation.  Researchers
concluded that the ocean might have covered about 36% of the planet
and contained about 124 million cubic kilometres of water, about a
tenth of the total in the Earth's oceans.


METEOR PROBABLY CAUSED FLASH ON JUPITER
STScI

Observations made by the Hubble telescope have failed to find an
origin for the flash of light seen on Jupiter on June 3.  The only
plausible explanation seems to be that it came from a meteor that
burnt up above Jupiter's cloud tops and did not plunge deep enough
into the atmosphere to explode and leave behind any telltale clouds of
debris such as have been seen after previous Jupiter collisions.
Australian amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley saw the flash when he was
watching a live video feed of Jupiter from his telescope.  In the
Philippines, amateur astronomer Christopher Go confirmed that he had
simultaneously recorded the transitory event on video.  The two-second
flash of light in the videos of Jupiter was presumably created in the
same way as a meteor trail on Earth.  A shock wave generated by ram
pressure as the meteor speeds into the planet's atmosphere heats the
impacting body to a high temperature, and as the hot object streaks
through the atmosphere, it leaves behind a glowing trail of
superheated atmospheric gases and vaporized meteor material that
rapidly cools and fades in just a few seconds.  Though astronomers are
very uncertain about the rate of large meteoroid impacts on the
planets, the best guess for Jupiter is that the smallest detectable
events may happen as frequently as every few weeks.  The meteor
flashes are so brief that they are easily missed, even in video
recordings, or perhaps misidentified as detector noise or cosmic-ray
hits on imaging devices.

Obviously something must have hit the planet to produce a flash bright
enough to be seen from here.  Images taken by Hubble 3 days after the
flash was sighted showed no sign of debris above Jupiter's cloud tops.
That has been interpreted to mean that the object did not penetrate
beneath the clouds and explode as a fireball.  If it did, previous
events would lead to an expectation that dark blast debris would have
been ejected and would have rained down onto the cloud tops, and the
impact site would have appeared dark.  Dark smudges marred Jupiter's
atmosphere when a series of comet fragments hit the planet in 1994.
A similar phenomenon occurred last July when a suspected asteroid
collided with Jupiter.  The latest impactor is thought to have been
smaller than those earlier ones.


EXO-PLANET SEEN TO HAVE MOVED
ESO

For the first time, astronomers have been able to follow the motion of
an exo-planet (that of Beta Pictoris) as it moves from one side of its
host star to the other.  Images are available for approximately 10
exo-planets, and the planet around Beta Pictoris has the smallest
orbit known so far.  It is at a distance between 8 to 15 astronomical
units -- about the distance of Saturn from the Sun.  Only 12 million
years old, Beta Pictoris is 75% more massive than the Sun.  It is
about 20 parsecs away (1 parsed is about 3.26 light-years) and is one
of the best-known examples of a star surrounded by a dusty debris
disc.  Earlier observations showed a warp of the disc, a secondary
inclined disc, and some evidence of comets falling onto the star.
Those were indirect but telltale signs that suggested the presence of
a massive planet, whose existence is now supported by new
observations.  Because the star is young, the discovery shows that
gas-giant planets can form in only a few million years, a short time
in cosmic terms.

The team used one of the 8.2-metre VLT telescopes to study the
immediate surroundings of Beta Pictoris in 2003, 2008 and 2009.
In 2003, a faint source was seen inside the disc, but it was not
possible to exclude the remote possibility that it was a background
star.  In images taken in 2008 and spring 2009 the source had
disappeared.  The most recent observations, taken in late 2009, showed
an object (presumed to be the same one as in 2003) on the other side
of the disc, so it seems certain that the source is a planet and that
it is orbiting the star.  The short period will allow astronomers to
record the full orbit within 15 to 20 years.  The planet has a mass of
about 9 Jupiter masses and the right mass and location to explain the
observed warp in the inner parts of the disc.


ANTHRACENE FOUND IN INTERSTELLAR SPACE
RAS

Anthracene molecules have been identified in an interstellar cloud in
the direction of the star BD +31 540 in Perseus, about 200 parsecs
away.  Anthracene is one of the most complex carbon-containing
molecules yet found in the interstellar medium.  It consists of three
fused benzene rings, containing a total of 14 carbon atoms, with a
hydrogen atom at each of the ten 'free' corners.  Until now,
anthracene had been detected only in meteorites and never in the
interstellar medium.


DOUBTS ABOUT THE DARK SIDE
RAS

Research by astronomers using observations from the Wilkinson
Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) suggests that the recent allegations
about the content of the Universe may be wrong.  The scientists found
evidence that the errors in the data may be much larger than
previously thought, which in turn makes the conclusions drawn from
them open to question.  Launched in 2001, WMAP measures the small
differences in intensity between different directions in the Cosmic
Microwave Background (CMB) radiation, the residual heat of the Big
Bang that fills the Universe and appears over the whole of the sky.
The angular size of the ripples in the CMB is thought to be connected
with the composition of the Universe.  The observations of WMAP showed
that the ripples were about twice the size of the full Moon, or around
a degree across.  Just from those results, some scientists concluded
that the cosmos is made up of 4% normal matter, 22% 'dark' or
invisible matter and 74% "dark energy" -- simply a name for what was
otherwise unaccounted for.

The team used astronomical objects that appear as unresolved points
in radio telescopes to test the way the WMAP telescope smoothes
its maps. They find that the smoothing is much larger than
previously believed, suggesting that its measurement of the size of
the CMB ripples is not as accurate as was thought.  If true, that
could mean that the ripples are significantly smaller, which could
imply that dark matter and "dark energy" are not present after all.
In addition, the astronomers recently collaborated in an international
team whose research suggested that the structure of the CMB may not
provide the independent check on the presence of "dark energy" that it
was thought to do.

If "dark energy" were to exist, then it has been thought to cause the
expansion of the Universe to accelerate.  On their journey from the
CMB to WMAP, photons travel through superclusters of galaxies.  The
photon is first blueshifted when it enters the supercluster and then
redshifted as it leaves, so the two effects cancel.  However, if the
supercluster galaxies are accelerating away from each other because of
dark energy, the cancellation is not exact, so photons stay slightly
blueshifted after their passage. Slightly higher temperatures should
appear in the CMB where the photons have passed through superclusters.
However, the new results, based on the Sloan Digital Sky Survey which
surveyed 1 million luminous red galaxies, suggest that no such effect
is seen, again threatening the recent models of the Universe.  If the
result is repeated in new surveys of galaxies in the southern
hemisphere then it will pull the rug out from under dark energy.

If the Universe really has no 'dark side', it will come as a relief to
some theoretical physicists.  Having a model that depends on as-yet-
undetected exotic particles that might make up dark matter and the
completely unexplained dark energy has left real scientists feeling
uncomfortable.  It also throws up problems for the birth of stars in
galaxies, with as much 'feedback' energy needed to prevent their
creation as gravity provides to help them form.  The European PLANCK
satellite, currently collecting more CMB data, is expected to provide
new information and help to answer fundamental questions about
the nature of the Universe we live in.


HAYABUSA RETURNS TO EARTH
NASA

The sample capsule from the asteroid explorer Hayabusa, launched in
2003 by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has returned to
Earth.  With Hayabusa, JAXA scientists and engineers hoped to obtain
detailed information on electrical propulsion and autonomous
navigation, as well as an asteroid sampler and sample re-entry
capsule.  The 510-kg Hayabusa spacecraft reached the asteroid Itokawa
in 2005 September.  Over the next 2.5 months, it made scientific
observations of the asteroid's shape, surface, surface altitude
distribution, mineral composition, gravity, and the way it reflected
the Sun's radiation.  On November 25 of that year, the craft briefly
touched down on the surface of Itokawa and attempted to sample
asteroid surface material, but there seemed to be a malfunction in the
sample-collection process.  Nevertheless, scientists hope to find some
of the asteroid's surface material in the capsule.


ROSETTA SET TO ENCOUNTER ASTEROID LUTETIA
Science Daily

The European Space Agency's comet-chaser Rosetta is expected to pass
to within 3300 km of asteroid Lutetia on July 10.  Rosetta started
taking navigational sightings of Lutetia at the end of May so that
ground controllers could determine any course corrections required to
achieve their intended fly-by distance.  The close pass will allow
around 2 hours of good imaging.  The spacecraft will instantly begin
beaming the data back to Earth and the first pictures will be released
later that evening.  Rosetta flew by asteroid Steins in 2008 and other
space missions have encountered a number of asteroids, each of which
has proven to have its individual character.  At present, no one knows
what Lutetia looks like.  Orbiting in the main belt of asteroids
between Mars and Jupiter, it appears just as a point of light to
ground telescopes, although its magnitude suggests that it has
dimensions of the order of 100 km.  A continuous variation in its
brightness makes it clear that Lutetia is rotating and has an uneven
surface.




Owing to holidays, the next scheduled bulletin will be issued on July
18.


Bulletin compiled by Clive Down


(c) 2010 the Society for Popular Astronomy

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile:
http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

[BAA 00505] BAA Awards

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00505            
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================

At Saturday's Exhibition Meeting, I had the pleasurable task of announcing two
awards which are being made this year by Council. The following notes are
drawn from the award citations.

The Walter Goodacre Medal and Gift is awarded in recognition of the
recipient's contribution to the progress of astronomy over many years, with
special regard to work communicated to the Association. This award is being
made to Eric Strach who has been a member for over 44 years and is now in his
96th year. He has been a leading amateur solar observer for nearly 60 years
submitting regular monthly reports to the Solar Section until declining health
forced him to retire from active observing last year.

During his long and productive life Eric has always worked at the forefront of
applying new technology to practical observing. Initially producing solar
drawings by hand, he quickly learnt how to exploit photographic emulsion,
Hydrogen-alpha filters, and later CCD imaging to capture fine details of the
solar photosphere and chromosphere. In recognition of his work at the cutting
edge of solar observing he was awarded the Association.s Merlin Medal in 1999.
 His willingness to embrace new methods of recording observations has not been
diminished by advancing years, which is a lesson to all of us.

He has published several papers on various aspects of solar observing in the
Journal over the years and has also caught the solar eclipse bug, travelling
to see 13 total solar eclipses, the latest at the age of 83.

The second award is the Steavenson Award which is given to a member of the
Association who has made an outstanding contribution to observational
astronomy.  This award is being made to Monty Leventhal. He may be less well
known to many of you as he lives and observes in Sydney, Australia. Monty is
another solar observer, submitting white light and H-alpha observation reports
to the BAA Solar Section as well as to many other solar observing groups
worldwide.

As well as being an active observer, he spends time promoting astronomy
through writing magazine articles, giving talks in the Sydney area and acting
as a volunteer guide at Sydney Observatory. Not having a scientific
background, he had to teach himself the basic knowledge he needed to underpin
his observational work. His regular and consistent observations over 16 years
from a relatively poorly covered longitude have made a valuable contribution
to help maintain a continuous record of solar behaviour.

As neither recipient was able to attend the Exhibition Meeting to receive
their award in person, we are arranging for these to be sent to them.

David Boyd
President

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service.      E-mail:
circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Mon Jun 28 06:49:14 BST 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association    
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

Earth to Lend Helping Hand to Comet Craft

Feature                                   June 25, 2010

Earth to Lend Helping Hand to Comet Craft

The full version of this story with accompanying images is at:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2010-211&cid=release_2010-211

NASA's Deep Impact/EPOXI spacecraft will fly past Earth this Sunday (June 27). Mission navigators have tailored this trajectory so the spacecraft can "hitch a ride" on Earth's gravity field, which will help propel the mission toward its appointment with comet Hartley 2 this fall. At time of closest approach to Earth, the spacecraft will be about 30,400 kilometers (18,900 miles) above the South Atlantic.

"Earth is a great place to pick up orbital velocity," said Tim Larson, the EPOXI project manager from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. "This flyby will give our spacecraft a 1.5-kilometer-per-second [3,470 mph] boost, setting us up to get up close and personal with comet Hartley 2."

EPOXI is an extended mission of the Deep Impact spacecraft. Its name is derived from its two tasked
science investigations -- the Deep Impact Extended Investigation (DIXI) and the Extrasolar Planet Observation and Characterization (EPOCh). On Nov. 4, 2010, the mission will conduct an extended flyby of Hartley 2 using all three of the spacecraft's instruments (two telescopes with digital color cameras and an infrared spectrometer).

The University of Maryland is the Principal Investigator institution. JPL manages EPOXI for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. The spacecraft was built for NASA by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo.

For information about EPOXI, visit
http://www.nasa.gov/epoxi or http://epoxi.umd.edu/ .

2010-211

-end-
 
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

Exclusive interview on Falcon 9's test-flight results

      NEWSALERT: Monday, June 28, 2010 @ 1949 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.
===========================================


"THIS WEEK IN SPACE:" FALCON 9 RESULTS
--------------------------------------
An exclusive interview with SpaceX's safety officer delves into the
post-flight review of the Falcon 9 test launch. Also this week, the final
shuttle missions slip out and John Glenn enters debate about the space
program's future.

http://spaceflightnow.com/twis/


SOYUZ TAKES STATION CREW FOR 'SPIN AROUND THE BLOCK'
----------------------------------------------------
The International Space Station's new docking module added by the shuttle
Atlantis astronauts in May received its first vehicle Monday when the
outpost's crew relocated a Soyuz capsule there.

http://spaceflightnow.com/station/exp24/100628relocate/


ARIANE 5 LAUNCHES ARAB AND SOUTH KOREAN SATELLITES
--------------------------------------------------
Europe's Ariane 5 commercial launcher carried out another uneventful trek
to orbit Saturday night, successfully deploying a powerful broadcasting
bird for the Arab world and a unique spacecraft to see and communicate
with South Korea.

http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v195/


FALCON ROCKET MEETS FIERY END AFTER HISTORIC TEST FLIGHT
--------------------------------------------------------
After riding a flame into Earth orbit more than three weeks ago, the
dormant upper stage of the first Falcon 9 rocket plunged back into the
atmosphere this weekend, a fiery finale for the historic
privately-developed spacecraft.

http://spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/001/100628entry/


U.S. MILITARY READY TO USE ITS NEW COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE
-----------------------------------------------------------
Strategic Command has taken use of the military's newest Wideband Global
SATCOM satellite that will bridge the Atlantic for communications between
the U.S. and deployed forces overseas.

http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d346/100627stratcom.html


EXOPLANET'S SUPERSTORM
----------------------
High-precision observations have allowed astronomers to make the first
measurements of a storm raging on an exoplanet, as well as compute the
planet's orbital speed and mass.

http://astronomynow.com/news/n1006/24exo/

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

Remarkable Space Station Sky Show

Space Weather News for June 25, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

SPACE STATION IN CONSTANT SUNLIGHT:  For the next few days, the  International Space Station (ISS) will be orbiting Earth in constant sunlight.  This sets the stage for a remarkable sky show.  Because the ISS is constantly illuminated, it shines brightly in the night sky every single time it passes overhead.  Some observers can see the space station 3, 4, even 5 times a night.  More information and flybys predictions may be found at http://spaceweather.com

ANDROID FLYBYS:  Spaceweather's "Simple Flybys" app is now available for Android phones as well as the iPhone and iPad.  Details at http://simpleflybys.com

WEEKEND LUNAR ECLIPSE: On Saturday, June 26th, the Moon will pass through Earth's shadow, producing a 54% partial lunar eclipse. The event is visible from most of the Americas, Australia, Japan, east Asia and all of the Pacific Ocean.  For readers in the USA, the best time to look is just before sunrise on Saturday morning.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information.
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

Comet-bound probe to receive slingshot from Earth this weekend

     NEWSALERT: Friday, June 25, 2010 @ 1437 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
         The latest news from Spaceflight Now


+++++++++
Astronaut Autograph Show Tickets on Sale NOW!

Sign on and suit up, Space Fans! The world's largest Astronaut Autograph &
Memorabilia Show tickets are on sale NOW to benefit the Astronaut
Scholarship Foundation! Reserve your SPACE today!

http://astronautscholarship.org/aams/index.html
+++++++++


COMET-BOUND PROBE NEEDS EARTH TO SHAPE ITS TRAJECTORY
-----------------------------------------------------
The NASA spacecraft made famous for firing a projectile into a comet five
years ago is speeding back toward Earth to receive a critical boost Sunday
that will send the satellite to another cometary rendezvous this November.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/24epoxi/


STUDY SUGGESTS WATER WAS A GLOBAL OCCURRENCE ON MARS
----------------------------------------------------
Two probes circling the Red Planet have discovered evidence that water was
once present in the northern hemisphere of Mars, a sign the planet's
entire surface may have been habitable billions of years ago.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/24marswater/


NASA BEGINS REVIEW OF SHUTTLE LAUNCH DATE CHANGES
-------------------------------------------------
NASA managers Tuesday asked shuttle engineers to assess retargeting the
final two space shuttle missions, moving launch of a mid-September flight
with Discovery to Oct. 29 and a late November flight by Endeavour to Feb.
28. The changes would give engineers more time to optimize payloads bound
for the International Space Station and avoid launch conflicts with other
flights to the lab complex.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/100622dates/


+++
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Sign up to Spaceflight Now's Twitter feed
and get text message updates on your cell phone.
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+++

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

Saturday's Predawn Lunar Eclipse


SkyTonight.com
 
Click Here to Print
 
 

Saturday's Predawn Lunar Eclipse

June 22, 2010
by Alan MacRobert

Visibility of June 26th's lunar eclipse
Find your location to see whether the Moon will rise or set during any phase of the eclipse for you. Because an eclipsed Moon is always full, it sets almost at the same time the Sun rises on the opposite horizon.
Sky & Telescope illustration
It's been more than two years (February 2008) since North Americans got a chance to see the Moon engulfed by Earth's deep shadow. But that long dry spell is about to end, at least partly.

On the morning of Saturday, June 26th, observers in the western half of the United States can watch a partial eclipse of the Moon before or during dawn. The full Moon, in Sagittarius, will be sinking low in the southwest and will set around sunrise.

The farther west you are, the better your prospects. The entire eclipse happens in a dark sky over much of the Pacific Ocean, including Hawaii. The West Coast sees the eclipse's final stages low in twilight. In the Mountain and part of the Central time zones, the partial eclipse will still be under way at the time of moonset and sunrise. East of there the Moon sets before the partial eclipse even begins. You can gauge the Moon's visibility from your location by comparing the times in this table with the time of local moonset:

Partial Lunar Eclipse, June 26, 2010
Eclipse event CDT MDT PDT HST
Penumbra first visible? 4:30 a.m. 3:30 a.m. 2:30 a.m. 11:30 p.m.
Partial eclipse begins 5:17 a.m. 4:17 a.m. 3:17 a.m. 12:17 a.m.
Mid-eclipse 5:38 a.m. 4:38 a.m. 1:38 a.m.
Partial eclipse ends 6:00 a.m. 3:00 a.m.
Penumbra last vibisle? 3:45 a.m.

June 26th's lunar eclipse
The northern half of the Moon skims through Earth's umbra (dark shadow core) during June 26th's eclipse. Less noticeable will be the first and last stages of the eclipse, when the Moon is in the penumbra:, the shadow's pale outer fringe. Click on the image for a larger view.
Sky & Telescope illustration
At the deepest stage of the eclipse, the dark red-brown umbra of Earth's shadow will cover the northern 54% of the Moon's diameter, as shown in the diagram at right.

The penumbral phases of the eclipse occur when the moon is only within the penumbra, or pale outer fringe, of Earth's shadow. The weak penumbral shading is detectable only within about 45 minutes of the partial eclipse's beginning or end.

This lunar eclipse is a warmup for the big one coming in six months. Late on the night of December 20-21, 2010, the Moon will be totally eclipsed high in a dark sky for all of North America.

Note: There was an error in this article when it first appeared in the June issue of Sky & Telescope. The date was correctly printed as June 26th, but the day was mistakenly identified as Sunday. The eclipse actually happens on Saturday morning.




 
 
Click Here to Print
 
 
Copyright © 2008 New Track Media. All rights reserved.
 
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

Friday 25 June 2010

Comet McNaught (2009 R1)

According to the Ephemerides the Comet is now moving away from the Earth and is at Perihelion (closest point to) with the Sun during early July according to the BAA Comet Section chart:
 
 
At Perihelion most forces are acting on the Comet and it is usually at its brightest.
 
Also at that time it will become unobservable as it will be too close to the Sun to be seen-shame really because it says that's when it will actually be at its brightest.
 
 
 
 
Its close to Beta Auriga at the moment and will gradually be consumed into the Northern twilight as the Month of June draws to a close.
 
Good clear early morning Summer skies...
 
 
--
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)
--
--

[BAA 00502] Symposium on Occultation Projects, York, August 20-24

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00502            
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================

Dear BAA member,

You are invited to attend the 29th European Symposium on Occultation Projects,
ESOP 2010, which will be held at the University of York, England, from August
20-24.  Details can be found at:
http://www.esop2010.org/

"ESOP" is an annual symposium, organised on behalf of the International
Occultation Timing Association, IOTA, and held at a different European venue
each year.  It is a forum for advanced amateur, semi-professional and
professional astronomers specialising in occultation work. See:
http://www.esop2010.org/index.php?id=37

Programme:

Friday, August 20 - Registration
Welcome meal

Saturday, August 21 - Symposium - Day 1
Symposium dinner

Sunday, August 22 - Symposium - Day 2

Monday, August 23 - Visit to Jodrell Bank radio telescope
Lunch, Visitor Centre and Arboretum gardens
Dinner

Tuesday, August 24 - Ancient city of York, viz.:
National Railway Museum
York Minster
Exploring the historic streets of York
Boat cruise on the River Ouse
Dinner

If you wish to present a paper/poster, or propose a topic for a discussion or
workshop, an abstract should be provided by 2010 July 30 as detailed on the
symposium website using the 'Call for Papers' form.  We also ask you to
register by this date.

This is only the second time that the symposium has been held in the UK, the
first being ESOP 1997 held in Cambridge.  We encourage those with a particular
interest in occultation prediction, observation, reduction, state-of-the-art
equipment, software, and related dynamical events such as eclipses, transits,
mutual events between planetary satellites and astrometry of fast-moving
asteroids to participate.

We particularly thank the BAA for help in staging the meeting.

Local Organising Committee:
Alex Pratt
Melvyn Taylor
Len Entwisle
Richard Miles
Andrew Elliott (advisor)

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service.      E-mail:
circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Thu Jun 17 19:03:43 BST 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association    
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

[BAA 00503] BAA Exhibition Meeting 2010

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00503            
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================

BAA Exhibition Meeting
Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Saturday, 26 June 2010

The Exhibition Meeting website -
http://www.britastro.org/exhibition/ - has
now been updated with final details. Exhibits and activities - occupying the
ground floor, first floor and two lecture theatres of Queen Anne Court -
include:

19 BAA exhibits
4 provincial societies
8 trade stands
2 live sessions using the robotic Faulkes Telescopes
Telescopes on the lawn
Rolling PowerPoint presentation of BAA work and activities
Ordinary Meeting, including the presentation of awards
Lecture by Dr Francisco Diego

The cafeteria (immediately adjacent to Queen Anne Court) will be serving
sandwiches, salads, soup, tea, coffee and soft drinks from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm.
The website also includes local maps, plus information on travel,
accommodation, and other events and facilities in Greenwich and its environs.
The Exhibition Meeting is open to everyone - members and non-members - free of
charge.

Lorraine Crook
Exhibition Meeting Organiser
http://www.britastro.org/exhibition/
E-mail : lorraine@hamal.demon.co.uk
Mobile : 07964759278

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service.      E-mail:
circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Thu Jun 17 19:54:40 BST 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association    
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

[BAA 00504] BAA Historical Section - Section Meeting

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00504            
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================

A date for your diaries!

We are delighted to announce an inaugural meeting for the re-launched
Historical Section.
Date:  Saturday November 27th 2010
Location:  The Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Rd, Cambridge.
Time:  10:30 - 18:00
Cost:  We'll make a nominal charge to cover buffet lunch and speaker expenses.

This is a call for speakers. We have a loose theme of "Twentieth-Century
Astronomy" (talks so far offered are on Fred Hoyle, the Isaac Newton
Telescope, and Mary Evershed, first director of the BAA Historical Section),
but our intention is to showcase research done by BAA members, so we will
consider talks on any subject.

More details at the Exhibition Meeting in Greenwich on Saturday June 26th.
Please come to visit us there!

Mike Frost - Director (
frostma@aol.com)

Lee Macdonald - Deputy Director (
lt@macdonald42.freeserve.co.uk)

http://www.britastro.org/history

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service.      E-mail:
circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Sat Jun 19 15:39:57 BST 2010
(c) 2010 British Astronomical Association    
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
 
--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

"This Week In Space" exclusive interview with Mike Griffin

     NEWSALERT: Monday, June 21, 2010 @ 2013 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.
===========================================


THIS WEEK IN SPACE
------------------
Miles O'Brien has an exclusive interview with former NASA Administrator
Mike Griffin about SpaceX and the space program's new direction in the
latest episode of "This Week In Space."

http://spaceflightnow.com/twis/


RADAR MAPPING SPACECRAFT LAUNCHED INTO EARTH ORBIT
--------------------------------------------------
A new German satellite rocketed into orbit from Kazakhstan early Monday,
reinforcing a program to create the most precise civilian
three-dimensional maps of Earth using dual high-resolution radars.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/21dnepr/


CASSINI SCIENTISTS AWAIT RESULTS FROM NEW ADVENTURE
---------------------------------------------------
The Cassini spacecraft headed toward its closest encounter with the
mysterious world of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, during a daring
flyby Sunday night that scientists hoped would answer a key question.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/19cassini/


PAN-STARRS BEGINS SEARCH FOR KILLER ASTEROIDS
---------------------------------------------
The first Panoramic Survey Telescope and Rapid Response System telescope,
Pan-STARRS 1, is now fully operational, tracking the sky for "killer"
asteroids and comets.

http://astronomynow.com/news/n1006/17panstarrs/


+++
GET OUR LIVE UPDATES FROM TWITTER!
Sign up to Spaceflight Now's Twitter feed
and get text message updates on your cell phone.
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+++

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling
--
Profile:
http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra

Cassini completes drama-packed encounter with Saturn moon

     NEWSALERT: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 @ 1730 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
         The latest news from Spaceflight Now


++++++++++
AGI Users' Conference: We're Coming to You!

AGI is taking its technology on the road in 2010. We'll be making stops in
18 states around the U.S. Each free, one-day event includes hands-on
software demos, virtual expert sessions, developer kiosks and user
discussions. Register today at
http://uc.agi.com
++++++++++


CASSINI MAKES DRAMATIC DIVE IN THE NAME OF SCIENCE
--------------------------------------------------
The Cassini spacecraft pulled off its latest drama-packed performance
Sunday night, braving to skim deeper into the outer atmosphere of Saturn's
largest moon than it had ever attempted before in hopes of discovering a
magnetic field around Titan.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1006/21cassini/


HUBBLE'S BUBBLES AND BABY STARS
-------------------------------
A new Hubble Space Telescope image delving into the N11 region of the
Large Magellanic Cloud reveals bright bubbles of glowing gas and a region
of frenetic star birth.

http://astronomynow.com/news/n1006/22hubble/


ARIANE 5 SET TO LAUNCH ARAB AND SOUTH KOREAN SATELLITES
-------------------------------------------------------
The next Ariane 5 rocket will be rolled to the launch pad Tuesday at the
Guiana Space Center in South America for Wednesday evening's planned
blastoff carrying a pair of satellites for diverse purposes.

http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/v195/preview.html

OUR ARIANE ARCHIVE:
http://spaceflightnow.com/ariane/


THIS WEEK IN SPACE
------------------
Miles O'Brien has an exclusive interview with former NASA Administrator
Mike Griffin about SpaceX and the space program's new direction in the
latest episode of "This Week In Space."

http://spaceflightnow.com/twis/


+++
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
--
Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--
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/
--
Information:
http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra