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Wednesday 29 September 2010

Charts-info Astrosite Groningen (September 27, 2010)

This Comet has had Recent magnitude estimates of Magnitude 7.5 to 8.5 which will bring it within good Binocular brightness at this time-once the skies clear I will be looking out for this one:
 
Dear comet observers,
 
We have prepared the following new charts for our homepage:
 
  
 *  103P/Hartley 2 : 
  • two 9x12 degrees charts for the period 28 September  - 10 October 2010.
  • two 12x16 degrees charts for the period 10 - 21 October 2010.
 
These new charts can now be downloaded from the charts section of our mainpage:
Here you can also download charts from earlier updates....
 
Reinder Bouma/Edwin van Dijk.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--
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 28 September 2010

SPA ENB No. 295

 ***********************************
  The SOCIETY for POPULAR ASTRONOMY
 ***********************************
      ========================================================
       Electronic News Bulletin No. 295     2010 September 26
      ========================================================
 
 
 
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
 
 
SOLAR SECTION
By Richard Bailey, SPA Solar Section Director
 
The Solar Section Monthly Reports, with many pictures sent in by
Section members, can be viewed by going to the SPA home page, then to
the Solar Section link.  On the left-hand side of it is the list of
Reports, the latest being for 2010 August.  There are two pages of
pictures on the most recent Reports.  I upload my Monthly Section
Reports as soon as possible after the end of each month.
 
 
NEW UK FIREBALL CAMERA SYSTEM
By Alastair McBeath, SPA Meteor Section Director
 
An exciting development over the summer has been the creation of an
all-sky fireball camera system for southeastern Britain, run by the
University of Hertfordshire.  At present, it has four operational
stations, at Bayfordbury and Hemel Hempstead (both in Herts), Niton
(Isle of Wight) and Cromer (Norfolk).  The Bayfordbury Observatory
camera has been running on a trial basis since 2009 October, and among
its captures were several single-station Perseid fireballs in 2010
August.  However, the first multi-site recording of a fireball was from
three of the four stations soon after they had all become active, on
September 5-6.  (A computer fault lost the data from the Hemel
Hempstead system, unfortunately including details on the meteor's
velocity and duration.)  The fireball occurred at 00:39 UT, and
information calculated from the triangulated trail indicated the
meteor passed on an ESE-WNW track (the trail heading was towards
azimuth 275°), starting at 103 km altitude nearly above Chelmsford in
Essex, and ending at 81 km altitude almost above Hertford, just 9 km
ENE of the Bayfordbury camera.  The trail length was 46 km, descending
at an angle to the horizontal of 29° (data kindly provided by
Hertfordshire University analyst David Campbell).  There are links to
the three images and more information about the Hertfordshire
University camera system on the SPA's General Chat Forum topic at:
 
David Campbell also reported that the meteor had been imaged by the
Cambridge University Institute of Astronomy's all-sky camera
(http://tel05.ast.cam.ac.uk/) and another elsewhere operated by Paul
Beesken.  The trail was recorded too by Klaas Jobse at Oostkapelle in
the Netherlands (see: http://snipurl.com/16bwxu ).
Many congratulations go to all involved!
 
 
PERSEIDS UPDATE
By Alastair McBeath, SPA Meteor Section Director
 
Fresh results arriving since ENB 294 appeared have helped fill some of
the gaps in the SPA's coverage of this favourite shower, with over
3500 Perseids now reported.  Zenithal Hourly Rates (ZHRs) on August
12-13 have suggested a peak of ~100 +/- 10 around 22h-23h UT, but they
apparently dropped to ~70 +/- 5 from 00h-02h, before picking up again
to ~90 +/- 5 from 03h-06h, declining generally thereafter.  The
International Meteor Organization's (IMO's) findings, based on many
more data, have remained similar to those noted last time, however
(see: http://www.imo.net/live/perseids2010/ ), so it is uncertain how
accurate the features in the SPA analysis may have been.
 
I carried out my usual analysis of the Perseid radio results just
before the International Meteor Conference at Armagh (September
16-19), drawing on reports from the near-peak period as presented in
Radio Meteor Observation Bulletin 205 for 2010 August (see:
http://www.rmob.org for details of all the observers and their
equipment).  Three datasets from North America and 12 from Europe were
deemed sufficiently complete, accurate and free from interference to
be fully analysed. The main findings were as follows.
1) The better Perseid activity probably happened from ~17h UT
on August 12 to ~17h on August 13, although this was not strongly
confirmed beyond 11h on the 13th.
2) The main Perseid peak probably occurred between 01h and 11h UT
on August 13. There may have been two phases within that interval,
one around 02h-05h UT, the other from 08h-10h, but the possibility
that that was influenced by radiant geometry could not be ruled out.
3) There was evidence for a possible early peak on August 12,
between 17 and 19h UT, especially 18h-19h, in some datasets from
both Europe (where the circumpolar Perseid radiant was near its
lowest for the day) and North America (from where the radiant
geometry was much more favourable).  However, that potential
event seemed weaker than the main maximum activity on August 13,
and may have been less rich in brighter meteors (events producing
longer-duration radio echoes).
4) While generally in line with the IMO's Perseid visual results,
the ZHR ~130, short-lived peak found around 17:00-17:30 UT on
August 12 was not well confirmed, either in its apparent strength or
timing.
 
As always, grateful thanks and praise go to all our contributors.
 
 
JUNE BOÖTID UPDATE
By Alastair McBeath, SPA Meteor Section Director
 
New details on the June Boötids have appeared recently in the German
Arbeitskreis Meteore journal "Meteoros" (Vol. 13, No. 8).  IMO Video
Commission Director Sirko Molau presented these as part of his June
video-meteor review.  The European video cameras detected increased
Boötid activity from the usual radiant on June 23-24.  However, the
activity was barely one-third that of the concurrent sporadics, and
the shower's video-rate seemed near to or below the level that can be
usefully detected visually.  That may be why there were both negative
and weak positive visual reports that night (see ENBs 291 & 292, at
The IMO's journal WGN will publish an English-language version of the
video findings shortly.
 
 
WATER ON MOON MAY CLOUD PLANS FOR LUNAR ASTRONOMY
RAS
 
The recent discovery of water on the Moon may have an impact on future
plans for Moon-based astronomy.  Space scientists from the Chinese
Academy of Sciences have calculated that the scattering caused by
molecules vaporised in sunlight could distort certain observations
from telescopes mounted on the Moon.  The research has particular
implications for the Chinese lunar lander, Chang'E-3, which is planned
to be launched in 2013.  An ultraviolet astronomical telescope will be
installed on the lander, which will operate on the sunlit surface of
the Moon, powered by solar panels.  At certain ultraviolet
wavelengths, hydroxyl molecules cause a particular kind of scattering
where photons are absorbed and rapidly re-emitted.
 
The Moon's potential as a site for astronomical observatories has been
discussed since the era of the Space Race.  Moon-based telescopes
could have several advantages over telescopes on Earth, including a
cloudless sky and low seismic activity.  The far side of the Moon
could be an ideal site for radio astronomy, being permanently shielded
from interference from the Earth.  Radio observations would not be
affected by plausible hydroxyl levels.
 
 
PHOBOS MAY HAVE FORMED FROM IMPACT DEBRIS
RAS
 
The origin of the Martian satellites Phobos and Deimos is a
long-standing puzzle.  It has been proposed that both moons may be
asteroids that were captured by Mars' gravity.  Spectra of Phobos at
visible and near-infrared wavelengths have been considered to be
analogous to those of carbonaceous-chondrite meteorites, commonly
associated with asteroids dominant in the middle part of the asteroid
belt, but recent thermal-infrared observations show poor agreement
with any class of chondritic meteorite.  They instead argue in favour
of in-situ formation, by re-accretion of rocky debris lofted into
orbit round Mars by a large impact.  Two quasi-independent
compositional analyses of thermal-infrared spectra, from the Mars
Express and Mars Global Surveyor missions, yield very similar
conclusions.  The re-accretion picture is strengthened by the
measurements of Phobos's high porosity from the radio-science
experiment on Mars Express.
 
Astronomers detected for the first time a type of mineral called
phyllosilicates on the surface of Phobos, particularly in the areas
northeast of Stickney, its largest impact crater.  That is intriguing,
as it implies the interaction of silicate materials with liquid water
on the parent body prior to incorporation into Phobos.  Alternatively
phyllosilicates may have formed in situ, but that would mean that
Phobos required sufficient internal heating to enable liquid water to
remain stable.  More detailed mapping, in-situ measurements from a
lander, or sample return would ideally help to settle the issue.
Other observations appear to match the types of minerals identified on
the surface of Mars. Thus, the derived composition on Phobos appears
more closely related to Mars than to objects elsewhere in the Solar
System.  The asteroid-capture proposals also have difficulty in
explaining the current near-circular and near-equatorial orbits of
both Martian moons.
 
The radio-science team has used the Doppler shifts in the frequency of
the spacecraft's transmissions to determine the perturbations of the
craft's trajectory by the gravitational attraction of Phobos, and
hence the satellite's mass.  The resulting estimate of Phobos' density
is 1.86 ± 0.02 g/cm3 -- significantly lower than the density of
meteoritic material associated with asteroids.  It is held to imply a
sponge-like structure, with voids making up 25-45% in Phobos's
interior.  High porosity seems anyway to be required in order to
absorb the energy of the large impact that generated Stickney crater
without destroying the body.  A highly porous interior of Phobos
supports the idea of formation by re-accretion of rocky material in
orbit round Mars.  In that process, modelling suggests that the
largest blocks re-accrete first because of their larger mass, forming
a core with large boulders.  Then the smaller debris re-accrete but do
not fill the gaps left between the large blocks because of the low
self-gravity of the small body in formation.  Finally, a relatively
smooth surface of finely-divided material masks the voids inside the
body.
 
 
14 NEW TRANS-NEPTUNIAN OBJECTS FOUND
Harvard-Smithsonian CfA
 
Beyond the orbit of Neptune are countless icy rocks known as trans-
Neptunian objects (TNOs).  Four of the biggest, including Pluto, are
classified as dwarf planets.  The region also has many comets, such as
Halley's Comet.  TNOs are small and receive little sunlight, so they
are faint and difficult to detect.  Now, astronomers searching the
data archives of the Hubble telescope have added 14 new ones to the
catalogue, and their method promises to turn up many more.  As TNOs
slowly orbit the Sun, they move against the starry background,
appearing as streaks in time-exposure photographs.  The team developed
software to analyze hundreds of Hubble images looking for such
streaks.  After promising candidates were flagged, the scientists
themselves examined the images to try to confirm or refute each
discovery.
 
Most TNOs are located near the ecliptic, so the team searched within
5° of the ecliptic to increase the chance of success.  They found 14
objects, including one binary pair.  All were very faint, most being
between magnitudes 25 and 27.  According to estimates based on their
distances and magnitudes, the new-found TNOs range from 40 to 100
kilometres across.  The initial study examined only one-third of a
square degree of the sky, so hundreds more TNOs may well be
discoverable in the rest of the Hubble archives.
 
 
DATA CLIPPERS SET SAIL TO ENHANCE FUTURE PLANETARY MISSIONS
RAS
 
A new golden age of sailing may be about to begin -- in space.  Future
missions to explore the outer planets could employ fleets of
'data clippers', manoeuvrable spacecraft equipped with solar sails, to
ship vast quantities of scientific data back to the Earth.  The
technology could be ready in time to support mid-term missions to the
moons of Jupiter and Saturn.  Space-rated flash memories will soon be
able to store the huge quantities of data needed for the global
mapping of planetary bodies at high resolution.  But a full
high-resolution map of, say, Europa or Titan would take several
decades to download from orbiters of current designs.  Downloading
data is a major design driver for interplanetary missions, and
scientists believe that data clippers would be an efficient way of
overcoming the bottleneck.  They have carried out a preliminary
assessment for a data-clipper mission.  The concept is for a clipper
to fly close to a planetary orbiter, upload its data and then pass
close to the Earth, at which point terabytes of data could be
downloaded to a ground station.  A fleet of data clippers cruising
around the Solar System could provide support for an entire suite of
planetary missions.
 
Scientists have looked at the challenges of a data-clipper mission and
think that it could be ready for a launch in the late 2020s.  Recent
advances in technology mean that spacecraft propelled by solar sails,
which use radiation pressure from photons emitted by the Sun, or
electric sails, which harness the momentum of the solar wind, can now
be envisaged for mid-term missions.  The Japanese Space Agency, JAXA,
is currently testing a solar-sail mission, IKAROS.  Using the Sun as a
propulsion source has the considerable advantage of requiring no
propellant on board.  As long as the hardware does not age too much
and the spacecraft is manoeuvrable, the duration of the mission can be
very long.  The use of data clippers could lead to a valuable
down-sizing of exploration missions and lower ground-operation costs.
The orbiting spacecraft would still download some samples of their
data directly to Earth to enable real-time discoveries and interactive
mission operations.  But the bulk of the data is less urgent and is
often processed by scientists much later, so data clippers could
provide an economical delivery service from the outer Solar System,
over and over again.
 
 
Bulletin compiled by Clive Down
 
 
(c) 2010 the Society for Popular Astronomy
 
 
--
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 00519] Val White

R.I.P-Val White:
 
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00519            http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================
 
 
It is with great sadness I have to inform you that Val White, editor of the
Handbook and until recently a member of Council, died peacefully at home on 23rd September after a long and courageous fight with cancer. Some of you will have met Val at meetings or on solar eclipse trips with her husband Andrew. She was a delightful person, always warm and friendly and willing to help.
 
Val was first elected to Council in 2003 and brought a calm, level-headed
presence to our discussions. She could be relied on to give an honest opinion and I valued her advice and judgement. With a degree in Astronomy and Pure Maths, she was the perfect volunteer to take on editing the Handbook which she has done for the last 6 years. With great skill, tact and persistence she has steered it through the transition to a digitally produced format and as a result reduced its production costs considerably. In doing this she was helped and supported by Andrew.
 
In the October Journal, in my From the President article, there is an appeal for someone to take over editing the Handbook. When I wrote that we did not expect to lose Val so quickly. Throughout her illness she continued to work on the 2011 Handbook and it will stand as a lasting memorial to her commitment and dedication.
 
Her passing when she still had so much to offer is a great loss to the
Association but a much greater one to her family and friends.
 
Our thoughts and condolences are with Andrew at this very difficult time.
 
David Boyd, President
 
 
======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service.      E-mail: circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Mon Sep 27 10:27:17 BST 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)
--
--

Friday 24 September 2010

Photo special: Discovery on launch pad one last time

NEWSALERT: Wednesday, September 22, 2010 @ 1655 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
   The latest news from Spaceflight Now


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
BID FOR YOUR OWN PIECE OF SPACE

Bidding has begun for highly-prized space items in the Astronaut
Scholarship Foundation's 2010 Astronaut Experiences & Memorabilia
Semi-Annual Auction. The online auction includes 50 unique lots including
space artifacts, spaceflight relics and personal experiences with
astronaut heroes. The auction closes September 25 at 5 PM EDT so get
started by logging on at:

http://www.astronautscholarship.org/auction
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


PHOTO SPECIAL: DISCOVERY ON LAUNCH PAD ONE LAST TIME
----------------------------------------------------
The incredible machine that is the space shuttle has been the central
feature in America's space program for the past three decades. But as
forced retirement looms, the orbiters are flying their final missions
before becoming museum pieces. Spaceflight Now had the rare treat to visit
shuttle Discovery at launch pad 39A and create this photographic
collection of the venerable spaceplane.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/100921onpad/


REBORN AFTER KATRINA, SHUTTLE TANK LEAVES FACTORY
-------------------------------------------------
An external fuel tank damaged by Hurricane Katrina left a New Orleans
factory Tuesday on a 900-mile barge trip to the Kennedy Space Center,
where it will be bolted to the shuttle Endeavour for the program's final
scheduled launch.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts134/100922etship/


SHUTTLE DISCOVERY ROLLS OUT FOR ITS FINAL SPACE MISSION
-------------------------------------------------------
For the last time in history, the space shuttle Discovery trekked from
Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39A Monday
night. Watch our Mission Status Center for live updates and streaming
video:

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/status.html


ATLAS 5 ROCKET LAUNCHES CLANDESTINE SPACECRAFT
----------------------------------------------
Igniting a major surge of five national security space launches in the
next few months, an Atlas 5 rocket soared away from America's western
spaceport Monday night carrying a covert spy satellite.

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av025/status.html

LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY:
http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av025/launch/


VANDENBERG TEAM GUIDES NATION'S CRITICAL LAUNCHES
-------------------------------------------------
Whether it's launching a national security payload with an Atlas 5 rocket
Monday night or rehearsing for the West Coast debut of the mighty Delta
4-Heavy, these are active times for Vandenberg Air Force Base's 4th Space
Launch Squadron.

http://spaceflightnow.com/atlas/av025/100919sls.html


+++
SHUTTLE PROGRAM COMMEMORATIVE PATCH ON SALE!
A special commemorative patch to mark the end of the space shuttle program
is now available from our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

--
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

Bright Fireball Rivals the Harvest Moon + a Big Solar Event

Space Weather News for Sept. 22, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

GLOBAL ERUPTION ON THE SUN: This morning between 0230 UT and 0600 UT, the northern hemisphere of the sun erupted in a tumult of activity.  There was a solar flare, a coronal mass ejection, and at least two dark magnetic filaments lifting off the stellar surface. The event appears to be a smaller-scale version of the global blast in early August that sparked auroras over some US states. As before, NASA spacecraft recorded the action in detail. Visit http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.

SOUTHWESTERN FIREBALL RIVALS THE HARVEST MOON: Last night, sky watchers in the southwestern United States witnessed a brilliant fireball. It was almost as bright as the full Harvest Moon and caused a loud sonic boom over parts of New Mexico.  A movie of the event is highlighted on today's edition of
http://spaceweather.com.

SPACE WEATHER ALERTS:  With the coming of northern autumn, aurora season is underway. Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms erupt at your latitude?  Sign up for Space Weather Phone:
http://spaceweatherphone.com
 
--
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

Thursday 23 September 2010

The Autumnal Equinox....

Occured @ 03.09 UT this morning...
 
 
 
 
 
--
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

Wednesday 22 September 2010

Close Encounter with Jupiter

Space Weather News for Sept. 20, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

JUPITER AT ITS BEST: Tonight, Sept. 20-21, Earth and Jupiter converge for their closest encounter in decades. The giant planet will soar across the sky at midnight, outshining everything except the Moon itself.  Although big, bright Jupiter will remain close to Earth for weeks to come, tonight is the closest of all.  Check http://spaceweather.com for images and more information.

SPACE STATION RADAR ECHO: Over the weekend, the International  Space Station flew through the radar beam of the US Air Force Space Surveillance System in Texas.  The echo was strong enough to be heard by amateur radio operators across the southern USA.  A sample echo is highlighted on today's edition of
http://spaceweather.com .

SPACE WEATHER ALERTS:  With the coming of northern autumn, aurora season is underway. Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms erupt at your latitude?  Sign up for Space Weather Phone:
http://spaceweatherphone.com

--
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

LIVE - Shuttle Discovery begins final journey to launch pad

       NEWSALERT: Monday, September 20, 2010 @ 2335 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
            The latest news from Spaceflight Now


SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY MAKING FINAL TRIP TO LAUNCH PAD
-------------------------------------------------------
For the final time in history, the space shuttle Discovery is journeying
from Kennedy Space Center's Vehicle Assembly Building to launch pad 39A.
Tonight's trek began at 7:24 p.m. EDT. Watch our Mission Status Center for
updates and live streaming video.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/status.html


++++

DISCOVERY MISSION PATCH
The official embroidered patch for space shuttle Discovery's final voyage
into space is available from our online store.

http://spaceflightnowstore.com

++++

--
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 21 September 2010

[BAA 00518] Uranus at Opposition

=====================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00518 http://www.britastro.org/
=====================================================

As pointed out in the BAA e-bulletin 00517, Uranus comes to opposition
on the same date as Jupiter, i.e. 21 September 2010.

A chart for finding Uranus is given in the BAA Handbook. However
Jupiter provides an excellent guide to finding the fainter Uranus
which lies approximately 0.9 degrees to the north of Jupiter at
opposition.

Uranus has a magnitude of +5.7 and is easily visible in binoculars.
Its disk is only 3".7 across but it will be visible in a medium sized
telescope with a magnification of x100 or greater. Detail has been
reported on the planet's disk from time to time but this tends to be
elusive.

Its four largest satellites, Titania Oberon, Ariel and Umbriel may be
seen visually with larger amateur instruments and also detected via
digital imaging.

Mike Foulkes BAA Saturn Section Director

======================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service. E-mail:
circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Mon Sep 20 20:25:57 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

[BAA 00517] Jupiter at its closest opposition

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00517            
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================


Jupiter at its closest opposition

Jupiter is now a brilliant sight throughout the night. At opposition
in a few days time, it will be at its closest distance for 47 years,
so the disk appears larger than at any time since 1963.  It is also at
its highest declination this year than at any time since 2004, so it
appears higher in the sky (for observers north of the tropics).
Uranus is also at opposition on the same day.

Specifically, Jupiter reaches minimum distance (3.95393 AU) on Sep.20d
21h, and maximum phase angle (178.4 deg) on Sep.21d 12h.  Uranus
reaches minimum distance (19.08816 AU) on Sep.20d 20h, and maximum
phase angle (179.2 deg) on Sep.21d 17h.  Uranus is 1 degree N of
Jupiter; the two planets have exactly the same right ascension on
Sep.22d 19h. (Data from the JPL Ephemeris Generator)

Jupiter now looks very unusual in a telescope, as one of the major
belts - the South Equatorial Belt - has become covered with bright
cloud, so it has almost disappeared.  At the same time, the Great Red
Spot (at L2 = 155) has become very prominent and red.  This aspect has
been seen at irregular intervals throughout jovian history, but the
change has never been so complete since 1990.  The revival of the SEB
always starts with a vigorous outbreak of spots at a single location,
which spreads around the planet, producing a dramatic and
rapidly-changing spectacle.  This could start at any time this year or
next, so observers should be on the alert for any unusual new spot in
the SEB, and report it to the undersigned at once. (However, there are
several stable dark spots within the SEB, marking the locations of
small, now-obscured cyclonic circulations, so please check whether a
spot is really new.)

We will release a detailed interim report within the next week, by
e-mail to those on the Section mailing list, and then on the Section
web site.
If you can take images of the planet, or make good drawings of it,
please e-mail them to the undersigned.  Please consult the guidelines
on the Section web site. Also contact the undersigned if you would
like to be added to the Jupiter Section e-mailing list.

John Rogers
BAA Jupiter Section Director
jhr11 -at-
cam.ac.uk
http://www.britastro.org/jupiter

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service.      E-mail:
circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Mon Sep 20 09:46:26 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

Monday 20 September 2010

[BAA 00515] Favourable Appulse/Opposition of Jupiter and Uranus

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00515            
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================

Observers may be interested to know that during the last few days the
planets Jupiter and Uranus have been passing close to each other in the
constellation of Pisces as seen from the Earth and are currently separated
by an angular distance of less than 50 arcminutes with Uranus approximately
north of Jupiter as seen in the sky.

What makes this special is that both planets reach opposition on the same
day, September 21 and furthermore, Jupiter's opposition is a particularly
favourable one in that the planet is the closest and brightest since 1963.
Details are as follows:

Sep 20 20:20 UT  Uranus closest to Earth (19.0881644 AU)
Sep 20 21:20 UT  Jupiter closest to Earth (3.9539288 AU)
Sep 21 11:40 UT  Jupiter at opposition (V = -2.94)
Sep 21 17:00 UT  Uranus at opposition (V = 5.73)

Positions and magnitudes were derived from JPL HORIZONS.

Observers should note that when at opposition the nearly full Moon will be
about 20 degrees to the west of the planets and so the better views should
be obtained tonight (19/20th) and tomorrow might (20/21st).  Using a
low-power eyepiece, visual observers should be able to easily see both
planets in the same field of view.  When closest, the disk of Jupiter will
be some 49.86 arcsec in diameter (equatorial) as compared to Uranus which
appears a mere 3.69 arcsec across and nearly 3,000 times fainter.  Look out
for the unusual bluish-green colour of Uranus largely caused by the presence
of methane in its atmosphere.

Richard Miles
rmiles@baa.u-net.com


======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service.      E-mail:
circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Sun Sep 19 11:32:24 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 00516] 2010 July 11 total eclipse

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00516            
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================

A preliminary report on BAA observations of this eclipse has already
appeared in the August Journal:

http://britastro.org/journal/pdf/120-4eclipse.pdf

and further reports will be published in the October issue.

We have already received a considerable amount of material for potential
inclusion on the planned 2010 total eclipse DVD. Roger Perry has started
to compile this disk but there is still time to include other suitable
items. If you have any material that you think may be suitable please
e-mail it to me at the address below. Large items, such as videos, can
be uploaded to our FTP site. If you want to send such items please
contact me for FTP access details.

Nick James (
ndj@nickdjames.com)


======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service.      E-mail:
circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Mon Sep 20 00:24:39 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

Thursday 16 September 2010

Space tourism could fly with Boeing / Crew for potential extra shuttle flight

NEWSALERT: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 @ 1807 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
   The latest news from Spaceflight Now


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
HISTORIC SPACE ITEMS IN ONLINE AUCTION

You can now preview the online auction catalog for the Astronaut
Scholarship Foundation's 2010 Fall Astronaut Experiences & Memorabilia
Semi-Annual Auction. Bidding starts September 16 for the 50 featured items
such as astronaut experiences, space relics and more. Register and view
the catalog at:

http://www.astronautscholarship.org/auction
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


BOEING ALLIES WITH SPACE ADVENTURES FOR TOURIST FLIGHTS
-------------------------------------------------------
Wealthy space tourists could join astronauts on Boeing's proposed
commercial spaceship under a framework agreement announced Wednesday
between the aerospace contractor and Space Adventures.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1009/15boeingtourism/


CREW ASSIGNED FOR POSSIBLE FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION
------------------------------------------------------
Veteran shuttle commander Christopher Ferguson, pilot Douglas Hurley, Rex
Walheim and Sandra Magnus will train for a rescue flight aboard the
shuttle Atlantis, and if Congress approves funding, for a real mission
next June to deliver spare parts and supplies to the International Space
Station.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/100914crew/


DEXTRE'S DEBUT RESET FOR JANUARY CARGO MISSION
----------------------------------------------
The International Space Station's robotic handyman is standing down from a
planned power controller swap to refocus on mandatory tasks during a
Japanese cargo mission in January, according to the Canadian Space Agency.

http://spaceflightnow.com/station/exp24/100914dextre/


NASA PHOTO GALLERY OF DISCOVERY'S GROUND MOVES
----------------------------------------------
This photo collection documents space shuttle Discovery's move from the
Orbiter Processing Facility hangar to the Vehicle Assembly Building, going
vertical and mating to external fuel tank, plus an internal view of the
attachment bolt that had a problematic nut.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/100914kscgallery/

EARLIER STS-133 COVERAGE:
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/


SOYUZ, VEGA FLIGHTS FROM FRENCH GUIANA SET FOR 2011
---------------------------------------------------
The first flight of the Russian Soyuz rocket from South America will occur
in early 2011 and Europe's smaller solid-fueled launcher will not debut
until at least the middle of next year, according to Arianespace's chief
executive.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1009/13soyuzvega/


BAIKONUR WELCOMES SIRIUS XM RADIO SATELLITE FOR LAUNCH
------------------------------------------------------
Another satellite for Sirius XM Radio's broadcasting system has arrived at
the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for its launch into space next month
atop a commercial Proton rocket.

http://spaceflightnow.com/proton/siriusxm5/arrival.html


+++
SHUTTLE PROGRAM COMMEMORATIVE PATCH ON SALE!
A special commemorative patch to mark the end of the space shuttle program
is now available from our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

--
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 00514] Observers Workshop

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletin No. 00514            
http://www.britastro.org/
======================================================================


Just a reminder that the next BAA meeting will be The Observers
Workshop on Saturday September 25th 2010 in Burlington House,
Piccadilly, London

Subjects being covered are Comets, Meteors and Asteroids. Registration
is at 10.30 followed by a short introduction and update from the
sections then after lunch there will be individual in-depth workshops,
finishing at 17.30.

Space is restricted so please book via the BAA office soonest to
ensure a place. There will be a small charge of 4 pounds for BAA
members and 5 pounds for non-menbers to cover tea & coffee. Lunch is
not included as there are numerous eating places close to the venue.

10:30 Registration
10:55 Welcome
11.00 Intro from Comet Section
11:40 Intro from Asteroid Section
12:25 Intro from Meteor Section
13:05 Lunch
14:30 Workshops
15:45 Tea
16:15 Workshops
17:30 Close

Look forward to seeing you there

Hazel

Hazel Collett
Meetings Secretary

======================================================================
BAA electronic bulletins service.      E-mail:
circadmin@britastro.org
Bulletin transmitted on Wed Sep 15 16:25:56 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