Atlantis Transits the Sun Just Before Landing

Space Weather News for July 21, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

FINAL ACT: Space shuttle Atlantis landed in Florida this morning, bringing an end to NASA's 30-year shuttle program.  Just 21 minutes before the de-orbit burn, a photographer in Germany snapped what may be the last-ever photo of a shuttle in space.  He caught Atlantis transiting the face of the sun, silhouetted against a backdrop of solar fire in conjunction with nearby sunspot AR1254. Visit http://spaceweather.com

 for images and more information.

AURORA WATCH: A fast stream of solar wind is buffeting Earth's magnetic field on July 21st.   High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras, especially in the southern hemisphere where night skies are winter-dark.  Aurora alerts are available from http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice) or http://spaceweathertext.com

 (text).

--

Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

Special video look at Atlantis' launch / Hubble's latest discovery

NEWSALERT: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 @ 1710 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
  The latest news from Spaceflight Now


**************************************
Own a piece of Space History with The Space Shuttle Commemorative Coin.
Limited edition coins made with metal flown in space on the very first
Space Shuttle mission: STS-1. History you can hold in your hands. Get
yours today at:

http://www.SpaceShuttleCoin.com
**************************************


AWE-INSPIRING ONBOARD VIDEO VIEWS OF ATLANTIS' LAUNCH
-----------------------------------------------------
Take a ride on the final space shuttle launch with remarkable footage
captured from cameras mounted on the solid rocket boosters, external fuel
tank and even inside Atlantis' cockpit looking back at the astronauts.
Check out these amazing videos of the spacecraft soaring to orbit, which
are presented here for Spaceflight Now+Plus users with launch audio.

http://www.spaceflightnowplus.com/index.php

NOT YET A SUBSCRIBER? LEARN MORE:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/store/sfnplus/index.html


HUBBLE DISCOVERS PLUTO'S FOURTH MOON
------------------------------------
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope to look for potential rings
around dwarf planet Pluto have instead uncovered a fourth moon orbiting
the distant icy world.

http://www.astronomynow.com/news/n1107/20pluto/


ASTRONAUTS READY ATLANTIS FOR THURSDAY'S LANDING
------------------------------------------------
The crew of the shuttle Atlantis, working through one of the busiest days
of their mission, tested the orbiter's re-entry systems Wednesday and
packed up for landing Thursday to close out NASA's 135th and final shuttle
mission.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/status.html


+++
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUT PATCH!
Emblem for STS-135 now available in our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

--

Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

Comet Garradd (2009 P1)

Should hopefully now be visible in good Binoculars or a Telescope at magnitude 7.6 in the constellation of Pegasus...

 

25/7/2011-Finally got to see this Comet around Midnight in the lower Western part of Pegasus-using my 20x100 mounted Binoculars the sky was just clear enough to pick out the faint Coma of the Comet, I wasn't sure of any tail although there may have been one pointing in the direction of Cygnus which was overhead but it wasn't very discernible so I can't be exactly sure, I would say the Comet brightness is Magnitude 7.5 to 8 and is also visible in 20x60 Binoculars as well-great to see this and well pleased-this is now my 23rd Observed Comet since Comet Hyakutake in 1996-good clear skies...

 

http://www.shopplaza.nl/astro/comets/09P1CH03.png

 

http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~jds/09p1.ukl

 

2009 P1 (Garradd) is brightest from September 2011 to March 2012

2010 X1 (Elenin) may be a naked eye or binocular object in 2011 October

2011 L4 (PANSTARRS) may be a naked eye object in 2013 March

--

Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

International Space Station bids goodbye to the shuttle

NEWSALERT: Tuesday, July 19, 2011 @ 1722 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
  The latest news from Spaceflight Now

****************************************************
America's role in Future Space™ is at a crossroads.

After 135 Space Shuttle launches, the program is ending. Where will
America's space program go from here, how will we get there, will our
nation remain the space leader? We need our nation's leaders to act now.
Find out more.

http://www.FutureSpaceUSA.com
****************************************************

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION BIDS GOODBYE TO THE SHUTTLE
-------------------------------------------------------
The final space shuttle parted company with the International Space
Station today in a sentimental sendoff for America's winged machines that
spent the past decade constructing the million-pound science complex and
supplying the orbiting laboratory with vast loads of logistics. In 37
missions, the shuttles spent 276 days, 11 hours and 23 minutes docked at
the station.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/status.html

NASA AGREES TO HELP MODIFY ATLAS 5 ROCKET FOR ASTRONAUTS
--------------------------------------------------------
United Launch Alliance and NASA will share technical data to help ready
the company's Atlas 5 rocket for astronaut passengers, officials announced
Monday. The agreement places the Atlas 5 rocket among the top competitors
to launch the next piloted spacecraft from U.S. soil after the retirement
of the space shuttle.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/19ulaccdev/

DAWN UNMASKS VESTA
------------------
The Dawn spacecraft slipped into orbit Saturday around Vesta, one of the
largest unexplored objects in the solar system. Vesta is the second-most
massive body in the main asteroid belt, and Dawn returned its first
close-up image of the 300-mile-wide protoplanet on Sunday.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/18vesta/

+++
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUT PATCH!
Emblem for STS-135 now available in our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

--

Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

Russian radio telescope launched / GPS bird goes up / Shuttle update

NEWSALERT: Monday, July 18, 2011 @ 1652 GMT
---------------------------------------------------------------------
  The latest news from Spaceflight Now

**************************************
Own a piece of Space History with The Space Shuttle Commemorative Coin.
Limited edition coins made with metal flown in space on the very first
Space Shuttle mission: STS-1. History you can hold in your hands. Get
yours today at:

http://www.SpaceShuttleCoin.com
**************************************

RUSSIAN SATELLITE ON MISSION TO PEER INSIDE BLACK HOLES
-------------------------------------------------------
Russia launched a long-delayed radio telescope Monday to help astronomers
see deeper into supermassive black holes, obtain views of collapsed stars
and better measure the influence of dark energy on the cosmos.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/18spektr/

LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY:
http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/18zenitgallery/

RAFFAELLO CARGO MODULE RETURNED TO SHUTTLE BAY
----------------------------------------------
In the dwindling hours of the shuttle program's last visit to the
International Space Station, the Atlantis astronauts detached the bus-size
Raffaello cargo module and moved it back to the shuttle's payload bay
early Monday, wrapping up NASA's final shuttle-station resupply mission.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/status.html

SPACE STATION RESTOCKING COMPLETED BY ATLANTIS CREW
---------------------------------------------------
The Atlantis astronauts put in a final day of logistics transfer work
Sunday, working through off-duty time to finish moving a last few items
into the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module for return to Earth.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/110717fd10/index2.html

GPS NAVIGATION SATELLITE TAKES NIGHTTIME RIDE TO ORBIT
------------------------------------------------------
Continuing a prolific partnership that has benefited billions of users
around the world, the Delta rocket family Saturday successfully launched
its 50th satellite for the Global Positioning System.

http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d355/status.html

LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY:
http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d355/launch/

TWO BROADCASTING SATELLITES SHARE PROTON ROCKET RIDE
----------------------------------------------------
Communications satellites for North America and Kazakhstan blasted off on
top of a Proton rocket Friday and successfully arrived hours later at
their targeted posts thousands of miles from Earth.

http://spaceflightnow.com/proton/ses3/

LAUNCH PHOTO GALLERY:
http://spaceflightnow.com/proton/ses3/launch/

DAWN ASTEROID EXPLORER MOVES INTO ORBIT AT VESTA
------------------------------------------------
NASA's robotic Dawn spacecraft drifted into orbit around Vesta on
Saturday, starting a yearlong science campaign to map one of the solar
system's largest unexplored worlds sandwiched in the main asteroid belt
between Mars and Jupiter.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/17dawn/

+++
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUT PATCH!
Emblem for STS-135 now available in our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

--

Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

[BAA-ebulletin 00591] Variable Star Observing Guide

============================================================
BAA electronic bulletin
============================================================
Members may wish to know that the price of the Variable Star Observers
Guide has been reduced to just £3.50 (from £5.00) including postage
and is available from the Sales page at
http://www.britastro.org/sales2006/index.html

Roger Pickard, Director BAA VSS
11/7/2011
============================================================
BAA-ebulletin mailing list
This is an announcements only list - please do not reply to the list.
To unsubscribe please send an e-mail to circadmin@britastro.org
or visit
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2011 British Astronomical Association    http://www.britastro.org/
============================================================

--

Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

[BAA-ebulletin 00592] MM Taylor sponsored ride

============================================================
BAA electronic bulletin
============================================================

2011 July 16

Martin Morgan-Taylor (Campaign for Dark Skies committee) is cycling in
August from Leicester to Paris; two countries and 300 miles in four
days. The primary purpose of the ride is to raise money for an
educational charity.
However, he has been told that any excess over a certain amount can go
to another good cause of his choice. He has reached this amount, so
BAA members can sponsor him for the Campaign for Dark Skies!
If you'd like to support CfDS with Martin, please send a cheque
payable to "Campaign for Dark Skies" to CfDS, 38 The Vineries,
Colehill, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 2PX. Please enclose a covering note or
write on the envelope "MMT".

Thank you for your support.

Bob Mizon
Coordinator
CfDS
============================================================
BAA-ebulletin mailing list
This is an announcements only list - please do not reply to the list visit:
http://lists.britastro.org/mailman/listinfo/baa-ebulletin
(c) 2011 British Astronomical Association    http://www.britastro.org/
============================================================

--

Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

Fwd: Final shuttle crew arrive at Space Station

  NEWSALERT: Monday, July 11, 2011 @ 1912 GMT
-----------------------------------------------
   The latest news from Spaceflight Now

**************************************
Own a piece of Space History with The Space Shuttle Commemorative Coin.
Limited edition coins made with metal flown in space on the very first
Space Shuttle mission: STS-1. History you can hold in your hands. Get
yours today at:

http://www.SpaceShuttleCoin.com
**************************************

SPACE STATION RESUPPLY POD HOISTED FROM ATLANTIS' BAY
-----------------------------------------------------
A cargo-delivery module packed with 9,400 pounds of food, equipment and
science gear departed shuttle Atlantis' payload bay this morning and
parked at the International Space Station's doorway for unloading.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/110711fd4/

Check our Mission Status Center for the latest on the mission and live
streaming video from space:

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/status.html


ATLANTIS GRACEFULLY DOCKS TO INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
--------------------------------------------------------
America's final space shuttle has arrived at the International Space
Station, the science laboratory it trucked piece by piece to orbit for
assembly, to deliver one last massive load of goods and provisions that
only the winged spaceplanes can carry.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/110710fd3/index2.html


AMERICA'S SPACE SHUTTLE BLASTS OFF ON LAST MISSION
--------------------------------------------------
After a cliff-hangar countdown, the space shuttle Atlantis thundered to
life and majestically rocketed into history Friday, putting on one last
sky show for spectators jamming area roads and beaches to witness NASA's
135th and final shuttle launch.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/110708launch/

See photos from Spaceflight Now's sound-triggered cameras placed at the
launch pad:

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/remotes/


Cornerstone of Chinese space station to launch soon
---------------------------------------------------
China plans to launch the first module of an envisioned space laboratory
by the end of September, and the rising space power will attempt its first
in-orbit docking weeks later, according to space program officials and
state-run media reports.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/04tiangong/

+++
COMMEMORATE THE SHUTTLE PROGRAM!
Mission patches and more available in our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

--

Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

NASA says JWST needs more cash / Delta 4 to launch GPS tonight

   NEWSALERT: Friday, July 15, 2011 @ 1404 GMT
------------------------------------------------
     The latest news from Spaceflight Now


**************************************
Own a piece of Space History with The Space Shuttle Commemorative Coin.
Limited edition coins made with metal flown in space on the very first
Space Shuttle mission: STS-1. History you can hold in your hands. Get
yours today at:

http://www.SpaceShuttleCoin.com
**************************************


NASA: EXTRA MONEY NEEDED TO LAUNCH JWST THIS DECADE
---------------------------------------------------
One week after a House subcommittee proposed terminating NASA's costly
successor to the orbiting Hubble observatory, agency officials told an
advisory panel Thursday that the James Webb Space Telescope can be
launched as soon as 2018, but political realities could delay the
mission's start well into the 2020s.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/14jwst/


ASTRONAUTS RESTART COMPUTER

---------------------------------------------------------
Atlantis commander Christopher Ferguson and pilot Douglas Hurley carried
out troubleshooting procedures early Friday and successfully restarted a
shuttle flight computer that failed Thursday. But it is not yet clear what
caused the initial failure and given the critical nature of the machines,
flight controllers planned to carefully monitor general purpose computer
No. 4 to make sure it was, in fact, running normally.

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts135/status.html


DELTA 4 ROCKET TO LAUNCH NEW GPS SATELLITE TONIGHT
--------------------------------------------------
After having to scrub Friday's attempt to launch a next-generation Global
Positioning System satellite because stormy weather prevented the team
from retracting the protective mobile service gantry away from the Delta 4
rocket, officials have reset the predawn liftoff for Saturday at 2:41 a.m.
EDT (0641 GMT) from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

http://spaceflightnow.com/delta/d355/status.html


DISCOVERY LEAVES HANGAR TO MAKE ROOM FOR ATLANTIS
-------------------------------------------------
The space shuttle Discovery on Wednesday morning made her first public
appearance outside the hangar since being retired, emerging without any
main engines, nose thrusters or aft rocket pods. Seeing the stripped down
orbiter with a gaping hole in the nose was a harsh reminder that the
spaceship's flying days are over.

SPECIAL PHOTO GALLERY:
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/rollovergallery/

VIDEO REPORT:
http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts133/rollovergallery/video.html


SOYUZ ROCKET LAUNCH BEEFS UP GLOBALSTAR SATELLITE FLEET
-------------------------------------------------------
Six fresh spacecraft for Globalstar's mobile communications satellite
fleet were deployed Wednesday by a Russian Soyuz rocket, propping up the
company's degraded two-way voice service for more than 400,000 subscribers
around the world.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n1107/13soyuzglobalstar/

+++
FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUT PATCH!
Emblem for STS-135 now available in our store.
http://www.spaceflightnowstore.com/
+++

--
Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies

Atlantis Crew Sees Auroras from Space

Space Weather News for July 16, 2011
http://spaceweather.com

AURORAS UNDERFOOT: Flying the last mission of NASA's 30-year shuttle program, the crew of Atlantis has witnessed a beautiful display of auroras from Earth orbit--and there might be more in the offing.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for photos and the geomagnetic forecast.

ASTEROID VESTA: This weekend, NASA's Dawn spacecraft is entering orbit around Vesta for a year-long study of the giant asteroid. Dawn's cameras are expected to reveal a primitive world of desolate beauty from close range. As close as Dawn will be, however, you can be even closer; it's actually possible to hold a piece of Vesta in your hand. Authentic Vesta meteorites are now available in the Space Weather Store:  http://www.shopspaceweather.com/asteroid-vesta-meteorite.aspx

--

Good Clear Skies
--
Astrocomet
--
Colin James Watling

--

Various Voluntary work-Litter Picking for Parish Council (Daytime) and also a friend of Kessingland Beach (Watchman)
--

Profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/astrocomera
--

Lyra Website: https://sites.google.com/site/lyrasociety/

--
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)
--
Information: http://www.clubbz.com/club/2895/LOWESTOFT---3054/Lowestoft%20And%20Great%20Yarmouth%20Regional%20Astronomers%20(Lyra
--
More Info: http://www.localokel.com/event/666/good_clear_skies