Vandenberg Air Force Base will be launching a Delta II rocket tonight
carrying the COSMO-SkyMed 3 earth observation satellite.
The Delta II rockets climb fairly slowly and fly towards the south, so
if the sky is clear and the launch goes well, we could have quite a show
in L.A. county.
Launch time is tonight at 7:28:21 p.m. with a launch window of 1 second
(!). So either it goes or it doesn't.
I would watch for the next ten or fifteen minutes after launch time,
looking more or less to the south west. Sunset is at about 6:07 p.m.,
so it's possible that the rocket will not be visible until it climbs out
of earth's shadow into the sunlight. Or it may show a fairly bright
exhaust plume during the ascent.
It sounds to me like a potentially good show, worth looking for.
Cheers,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mojo_la
I wouldn't normally post an announcement about when and where to look for
the Hubble Telescope during its Southern California passes, since it's not
as bright as the space station or shuttle, and therefore a challenge to see.
But Hubble is in the news right now because it has a command and data
computer glitch. A repair mission to the 18-year old telescope has been
delayed until early 2009 to assess this new problem.
The Hubble Telescope is visible in our skies tonight! I plan to give it a
try from light polluted Monrovia.
Sunset is at 6:11 p.m. At 6:45 p.m. Hubble rises above the WSW horizon, and
reaches 10 degrees above the horizon at 6:48 p.m. Between 6:48 and 6:55
Hubble will slowly pass just above Venus, and then above Jupiter, and will
disappear from our view when it enters the Earth's shadow in the ESE at 6:55
p.m.It will look like a faint slowly moving "star, much fainter than the
larger the Space Station.
The brightness magnitude is 2.7, which is near the brightness of the stars
you'll see near Jupiter - the stars of Sagittarius. Venus and Jupiter are
much much brighter.
There are other good passes this week. You can find them, and customize
Heaven's Above for your own location using the link below:
Helpful websites:
Heaven's Above (satellite pass information and charts customized to your
location) http://www.heavens-above.com/
US Naval Observatory's Complete Sun and Moon Data for One Day (sunrise, set,
moonrise, set) http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.php
Hubble's Command and Data computer glitch
http://hubblesite.org/command_and_data_computer_glitch/
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini SOC http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
What's Up? http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html
Hi everyone, My October What's Up Podcast is all about Tricks and Treats.
Tricky objects to spy in the morning sky, balanced by celestial treats just
after sunset!
You can find my What's Up podcasts in several convenient places:
On You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO-SbkCMMi0
Subscribe and get them on itunes (for free, of course)
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/whatsup_index.html
And the podcasts are also on the JPL website, right on the main page today,
along with exciting articles about Phoenix digging Mars, Cyclones at
Saturn's poles, and Spitzer sneaks a peer at Comet Holmes!
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/
Wow! I was blown away by each of these stories!
We are really looking forward to trying a new partnership with Mojave
National Preserve at their star party on October 25th. It's a bit of a
drive, but the night sky from national parks, coupled by daytime exploration
of park's nature and geology is a combo that just can't be beat. We'll be
sure to snap some pix (maybe Mojo will even take some astro photos to show
you all) and perhaps we'll be invited back for another event, and some of
you will join us.
http://www.npca.org/take_action/upcoming_events/celebrate-the-skies-of-mojav
e.html
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini SOC http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
What's Up? http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html
First, sorry about the general request for fliers for Saturday night. I
didn't mean for that message to go to everyone on the big list! It's
all taken care of.
I do have more information to share on a special dark sky observing
night at Mojave National Preserve. The Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers
will be providing expertise and top-notch equipment, and invite you to
join us in beautiful Mojave National Preserve on Saturday, October 25.
Come with us out from under the L.A. light dome and discover or
rediscover the night sky.
The official even web page is here:
http://www.npca.org/take_action/upcoming_events/celebrate-the-skies-of-moja…
They offer "Cocktails and dinner to begin at 5:00 p.m. Astronomy
presentation following dinner."
Reservations are requested, by email to mcipra(a)npca.org. You can also
telephone (760) 799-5911.
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mojo_la
As I mentioned before, Jane and I are involved in a wedding tomorrow
night, so we won't be joining you at Library Park. (In fact, if no one
else is planning to be there, let me know so I can send a note to that
effect. No obligations!)
BUT if some of you ARE going to be there, I could put together a box of
fliers and JPL handouts for you, and leave it by our doorstep. Let me know!
And thank you!
Cheers,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mojo_la
Unfortunately tonight, work is going to keep Jane and me from setting up
telescopes in Pasadena tonight.
Saturday evening we hope to have clear skies and some great views of the
Moon and Jupiter in Monrovia.
For those interested in seeing some truly dark skies, we're working on a
program for October 25th at the Mojave National Preserve. More details
to come soon!
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mojo_la
Hi Old Town Astronomers - I thought you all would find this
interesting! Jane
NASA Astronomer Diane Wooden is about to begin an observing session
using the IRTF at Mauna Kea in support of next year's LCROSS lunar
impactor mission. The phase and libration this Wednesday, Thursday, and
Friday (October 8-10) could be a good match for those of one of our
favored impact scenarios next year. This will provide an opportunity for
detailed planning and observations of potential target lunar terrain.
Diane would like to supplement her observations with images of the lunar
south polar region acquired with a range of amateur telescopes over the
same evenings. Diane's observations will be in the IR, and amateur
white-light observations could provide valuable additional data for
these lighting conditions. Faustini crater, one of the potential impact
sites will be on the limb on the night of Oct 10 UT (Oct 9 PDT).
Comparison of IRTF and amateur observations now will also help determine
how amateur observations can best be used during the impact and provide
valuable information to participating amateurs in planning their imaging
procedures for next year.
Images from telescopes of all sizes are welcome. If you are able to
participate and acquire images during these selected evenings, please
send the following information to me at Brian.H.Day(a)nasa.gov:
Name of observer
Email address of observer
Aperture of telescope
Focal length of telescope
Type of camera used
Camera detector dimensions
Exposure information
Time and date of exposure
Location from which exposure was taken
Please do not send your actual image file along with this information!
Once I receive the above information from you, I will contact you and
work out a way to receive your file in a way that will not overwhelm our
mail server here.
A map of the extreme south polar region of the Moon can be found at:
http://www.lpod.org/?m=20070512
Note that Faustini is labeled as R3 on these maps (next to the crater
Amundsen). The crater Cabaeus is also of interest as a possible impact
site. Three additional images identifying south polar features are
included in this message.
NASA's LCROSS mission is scheduled to fly in 2009. It is co-manifested
with LRO; both missions will launch together aboard an Atlas V out of
Cape Canaveral, Fla. LCROSS will use the Centaur upper stage of the
launch vehicle as a kinetic impactor directed at 2.5 km/s into one of
the permanently-shadowed craters at the Moon's pole. The LCROSS
spacecraft will fly directly through the resulting plume of debris,
analyzing it for signs of water ice that may have accumulated within the
crater. The debris plume will also be studied by space-based assets
(such as LRO, and HST), ground-based observatories, and amateur
telescopes. Researchers believe that the LCROSS impact plume may well be
observable in amateur telescopes, and that amateurs may be able to take
on a valuable role in this exciting mission.
Please share this information with your colleagues. I am looking forward
to working with you as members of the amateur community become key
participants in the LCROSS mission.
---------
Any opinions expressed in this message are strictly my own and do not
necessarily reflect those of NASA, its contracting agencies, or any
other life form in the Universe.
Please note my new email address
Brian H. Day
AETT Technical Lead
LCROSS E/PO Lead
Planners Collaborative
Mailstop 226-4
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
(650) 604-2605
Brian.H.Day(a)nasa.gov
--
Jane Houston Jones
Monrovia, CA
34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Our own Sidewalk Astronomer member, Dr. Scott Edgington is one of the
distinguished speakers at todays Cassini CHARM telecon. CHARM is the
clever acronym for Cassini-Huygens Analysis and Results of the
Mission. Each month Cassini offers a 1-2 hour telecon discussing a
current exciting Cassini science or engineering topic. These
telecons are offered to JPL's volunteer networks (JPL Museum
Alliance, Solar System Ambassadors, my 400 strong amateur astronomy
volunteer community called the Cassini Saturn Observation Campaign,
Cassini flight team and some members of the public and to members of
the public who might be interested.
This month's talk is about CIRS: The Cassini Composite Infrared
Spectrometer: Instrument, Operations and Science. Three Cassini CIRS
instrument team members are part of todays presentation.
You can download the PDF here
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/doclib/CHARM/index.cfm , and see the
previous telecon topics. You'll see the awesome three-part 4th year
Anniversary presentation which will bring you up to speed about
Cassini, If you're interested.
PPT versions are available on a separate website for the volunteers
to use in subsequent presentations of their own. Audio and written
transcripts will be on the link above in a few days after todays
telecon.
Let me know if you have any questions or are interested in
participating in the telecons or getting the PPT versions for
educational or community presentations.
Jane
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini SOC http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
What's Up? http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html
This is a reminder that the Yucca Valley Starry Nights Festival is
this weekend at the High Desert Museum in Yucca Valley. It's a
really nice free astronomy event.
Unfortunately, I'll have to miss the event this year. I'll be at the
International Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, TN over the
weekend (I have to go there for work! :-) ), but if I were in town
this weekend, I'd definitely be at the Starry Nights Festival, in
fact I'd be one of the speakers this year. I hope they'll ask me to
speak next year. If you picked only one day/night, I'd pick Saturday
so you could hear David Levy give a talk at 5:30 p.m. It's about a 2
hour 110 mile drive to Yucca Valley from Monrovia. There are several
reasonable priced motels in Yucca Valley, and the Joshua Tree
National Park is right there too, for a nice drive or hike on your
way home Sunday.
Remember this is a free event thanks to the local astronomy club, the
Andromeda Society and the wonderful Hi-Desert Nature Museum
Dates: October 3-4, 2008 Friday 6 p.m. talk, 7:30 -10 observing,
Saturday 1:30 - 6:00 p.m. talks, reception 6:30, observing 7:30 - 10
p.m.
Place: Hi-Desert Nature Museum, 57116 Twentynine Palms Highway, Town
of Yucca Valley, Yucca Valley, CA, 92284 (760) 369-7212
Evening Stargazing (shuttle busses for attendees, astronomer can
drive themselves)
Place: Machris Park, Santa Barbara Drive, Yucca Valley, California
http://www.hidesertnaturemuseum.org/pdf/StarryNights.pdf
--
Jane Houston Jones
Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program
JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205
Pasadena, CA 91109 818-393-6435
jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov
Cassini SOC http://soc.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm
What's Up? http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html
Should be a beautiful warm night in Old Town Monrovia tonight. We'll be
giving out views of the crescent moon along with Jupiter, from about
7:30 'til 9:30.
Look for the telescopes at the corner of Myrtle and Lime.
Best regards,
Mojo
--
Morris Jones
Monrovia, CA
http://www.whiteoaks.com
Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org
Twitter: http://twitter.com/mojo_la
