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NASA'S Phoenix Spacecraft Reports Good Health After Mars Landing

by Jane Houston Jones

PASADENA, Calif. NASAs Phoenix spacecraft landed in the northern polar region of Mars today to begin three months of examining a site chosen for its likelihood of having frozen water within reach of the landers robotic arm. It also sent pictures showing itself in good condition after making the first successful landing in a polar region of Mars. The images from NASA's Mars Phoenix Lander also provided a glimpse of the flat valley floor expected to have water-rich permafrost within reach of the lander's robotic arm. The landing ends a 422-million-mile journey from Earth and begins a three-month mission that will use instruments to taste and sniff the northern polar site's soil and ice. "We see the lack of rocks that we expected, we see the polygons that we saw from space, we don't see ice on the surface, but we think we will see it beneath the surface. It looks great to me," said Peter Smith of the University of Arizona , Tucson , principal investigator for the Phoenix mission. Radio signals received at 4:53:44 p.m. Pacific Time (7:53:44 p.m. Eastern Time) confirmed the Phoenix Mars Lander had survived its difficult final descent and touchdown 15 minutes earlier. The signals took that long to travel from Mars to Earth at the speed of light. The signal confirming that Phoenix had survived touchdown was relayed via MarsOdyssey and received on Earth at the Goldstone, Calif., antenna station of NASAs Deep Space Network. You can read more, see first images, follow the blogs and more on the JPL website: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm Next press conference - the post-landing briefing, occurs on NASA TV 11 a.m. Monday morning: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ I know you all join me in congratulating the Phoenix team on a successful soft landing on Mars! It was great fun to be at JPL today and tonight supporting the landing! <http://saturn.jpl.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

16 years, 7 months

Watch Mars buzz past a swarm of stars

by Jane Houston Jones

Hello local stargazers and space enthusiasts! NASA's Mars Phoenix touches down on the Red Planet's north polar plain tomorrow, Sunday May 25th a little before 5 p.m. If you'd like to follow the landing, on the internet or television here's a one stop link: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/index.cfm. From here you can click on NASA TV, view the landing schedule and news briefing schedule, blogs and more. Here is a list of museums with Mars Phoenix programming in case you'd like to participate in a group event. http://marsprogram.jpl.nasa.gov/events/Mars_Events.html Follow Phoenix on Twitter and Facebook http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/phoenix/release.php?ArticleID=1700 If the clouds clear tonight or Sunday night, why not step outside and look up! Mars is easy to see in the early evening sky right now. With binoculars or telescopes on Sunday night, you'll spot Mars near the edge of the Beehive cluster, Messier 44. Tonight, Mars will appear to be a red star against the fainter stars of the cluster. Here's a little Mars-gazing feature I wrote yesterday: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/scitech/display.cfm?ST_ID=2109 Jane - who will be supporting the Phoenix landing tomorrow at JPL - let's all send Phoenix a big good luck for a soft landing tomorrow! -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA 34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

16 years, 7 months

Weekend sidewalk astronomy

by Morris Jones

Jane and I find ourselves being out of town this weekend, so we're canceling the Friday night telescope viewing on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena. But our gang will be in Monrovia Saturday, if the May Gray fog clears, to see the first quarter moon and Saturn, 7:00 - 9:30 or so at the corner of Myrtle & Lime. Cheers, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

16 years, 7 months

May "What's Up" up

by Jane Houston Jones

My May What's Up podcast is up on the JPL website. To me it's special because Mojo took the amateur images used in the podcast. Look for the constellation (the big dipper) and galaxy images (M81, M82 and M51) which were taken by Mojo on a recent night out under the desert skies. http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html Here it is on You Tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHO2uRxOsQM Jane -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA 34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

16 years, 7 months

Things to do this weekend

by Jane H Jones

1. Attend JPL Open House. Information and directions http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2008-067. I will be in the Solar System exhibit, located in Building 303, way down Mariner Road. But our exhibit will be inside, where it is nice and cool. :-) NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., will welcome members of the public to its Open House on Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4. Children will be able to participate in many hands-on activities. JPL's Open House begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. on both days. JPL is located at 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, Calif. Parking is free. Please note that all vehicles entering NASA/JPL property are subject to inspection. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes -- no buses will be provided from JPL parking lots to the lab. JPL will provide vans for mobility-challenged guests. Please note that the following items are banned from entering NASA/JPL property: weapons, explosives, incendiary devices, dangerous instruments, alcohol, illegal drugs, pets, all types of skates including skateboards, Segways and bicycles. No bags, backpacks or ice chests are allowed, except small purses and diaper bags. 2. Attend Joshua Tree's Turtle Days Festival Saturday May 3: http://www.joshuatreechamber.org/ Saturday May 3rd is the Turtle Days Festival from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Joshua Tree Community Center. There will be food, drinks, pet parade and much more! 3. Attend the Andromeda Society's monthly Star Party in Joshua Tree National Park (after the Turtle Festival) http://www.andromedasociety.org/ May 3, 8:00 PM Star Party at Hidden Valley Picnic Area, Joshua Tree National Park. Next one is May 31 same place 8:15 starting time. We'd probably be there except I am working at JPL Open House all weekend. 4. Thank a firefighter! Here's one way to donate: http://cityofsierramadre.com/ or ask at City Hall City of Sierra Madre City Hall 232 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. Sierra Madre, CA 91024 T: 626.355.7135 Next weekend will be our sidewalk astronomy weekend - Friday in Pasadena and Saturday in Monrovia. Information for May is on our website now. Check it out! Jane and Mojo -- 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

16 years, 7 months

Sidewalk Astronomy Made Easy

by Jane H Jones

Kelly Beatty, the Executive Editor of Sky and Telescope Magazine has a nice little article today in his "Homepage News" web feature. It's all about International Sidewalk Astronomy Night (ISAN) and he used one of our Old Town Pasadena sidewalk astronomy pictures taken by Mojo (of my telescope and people looking through it) in the article. Kelly mentions that Donna Smith, our intrepid Burbank sidewalk astronomer came up with the idea. Congrats to Donna - she is on this email list, and will be out with telescopes at San Fernando and Palm (near Ben and Jerry's) in Burbank tomorrow night. Here's the article, http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/home/17550004.html but if you don't see the image, try this link: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/17550004.html That's all for now - we will have gorgeous weather and sky conditions both tonight and Saturday night too! Yay! 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

16 years, 8 months

Telescope viewing, ISS Pass this weekend

by Jane H Jones

This is our sidewalk astronomy weekend. Join us in Pasadena Friday night from 7-10 p.m. somewhere along colorado Blvd in Old Town Pasadena, and Saturday Night from 7-9:30 in Monrovia. Weather looks good! Also, on Saturday night in Hollywood there is a local Yuri's Night Celebration at Cinespace 6356 Hollywood Blvd. Tickets can be purchased at www.groovetickets.com. Saturday the 12th is also International Sidewalk Astronomy Night http://www.sidewalkastronomynight.com/ and there are some more local events posted on the website's world map. At the Marine Mammal Center in San Pedro, and at Keystone and Chandler in Burbank , and also at San Fernando and Palm (near Ben and Jerry's) in Burbank. If these are more convenienbt than our locations, join these nice sidewalk astronomers at some other events this weekend. :-) In the spirit of Yuri's Night, celebrating the anniversary of human exploration of space, here is a map of the moon showing all the landing sites. http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/multimedia/display.cfm?IM_ID=804 And finally, there is a good ISS pass on Saturday night 8:23 p.m. PDT - the space station will be visible in the north and will pass right through the big dipper's bowl - at 52 degrees above the horizon. It will enter Earth shadow at 8:27 p.m. to the East below Saturn. More challenging, and closer to the horizon is the Hubble Telescope pass on Saturday night. Beginning at 9:07 p.m. look low in the west 10 degrees above the horizon. It reaches maximum altitude 25 degrees above the horizon, and also enters Earth's shadow at 9:13, when it is near the bright star Sirius in the SSW. The Hubble Telescope is much fainter than the ISS. ISS: http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.aspx?satid=25544&Session=kebgcpakg… Hubble: http://www.heavens-above.com/PassSummary.asp?satid=20580&Session=kebgcpakgc… April 2008 Highlights Saturn is the major planet visible in April. Nothing elicits a wow like Saturn does! It's visible all night now, and it is higher in the sky and visible right after sunset. Mars dims a bit this month, but it's still nice and high in the sky and well worth a look. What's Up for March talks about these, plus a fun planetary nebula recently studied by Spitzer, and visible through medium sized telescopes. http://education.jpl.nasa.gov/amateurastronomy/index.html Here's a fun project for you - if you can see some bright stars from your home, then you may be able to see the winter circle of stars. No telescope required - just look up! The winter stars rotate towards the west, making room for the galaxies of spring. The constellation of Orion and its neighbors contain what is called the Winter Circle of Stars http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Wintersky.jpg. Most of these bright stars are even visible from the city! Look on any star chart and find Orion, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Gemini, Auriga and Taurus, circling westward as winter ends. These six constellations contain a visible "circle" of very bright and colorful stars. If you can imagine the circle as a clock, we'll begin with Capella, yellow like our sun in the one o'clock position. Capella is the bright yellow star in the constellation Auriga, found above the shoulders of Orion. Red Aldebaran, the eye of the bull Taurus is at the three o'clock position. Red stars are the oldest and coolest. At five o'clock stands Rigel, the brilliant blue knee of Orion, the hunter. Rigel is young and very hot! Diamond white Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, is below Orion in the constellation Canis Major, the great dog. It fills the seven o'clock position. At nine o'clock is Procyon, another yellow star like our sun, in the constellation Canis Minor. The Gemini Twins, Castor and Pollux complete the circle at 10 o'clock. Castor is white and Pollux (the brighter of the twins) is red. Within the circle are red Betelgeuse, the shoulder of Orion, and blue/purple stars Alnitak and Mintaka, the pretty belt stars of the constellation Orion. Yearning for more views? Spring galaxies require dark skies. We occasionally drive to the Colorado Desert South of of Joshua Tree National Park. Where we go is off I-10 about 30 miles east of Indio, on a 2-mile dirt road on BLM land, with no "facilities." There is not room for a lot of cars, but if you are interested, contact me or Mojo for details. Or join the regularly scheduled dark sky parties held by the Andromeda Society http://www.andromedasociety.org/ in Joshua Tree National Park. April 4, May 5, May 31, July 5, August 2 are the next star party dates. This location is more public friendly with a paved parking lot, restrooms, and a nearby campground. 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

16 years, 8 months

Lights Out - Walk About Pasadena

by Jane H Jones

Join the Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers at the San Rafael Branch Library in Pasadena Saturday March 29 from 7-9 p.m. The address is 1240 Nithsdale Road, Pasadena, CA 91105. There are map and public transportation links on the library webpage http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/Library/sanrafael.asp Weather permitting, we'll be aiming our telescopes at Saturn, Mars and stars. The weather forecast is for mostly cloudy followed by patchy fog, unfortunately. So if it's too cloudy to view through telescopes, we'll still be there to answer questions about sidewalk astronomy, telescopes, light pollution, Saturn, Mars and more. Our friend, Poet Robert Eklund will be at the library too, reading from his new book of poetry called "First Star I See Tonight". From the City website: Lights Out * Walk About Pasadena is our city's unique take on Earth Hour 2008, a global campaign to turn lights off from 8 - 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, 2008 and raise awareness about the impact of energy use. It's our way of making the connection between conservation and community. The dome and façade lights at City Hall will go dark for an hour at 8 p.m. on March 29th, signaling to all that energy conservation and a sustainable environment make for a better, stronger community. The City will also host several no/low light events that many Pasadenans can walk to in under 20 minutes. Whatever your plans may be that evening, the City encourages you to try walking to your destination. It's an easy and healthy way to connect with your environment and your neighbors. More city-wide events can be found here: http://cityofpasadena.net/ I hope to see some of you out at the San Rafael Branch Library on Saturday night! If not , I hope you can enjoy one of the other events or create your own lights out event. 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

16 years, 9 months

Just in from watching the three satellites pass near Saturn

by Jane Houston Jones

Mojo and I stepped outside at 7:55 p.m. and waited a few minutes for the first of three satellites as they passed from West to East. We saw all three. The ISS - the 2nd of the three was much brighter than the shuttle.When the shuttle - the third satellite, passed halfway between Sirius and Saturn we saw a sun glint - which brightened the illumination for just a second. It was a great view! I hope some of you also stepped outside for this fun view! Jane -- Jane Houston Jones Monrovia, CA 34.2048N 118.1732W, 637.0 feet http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Astronomers: http://www.otastro.org

16 years, 9 months

Interesting space station/shuttle/ATV pass tonight

by Morris Jones

We should have a very unusual pass of three bright artificial satellites tonight, which I certainly plan to look for. All three will enter the sky from the southwest and cross toward the east. Start looking at about 8:00 p.m. to the left of where the sun set an hour before. At their peak altitude they'll be in the south east. By 8:10 they'll be past. First up will be the ATV (the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle) on its way to the ISS. It will be its highest in the sky at about 8:04. Following that, and brightest, will be the International Space Station, at peak altitude at 8:08. Only a few seconds behind, and just as bright, is space shuttle Endeavour, recently undocked from the station and on its way to a landing tomorrow. These behave very differently from airplanes. They'll look like very bright moving stars. If it blinks, shows a red light, or stays close to the horizon, it's an airplane, not a satellite. The station currently has a permanent crew of three aboard, and the shuttle is returning with seven astronauts. For custom predictions of visible satellite passes at your location (other than Los Angeles / Pasadena) visit here: http://www.heavens-above.com Cheers, Mojo -- Morris Jones Monrovia, CA http://www.whiteoaks.com Old Town Sidewalk Astronomers http://www.otastro.org

16 years, 9 months

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