February 2003 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

New shuttle pictures
by Patrick Wiggins 03 Feb '03

03 Feb '03

I've added Jim Gibson's closeup picture and Wayne Reese's pictures to Wayne Reese. Patrick

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Columbia timeline
by Patrick Wiggins 02 Feb '03

02 Feb '03

I just received the following Columbia related information from NASA. This first is the timeline covering the time between California and breakup. The second is data describing the orbiter's position relative to the observing site many of us were at north of St. George which was 3.04 miles northwest of the exact point where the groundtrack crossed I-15. And finally are links to Desert News and Tribune reports of our travels south. Patrick ******************** 6:53 am MST (1353 GMT). The shuttle is over California and four left-hand line temperature sensors drop off offscale and temperatures rose "significantly" inside the wheel well on the left wing. "This was the first occurrence of a significant thermal event," said Dittemore. 6:54 am (1354 GMT). Columbia is over eastern California and western Nevada. The left hand side mid-fuselage temperature "showed unusual temperature rise" of 60 degrees Fahrenheit in five minutes, while levels remained normal on the right hand side. 6:58 am (1358 GMT). There were increased signs of drag on the left hand side. NASA ground control also lost information from the main tyre and wheel gear. "We're fairly confident that this loss of information was measurement-related. And not loss of the tires themselves because the measurements were staggered in their loss." 6:59 am (1359). "We're over West Texas. We see an increase of the roll trim, as indicated by motion, indicating that the vehicle was reacting to an increased drag on the left-hand side," said Dittemore. "The flight control system was countering that drag by trying to command the vehicle to roll to the right-hand side." "The flight control system was commanding surfaces to get the vehicle back to where it believed it should be, more to a roll to the right. Soon after, we had loss of signal." Dittemore said NASA experts believe they received information for another 32 seconds. ******************** STS-107 entry 1-Feb-2003 Observer: 36 SW of Cedar City, UT (37.237940N 113.364690W 5834.0 ft) GMT ALTD LAT LON RANGE AZ EL Light Sun (hh:mm:ss.s) (ft) (deg) (deg) (nm) (deg) (deg) (D/L) (deg) 13:53:23.7 233591.9 38.7792 -123.8637 509.8675 283.72 .00 L -8.20 13:53:25.6 233465.0 38.7676 -123.7108 502.6616 283.75 .12 L -8.19 13:53:27.6 233339.2 38.7556 -123.5582 495.4606 283.77 .24 L -8.18 13:53:29.5 233213.7 38.7434 -123.4058 488.2650 283.80 .36 L -8.18 13:53:31.4 233088.1 38.7308 -123.2535 481.0745 283.82 .48 L -8.17 13:53:33.3 232962.5 38.7179 -123.1014 473.8894 283.85 .61 L -8.17 13:53:35.2 232837.1 38.7048 -122.9495 466.7097 283.87 .73 L -8.16 13:53:37.2 232711.8 38.6914 -122.7977 459.5354 283.89 .86 L -8.15 13:53:39.1 232587.3 38.6776 -122.6462 452.3665 283.92 .99 L -8.15 13:53:41.0 232462.9 38.6636 -122.4948 445.2033 283.94 1.13 L -8.14 13:53:42.9 232337.6 38.6493 -122.3437 438.0457 283.97 1.26 L -8.13 13:53:44.8 232214.1 38.6346 -122.1927 430.8935 283.99 1.40 L -8.13 13:53:46.8 232090.2 38.6197 -122.0419 423.7473 284.02 1.54 L -8.12 13:53:48.7 231966.8 38.6045 -121.8913 416.6067 284.04 1.69 L -8.12 13:53:50.6 231843.5 38.5890 -121.7409 409.4720 284.06 1.83 L -8.11 13:53:52.5 231721.1 38.5733 -121.5907 402.3433 284.09 1.98 L -8.10 13:53:54.4 231598.7 38.5572 -121.4407 395.2205 284.11 2.13 L -8.10 13:53:56.4 231476.6 38.5408 -121.2909 388.1039 284.14 2.29 L -8.09 13:53:58.3 231354.8 38.5242 -121.1413 380.9935 284.16 2.45 L -8.09 13:54:00.2 231233.1 38.5072 -120.9919 373.8894 284.18 2.61 L -8.08 13:54:02.1 231111.9 38.4900 -120.8428 366.7917 284.21 2.78 L -8.07 13:54:04.0 230990.3 38.4725 -120.6938 359.7005 284.23 2.95 L -8.07 13:54:06.0 230869.9 38.4547 -120.5450 352.6160 284.25 3.12 L -8.06 13:54:07.9 230749.6 38.4366 -120.3965 345.5381 284.27 3.30 L -8.05 13:54:09.8 230629.6 38.4183 -120.2482 338.4670 284.30 3.49 L -8.05 13:54:11.7 230508.8 38.3996 -120.1001 331.4030 284.32 3.68 L -8.04 13:54:13.6 230389.3 38.3807 -119.9522 324.3461 284.34 3.87 L -8.04 13:54:15.6 230269.9 38.3615 -119.8045 317.2963 284.36 4.07 L -8.03 13:54:17.5 230150.2 38.3420 -119.6571 310.2542 284.38 4.28 L -8.02 13:54:19.4 230031.4 38.3222 -119.5098 303.2195 284.41 4.50 L -8.02 13:54:21.3 229912.1 38.3021 -119.3628 296.1925 284.43 4.72 L -8.01 13:54:23.2 229792.3 38.2818 -119.2161 289.1735 284.45 4.95 L -8.00 13:54:25.2 229673.7 38.2612 -119.0695 282.1625 284.47 5.18 L -8.00 13:54:27.1 229554.8 38.2403 -118.9232 275.1599 284.49 5.43 L -7.99 13:54:29.0 229435.2 38.2191 -118.7771 268.1659 284.50 5.69 L -7.99 13:54:30.9 229316.0 38.1977 -118.6313 261.1809 284.52 5.95 L -7.98 13:54:32.8 229197.6 38.1759 -118.4856 254.2049 284.54 6.23 L -7.97 13:54:34.8 229078.0 38.1539 -118.3403 247.2385 284.56 6.52 L -7.97 13:54:36.7 228959.0 38.1317 -118.1951 240.2819 284.58 6.82 L -7.96 13:54:38.6 228839.3 38.1091 -118.0502 233.3356 284.59 7.14 L -7.96 13:54:40.5 228720.2 38.0863 -117.9055 226.4001 284.61 7.47 L -7.95 13:54:42.4 228599.9 38.0632 -117.7611 219.4757 284.62 7.82 L -7.94 13:54:44.4 228480.0 38.0398 -117.6169 212.5632 284.63 8.19 L -7.94 13:54:46.3 228359.7 38.0162 -117.4730 205.6630 284.65 8.58 L -7.93 13:54:48.2 228239.2 37.9923 -117.3293 198.7760 284.66 8.99 L -7.92 13:54:50.1 228118.8 37.9681 -117.1859 191.9028 284.67 9.43 L -7.92 13:54:52.0 227997.3 37.9437 -117.0427 185.0445 284.67 9.89 L -7.91 13:54:54.0 227876.2 37.9189 -116.8998 178.2020 284.68 10.39 L -7.91 13:54:55.9 227754.8 37.8940 -116.7571 171.3766 284.69 10.92 L -7.90 13:54:57.8 227632.1 37.8687 -116.6147 164.5697 284.69 11.49 L -7.89 13:54:59.7 227509.3 37.8432 -116.4726 157.7829 284.69 12.10 L -7.89 13:55:01.6 227385.8 37.8174 -116.3307 151.0180 284.68 12.76 L -7.88 13:55:03.6 227262.0 37.7914 -116.1890 144.2775 284.68 13.47 L -7.88 13:55:05.5 227138.4 37.7651 -116.0476 137.5638 284.67 14.25 L -7.87 13:55:07.4 227013.7 37.7385 -115.9065 130.8802 284.65 15.11 L -7.86 13:55:09.3 226888.2 37.7117 -115.7657 124.2305 284.63 16.04 L -7.86 13:55:11.2 226762.0 37.6846 -115.6251 117.6194 284.61 17.08 L -7.85 13:55:13.2 226636.3 37.6573 -115.4848 111.0528 284.58 18.23 L -7.84 13:55:15.1 226508.9 37.6297 -115.3447 104.5377 284.53 19.52 L -7.84 13:55:17.0 226381.5 37.6018 -115.2050 98.0832 284.48 20.96 L -7.83 13:55:18.9 226252.9 37.5737 -115.0655 91.7005 284.42 22.61 L -7.83 13:55:20.8 226123.4 37.5453 -114.9263 85.4043 284.33 24.48 L -7.82 13:55:22.8 225993.7 37.5167 -114.7873 79.2136 284.23 26.64 L -7.81 13:55:24.7 225862.9 37.4878 -114.6486 73.1533 284.09 29.14 L -7.81 13:55:26.6 225731.7 37.4587 -114.5102 67.2567 283.92 32.08 L -7.80 13:55:28.5 225599.7 37.4293 -114.3721 61.5688 283.68 35.56 L -7.80 13:55:30.4 225466.9 37.3996 -114.2343 56.1507 283.37 39.72 L -7.79 13:55:32.4 225333.2 37.3697 -114.0968 51.0854 282.92 44.70 L -7.78 13:55:34.3 225198.9 37.3396 -113.9595 46.4859 282.25 50.71 L -7.78 13:55:36.2 225064.1 37.3092 -113.8225 42.5001 281.16 57.91 L -7.77 13:55:38.1 224927.8 37.2786 -113.6858 39.3116 279.09 66.40 L -7.76 13:55:40.0 224790.8 37.2477 -113.5494 37.1228 273.83 76.03 L -7.76 13:55:42.0 224653.5 37.2165 -113.4133 36.1122 241.18 85.73 L -7.75 13:55:43.9 224514.7 37.1852 -113.2775 36.3741 127.09 81.63 L -7.75 13:55:45.8 224374.7 37.1535 -113.1420 37.8783 115.28 71.62 L -7.74 13:55:47.7 224235.3 37.1217 -113.0067 40.4835 111.99 62.45 L -7.73 13:55:49.6 224093.6 37.0896 -112.8718 43.9908 110.47 54.53 L -7.73 13:55:51.6 223951.4 37.0572 -112.7372 48.2009 109.60 47.87 L -7.72 13:55:53.5 223809.2 37.0246 -112.6028 52.9439 109.05 42.33 L -7.72 13:55:55.4 223665.0 36.9918 -112.4688 58.0866 108.67 37.73 L -7.71 13:55:57.3 223520.4 36.9587 -112.3350 63.5299 108.39 33.89 L -7.70 13:55:59.2 223375.4 36.9254 -112.2016 69.2007 108.19 30.67 L -7.70 13:56:01.2 223229.3 36.8918 -112.0685 75.0455 108.04 27.93 L -7.69 13:56:03.1 223081.7 36.8580 -111.9356 81.0248 107.92 25.58 L -7.68 13:56:05.0 222933.9 36.8240 -111.8031 87.1092 107.82 23.56 L -7.68 13:56:06.9 222784.9 36.7898 -111.6709 93.2764 107.75 21.79 L -7.67 13:56:08.8 222634.9 36.7553 -111.5390 99.5096 107.69 20.24 L -7.67 13:56:10.8 222484.0 36.7205 -111.4074 105.7957 107.65 18.87 L -7.66 13:56:12.7 222332.8 36.6856 -111.2762 112.1244 107.61 17.65 L -7.65 13:56:14.6 222180.0 36.6504 -111.1452 118.4875 107.58 16.55 L -7.65 13:56:16.5 222027.2 36.6150 -111.0145 124.8785 107.56 15.56 L -7.64 13:56:18.4 221873.1 36.5793 -110.8842 131.2924 107.55 14.66 L -7.64 13:56:20.4 221718.0 36.5434 -110.7542 137.7244 107.54 13.85 L -7.63 13:56:22.3 221562.4 36.5073 -110.6245 144.1713 107.53 13.10 L -7.62 13:56:24.2 221405.6 36.4710 -110.4951 150.6299 107.53 12.41 L -7.62 13:56:26.1 221248.1 36.4345 -110.3661 157.0980 107.53 11.77 L -7.61 13:56:28.0 221090.2 36.3977 -110.2374 163.5732 107.54 11.18 L -7.60 13:56:30.0 220932.4 36.3607 -110.1090 170.0540 107.54 10.64 L -7.60 13:56:31.9 220779.0 36.3235 -109.9809 176.5389 107.55 10.13 L -7.59 13:56:33.8 220633.1 36.2861 -109.8531 183.0265 107.56 9.65 L -7.59 13:56:35.7 220502.3 36.2485 -109.7257 189.5162 107.57 9.20 L -7.58 13:56:37.6 220389.2 36.2107 -109.5985 196.0070 107.59 8.78 L -7.57 13:56:39.6 220296.5 36.1728 -109.4717 202.4980 107.60 8.39 L -7.57 13:56:41.5 220225.0 36.1348 -109.3451 208.9884 107.61 8.01 L -7.56 13:56:43.4 220176.2 36.0967 -109.2188 215.4778 107.62 7.66 L -7.56 13:56:45.3 220146.1 36.0585 -109.0928 221.9651 107.63 7.33 L -7.55 13:56:47.2 220133.6 36.0203 -108.9670 228.4499 107.64 7.01 L -7.54 13:56:49.2 220132.6 35.9821 -108.8415 234.9316 107.65 6.71 L -7.54 13:56:51.1 220136.9 35.9438 -108.7162 241.4092 107.65 6.42 L -7.53 13:56:53.0 220141.4 35.9056 -108.5911 247.8827 107.65 6.15 L -7.52 13:56:54.9 220138.7 35.8674 -108.4663 254.3511 107.66 5.88 L -7.52 13:56:56.8 220122.2 35.8292 -108.3417 260.8142 107.66 5.63 L -7.51 13:56:58.8 220091.2 35.7910 -108.2173 267.2715 107.66 5.38 L -7.51 13:57:00.7 220045.5 35.7528 -108.0931 273.7228 107.65 5.15 L -7.50 13:57:02.6 219984.4 35.7147 -107.9692 280.1680 107.65 4.92 L -7.49 13:57:04.5 219909.1 35.6767 -107.8455 286.6066 107.65 4.70 L -7.49 13:57:06.4 219820.0 35.6386 -107.7220 293.0388 107.64 4.49 L -7.48 13:57:08.4 219718.6 35.6006 -107.5988 299.4640 107.63 4.28 L -7.48 13:57:10.3 219604.3 35.5626 -107.4757 305.8825 107.62 4.09 L -7.47 13:57:12.2 219477.9 35.5247 -107.3529 312.2937 107.61 3.89 L -7.46 13:57:14.1 219339.9 35.4868 -107.2303 318.6977 107.60 3.70 L -7.46 13:57:16.0 219192.2 35.4489 -107.1080 325.0945 107.59 3.52 L -7.45 13:57:18.0 219033.1 35.4110 -106.9859 331.4835 107.58 3.34 L -7.44 13:57:19.9 218866.8 35.3732 -106.8639 337.8652 107.57 3.17 L -7.44 13:57:21.8 218690.3 35.3355 -106.7423 344.2390 107.56 3.00 L -7.43 13:57:23.7 218505.1 35.2977 -106.6208 350.6050 107.54 2.84 L -7.43 13:57:25.6 218312.1 35.2600 -106.4996 356.9630 107.53 2.68 L -7.42 13:57:27.6 218113.9 35.2223 -106.3786 363.3131 107.51 2.52 L -7.41 13:57:29.5 217908.0 35.1847 -106.2578 369.6549 107.50 2.37 L -7.41 13:57:31.4 217694.8 35.1471 -106.1373 375.9884 107.48 2.22 L -7.40 13:57:33.3 217478.6 35.1096 -106.0170 382.3136 107.46 2.07 L -7.40 13:57:35.2 217256.9 35.0721 -105.8969 388.6304 107.45 1.93 L -7.39 13:57:37.2 217030.1 35.0346 -105.7770 394.9385 107.43 1.79 L -7.38 13:57:39.1 216800.2 34.9972 -105.6574 401.2379 107.41 1.65 L -7.38 13:57:41.0 216566.9 34.9598 -105.5380 407.5286 107.39 1.51 L -7.37 13:57:42.9 216331.2 34.9225 -105.4189 413.8104 107.37 1.38 L -7.37 13:57:44.8 216092.3 34.8852 -105.2999 420.0832 107.36 1.25 L -7.36 13:57:46.8 215851.1 34.8479 -105.1812 426.3468 107.34 1.13 L -7.35 13:57:48.7 215609.9 34.8107 -105.0628 432.6015 107.32 1.00 L -7.35 13:57:50.6 215365.8 34.7736 -104.9445 438.8470 107.30 .88 L -7.34 13:57:52.5 215119.8 34.7365 -104.8265 445.0830 107.28 .76 L -7.33 13:57:54.4 214874.3 34.6995 -104.7088 451.3098 107.26 .64 L -7.33 13:57:56.4 214627.9 34.6625 -104.5912 457.5272 107.23 .52 L -7.32 13:57:58.3 214379.3 34.6255 -104.4739 463.7349 107.21 .41 L -7.32 13:58:00.2 214132.6 34.5887 -104.3568 469.9333 107.19 .30 L -7.31 13:58:02.1 213882.6 34.5518 -104.2400 476.1216 107.17 .18 L -7.30 13:58:04.0 213634.4 34.5151 -104.1234 482.3006 107.15 .07 L -7.30 ******************** http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,455029009,00.html? http://www.sltrib.com/2003/feb/02022003/nation_w/25748.asp

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Blue spot
by Larry Frisk 02 Feb '03

02 Feb '03

>From my position Columbia was passing directly over head and at the zenith I thought that I saw a bright blue spot for half a second or so that was near the center of the blazing white craft. Did anyone else see that? Larry

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Shuttle
by B. Bettilyon 02 Feb '03

02 Feb '03

Rich. I didn't see a flair, but I saw a couple of puffs of contrail as it came over the mountains west of SGU. When did you see the flair? Barney

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Patricks "spots"
by Josephine Grahn 02 Feb '03

02 Feb '03

Patrick, Just wanted to say what a nice job you did on TV tonight. Now, GO TO BED! Jo

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More later
by Patrick Wiggins 01 Feb '03

01 Feb '03

Hi, I've just scanned the ton of email that was awaiting me when I got home. I need to get cleaned up so I can get back to channel 4 for a 5:15 interview but I did want to point out the flare I saw happened when the shuttle was about half way up the western sky, shortly after we first spotted it and probably 30 seconds to a minute before it passed overhead. Patrick

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] the saddest of news; Columbia
by UTAHDEB＠aol.com 01 Feb '03

01 Feb '03

This is a total shock. I saw it flyover Ivins, UT at about 6:56 am. It was incredible! I went back to bed for another hour when I got up and heard the shocking news. My heart goes out to the astronauts and their families. Debbie

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(no subject)
by RStmarie＠aol.com 01 Feb '03

01 Feb '03

Patrick, $40 an hour is good. What is it? Bob

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Fw: Expletive deleted.
by B. Bettilyon 01 Feb '03

01 Feb '03

This came in from my son who is a pilot based out of Atlanta. He was responding to my e-mail to him. ----- Original Message ----- I know how you feel! I was at 37,000 feet exactly 30 miles north of the Kennedy Space Center this morning when the news came across the Jacksonville and Miami Center frequency. "Shuttle Columbia has broken up on re-entry over east Texas at approximately 200,000 feet,....the plasma trail is still being tracked,....will advise as we receive more information", I kid you not, I was looking at the landing strip 30 miles away when those words came across; they then gave us a re-route slightly west of the Cape (normally we would go right over the top, since the Shuttle comes in at 65,000 feet and makes a 180 degree turn over the Atlantic before crossing the shoreline at 10,000 feet) and we continued on to the Miami area. On the way back up to Atlanta 1 hour later an American Airlines guy was describing and recounting the first hand observations from their cockpit as they were approaching the east Texas border with Arkansas enroute to Florida. One of the 'gov't experts' we fly seems to think that the preliminary indications are heat tile damage to the bottom of the shuttle wing/fuselage area, causing a blow-torch effect in the aft cargo bay and ensuing failure of a cargo bay door which led to dynamic load failure of the tail structure, etc., etc., etc., sounded like he had just got off the phone with somebody in the loop, but who knows. Probably a million theories before this time tommorrow. I doubt we'll know anything for some time to come. All we can do today is pray for the souls lost and the souls tormented that they may all find some peace. Stay in touch! Love ya, Sandy B. -----Original Message----- The shuttle came directly over St. George, this morning. I went out side and watched it. It was about 4 minutes before 7:00 A.M.MST It was so fantastic to see. A bright white light leaving a long long white contrail against a still semi dark sky. As it passed overhead, I could see a faint red glow coming off of what I suppose was the bottom of the ship. Having never seen a reentry or even seen photos of a reentry, I guessed everything was going according to plan. I did, however, see a couple of "puffs" of smoke (contrail) as it flew toward me. I just assumed that it was hitting some uneven air pockets as it reentered the atmosphere at 15000 MPH. I am just sick about this, but thought you would like a firsthand discription. BB

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First images posted
by Patrick Wiggins 01 Feb '03

01 Feb '03

I just got Jim Gibson's three images posted at http://planet.state.ut.us . The originals have a lot more detail but are a whole lot bigger. If there is interest I'll post larger versions. Patrick

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