January 2006 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

[Utah-astronomy] Fwd: Stardust landed succesfully, Titan flyby too!
by Richard Tenney 15 Jan '06

15 Jan '06

--- jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov wrote: > Date: Sun, 15 Jan 2006 03:32:05 -0800 (PST) > From: jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov > To: retenney(a)yahoo.com > Subject: Stardust landed succesfully, Titan flyby > too! > --------------------------------- Hello Richard Tenney, Hi everybody, I've been watching the Stardust entry on NASA TV for the past 2 hours. http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html jas all the news. Here's a recap of the successful landing. Times in Pacific time. January 14, 2006 9:57 p.m. radar (Nasa TV) show Stardust releases the Sample Return Capsule on schedule. January 15, 20061:57 a.m. Capsule enters Earth atmosphere. Track nearly over Oregon now and Nevada. And an image of capsule is on NASA TV. Several amateur astronomers report visual sightings in Nevada and northern California. OMSI museum in Portland Oregon is packed at 1 a.m. Wow! Did anyone else try to watch? Hold an event? If so report your observations here: http://reentry.arc.nasa.gov/registrationobservations.html 2:00 a.m. first drougue parachute opened on schedule 2:05 a.m. main parachute deployed on schedule 2:12 a.m. capsule landed helicopter "Vertigo" picked up the capsule signal on the ground 2:50 a.m.. helicopter "Vertigo" has located the parachute 2:54 Vertigo crew has located the capsule and landed 3:00 - 3:15 a.m. additional helicopters are on the ground or on the way to the capsule.3:25 a.m. Accordint to NASA TV, the capsule took a few bounces, and is being photographed right now. Next news - a press conference will be at 6 a.m. Pacific time or check the JPL or Stardust websites for the latest http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/ Also later today, only 21 days since the last Titan encounter, at 12:49 pacific time January 15, Cassini makes its 10th flyby of Saturn's largest moon. Follow the news here http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.cfm good night everybody! Jane Jane Houston Jones Senior Outreach Specialist, Cassini Program JPL - 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 230-205 Pasadena, CA 91109 Phone - 818-393-6435 Fax - 818-393-4495 jane.h.jones(a)jpl.nasa.gov http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Gallery AWOL?
by Chuck Hards 15 Jan '06

15 Jan '06

Is anyone else having trouble accessing the Gallery? __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Stardust return - 8:00 pm weather forecast (last report)
by Canopus56 14 Jan '06

14 Jan '06

At 8:00 PM, MDT (3:00 UTC), the first of two storms fronts is over Salt Lake City, without producing rain. Basically, this is a continuation of the 6:00pm report. Two bands of heavy rain are shown on the NOAA satellite loop approaching from the west - per the last 1:15 UTC NOAA CONUS image: http://www.weather.gov/sat_tab.php - one of which is currently centrally located over Salt Lake City. There is a gap between the first and second bands are over Wendover per the 2:30 UTC 1/15/06 NOAA Nevada detail satellite map: http://sat.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/2km/lkn/IR2LKN.GIF - in - http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/lkn/ Comparing the 1:30, 2:00 and 2:30 UTC Nevada detail images, it looks like the backside of the second front, currently over the Calif-Nevada line, may clear Elko and possibly Wendover sometime around midnight MDT (6:00 UTC) - leaving partly cloudy skies in Elko and/or Wendover by 3:00 AM Mountain Time (9:00 UTC). - Canopus56 (Kurt) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Stardust spreadsheet (and a fun OT)
by Patrick Wiggins 14 Jan '06

14 Jan '06

T minus ~5 hours to departure for Wendover. Space analyst Ted Molczan has created an Excel spreadsheet that computes Stardust re-entry azimuth, elevation, and other data for a given site (latitude, longitude, and elevation). http://satobs.org/seesat_ref/stardust/Stardust_look_angles.zip As for the off topic item, I know there are some fellow Type A personalities on this list. If you're looking to have some unusual fun you might want to participate in this short survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=295781655280 :-) Patrick

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Re: Low Temperature Grease
by Chuck Hards 14 Jan '06

14 Jan '06

Yep, a potatoe chip. Former VP Dan Quayle uses the same method. > From: diveboss(a)xmission.com > A dollup??? What do I use to measure that with, a > potatoe chip? ;) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Clear sky clocks down
by Patrick Wiggins 14 Jan '06

14 Jan '06

Anyone having trouble getting through to the Wendover and Elko Clear Sky Clocks? http://cleardarksky.com/c/WndvrNVkey.html?1 http://cleardarksky.com/c/EkCrkNVkey.html?1 T-3:26 to departure. Patrick

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Stardust return
by Kim 14 Jan '06

14 Jan '06

Has anyone seen a [reliable?] weather forecast for Sunday AM's return of Stardust? I'd hate to make the trek from Sanpete if the weather will be rotten. Also, if weather looks good, are folks planning to rendezvous anywhere? Kim

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Stardust return - 6:00 pm weather report
by Canopus56 14 Jan '06

14 Jan '06

At 6:00 PM, MDT (25:00 UTC), the leading edge of a dark cloud band, seen on the far western horizon, is reaching Salt Lake City. Basically, this is a continuation of the 4:00pm. report. Two bands of heavy rain are shown on the NOAA satellite loop approaching from the west - per the last 23:15 UTC NOAA CONUS image: http://www.weather.gov/sat_tab.php - one of which has currently reached Salt Lake City and is centrally located over Wendover per the 1:00 UTC 1/15/06 NOAA Nevada detail satellite map: http://sat.wrh.noaa.gov/satellite/2km/lkn/IR2LKN.GIF - in - http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/lkn/ However - 1) The gap between the second and first bands is evident in the Nevada satellite detail. 2) The rate the bands are progressing appears faster than at the 4:00pm report. 2) Crudely estimating the rate of travel of the western two storm bands, using the 12 hour loop NOAA satellite loop and the Nevada satellite picture, it looks like the backside of the two storm bands, or a gap between the storm bands, will reach Wendover by 3:00 am. 3) Elko looks good for clearing the backside of the bands by 3:00am. At 6:00pm, the possibility of not being clouded-out in Wendover at 3:00am looks better, and depends on the two storm fronts maintaining their current rate of speed, so they clear the landing area. If you are driving to Wendover tonight, be prepared to go through one or two squall lines. Plan to have to reduce your driving speed accordingly. P.S. - I'm no professional weathercaster. Use this info at your own risk and check the NOAA sources directly. Enjoy - Canopus56 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Re: 25x100mm binos (was money left after Christmas...)
by Chuck Hards 14 Jan '06

14 Jan '06

One of the things that separates these binos from the average large Chinese import is the rugged all-aluminum body, not thermoplastic. It also contributes to the weight! Things are coming together on the final design for the heavy-duty paralellogram for the 25x100mm unit- I have just about all of the details worked-out, , so hopefully at least a couple of prototypes will be ready by Messier Marathon time. If so, I'll shoot one out to SPOC for Patrick to test-drive. M13 is fantastic through these binos, as is just about any patch of the Milky Way. And BTW, the moon won't be a problem this year. New moon (and a total solar eclipse - not visible from North America) is on the 29th. > From: Patrick Wiggins <paw(a)trilobyte.net> > The binos arrived today. Chuck was right. They are > VERY heavy for > their size. I thought they would not be that much > heavier than my > 11x80s. Wrong! > Neither of my camera tripods are stiff enough to > hold them steady so I > guess a new tripod is in my immediate future. > But despite the wiggles the views of the Moon and > Saturn (Titan and gaps > between the planet and rings easily visible) are > very sharp with just a > little color. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Fwd: NASA's Stardust Passes Moon, Just Hours Away From Earth Return
by diveboss＠xmission.com 14 Jan '06

14 Jan '06

----- Forwarded message from info(a)jpl.nasa.gov ----- Date: Sat, 14 Jan 2006 08:58:26 -0800 From: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory <info(a)jpl.nasa.gov> Reply-To: info(a)jpl.nasa.gov Subject: NASA's Stardust Passes Moon, Just Hours Away From Earth Return MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE JET PROPULSION LABORATORY CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION PASADENA, CALIF. 91109 TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011 http://www.jpl.nasa.gov D.C. Agle (818) 354-5011 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Dwayne Brown/Merrilee Fellows (202) 358-1726/(818) 393-0754 NASA Headquarters, Washington NEWS RELEASE 2006-008 January 14, 2006 NASA'S STARDUST PASSES MOON, JUST HOURS AWAY FROM EARTH RETURN Less than one day of space travel separates Earth and history's first comet sample return mission. Today at 9:30 a.m. Pacific time (10:30 a.m. Mountain time), the Stardust spacecraft will cross the moon's orbit as the craft makes its way toward Earth. The final 400,000 kilometers (249,000 miles) of the mission to return a capsule containing cometary particles to Earth will take just 16 hours and 27 minutes. It took the Apollo astronauts about three days to make the same journey. "Our entire flight and recovery team will be watching this final leg of our flight with tremendous expectation as we implement a precise celestial ballet in delivering our capsule to Earth," said Stardust Project Manager Tom Duxbury of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "We feel like parents awaiting the return of a child who left us young and innocent, who now returns holding answers to the most profound questions of our solar system." Prior to passing the moon's orbit, the spacecraft performed a final maneuver to place it on a precise path to reach its landing target on the Utah Test and Training Range. The burn, which took place yesterday at 8:53 p.m. Pacific time (9:53 p.m. Mountain time), took 58.5 seconds to complete and changed the spacecraft's velocity by 2.9 mph. At the time of the burn the spacecraft was about 706,000 kilometers (439,000 miles) from Earth. NASA's Stardust mission has traveled about 4.5 billion kilometers (2.88 billion miles) during its seven year round-trip odyssey. It is a journey that carried it around the sun three times and beyond Mars and the asteroid belt -- as far out as half-way to Jupiter. This cosmic voyage was in quest of cometary and interstellar dust particles, which scientists believe will help provide answers to fundamental questions about comets and the origins of the solar system. "With the information we gathered during our encounter with comet Wild 2 in Jan. 2004, Stardust has already provided us with some remarkable science," said Dr. Don Brownlee, Stardust principal investigator at the University of Washington, Seattle. "With the return of cometary samples, we'll be able to work with the actual building materials of the solar system as they were when the solar system was formed. It will be a great day for science." The last few hours of the Stardust mission will be filled with significant milestones. Today at about 8:15 p.m. Pacific time (9:15 p.m. Mountain time), mission controllers will command the spacecraft to begin the computer-controlled sequence that will release the sample return capsule. At 9:56 p.m. Pacific time (10:56 p.m. Mountain time), the Stardust spacecraft will complete the sequence by severing the umbilical cables between spacecraft and capsule. One minute later, springs aboard the spacecraft will literally push the capsule away, putting it into its trajectory toward the Utah Test and Training Range. Fifteen minutes later, the "mother ship," the Stardust spacecraft, will perform a maneuver to enter orbit around the sun. At 1:57 a.m. Pacific time (2:57 a.m. Mountain time), four hours after being released by the Stardust spacecraft, the capsule will enter Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of 125 kilometers (410,000 feet) over Northern California. At this point it will be 20 kilometers (12.43 miles) east of the Pacific coast and 22 kilometers (13.67 miles) south of the Oregon-California border. The velocity of the sample return capsule as it enters Earth's atmosphere at 46,440 kilometers per hour (28,860 miles per hour) will be the greatest of any human-made object on record. This will surpass the record set in May 1969 during the return of the Apollo 10 command module. The Stardust sample return capsule will release a drogue parachute at an altitude of approximately 32 kilometers (105,000 feet). Once the capsule has descended to an altitude of about 3 kilometers (10,000 feet) at 2:05 a.m. Pacific time (3:05 a.m. Mountain time), the main parachute will deploy. The capsule is scheduled to land on the salt flats of the Utah Test and Training Range at 2:12 a.m. Pacific time (3:12 a.m. Mountain time). If weather conditions allow, the recovery team will be flown by helicopter to recover the capsule and fly it to the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, Utah, for initial processing. If weather does not allow helicopters to fly, special off-road vehicles will be used to transport the recovery team to retrieve the capsule and return it to Dugway. The collector grid with cometary and interstellar samples will be moved to a special laboratory at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, where they will be preserved and studied by scientists. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Stardust mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, developed and operates the spacecraft. For information about the Stardust mission on the Web, visit http://www.nasa.gov/stardust . For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit http://www.nasa.gov/home . - end - ----- End forwarded message -----

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