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

Observing times
by Patrick Wiggins 04 Jul '06

04 Jul '06

Note that these times are based on data provided by NASA before today's launch so they may change. I'll pass on updated data if there are any significant changes. Patrick Shuttle Tuesday 9:50 rise in NW 9:53 half way up the N sky 9:55 Enters Earth's shadow and fades from view low in SE Station Tuesday (poor pass) 10:40 Rise in the NW 10:44 Enters Earth's shadow and fades from view 1/4 up S Station Wednesday 9:31 Emerges from Earth's shadow and becomes visible 2/3 of the way up the NW 9:34 Sets in the SE Shuttle Wednesday 9:36 Emerges from Earth's shadow and becomes visible 2/3 of the way up the NW 9:38 Sets in the SE Thursday (not a very good pass) The two craft should be docked together by this time 9:54 Emerges from Earth's shadow about 1/3 of the way up the SW 9:56 Set in the SE

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News, 04 JUL 2006
by Patrick Wiggins 04 Jul '06

04 Jul '06

News, Tuesday, 04 July 2006 NASA Aims for Independence Day Space Shuttle Launch The next launch attempt for Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-121 mission to the International Space Station is scheduled for today, July 4, at 12:38 p.m. MDT. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/releases/2006/release-20060702.html +++++ NASA TV Shuttle Launch Coverage Begins at 6:30 a.m. MDT Today http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html +++++ Jul/Aug Nova Officially On Line The newest issue of SLAS's newsletter, Nova, is now officially available as a PDF from the SLAS web site. http://slas.us/Nova/2006/NOVAV36N4.PDF +++++ SLAS 2006 New Member Handbook Officially On Line The 2006 version os SLAS New Member Handbook is now officially available as a PDF from the SLAS web site. http://slas.us/docs/NEWMEM2006.pdf +++++ Small Asteroid Flies By Earth An asteroid hurtling through space came within a hair's breadth -- in astronomical terms, at least -- of crashing into the Earth early Monday, US scientists said. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Small_Asteroid_Flies_By_Earth_999.html +++++ Clues in the Clouds Cassini images of Saturn's dynamic atmosphere... http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/image-details.cfm?imageID=2187 +++++ Cosmic Fireworks The remains of four supernovas in the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy provide a dazzling display of one of nature's most explosive events. http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2006/4snr/ +++++ Falling Onto the Dark ESO's Very Large Telescope has helped astronomers discover a large primordial 'blob', more than 10 billion light-years away. http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2006/pr-23-06.html +++++ Spirit "Warms up the Engines," Continues Work on Mars Spirit has conducted studies of a soil target nicknamed "Halley Brunt," which is an undisturbed exposure of bright, sparkly bits of soil near the rover's left front wheel. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_spiritAll.html#sol874 +++++ Jules Verne Passes Acoustic Test Acoustic testing of Jules Verne, the first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), has successfully been completed at ESA's test facilities in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMTHPVT0PE_index_0.html http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ESApod/SEMYIPVT0PE_0.html +++++ ************************************************** ************************************************** Images and Data From Cassini-Huygens At: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/latest/index.cfm http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-releases.cfm +++++ Information On The Mars Rovers At: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html +++++ SLAS 2006 Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/LOCAL.HTML +++++ SSA / UMNH 2006 Southern Utah Public Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/STARPARTIES.HTML +++++ ************************************************** News is being sent to you because of your affiliation with the Salt Lake Astronomical Society or because you are subscribed to the Utah Astronomy Listserve. To unsubscribe please send your request to paw at wirelessbeehive dot com. Check out my NASA Solar System Ambassador web site at: http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky and mirrored at http://utahastro.info/ For astronomy clubs in Utah see: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/UTAHCLUBS.HTML For the Utah Astronomy Listserve see: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy ************************************************** -- Patrick Wiggins NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah & NE Nevada paw at wirelessbeehive dot com http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky http://utahastro.info/ 435.882.1209 801.918.9092

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Re: [Utah-astronomy] NGC 6946, improved processing
by astrodeb＠charter.net 01 Jul '06

01 Jul '06

Joe, Great image. I viewed this galaxy up at Bryce Canyon last week along with the open cluster. The skies were superb and calm with some haze from smoke. Did you shoot at f/5 or f/6.3? Was it hard to place the galaxy on the chip? This would be my biggest concern with that camera. Keep up the good work! Debbie ---- Joe Bauman <bau(a)desnews.com> wrote: > Yeah, guess so! Thanks, Joe > > > _______________________________________________ > Utah-Astronomy mailing list > Utah-Astronomy(a)mailman.xmission.com > http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy > Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.utahastronomy.com

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News, 01 JUL 2006
by Patrick Wiggins 01 Jul '06

01 Jul '06

News, Saturday, 01 July 2006 NASA TV Shuttle Launch Coverage Begins at 8:00 a.m. MDT Today Launch is set for 1:49 p.m. MDT this afternoon. http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html +++++ STS Update http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/status-20060630.html +++++ SPOC Open Tonight Weather permitting SPOC will be open for public viewing tonight (Saturday). Come on out and watch the shuttle and ISS fly over. http://slas.us/displayevent.asp?EventID=844 +++++ Sunday Night's Flyby of Asteroid 2004 XP14 On the morning of July 3, 2006, a small asteroid will brighten to 11th magnitude as it passes Earth. Here's how to find it. http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/asteroids/article_1751_1.asp +++++ Space Station's Future Rides on Successful Shuttle Launch Any problems with Discovery's planned launch on Saturday could mean the end of the shuttle programme Â– that would leave the still-unfinished ISS high and dry http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn9455-space-stations-future-rides… +++++ Kepler Crater as Seen by SMART-1 This animation, made from images taken by the advanced Moon Imaging Experiment (AMIE) on board ESAÂ’s SMART-1 spacecraft, shows Kepler crater on the Moon. http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMBGLVT0PE_index_0.html +++++ Engineers Restart Hubble Camera NASA engineers successfully activated the Advanced Camera for Surveys at 9:12 a.m. EDT Friday aboard the agency's Hubble Space Telescope. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/jun/HQ_06272_HST_status_report.html +++++ Hubble's Back Â— and Better Than Ever? The Hubble Space Telescope's Advanced Camera for Surveys is up and running after a nearly two-week shutdown. http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1750_1.asp +++++ NASA Names New Rockets NASA announced on Friday the names of the next generation of launch vehicles that will return humans to the moon and later take them to Mars and other destinations. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/jun/HQ_06270_NASA_Announces_Ares.html +++++ Full Plate for Opportunity Opportunity is healthy. Opportunity has had a full plate with a new flight software load being uplinked and the rover driving towards "Victoria Crater." http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol859 +++++ NASA's Micro-Satellites Complete Mission NASA's three orbiting micro-satellites known as Space Technology 5 have completed their planned 90-day mission. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/jun/HQ_06254_microsatellites.html +++++ Can You Hear Me Now? Not on Mars It may be difficult for two people to have a conversation on Mars... http://www.physorg.com/news70900952.html +++++ Squadrons of Planet Hunters Could Find Life Over the years, a series of new telescopes have been lofted into space... But these observatories will pale in comparison when squadrons of space telescopes reach orbit. http://www.universetoday.com/2006/06/30/squadrons-of-planet-hunters-could-f… +++++ Cassini Update http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/sig-event-details.cfm?newsID=671 +++++ ISS Update http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/spacenews/reports/issreports/2006/iss06-33.html +++++ ************************************************** ************************************************** Images and Data From Cassini-Huygens At: http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/multimedia/images/latest/index.cfm http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-releases.cfm +++++ Information On The Mars Rovers At: http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html +++++ SLAS 2006 Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/LOCAL.HTML +++++ SSA / UMNH 2006 Southern Utah Public Star Party Schedule http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/STARPARTIES.HTML +++++ ************************************************** News is being sent to you because of your affiliation with the Salt Lake Astronomical Society or because you are subscribed to the Utah Astronomy Listserve. To unsubscribe please send your request to paw at wirelessbeehive dot com. Check out my NASA Solar System Ambassador web site at: http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky and mirrored at http://utahastro.info/ For astronomy clubs in Utah see: http://users.wirelessbeehive.com/~paw/UTAHCLUBS.HTML For the Utah Astronomy Listserve see: http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy ************************************************** -- Patrick Wiggins NASA Solar System Ambassador to Utah & NE Nevada paw at wirelessbeehive dot com http://www.umnh.utah.edu/utahsky http://utahastro.info/ 435.882.1209 801.918.9092

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STS & ISS tonight? (Saturday)
by Patrick Wiggins 01 Jul '06

01 Jul '06

Assuming an on time (1:49 p.m. MDT) launch today we in northern Utah have two chances of seeing space shuttle Discovery in our skies tonight. Regardless of Discovery's status, the International Space Station (ISS) will also make two passes through our skies tonight. 1st pass is so poor that I'd not mention if the shuttle was not involved. But ISS and Discovery can be pretty bright so there is a chance keen eyed observers away from city light pollution might spot them. ISS 9:33 rises in the NW 9:35 it is low in the N 9:40 it sets in the E Discovery 9:38 rises in the NW 9:42 it is low in the NE 9:45 sets in the E 2nd pass is much better. ISS 11:06 rises in the NW 11:11 it is nearly overhead and then fades from view as it passes into the shadow of the Earth Discovery 11:12 rises in the NW 11:16 it is about half way up the northern sky and then fades from view as it follows ISS into Earth's shadow. There are two passes tomorrow (Sunday) night but neither are very good. Next good passes look to be Monday and Wednesday nights. More on those once Discovery is on orbit and I have better numbers to work with. Patrick p.s. I want to go!

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