February 2015 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Rocket reentry
by Wiggins Patrick 24 Feb '15

24 Feb '15

Of course I didn't see it. I was too busy staring at monitors tracking a minor planet. But apparently a lot of people in these parts had quite a show. Video here: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=33593153 Here was CalSky's prediction: Radio pass (invisible) Ascending Orbit. Earth revolutions since launch: 937.1 Rise(invis.) 22h53m13s --.-mag az:168.0° SSE at Meridian 22h56m02s --.-mag az:180.0° S h:67.6° Culmination 22h56m10s --.-mag az:257.9° WSW h:85.1° distance: 148.8km height above Earth: 149.5km elevation of Sun: -51° angular velocity: 3.00°/s Set (invis.) 22h59m08s --.-m az:347.9° NNW And here's info on the rocket and satellite: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/12/chinese-long-march-4b-yaogan-26/ patrick

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Planetary Images
by Joan Carman 24 Feb '15

24 Feb '15

Siegfried notified me this morning that Don Parker passed away. He provided this link to Don's work. http://www.masil-astro-imaging.com/Don%20Parker.html It's amazing what the man did with a 16" reflector. I don't mean to discourage anyone on this board from taking pictures, but Don was a dedicated, skillful photographer. I heard him once at an Astronomical League convention. For every hour he spent at the telescope, he spent 12 at the computer working over his images. He will be sorely missed.

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Interplanetary Cruising With Earth-To-Mars Transit Examples
by Wiggins Patrick 24 Feb '15

24 Feb '15

This from John Sohl at Weber State http://planet.weber.edu/harbor/calendar/AIAA%20Distinguished%20Lecture%20In… Engineering Week Event Please join us for an: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Distinguished Lecture “Interplanetary Cruising With Earth-To-Mars Transit Examples” 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 24, 2015 Weber State University, Room 121, Lind Lecture Hall WEBER STATE UNIVERSITY Campus Map Distinguished Lecturer: DANIEL R. ADAMO Biography: Mr. Adamo is an astrodynamics consultant concentrating on space mission trajectory design and operations and space trajectory design/simulation software development. He recently worked with NASA on several projects that included various trajectory designs. Previously Mr. Adamo worked for the United Space Alliance as a primary trajectory expert, and served as a “front room” flight controller for 60 Space Shuttle missions. He regularly participated in trajectory design, software tool, flight rule, and operations concept development. He began his career at the Perkin-Elmer Corporation where he developed and operated proof-of-concept software for computer-controlled polishing of optical elements. He has degrees in Physical Sciences and Optical Engineering from the University of Houston and the University of Rochester. Mr. Adamo is a Senior Member of AIAA and is the author of numerous publications, most recently “A Class of Selenocentric Retrograde Orbits With Innovative Applications To Human Lunar Operations.” He is the recipient of numerous awards, including 14 NASA Group Achievement Awards. Presentation Abstract: “Interplanetary Cruising With Earth-To-Mars Transit Examples” This 1.5-hour lecture introduces the fundamentals of orbit motion and applies them to designing a realistic Mars mission by solving the Lambert boundary value problem for Sun-centered trajectories. The patched conic technique is then applied to a Sun-centered transit from Earth to Mars, producing geometric constraints on Earth departure as an example. Summarizing this process, the fundamental design trade between minimal time-of-flight and minimal propulsion is made apparent for missions to the Moon, near-Earth asteroids, and Mars. By listening to this lecture, anyone with an understanding of high school physics will become familiar with the challenges of interplanetary spaceflight, particularly when human factors are considered.

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To call or not to call. That is the question.
by Wiggins Patrick 23 Feb '15

23 Feb '15

Should We Call the Cosmos Seeking ET? Or Is That Risky? http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/call-cosmos-seeking-risky-289508… Opinions? patrick

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ISS this evening (Saturday)
by Wiggins Patrick 21 Feb '15

21 Feb '15

Per CalSky for northern Utah: Visibility of International Space Station ISS Appears 19h07m33s 1.2mag az:307.9° NW horizon Culmination 19h12m53s -4.2mag az: 34.4° NE h:64.7° distance: 444.9km height above Earth: 406.1km elevation of Sun: -12° Disappears 19h14m58s -2.7mag az:113.2° ESE h:20.0° patrick

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Moon, Venus and Mars: Look now
by Wiggins Patrick 20 Feb '15

20 Feb '15

Impressive site in the west right now. http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=6152 patrick

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ISS joins Moon, Venus and Mars this evening
by Wiggins Patrick 20 Feb '15

20 Feb '15

In addition to the Moon, Mars and Venus having their meetup in the west this evening ISS will be putting in an appearance as well. This per CalSky and NASA: Appears 20h00m38s 1.6mag az:303.9° NW horizon Disappears 20h05m24s -3.1mag az:270.4° W h:51.4° patrick

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Sunset Pics
by Brent Watson 18 Feb '15

18 Feb '15

I decided to get some photos of the sunset tonight. I came back with over 50 images. There are so many good ones that I don't know how to select one over the others. I got some sun pillars and even a false sun. You can go here to see some of them: Photobucket - Photo and image hosting, free photo galleries, photo editing. | | | | | | | | | | | Photobucket - Photo and image hosting, free photo galler...Get free image hosting, easy photo sharing, and photo editing. Upload pictures and videos, create with the online photo editor, or browse a photo gallery or album. | | | | View on s1138.photobucket.com | Preview by Yahoo | | | | |

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Comet Lovejoy 02/14/2015
by Dave Gary 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

A quick and dirty photo I took this evening of Comet Lovejoy. It’s a little lopsided and quite green. I downloaded a spectrum from the web for Comet Lovejoy. The spectrum shows a peak for CN (cyanide) compounds and a number of peaks for C2 (diatomic carbon) gas. The C2 gas gives the comet its green color. This comet has a fairly high gas/dust ratio. > https://www.flickr.com/photos/78046474@N06/sets/72157650412476360/ <https://www.flickr.com/photos/78046474@N06/sets/72157650412476360/>

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Check out the Ha sun today
by John M. Craig 16 Feb '15

16 Feb '15

Hi Folks, If you have the capability and the clear skies, although the sun's not quite as interesting today as yesterday, IMO, today there's an intriguing variety of prominences along with some good texture around the main visible sunspot group. A couple of the proms on the NW (if I've got the directions right) are an amazing contrast: one is quite diffuse and ethereal and one looks like a butte (a very very tall one, to be sure). (I keep hoping I might have a Saturday with little enough work to be able to get up to the Sun Parties at the Nat. Hist. Museum--ah, well....) John

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