News, Saturday, 22 July 2006 Welcome New SLAS Members Ann & Craig Blanchard +++++ SLAS Meeting Tuesday SLAS will be holding it's monthly public meeting Tuesday evening (the 25th) in the north building of the S L County Complex beginning at 7:30 pm. Former SLAS president Joan Carman will speak on the mythology and lore of the night sky. http://slas.us/displayevent.asp?EventID=811 +++++ SLAS History An Excel spreadsheet showing the names of just about everyone who has served on the SLAS board and/or as SLAS newsletter editor since the club's founding in 1971 is now available. Details from early years are probably not complete. If anyone has SLAS meeting minutes or newsletters from the early 1970's please email paw@wirelessbeehive.com. http://utahastro.info/temp/SLASBOD.XLS +++++ Grim Scope Sunday Dale Wilson has reserved the Grim scope for tomorrow (Sunday) night and notes "Just enjoyin the night. Anyone welcome." +++++ Dimmed by Light Despite growing light pollution Stansbury Observatory still offers stunning Celestial views. (Note: The article refers to lights at the new Miller race track. There are no lights at the track and there are no plans to install any since they do not race there at night). http://www.transcriptbulletin.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=1481... +++++ Black Hole Paradox Solved By NASA's Chandra Black holes are lighting up the Universe, and now astronomers may finally know how. http://chandra.harvard.edu/press/06_releases/press_062106.html +++++ Black Hole Spills Kaleidoscope of Color Shoes may not come in every color, but space objects do. http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/features.cfm?feature=1135 +++++ Peering at Pesky 'Jammerbugt' As winter has descended over Meridiani Planum, the availability of solar power for the rovers has diminished greatly. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/opportunity/20060720a.html +++++ Bounding Toward 'Beagle Crater' Opportunity is healthy and is driving toward "Beagle Crater," which is about 50 meters away as of sol 884 (July 20). http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_opportunityAll.html#sol879 +++++ Rock Abrasion Tool Exhibits the Deep Red Pigment of Mars During recent soil-brushing experiments, the rock abrasion tool on NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Spirit became covered with dust, as shown here. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20060721a.html +++++ Spirit Clears Away Dust, Gets New Software Upgrade Beginning July 22, 2006 Spirit is scheduled to begin knitting together and testing all 200 pieces of a new flight software package transmitted to the rover in recent weeks. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_spiritAll.html#sol904 +++++ ER-2 Aloft Again One of NASA's two high-flying ER-2 Earth resources aircraft, took to the skies recently from NASA's Dryden on its first science mission in over two years. http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/NewsReleases/2006/06-25P.html +++++ Looking Deep with Infrared Eyes Today, British astronomers are releasing the first data from the largest and most sensitive survey of the heavens in infrared light to the ESO user community. http://www.eso.org/outreach/press-rel/pr-2006/pr-26-06.html +++++ Apollo Anniversary Site Thanks to SLAS member Kurt Fisher for passing on this site commemorating the upcoming 30th anniversary of the first landing of humans on the Moon. http://www.fullscreenqtvr.com/moon +++++ SOFIA Saved! The Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, slated for cancellation in NASA's 2007 budget, has been spared and should begin flying soon. http://skyandtelescope.com/news/article_1758_1.asp +++++ International Space Station Tee Off Approved By NASA Element 21 Golf Company has reported that NASA has approved E21's "Eagle One Mission" in celebration of the 35th anniversary of Alan B. Shepard Jr.'s historic Apollo 14 Mission. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/International_Space_Station_Tee_Off_Approv... +++++ ESA To Help Europe Prepare for Space Tourism With summer here, many people are thinking about their holiday destination. At the European Space Agency, this means thinking about a holiday in space! http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMNYIBUQPE_index_0.html +++++ JSR Latest Issue Now Available http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html +++++ ISS Update http://spaceflight1.nasa.gov/spacenews/reports/issreports/2006/iss06-34.html +++++ Venus Express Update http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/object/index.cfm?fobjectid=39710 +++++ Cassini Update http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/sig-event-details.cfm?newsID=676 +++++ STS Update http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/status-20060721.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