ASTRONOMY UPDATE (08 April 2009)

[Dennis Mammana]

Dennis’ final public programs of the 2008-09 season:
01)   “Stargazing at the Springs” (Thursday, April 9)
02)   “Family Astronomy” (Saturday, April 11)
03)   “Eclipses” (Friday, April 17)
04)   Celestial Overnight in the Anza-Borrego Desert  (Sat/Sun., April 25/26)

Cool web stuff to check out…
05)   Meet Dennis at the Corner
06)   Golden Anniversary of the “Mercury Seven”
07)   Demo of ISS Assembly
08)   Help find pulsars in your spare time!
09)   Galactic TV
10)   Galileoscope^TM

Join Dennis on some exciting Cosmic Adventures!
11)   Norway Northern Lights cruise (Nov 10-19, 2009)
12)   African cosmic safari & annular eclipse (Jan 8-19, 2010)
13)   Total Solar Eclipse… in Paradise!  (Jun 28 - Jul 12, 2010) — NEW!


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01)   “Stargazing at the Springs” (Thursday, April 9, 6:30 p.m.)

Join me on Thursday evening, April 9, for an entertaining guided tour of the heavens at the Springs at Borrego RV Resort.  We'll start with a light dinner and your choice of beverages followed by a fun-filled preview of the February night sky, then it's out to the Astronomy Park and Observatory for some great telescope viewing, weather permitting.  Call the RV desk for tickets or details at 760.767.0004 (Pacific time).  Admission is $15.  This event is open to the public, and no RV is necessary to join in the fun!   For more information, visit:  http://www.springsatborrego.com/stars.htm


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02)   “Family Astronomy” (Saturday, April 11, 10:00 a.m.)

Join me for a fun morning of learning about the sky.  Meet the constellations, hear some of the stories that ancients told about them, and discover how to use a star map to find your way around the night sky.  Advanced registration is strongly advised.  For more information or to register, please call 760.767.3052 or visit http://www.abdnha.org/


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03)   “Eclipses” (Friday, April 17, 7:00 p.m.)

Join me and the Andromeda Astronomical Society as we talk about solar eclipses, and this summer’s total eclipse in China, at the Yucca Valley Community Center.  For more information and directions, visit  http://www.andromedasociety.org or contact San Davidson at samd...@verizon.net


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04)   Celestial Overnight in the Anza-Borrego Desert  (Sat/Sun., April 25/26, 2009)

If you've ever wanted to gaze deeply into a clear, dark desert sky and reach up to capture the stars, you’ll definitely want to join me for a relaxing overnight campout under the desert night sky—far from the lights of town.  Program includes telescope stargazing, tips on photographing the heavens, all camping gear, gourmet chuck wagon dinner, full hot breakfast, and an exciting bonus tour through the spectacular badlands of the Anza-Borrego Desert.  All you need to bring is your curiosity and sense of adventure!  Advance reservations are required.   For more information or registration, call toll-free 866.6.EXPLORE or 760.767.1232 (Pacific time), or visit http://www.californiaoverland.com/overnight.html.


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05)  Meet Dennis at the Corner

Celebrate the International Year of Astronomy 2009 with a virtual field trip to San Diego's Palomar Observatory with me in a children’s series called “Meet Me at the Corner”.  Check out the brief video here:   http://meetmeatthecorner.org/episodes/2009-international-+year-of-astronomy


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06)   Golden Anniversary of the “Mercury Seven”

This week marks the 50th anniversary of NASA’s selection of America’s first seven astronauts.  Their names would become known to every school kid in the US, and soon became media sensations.  NASA has created a very cool interactive feature to celebrate this milestone, including an interactive “press conference,” a transcript and video clips of the original press conference, and a gallery of pictures.  Visit:  http://www.feedblitz.com/t.asp?/15163/148409/http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/50th_announcement/


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07)   Demo of ISS Assembly

The International Space Station will return to the Southern California sky at the end of next week.  But now that it’s the second brightest object in the night sky, check out this nice animation of how the ISS came together!  http://i.usatoday.net/tech/graphics/iss_timeline/flash.htm


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08)  Help find pulsars in your spare time!

Einstein@Home is one of the world’s largest public computing projects, with more than 200,000 people donating time on their own computers to mine gravitational wave data for the tell-tale signs of pulsars.  Now, Einstein@Home will begin searching Arecibo radio data to find binary systems consisting of the most extreme objects in the universe: a spinning neutron star orbiting another neutron star or a black hole.  And the project needs even more public participation.  To learn more, visit:  http://www.universetoday.com/2009/03/25/calling-all-amateur-astronomers-help-comb-arecibo-data-for-gems/


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09)  Galactic TV

In this International Year of Astronomy 2009 (http://www.astronomy2009.org) technology offers you something you’ll find nowhere else on Earth—a live view of the cosmos via a remote telescope.  To check it out, visit:   http://www.universetoday.com/2009/03/24/international-year-of-astronomy-live-telescope/


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10)  Galileoscope™

Ever wonder what Galileo saw when he aimed his telescope toward the heavens four centuries ago?  Now you can find out!  The Galileoscope™ is a high-quality, low-cost telescope kit similar to what the great Italian astronomer used.  With it you’ll see lunar craters and mountains, four moons circling Jupiter, the phases of Venus, Saturn's rings, and countless stars invisible to the unaided eye—just like Galileo did.  For more information or to order, visit:  https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/


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11)   Norway Northern Lights cruise (Nov 10-19, 2009)
EARLY BOOKING SAVINGS EXTENDED THROUGH APRIL!

Cross the Arctic Circle with me as our ship, the MS Midnatsol, weaves along the richest archipelago in Norway—up to latitude 69°N.  During our remarkable journey from Kirkenes to Bergen we'll check out the heavens each night to view and photograph the mystical dancing colors of the aurora borealis—the northern lights.  This is sure to be ONE POPULAR TRIP!  For more information and full itinerary, call 877.707..7827 or 408.279.5589 (Pacific time), or visit:   http://www.melitatrips.com/norway/


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12)   African cosmic safari & annular eclipse (Jan 8-19, 2010)

Join me and “Astronomy” magazine Editor David Eicher for an exciting trip into the bush of Africa, for a remarkable safari and an even more remarkable annular eclipse of the sun.   For more information on what is already becoming a very popular trip, call 877.707.7827 or 408.279.5589 (Pacific time), or visit:   http://www.melitatrips.com/africa/index.html  


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13)   Total Solar Eclipse… in Paradise!  (Jun 28 - Jul 12, 2010) — NEW!

Join me and “Astronomy” magazine Senior Editor Rich Talcott in the glorious South Pacific as we explore the magnificent Marquesas Islands and the Tuamotus on a state-of–the art freighter, the Aranui III.  In the balmy South Pacific evenings, we’ll turn your gaze skyward—toward the exquisite Southern Cross and the spectacular Southern Milky Way, and on July 11 toward the great total solar eclipse—the most remarkable sky show you’ve ever seen!  Space is VERY limited.  For more details on this rapidly booking trip, call 877.707.7827 or 408.279.5589 (Pacific time), or visit:  http://www.melitatrips.com/marquesas/index.html


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As you requested, I am sending these astronomy notices to you.

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DENNIS MAMMANA
www.DennisMammana.com
www.twanight.org