ASTRONOMY UPDATE (2013-06-24)
Dennis Mammana
Before I get to the celestial news, I
just wanted to thank everyone who sent me kind thoughts, advice, prayers and
words of wisdom during my recent bout with prostate cancer... it's impossible to answer all the emails personally, though
I will certainly try.
My first PSA
test after the surgery came back essentially zero (<0.1) which is well
within the test's level of accuracy; this is EXACTLY what we wanted. So it appears we beat this cancerous scourge! And now I can continue to plan photographing Halley’s
Comet when it returns in the summer of 2061!
J
Thank you all again for all your support… it
really made a difference!
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WEDNESDAY ROCKET LAUNCH POSSIBLY VISIBLE TO SKY WATCHERS IN THE SOUTHWESTERN
U.S. AND MEXICO
Given clear skies and bit of luck, observers over a wide area may be able to
see some portion of Wednesday's offshore NASA satellite launch. Launch is targeted for 7:27:34 p.m. PDT during a launch window that
extends from 7:27 to 7:32 p.m.
A converted airliner will carry a Pegasus XL rocket containing the IRIS
satellite from the Orbital Sciences Corp. facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base
to the launch point high above the Pacific about 70 miles southwest of Monterey. When the L-1011 reaches a
three-dimensional point in space at 36.000° north, 123.000° west, and 39,000
feet, it will release the rocket. After a five-second fall, the Pegasus first
stage will ignite and IRIS will begin a 13-minute climb into orbit.
Observers along the California coast between
Vandenberg AFB and Monterey
may be able to see the former Air Canada jumbo jet and perhaps one or
more chase planes as they fly parallel to the coast on their way to and from
the launch point.
For sky watchers in California
and neighboring states, the launch takes place before sunset. Under very good
conditions, the launch may be visible through binoculars for a distance of up
to 150 miles. The best location to view the launch will probably be near Monterey.
Coastal low clouds and fog are a problem this time of year, so a viewing site
at least 2,000 feet above sea level is preferable.
After sunset, sunlight will illuminate the remnants of the rocket's exhaust at
high altitudes. The resulting display could be visible to the naked eye in California, Arizona, and
parts of Nevada, Utah,
and Mexico.
If you plan to watch the launch from the mountains, remember that mountain
roads often have steep drop-offs and no guardrails. Not paying attention to
your driving for only a second could kill you. Also, watch out for loose gravel
on the road and be very careful when you back up your car.
To view Vandenberg's full launch schedule, visit:
http://www.spacearchive.info/vafbsked.htm
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Copyright 2013, Brian Webb. All rights reserved. No
portion of this newsletter may be used without
identifying Launch Alert as the source and providing a functioning hyperlink or
text that point to http://www.spacearchive.info/newsletter.htm
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DENNIS MAMMANA (TWAN)
DennisMammana.com