ASTRONOMY UPDATE (05 July 2009)
Dennis Mammana
Cool stuff to check out in the sky:
01) Space Station appears at dusk this week
Join Dennis for two fun programs this
week:
02) Magnificent
Milky Way at Borrego Springs Resort (August 15)
Astronomy & Space online and on TV:
03) Eclipse
chasing article in the San Diego Union-Tribune
04) Five spinoffs from the Hubble Space Telescope
05) Cool time-lapse video of Atlantis mounted on 747
06) Tweeting the Apollo 11 moon landing
07) Looking for a job that’s out of this world?
Become involved in astronomy:
08) Drink beer, win a trip to space
09) Project Astro San Diego needs
you
10) Help solve the mystery of Epsilon Aurigae
11) 2009 Weightless Flights of Discovery Program
Join Dennis for some exciting Cosmic
Adventures:
12) Norway Northern Lights cruise (Nov 9-17,
2009)
13) African cosmic safari & annular eclipse (Jan 8-19, 2010)
14) Total solar eclipse cruise… to Paradise!
(Jun 28 - Jul 12, 2010)
And journey with other terrific
lecturers:
15) Art, Astronomy & History in Paris (Sept. 17-24, 2009)
16) Easter Island & the Grand Patagonia
Sunset Total Eclipse (July 3-12, 2010)
17) The Grand Patagonia Sunset Total Solar Eclipse (July 6-13, 2010)
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01) Space Station appears
at dusk this week
The International Space Station (ISS) is about to make a remarkable
series of flybys over regions of the United States—and elsewhere.
Beginning this weekend, the station will appear once, twice, and sometimes
three times a day for many days in a row.
During evening hours this week the
International Space Station (ISS) will make several bright passes over Southern California and other areas. To find exact
times and directions for your location, visit: http://www.heavens-above.com. I recommend free registration so
you can visit from time to time and keep your location on file.
Here you can select your town from a database or add your own latitude and
longitude. Once in the site, scroll down to "Satellites" and
then click "ISS". To learn more, visit: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2009/03jul_sightings.htm?list717892
And if seeing ISS at night is getting old, why not try looking for it
in broad daylight:
http://www.feedblitz.com/t.asp?/15163/148409/http://www.universetoday.com/2009/06/17/iss-now-visible-in-daytime/
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02) Magnificent Milky Way at Borrego Springs
Resort (August 15)
Few celestial sights are as
stunning as an August desert sky. On Saturday, August 15, stroll with us
along the Milky Way—from the nearest of stars and glowing nebulae to the
shattered remains of once mighty suns to our galaxy's most distant stellar
clusters—and witness some of the most magnificent scenery anywhere!
This terrific package at the Borrego
Springs Resort includes: one night deluxe accommodations (08/15/2009),
indoor slide program followed by naked-eye and telescope viewing
(weather permitting, of course), buffet dinner, transportation to viewing site,
mini-flashlights, celestial party refreshments, all tax and gratuity.
Non-hotel packages are also available.
For more information, please visit: http://www.dennismammana.com/events/lectures.htm
or call 888.826.7734 for reservations. It’s sure to fill up
quickly, so don’t wait! http://www.borregospringsresort.com/featuredpromotions.asp
And to read about our most recent popular sky event there, check out
this recent article by one of the participants: http://www.sandiegoinsidertours.com/blog/index.php/category/desert-life/
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03) Eclipse Chasing article in San Diego Union-Tribune
Ever wonder why some of us travel halfway around the world to stand for a few
minutes within the shadow of the moon? This recent article will give you some
insight, and may even make you want to join me one day on one of our cosmic
adventures! http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jun/28/1t28xeclipsm205955/
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04) Five
spinoffs from the Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Telescope has become a household name and has increased our
knowledge of the universe beyond measure, but few realize how HST has impacted
the world in other ways? Various technologies developed for the famous
orbiting telescope have helped create or improve several different medical and
scientific tools. Here are just five technology spinoffs from Hubble: http://www.universetoday.com/2009/06/16/5-spinoffs-from-the-hubble-space-telescope/
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05) Cool Time-Lapse Video of Atlantis
Mounted On 747
We watch the space shuttle returning to the Kennedy Space
Center on top of a 747,
and rarely think about what it takes to make that happen. Here’s a
little glimpse into that time-consuming effort made by NASA: http://gizmodo.com/5306074/cool-time-lapse-video-of-atlantis-getting-mounted-on-its-747-mothership
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06) Tweeting the Apollo 11 moon landing
Those of us who were alive during the week of July 16-20, 1969 remember where
we were when Man first stepped foot onto the lunar surface. Of course, at the
time I thought “tweeting” was something done by a bird. Not
today. The publishing group Nature is mixing the old with the new by tweeting
the Apollo 11 moon mission as it happened—four decades later. Followers
on Twitter will be able to read about technical milestones, political
challenges, and related events in the space race. Read the rest of Follow Apollo Mission "Tweets," 40 Years
Later here:
http://www.universetoday.com/2009/06/17/follow-apollo-mission-tweets-40-years-later/
And pay attention to your local television listings that week. There may
appear more than one program commemorating the event.
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07) Looking for a job that’s
out of this world?
The top jobs and the best talents in the space industry are on Space Careers—a one-stop reference source for employment in the space industry. If you’re looking for a move “up”, be sure to check out: http://www.space-careers.com/?id=sfn
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08) Drink beer, win a trip to space
Now THIS is my kind of contest! The company behind the dark Irish beer Guinness will give loyal drinkers a taste of space along with their stout, but only if they win a new contest. Guinness has reserved a seat aboard a suborbital Virgin Galactic spaceliner as one of three experience prizes in an online contest honoring the 250th birthday of the beer's brewery this year. To learn more, visit: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,529864,00.html?sPage=fnc/scitech/space
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09) Project Astro San Diego needs you
Whether you’re a professional, student, amateur astronomer or space enthusiast, you can become a visiting space scientist/astronomer in a San Diego County school. Project ASTRO is a program of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) to create partnerships between 3rd-9th grade teachers and local astronomers and space scientists. If you’ve ever wondered how you can share your enthusiasm for space and astronomy as well as help your local schools improve their science education, Project ASTRO is for you. Project ASTRO will provide you with free training, materials, and a rewarding and fun way to share your passion with our local schoolchildren and teachers.
For more information and an application form, please contact Dr. Philip Blanco (pbl...@sciences.sdsu.edu) or Dr. Ron Angione (ang...@sciences.sdsu.edu) at 619 594-6183. Or visit the San Diego Project ASTRO website: http://mintaka.sdsu.edu/projectastro/index.html
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10) Help solve the mystery of Epsilon Aurigae
Epsilon Aurigae is a mystery. This variable star changes in brightness
over time, and is thought to be an eclipsing binary—a pair of stars that
eclipse each other. But the way it fades and brightens is not fully understood
by astronomers, even after over 175 years of study. The
star’s next eclipse is predicted to begin in August 2009, and you can
help solve its mysteries.
Citizen Sky has put together materials guide you through the process of how to
observe Epsilon Aurigae, how to send in your observations, and then how to see
your results, analyze them, and even publish them in a scientific journal.
No previous experience is required. Because of its brightness, it
can be observed by almost anyone regardless of background, training, or
equipment. All you need are a good pair of eyes and know where to look.
To learn more and become involved, visit: http://www.citizensky.org
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11) 2009 Weightless Flights of
Discovery Program
The Northrop Grumman
Foundation is accepting teacher applications for the 2009 Weightless Flights of
Discovery. This annual professional development program allows teachers to
prepare for and participate in micro- and zero-gravity flights to test Newton's Laws of Motion
with the purpose of taking the experience back into their classrooms to
energize their students in science and math subjects during the formative middle-school
years.
Middle-school math and science teachers are welcome to seek additional information and apply by visiting: http://www.northropgrumman.com/teachers An application is also available for students.
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12) Norway Northern
Lights cruise (Nov 9-17, 2009)
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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13) 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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14) Total solar eclipse
cruise… to Paradise! (Jun 28 - Jul
12, 2010)
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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15) Art, Astronomy & History in Paris (Sept.. 17-24,
2009)
Join astronomy historian Dr. William Sheehan—author of MARS: Lure of the Red
Planet and In Search of Vulcan—for
seven nights in Paris,
and an incredible art, astronomy, and art history vacation. In addition
to visiting the historic Meudon Observatories during the week of the Société Astronomique de France and
International Astronomical Union’s celebration of Mars observations,
you’ll experience all things French: food and wine, Gothic
cathedrals, sun-dappled paths, vineyards and villages, art, history and
science. For more information and full itinerary, call 877.707. 7827 or
408.279.5589 (Pacific time), or visit: http://www.melitatrips.com/france
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16) Easter Island & the Grand Patagonia Sunset Total Eclipse (July 3-12, 2010)
From Easter Island's mysterious solitudes, where you’ll pass
among heads frozen in time and forever as inscrutable as their long-vanished
makers, you’ll journey in imagination to the star-studded entrails of the
Southern Hemisphere sky. Then to the Patagonian steppes, fjords, and
soaring peaks, you’ll travel in the footsteps of Charles Darwin to view
the remarkable total solar eclipse—at sunset! For more
information and full itinerary, call 877.707.7827 or 408.279.5589 (Pacific
time), or visit: http://www.melitatrips.com/easterisland/index.html
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17) The Grand Patagonia
Sunset Total Solar Eclipse (July 6-13, 2010)
Few places on Earth are more beautiful than Patagonia and Buenos Aires. And tie
that in with a spectacular sunset total solar eclipse from El Calafate, and the
journey is one you’ll never forget. For more information and full
itinerary, call 877.707.7827 or 408.279.5589 (Pacific time), or visit: http://www.melitatrips.com/patagonia/index.html
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As you requested, I am sending these astronomy notices to you.
Please let me know if your e-mail address changes, or if you ever prefer not to
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If you wish to reach me, you can do so not by replying to this site, but by my
e-mail address: mam...@skyscapes.com
____________________
DENNIS MAMMANA
www.DennisMammana.com
www.twanight.org