2008 March 26

NASA's Aqua spacecraft recorded this view of the American Southwest during a daylight pass on February 26. Visible are New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Mexico as well several landmarks. Near the top left the Grand Canyon appears as a long, curved, slightly brown crack. Left of center, Phoenix resembles a sprawling gray patch. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC

(MAR 2) The Moon will occult (pass in front of) the planet Venus on March 5 for observers across in the central U.S., Mexico, and the portions of Southwest. The unusual daylight event should be easily visible in binoculars or small telescopes.

As seen from Los Angeles, Venus will disappear behind the Moon at 20:25 UTC (12:25 PST) and emerge at 20:38 UTC (20:38 PST). The disappearance and reappearance times for selected cities are as follows:

--- Not visible

(FEB 27) VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. - The Atlas V rocket that was scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex 3 here, Feb. 29, has been postponed as a precautionary move to avoid possible debris from the non-functional National Reconnaissance Office satellite, which was intercepted Feb. 20.

The rocket carrying a NRO payload will be delayed for approximately two weeks, and will be the first Atlas V launch from Vandenberg as well as the first launch of the year.

When established, a revised launch date will be posted.

Vandenberg AFB

The Moon disappears behind a band of clouds during the February 20 total lunar eclipse. The last such event visible from the Southwest until late 2010, the eclipse occurred at a convenient hour but viewing was hampered for many by cloudcover. The webmaster recorded this view of the totally eclipsed Moon at 19:19 PDT (03:19 UTC) using a Nikon D70 digital camera, vintage 180mm lens, and a 4-second exposure at f/4 and ISO 400. The bright speck in the lower left is the planet Saturn. Copyright 2008, Brian Webb

(FEB 20) A network of land-, air-, sea- and spaced-based sensors confirms that the U.S. military intercepted a non-functioning National Reconnaissance Office satellite which was in its final orbits before entering the earth's atmosphere.

At approximately 10:26 p.m. EST today, a U.S. Navy AEGIS warship, the USS Lake Erie (CG-70), fired a single modified tactical Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) hitting the satellite approximately 247 kilometers (133 nautical miles) over the Pacific Ocean as it traveled in space at more than 17,000 mph. USS Decatur (DDG-73) and USS Russell (DDG-59) were also part of the task force.

The objective was to rupture the fuel tank to dissipate the approximately 1,000 pounds (453 kg) of hydrazine, a hazardous fuel which could pose a danger to people on earth, before it entered into earth's atmosphere. Confirmation that the fuel tank has been fragmented should be available within 24 hours.

Due to the relatively low altitude of the satellite at the time of the engagement, debris will begin to re-enter the earth's atmosphere immediately. Nearly all of the debris will burn up on reentry within 24-48 hours and the remaining debris should re-enter within 40 days.

The payload, known as "USA 193", was launched aboard a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg AFB on 2006 December 14.

Adapted from a Department of Defense news release

(FEB 19) MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. - Sensitive detectors that may help find habitable planets orbiting distant stars as part of NASA's Kepler Mission are undergoing tests at Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. More

Newborn stars peek out from beneath their natal blanket of dust in this dynamic image of the Rho Ophiuchi dark cloud from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Called "Rho Oph" by astronomers, it's one of the closest star-forming regions to our own solar system. In this false-color view, blue, green, and red represent light at wavelengths of 3.6-, 8-, and 24-microns, respectively. Spitzer science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif. Image courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech/Harvard-Smithsonian CfA

(FEB 15) A decaying U.S. satellite carrying approximately 1,000 pounds of hazardous material will be "engaged" the Defense Department announced Thursday.

Known as "USA 193", the classified payload failed following launch from Vandenberg AFB in California in late 2006. It is expected to reenter the atmosphere in early March.

The DoD plans to intercept the satellite using a ship-launched Aegis SM-3 ballistic missile interceptor. The U.S. government said the purpose of the intercept is to eliminate the threat from the hydrazeine to people on the ground.

From VOA News, the Department of Defense, and other sources

(FEB 11) The last total lunar eclipse until December 20, 2010, will thrill observers throughout North America February 20. More

The Cassini spacecraft uses polarized infrared light to peer beneath hazes that obscure the flowing cloud bands in Saturn's atmosphere. The brighter areas are features higher in the atmosphere than the darker areas. The view was obtained last month from a distance of approximately 577,000 miles (929,000 kilometers) and released this week by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on February 6. Located in Pasadena, Calif., JPL manages the Cassini mission for NASA and also designed, developed, and assembled the orbiter and its onboard cameras.

(FEB 5) One of Saturn's rings does housecleaning, soaking up material gushing from the fountains on Saturn's tiny ice moon Enceladus, according to new observations from the Cassini spacecraft. More

(FEB 3) VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Vandenberg AFB opened its doors to members of the local and national media for their first encounter with an Atlas V rocket as it was being prepared Thursday at Space Launch Complex-3. More

The Nili Fossae are valleys that have cut into the ancient crust of Mars, exposing clay minerals. These minerals formed in the presence of water and may be the result of interaction between hot water and rocks and thus a possible location for ancient Martian life. This Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE camera image released February 1 is part of the search for a landing site for NASA's Mars Science Laboratory. The HiRISE instrument is operated by the University of Arizona. Image courtesy NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

(JAN 28) Data from an instrument developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is helping scientists overturn long-standing assumptions about powerful explosions called novae and has produced specific information about one nearby nova. More

On February 1, see the solar system's brightest planets appear their closest together.

(JAN 28) WAUKESHA, WI -- Venus, the planet nearest to Earth, and Jupiter, the solar system's biggest world, are headed for a morning meeting. As the brightest planets in the sky, the pair makes a conspicuous sight in eastern twilight.

During the next week, watch Jupiter edge ever closer to Venus. As the solar system's brightest planets draw together, they'll begin to resemble a pair of celestial headlights -- an appropriate comparison for an event that graces the morning commute.

How to see Venus and Jupiter

Between January 25 and February 1, look low in the southeast in the hour before dawn. The two brightest star-like objects are Venus and Jupiter. Venus is the brighter of the two

Astronomy Magazine

Dust plumes blow off the coast of Saudi Arabia and over the Red Sea in this Aqua satellite image taken on January 16. The spacecraft's MODIS instrument captured the view on the second day of dust activity. Aqua was launched from California's Vandenberg AFB in 2002. Image courtesy Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC

(JAN 25) Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., have obtained the first images of asteroid 2007 TU24 using high-resolution radar data. More

(JAN 23) PASADENA, Calif.- The California Institute of Technology has received an eight-year $24 million grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation to establish the W.M. Keck Institute for Space Studies, which will bring together scientists and engineers to develop new space-mission concepts and technology. More

Invisible from nearly all of the United States due to its southerly location, the Southern Cross makes a brief pre-dawn appearance above the horizon of Hawaii's Big Island. It is perhaps the best known southern hemisphere asterism and is featured on the flags of Australia and New Zealand and the patch of the U.S. First Marine Division. The webmaster, a California resident, recorded this digital image from Waikoloa Colony on January 13 using a 13-second exposure at f/3.5 and ISO 1600. Copyright 2008, Brian Webb

(JAN 18) An arms control inspection is under way at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County. KCLU's Brian Webb reports the visiting inspection team isn't American – it's from the former Soviet Union. More

(JAN 17) Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. - NASA's Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, has passed a significant mission milestone. It has completed the first phase of experimental flight tests, which confirmed the structural integrity and performance of the modified 747SP SOFIA aircraft that carries a huge infrared telescope. More

Tracks from the Opportunity Mars rover mark the bleak martian landscape in this color view released January 2. Opportunity made the curving tracks last year while testing a navigational capability called "Field D-star," which enables the rover to plan long-range drives around any obstacles using the safest, most direct route. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. manages the Opportunity mission for NASA. Image courtesy NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell University

(JAN 4) Solar physicists have been waiting for the appearance of a reversed-polarity sunspot to signal the start of the next solar cycle. The wait is over. A magnetically reversed, high-latitude sunspot emerged today. This marks the beginning of Solar Cycle 24 and the first step toward a new solar maximum. Intense solar activity won't begin right away. Solar cycles usually take a few years to build from solar minimum (where we are now) to Solar Max (expected in 2011 or 2012). It's a slow journey, but we're on our way!

Visit http://spaceweather.com for pictures of the new sunspot and updates.

www.SpaceWeather.com

The Quadrantids, one of the best but least-known meteor showers, will shine in the new year.

(JAN 2) WAUKESHA, WI -- The annual Quadrantid meteor shower is one of the year's best. In 2008, this shower will be especially good because it's at its best under a nearly New Moon. So, not only will observers see bright meteors easily, they'll also count quite a few fainter "shooting stars."

The Quadrantids peak between 1 a.m. and dawn January 4. This is the best time to see the meteors. New Moon occurs January 8, so when the thin crescent Moon rises around 5 a.m. on the 4th, its light won't create much of a distraction.

Observers will need a clear, dark sky to see more than just a few Quadrantids. "Dark" means at least 40 miles from the lights of a large city. No equipment is necessary to view this spectacle; the eyes alone work best because they provide the largest field of view.

Astronomy Magazine

2007 News Archive

Copyright © 2008, Brian Webb. All rights reserved.