July 2006 - Utah-Astronomy - mailman.xmission.com

Invitation To SLAS Members
by baxman2＠comcast.net 10 Jul '06

10 Jul '06

Dear SLAS: I would like to invite interested Salt Lake Astronomical Society members to attend the National Space Society Regional Space Development Conference, that will be held October 6-7, 2006, in the Ogden, Utah Marriott Hotel. I'm sending more detailed information. We especially need people with strong physics backgrounds to ask the hard questions to some of our speakers, on topics relating to faster-than-light speed communications, and faster-than-lightspeed space transportation. I am currently a member of the Salt Lake Astronomical Society. Sincerely, J. David Baxter President Utah Space Association 801/359-0251 baxman2(a)comcast.net YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE OCTOBER 6th THROUGH 7th 2006, NSS REGIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE, TO BE HELD AT THE MARRIOTT HOTEL IN OGDEN, UTAH. SPONSORED BY L3-COMMUNICATIONS & ATK LAUNCH SYSTEMS TOPICS WILL INCLUDE BREAKTHROUGH PROPULSION PHYSICS. INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY FOR STAR TRAVEL AT ACCEPTABLE ENERGIES AND IN ACCEPTABLE TIME FRAMES. WORK OF GREG MEHOLIC, AND H. DAVID FRONING. ZERO-POINT-ENERGY, ELECTROGRAVITICS AND FUTURE SPACE TRAVEL, WITH THOMAS VALONE. FASTER-THAN-LIGHT BREAKTHROUGHS, WITH BILL GARDINER. A SPECIAL PANEL DISCUSSION, AS WELL. THE COLONIZATION OF MARS. WITH ROBERT ZUBRIN. SPACE TOURISM, FACILITIES, AND FINANCING. WITH ROYCE JONES SPACE ACTIVISM TO FULLFILL OUR DREAMS. WITH MARK HOPKINS. SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION. WITH ROBERT BIGELOW, NASA SOLAR SYSTEM AMBASSADOR. Robert Bigelow, of the Salt Lake City Clark Planetarium. BEN BOVA: HOW TO BUILD A POLITICAL CONSENSUS FOR SPACE AND ALIENATE ALL YOUR FRIENDS. THE SPIRIT OF EXPLORATION. WITH DON PICCARD. STAR TREK CHARACTER NAMED AFTER HIS FATHER. THE HERITAGE OF PROJECT APOLLO, AND OUR FUTURE IN SPACE, WITH TIM MILLER. Is a member of the Front Range L5 NSS Chapter, in Denver, Colorado. DEVELOPMENT OF THE CLV FOR ASTRONAUTS RETURN TO THE MOON, WITH CHARLIE PRECOURT. HEAVY LIFT LAUNCH VEHICLES, WITH ERIC BOETHIN. He is also a member of the Front Range L5 NSS Chapter, in Denver, Colorado. OCTOBER 6th AND 7th 2006, REGIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE. The Regional Space Development Conference will be held at the Ogden, Utah Marriott Hotel, on Friday October 6th, and Saturday October 7TH 2006. Arrangements should be made with USS Ogden Express to transport participants from the Salt Lake City International Airport to the Ogden Marriott. Cost is $25 for first passenger. ($10 each, for additional passengers, on a trip). Ogden is only 30 miles from Salt Lake City. Must phone the USS Ogden Express to make advanced reservations for transportation to and from the Salt Lake City International Airport. Phone 866-745-5438. The Ogden Marriott Hotel is located at 247 24th Street. (Exit 342 from I-15 Northbound). Their phone number is 888-825-3263. Participants will be charged $69 per night, plus 10.6% Utah State tax, for the Marriott. But reservations, at that rate, must be made at least one month in advance. The code name for the $69 per night rate is: Utah Space Association. A number of other hotels are within walking distance of the Marriott. There will be a Breakthrough Propulsion Physics panel discussion, where participants can discuss faster-than-light travel, and low cost electromagnetic gravitics space transportation, with our four guest speakers on that topic, as well as with Robert Zubrin. There will be a speaker following each one of the four banquets given. ADULT REGISTRATION: $45 ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1, 2006. $80 AFTER THAT. STUDENT RATE: $30 REGARDLESS OF WHEN PAID. MEALS: ADULT RATE: $30 FRI. DINNER, $20 SAT. BREAKFAST, $30 SAT. LUNCH, AND $30 SAT. DINNER, IF PURCHASED SEPARATELY. THE FOUR MEAL PACKAGE WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR $90. STUDENT DISCOUNT PRICES: $25 FRI. DINNER, $15 SAT. BREAKFAST, $25 SAT. LUNCH, AND $25 FOR THE SAT. DINNER. THE 4 MEAL STUDENT PACKAGE, WILL BE $70. CONTACT: J. DAVID BAXTER PRESIDENT UTAH SPACE ASSOCIATION NSS CHAPTER 378 I STREET SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84103 801/359-0251 801/532-4248 FAX baxman2(a)comcast.net MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO UTAH SPACE ASSOCIATION FOR RSDC 2006. Check out our Utah Space Association website: http://www.utahspace.org. . Please send us your name, address, telephone number, and, if possible, email address. Please let us know soon if you plan to attend. We have to work out an advanced budget with the Ogden Marriott and our sponsors. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE FOR THE REGION 4 NATIONAL SPACE SOCIETY 2006 REGIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE. THE NATIONAL SPACE SOCIETYS VISION IS PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING IN THRIVING COMMUNITIES BEYOND THE EARTH. NSS MEMBERS PROMOTE CHANGE IN THE SOCIAL, TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC, AND POLITICAL CONDITIONS TO ADVANCE THE DAY WHEN PEOPLE WILL LIVE AND WORK IN SPACE. THE 2006 NSS REGIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT CONFERNCE IS ORIENTED TOWARD THE HERITAGE OF THE APOLLO MOON PROGRAM AND ASTRONAUTS RETURN TO THE MOON. MARS AS OUR NATIONS NEXT FRONTIER. THE PROMOTION OF MANNED TRAVEL TO THE STARS AT ACCEPTABLE ENERGIES AND AT ACCEPTABLE TIME PERIODS, AS SHOWN POSSIBLE IN DEVELOPMENT OF EMERGING NEW PHYSICS. THE REGIONAL CONFERENCE ESPECIALLY PROMOTES THE BENEFITS OF SPACE EXPLORATION IN GENERAL FOR ALL MANKIND. BRIEF BIOGRAPHRES OF OUR SPEAKERS ROBERT BIGELOW: Employed by Salt Lake Citys Clark Planetarium. A member of the NASA Solar System Ambassadors Program. ERIC BOETHIN: Space activist and member of the Denver, Colorado Front Range L5 National Space Society Chapter. BEN BOVA: Prolific science fiction and space education writer. H. DAVID FRONING: A retired engineer, of McDonnell Douglas Corporation. He has written many papers for the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, on the possibilities for Star Travel. AIAA is a professional aerospace engineers organization. Has done experimental research on gauge field modification, for space travel, with George Hathaway, of Toronto, Canada. BILL GARDINER: He is assistant secretary to the National Space Society Board of Directors Executive Committee. He has chaired the NSS Atlanta Special Physics Study, since 1998. MARK HOPKINS: Has worked for the Rand Corporation in macroeconomic research. He is the nations leading space activist, a founder of the L5 Society, and its successor the National Space Society. Also founder of political action organizations Spacecause and SpacePac. ROYCE JONES: President and CEO of Spaceliner Corporation, which works with commercial space propulsion systems. GREG V. MEHOLIC: Is an aerospace engineer for The Aerospace Corporation, based in Los Angeles. Is an adjunct professor at Loyola Marymount University, where he specializes in graduate level courses in space propulsion. He is on the AIAA Nuclear and Future Propulsion Technical Committee. Has done peer review approved papers on the construct of space-time, faster-than-light travel, physics and MHD-enhanced propulsion concepts. TIM MILLER: Is a dedicated space activist and member of the Denver based Front Range L5 NSS Chapter. DON PICCARD: Leader of the XAP Balloon Project, to study the barrier between the Earths atmosphere and outer space. His fathers explorations became the inspiration for the naming of Star Treks Jon Luc Picard. He has known many pioneers of science and technology. He is a Life Member of the National Space Society. CHARLIE PRECOURT: He is Vice President of Strategy and Business Development and Advanced Strategic Programs. He is also a former pilot and commander of the Space Shuttle and has logged over 900 hours in space. Prior to joining ATK, he served as Deputy Program Manager for the International Space Station. DR. THOMAS VALONE: Dr. Thomas Valone Founder of the Integrity Research Institute, which specializes in advancing alternative energy technology for the benefit of all mankind, including advanced space transportation. Physicist and licensed professional engineer with over 30 years professional experience, is a former patent examiner, research engineer, instrumentation designer, CEO, and currently an author, lecturer, and consultant on future energy developments. DR. ROBERT ZUBRIN: While at Lockheed-Martin, he developed concepts and experiments for using natural planetary resources to make rocket propellant on Mars. Founder of the Mars Society, dedicated to the colonization of Mars as our new frontier of opportunity to advance our civilization.

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RE: [Utah-astronomy] Today's EPOD
by Tyler Allred 10 Jul '06

10 Jul '06

Congrats Kurt!! Very nice indeed.

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Today's EPOD
by Canopus56 10 Jul '06

10 Jul '06

Today's EPOD is by your truly. Regards - Kurt http://epod.usra.edu/ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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Future planet-finding technologies
by Michael Carnes 09 Jul '06

09 Jul '06

A couple of months back, we had a thread going about using occluders to help find earth-sized planets. I thought it was an interesting thread. I just heard an interesting podcast from "Nature" magazine that covers this topic. It seems that there's an evaluation process underway to do something with the Webb space telescope when it launches. This scheme involved an occluding disk several meters in size at a distance of 20 kilometers or so from the scope. Rather than using a circular disk, the proposal uses a flower-shaped disk to keep the diffraction effects out of the way. The podcast is available at this URL: http://www.nature.com/nature/podcast/index.html Look for the July 6 podcast. This particular article is about 3/4 of the way through (although the entire file is interesting). Michael

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Heineken on Mars :)
by Patrick Wiggins 09 Jul '06

09 Jul '06

If you watched Broken Trail on AMC you might have seen the Heineken commercial. If you didn't watch you missed a great flick (that's the horse lover in me speaking) and a funny commercial. While the movie is coming out on DVD you can find the commercial on the web. Web page: http://www.funny-games.biz/videos/94-beer-commercial.html Or download the file: http://www.funny-base.com/videos1/beer-commercial.wmv Patrick

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Astro events for the evening of July 8, 2006
by Canopus56 08 Jul '06

08 Jul '06

Astro events for the evening of July 8, subject to the changes from the afternoon monsoonal cloud pattern: Event #1 - 7/9/2006 00:50am MDT (7/9/2006 6:50 UTC): Sky and Telescope << http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_107_2.asp >> is showing a GRS transit at 6:50 UTC. GSR, Jr. is close to the GSR and will pass shortly. Event #2 - 7/8/2006 9:05 MDT (7/9/2006 3:05 UTC): Calcsky http://www.calsky.com/ is listing an ISS-Docked Shuttle overpass for Salt Lake City at -0.4 mag. Appears 20h59m54s 9.8m az:298.8d WNW Transit 21h04m36s -0.4m az:223.0d SW h:31.8d in constellation Virgo dist:610.0km alt:342.3km Disappears 21h09m05s 1.3m az:147.8d SSE h:1.1d However, sunset is at 21:01 MDT, so visibility is questionable. The Calsky chart shows the ISS rising out of the setting sun in the northwest (Sun crossing is not indicated), with the satellite moving through Leo, Virgo and Libra, and then setting just below the rising moon in the southeast. May be worth setting a watch alarm and sitting your head outside at the appropriate time. Event #3 - 7/8/2006 5:00PM MDT continuing (7/8/2006 23:00 UTC): CME passage Spaceweather.com is listing a CME ejected 7/6/06 as approaching the Earth with expected high-latitude aurora on the nights of 7/7 and 7/8. http://www.spaceweather.com Everything has looked quite at the Space Enivronment Center. http://www.sec.noaa.gov/index.html But the UofAlaska Geophysical GSE Forecast Simulator is predicting the CME will hit, with the Earth in a favorable alignment in the solar magnetic field at 23:00 UTC. http://gse.gi.alaska.edu/recent/javascript_movie.html After dark it may be worth keeping an eye on the Space Environment Center control panels or the ACE Magnetic Sweep control panel to see if there is any increased solar magnetic activity (the Bz south line). http://www.sec.noaa.gov/ace/MAG_SWEPAM_7d.html Although this is a low-probability event, if there is any increased activity, it may be worth keeping an eye out north for auroral activity. - Canopus56 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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NEWS, 08 JUL 2006
by Patrick Wiggins 08 Jul '06

08 Jul '06

News, Saturday, 08 July 2006 U of U Gets New Telescope Utahns will soon be able to get a more intimate view of the far reaches of space. http://www.sltrib.com/search/ci_4022320 +++++ TV and Web Coverage of Shuttle Discovery NASA is providing round-the-clock coverage of Discovery's flight to the space station. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/jul/HQ_M06111_121_coverage.html +++++ ESA Astronaut Thomas Reiter Reports For Duty Onboard the ISS Thanks to the resumption of Space Shuttle flights, the permanent crew of the International Space Station is now back up to three. http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Astrolab/SEM8OGIO9PE_0.html +++++ Next Space Station Crew to Discuss Mission on NASA TV The next residents of the International Space Station and a Japanese spaceflight participant will discuss their mission during a Thursday, July 13, news conference on NASA TV. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/jul/HQ_M06112_iss_crew_nasatv.html +++++ Gassendi Crater - Clue On the Thermal History of Mare Humorum This mosaic of two images, taken by ESA's SMART-1 spacecraft, shows the inside of crater Gassendi on the Moon. http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMV7DIO9PE_index_0.html +++++ Saturn's Faint Rings Share Some Of Their Secrets NASA Cassini spacecraft images of Saturn's diaphanous G and E rings are yielding new clues about their structure and formation. http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/press-release-details.cfm?newsID=673 +++++a New Telescope Dedicated on Haleakala The University of Hawaii's newest telescope, called PS1, was dedicated on Friday, June 30 in a ceremony on the summit of Haleakala. http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/press-releases/PS1_dedication/ +++++ Spirit Continues Work As Martian Days Grow Shorter Spirit has been busy receiving new flight software upgrades, both directly from Earth via the rover's high-gain antenna and indirectly via relay from NASA's Odyssey spacecraft. http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/status_spiritAll.html#sol889 +++++ Supernova Leaves Behind Mysterious Object Thanks to data from ESAÂ’s XMM-Newton satellite, a team of scientists taking a closer look at an object discovered over 25 years ago have found that it is like none other known in our galaxy. http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEM30QVT0PE_index_0.html +++++ Grounded Airborne Telescope Will Take to the Skies After being threatened with cancellation, the SOFIA infrared observatory will be funded after all, says NASA chief. http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn9510-grounded-airborne-telescope… +++++ NASA Uses Undersea Lab to Prep for Future Space Exploration NASA will test concepts for future space exploration next month by sending three astronauts and an oceanographer on a mission to an underwater laboratory off the coast of Florida. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/jul/HQ_06276_NEEMO_10.html +++++ Pratt and Whitney Demonstrates Lunar Mission Propulsion System In recent testing, Pratt & Whitney RocketdyneÂ’s Common Extensible Cryogenic Engine exceeded performance goals and demonstrated propulsion technologies required to land on the moon in support of NASAÂ’s Vision for Space Exploration. http://www.pratt-whitney.com/pr_070606.asp +++++ Earth's Coldest Star Party The second coldest place on Earth might just be the best place to do astronomy. Astronomer in the Making Adela Fedor has yet to receive a PhD, high school diploma, or even finish the eighth grade, but that did not stop her from using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to study a mysterious stellar species, called "iron stars." Latest JSR On Line The 06 July issue of Jonathan's Space Report is now available on line. http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html +++++ Cassini Update http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/news/sig-event-details.cfm?newsID=672 +++++ ELV UPdate http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/status/2006/index.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

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STS/ISS to transit the Moon tonight
by Patrick Wiggins 06 Jul '06

06 Jul '06

Here's the latest on when/where to look to see the shuttle and ISS tonight (they should be docked together by then). 21:52:55 Low in SW just above Regulus 21:54:14 1/3 of the way up the SW sky (highest in the sky of this pass) 21:54:35 Very near to Spica 21:54:55 Below Jupiter 21:55:25 Below the Moon 21:56:30 Fading as they pass into the shadow of the Earth, low in the SE Interestingly, it looks like like an observer on a narrow line that runs through parts of central Utah will see the two pass right in front of the Moon. Were the weather forecast to be good I'd probably mount an expedition to watch that transit. But, of course, it does not look like the weather is going to cooperate. Patrick

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News, 06 JUL 2006
by Patrick Wiggins 06 Jul '06

06 Jul '06

News, Thursday, 06 July 2006 STS-121 Launch Day Videos http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/launch/sts-121/sts121-allvideos.h… +++++ STS-121 MCC Status Report #01 On the nationÂ’s 230th birthday, Discovery rocketed into the Florida sky this afternoon, returning the shuttle fleet to space after almost a year. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/sts121/STS-121-01.html +++++ STS-121 MCC Status Report #02 Discovery's astronauts are awake and ready to begin their first full day in space. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/sts121/STS-121-02.html +++++ STS-121 MCC Status Report #03 The Astronauts of Space Shuttle Discovery examined their spaceship with the Orbiter Boom Sensor System today and found no evidence of any damage from debris during yesterdayÂ’s ride to orbit. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news/sts121/STS-121-03.html +++++ Shuttle Heat Shield Appears Intact An initial inspection with the shuttle's robotic arm suggests the orbiter survived launch unscathed Â– though it may have been splattered with bird droppings http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn9491-shuttle-heat-shield-appears… +++++ ESA Astronaut Thomas Reiter On His Way To His New Home In Space As the Shuttle returns to flight a European astronaut is - for the first time ever - heading for the orbital outpost to take up duty as a member of its permanent crew. http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMSCOVT0PE_index_0.html +++++ Dark Matter Cloud Found Sucking in Nearby Gas A strange, glowing blob in the distant universe may be a clump of dark matter sucking in gas from its surroundings, astronomers say. http://www.newscientistspace.com/article/dn9490-dark-matter-cloud-found-suc… +++++ Star Shade Could Reveal Earthlike Exoplanets Stars shine so brightly that any planets orbiting them are lost in the glow. http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060703/full/060703-11.html +++++ To the Stars The X Prize is working to bring regular folks to the edge of space, NASA is aiming for the moon, and the Mars Society is pushing for trips to the Red Planet. So who's focusing on the incredibly far frontier beyond the solar system? http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2006/07/05/909.aspx +++++ ************************************************** ************************************************** 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

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Finally! Flying again.
by Patrick Wiggins 05 Jul '06

05 Jul '06

It's good to see Discovery flying again. Weather permitting we in N. Utah may have chances of seeing the orbiter this evening and the following 2 evenings (data to follow soon). Patrick

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