Last two chances to see Discovery on orbit
The Clear Sky Clock is indicating clearing for tomorrow evening so here's some info I just sent out to media that I thought folks here might want to see. Cheers, patrick Utahans have two last chances to see space shuttle discovery during it's final mission. Weather permitting we'll see Discovery rise in the northwest Tuesday evening (the 8th) at about 6:51, rise to a point about half way up the northern sky about 6:53 and then set in the east about 6:56. Following in Discovery's wake will be the International Space Station rising in the northwest about 6:53, reaching a point about half way up the northern sky about 6:55 and then setting in the southeast about 6:58. The pair will make another, though much poorer, pass one orbit later, low in the west to southwest with both being much fainter than the previous pass and each visible for no more than one minute. Discovery first at about 8:27 followed by ISS about 8:29. The above data on based on NASA predictions posted at http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings . Times can vary a minute or two depending on where in Utah the observer is located. Discovery is currently scheduled to land in Florida on Wednesday. Since its first launch in 1984 Discovery has flown 39 times, more than any other shuttle. When it lands Wednesday it will have spent a total of 365 days in space and traveled over 238 million kilometers, or just over one and one half times the distance from the Earth to the Sun. Go Discovery!
That's a good way of visualizing just how expansive even our little solar system is. Cruising at orbital velocity, the shuttle could have gone to the sun and halfway back to earth over the course of an entire year. It takes a beam of light about 12 minutes to cover the same distance. Thanks for that post, Patrick. I may try and spot it this evening, schedule permitting. On 3/7/11, Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> wrote:
Since its first launch in 1984 Discovery has flown 39 times, more than any other shuttle. When it lands Wednesday it will have spent a total of 365 days in space and traveled over 238 million kilometers, or just over one and one half times the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
What a fine way to envision the distance, Chuck. Thanks, Joe --- On Tue, 3/8/11, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Last two chances to see Discovery on orbit To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 7:37 AM That's a good way of visualizing just how expansive even our little solar system is. Cruising at orbital velocity, the shuttle could have gone to the sun and halfway back to earth over the course of an entire year. It takes a beam of light about 12 minutes to cover the same distance.
Thanks for that post, Patrick. I may try and spot it this evening, schedule permitting.
On 3/7/11, Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> wrote:
Since its first launch in 1984 Discovery has flown 39 times, more than any other shuttle. When it lands Wednesday it will have spent a total of 365 days in space and traveled over 238 million kilometers, or just over one and one half times the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
I just noticed the passes will occur in the middle of this evening's SLAS board of directors meeting. I hope the restaurant manager does not think we're skipping out on our checks when we all pop outside to watch. :) patrick On 08 Mar 2011, at 07:37, Chuck Hards wrote:
That's a good way of visualizing just how expansive even our little solar system is. Cruising at orbital velocity, the shuttle could have gone to the sun and halfway back to earth over the course of an entire year. It takes a beam of light about 12 minutes to cover the same distance.
Thanks for that post, Patrick. I may try and spot it this evening, schedule permitting.
On 3/7/11, Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> wrote:
Since its first launch in 1984 Discovery has flown 39 times, more than any other shuttle. When it lands Wednesday it will have spent a total of 365 days in space and traveled over 238 million kilometers, or just over one and one half times the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
Oops, I got my times confused. The passes will occur just before the meeting starts. So no one's going to be arrested after all. :) On 08 Mar 2011, at 11:58, Patrick Wiggins wrote:
I just noticed the passes will occur in the middle of this evening's SLAS board of directors meeting. I hope the restaurant manager does not think we're skipping out on our checks when we all pop outside to watch. :)
patrick
The only crime is the D*nny's menu. On 3/8/11, Patrick Wiggins <paw@wirelessbeehive.com> wrote:
Oops, I got my times confused.
The passes will occur just before the meeting starts. So no one's going to be arrested after all.
They have liver and onions, don't they? Kim -----Original Message----- From: utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com [mailto:utah-astronomy-bounces@mailman.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chuck Hards Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2011 12:47 PM To: Utah Astronomy Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Last two chances to see Discovery on orbit(correction) How come you guys never meet a place with real food? On 3/8/11, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
The only crime is the D*nny's menu.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com ----- No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1497/3491 - Release Date: 03/08/11
Hey! I like D*nny's. So I'm lowbrow. So what?? --- On Tue, 3/8/11, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [Utah-astronomy] Last two chances to see Discovery on orbit (correction) To: "Utah Astronomy" <utah-astronomy@mailman.xmission.com> Date: Tuesday, March 8, 2011, 12:47 PM How come you guys never meet a place with real food?
On 3/8/11, Chuck Hards <chuck.hards@gmail.com> wrote:
The only crime is the D*nny's menu.
_______________________________________________ Utah-Astronomy mailing list Utah-Astronomy@mailman.xmission.com http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/utah-astronomy Visit the Photo Gallery: http://www.slas.us/gallery2/main.php Visit the Wiki: http://www.utahastronomy.com
participants (4)
-
Chuck Hards -
Joe Bauman -
Kim Hyatt -
Patrick Wiggins