9 January 2008

Observing Location	Chief Dennis L. Devlin Park, Bronx, NY
Observational Period	1445-1500 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered Clouds Temperature 60°F Wind Gentle Breeze gusting to Moderate Breeze Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 29.86" Hg Rising Feels Like Warm and blustery There are some stratis l;ow on the southern horizon and there are strong wind gusts caused by a steep pressure gradient with the passage of a cold (relative to the air that was here but by no means cold air) front. Transparency Good Seeing II
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular w/Welco gold shade 14 welder's filter - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Sgr Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080109.1445 EST Comments Distance Light Time 0.983 AU 8m 11s Angular Size 32' 34.8" Altitude 17.3° Heliographic Latitude (B0) -3.95° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 204.95° Position Angle (P) -1.91° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2065 Nothing Seen   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots)

8 January 2008

There was another announcement of the beginning of the new sunspot cycle (Cycle 24) on Bravenet News yesterday. The first announcement happened way back on 30Jul06 when there was a short-lived group with the reversed polarity that I happened to see. The new report came out on 4Jan08 on Space.com but I missed it then. There is also a story on Universe Today and NOAA's prediction for Cycle 24 is on the Space Environment Center web site.

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Father’s sickle is hanging on mother’s Sunday Skirt (New Moon) Sweedish riddle

Observing Location	Parkchester Branch Library, Bronx, NY
Observational Period	1755-1910 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Scattered (?) Temperature 57°F Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.03" Hg Steady Feels Like Extremely mild It has been very warm today with temperatures peaking at around 62°F which may be a redord for the date. At sunset there was scattered cloud which is what I am assuming there is now although I can’t tell one way or the other. I can see Mars but that is all from here. Transparency Seeing
Instruments	Naked-eye - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Iridium 80 Flare Constellation Cam Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080108.1809 EST Comments Not Seen I don’t know if I miss estimated the elevation of the library cornice or if it was too cloudy to see the flare. Alt.: 41.1° Az.: 31.3° Mag.: -0.1

6 January 2008

Late tonight, after a much delayed pack-out at the boat show, I met Peter up/down by his house. He had emailed me that he had picked up a copy of the Astronomical Calendar – 2008 for both Kin and me. He also showed up with his TeleVue Ranger for me to use. It needs a diagonal but I think it will be usable without it for a while for objects low on the horizon.

[Peter advises that the scope can not be used without a diagonal.]

5 January 2008

Observing Location	PSC
Observational Period	1800-1830 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Overcast Temperature 41°F Wind Calm Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.29" Hg Steady Feels Like Cold There is a splotchy white sky. I can’t tell of the dark spots are gaps in the stratus or lower clouds. Transparency Nil Seeing
Instruments	Naked-eye - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Iridium Flares Constellation Cam Category Satellite Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20070105.1826 EST Comments Not Seen I knew this was a long shot when I went out. It seemed like it was overcast most of the afternoon today and NOAA was saying that there is a possibility of rain late tonight into tomorrow morning. But when I came home around sunset I couldn’t tell if there were clouds up there or not so went out anyway. I had planned to go to Olmstead and Benedict where I have a fairly low eastern horizon but decided to walk through PSC on the way since the flairs were much higher now than they were last week. The tallest buildings on the opposite side of the oval and only ~25° above the horizon so I stayed there. I was hoping that the Mag. -5 flare would be bright enough to shine through the clouds but I didn’t see anything. I realized tonight that I have seen a double flare at least once before but didn’t know what I was seeing then. Heavens Above only lists the brightest flare then two occur from the same satellite at the same time. The only place I can find out when to watch for these events is at CalSky. Satellite EST Alt. Az. R.A. Dec. Mag. Surface Iridium 15 1826:47 48.7° 37.6° 5h26.8m 37.6° -0.9 solar panels Iridium 15 1826:49 48.3° 37.0° 5h30m 37.0° -4.9 left antenna 32’50” between flares There is another double flare tomorrow night but I will be breaking down a booth at the boat show and won’t be able to get out to see it even if the weather is clear. I am wondering if there is an online calculator to figure out the distance between different places on the celestial sphere. I have a spreadsheet to calculate great circle distances from Lat/Long pairs on earth but it won’t work with R.A./Dec. pairs.

5 January 2008

The NASA web site now says that their soft launch date is 24Jan08 but will be adjusted as work progresses one the ECS sensor pass-through connector. In the article they first make it sound like they aren't sure the connector is what is causing the problem but at the end of the article they say they are sure it is where the problem is. It sounds like the entire fitting will be replaced with the wires soldered to the pins on both sides of it. This is supposed to be done by 10Jan08 so they must be able to do the inside work without baking the stack back to the VAB.

4 January 2008

In a Bravenet News article it is stated that NASA has targeted 22Jan08 as the next launch date for STS-122 with 24Jan08 through the first week of February as fallback dates in case they haven't gotten the ECO sensor problem fixed by then. Space.com says the launch will not take place before 24Jan08 with more likely launch dates of 2Feb08 or 7 Feb08. NASA's press people appear to still be on holiday as their web site's press releases haven't been updated since before Christmas. Whatever the ultimate launch date is, it will force a postponement of the launch of STS-123 since NASA requirements call for a minimum of five weeks between launches.

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In an update of the probabilities that asteroid 2007 WD5 will strike Mars, NASA has reduced the probablility from 1 in 25 down to 1 in 28. This is still a lot higher than the 1 in 75 chance announced before Christmas.

3 January 2008

Observing Location	VP
Observational Period	1230-1245 EST
Atmospheric Conditions	Cloud Cover Clear Temperature 16°F Wind Gentle Breeze Humidity Moderate Barometric Pressure 30.62" Hg Steady Feels Like Cold and Blustery Wind Chill 3°F The gusting wind is exacerbating the already low ambient temperature but the air is very clear and appears stabile. Transparency Excellent Seeing I
Instruments	Brunton 8x21 compact binocular w/Welco gold shade 14 welder's filter- Charlie 25x30 "spyglass" telescope w/Welco gold shade 14 welder's filter - Charlie
Observing Party	Charlie Ridgway

Target Sunspots Constellation Sgr Category Solar Time yyyymmdd.hhmm 20080103.1230 EST Comments Distance Light Time 0.983 AU 8m 11s Angular Size 32'35.0" Altitude 26.8° Heliographic Latitude (B0) -3.27° Heliographic Longitude (L0) 285.21° Position Angle (P) 1.03° Carrington rotation number (CR) 2065 There is a group (980) there but I can't find it.   Groups Spots R North 0 0 0 South 0 0 0 Total 0 0 0 R = (Groups * 10) + Spots)