Casual Astronomy, Spaceflight News and Lower California Weather

Rob One summer when I was a teenager fishing in the Keys I saw something like that. I thought it might be the beginning of nuclear Armageddon. In that case I was glad I was fishing in the Keys. :^/

Pat Thanks for those updates.

From Spaceflight Now | Delta Launch Report | Mission Status Center:

4:50 p.m. local (7:50 p.m. EDT; 2350 GMT)
Officials have released the following statement on the reason for this one-day delay in the launch plans:

"During close out for launch, the team observed an upper stage engine condition that will require additional time for review. The launch is set for Friday, March 30 from Space Launch Complex 6 at 3:38 p.m. PDT."

3:50 p.m. local (6:50 p.m. EDT; 2250 GMT)
DELAY. Launch of the Delta 4 rocket has been postponed by 24 hours, officials have decided. Liftoff is retargeted for Friday at 3:38 p.m. local time (6:38 p.m. EDT; 2238 GMT).
....

Quoting RobDaHood:
Hmmmm...
You're not old enough for that to have been 1962...scary times in S Florida! ....

I wasn't quite old enough. It was several years later when Cold War tensions were still high and starting an exchange by mistake was a possibility too.

Anyway I couldn't think of a better way to be spending my last days than fishing in the Keys. :^/

Quoting RobDaHood:

I was just a baby, but my dad loaded us up and headed for Miami to board his ship. I still give him grief for driving us towards the nukes!

I was living in Ft. Lauderdale. The thinking of many was that the targets were all north of us although there was some debate about Port Everglades.


Pat My thanks to Gus. :^)

Neil, Buzz and Mike probably thought they would never see them again.

We Choose the Moon

Thanks for the heads up on Sunspot 1429. Keep an eye on those webcams in the "Live Aurora Cams:" section near the top of the blog entry.

Old Sol is having a restless year. From February...




sp I've read a lot of science fiction from that era. I don't recall reading that particular book but based on skimming a plot summary I'd guess more than fiction it really captures what was on everyone's mind at the time. I've started the Hunger Games series. I might add Alas, Babylon to my Kindle next.

Thanks for your update on the launch reschedule.

BC Thanks for the feedback. Compilation of the many wonderful astronomy related WunderPhotos should be among the top priorities of what I keep current.

From Spaceflight Now | Delta Launch Report | Mission Status Center:

FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 2012
9:45 a.m. local (12:45 p.m. EDT; 1645 GMT)
As attention turns to the next targeted launch attempt on Monday, weather forecasters are predicting the trend of gusty winds at Vandenberg to continue into the new week. There's a 30 percent chance of acceptable weather for the 4:04 p.m. local time launch Monday and 40 percent on Tuesday, all because of the winds.
....

You can find more information on the planned launch in the blog entry.

Rob You're welcome.

From Spaceflight Now | Delta Launch Report | Mission Status Center:

SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 2012
3:30 p.m. local (6:30 p.m. EDT; 2230 GMT)
DELAY. At a Sunday afternoon meeting of the management team, the decision was made to delay the launch an additional 24 hours. Liftoff is retargeted for Tuesday at 4:12 p.m. local (7:12 p.m. EDT; 2312 GMT).

The previous upper stage engine problem that slipped the last from last week has not yet been cleared after all, and the team needs more time to work the concern.

"The team is continuing to review data from an observation on the upper stage engine and requires additional time to complete its final assessment prior to launch," ULA said in a statement.
....

You can find more information on the planned launch in the blog entry.

Rob I think that late fog burn off is the key. Here it's 79° with a dewpoint of 19°. Whatever the temp is there the dewpoint can't be far behind. Sounds like your summer humidity has arrived a little early, lol.

Pat Thanks for that article. Looking for sister Earth, it won't be too much longer.

All seemed to be going well after the National Reconnaissance Office Launch from Vandenberg AFB today right up until the expected news blackout at 4:18pm local time.

I wasn't able to see anything from Woodland Hills but this launch was in a SSW-SW direction as opposed to the more usual SSE direction so that isn't too surprising.

sp Amazon has forwarded my request to make Alas, Babylon available on Kindle. If it isn't available by the time I finish the Hunger Games series then I'll have to go retro... to the library.

Pat Some of those features are very nifty and to get them all we'd have to do is give up any notion of privacy. Hmm. ;^)

seflagamma, juslivn, GardenGrrl and shoreacres Thank you for the gifts. :^)

Pat Thanks for the reminders of those great milestones in the history of human spaceflight.

Rob Thanks for passing along that spectacular example of 22° circular halo. Kudos and thanks to Pottery too.

The Lyrid meteor shower will be making its appearance this year late Saturday night through early Sunday morning. Viewing time begins around midnight and visibility gets better until about 1½ hours before sunrise.

The Lyrid meteor shower's maximum rate has ranged from 14 to 90 per hour in ideal viewing conditions (away from city skyglow and with dark local surroundings).

Information source: International Meteor Organization - 2012 Lyrids

Dress very warm. Take a reclining chair, sleeping bag or blanket and watch the darkest part of your sky - usually overhead. If insects may be a nuisance be sure you're carrying repellant.

Below are the hourly rates observed so far.

2012 Lyrid Meteor Shower Activity

Graph credit: International Meteor Organization (IMO)

Rob Thanks.

If that forecast does come true at least you know you won't be looking at smoke.

Rob Looks like those rain showers will be more welcome than meteor showers this evening too. Pleasant dreams. 3^)

huri Oh I hate when that happens! :^(

sp It's a little early in the year for that temperature but nothing exceptional for Woodland Hills. It's pleasant enough in the shade, indoors or outdoors, and the dogs are content with a slower pace on the daily long walk. :^)

I can see it as useful after you could get highly reliable actionable intelligence at that speed too - worldwide in less than an hour.

I'll probably be facing a similar situation this evening. We don't often get fog here but an impenetrable haze layer will get higher and higher until it closes overhead.

For those of you dealing with rain, clouds, fog, haze or are just stuck to a computer ;^) NASA will be showing live video of the Lyrid meteor shower from a balloon cam, the International Space Station and the All Sky Camera Network. Details are in the article
NASA - '3-D' Lyrid Meteor Shower: Up All Night NASA Chat.

Rob, huri You're welcome, you're welcome! :^)

I woke up at 1:20am and went outside to find that the sky was closed. I went right back to bed. It seemed like a very good idea at the time, lol.