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PazMiniBits FOR FEBRUARY 2010 --------------------------- John Pazmino NYSkies Astronomy Inc www.nyskies.org nyskies@nyskies.org Introduction
----------
PazMiniBits welcomes news about home astronomy and other matters
of concern to home astronomers in and near New York City. You may send
PazMiniBits items to 'nyskies@nyskies.org', send them into the NYSkies
Yahoogroup, or give them to me at a NYSkies or other astronomy event.
NYSkies may check with other sources to fill in extra details.
PazMiniBits composes your item as a short newsnote, capturing the
critical details from your item.
Frequently asked questions and explanation of PazMiniBits is at
'www.nyskies.org/pmb-faq.htm'.
You may ask for previous PazMiniBits thru 'nyskies@nyskies.org'
because only the current issue is in the website. It is replaced by
next month's issue.
Current news
----------
Weather pundits suggest that early 2010 may suffer extreme cold
and dense snow in NYC. 2010 Jan opened with temps of -10C with strong
wind, occasional snow. Take extra care for all outdoor activity,
specially stargazing at night.
Dr Geoffrey Burbidge, UCSD, died on 2010 Jan 26 in Scripps Meml
Hosptl, La Jolla CA. He was 84. He earned his PhD in theoretical
physics from University College, London UK, in 1951. He then worked at
many leading astronomy centers in UK and US, before settling at UCSD
in 1963. He was director of Kitt Pk Natl Obsy from 1978 to 1984, then
returned to UCSD. Burbidge retired in 2002 but kept offices there. His
wife Margaret was also an astronomer doing her own work as well as
with Geoffrey. They developed modern model of stellar nucleosynthesis
and early theory for radio galaxies. She and children survive him. He
was a steady-state advocate and believed certain quasars injected new
material into the universe to fill spaces left by Hubble expansion.
Anne Jan Beeks has a fancy and funky clock screensaver on her
website for free download. 14 different ones. Some look like regular
clocks, others, like hand=drawn cartoons. beeks.eu/Screensaver.htm.
ISS on 2010 Jan 22 began running direct wireless Internet
connection. Previously ISS relayed Internet calls thru Johnson SFC by
email. Access is available when ISS is in direct radio link to a
ground Internet server, with compensating for constantly varying time
lags. First-ever direct Internet signal was a Twitter update.
Natl Solar Obsy on 2010 Jan 22 was granted NSF funding to build
world's largest solar telescope. It's in Haleakala HI next to Mees
Solar Obsy of U of Hawaii. It has a 4m adaptive-optics mirror to cover
bands from 350nm to 28um. It can monitor magnetic fields on both the
solar disc and mid corona. Cost of $298 million comes partly from ARRA
stimulus funds.
NASA on 2010 Jan 26 ended efforts to free Mars rover Spirit [PMB
10 Jan]. It stays active as a fixed station for the indefinite future.
Spirit will be shifted, if possible, to tilt solar panels toward Sun
to keep it warm thru the coming Mars winter. Too little solar power
puts Spirit into hibernation until the next Mars spring with no
assurance of revival then.
A meteorite crashed into Dr Frank Ciampi's office, Lorton VA, on
2010 Jan 18 ~17:30 EST. It penetrated roof and ceiling and landed on
floor. Office was mostly empty at end of workday. The stony meteorite
split in 3 pieces, of ~250g total mass and size of tennis ball.
Station WUSA-TV took the pieces to Smithsonian Institute for study.
Update on retired NYC subway cars [PMB 10 Jan]. Reefing continues
as new R160 coaches are deployed. Barges left 207th St shop, where
retired cars are prepared:
---------------------------------------------
barge | lv 207 St | cars | new duty station
------+-------------+------+------------------
#1 | 14 Jan 2008 | 48 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#2 | 5 Mar 2008 | 53 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#3 | 28 Mar 2008 | 42 | Atlantic City, NJ
#4 | 4 May 2008 | 44 | Ocean City, MD
#5 | 11 Jun 2008 | 44 | Chincoteague, VA
#6 | 21 Jul 2008 | 44 | Myrtle Beach, SC
#7 | 26 Aug 2008 | 29 | Cape May, NJ
#7A | 8 Sep 2008 | 44 | Cape May, NJ
#8 | 6 Oct 2008 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#9 | 1 Nov 2008 | 44 | Jacksonville, FL
#10 | 21 Nov 2008 | 44 | Ocean City, MD
#11 | 7 Dec 2008 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#12 | 3 Jan 2009 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#13 | 27 Jan 2009 | 44 | Ocean City, MD
#14 | 14 Feb 2009 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#15 | 28 Feb 2009 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#16 | 29 Mar 2009 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#17 | 16 Apr 2009 | 44 | Chincoteague, VA
#18 | 18 May 2009 | 44 | Chincoteague, VA
#19 | 30 May 2009 | 39 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#20 | 13 Jun 2009 | 23 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#21 | 11 Jul 2009 | 44 | Savannah, GA
#22 | 8 Aug 2009 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#23 | 10 Sep 2009 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#24 | 26 Sep 2009 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#25 | 10 Oct 2009 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#26 | 7 Nov 2009 | 44 | Cape Henlopen, DE
#27 | 5 Dec 2009 | 44 | Savannah, GA
----------------------------------------------
The R160s are assigned to routes E, F, J, L, M, N, Q, W, Z. Remaining
older cars are vanished, shifted to other IND-BMT routes or retired.
The remaining older coaches may be completely gone in a few months.
NY Daily News, 2010 Jan 4, had editorial 'Cosmo-nuts vs the
asteroid'. It poo-pooed the threat of Apophis and Russia's plan to
intercept it [PMB 10 Jan]. It accepts NASA's prediction of very low
chance of collision with Earth in 2036.
Astrium on 2010 Jan 19 aired plan for demo helioelectric
satellite. Scheme is a geostat base with 20kW downlink via IR laser,
not microwave, beam. Ultimate system will deliver electric to remote
stabile or mobile bases.
Geophysicists in 2009 Dec-2010 Jan voiced concern about replacing
the GRACE project when its 2 satellites die. They are in tandem orbit
~220km apart and measure each other's position in space to within 1
micron[!]. Shifts in position are due to varying Earth gravity under
them. GRACE launched in 2002 for 5-yr mission. After 8 years of life,
the probes can fail at any time, leaving no comprehensive gravity
monitoring system.
Update on S&T magazine [PMB 10 Jan] showing effects of Depression.
Paid circulation, lagging calendar by several months, dropped sharply
in 2009 Dec. S&T explained to NYSkies that issue closes 3, not 2,
months before cover date. 2010 Jan closed 2009 Oct. Earlier months are
adjusted from previous tables:
+----------+--------+-----+-----+ +--------+---------+---------+
| issue | close | pgs | adv | | issue | copies | sold |
+----------+--------+-----+-----+ +--------+---------+---------+
| 2007 Aug | 07 May | 104 | 114 | | 06 Dec | 151,204 | 86,437 |
| 2007 Sep | 07 Jun | 104 | 112 | | 07 Dec | 144,859 | 89.687 |
| 1007 Oct | 07 Jul | 114 | 110 | | 08 Dec | 142,362 | 86,656 |
| 2007 Nov | 07 Aug | 106 | 116 | | 09 Dec | 100.835 | 76,717 |
| 2007 Swx | 07 Sep | 114 | 116 | | |
| 2008 Jan | 07 Oct | 114 | 118 | | |
| 2008 Feb | 07 Nov | 106 | 118 | | |
| 2008 Mar | 08 Dec | 106 | 104 | | |
| 2008 Apr | 08 Jan | 98 | 118 | +--------+---------+---------+
| 2008 May | 08 Feb | 98 | 118 |
| 2008 Jun | 08 Mar | 98 | 118 | 'issue' is the cover month.
| 2008 Jul | 08 Apr | 106 | 110 | 'close' is month when issue is
| 2008 Aug | 08 May | 98 | 108 | sent out for printing
| 2008 Sep | 08 Jun | 98 | 110 | 'pgs' is page count, with covers
| 2008 Oct | 08 Jul | 98 | 96 | but not wraps and inserts
| 2008 Nov | 08 Aug | 106 | 98 | 'adv' count from "List of adver-
| 2008 Dec | 08 Sep | 114 | 102 | tisers' in each issue
| 2009 Jan | 08 Oct | 114 | 100 | 'copies' is 'Net press run' in
| 2009 Feb | 08 Nov | 98 | 96 | December issue
| 2009 Mar | 09 Dec | 90 | 96 | 'sold' is 'Total paid circula-
| 2009 Apr | 09 Jan | 88 | 84 | tion' in December issue
| 2009 May | 09 Feb | 84 | 84 |
| 2009 Jun | 09 Mar | 88 | 66 | The depression set in during
| 2009 Jul | 09 Apr | 88 | 70 | fall 2008 and worsened so far in
| 2009 Aug | 09 May | 88 | 66 | fall 2009.
| 2009 Sep | 09 Jun | 88 | 66 | S&T is only one of the many
| 2009 Oct | 09 Jul | 88 | 68 | astronomy businesses suffering
| 2009 Nov | 09 Aug | 88 | 68 | from the depression
| 2009 Dec | 09 Sep | 88 | 68 |
| 2010 Jan | 09 Oct | 88 | (no advertiser index)
| 2010 Feb | 09 Nov | 88 | 76 |
| 2010 Mar | 09 Dec | 88 | 64 |
+----------+--------+-----+-----+
NYSkies Seminar on 2010 Jan 6 scored lowest ever attendance,
probably from extreme cold & wind. One member showed up, a fellow who
rattled his way on the F train from southern Brooklyn. We had good
dialog on binary stars, planetary discs and rings, Lagrange points,
gamma Leonis planet, Mars rovers, Mars opposition, Dec 28th Pleiades
occultation.
NYSkies Seminar on 2010 Jan 20 had enthsuiastic attendance to
discuss the aphelic opposition of Mars. Slideshow explained Mars
orbit, retrograde loop, position in sky, appulses with other planets
and stars. Strong ialog comapred this round with previous ones of
Mars. Takeaways were Mars articles.
Mars rounds apohelic proximity and opposition in 2010 Jan [PMB 10
Jan]. Disc amy be too small to see much detail in small telescopes.
Schedules of naked-eye & binocular Mars activity for entire 2008-2011
apparition:
-------------------------------------------
MARS APPARITION, EXCEPT LUNAR CONJUNCTIONS
-------------------------------------------
NYC date | hour | event
------------+------+---------------------
2008 Dec 5 | -- | conjunction with Sun
2009 Jan 5 | dawn | emerges from dawn, start of apparition
2009 Jan 27 | dawn | 4 deg S of Mercury
2009 Feb 17 | dawn | 1 deg S of Jupiter
2009 Mar 3 | dawn | 1 deg N of Mercury
2009 Apr 21 | dark | 6 deg S of Venus
2009 Apr 20 | -- | perihelion, 1.38146 AU Sun
2009 Apr 21 | dark | 4 deg S of Venus
2009 Jun 21 | dark | 2 deg N of Venus
2009 Jul 12 | dark | 5 deg S of Alcyone
2009 Jul 26 | dark | 4 deg N of Aldebaran
2009 Aug 12 | -- | increase to +1.0 magnitude
2009 Aug 20 | -- | ascending node, north of ecliptic
2009 Oct 7 | dark | 6 deg S of Pollux
2009 Oct 24 | -- | increase to +0.5 magnitude
2009 Oct 27 | -- | vernal equinox, northern spring begins
2009 Oct 29 | -- | west square, magn +0.5, diam 7.8sec
2009 Nov 1 | dark | inside Beehive cluster
2009 Nov 26 | -- | increase to +0.0 magnitude
2009 Dec 19 | -- | increase to -0.5 magnitude
2009 Dec 20 | -- | begins retrograde westward in Cancer
2009 Jan 9 | -- | increase to -1.0 magnitude
2010 Jan 27 | -- | proximity, 0.66399 AU, 99.33 million km
2010 Jan 29 | -- | opposition, 0.66456 AU, mag -1.3, diam 14.1sec
2010 Feb 5 | dark | 3 deg N of Beehive cluster
2010 Feb 17 | -- | decrease to -1.0 magnitude
2010 Mar 4 | -- | decrease to -0.5 magnitude
2010 Mar 11 | -- | resumes prograde eastward in Cancer
2010 Mar 23 | -- | decrease to -0.0 magnitude
2010 Mar 29 | -- | apohelion, 1.66594 AU Sun
2010 Apr 15 | -- | decrease to +0.5 magnitude
2010 Apr 17 | dark | 1 deg N of Beehive cluster
2010 May 4 | -- | east square, magn +0.8, diam 7.1sec
2010 May 18 | -- | decrease to +1.0 magnitude
2010 Jun 7 | dark | 1 deg N of Regulus
2010 Jul 23 | -- | decrease to +1.5 magnitude
2010 Jul 30 | dark | 2 deg S of Saturn)-convention Venus-Saturn
2010 Aug 19 | dark | 2 deg N pf Venus )
2010 Sep 6 | dark | 2 deg N of Spica)-convention Spica-Venus
2010 Oct 6 | dusk | 6 deg N of Venus)
2010 Oct 1 | -- | in dusk, sets at nightfall
2010 Nov 11 | dusk | 4 deg N of Antares
2010 Nov 13 | -- | autumnal equinox, northern fall begins
2010 Nov 21 | dusk | 2 deg N of Mercury
2010 Dec 12 | dusk | 1 deg S of Mercury
2010 Jan 9 | -- | immerges into dusk, end of apparition
2011 Feb 9 | -- | conjunction with Sun
-----------------------------------------------------
LUNAR CONJUNCTION WITH MARS
-----------------------------------------
NYC date | hour | Mars | Age | Elong | Phase
------------+------+------+------+-------+------
2008 Dec 26 | dawn | 5d S | 29.1 | 6 W } new Moon
2009 Jan 24 | dawn | 4d S*| 28.5 | 15 W | waning crescent
2009 Feb 23 | dawn | 6d S | 27.8 | 21 W | |
2009 Mar 24 | dawn | 4d S | 27.3 | 23 W | |
2009 Apr 22 | dawn | 6d S | 26.9 | 32 W | |
2009 May 21 | dark | 7d S | 26.5 | 38 W | |
2009 Jun 19 | dark | 6d S | 26.0 | 44 W | |
2009 Jul 18 | dark | 5d S | 25.3 | 58 W | |
2009 Aug 16 | dark | 3d S | 24.6 | 60 W | \|/
2009 Sep 12 | dark | 1d S | 23.9 | 69 W | -------
2009 Oct 12 | dark | 1d N*| 22.8 | 92 W | 3rd quarter
2009 Nov 9 | dark | 3d N | 21.8 | 98 W | 3rd quarter
2009 Dec 6 | dark | 5d N | 19.9 | 113 W | waning gibbous
2010 Jan 2 | dark | 7d N | 17.6 | 145 W | waning gibbous
2010 Jan 29 | dark | 7d N | 14.8 | 179 E | full Moon
2010 feb 25 | dark | 5d N | 11.8 | 146 E | waxing gibbous
2010 Mar 24 | dark | 5d N | 9.6 | 117 E | waxing gibbous
2010 Apr 21 | dark | 5d N | 8.0 | 97 E | 1st quarter
2010 May 19 | dark | 5d N | 6.7 | 81 E | 1st quarter
2010 Jun 16 | dark | 6d N | 5.6 | 68 E | waxing crescent
2010 Jul 15 | dark | 6d N | 4.8 | 58 E | |
2010 Aug 12 | dark | 6d N | 3.9 | 48 E | |
2010 Sep 10 | dusk | 5d N | 3.2 | 40 E | |
2010 Oct 9 | dusk | 4d N | 2.5 | 31 E | |
2010 Nov 7 | dusk | 2d N | 1.8 | 22 E | \|/
2010 Dec 6 | dusk | 1d S*| 1.4 | 15 E | -------
2011 Jan 4 | dusk | 5d S | 0.7 | 8 E | new Moon
2011 Feb 2 | dusk | 7d S | 0.1 | 0 E | new Moon
* occultation of Mars by Moon, not visible in NYC
-------------------------------------------------
John Pazmino, NYSkies, on 2010 Jan 9 tested four ordinary digital
range-finder cameras for starfield photography. He has one and
borrowed 3 others for the experiment: Kodak DX6340, Nikon Coolpix
4600, Panasonic LZ7, Samsung S760. He propped cameras on window sill
and shot Big Dipper and Mars & Cancer. Panasonic gave best results
with simplest manipulation. He showed them at the Jan 20 Seminar.
ESA has a set of astronomy exercises based on HST and VLT data.
They are mostly for distances to various remote targets, beyond range
of parallax. They assume basic astronomy, need sci/eng calculette,
basic graphs and geometry skills, are self-contained for lab or home
use. Six books, #1-#7, with no #5. PDFs at www.astroex.org
Dr Garth Illingworth, UC-Berkeley, &a on 2010 Jan 7 released new
Hubble Ultra Deep Field 2009, with HST's new cameras and Spitzer data.
They found oldest galaxies, 600-800 million years after Bigbang [PMB
09 Nov]. Field is same as original HUDF of 2004 with deeper lookback
time. Rough Z+1 is 8 to 9-1/2, pending detailed spectrometry.
Mars probe Odyssey on 2010 Jan 11 began listening for any signals
from Phoenix lander. Phoenix froze to death in 2008 Nov on Mars north
polar cap. It could possibly revive in new Mars spring as its solar
panels catch sunlight again. Odyssey has 3 windows to hunt of Phoenix
in Jan, Feb, and Mar. If contact is made, NASA will then try to fire
up Phoenix for new season of exploration.
US Praz Obama on 2009 Dec 28 signed extension to federal insurance
for commercial space launches. It covers catastrophic claims from $500
million thru $1.5 billion; private firms deal with amounts below and
above these limits. Coverage runs thru 2012 Dec 31.
ESA on 2009 Dec 16 set launch for its Gaia astrometry probe. It
flies on ESA version of Russian Soyuz rocket from Guiana Space Port in
2012. Gaia sits at Earth-Sun L2 point for 4-yr mapping of Milky Way
with parallax precision of microarcseconds[!].
NASA and ESA inked plan on 2009 Dec 17 for two joint Mars trips.
ESA ExoMars lander and orbiter fly in 2016 by NASA Atlas-5. rover goes
on Atlas-5 in 2018. ESA claims cost is fixed and final at E1 billion
in 4 pools: orbiter, lander, rover, operations.
New asteroid 2010-AL30 buzzed Earth on 2010 Jan 13 07.45 EST. At
first treated as return of old space junk, but quickly recognized as
natural stone 10-15m diam. It came within 130,000km on inbound arm of
orbit. It was discovered by the LINEAR program on Jan 10. Some specs:
----------------------------------------
(2010 AL30)
Classification: Apollo [NEO]
----------------------------
Epoch 2455200.5 (2010-Jan-04.0) TDB
Excentricity 0.305859
Semimajor axis 1.001540 AU
Perihelion 0.695210 AU
Inclination 3.920598 deg
Ascending Node 113.052903 deg
Arg of Perih 104.602211 deg
Mean Anomaly 281.439043 deg
Perihlion T 2455280.392319 (2010-Mar-24.892319) JED
Period 366.100869 dau
Mean Daily Motion 0.983336 deg/day
Apohelion 1.307869 AU
-----------------------------
# obs used 168
Data-arc span 2 days
First obs used 2010-01-10
Last obs used 2010-01-12
Ephemeris DE405
Solution date 2010-Jan-12 15:09:46
-----------------------------------
Abs magnitude 26.975 mag
---------------------------
Dr Markus Janson, U of Toronto, Canada, &a on 2010 Jan 12 showed
1st-ever direct spectrum of exoplanet! It, of planet HR8799c,is a
blend of the star and planet, taken by VLT in the 3 to 4um band. Trial
spectra were previously taken at Subaru Obsy, Mauna Kea HI.
Walter Nissen, NYSkies, on 2010 Jan 13 found data error in 2010
Observer's Handbook. Its table for 2010 Jul 11 solar eclipse had wrong
figures for some alt-azm. John Pazmino, NYSkies, verified the error
and sent them to RASC on Jan 14. Within hours RASC issued errata
notice on its website, based on the Nissen & Pazmino work:
------------------------------------------
Observer's Handbook Updates - 2010 Edition
The following corrections have been noted to the 2010 edition:
On p. 141, in the columns Sun Alt and Sun Azm, the correct
values are as follows:
---------------------------------------
Sun Sun
Location Alt Azm
--------------------------- -------
Cook Islands - Mangaia 14 59
Easter Island - Hanga Roa 40 346
French Polynesia - Tatakoto 36 45
-------------------------------------
France on 2010 Jan 8 asked Intl Telcomms Union to gt Iran to stop
jamming its satellite signals. France beams BBC shows to Middle East
from Hot Bird 6 at 15 deg E geostat slot. ITU has no authority, relies
on goodwill of member states. It can't stop US from jamming Cuba radio
sent into Florida. BBC and France are considering other transmission
options.
India during 2010 Jan explained ongoing work fur satellite defense
system. Lasers from ground track and profile target. Orbiting bullet
rocket then smashes it. First tests in 2012-2014.
Dr Robert Bindschadler, Goddard SFC, &a on 2010 Jan 10 reported on
work at Windless Bight, Antarctica. They are drilling 200m deep wells
in ice sheet to lower oceanologic probes to underlying ocean. During
this work, they found rich variety of new kinds of life under the ice
sheet, like jellyfish and shrimp.
Ric and Jean Edelman, financial managers, on 2010 Jan 7 announced
gift of $250,000 to Amer Astro Soc. Funds will build and distribute
~15,000 IYA Galileoscopes to US schools. Donation alleviates ongoing
problems with getting the scopes into teacher and student hands.
Dr Donald Hoard, Spitzer Sci Ctr, &a on 2010 Jan 5 reported
observations of eps Aur. They suggest main star is F subgiant orbited
by single B star in dustdisc. Other model has F supergiant orbited by
tight binary in dustdisc. They used Spitzer, other, data to show that
disc is gravel, not fine dust, and is 4AU in radius, more suited for a
single star, not a binary.
NASA on 2009 Dec 31 announced Chandra X-ray Obsy extension. It
issued $172 million job to SAO, Harvard U, to run Chandra until 2013
Sep. If options are taken later, total extension may be thru 2019 Sep
costing $545 million.
NASA on 2010 Jan 15 issued new plans for the Shuttle after it is
retired later this year. Recipient pays for dressing and shipping,
~$28.8 million. NASA covers decommission. Endeavour and Atlantis are
up for grabs. Discovery goes to Natl Air & Space Museum. Hopeful
recipients must submit plans, with funding details, by Feb 19. Winner
announced in Jul and gets its craft starting 2011 Jul.
NASA on 2010 Jan 12 found small envelopes of cocaine in Orbiter
Processing Facility, Kennedy Spc Ctr. All 200ish crew working there
are under drug testing and interrogation. Shuttle Discovery is
preparing for Mar launch and so far seems unaffected by the find.
NYSkies attended Night Sky Network conference on 2010 Jan 21 to
kick off GLOBE at Night campaign. GaN runs Mar 3-16 to collect sky
transparency data. John Pazmino explained conversion of Grand Central
Terminal from incandescent to LED lamps and the star-safe lighting for
the High Line.
Dr Richard Binzel, MIT, &a on 2010 Jan 20 explained new work on
seismology of asteroids. When rock comes within 100,000km from Earth,
gravity gradient sifts surface regolith and pulls off pieces that fall
to Earth as meteors. Beyond that distance the gradient is too weak.
Best Cruises offers nature/science trip to Alaska 2010 Sep 4-18,
Covers geology, wildlife, oceanolgy, skywatching, and maybe northern
lights. Sail on 'Coral Princess', travel thru Denali Natl Pk, visit
Poker Flats geophys lab. Cost ~$2,500-$3,600 PP-DO. Prof Craig Small,
Amer Musm Natl Hist, is science consultant. info@bestcruises.com.
bestcruises.com, 800-576-2378.
NASA on 2010 Jan 19 opened requests for space artifacts from many
spacecraft and projects. Items are given to museua and schools that
show they can properly curate and display them. Items given must
remain in US and comply with applicable regs and laws. Requestor pays
all costs of preparing, shipping, and setting up artifact, under NASA
supervision. View/request items at 'gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm'.
NASA Admin Bolden on 2010 Jan 5 assured Amer Astro Soc that
science funds will not be diverted for human space projects, by
mandated from Congress. He also noted that human projects are under
major downsizing, possibly dropping Ares/orion and relying more on
private rides to ISS. Returning humans to Moon and extending life of
ISS may also be called off.
Newest main-belt comet 2010-A2 found on 2010 Jan 6 by LINEAR. It
joins previous 4 known since 1996. Main-belt comets have asteroid
orbit dynamics but comet physical behavior. They may come from main
belt, not formed in Oort or Kuiper regions. Some specs of known MBCs:
------------------------------------------------- ---------------
designatn|2010-A2 |1999-RE70 |2008-R1 |2005-U1 |1996-N2
number | --- |118401 | --- | --- |7968
name |LINEAR |LINEAR |Garradd |Read |Elst-Pizarro
discover |2010 Jan 06|1999 Sep 07|2008 Sep 02|2005 Oct 24|1996 Jul 14
epoch |2010 Jan 13|2010 Jan 04|2008 Sep 11|2005 Nov 22|2010 Jan 04
excenty |0.123890 |0.19346 |0.342313 |0.25278 |0.16272
MOID |1.02885 AU |1.57865 AU |0.85528 AU |1.36659 AU |1.63011 AU
SMA |2.29207 AU |3.19284 AU |2.72629 AU |3.16489 AU |3.15891 AU
Tisserand|3.582 |3.167 |3.217 |3.153 | 3.184
perihel |2.00811 AU |2.57517 AU |1.79304 AU |2.36486 AU |2.64488 AU
inclintn |5.27248 deg|0.23778 deg|15.90277 d |1.26619 deg|1.38624 deg
asc node |320.21177 d|346.50535 d|51.99263 d |51.64574 d |160.16308 d
arg perih|132.71666 d|35.97108 d |256.51206 d|325.78104 d|132.26804 d
mean anom|11.63124 d |265.90676 d|10.44212 d |20.50147 d |161.38280 d
perihel T|2009 Dec 03|2011 Jul 02|2008 Jul 25|2005 Jul 27|2007 Jun 29
decimal T|0.04901 day|0.65316 day|0.30835 |0.88348 |0.69452
period d |1267.47977 |2083.83861 |1644.20547 |2056.53338 |2050.71403
MDM dg/dy|0.28403 |0.17276 |0.21895 |0.17505 |0.17555
apohel AU|2.57604 AU |3.81051 AU |3.65953 AU |3.96491 |3.67294 AU
alt desig| --- |176P | --- | --- |133P
| 2001-AR7 | | |1979-OW7
------------------------------------------------------------------
Last update on 04 February 2010 Copyright 2007, NYSkies Astronomy Inc General inquiries: nyskies@nyskies.org |
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