Archives for November 2007
Artificial Asteroids
Published on 15 Nov 2007 at 8:39 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under observing.
About a week ago, the Minor Planet Center announced the discovery of a near Earth asteroid. That asteroid, designated 2007 VN84 was found to have an orbit that would bring it very close to Earth. Naturally any asteroid passing near Earth bears watching. So, astronomers began to locate and plot the position […]
Earth-Set
Published on 14 Nov 2007 at 10:17 pm.
No Comments.
Filed under moon, space exploration.
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has released some really nice images collected by their Kaguya (SELENE) spacecraft that has been orbiting the Moon for about the past month. These images were taken in high definition, so they are among the best such pictures ever taken. There is also a movie of the event.
Â
The term […]
Sea Launch to launch again
Published on 12 Nov 2007 at 3:24 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under space businesses.
Sea Launch, a joint venture between Boeing, Energia, Aker Kvaevner, and Yuzhnoye is an interesting company. They use Russian Zenit rockets to launch satellites into space. But, unlike other, more standard, launch systems, which use a fixed launch site, Sea Launch launches these rockets from a converted offshore drilling platform.
There are several very […]
Read ‘Sea Launch to launch again’
The North Texas Skywatch Star Party
Published on 10 Nov 2007 at 12:45 am.
2 Comments.
Filed under amateur astronomy, observing.
For those of you who live anywhere in the North Texas area, mark you calendars for Saturday, November 17, 2007. That is the date of the 11th Annual North Texas Skywatch Star Party. The event will be held at Lake Mineral Wells State Park, near Mineral Wells Texas (west of Fort Worth). […]
Read ‘The North Texas Skywatch Star Party’
I also teach
Published on 9 Nov 2007 at 1:19 pm.
3 Comments.
Filed under college teaching.
I am a college professor. I used to think that meant that I was supposed to teach. But, this week, I have spent time in meetings, time planning meetings, time preparing for meetings, and talking about meetings. I also have forms to fill out, and reports to write.  There is a lot of book keeping to […]
You are go for launch!
Published on 8 Nov 2007 at 6:46 pm.
1 Comment.
Filed under history, space exploration.
Both the United States and the Soviet Union had planned to launch a satellite during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-1958. The Soviets got their satellite, Sputnik, off first, on October 3, 1957. I wrote about that a little over a month ago. American rocket scientists, of course, knew that the Soviets […]
Check out the latest Carnival of Space
Published on 8 Nov 2007 at 10:31 am.
No Comments.
Filed under blogging.
It is time for the weekly Carnival of Space. This week’s edition, the 28th one, is being hosted by Emily Lakdawalla over at the Planetary Society Weblog. As you’d expect, there are a number of links to postings about Comet Holmes. There have been plenty of other things going on in astronomy and space, though, […]
