Archives for February 2008
Leap Day
Published on 29 Feb 2008 at 11:51 am.
1 Comment.
Filed under calendars.
I’ve written about the calendar a number of times before, including one posting about years, and even a post on why the New Year starts January 1. But, since this is the first leap year since I started Astroprof’s Page, it seemed natural that I blog about Leap Day. However, I looked at […]
Bassett and See
Published on 28 Feb 2008 at 3:50 pm.
4 Comments.
Filed under astronauts.
The United States, and the world, was shocked on January 28, 1986, when the Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed in a launch accident, claiming the lives of seven astronauts. NASA losing astronauts on a mission was a new thing. Another seven astronauts lost their lives when the Space Shuttle Columbia on mission STS-107 […]
This week’s Carnival of Space
Published on 28 Feb 2008 at 7:43 am.
No Comments.
Filed under blogging.
This week, the Carnival of Space is being hosted at Starts With A Bang. Ethan Siegal has written it in the fashion of an award show format, with the Oscar’s having been presented this past week. It is also another large carnival, with nearly two dozen blogs showcased. The Carnival of Space has really taken […]
Read ‘This week’s Carnival of Space’
Standard Missile-3
Published on 27 Feb 2008 at 6:33 pm.
3 Comments.
Filed under rockets.
Last Wednesday night, while a lot of us were watching the lunar eclipse, the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70) fired a missile to shoot down the defunct USA-193 satellite. The missile’s kinetic warhead struck the satellite at an altitude of 133 nautical miles, shattering the satellite. A cloud of expanding gas from the […]
Algieba
Published on 26 Feb 2008 at 11:06 pm.
No Comments.
Filed under stars.
During the lunar eclipse last week, Saturn was just below the Moon, and the star Regulus was just above. A number of my students, though, asked “What’s that other star up off to the left?” I told them that the star’s name was Algieba, and that it was part of Leo, the […]
Planets in the Morning
Published on 25 Feb 2008 at 9:34 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under skywatching.
One of the things that I like about astronomy is that there is always something new to look for. Yesterday, I wrote about Saturn being in conjunction. Today, I have a planetary grouping to talk about.
On Tuesday morning, if you get up a little before dawn and look to the southeast, you’ll be able to […]
Saturn at Opposition
Published on 24 Feb 2008 at 4:40 pm.
1 Comment.
Filed under astronomy, skywatching.
About a week and a half ago, I wrote about Neptune being in conjunction with the Sun. That was when Neptune was on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth. Today, I am writing about another planetary alignment. Saturn is in opposition. That means that Saturn is on the opposite […]
