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CELESTIAL
& SPACE EXPLORATION EVENTS
Fourth Quarter 2004 & 2005
Sept 08 - Progress M-54 Soyuz U Launch to International Space Station (Successful) Sept 08 - 30th Anniversary (1975), Viking 2 Launch (Mars Orbiter/Lander) Sept 12 - Registration opens for NASA Quest Mars Analog Challenge (hot link this phrase-don't show the direct URL http://quest.nasa.gov/challenges/marsanalog/ Sept
15 - Deadline to Send Your Name to Pluto Sept
24 - John Young's 75th Birthday (1930)-He's famous-do you know who he
is and why he is an Sept
26 -Cassini studies Hyperion at a range of 1,010 kilometers (628 miles),
the closest approach ever to Sept 30 - 30th Anniversary (1975), Charles Kowal's Discovery of Jupiter Moon Themisto OCTOBER 2005 Oct 01 - Soyuz TMA-7 Soyuz FG Launch to International Space Station 11S Oct
04-10 - World Space Week: The theme for World Space Week 2005 is "Discovery
and Imagination." Oct 06 - 15th Anniversary (1990), Ulysses Launch (Solar Polar Orbiter) Oct
09 - Draconids Meteor Shower Peak (The radiant for the meteors will
have them coming from the Oct 11 - Cassini turns its instruments on Dione from a distance of 500 kilometers (311 miles). Oct 13 - NASA Quest webchat: Mars Analog Oct
16 - 30th Anniversary (1975), GOES 1 Launch (1st Weather Satellite in
Geosynchronous Orbit) Oct
21 - Orionids Meteor Shower Peak (The radiant for the meteors will have
them coming East of Orion's Oct 30 - Daylight Savings - Set Clock Back 1 Hour (Europe, North America) Oct. 31 - NASA Quest Mars Analog Preliminary Designs due (experts give feedback 10/31 - 11/7)
Nov
03 - Taurids Meteor Shower Peak (The Northern Taurids are active from
October 12 to December 2. Nov
08 - 45th Anniversary (1960), Little Joe 5 Launch (Space History-What
do your students know Nov 09 - Carl Sagan's 71st Birthday (1934) --Read his book or watch the video: Contact Nov 14 - 36th Anniversary (1969), Apollo 12 Launch (Manned Moon Mission) Nov 12 - 25th Anniversary (1980), Voyager 1, Saturn Flyby Nov 17 - Leonids Meteor Shower Peak (Look East for the constellation Leo.) Nov 21 - NASA Quest Mars Analog-final designs due and are posted on line. Nov 26 - Cassini, Rhea Flyby (Where did the name Rhea come from? How close will Cassini be to Rhea?) Nov 29 - 5th Anniversary (2000), Discovery of Y000593 Meteorite (Mars Meteorite found in Antarctica. Why is this significant?) Dec
01 - 45th Anniversary (1960), Sputnik 6 Launch (Carried Two Dogs: Pchelka
& Mushka) Dec 02 - 10th Anniversary (1995), SOHO Launch (A joint mission project between the European Space Agency and NASA to study our Sun.) Dec
04 - 40th Anniversary (1965), Gemini 7 Launch (Frank Borman & Jim
Lovell) Do your students know the importance of these Gemini missions? Dec 07 - Gerard Kuiper's 100th Birthday (1905) Do your students know who this important person was and his significant achievements? Dec 08 - 15th Anniversary (1990), Galileo, 1st Earth Flyby Dec 10 - 55th Anniversary (1950), St. Louis Meteorite Fall (Hit Car) Dec 13 - MESSENGER, Deep Space Maneuver #1 (DSM-1) A NASA orbital mission to learn more about Mercury. Dec 13 - Geminids Meteor Shower Peak (Look East by the stars Castor and Pollux; to the left of Betelgeuse.) Dec 21 - Winter Solstice, 18:35 UT Dec 22 - Ursids Meteor Shower Peak (Look North, just below and to the right of Polaris, the North Star)
Jan How many of Uranus' moons were discovered 20 years ago? (January 1986) Jan 01 - 205th Anniversary (1801), Guiseppe Piazzi's Discovery of the First Asteroid (Ceres) Jan 02 - Isaac Asimov's 86th Birthday (1920) --Read one of his MANY books. Jan
02 - Leslie Peltier's 106th Birthday (1900) --Have students research
to find out about her. Jan 03 - 20th Anniversary (1986), Stephen Synnott's Discovery of Uranus Moons Juliet & Portia Jan 06 - Comet Shoemaker-Levy 7 Closest Approach to Earth Jan 09 - 6th Anniversary (1990), STS-32 Columbia Launch (LDEF Satellite) --Tomato Seeds flew into space; what else was on LDEF? How long was LDEF in orbit? What happened to LDEF? Plant some of the Tomato Seeds from Space. Jan 10 - Robert Wilson's 70th Birthday (1936) Why is this significant? Jan 15 - Stardust, Capsule Return to Earth (This is exciting! If this is a successful return and retrieval, then what more will we learn from the comet samples?) Jan 19 - 166th Anniversary (1840), Discovery of Antarctica (Learn about Mars meteorites found here-or explorations, including the use of sled dog teams. Have Atii Sled Dogs come visit your students.) Jan 20 - Buzz Aldrin's 76th Birthday (1930) -- Do your students know who he is? Jan 24 - 20th Anniversary (1986), Voyager 2, Uranus Flyby Jan 28 - 20th Anniversary (1986), Space Shuttle Challenger Tragedy. Barbara R. Morgan, the back up space flight teacher participant for Christa McAuliffe (both from NASA's Teacher in Space Program), is now a fully trained astronaut and official member of NASA's Astronaut Corps. Morgan has numerous assignments and is training for her flight to the International Space Station-hopefully during 2006 or 2007. Jan 29 - Chinese New Year--Do your students know the connection and history of fireworks and rockets? Jan 31 - 35th Anniversary (1971), Apollo 13 Launch (3rd Manned Moon Landing) Jan 31 - 40th Anniversary (1966), Luna 9 Launch (USSR Moon Lander) Jan 31 - 45th Anniversary (1961), Mercury-Redstone 2 Launch (Ham the Chimpanzee) FEBRUARY 2006 Feb
03 - 40th Anniversary (1966), Luna 9 Landing on the Moon (1st Moon Landing) Feb 06 - 15th Anniversary (1991), Salyut-7 Planned burn up In Earth's Atmosphere (Soviet Union Space Station) Feb 11 - 10th Anniversary (1996), Saturn Ring Plane Crossing (3 of 3) During a ring plane crossing when the rings appear "edge-on" to Earth, the glare from the rings is reduced considerably, and faint objects near Saturn are easier to see. Many of Saturn's moons have been discovered during ring plane crossing events. Feb 20 - 20th Anniversary (1986), Mir Space Station Launch Feb 22 - Progress M-56 Soyuz FG Launch (International Space Station 21P) Progress will bring supplies to the ISS orbiting crew members. Feb 22 - 45th Anniversary (1966), Kosmos 110 Launch (Carried Two Dogs: Veterok & Ugolvok) Feb 27 - Cassini, Titan Flyby
Mar 06 - 20th Anniversary (1986), Vega 1, Comet Halley Flyby Mar 09 - 45th Anniversary (1961), Sputnik 9 Launch (Carried Dog Named Chernushka) Mar 10- Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Orbit Insertions Mar
13 - 225th Anniversary (1781), William Herschel's Discovery of Uranus Mar 16 - 40th Anniversary (1966), Gemini 9 Launch (Neil Armstrong & David Scott) Mar 16 - 80th Anniversary (1926), 1st Liquid Fuel Rocket Launch by Robert Goddard Mar 18 - 41st Anniversary (1965), 1st Spacewalk, Leonov on Voskhod 2 Mar
19 - Cassini, Titan Flyby Mar 22 - Soyuz TMA-8 Soyuz FG Launch (International Space Station 12S) Mar 25 - 10th Anniversary (1996), Comet Hyakutake Near-Earth Flyby Mar 25 - 45th Anniversary (1961), Sputnik 10 Launch (Carried Dog Named Zyezdochka)
Apr 02 - Daylight Saving - Set Clock Ahead 1 Hour Apr 05 - 15th Anniversary (1991), Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Launch Apr 11 - 36th Anniversary (1970), Apollo 13 Launch (Have students read the book by astronaut Jim Lovell-or pull out the Tom Hank's video. Have the students do some hands on problem solving just like the crew did. "Failure is not an option.")
Apr 12 - 45th Anniversary (1961), 1st Person in Space, Yuri Gagarin (USSR) Apr 17 - 30th Anniversary (1976), Closest Ever Flyby of the Sun by Spacecraft (Helios 2) Apr 19 - 35th Anniversary (1971), Salyut 1 Launch (1st Space Station) Apr 22 - Lyrids Meteor Shower Peak. Look towards the Northeast, in the constellation Lyra, above and to the right of Cygnus the Swan (the Northern Cross.) Apr 24 - 16th Anniversary (1990), Hubble Space Telescope Launch (STS-31) Apr 30 - Cassini, Titan Flyby
MAY 2005 May ?? - STS-115 Launch, Space Shuttle Atlantis, MEPSI 3A & 3B, (International Space Station 12A) May 1-7- International Astronomy Week May 05 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak (Look between the East and Southeast portion of the sky below Altair.) May 05 - 45th Anniversary (1961), Freedom 7 Launch (Alan Shepard, 1st US Man in Space) May 6 - International Astronomy Day May 20 - Cassini, Titan Flyby May 25 - 5th Anniversary (2001), Galileo, Callisto 30 Flyby May 25 - 45th Anniversary (1961), John F. Kennedy's Moon Goal Speech (Have your students heard this historic, motivational, inspirational speech?) May 30 - 35th Anniversary (1971), Mariner 9 Launch (USA Mars Orbiter) May 30 - 40th Anniversary (1966), Surveyor 1 Launch (USA Moon Lander) JUNE 2006 Jun ?? - Lunar Trail Blazer Dnepr 1 Launch (Commerical Moon Orbiter-US private company and Russian private space company agreement for first commercial moon orbiter mission) Jun 03 - 40th Anniversary (1966), Gemini 9 Launch (Thomas Stafford & Eugene Cernan) Jun
03 - 41st Anniversary (1965), Gemini 4 Launch, USA's First Spacewalk Jun 21 - Summer Solstice, 12:26 UT Jun 22 - 30th Anniversary (1976), Salyut 5 Launch (USSR Space Station) Jun 27 - 10th Anniversary (1996), Galileo, Ganymede 1 Flyby Jun 30 - 35th Anniversary (1971), Death of 3 Cosmonauts in Soyuz 11
Jul 01 - Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum's 30th Birthday (1976) (This is a great place to visit!) Jul 13 - ?? STS-117 Launch, Space Shuttle Endeavour, International Space Station 13A Jul 18 - 40th Anniversary (1966), Gemini 10 Launch (John Young & Michael Collins) Jul 20 - 30th Anniversary (1976), Viking 1, Mars Landing Jul 21 - 45th Anniversary (1961), Mercury 4 Launch (Gus Grissom, Liberty Bell 7) Jul 26 - 35th Anniversary (1971), Apollo 15 Launch (4th Manned Moon Landing) Jul 29 - South Delta-Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak (Look up between the Southeast and South part of the sky.) Jul 30 - 5th Anniversary (2001), MAP, Moon Flyby AUGUST 2006 Aug ?? - STS-116 Launch, Space Shuttle Discovery (International Space Station 12A.1) Aug 05 - Neil Armstrong's 76th Birthday (1930) Do your students know who he is? Aug 06 - Southern Iota Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak Aug 07 - 10th Anniversary (1996), Announcement of Possible Microfossils Found in ALH84001 Martian Meteorite Aug 10 - 40th Anniversary (1966), Lunar Orbiter 1 Launch Aug 12 - Perseids Meteor Shower Peak (Face the Northeast and look above and to the left of the Pleiades constellation.) Aug 16 - Mars Solstice (Beginning of Northern Winter) Aug 17 - 40th Anniversary (1966) Pioneer 7 Launch Aug 19 - Orville Wright's 135th Birthday (1871) Aug 25 - Northern Iota Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak Aug 26 - 25th Anniversary (1981), Voyager 2, Saturn Flyby
Sept 03 - 30th Anniversary (1976), Viking 2, Mars Landing Sept 07 - Partial Lunar Eclipse Sept 08 - 40th Anniversary (1966), 1st Star Trek Episode on TV (A great time to begin the new school year with a unit contrasting science fiction and science fact through literature.) Sept 12 - 40th Anniversary (1966), Gemini 11 Launch (Charles Conrad and Richard Gordon) Sept 15 - 15th Anniversary (1991), UARS Launch from Space Shuttle Discovery (Have students learn about the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite and its modern day equivalent. Research global warming studies, related changes in weather patterns, and more.) Sept 22 - Annular Solar Eclipse Sept 22 - Autumnal Equinox, 04:03 UT Sept 23 - 160th Anniversary (1846), Johann Galle's Discovery of Neptune SEPTEMBER
2004 OCTOBER
2004 NOVEMBER
2004
DECEMBER 2004 JANUARY
2005 FEBRUARY
2005 MARCH
2005 APRIL
2005 MAY
2005 JUNE
2005 JULY
2005 AUGUST
2005 Celestial & Space Exploration Events Nov. 3, 2003 30th anniversary of Mariner 10 launch in 1973 (flyby to Venus & Mercury) * * * * * * * Nov. 4-7, 2003 Taurids Meteor Shower Peak The Northern Taurids are active from mid-Oct. to early Dec. While watching the Oct. 30 meteor here in Vermont, I saw about 5 meteors in the Northeastern section of the sky. This is an old meteor stream first discovered in 1869. (See Nov. 13-19 for more meteor shower information) * * * * * * * Nov. 8, 2003 Lunar Eclipse Lucky Easterners in the United States and Canada will be able to see a total lunar eclipse—meaning the entire event from start to finish. This is a 3 hour and 33 minute event, beginning at 6:09 p.m. EST and lasting until 10:28 p.m. EST. Use your "naked eyes," binoculars or a telescope. To avoid light pollution and to see as much as possible of this event: Go to a dark area where you can see the moon--which travels East to West in the night sky as Earth rotates and revolves. Give yourself about 30 minutes for your eyes to acclimate to the darkness. If at all possible, do NOT use a white light flashlight which will interfere with your night vision. A red bulb, or red cellophane or gel over the lens will be much kinder to your eyes. The beginning of the event occurs at 6:09 p.m. as the Moon begins to enter the outer most portion of Earth’s shadow—called the penumbra. (The penumbra will be difficult to see to the naked eye but telescopes will help)* It will be easier to see the event beginning about 6:32 p.m. when the moon begins to enter the darker, inner shadow—called the umbra. The next total lunar eclipse that will be visible for North Americans won’t be until next year, Oct. 27-28, 2004. (There will be others visible to those in other parts of our planet.)
*(The Vermont Astronomical Society will probably be having sky viewing events where they bring multiple telescopes and help you learn more about this event.) * * * * * * * * * * * Nov. 13-19 Leonids Meteor Showers (Kids usually call them "shooting stars") The Leonids will not be as spectacular as a couple of years ago, but it’s always fun to watch the meteors streak across the sky. On the 13th, the Moon will be bright as it in the gibbous phase, making it harder to see the meteors. But as the waning moon becomes a crescent on Nov. 19, it should be easier to see them beginning about 12:25 a.m. (Maximum for Vermont and the Northeast US & Canada and west to Indiana & Toronto is predicted for 2:28 a.m.) The Leonids will appear to come out of its namesake constellation, Leo the Lion, face East and look up. The meteors will radiate out in all directions from the central point (the radiant.) With favorable weather, and clear skies, folks might see about 10 per hour this year. (To be classified as a "meteor storm" there must be 1,000 meteors or more per hour.) These meteors are actually caused by the Comet Temple-Tuttle as it travels through the inner part of our Solar System every 33 years. The meteors are visible to us as Earth does its daily rotation (turns) and faces into and heads into the dense, dusty debris system while revolving (moving around the sun.) This debris is actually smaller than grains of sand, but some may be as large as a pea or marble. The debris (meteorites) will disintegrate as it enters Earth’s atmosphere. As an analogy to use with your students: Seeing the meteors is similar to travelling in a car, truck, or van in terms of why your vehicle gets more bugs on the front windshield and bumper than on the rear windshield and bumper when you are in motion. You must be facing and heading into the bugs (or celestial comet debris.) For those of you able to stay awake for the sky show, hope for clear skies and don’t forget to follow the childhood tradition to make a wish on the "shooting stars." * * * * * * * Nov 16, 2003 30th anniversary of Skylab 4 launch (1973) * * * * * * Nov. 18, 2003 Allan Shepard’s 80th birthday (1923) Do your students know who he is and why we acknowledge and celebrate his birthday? * * * * * * Nov 22, 2003 5th Anniversary Galileo, Europa flyby (1998) * * * * * Nov. 23, 2003 Solar Eclipse (but only visible from Antarctica and the far Southern Hemisphere) What will the temperatures be like in Antarctica for the scientists there who might want to go outdoors and do safe viewing of the eclipse? Vermont
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