[Launch Alert] Launch Schedule

Tue, 2 Apr 2002 23:11:51 -0500

	     ASTRONOMY/SPACE ALERT FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

			 Brian Webb, KD6NRP
		     Ventura County, California
		    E-mail: [email protected]
	      Web Site: http://home.earthlink.net/~kd6nrp

				     2002 April 2 (Tuesday) 20:07 PST
----------------------------------------------------------------------

	   Southern California Astronomical Events Calendar

A calendar of astronmical events geared towards southern California
has been added to my web site. My goal is to create a one-stop,
comprehensive listing of celestial events visible from the region,
astronomy-related lectures, and astronomy club events.

The calendar is still under construction, but it already has a lot of
information. It's located at:

	    http://home.earthlink.net/~kd6nrp/astrosked.htm

Comments, corrections, and additions to the calendar should be sent to
[email protected].
----------------------------------------------------------------------

		    Vandenberg AFB Launch Schedule
			   As of 2002 April 2

 Date   PST/PDT   Vehicle Comments

APR      00:01-06:01    Minuteman III   ICBM test launch (non-
orbital). Payload is unarmed warhead(s). Impact area is near Kwajalein
in the central Pacific. GT-178-GM

APR 26    02:54-03:05   Delta II        Payload is NASA's AQUA
environmental satellite

MAY       01:01-07:01   Peacekeeper     ICBM test launch (non-
orbital). Payload is unarmed warhead(s). Impact area is near Kwajalein
in the central Pacific. GT-31-PA

JUN       01:01-07:01   Minuteman III   ICBM test launch (non-
orbital). Payload is unarmed warhead(s). Impact area is near Kwajalein
in the central Pacific. GT-179-GB

JUN 25    11:22-11:32   Titan II        Payload is NOAA M weather
satellite

3rd QTR   Unknown       Minuteman II    Vehicle will send unarmed
warhead and decoys on ballistic (non-orbital) trajectory to the
central Pacific. Objects will be launched to provide objects for the
IFT-9 missile defense Test. An interceptor launched from the Marshall
Islands will attempt to kill the unarmed warhead.

JUL       01:01-07:01   Minuteman III   ICBM test launch (non-
orbital). Payload is unarmed warhead(s). Impact area is near Kwajalein
in the central Pacific. GT-177-GM

SEP       01:01-07:01   Minuteman III   ICBM test launch (non-
orbital). Payload is unarmed warhead(s). Impact area is near Kwajalein
in the central Pacific. GT-180-GM

SEP       UNK           Atlas II AS     Classified National Reconnais-
sance Office payload

SEP       UNK           Pegasus XL      Payload is ORBVIEW 3 commercial
imaging satellite. Vehicle will be air-dropped from L-1011. Aircraft
will take off from Vandenberg AFB

4th QTR   UNK           Minuteman II    Vehicle will send unarmed war-
head and decoys on ballistic (non-orbital) trajectory to the central
Pacific. Objects will be launched to provide objects for the IFT-10
missile defense Test. An interceptor launched from the Marshall
Islands will attempt to kill the unarmed warhead.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

		Southern California Astronomical Events
			   for April 2002

		Time
 Date         PST/PDT           Event                   Comments

APR 04         07:29      Last Quarter Moon
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.html

APR 7          05:50      Moon occults star         The Moon occults
the +4.7 magnitude star Epsilon Capricornis. The disappearance is not
visible. In Los Angeles the star reappears at 05:50 PDT. Sky and
Telescope, 2002 JAN, p.109

APR 12         12:21      New Moon                  
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.html

APR 13-14       ---       Dark Sky Weekend          Moon not visible.
Sky is at its darkest

APR 15      19:49-19:59   Asteroid occults star     The asteroid 1309
Hyperborea occults the +7.25 magnitude star SAO 117121 (R.A.
8h 47m 15s, dec. +7d 36m 34s). Maximum duration 5.5 sec.
http://www.lunar-occultations.com/iota/asteroids/0416hyperborea.gif

APR 16      11:33-11:34   Moon occults Saturn       Daylight event.
This is a grazing occultation visible north of a line that runs
southwest to northeast through Santa Barbara. http://www.planetkc.com
/bobgraze 2002d.zip

APR 20         05:48      First Quarter Moon
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.html

APR 20          ---       Astronomy Day

APR 20      10:00-15:00   VCAS Astronomy Day 2002   The Ventura County
Astronomical Society will host Astronomy Day 2002 at the Sycamore
Plaza in Simi Valley. http://www.vcas.org

APR 23-24   23:40-00:52   Moon occults star         The Moon occults
the +4.0 magnitude star Nu Virginis. In Los Angeles the star disap-
pears at 23:40 and reappears at 05:52 PDT.
http://www.planetkc.com/bobgraze 2002d.zip

APR 26         20:00      Full Moon
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/MoonPhase.html