[Launch Alert] Eclipse Tomorrow Night

[Brian Webb]

	     ASTRONOMY/SPACE ALERT FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
 				  
				  Brian Webb, KD6NRP
			   Ventura County, California
			  E-mail: kd6nrp@earthlink.net
		Web Site: http://home.earthlink.net/~kd6nrp
 				       
						 2003 May 14 (Wednesday) 06:06 PDT
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			  LUNAR ECLIPSE TOMORROW NIGHT

A total lunar eclipse will be visible from southern California (as
well as Europe and much of the Americas) Thursday night. The
circumstances of the eclipse are:

				Time
    Event			(PDT)
--------------		------
Eclipse Begins		19:03
Moonrise			19:40*
Sunset			19:47*
Totality Begins		20:14
Totality Ends		21:07
Eclipse Ends		22:18

In southern California the Moon doesn't rise until just before sunset
and the eclipse is already in progress. Totality, the most interesting
portion of the eclipse, begins shortly after sundown.

For nearly an hour, the Moon will be deep in the Earth's shadow and
bathed in dim sunlight filtering through the atmosphere around the
edge of the Earth.

To see the eclipse, go outdoors at sundown and look for the Moon very
low on the eastern horizon. You won't need anything more than the
naked eye. However, you'll see more through binoculars - especially if
they're mounted on a tripod.

For more information, go to:

http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/eclipses/article_923_1.asp

http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/extra/TLE2003May15.html

* Moonrise and sunset times are for downtown Los Angeles. These can
  vary by several minutes depending on your location. The various
  eclipse-related times are valid for all locations.

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

			 VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
				  As of 2003 May 11

This schedule is based on information available to the public from
government, industry, and other sources. It is believed to be accurate
at the time of publication, but is subject to change. The dates and
times may not agree with those posted on online launch schedules,
such as the official Vandenberg AFB launch schedule
(mocc.vandenberg.af.mil/launchsched.asp), because different sources
were used and the schedules were updated at different times.

		  Launch
		Time/Window
  Date	 (PST/PDT)		 Vehicle		Pad/Silo
--------	-----------		----------		--------
JUN 1		  ~11:43		Pegasus XL		Offshore
Pegasus XL Offshore Payload is Orbimage's OrbView 3 commercial
reconnaissance satellite. Pegasus will be air-launched from an L-1011
staged from Vandenberg AFB 

JUN		Unannounced		Minuteman III	LF-04
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is at least one unarmed
warhead. Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein in the
central Pacific. GT-182GM 

JUN 18	  ~09:00		Titan II		SLC-4W
Payload is a DMSP military weather satellite. The launch window for
this long-delayed launch has not been announced, but previous attempts
have been scheduled for 06:00 to 09:00 PDT, depending on the time of
year. 

JUL-SEP	Unannounced		EKV Booster		Unknown
Test launch of a prototype booster for the EKV (anti-missile
interceptor) booster. Vehicle will fly a ballistic (non-orbital)
trajectory. Launch being conducted for Missile Defense Agency to
develop a ground-based, mid-course defense system against strategic
missiles.

JUL 25	Unannounced		Pegasus XL		Offshore
Payload is the Canadian Space Agency's SciSat 1 ozone monitoring
satellite. Pegasus will be air-launched from an L-1011 staged from
Vandenberg AFB 

AUG		Unannounced		Minuteman III	LF-26
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is at least one unarmed
warhead. Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein the
central Pacific. GT-183GB 

SEP		Unannounced		Minuteman III	LF-10
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is at least one unarmed
warhead. Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein in the
central Pacific. GT-181GM 

SEP 18	   09:44		Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is NASA's Gravity Probe B scientific satellite 

OCT-DEC	Unannounced		EKV Booster		Unknown
Test launch of a prototype booster for the EKV (anti-missile
interceptor) booster. Vehicle will fly a ballistic (non-orbital)
trajectory. Launch being conducted for Missile Defense Agency to
develop a ground-based, mid-course defense system against strategic
missiles.

Mid-OCT	Unannounced		Atlas II		SLC-3E
Payload is a classified National Reconnaissance Office Office
satellite(s)