[Launch Alert] Comet Neat Visible

[Brian Webb]

                            LAUNCH ALERT

                             Brian Webb
                     Ventura County, California
                     E-mail: kd6nrp at earthlink.net
                Web Site: http://www.spacearchive.info

                                         2004 May 9 (Sunday) 08:14 PDT
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                         COMET NEAT VISIBLE

Long-awaited Comet NEAT recently made its closest approach to the Sun
and has appeared in the evening sky. The object is currently visible
from the suburbs using little more than binoculars and from rural
areas with the unaided eye.

The best time for residents of the Southwest to spot Comet NEAT is 1
hour 15 minutes after sunset. Face midway between southwest and west
and scan the sky in wide swaths from left to right from 20 to 45
degrees above the horizon. The solitary, moderately bright star
Procyon is within the search area and serves as a good reference.

The comet will resemble a faint, glowing cloud. Depending on your
location and equipment, you may be able to see the star-like nucleus
or a hint of a tail.

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                   VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
                          As of 2004 May 9

		    Launch
		  Time/Window
  Date         (PST/PDT)		 Vehicle		Pad/Silo
--------	---------------		----------		--------

MAY 17	10:47-11:11			Taurus		SLC-576E
Payload is Taiwan's ROCSAT-2 satellite

JUN?		To be announced		Minuteman III	---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one warhead (probably a
Mk-12). Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein in the
central Pacific. Postponed following two unsuccessful launch attempts
on March 24th. Vehicle may be launched separately or launched during
the same window as the Minuteman III scheduled for June 9th. Glory
Trip 184GM

JUN		To be announced		Minuteman III	---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads (probably Mk-12). Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at
Kwajalein in the central Pacific. Glory Trip 185GM

JUN 19	03:01:50-03:04:50		Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is NASA's AURA scientific satellite

JUL		To be announced		Peacekeeper		---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is unarmed warheads (probably
Mk-21). Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein in the
central Pacific. Glory Trip 33PA?

AUG-SEP	10:00-13:00			Falcon I		SLC-3W
Payload is the Naval Research Laboratory's TacSat-1 satellite. The
launch window is fixed and does not change if the launch date changes.

SEP		To be announced		Minuteman III	---
ICBM test launch (non-orbital). Payload is one or more unarmed
warheads (probably Mk-12). Impact area is in the Reagan Test Site at
Kwajalein in the central Pacific. Glory Trip 186?

SEP 18	~03:22			Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is NOAA N environmental satellite. Launch time is based on
informed speculation

OCT 18	Unknown			Pegasus		Offshore
Payload is DART satellite

NOV 9		08:00-10:00			Minotaur		SLC-8
Payload is XSS-11 satellite

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Copyright © 2004 Brian Webb. All rights reserved. This newsletter may
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  Reprinted from Launch Alert (www.spacearchive.info/newsletter.htm)