[Launch Alert] Vandenberg Launch Schedule

Mon Nov 1 09:11:19 EST 2004

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				            2004 November 1 (Monday) 05:53 PST
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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
		            As of 2004 November 1

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

NET NOV 4		~10:15-10:20		Pegasus XL		Offshore
Payload is NASA's DART satellite

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

FEB			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. The Air Force will announce the date
and launch window about 36-hours in advance. Glory Trip 187GM

FEB 12		~02:00			Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the NOAA N environmental satellite. Launch time is based on
informed speculation

MAR 1			To be announced		Delta IV		SLC-6
Classified National Reconaissance Office payload. The DoD will
announce the launch time about 24-hours in advance. NROL-22

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	         Southern California Astronomical Events
			       for 2004 November

			  Time
  Date		(PST/PDT)		    Event
--------		---------		-----------------------------

NOV 3			00:33-01:20		Lunar Occultation
The Moon occults (passes in front of) the +4.1 magnitude star Upsilon
Geminorum. The star disappears at 00:33 and reappears at 01:20. Time
computed for downtown Los Angeles and will vary depending on your
location

NOV 4			13:00			Planetary Conjunction
Venus and Jupiter 0.6° apart

NOV 4			21:53			Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

NOV 8			13:00			Titan Eastern Elongation
Saturn's moon Titan attains its greatest angular separation from the
planet and is visible in tripod-mounted binoculars or a small
telecope.

NOV 9			08:00			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 1.6° north of Jupiter.

NOV 10		20:00			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 0.5° south of Mars.

NOV 12		06:27			New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset.

NOV 13-14		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers
may hold observing sessions from dark sites

NOV 13		19:00			Lunar Conjunction
The Moon passes 0.9° south of Mercury.

NOV 16		07:00			Titan Western Elongation
Saturn's moon Titan attains its greatest angular separation from the
planet and is visible in tripod-mounted binoculars or a small
telecope.

NOV 17?		00:00-05:00		Meteor Shower
Leonid meteor shower. Best viewing time between midnight and dawn.
Peak predicted for NOV 17 at 23:30

NOV 18		21:50			First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

NOV 20		17:00			Mercury Eastern Elongation
Elusive Mercury attains its greatest angular separation from the Sun
and is visible low in the west at dusk.

NOV 24		11:00			Titan Eastern Elongation
Saturn's moon Titan attains its greatest angular separation from the
planet and is visible in tripod-mounted binoculars or a small
telecope.

NOV 26		12:07			Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset and sets at sunrise and is visible all night

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			           TIME FORMAT

All times in this newsletter are given in Pacific Time using a 24-hour
format based on military time. Under this system, regular time is
expressed as follows:

							24-hour
			     Regular Time		Format
			---------------------	-------
			12:00 a.m. (midnight)	 00:00
			6:00  a.m.			 06:00
			12:00 p.m. (noon)		 12:00
			6:00  p.m.			 18:00

No distinction is made between Pacific Standard Time and Pacific
Daylight Time.

For assistance in converting military time to regular time, go to:

	http://www.spacearchive.info/military.htm

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