[Launch Alert] Evening Comet

Sun Jan 2 17:07:09 EST 2005

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				             2005 January 2 (Sunday) 13:59 PST
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                            EVENING COMET

A comet discovered last summer reaches its greatest brightness this
month and is now conveniently placed for observation. Officially
designated C/2004 Q2, Comet Machholz was discovered by comet hunter
Don Machholz of Colfax, California on August 27 as he was swept the
pre-dawn sky with his telescope.

The object has since brightened substantially and moved into the
evening sky where it is currently visible from dark sites with the
naked eye and the suburbs with binoculars. Comet Machholz is expected
to brighten further in early January and may reach naked eye
visibility for some city dwellers.

To see Machholz's comet, look high in the east about 90 minutes after
sunset and locate the Pleiades, a small patch of several semi-faint
stars. On the evening of January 2, the comet will be about 20° to
their lower right. Over the next several evenings C/2004 Q2 will
gradually climb and move towards the left, passing just to the right
of the Pleiades on January 7.

If the sky is too bright at your location to find the comet visually,
try searching with binoculars. Comet Machholz will resemble a large,
fuzzy patch. Binoculars or a telescope may reveal the comet's
blue-green color and tail.

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                     MINUTEMAN CONTRACTS AWARDED

Clearfield, Utah - The U.S. Air Force late last month awarded Northrop
Grumman two contracts to modernize the Minuteman III strategic
missile. The vehicle is the mainstay of the U.S. land-based strategic
missile force and work performed under the contracts is intended to
extend the missile's service life through 2020.

The firm received a $153 million contract to continue full-rate
production of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Guidance
Replacement Program (GRP). This program is a key modernization effort
that will upgrade the missile's guidance system electronics.

Northrop Grumman was also awarded a $248 million contract to continue
the full-rate production phase of the intercontinental ballistic
missile (ICBM) Propulsion Replacement Program (PRP). The program
replaces aging Minuteman III stage 1, 2, and 3 solid rocket motors
with remanufactured motors. The remanufacturing includes replacing the
aging propellant and obsolete or environmentally unsafe materials and
components.

Information courtesy of Northrop Grumman.

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		       VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
			       As of 2005 January 2

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

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

Late FEB-
Early-MAR		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.

MAR			Unknown			Minotaur		SLC-8
Payload is XSS-11 satellite

MAR 1			To be announced		Delta IV		SLC-6
Classified National Reconnaissance Office payload. The Dodd will
announce the launch time about 24-hours in advance. NOR-22

MAR 1			Mid-morning			Pegasus XL		Offshore
Payload is NASA's DART satellite

MAR 10		02:22				Delta II		SIC-2W
Payload is the NONA N environmental satellite

APR			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 188GB

MAY			To be announced		Peacekeeper		---
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 34-PA

MAY			Unknown			Minotaur		SLC-8
Payload is STP-R1 satellite

MAY 26		03:01				Delta II		SLC-2W
Payload is the CloudSat and CALIPSO environmental satellites

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. The Air Force will announce the date
and launch window about 36-hours in advance. SERV-1

JUN 5			Unknown			Delta IV		SLC-2W
Payload is the DMSP-17 military weather satellite

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	       Southern California Astronomical Events
			        for 2005 January

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

JAN 3			00:00-05:30		Quadrantid Meteor Shower
Observers in dark locations should see several meteors per hour. Peak
is expected at 05:00

JAN 3			09:46			Last Quarter Moon
Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon

JAN 8-9		---			Dark Sky Weekend
Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may
hold observing sessions at dark sites

JAN 10		04:03			New Moon
Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises
at sunrise and sets at sunset

JAN 13		15:00			Saturn Opposition
Saturn is opposite the Sun with respect to Earth and rises at sunset.

JAN 13		16:00			Planetary Conjunction
Venus 0.3° north of Mercury

JAN 16		22:57			First Quarter Moon
Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight

JAN 25		02:32			Full Moon
Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night

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