[Launch Alert] AstroImage 2006

Sun Aug 6 20:33:43 EDT 2006

                             LAUNCH ALERT

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

				              2006 August 6 (Sunday) 17:29 PDT
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                           ASTROIMAGE 2006

Next weekend the Orange County Astronomers will host AstroImage 2006,
the premier astroimaging conference. Scheduled for August 11-12 at
Brea, California's Curtis Theater, the event will bring astroimagers
together to network and hear about the latest astrophotography
techniques, software, and equipment.

The conference will include presentations by Chris Butler, Ron
Dantowitz, Rob Gendler, Tony Hallas, John Laborde, Robert Reeves, Alan
Smallbone, and Chuck Vaughn.

On Sunday, August 13, Scott Kardel will lead an optional "insiders"
tour of the Palomar Observatory.

For more information on AstroImage 2006, go to
www.ocastronomers.org/astroimage/2006.

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                       MERCURY'S MORNING SHOW

   The innermost planet climbs high in the predawn sky August 6-15.

      Astronomy magazine offers publication-quality graphics at
          www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=4439.

                 Astronomy Magazine News Release
                           2006 August 2

WAUKESHA, WI - For those who like to get up early, the first half of
August offers great views of the solar system's most elusive
naked-eye planet. Mercury climbs into view in the east-northeast
during the first few days of the month, appearing as a pale-yellow dot
low in the morning twilight.

Venus points the way

Although Mercury shines brightly, it can be hard to pick out against
the twilight glow. Fortunately, the planet Venus serves as a terrific
guide. Venus shines brighter than any other point of light in the sky.
Head outside about 45 minutes before sunrise, find yourself an
observing location with an uncluttered eastern horizon, and the
brilliant planet will dazzle your eye.

Between August 6 and August 15, Mercury lies just below Venus.
Although Venus gleams more than 10 times brighter than Mercury, you
should be able to spot Mercury without much difficulty. If you don't
see Mercury right away, try finding it with binoculars. Once you know
where to look, Mercury will pop into view. The two planets become more
prominent as they climb higher in the sky - the best views will come
about half an hour before sunrise.

Mercury reaches the peak of this morning appearance August 6, when it
lies farthest from the Sun and climbs highest in the predawn sky. It
then appears 10 ° - the approximate angle of your closed fist held at
arm's length - above the horizon 30 minutes before the sunrise.
Mercury remains near this altitude for about 10 days and then starts
sinking toward the horizon. It will pass Saturn, which is climbing
away from the horizon, August 21. The morning after that, a slender
crescent Moon joins the group.

Mercury - a rare sight to behold

Once you spot Mercury, you may wonder why it has a reputation for
being elusive. It is, after all, one of the sky's brightest objects.
Unfortunately, this bright light never climbs high in the sky. Mercury
orbits closer to the Sun than any other planet so, from our
perspective, it never strays far from the Sun's glare. Even at its
best, the innermost planet lies low in the west shortly after sunset
or low in the east before sunrise. It never gets far enough from the
Sun to appear in a dark sky.

The great astronomer Nicolas Copernicus - the man who put the Sun in
its proper place at the center of the solar system, with Earth
circling it - reportedly never glimpsed Mercury. So take a few
minutes one of these balmy August mornings, and catch a sight few
people ever have.

Sneak preview of Mercury's November transit of the Sun Mercury
transits - passes in front of - the Sun only 13 times a century, so
don't miss the chance to view this rare event November 8. A small
telescope and a good solar filter are all that's needed to watch the
planet's black disk cross the Sun.

Fast facts about Mercury:

  - It orbits the Sun at an average distance of 36 million miles but
    covers a broad range - from 29 million miles to 44 million miles.

  - Mercury takes just 88 days to orbit the Sun.

  - Mercury takes 59 days to rotate once on its axis.

  - With a diameter of 3,006 miles (38 percent of Earth), Mercury is
    the smallest planet in the solar system besides Pluto.

  - Humans got their first close-up look at Mercury in March 1974,
    when NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft flew by it and revealed a
    heavily cratered surface.

  - NASA launched the MESSENGER spacecraft toward Mercury in August
    2004. It will go into orbit around the planet in 2011, examining
    its surface, probing its interior, and measuring its magnetic
    field.

More in the sky for the unaided eye (August 2–13):

  August 2 - The Moon passes south of Jupiter

  August 4 - The Moon passes just south of the red star Antares

  August 8 - Venus passes south of the bright star Pollux

  August 9 - Full Moon

  August 12/13 - Perseid meteor shower peaks; look for shooting stars
  about a third to half the way up the northeast sky.

Astronomy magazine staff members are interviewed regularly on
television, radio, and print media. We are experienced in translating
high-level astronomy jargon into easy-to-understand language - we
bring the out-of-this-world down to Earth.

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    MARS: YOU'LL NEVER SEE ANYTHING LIKE IT AGAIN!  (AUGUST 2006)

                        Dennis L. Mammana

            Reprinted from MammanaGram 2006 JUL 28 issue

You'll never see anything like it because it will not... nor can it
EVER... happen!

If you're connected in any way to the internet, you've undoubtedly
received an e-mail saying that Mars was going to reach its most
spectacular this August--becoming as large in the sky as the full moon.
The information is left over from Mars' last opposition in 2003,
complete with additional bogus information.

Having made the rounds for three years, it's even made it to the status
of an urban legend.  http://www.snopes.com/science/mars.asp   With the
internet being what it is, expect to see this pop up every summer from
now until the end of time!

For information about this from a more reputable source, visit:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/07jul_marshoax.htm   (And, in
case you've never met me and wonder what I actually look like, check
out the photo near the bottom!)

In fact, if you can even find Mars in the sky you're quite the
astronomer.  It's nearly behind the sun right now and won't be easily
visible until much later in the year.

Please feel free to pass this info on to others expecting something as
amazing as the e-mail suggests... my inbox is bursting at the seams
about it!

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