[Launch Alert] Venus Occultation

[Brian Webb]

                             LAUNCH ALERT
 				  
                              Brian Webb
                     Ventura County, California
                         kd6nrp at earthlink.net
                     http://www.spacearchive.info
		       
                                  2009 April 20 (Monday) 04:23 PDT
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                          VENUS OCCULTATION
                             Brian Webb

This Wednesday morning (April 22) observers in the southwestern U.S.
have an opportunity to see Venus perform a rare disappearing act.

Known as an "occultation", the event will occur as the Moon's eastward
orbital motion carries it in front of the silvery-white planet,
temporarily hiding it from view.

As seen from Los Angeles, Venus will disappear behind the crescent
Moon during morning twilight at 05:06 PDT. The planet will reappear
shortly before sunrise at 05:57 PDT.

If the weather is clear, the occultation should be visible to the
unaided eye. However, since the two objects will be low in the east,
you will need an unobstructed eastern horizon to see this unusual
event.

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                             ON THE WEB

A photo of the first-ever launch of an Atlas V rocket from Vandenberg
AFB has been posted on the Space Archive web site. To view the image,
go to:

   http://www.spacearchive.info/atlas-v-nrol-28.htm

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Copyright 2009, Brian Webb. All rights reserved. This newsletter may
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