[Launch Alert] Launch Schedule, Eclipse and Venus Transit

[Launch Alert]

                             LAUNCH ALERT
 				  
                              Brian Webb
                     Ventura County, California
                  launch-alert-editor at earthlink.net
                        www.spacearchive.info
		       
                                      2012 June 2 (Saturday) 07:46
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                   VANDENBERG AFB LAUNCH SCHEDULE
                          As of 2012 June 2

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

AUG 2           To be announced          Atlas V             SLC-3E
Vehicle will launch the classified NROL-36 payload for the U.S.
National Reconnaissance Office. The vehicle will also reportedly
carry the following secondary payloads: CINEMA (Cubesat for Ion,
Neutral, Electron, Magnetic fields), University of California
Berkeley; CSSWE (Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment),
University of Colorado at Boulder; CP5, California Polytechnic
University; CXBN (Cosmic X-ray Background Nanosat) Morehead State
University; ORSES (ORS Enabler Satellite), US Army Space and Missile
Defense Command; Aeneas, Department of Homeland Security/University
of Southern California; Horus, Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory; Re, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; and three
Aerocube spacecraft.  

DEC 1           06:32:24-06:37:24        Pegasus XL          N/A
Vehicle will be air-dropped from an L-1011 jumbo jet flying offshore.
The aircraft will be staged from Vandenberg AFB. Launch occurs shortly
before sunrise and may create a weak Twilight Effect as exhaust at
high altitude is illuminated by the Sun.

Unknown         To be announced          Minuteman III       ---
Test launch. Delayed from May 16. The Defense Department may release
some details about the launch a few days in advance.  

2012            To be announced          Falcon 9            SLC-4E
Vehicle will launch a payload for MDA Corp. (Canada)  

2012            To be announced          Falcon Heavy        SLC-4E
Falcon Heavy demonstration flight  

The above schedule is a composite of unclassified information
approved for public release from government, industry, and other
sources. It represents the Editor's best effort to produce a schedule,
but may disagree with other sources. Details on military launches are
withheld until they are approved for public release. For official
information regarding Vandenberg AFB activities, go to
http://www.vandenberg.af.mil.

All launch dates and times are given in Pacific Time using a 24-hour
format similar to military time (midnight = 00:00, 1:00 p.m. = 13:00,
11:00 p.m. = 23:00, etc.). 

The dates and times in this schedule may not agree with those on other
online launch schedules, including the official Vandenberg AFB
schedule because different sources were used, the information was
interpreted differently, and the schedules were updated at different
times.

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                   LUNAR ECLIPSE AND VENUS TRANSIT
                            by Brian Webb

Next week, sky watchers in the Southwest and other areas have an
opportunity to see two major astronomical events. On Monday, June 4th,
the Moon will pass through the shadow of Earth, producing a partial
lunar eclipse visible across the Pacific from China to the United
States. For more information, go to:

  http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012
  /28may_strawberry/

On Tuesday, June 5th, Venus makes a rare transit across the face of
the Sun. For more information, point your browser to:

  http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home/155396605.html

  http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/home
  /Safely-View-the-Upcoming-Eclipse-and-Transit-150863835.html

A good way to enjoy the transit is to observe the event with an
astronomy club. To find a club-sponsored event near you, go to:

  http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov

According to Launch Alert readers and other sources, the public will
be able to view the transit from the following venues:


Arizona
-------

Tucson

  Flandrau Science Center, University of Arizona
  (http://www.flandrau.org)


California
----------

Auburn

  American River Canyon Overlook, also known as the Auburn Dam
  Overlook and the Auburn Skatepark (www.thecomethunter.com)

Oakland

  http://www.chabotspace.org/triple-play.htm

Los Altos Hills

  http://www.pastro.org/dnn/Observatory/FoothillObservatory.aspx

Lick Observatory

  http://www.ucolick.org/public/transitofvenus.html

UC Santa Cruz

  Public viewing with a portable solar scope at the large orange Wave
  sculpture at Porter College

Paso Robles

  CCAS Solar Transit Party at the City Park in Paso Robles (11th and
  Spring Street)

Grover Beach

  Pismo State Beach at the end of Grand Avenue in Grover Beach (by
  Fin's Restaurant and the golf course)

Goleta

  Calle Real Marketplace

Santa Barbara

  http://www.sbau.org/event/venustransit/venustransit.htm

Los Angeles

  http://www.griffithobservatory.org/exhibits/special
  /Special_Event_Transit_of_Venus.html

Irvine

  UC Irvine

Borrego Springs

  Borrego Springs Resort (http://www.borregospringsresort.com)

San Diego

  http://www.sdaa.org/


Colorado
--------

Denver

  Denver Museum of Nature & Science (http://www.dmns.org)


New Mexico
----------

Las Cruces

  NMSU Observatory (http://www.astronomy.nmsu.edu)

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Copyright 2012, Brian Webb. All rights reserved. No portion of this
newsletter may be used without identifying Launch Alert as the
source and providing a functioning hyperlink or text that point to
http://www.spacearchive.info/newsletter.htm.