Universe Today - August 3, 2000 |
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the U N I V E R S E T O D A Y Space Exploration News From Around the Internet, Updated Every Weekday. August 3, 2000 - Issue #284 http://www.universetoday.com info@universetoday.com An HTML version of this newsletter including pictures is available at: http://www.universetoday.com/html/misc/today.html ************************************** A note from the publisher, I'm going to try an experiment in this newsletter. If you take a look at the stories, I've added links back to the Universe Today newsletter story archive and directory of space links. So, if you're interested in a topic and want to see the full story thread, or if you're interested in the general topic, and want to find related websites, that's what these extra links are for. I've been doing this one the website for several months now, but this is the first time I've put them into the newsletter. So, it's up to you, gentle reader, to decide the fate of this feature. Handy links for engaging research or eye-gouging clutter? Let me know. It's a little known secret that I respond to all the email - usually pretty quickly. Go ahead, test me. I dare you. Fraser Cain Publisher Universe Today ************************************** -- UNIVERSE TODAY STORY SUMMARY -- * Wobbling Pulsar Analyzed by Jodrell Bank * Japanese Space Shuttle Program Halted * Hubble Captures New Images of Globular Star Cluster WOBBLING PULSAR ANALYZED BY JODRELL BANK ------------------------- Astronomers using the Lovell Telescope at the Jodrell Bank Observatory have discovered a wobbling pulsar - PSR B1828-11. Like many pulsars, this supernova remnant is the size of a city, weighs a million times the mass of the Earth, and spins 2.5 times/second. But unlike any previously discovered pulsar, it wobbles like a slowing top, with a period of 1000 days. This wobbling was discovered by analyzing 13 years of data collected by the observatory. Original Source: http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/news/neutronstar/">Jodrell Bank Press Release Internet Coverage: http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0008/02neutroninside/ http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_863000/863559.stm Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/astronomy.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/observatories.html JAPANESE SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM HALTED ------------------------- An unmanned Japanese version of the space shuttle, called the Hope-X, has been put on hold while the Japanese space agency determines what launch vehicle it will use. The Hope-X was originally designed to be launched with on an H-2 rocket, but recent launch mishaps of the rocket have forced NASDA to reconsider. An alternative being considered is to launch the shuttle on the back of a reusable jet plane. Already 4 years behind schedule, the Hope-X was supposed to fly its first mission by 2004. Original Source: http://yyy.tksc.nasda.go.jp/Home/Space_Trans/e/hope_x_e.html Internet Coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/08/02/japan.shuttle.ap/index.html http://www.foxnews.com/science/080200/shuttle_japan.sml http://www.msnbc.com/news/440920.asp http://www.flatoday.com/space/explore/stories/2000b/080300japan.htm Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/japanese.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/spaceagencies.html HUBBLE CAPTURES NEW IMAGES OF GLOBULAR STAR CLUSTER ------------------------- The Hubble Space Telescope recently took stunning new images of the globular star cluster M15. Located 40,000 light years away, in the direction of the constellation of Pegasus, M15 is a spherical association of hundreds of thousands of stars. These new Hubble images are designed to show the stars of the cluster in their true colours - from cooler orange and red stars to hot blue and white stars. The image also contains a rare planetary nebula. Original Source: http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/PR/2000/25/index.html Internet Coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/08/03/hubble.globular.cluste/index.html Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/hubble.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/astrophotography.html ************************************** A few more astronomy clubs, web pages and space societies. Rick Keil's Astrophotography - http://www.geocities.com/rnmkeil/ Astronomy and astrophotography with a Meade 8" LX50. Also included are some helpful hints and modifications to the LX50, along with a lot of very informative links. Astronomes Amateurs du Luxembourg - http://www.aal.lu Luxembourg's only amateur astronomy association. Founded in 1971, now counting more than 160 members. Bringing people into contact with astronomy is the main goal of our association. This is why we organise introductory courses in school classes and offer telescope observations to people at selected sites throughout the country. Our website includes information about our activities, upcoming sky events, as well as frequently updated astronomy news, links, gallery and a special solar eclipse page. Tar River Astronomy Club - http://www.mindspring.com/~midniterider/Mypage.htm Tar River Astronomy Club - Rocky Mount, NC. Meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00 at NC Weslyan College, Rm 210 Gravely Hall. Our next star party will be Sep 31st. Galactic Images - http://www.galacticimages.com Visit Galactic Images & The Chumack Observatory website to view some of the beautiful deep space & comet photographs taken by a Professional Astrophotographer. The site offers a very large image archive, and many museum quality fully framed and unframed astronomical photographs, with sizes up to 32x40. ------------------------- To unsubscribe from this newsletter, just reply with only the subject line "UNSUBSCRIBE !*EMAIL*!". All contents copyright (c) 2000 Universe Today |