Universe Today - August 18, 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 18, 2000 - Issue #291 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 ************************************** What should you do if you see a really bright meteor? Is there anyone you should tell? In case you were wondering, this seems to be the most common question that I get asked here at Universe Today HQ (usually once a week or so). So, being the human link librarian that I am, I thought I'd provide you with a set of Internet resources you can use if you see such an event for yourself. If you're watching the sky, and you suddenly see a really, REALLY, bright meteor (at least as bright as Venus, at -4 magnitude) streaking overhead, then you're seeing a "fireball" - a meteor that stands a pretty good chance of getting through the Earth's atmosphere without burning up (they always seem to land on cars, don't ask me why ;-). The slower the fireball moves through the sky, the better chance there will be of finding it on the ground. If you see a fireball, it's very important that you report the sighting to your local agency, so they can try and recover the meteorite on the ground. Your visual data can allow experts to calculate the atmospheric trajectory and orbit information. And since meteorites react with the Earth's atmosphere right away, it's important to locate them quickly. In the United States, you want to contact the American Meteor Society: http://www.amsmeteors.org In Canada, the Meteorites and Impact Advisory Committee: http://wwwdsa.uqac.uquebec.ca/~mhiggins/MIAC/MIAC.html And Internationally, the International Meteor Organization http://www.imo.net Good luck! Fraser Cain Publisher Universe Today ************************************** -- UNIVERSE TODAY STORY SUMMARY -- * Chandra Images Galactic Superbubbles * Ariane Rocket Launches Two Satellites * NASA Pioneer Dies * Titan Launch Successful CHANDRA IMAGES GALACTIC SUPERBUBBLES ------------------------- The Chandra X-Ray Observatory was recently used to reveal incredible detail on what happens when galaxies collide. The collision of the two Antennae Galaxies in the constellation Corvus has produced "superbubbles" 5,000 light years across. As the galaxies collide, the pressure causes clouds of gas to form into stars. These short-lived new stars go supernova only a few million years later, and their expanding clouds merge to form the superbubbles imaged by Chandra. The space observatory recently celebrated its one year anniversary. Original Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/ Internet Coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/08/17/chandra.bubbles/index.html http://www.discovery.com/news/briefs/20000818/sp_chandra.html http://www.spaceviews.com/2000/08/16b.html Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/chandra.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/x-rayastronomy.html ARIANE ROCKET LAUNCHES TWO SATELLITES ------------------------- An Ariane 44LP booster carrying two satellites successfully launched from the European Space Agency (ESA) launch center in Kourou, French Guiana. The launch occurred Thursday evening at 11:16pm GMT, with its cargo of a Brazilian Brasilsat B4 communications satellite, and an Egyptian Nilesat 102 direct television satellite. Both satellites were placed in their correct orbits within 25 minutes of launch. This is the 5th launch of the year for Arianespace. Original Source: http://www.arianespace.com/ Internet Coverage: http://www.cnn.com/2000/TECH/space/08/17/space.ariane.02.reut/index.html http://www.msnbc.com/news/447866.asp http://www.spacedaily.com/news/ariane-00h.html http://www.spaceviews.com/2000/08/17b.html Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/ariane.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/aerospacemanufacturers.html NASA PIONEER DIES ------------------------- An architect of modern spaceflight, Dr. Robert Gilruth, died early yesterday at a long-term care facility in Charlottesville, Va; he was 86. Back in the 50s, Dr. Gilruth led a team that created the basic design for Project Mercury, which put the first American in space. He then went on to become the directory of the Manned Spaceflight Center, now the Johnson Space Center in Houston. Over the course of his career he directed 25 manned flights. Original Source: http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/pao/media/rel/2000/H00-127.html Internet Coverage: http://www.msnbc.com/news/329383.asp http://www.chron.com/cgi-bin/auth/story.mpl/content/interactive/space/news/2000/20000818.html http://www.flatoday.com/space/explore/stories/2000b/081800a.htm http://www.spaceviews.com/2000/08/18a.html Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/nasa.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/nasa.html TITAN LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL ------------------------- A Titan 4B rocket lifted off from the Vandenberg Airforce Base in California at 11:45pm GMT. 9 minutes and 45 seconds after launch, it separated its classified secret payload into a successful orbit. Although its payload is classified, industry experts suspect that the rocket was carrying a Lacrosse radar imaging reconnaissance satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. Internet Coverage: http://www.flatoday.com/space/explore/stories/2000b/081800c.htm http://www.spacedaily.com/news/spysat-00h1.html http://www.spaceviews.com/2000/08/17c.html Similar Stories: http://www.universetoday.com/html/topics/airforce.html Related Sites: http://www.universetoday.com/html/directory/military.html ------------------------- To unsubscribe from this newsletter, just reply with only the subject line "UNSUBSCRIBE !*EMAIL*!". All contents copyright (c) 2000 Universe Today |