Space News for July 8, 1999

Impact Created Chesapeake Bay 35 Million Years Ago

Researchers have confirmed that Chesapeake Bay, on the Eastern Coast of the United States, was created when a massive object 2-3 miles across slammed into the Earth 35 million years ago. The impact was so powerful that it carved out a crater 56 miles across, and sent 2000 feet tsunami hurtling across the ocean.

explorezone.com

Meteor Explodes over New Zealand

A meteor the size of car exploded over a remote part of New Zealand’s North Island on Thursday. The object cast an eerie blue glow, generated a sonic boom detectable by seismic equipment, and rained fragments over the landscape. There were no reports of injuries.

CNN Space
MSNBC

Chandra Launch Date and Time Confirmed

NASA officials have cleared the Chandra X-Ray Observatory for launch on board the space shuttle Columbia on July 20th at 12:36am. Chandra will be the most powerful X-ray telescope ever launched.

Fox News
MSNBC
Space Chronicle
SpaceViews

New Information Gathered on Solar Winds

New measurements from satellites have determined that particles from the sun hurtle away from the star at twice the velocity previously thought. Moving at two million miles an hour, the particles ride a magnetic wave that emanates from the sun.

MSNBC